Wildcats News
West Middle School
Principal - Scott Cole / Assistant Principal - Rachelle Wiersma / Dean of Students - Zach Davis
November 2019
Newsletter Translation Instructions
- Newsletter: Now Available in 100+ Languages
If you prefer to read the newsletter in a language other than English, please scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to select your preferred language. Simply select the "Translate" button on the lower right, select your language from the drop-down menu, and click "Close." The entire newsletter will then be translated into the language you have selected. Over 100 languages are available for selection.Boletín Informativo: Ahora Disponible en más de 100 Idiomas
Si prefiere leer el boletín en un idioma que no sea inglés, desplácese hasta la parte inferior de este boletín para seleccionar su idioma. Simplemente seleccione el botón "Traducir" en la esquina inferior derecha, seleccione su idioma en el menú y haga clic en "Cerrar". El boletín completo se traducirá al idioma que haya seleccionado. Más de 100 idiomas están disponibles para su selección.
Upcoming Events
11/3 Clocks FALL BACK 1 hour - Daylight Saving Time ends
11/4 Wrestling @ NHS 4:00 P.M.
11/4 Girls' Basketball @ WMS (West White 4:00 P.M. / West Green 5:00 P.M.)
11/5 ICDA 8th grade Honor Choir @ Storm Lake
11/5 Girls' Basketball @ WMS (West White 4:00 P.M. / West Green 5:00 P.M.)
11/6 & 11/7 ISU Trip for select 8th grade girls
11/7 Sports World Assembly @ WMS 1:00 P.M. (7th grade only)
11/7 Wrestling @ EHS 4:00 P.M.
11/7 Girls' Basketball @ SSC West White 4:00 P.M. / West Green 5:00 P.M.
11/8 Fundraiser Delivery / Distribution
11/9 NWIBA Festival @ Storm Lake Buena Vista University $5 Adults / $3 Students
11/12 Hearing Retakes @ WMS
11/12 Girls' Basketball @ WMS (West Green 4:00 P.M. / West White 5:00 P.M.)
11/12 Wrestling @ Heelan 4:00 P.M.
11/21 ICDA OPUS Honor Choir @ Ames, IA
11/26 WMS Choir Concerts @ WHS (6th gr. 5:30 P.M. / 7th gr. 6:30 P.M. / 8th gr. 7:30 P.M.)
11/27 1:45 P.M. Early Dismissal
11/28 No School - Thanksgiving Break
11/29 No School - Thanksgivng Break
Note from the Principal...
The second nine weeks has begun. The school year is flying by. We have seen our students participate in many activities during the first nine weeks from choir and band to football and volleyball. Our students have excelled in these activities and represented West Middle and the Westside community very well. We look forward to their continued successes in the winter months. Your continued support of your students in these endeavors is very important, and we thank you for it.
As mentioned previously, WMS has two building goals we are working to achieve this school year. 1.) 10% growth on the district Literacy assessment throughout the year and 2.) 10% growth on the district math assessment throughout the year. We will be taking the second round of assessments in early December. Staff and students have been working hard in classes to prepare for the next round of assessments. This is a checkpoint for the building on both goals, but we look to improve from where we started the year. You can help support the building goals by helping your student(s) get a good night sleep, be on time for school and discuss the importance of doing their best on the assessments.
As we work with IB (International Baccalaureate) we will start talking to students about the ten different learner profiles associated with IB. We will be putting several of these in upcoming newsletters so as parents and guardians you are aware of what your students are learning. Look for these coming soon.
Another reminder that students should dress appropriately for the weather. We will be outside in the morning before school and after lunches as weather allows.
If your student is absent for any reason, the school must be notified first thing in the morning. If you call after hours a message can be left for attendance. As a parent/guardian you will get an automated call in the morning and the afternoon that your student isn’t in attendance. If we have been notified of the absence, a call isn’t sent out.
