THE HOWLER
The Official Newsletter of Westfield Middle School
From Principal McMillan
Dear WMS Families and Community Members,
Happy November and Happy Thanksgiving! It is my hope that everyone will be able to spend some quality time with friends and family next week.
We have a lot of great things happening in our classrooms and hallways of WMS! New this month, I have included a "What's Happening?" section from each team/PACK, and you will have the opportunity to get a glimpse into each classroom every month.
Please join us for our annual chorus concert on December 6th at 5:30 p.m. and holiday band concert on December 13th. Mr. Emken, Mr. Gomes, and our band/chorus students put a significant amount of time into preparing for these performances, so I hope to see you there!
I am pleased to share that National Junior Honor Society will be returning to WMS! Our new academic advisors are Ms. O'Connor (Team 73 Writing) and Mrs. Jordan (Team 83 Math). We will share information with students and families in the near future, including the minimum qualifications. We look forward to inducting students later this winter!
Last month, I hosted our first all school assembly/pep rally and we had a great time! The purpose of this monthly event is to build school spirit within our community and to enjoy some quality time with all students and staff. We started with a pumpkin cleaning contest by PACK and ended with our students mummifying their teachers using toilet paper! In between the contests, we had a special performance from the Westfield High School chorus. Please be sure to check out the photos and videos on our WMS Facebook page. Our next assembly will be on December 1st.
As we enter the season of giving thanks, I'd like to take this opportunity to share how thankful I am for our school community. Our students, faculty/staff, caregivers, and community partners make WMS a wonderful place to be and I am very proud to be your Principal.
I wish you all a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
All the best,
Jesse
Translations; Переклади бюлетеня; Traducciones de boletines; د خبر پاڼې ژباړې
¡Puede traducir fácilmente este boletín con solo hacer clic en un botón! En la esquina superior derecha, haz clic en "traducir". Cuando aparezca el menú desplegable, seleccione un idioma y el boletín se traducirá automáticamente. Si necesita ayuda o nota algún error, comuníquese con el director McMillan en jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org. ¡Gracias!
Coming soon to WMS!
Nurse's Corner
What to know about respiratory viruses during the holidays
Many different viruses spread more during fall and winter, including those that cause flu, COVID-19, and RSV illness.
Large gatherings, crowded travel, and more time indoors can mean more viruses spreading around the holidays.
This is the first year that there are vaccines to protect against all three of these viruses. These vaccines have been shown to prevent severe disease and can be lifesaving..
There also are other healthy habits you can practice to stay healthy.
If you do get sick, there are tests and treatments to help get you feeling better sooner, reach out to your PCP at the onset of severe illness for guidance.
It all starts with you! Tips to help you and your family stay healthy during the holidays!
Many viruses spread more during the holiday season, so it is important to get all recommended vaccines, including flu, COVID-19 and RSV, as soon as possible. This will give you the best protection against these respiratory diseases, including while traveling and gathering with family and friends. These vaccines will also make your illness less severe if you do get sick.
Everyone ages 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine and updated COVID-19 vaccination this fall.
CDC recommends an RSV immunization for some groups at higher risk for severe RSV illness.
Adults ages 60 and older: talk to your healthcare provider to see if RSV vaccination is right for you.
Parents: CDC recommends using one of these two tools to protect your baby – an RSV vaccine given during weeks 32-36 of pregnancy or an RSV preventive antibody given to infants. The RSV preventive antibody is also recommended for some older babies at higher risk for severe RSV disease.
Vaccination is the most important step you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones. Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the danger of an infection.
Talk with a healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions about these vaccines and how or when you should get them.
Take action to stop respiratory viruses from spoiling holiday cheer.
If you are sick, stay home to avoid putting others at risk. You should also avoid others in the household to lessen their risk. If you have severe or worsening symptoms, call your healthcare provider.
Cover coughs and sneezes when around others to help protect them.
Stay away from others who are sick, if possible. Usually, there are more droplets and particles that can make you sick closer to the person who is infected.
Masks can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. Wearing a high-quality mask while you travel, for example, can help protect you and others. This might be especially important if you are at higher risk of developing serious complications from these illnesses.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Germs spread easily this way.
Handwashing often with soap removes most germs, including respiratory viruses, from your hands. If soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can kill many germs.
Viral particles in the air spread between people more easily indoors than outdoors. Any way you can improve air quality, such as opening windows or using air purifiers, can help reduce the amount of virus you are exposed to.
If you do feel sick, there are tests and treatments.
