The Wigwam Express
July 2020
Wigwam Creek Middle School
Jaguar Leave Your M.A.R.K.
Motivate and Support
Achieve Excellence
Recognize Greatness
Kindness, Connections, Confidence
Website: https://www.lesd.k12.az.us/14/home
Location: 4510 North 127th Avenue, Litchfield Park, AZ, USA
Phone: 6235471100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wigwamcreekmiddleschool/
A Message From the Principal
July 23, 2020
Dear Jaguar Families,
Welcome to the 2020/2021 school year. We hope your family had a safe and relaxing summer. We’re excited to welcome back our students and staff for the 2020-2021 school year at Wigwam Creek Middle School. Our teachers and staff have been preparing for an exciting, yet very different school year. Although this school year will be different, one thing that certainly remains the same is the love we have for our students, families, and community. We are all in this together with the same goals in mind: keeping kids physically and emotionally safe with a focus on learning. Please read below for office hours, upcoming events, as well as important school and district information.
First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce and welcome the newest members of our Jaguar family. In 6th Grade we welcome Ms. Cardona-Math; in 7th Grade we welcome Ms. Gamble-Science, Ms. Martin-Science, Ms. Wigton-ELA, Ms. Alexander-ELA, Ms. Lehmer-Math, and Ms. Gallegos-Resource; in 8th Grade we welcome Ms. Hoth-Math and Ms. DeLeon-Resource; in our STRIDE program we welcome Ms. Williams; in our Specials department welcome Ms. Divis-Health and Fitness and Mr. Zovala Molina-Band; in our Intervention department Ms. Coria-Reading Intervention, Ms. Gaunt-EL Instruction; joining our classified staff is Ms. Schwoegler; and on our administrative team we welcome Ms. Contreras our school Psychologist. Finally, and most importantly, we would also like to welcome our new 6th graders to the Jaguar family!
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM
Ms. Tassin-Principal
Ms. McQuarrie-Assistant Principal
Ms. Baczynski-Advisor
Mr. Whitman-Advisor
Ms. Hale-Advisor
Ms. Rodeheffer-Instructional Coach
Ms. Contreras-School Psychologist
OFFICE HOURS & SUPPORT
Our front office is currently open with office hours from 8:20am to 4:20pm. Please note that our administrators, teachers, and staff are committed to providing every family with the support they need to be successful. Our student advisors and office staff are a great first stop for any of your questions or concerns. Ms. Cyndee Baczynski (head@lesd.k12.az.us) will be the student advisor for 6th Grade. Mr. Andrew Whitman (whitman@lesd.k12.az.us) will be the student advisor for 7th Grade. Ms. Karina Hale (hale@lesd.k12.az.us) will be the student advisor for 8th Grade. Please do not hesitate to email our advisors or call our school office at 623-547-1100.
SCHOOL HOURS/BELL TIMES & ATTENDANCE
School hours are from 8:50am to 3:50pm. Attendance and timeliness is essential. Our goal is to work collaboratively with parents and students in order to ensure that students are coming to school daily and are arriving on time. This year, advisors will be working closely with families as well as the attendance clerk to communicate more regularly about tardies and absences.
Please visit our Truancy Prevention link for more detailed information, or you can reference your Student Handbook.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 5, 2020, and will be conducted through our enhanced Distance Learning Model for all students.
OPEN HOUSE
Open House will be conducted virtually this year. Our Virtual Open House event will be on Monday, August 3, 2020, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm. The purpose of Open House is to allow students the opportunity to meet their teacher, see their classroom, and to help them feel prepared for the first day of Distance Learning. Our teachers are confident they can make that happen through a virtual format. Specific information regarding the details of Virtual Open House and how to access the live event will be sent in the Welcome Letter that you will receive from your child’s teacher via email on Thursday, July 30th. The Virtual Open House event will be recorded and emailed to those families who are unable to join us.
SUPPLIES
For the first few weeks of school students will need an electronic device (computer or iPad), writing utensils, and scrap paper. Specific supply lists will be released by each team of teachers at a later date (for In-Person, Hybrid, and Digital Learning Academy models).
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS & SCHEDULES
You will receive an email from your child’s homeroom teacher on the evening of Thursday, July 30, 2020. This letter will introduce your child to his/her team of teachers which includes his/her Homeroom and Specials teachers, and it will provide details about the online expectations for Distance Learning. A daily schedule will be outlined by your child’s team of teachers and will mirror a typical day at school. Students will begin their day with their homeroom teacher. Homeroom teachers will take attendance daily, so it is crucial that your child arrives to class on time. (This includes both virtually and when we return to in-person learning.) Homeroom is also our AA (Advisor/Advisee) time which is dedicated to your child’s social and emotional well-being. After homeroom, students will attend classes online with each of their content teachers. They will interact with their teachers daily during a scheduled block of time for each content area. Special area teachers will also be conducting lessons.