Scott Cole 279-6813
8th grade MATH Highlights
Eighth grade math students are hard at work. As first quarter ends, Pre-Algebra is graphing transformations. Transformations are rotations, reflections, translations, and dilating figures. As the unit progressed, students were reminded of integer rules and graphing rules. Then, with perfect timing, our IB, International Baccalaureate, project was using figures to graph a bat!!! (see attached picture) The students enjoyed partnering with their peers to create a Halloween scene. Our 8th grade Algebra students are figuring out if graphs are linear or non-linear. Really, is it a line? They are looking at data and analyzing it. These skills will be very valuable as they grow in their math skills. Like, as a business grows, are their items profitable? Or, not profitable? All 8th graders are graphing and learning that graphs are more than just lines and figures.
Orchestra Festival
7th and 8th grade orchestra students took their yearly festival trip to Storm Lake on Wednesday, October 16th. These students had to get at least an 80% on their playing test to get an invitation. After a bus ride to Storm Lake, they rehearsed as a group all day and then preformed a concert at 4:00 P.M. at the Storm Lake High School. The following students did a great job!
Gabby Behrens, Trinity Brown, Angelique Eberly, Ethan Frazee, Angelina Gonzalez, Dylan Hahn, Jaycee Hardgraves, Hope Heilman, Jennifer Hernandez, Kari Hoklin, Jacy Jackson, Adela Juarez, Kevlyn Larvick, Alexia Martinez, Christian McKewon, Natalia Monjaras, Monserratte Montoya, Mya Nelson, Jenny Nguyen, Samson, O'Kane, Cristian Orellana Santos, Catherine Patten, Ken Phan, Alondra Prieto, Taylor Regier, Nele Reynolds, Angelica Rivera, Lola Roberts, Bernabe Rodriguez, Christian Sanchez, Diana Serrano, Lulu Vaul
The Transition to High School has Started
Hy-Vee Receipts
$CHOOL BUCK$ PROGRAM RULES 2019-2020
All receipts must be from the Sioux City or South Sioux City Hy-Vee’s or the Hy-Vee Mainstreet Store.
Receipts must be dated August 1, 2019 – April 26, 2020.
Please Note: No fuel, postal, money order, Western Union, lottery, Quest, Mid American or gift card receipts will be accepted. If any of these receipts are found in any of the bundles the entire bundle amount might not be counted and will not go towards our school total. Please pay for these items separate from your grocery order. Pharmacy receipts DO count so save those. Please ask the whole family to save their receipts...grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, we'll take them all! The PBIS team at West Middle thanks you.
Box Tops for Education
Box Tops for Education has gone online! The app is super easy. Download the app. Then answer a few, short questions. Make sure to select West Middle School. You can use our zip code, 51103, to find the school. Then, when you go to the store and see the box top picture on the top of an item you bought, upload the receipt in the app by taking a picture. If you use Ibotta, Shopkicks, Checkout 51, or similar apps, the process is the same.
Ask any friends, neighbors, or coworkers you have to do this for West Middle School if they do not have any kids at home. The app is free. People buy items all the time that have Box Tops on them. Let's capture some of this money to give back to West Middle.
Box Tops for Education (continued)
The West Middle PBIS team is the receiver of the money. This team uses the money to fund monthly breakfasts for the PBIS students of the month and their families. The money is also used for weekly drawings of prizes for WEST cards. Students earn WEST cards a variety of ways. The money is also used for supplies for different games that are played at the PBIS assemblies. In other words, the more money raised through Box Tops and Hy-Vee receipts the more we can do for our students. Thanks for doing this for your children. Thanks for spreading the word to your friends, coworkers, and extended families. We truly appreciate your help.
Health / Fitness Tip: Family Game Day
- Relay races
- Scavenger hunts
- Wheelbarrow races
- Hula hoop contests
- Sock tag - everyone places a long sock hanging out of a pocket. Then run and see who tags (grabs the socks) of the most people.
- Obstacle course
- Simon Says
- Red Light, Green Light
- Duck, Duck, Goose
- Bicycle races
- Throwing contests
- Ideas adapted from superkidsnutrition.com
Fundraiser Delivery
Fundraiser items are scheduled to be delivered to WMS on November 7th and sent home with your child that day or the next. Please help your child distribute the fundraiser items they sold as quickly as possible. As always, we truly appreciate your support.
Free Tutoring
Free Tutoring at West Middle
Room 332 / Mrs. Moerman
7:00-7:35 A.M. Mon.-Fri.