If you have signs or symptoms of a respiratory virus, like a cough, runny nose, or fever, tests can help figure out which illness you have.
are available. A healthcare provider may also test you for flu, COVID-19, and RSV.
In addition to diagnostic testing, you can work with a healthcare provider to figure out the next steps you should take. Remember: antibiotics do not work on viruses.
The holiday season can be stressful with all the hustle and bustle, responsibilities, and obligations. Good eating, sleeping, and exercise habits can help keep you healthy also. Be sure to make time to take care of yourself!
Reminders from the Health office:
Please turn in updated physicals/immunization records asap.
Please login to parent SNAP Health Portal through the PowerSchool application.
Please remember to keep students home until fever free, free from vomiting or diarrhea without use of medication for 24 hrs. Also if your student has persistent cough, or other cold/flu symptoms until symptoms are improved.
Please bring in any medications required to be taken during school hours, doctor’s order and parental consent are required. Call the health office with any questions or concerns and for further guidance.
Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season!
~Nurse Hynek
A little Halloween fun...
What's happening on PACK 71?
- Mrs. Skorupski, Math: We just finished our Data Unit and we are now working with Proportions. Be sure to cook and shop with your students to build skills. Accelerated: Finishing our Proportions Unit and moving into Percents Unit. Take your students shopping or out to eat. Have them help find discounts and tip!
- Mrs. Sweigard, Writing: October was full of monsters! Students read the text The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, a script written by Rod Sterling for a Twilight Zone Episode in the 60s. Ask your students the essential question, when do differences become conflicts and who were the true monsters? We also teamed up with our librarian, Mrs. Scott, to write thank you cards to our local veterans for Veterans Day.
- Mr. Mansfield, Reading: In October we learned what it means to be a true villain! Students most recently read an excerpt from a graphic novel titled Nimona by ND Stevenson. In the excerpt, a “villain” seeks retribution while trying to convince his more aggressive sidekick that his plan is the one to go with. After a few days of preparation, students participated in an academic discussion that pitted these two characters against each other and addressed the following question: Who has the more viable plan?
- Mr. Dulaski, Science: Students have been learning about Natural Hazards with a focus on Tsunamis. They are learning what causes Tsunamis and the impact on human life. Looking ahead to Contact Forces.
- Ms. Plummer, Social Studies: We recently finished learning the five themes of geography and are now learning about different landforms and bodies of water. Students used their knowledge of landforms to create their own landform “countries.” To make it more interesting, students were asked to create a theme for their countries; some students chose to base their landforms off of sports or holidays. Soon we will begin a unit on South & Central Asia.
- Mrs. Flaherty, Special Education: Students have been working on iReady in both Reading and Math focusing on areas specific for personal growth. We have also been engaging in whole group instruction focusing on Math vocabulary for our Proportion Unit.
What's happening on PACK 72?
- Ms. Mendez, Social Studies: In Social Studies, we have been exploring countries of the world and the step-by-step research process with two recent projects - the latitude and longitude Name Project and the 5 Themes of Geography country project. Soon we will be starting our regional studies; our first stop will be Central and South Asia.
- Ms. Nugent, Math: In math, students have been learning about proportional relationships. Students have been using their prior knowledge of ratios and rates to develop understanding of proportional relationships. Proportional reasoning is a foundational topic for middle school mathematics, with applications in algebra, geometry, probability, statistics, and everyday life! You can support your student’s understanding of proportional relationships by asking them to explain how they can use proportions to solve problems in everyday life. For example: Shopping-find the total cost of a certain number of items, such as oranges, based on the cost of two of the items; Driving: Find the distance traveled in 3 hours if the speed you traveled was constant; Home Improvement: Find the number of gallons of paint needed to cover the four walls of a room given the number of square feet one gallon of paint covers.
- Mrs. Coe, Science: In Science, we have been studying natural hazards. Students have been researching the types of tsunamis and determining what technology will best help with detections, warnings, and damage reduction. Please see the below anchor chart students created to summarize their thinking on how to give a community advanced notice of a tsunami. Our next unit will be on contact forces!
- Mr. Dougherty, Reading: In Reading, we have been interpreting, analyzing, and applying the ideas about a Utopia or perfect world based on ideas presented to us in Lois Lowry’s novel, The Giver. After having discussed what a Utopia is and comparing it to the world our main character lives in, students were challenged to create their own Utopia and present it in a slide show. They analyzed multiple elements that would make up a society including government, family, housing, etc. In our next step, we will be looking at multiple different resources so we can begin to answer the question: Are utopias possible? We will begin to look at multiple sources and begin to draw conclusions on this question using text evidence.