LEARNING MODELS
I am happy to announce that we are able to offer our families all three learning models at Wigwam Creek Middle School. Ms. McQuarrie and I have worked diligently to create cohorts based on the data gathered from the LESD Commitment form.
HONORS PROGRAM
Unfortunately, due to the varied commitments of our Honors students we are unable to offer Honors in all of our cohorts. Our data allows us to offer Honors on the 8 Blue (In-Person) and 8 Green (Hybrid) Teams. With that said, teachers will be modifying and differentiating work to meet the needs of all of our students.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Distance learning will look very different from how it did in the spring. Please refer to the PDF below for more details. Additional information and expectations will be highlighted in the letter you receive from your homeroom teacher.
IN-PERSON CLASSES
Recently, our LESD School Board voted to extend Distance Learning until Tuesday, September 8, 2020. All students will begin school virtually, on Wednesday, August 5, 2020. On September 8th, students who selected “in-person learning” or “hybrid learning” will report to campus for their first day of in-person classes. If the start of in-person and hybrid classes is delayed again due to recommendations by the Governor or our School Board, students will continue in the Distance Learning Model until it is safe to return.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS
When it is deemed safe to return to in-person learning, there are several safety protocols and guidelines that will be followed in all schools throughout the district. I have highlighted some of those guidelines below.
Entry onto campus will occur through separate designated gates to reduce congestion and maintain physical distancing.
When students arrive to campus in the morning they will report directly to their homeroom class. The cafeteria will be open for breakfast where distancing and safety protocols will also be enforced.
Masks or face shields will be required on campus and will be worn throughout the day in all buildings and classrooms (per county mandate). Breaks will be provided for those who need to step outside and remove their masks.
During outside recess students will remain with their cohort (same class all day) and may only remove their mask if they are 6 feet apart.
Classrooms are cleaned and disinfected nightly and high touch areas are disinfected throughout the day.
Students will remain in one classroom throughout the school day and teachers will rotate to the cohorts.
Students' belongings will be kept in their backpacks and at their desks. In order to enforce and maintain physical distancing, students will NOT be using lockers.
Assemblies and celebrations will be conducted virtually.
Special area teachers will rotate to classrooms and will be assigned to each cohort (no student choice). This has been carefully planned in order to prevent the mixing of cohorts which is recommended by the CDC.
Lunch and recess times will be staggered and will only occur with their cohort of students.
No visitors will be allowed on campus.
Dismissal will be staggered to allow for physical distancing as much as possible.
YEARBOOKS
Yearbooks from last year have finally arrived. More information about how to pick-up your child’s yearbook will be forthcoming.
FREE & REDUCED LUNCH
Children can qualify for free or reduced-price meals if your household’s gross income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Families must reapply each year and may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced-price meals if the household income drops below the income limit. Please apply using the following website: https://family.titank12.com/.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is crucial to your child’s success. Below is a description of the various means of communication we will use throughout the year.
Email-Teachers will send out weekly email blasts with all of the information you need to support your child’s learning.
Principal Newsletter-I will send out monthly newsletters packed full of information about current events in and around campus.
Remind101-Remind101 is a great forum for us to send quick reminders to families. You can sign-up at the link found at the bottom of the monthly newsletter.
Website-Our new district website was launched on July 1st and is a great place to find information about everything and anything related to our district. Visit our LESD Homepage and check it out.
School Webpage-Our Wigwam Creek webpage is also very useful to visit. It is currently under construction, but we are working diligently to get it up and running. I encourage you to visit it often for updates and information. Wigwam Creek Middle School
Parentvue- Parentvue is a great way for you to stay on top of your child’s progress in school. More information on how to sign-up can be found in the monthly newsletter or by calling our school office at 623-547-1100.
Peachjar-Peachjar keeps parents informed of various school events, programs, and activities by sending electronic flyers ("eflyers") to registered users.
Please continue to check your email for updates regarding the start of school. As we embark on another school year, our teachers and staff are honored to partner with you in your child’s education and are proud to build upon your child’s foundation for a strong academic career!
Yours in education,
Mrs. Tassin
Mrs. Tassin
Principal