1:45-2:30 P.M. Monday
2:45-3:30 P.M. Tues.-Fri.
All students are welcome.
Friendly Reminder - Change Your Clocks
Daylight Saving Time ends November 3. Remember to set your clocks BACK 1 hour before you go to bed on Saturday night, November 2. Don't forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarms that weekend, too!
Handle with Care Initiative Launches in Sioux City
The Sioux City Community School District is launching a new initiative, Handle with Care, in partnership with the Sioux City Police Department (SCPD). This initiative is part of an effort to further advance work to support the emotional needs of students. Handle with Care is an alert system set up to notify the District any time a police officer is dispatched to a student’s home. SCPD will NOT share any details about the call or police activity. The alert will only prompt the District officials to take actions to “handle the student with care” in the days following the call. School staff that closely interact with the student involved will be prompted to observe the student’s behavior. If the student exhibits signs that indicate distress or concern, a professional school counselor will support the student’s emotional needs. The Handle with Care program will launch on December 1, 2019. If you have questions about the program, please call:
· Jen Gomez, Sioux City Community School District: 712-279-6075
· Sgt. Jeremy McClure, Sioux City Police Department: 712-279-4981
La Iniciativa Handle with Care (Tratar con Cuidado) se lanza en Sioux City
El Distrito Escolar de la Comunidad de Sioux City está lanzando una nueva iniciativa, Handle with Care (Tratar con Cuidado), en asociación con el Departamento de Policía de Sioux City (SCPD). Esta iniciativa es parte de un esfuerzo para avanzar más en el trabajo para apoyar las necesidades emocionales de los estudiantes. Handle with Care es un sistema de alerta configurado para notificar al Distrito cada vez que se envía a un oficial de policía a la casa de un estudiante. SCPD NO compartirá ningún detalle sobre la llamada o la actividad policial. La alerta solo incitará a los funcionarios del Distrito a tomar medidas para "manejar al estudiante con cuidado" en los días posteriores a la llamada. Se le pedirá al personal de la escuela que interactúe estrechamente con el estudiante involucrado que observe el comportamiento. Si el estudiante exhibe signos que indican angustia o preocupación, un consejero escolar profesional apoyará las necesidades emocionales del estudiante. El programa Handle with Care se lanzará el 1 de diciembre de 2019. Si tiene preguntas sobre el programa, llame a:
· Jen Gomez, Sioux City Community School District: 712-279-6075
· Sgt. Jeremy McClure, Sioux City Police Department: 712-279-4981
Winter Weather Information
With cold weather upon us, it’s important to plan for inclement weather. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the colder weather. Suggested apparel includes a warm coat, hat, scarf and gloves. If a student needs access to these cold weather apparel items, please contact the school office.
Even during the winter season, the District allows recess and outdoor activities to continue as usual. However, if a student does not have appropriate winter clothing, a school official may ask a student to remain inside.
When the atmosphere reaches a temperature that feels like 15 degrees or less, then all students are kept inside for recess/activities. The “feel” of the temperature is determined based on the National Weather Service’s report.
Thank you for helping us keep students safe and warm this season.
Información del Clima Invernal
Con el clima frío sobre nosotros, es importante planificar las inclemencias del tiempo. Asegúrese de que su hijo esté vestido apropiadamente para el clima más frío. La ropa sugerida incluye un abrigo cálido, gorro, bufanda y guantes. Si un estudiante necesita alguno de estos artículos de ropa para el clima frío, comuníquese con la oficina de la escuela.
Incluso durante la temporada de invierno, el Distrito permite que el recreo y las actividades al aire libre continúen como de costumbre. Sin embargo, si un estudiante no tiene la ropa de invierno adecuada, un funcionario de la escuela puede pedirle que permanezca adentro.
Cuando la atmósfera alcanza una temperatura que se siente como 15 grados o menos, entonces todos los estudiantes se mantienen adentro para el recreo/actividades. La "sensación" de la temperatura se determina según el informe del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.
Gracias por ayudarnos a mantener a los estudiantes seguros y cálidos esta temporada
School Closure Information
The winter in Iowa provides us with some days that make it a challenge to hold classes at the regular time, and sometimes we must close our schools early, late, or for the entire day. As you know, our weather is not only challenging at times, it is constantly changing.
