West Week in Review
September 27, 2019
Connect with us!
Please check your email weekly for our West Week in Review! Infinite Campus is now open. Also, be sure to follow us on the Boyertown Middle School West Facebook page and our Twitter/Instagram accounts @WhatsUp_West.
Upcoming dates:
Cavalcade of Bands September 28
Mass Health Screenings (grades 6 & 8) October 2
Coffee with the Principal October 3 at 9:00 a.m
Pink Out Day / BASH Homecoming October 4
Student Council Social October 11 from 3-5pm
Professional Development Day/No School for Students October 14
Parents/Guardians of all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students are encouraged to visit West and become familiar with our programs and the teachers of their children.
Parent Conferences
Wednesday, Nov 20 5:30-8:30 PM
Monday, Nov 25 1:00-3:00 PM
Tuesday, Nov 26 1:00-3:00 PM
Wednesday, Jan 29 5:30-8:30 PM
New Information
Security Drills
Middle School West will be practicing intruder drills during the month of October. The “Run, Hide, Fight” procedures would be utilized in all Boyertown Area School District schools in the unlikely event that there was an intruder or unknown person in the school. The students and staff will be prepared for the drills in advance.
In collaboration with LARGO Consulting Services, our security consultants, we have been advised to teach and practice barricading/blockading the classroom doors. Teachers will review procedures with their class in a calm and age appropriate fashion prior to the drill. As we do not want to frighten the students, we make students aware a drill is taking place. We want to communicate our safety procedures to staff and students and have them practice the drill together. We will then gather feedback to make sure we have the most effective procedures in place as we continue to work with Homeland Security, The Pennsylvania State Police, local police departments, emergency service organizations, and the Berks County Intermediate Unit that assisted in the development of the countywide all hazards plan.
Homework Help
Homework Help will again be available after school until 3:50pm. Students who are falling behind in their work may be recommended or students may voluntarily sign up to participate. Homework Help is monitored by a West teacher. The October dates are as follows:
10/7 10/9 10/10
10/15 10/16 10/17
10/21 10/22
10/28 10/29 10/30
Foundation for Boyertown Education Golf Outing
On Monday, October 14, the Foundation for Boyertown Education will be hosting their annual golf outing at Twin Ponds Golf Club. The Foundation for Boyertown Education is an independent public charity separate from the Boyertown School District. It is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, tax exempt organization founded in 2013 that is solely run by a board of directors comprised of community members, parents/guardians, and business owners. The Foundation provides financial support to the District to maintain the District’s tradition of educational excellence. Mini-grants to teachers, coaches, and staff from the Foundation ensure that current programs are maintained and new innovative programs are able to be created that may otherwise be cost prohibitive. Please consider entering a foursome in the outing. For more details, please contact Tessi Melchior at 610-473-3499 or tmelchior@boyertownasd.org.
Back to School Nights
Thanks again to all the parents and guardians who came to Thursday's Back to School Night. I hope you found the presentations informative. Remember, if you have individual questions or concerns about a course or your son or daughter’s progress, please don’t hesitate to call. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Missing Forms – Please Help
If you have not returned either the Limerick Evacuation Letter or the Laptop Insurance Form. Please complete and return these forms as soon as possible. Both the Limerick Form and the Laptop Insurance Form is required from every student in our building.
Student IDs and Pictures
Students received their picture packets this week. If you are unhappy with the portrait or your student was absent on picture day, our retake day is Tuesday, October 22.
Mid-Marking Period 1
Tuesday, October 8 is the halfway mark of the first marking period. Teachers will update grades by 4:00 PM. Please check Infinite Campus with your student. If you have questions or concerns, please call us.
No School / Staff Development
There will be no school for students on Monday, October 14 due to staff development activities. Students return on Tuesday, October 15. It will be Day 4.
Reminders
Lunch Accounts - Important Information
Please check your child's lunch account balance at www.ezschoolpay.com. Deposits can be made online or by sending in an envelope with your child. Please be aware that if your child has received free or reduced lunch in the past, that qualification will only carry over until the beginning of October unless you have reapplied for the 2019-20 school year.
Activity Fee
The activity fee is past due for any students participating in a fall sport or select music group. The annual fee is $100 per student or a $300 cap per family. Activity fee payments can be made at www.ezschoolpay.com or can be mailed to the high school athletic office.
Pick Up / Drop Off Procedures ***
Overall, things have been going very smoothly at the drop off doors. Thank you for following the rules of no passing in the morning and careful passing in the afternoon. We have noticed in the afternoon that cars are stretched out onto Madison Street. In order to help with this situation, we will make a small change to afternoon procedures. Please continue to follow the current process when pulling in with the lead car stopping by the drop off door entrance. However, once the district vans and mini-buses have finished pulling out, a staff member will direct personal vehicles to continue around that loop to allow us to get cars off the road and load more vehicles at a time. Please wait for a staff member’s direction before pulling around the loop by the walker doors and look both ways before pulling into traffic to leave.
A+ School Rewards
This year’s A+ Program runs from September 6, 2019 through March 14, 2020.
Our school BOYERTOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL WEST – ID#: 24183 has the opportunity to participate in and earn CASH from A+ School Rewards, a great fundraising program run through your local Giant!
Former Supporters:
You DO NOT need to re-register your card if your school selection(s) remains the same as last year.
New Supporters or Existing Supporters Wishing to Make Changes:
· Beginning August 2, 2018, visit giantfoodstores.com and select “SIGN IN” at the top right to log into your online account. Once logged in, select “MY ACCOUNT”, followed by “MANAGE MY ACCOUNT”, then “REWARDS & SAVINGS” to select your school.
