Westside Middle School
March 4, 2020
Important Dates
Parent Teacher Conferences
Tuesday March 10th 4:00-8:00pm
Wednesday March 11th 4:00-8:00 pm
March 13 - No School - Conferences break
April 6-10 - Spring Break - No School
Spring Conferences
Spring Conferences Parent/teacher conference schedule
Tuesday, March 10th, 2020
Last names A-F 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Last names G-L 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Last names M-R 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Last names S-Z 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Last names S-Z 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Last names M-R 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Last names G-L 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Last names A-F 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Our goal is 100% attendance, and we cannot do it without you! We sincerely urge you and your students to attend and visit each of their teachers. Quarter grades are very important, as they will give your student and you an indication of his or her progress at mid-semester. These grades, however, are not the official quarter three grades. Quarter three grades will be solidified at the end of the quarter on March 18th. These are not a part of the student’s permanent record. It is very important, therefore, to identify why a particular grade was given and what the student needs to do if the grade is not consistent with his or her ability.
When possible, please attend conferences using the suggested schedule above. We have divided the schedule to avoid long lines. Please limit your conference to no more than five minutes. If you need additional time, please schedule another meeting with the teacher(s). Most seventh grade teachers will be in the west gym, and most of the eighth grade teachers will be in east gym. Counselors and administrators will be present, so please introduce yourself.
College Fair
The EducationQuest College Fair is coming up on Sunday, April 5 from 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. at Sapp FieldHouse on the campus of UNO. Additional information, including a list of colleges attending, as well as student registration for a barcode can be found at https://www.educationquest.org/events/omaha-area-spring-college-fair/
Community Club Communication
The March Community Club meeting has been cancelled due to Parent Teacher Conferences and State Basketball. We will meet again April 25th at 6:30 in the WMS Library.
Spring is a busy time at WMS with Parent-Teacher Conferences, Staff Appreciation Week and all of the athletic and academic recognition programs we support. Thank you so much to everyone who has already volunteered to help.
Staff Appreciation Week will be celebrated March 30 - April 3. If you would like to volunteer on this committee please contact Lisa Meehan at lisa@clarkcreativegroup.com. Also look for a Signup Genius email in the next few weeks to donate items for the week. Thank you in advance for helping us show appreciation to our fantastic administration, teachers and staff!!
If you would like to help with any of the other spring activities please email me at Dana.Zeiss@alegent.org.
Enjoy the beautiful weather and we hope to see you at our April meeting.
Dana Zeiss
President - WMS Community Club
6th Grade Orientation Night
We are asking specific schools to come on an assigned night in order to create a more intimate and comfortable environment for your student’s first experience as a middle school student. If you cannot make your assigned night, please attend when you can. When you arrive you will report to the Performing Arts Center (PAC)
Monday, March 23 6:00-7:30
Hillside, Prairie Lane, Oakdale, Paddock, Swanson
Tuesday, March 24 6:00-7:30
Rockbrook, Sunset, Loveland, Westgate, Westbrook
Book Fair
Reading for pleasure inside and outside of school has real and long-lasting benefits. It unlocks the power of information and imagination and helps kids discover who they are. Here’s what you can do to help kids develop stronger reading skills and a love for reading:
· Set the example. Let your kids see you read.
· Have a collection of books in the home. Update this collection routinely to keep pace with changing tastes and reading skills.
· Support our school’s Book Fair. Allow your kids to choose their own books to read.
Our Scholastic Book Fair is a reading event that brings to school the books kids want to read. It’s a wonderful selection of engaging and affordable books for every reading level. Please make plans to visit our Book Fair and be involved in shaping your child’s reading habits.
Book Fair dates: March 3-12
Shopping hours: 8:00-3:30 in the library daily
AND
During parent/teacher conferences in the PAC hallway from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10th and Wednesday, March 11th.
If you are unable to attend the Fair in person, we invite you to visit our online Book Fair at. Our online Fair is available from March 3 - March 12:
WMS Athletics
Successful seasons of wrestling and girls’ basketball are nearing completion. Teams will be celebrating the end of their seasons with individual awards after school with their teammates and coaches. Dates will be communicated with the student-athletes.
7th/8th Grade Girls Track: On Monday, March 16th or Tuesday, March 17th girls interested in participating in track this spring at WMS can sign up after school in the Team 7A commons. Head Track coach for the girls is April Allen. Track practice will begin Monday, March 23rd.
7th/8th Grade Boys’ Track: Short meetings and sign-up for boys interested in participating in track this spring at WMS will take place in the cafeteria right after school on the week of March 16th - March 20th Head Track coaches for the boys are Emily Vlcek and Virgie Widdowson. Track practice will begin Monday, March 23rd.
Practices will be held Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 3:30 - 5:00 throughout the track season. It is expected that student-athletes attend all practices throughout the season.
All participants need to have a current sports physical on file prior to the first day of practice. If this is the first sport that a student-athlete has participated in at WMS this year, the athletic participation fee needs to be taken care of before the first track meet in April.
For athletic schedules please visit www.westside66.org, and go to the middle school athletics schedule link.
PBIS
Goal: To improve academic and behavioral success for all students by creating a safe and positive learning environment.
What PBiS is...
Reduction in problem behavior
Increased academic performance
Improved perception of safety
Reduction in bullying behaviors
Increased administrator time for instructional leadership
Reduction in staff turnover
Increased perception of teacher efficacy
Improved social-emotional competence
Increased positive school climate and culture
Career Day
8th Grade Career Day is May 8! Please note these IMPORTANT DATES on your calendar and support your student with arranging a job shadow on the afternoon of May 8.
April 13 - Job Shadow Permission Forms distributed to students in SPARK (homeroom) class
Parents, the job shadow is an opportunity for each student to share time with an adult who works in the student’s field of interest and to learn about the responsibilities and rewards of the person at work. We encourage you to help your student with finding a suitable person to shadow (e.g. a family friend, relative or acquaintance).
Zoo Job Shadow for 8th Graders – Students should not call the zoo to arrange a job shadow on their own. Rather, students interested in attending the zoo job shadow should send an individual email to Dr. Bolamperti between Mon., Apr. 13 – Wed., Apr. 15 at 4 p.m., requesting their name to be entered into a drawing. Students whose names are drawn will be contacted via Westside Gmail by Fri., Apr. 17.
April 24 – Due--Job Shadow Permission Forms to SPARK teacher
May 8
8:00-11:15 a.m. Students attend school and participate in valuable career speaker sessions that inform them about their career interests.
11:15 a.m. Students are dismissed, enabling them to each lunch and attend their job shadow in the afternoon.
NSCAS - Nebraska State Exam
Language Arts
Tuesday, March 24th
Wednesday, March 25th
Thursday, March 26th
Math
Tuesday, March 31st
Wednesday, April 1st
Thursday, April 2nd
Science (8th grade only)
Tuesday, April 14th
Wednesday, April 15th
Thursday, April 16th
Westside Middle School
Website: http://wms.westside66.org
Location: 8601 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 402-390-6464
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WMS66/