Please remember that parents and guardians have the right to make the decision to keep their child home on any day that they feel it is unsafe for their student to be in school because of weather conditions. If you believe the weather provides a sincere reason why you may have to keep your students at home, or take your student home when classes are scheduled to continue, you as a parent or guardian will simply need to contact your child’s school to let them know.
If a decision is made on the day of school to cancel classes or to have a late start, a call goes out at 6:00 AM to all parents and guardians. Parents can also check the following sites for closure information.
1. GovDelivery https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/IAEDU6039/subscriber/new?qsp=CODE_RED
2. District’s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityCommSchools
3. District’s Twitter @siouxcityschool
4. All media outlets
If the schools are dismissed early or if school is called off entirely, there will be no evening activities. If you have before and after school care, please check with your provider about their procedures.
Información de Cancelación de Clases
El invierno en Iowa nos brinda algunos días que hacen que sea un desafío tener clases a la hora regular y, a veces, debemos cerrar nuestras escuelas temprano, tarde o durante todo el día. Como saben, nuestro clima no solo es desafiante a veces, sino que también cambia constantemente.
Recuerde que los padres y guardianes tienen el derecho de tomar la decisión de mantener a su hijo en casa cualquier día que consideren que no es seguro que su hijo asista a la escuela debido a las condiciones climáticas. Si usted cree que el clima proporciona una razón sincera por la que quiere mantener a su estudiante en casa o llevarlo a casa cuando las clases están programadas para continuar, usted como padre o guardián simplemente deberá comunicarse con la escuela de su hijo para informarles.
Si se toma la decisión de cancelar las clases o tener entrada tarde, se envía una llamada a las 6:00 a.m. a todos los padres y guardianes. Los padres también pueden consultar los siguientes sitios para obtener información sobre la cancelación.
1. GovDelivery https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/IAEDU6039/subscriber/new?qsp=CODE_RED
2. Facebook del Distrito https://www.facebook.com/SiouxCityCommSchools
3. Twitter del Distrito @siouxcityschool
4. Todos los Medios de Comunicación
Si las escuelas tienen salida temprano o si las clases se cancelan por completo, no habrá actividades por la tarde. Si tiene cuidado de niños antes y después de escuela, consulte con su proveedor acerca de sus procedimientos.
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Let's Talk
An engaged community makes our District stronger. That is why we have made it easy for you to connect with us whenever it is convenient for you. We encourage you to take advantage of Let’s Talk!, our 24/7 online submission site. Reach out with your ideas, questions, concerns, and praise. To make a submission, please visit http://www.siouxcityschools.org/lets-talk/.
Communication and Preparedness
Student and staff safety is of paramount importance in the Sioux City Community School District. For this reason, the District exercises a host of crisis prevention and planning tactics. Should an emergency occur, the school notifies you through our Blackboard phone system. In an emergency, the system calls every phone number associated with your child in order to reach you. The message will give you details about the emergency and provide directions on when/where to pick up your child if the normal school day is altered. Learn more about school safety.
Focus 2022 Strategic Plan
Non-Discrimination Statement
The Sioux City Community School District offers career and technical programs in the following areas: Business & Marketing, Family & Consumer Science, Health Science, and Industrial Arts, Technology, & PLTW.
The Sioux City Community School District is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. It is an unfair or discriminatory practice for any educational institution to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information (for employment), national origin, religion, age (for employment), disability, socioeconomic status (for programs), marital status (for programs), or veteran status (for employment) in its educational programs and its employment practices.
Inquiries or grievances, including Section 504 grievances and grievances under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, may be directed to Jen Gomez, Director of Student Services & Equity Education at 627 4th Street, Sioux City, IA 51101, (712) 279-6075, gomezj2@live.siouxcityschools.com. Please see District Board policies 103 and 504.4 for additional information on available grievance procedures.
West Middle School
Principal: Scott Cole
Website: https://www.siouxcityschools.org/west-middle/
Location: 3301 West 19th Street, Sioux City, IA, USA
Phone: 712-279-6813
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scwestmiddleschool/
Twitter: @wildcatswms