- Mrs. Elder, Writing: In Writing class we have been analyzing author’s craft while reading The Giver in collaboration with Mr. Dougherty’s classes. The essential question for this unit asks students to think about how differences can become conflicts. Some specific skills we’ve been working on include word choice and connotation, theme, and sentence structure. We are going to begin developing short narratives that explore this idea. Students will build off of the Utopias they created in Reading class by using them as the setting for their narratives. We opened the wall between our classroom and Mr. Dougherty’s for a couple of days in order to bridge these projects. As we write, we will focus on how authors use language to tell stories and evoke specific emotions in their audience.
What's happening on PACK 73?
Ms. O'Connor, Writing: In Writing class students have been developing characters using figurative language, descriptive details, and feedback from their classmates. They are currently putting together portfolios to show what they’ve been learning. Next up we’ll be researching about the Middle Ages and writing Historical Fiction.
Mr. Huard, Science: Welcome to Grade 7-3 Science with Mr. Huard. We started the year with some team building Science activities, and we have been working on our Natural Disasters Unit on OpenSciEd. We will be finishing up our Tsunami based lessons. We are trying to have the students think in terms of how they would study and prepare for any type of natural disaster. In November we will begin our Contact Forces unit. The students will get to break things and see how Newton’s Laws have an “impact” on our everyday lives.
Ms. Costello, Science: In mid-October, Social Studies students completed their Five Themes of Geography Country Research Project. Each student chose a country and researched how the five themes impacted that country. In November we will focus on Central and South Asia. Mrs. Dion, Reading: Students have been learning two annotation strategies to use while reading (notice and # summary). We have used these two strategies while reviewing literary elements such as: plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme. We have also practiced discussion strategies such as: using classmates name, stems and evidence from the text to support our thinking. Next up we will be reading historical fiction to support the research and writing being done in Ms. O'Connor's Writing class.
Ms. Nielsen, Math: Students have been learning about proportions and how to solve for a missing number. We have used strategies like the ‘heart method’ or cross multiplication and simplifying fractions to help find ‘friendly’ numbers to work with. We have spent time dividing fractions and students are making great progress. This week, we used our proportional solving skills to complete a digital escape room. We will be working on proportions for a couple more weeks.
What's happening on PACK 81?
Mr. Dearborn, Science: In Science, we have been investigating the chemistry behind why a BathBomb makes bubbles when placed in water. We have run several tests on the gas produced and found a few possible candidates. Next, we will be looking at the chemical formulas of the reacting substances to see if we can narrow it down to the one gas being created. After this, we will finish the unit with an assessment that will take what we learned about BathBomb chemistry and apply it to the Taj Mahal and what is happening to this historic building.
Mrs. Hurley, Math: In Math 8, we have been working on getting to know The Real Number System and classifying numbers. This week our focus has been on approximating square roots without a calculator. In Algebra, we have finished our unit of equations and are moving onto learning about Relations and Functions.
Ms. Hollister, Social Studies: The local election happened November 7th, so we have been hard at work learning how active citizens prepare for voting and elections to keep our democracy healthy. Some of the things we have covered are: Registering to vote; Identifying your ward and polling place; Finding and using the sample (specimen) ballot; Candidate evaluation. Please encourage your children to talk about their learning with you, and if you are able, bring them with you to the polls the next time you vote. They are excited to see the process of voting and civic participation in action!
Mrs. Britt, Writing: We have now become figurative language experts! Our visual figurative language poems were a fun way to kick off the year. We are continuing to utilize our StudySync curriculum and work on our suspenseful narrative writing pieces. Ask your student how their suspense story is going!
Ms. Kostecki, Reading: In Reading, we just completed “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl. This text was used to examine how authors create suspense in their stories (Limited Point of View, Setting, Dramatic Irony, and Cliffhangers). Students can carry these strategies over into their Writing class as they create their own suspenseful stories. Next, we will continue practicing active reading strategies through the use of annotation. As students read, they will interact with the text by:
Asking Questions
What does this word mean?
Why did the character…?
Why did the author make the choice to…?
Making Comments
This part reminds me of…
I was surprised when…
This page shows…
I predict that…
What's happening on PACK 82?
Mrs. Guyott, Math: Algebra students worked on solving equations including solving literal equations which they completed a scavenger hunt together on. Math 8 students finished their topic on Exponents and Scientific Notation. Students began learning about the Real Number System.