· If you do not have an online account, visit giantfoodstores.com and click “REGISTER”. Follow the prompts to create your online account. Once logged in, follow the same instructions as noted above.
· You’ll need your 11-digit BonusCard® number and the School ID number. If you need assistance, call 1-888-814-4268 option 1.
Internet Essentials
Comcast is significantly expanding eligibility for Internet Essentials, which is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive, and most successful broadband adoption program in America, to include all qualified low-income households in its service area. The expansion is the most significant change in the program’s history. The Company estimates that more than three million additional low-income households, including households with people with disabilities, are now eligible to apply. Please follow the link for more information.
Transportation
In order to keep our buses on schedule, transportation is requesting that students arrive at their bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. We appreciate your help with this matter.
Bus Passes
If your child needs an emergency bus pass, it is important that they bring a note to the office in the morning. We need to contact transportation to make sure there is room on the bus. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.
Attendance Procedures
A quick reminder that state law requires written notification of excuse from a parent/guardian within three days of return from absence. Please utilize the electronic options we have provided to make this as easy as possible. We greatly appreciate your cooperation. https://www.boyertownasd.org/Page/5317
Arrival / Dismissal Procedures
Please carefully review the attached map and information regarding morning drop-off procedures. Afternoon pick-up will be in the same location as drop-off. Thank you in advance for following procedures in order to keep all of our students safe! Just a reminder to stay in the line in the mornings and do not attempt to pull around vehicles in front of you.
Parking/Entry
During the School Day Due to the security system we have in place, the only doors available for public access are the front doors. Please use the spaces in front of the building when parking during the school day. When picking up or parking during extracurricular activities, you may park in the lot on the Boyertown Elementary side of the building as long as you will not be there during bus arrival and dismissal times (7-8 AM; 2:15-3:15 PM).
Raptor System - Building Security
The district has implemented the Raptor Identification System in all buildings. We will be requiring that all school visitors/volunteers provide a driver’s license or other government-issued identification card to proceed into the school. School staff will swipe the card to determine if the individual is a registered sex offender. If the system lists any offender information, the principal will intervene and the individual will not be permitted to enter the school outside of the school office area. Individuals who need to drop off or pick up materials in the school office will not be required to use the system. We thank all parents, guardians and visitors in advance for your cooperation as we implement this system.
Breakfast and Lunch
In case you missed it last year, our cafeteria staff serves breakfast from 7:15 to 7:30 AM. It is $1.55 for breakfast. The lunch price this year is $3.05 for a student meal. Students can pay in cash or with debit system. Additionally, money can be put in your child’s account at www.ezschoolpay.com. Call Mrs. Clinton, our Food Services Supervisor, with questions at (610) 369-7542.
Fall Sports
The fall sports schedules are listed on the Athletic page on the district’s website along with directions to away games. The link is https://www.boyertownasd.org/Page/1285. Please note that sports schedules are subject to change during the season and the most up-to-date schedules can be found for senior high at www.boyertownathletics.com; MS East at www.boyertowneastathletics.com; and MS West at www.boyertownwestathletics.com.
Calendar 2019-2020
The school calendar for the current school year can be found at https://www.boyertownasd.org/Page/14#calendar9/20190914/month. Please note the dates of district testing which are listed below. Educational trips for students involved in district testing will not be approved during those times. We appreciate your help in making sure all of our students are available for the testing.
Dec. 4-5 Grade 8 Keystone Algebra I Exam (Only students in Advanced Geometry) April 21 – May 2 Grades 6,7,8 PSSA ELA, PSSA Math, PSSA Science (Grade 8 only) May 12 – 13 Grade 8 Keystone Algebra I Exam (Only students in Algebra I Advanced)
Middle School to the Y (Transportation Starts September 17)
Thanks to a grant from the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, FREE bus transportation will be provided to 6th, 7th and 8th grade students to the Boyertown YMCA. Programs such as team and individual sports, fitness and wellness classes, and electronic and board games will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All participants must be current Philadelphia Freedom Valley YMCA Members and registration is required. Also students must be picked up at the Boyertown Y as there is no transportation back to the school. Additionally, the YMCA offers free membership for all 7th grade students. Contact the Y for more information at (610) 369-9622.
Box Tops and Redner’s Save-a-Tape
Box Tops for Education collections will continue at Middle School West this year. Also, get the Box Tops Bonus App for your phone and help us earn even more FREE MONEY for our school! You may send Box Tops into school with your student at any time throughout the year. Reminders of important deadlines will be sent in upcoming newsletters. Thank you for all your help in making this program a success!
Redner’s Save-a-Tape receipts are also being collected and can be turned into the West office.
Important Reminders
· Families who have been notified that their annual multiple occupancy paperwork is due must return the required documentation as soon as possible.
· It is important that all families complete the online annual re-registration information. The access information was emailed last month to the primary email address provided last year. Thank you for your patience with our new Infinite Campus database. Please contact the West office if you have any questions.
Technology Update
West has gone 1:1! All West students in grades 6-8 will have a laptop assigned to them for school use. Laptops will remain at school and should not be taken home with students. Students will keep their laptops plugged in to charge overnight in their homeroom each day. More information was provided to students the first week of school, including technology usage fee information. Please review the 1:1 Handbook carefully. The laptop participation agreement will need to be signed and returned to school. Documents can also be accessed here: https://www.boyertownasd.org/domain/1411
Your old T-shirts are needed!
Our Community Artists club will once again be using old t-shirts to make braided dog toys for local rescue organizations. Please send any old t-shirts that you are willing to donate to the West office at Mrs. Stamm’s attention.
Boyertown Middle School West
Email: sllandis@boyertownasd.org
Website: http://www.boyertownasd.org
Location: 380 South Madison Street, Boyertown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-369-7471