Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
April 21, 2021 - Newsletter
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Westwood Families,
Today has been a pretty typical day of learning at Westwood. We know our students are affected in many different ways by current events, including yesterday’s verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial and the recent death of Daunte Wright. Today, we had additional supports in place for students who needed it and we will continue to provide support based on what each students needs in the coming days. Our focus is on providing a safe, respectful learning environment where each of our students and their unique perspectives, experiences and beliefs are welcomed and valued.
We appreciate partnering with families to support our kids. One thing I know with certainty is that all of our parents want what is best for our kids. When we start with the children, we can come together to create great things for them.
This week in STEM, students are designing and building their catapults. In art, students are learning about creating dimension in a drawing. Our 5th and 6th graders are deciphering text to draw conclusions and provide evidence of those conclusions based on the text. Social Studies has been focusing on government and economic systems across the world.
Last week, I had the opportunity to talk with our students about their flex time. The purpose of flex time has been to provide students with time to complete assignments, seek extra help from staff who are available, and connect with classmates. What I saw and heard was happy kids, eager to share. The following common themes emerged:
- Students appreciated the time to talk with friends.
- Students used the time to do homework.
- Students are able to get help from teachers, other adults or peers
- The students felt that the relaxed time helped them to focus more during their other classes.
Finally, this week is administrative assistant’s week. I know that many of you who have visited or called our office know of the great service and commitment each of our office staff strives to deliver for our families. They work each day to assist our families in navigating Schoology, connecting parents with staff members, taking attendance calls, delivering messages to students and of course greeting our kids when they come in the office. I hope you’ll join me in thanking them for their service and the contributions they make to our school.
Sincerely,
Tom Larson
Principal
Sign up for the Panther Foundation Golf Fundraiser to Support SLP Athletics and Activities
The Golf Event is back! Join us for the 8th Annual Panther Golf Fundraiser on Monday, June 28 at 11 a.m. at Victory Links Golf Course at the National Sports Center. The proceeds from this event support projects, activities, programs and facility improvements that continue to make our athletics and activities world-class. Grab your clubs and join us at the links for a great cause. Register for the Golf Fundraiser.
The next Westwood PTO Meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.
We are looking forward to working with all of our parents and families this year to support the staff and students at Westwood.
Visit the PTO Facebook page: Westwood Intermediate and Middle School PTO
- Click here to receive email notifications about Westwood PTO.
Purchase Tickets for upcoming theater event - "Spamalot"
2021 Summer Child Care Program spots filling quickly, sign-up today
Summer Child Care registration is open now and spots are filling quickly. The theme this summer celebrates the Tokyo Olympic Games! Kids are sure to have a great time with weekly themes on the Summer Olympics, the history, events, countries, traditions and more.
Register for Summer 2021 Camps and Clinics
Club Spotlight of the Week:
Panther Boys & Girls Summer Tennis
Panther Boys' Basketball Skills Academy, Grades 4-8
Panther Boys' Basketball Skills Academy, Grades 9-12
Today is Administrative Professionals' Day
In case you missed important information from last week's newsletter, check out the topics below and click to learn more.
Resources for families: Responding to current events
- Resources to Help Educators, Adults Respond to Racism, Violence and Trauma (MDE)
- Talking to Children about Tragedies & Other News Events (AAP)
- Anti-Racism for Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide for Fighting Hate (Parents)
- Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism (PBS)
- Helping Youth after Community Trauma: Tips for Parents and Educators (NCTSN)
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