Ms. Modestow, Reading: Reading students are in the middle of their short story unit, having read "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Lottery." They are working on annotation skills, summary writing, and identifying mood. Students have also just finished their first SSR novel. We are headed into a paired-reading unit for our next SSR novel. In WIN students are exploring prefixes.
Ms. Cook, Writing: Writing students have completed their narrative writing assignment, and are currently working on a “finish the story” project, using “The Lady or the Tiger?” short story. They have also been working on grammar skills in StudySync, including commas, dashes, spelling, and transitional words and phrases.
Ms. Johnson-Corwin, Social Studies: Civics students spent the month examining the impact of 5 key documents (Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Cato’s Letters and Common Sense) on the American colonists view of government. Students then analyzed historical editorial cartoons before taking a turn and creating their own based on the Big Ideas and Colonial Influences. At the end of the month we shifted gears and began looking at the election process at a state and local level.
Ms. Garelick, Science: Science students have been discovering the chemical makeup of bath bombs throughout our chemistry unit using deduction and experimentation. We are currently analyzing the molecular structure of water to understand its chemical notation. This active and engaging unit requires much discussion and interaction among classmates.
Field Trip to Old Sturbridge Village!
What's happening on PACK 83?
Mrs. Jordan, Math: We are starting out the month of November without calculators (gasp!). The kids were reluctant to give up their safety nets, but as this unit progresses, their mental math skills will improve. We are introducing square and cube roots and the kids should be able to approximate square roots by the end of the month!
Mrs. Osowski, Reading: In reading class we have been reading the novel, Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Through this novel study we have been examining how Myers develops the story plot and characters through his use of dialogue. Students have enjoyed taking on various reading roles as we unfold the gripping felony murder trial of the protagonist, 16 year-old Steve Harmon. We have also explored texts by Bryan Stevenson and Shirley Jackson to analyze how multiple pieces address similar themes. As we progress into November, students will continue to develop their text analysis skills through writing their own comparative analysis pieces.
Ms. McIntire, Writing: In writing class, we have been analyzing how and why authors include figurative language in their writing. Currently, we are looking at the story The Monkey's Paw to analyze a plot, characterization, setting, and elements of fiction. Students will soon be beginning to write their own continuations of The Monkey's Paw story. To do this students are developing their own plot, setting and characters, who will then experience the freaky repercussions of making a wish upon the cursed paw.
Mrs. Humphrey, ESL: In ESL we have been working hard to implement our new curriculum: Bridges! Students in Foundational I ESL are learning about identities and what makes people unique and different. We are proud of who we are and where we are from. Students are reading texts such as “Burrito Man.” They are analyzing how characters change throughout a story. We are also learning about simple present, future, and past tense verbs. In Foundational II ESL, students are also reading about identities and what makes them unique. We are reading about ancestors and showing pride in our cultures. Students read short stories from the text “Honoring our Ancestors.” We learned about the different elements of poetry. We are currently practicing using different tenses of verbs; including irregular past tense verbs. Both levels of ESL will be making connections to language arts, science, social studies, and math during the month of November.
Mr. Piper/Mrs. McCarron, Social Studies: Civics students spent the month examining the impact of 5 key documents (Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, English Bill of Rights, Cato’s Letters and Common Sense) on the American colonists view of government. Students then analyzed historical editorial cartoons before taking a turn and creating their own based on the Big Ideas and Colonial Influences. At the end of the month we shifted gears and began looking at the election process at a state and local level.
Mr. Mullett, Science: In Pack 83, students have spent most of the last unit (Chemistry) deducing what components make up a bath bomb. By observing the phenomena and working through various experiments and tests, students have moved from discovering the ingredients in bath bombs, to delving into the properties of gases such that we are now testing the gases. Next up will include a more detailed lesson on atoms and molecules. Our end game goal is to have students able to perform a transfer task, applying all strategies learned towards a related situation.
Trails to Wellness, Our new SEL Curriculum!
Our new Social Emotional Curriculum, called Trails To Wellness, is scheduled to begin in November. There are 10 lessons that will be taught bi-weekly from November through April, 2024.
In November, students will:
-Learn what social and emotional learning is.
-Understand that it consists of a set of tools to help promote well being.
-Understand universal human needs, and the impact on our physical and emotional well being, of either having or not having those needs met.
For questions, please contact our SEL Leaders:
Lauren Paret, Dean of Students
lauren.paret@schoolsofwestfield.org
Linda Aveyard, Adjustment Counselor
What's happening in specials and intervention?
Mr. Novetsky, Art: The 7th and 8th grade art classes have been very busy the past few weeks. 7th graders completed “Imaginary Architecture” drawings that use simple perspective as well as other devices to create scale and location. Following that we moved on to “Mythological Creatures”. Students learned about the role of myths and the oral traditions of various cultures. We discussed hybrids and the ways that each student’s creature could embody various characteristics by incorporating elements from different animals and even machines. We then moved on to graphic design. Students were asked to design either a book cover for an autobiography that would represent their future selves or a greatest hits album cover, that spanned their careers as musicians. We are currently designing innovative shoes with students working in teams of three as they explore the finer point of collaboration, delegation and communication. 8th graders have worked this term to master basic drawing skills including perspectival drawing, light and shadow as well as ways to elevate these rudimentary skills to more expressive and creative heights. Currently they are making large circular paintings for the “Portal Project” These paintings will be exhibited throughout the school and are designed to elicit specific responses in those students, faculty and staff who see them. We explored questions about public art including public murals and graffiti, tracing these traditions back to the earliest forms of human expression such as the ancient cave paintings in Lascaux, France that are estimated to be 17,000 years old!
Mrs. Scott, Library: ELA classes have been visiting the library every other week. Students are learning how the library is arranged and how to find a book using Destiny, the catalog. I am very excited that we have so many enthusiastic readers at WMS! Here is a link to our Library website, students can access the resources from school and home. We are also participating in Senator Velis’ “Thank a Veteran Project.” Students are learning the history of Veterans Day and showing their gratitude to our military by creating letters and cards for them.
Mrs. Guerrette, Math Intervention: In October, Math Intervention students worked on review of operations with decimals and fractions, areas of polygons, and MCAS related questions. 8th grade Intervention students learned strategies for converting terminating and repeating decimals to fractions and both groups practiced using strategies for answering Constructed-Response Questions with multiple parts. I am very proud of students effort and high quality work that we displayed on a bulletin board in a hallway next to our class.
Ms. Beaupre, Project Lead The Way: In October Engineering students learned how to use a ruler and measure accurately. They worked in groups to create a paper skimmer, a vehicle that glides across the floor. The more accurate the measurements the further the skimmer will go. Students competed to determine whose skimmer will travel the furthest distance.
In the next lesson students will be learning all about CAD, computer aided design.
Mrs. Avgoustakis, Physical Education: Students wrapped up the physical dimension of wellness with nutrient projects. We will be heading into the intellectual dimension of wellness next!
From Mrs. Diana, Math Intervention:
Click below to view additional newsletters from music and Spanish!
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Check out our page for day-to-day happenings at Westfield Middle School!
Community Closet
Mrs. Modestow and 8th grade students volunteer their time to maintain our Community Closet, which is filled with clothing, tioletires, supplies, etc. We graciously rely on donations from our community members to keep the closet running. Currently, we need boys' and girls underwear (new only), as well as sweatshirts. We would greatly appreciate any donations! If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Modestow at j.modestow@schoolsofwestfield.org.
Attendance Matters!
Did you know that research shows school attendance is one of the highest indicators of school success? As attendance mentors, our job is to encourage student attendance and support students and their families. We work closely with students to develop relationships, identify attendance challenges and remove barriers.
Please reach out to an attendance mentor with any questions or concerns with student attendance:
Erica Brunette, 7th Grade Students, erica.brunette@schoolsofwestfield.org
Jessica Stanwood, 8th Grade Students, jessica.stanwood@schoolsofwestfield.org
Westfield Middle School PTO
Thanks to all our volunteers and participants for the Color Run. You earned just over $1000 toward activities and supplies for your school. Check out pictures on the PTO Facebook page.
For all those who sold Butterbraids, thank you.
Want to get involved and help out at your child's school, find out what's happening each month at the PTO meeting. Click here to attend the PTO meetings. Our next meeting is November 15th at 6:30 p.m.
Want to donate, but don't want to sell stuff? Click here to view the WMS Opt-out page. 100% of all donations go directly to benefit our WMS community.
Click here to visit the WMS PTO Facebook Page!
Jillian's Bags
Jillian, one of Westfield High School's juniors, is accepting donations for veterans. She is looking for Westfield Middle School's help to collect puzzle books, notebooks, and travel games! Please send in your donations with your student and each homeroom teacher will have a collection box. The 7th and 8th grade homerooms that collect the most will be treated to an ice cream party. Thank you for your support!
From Our Community Partners
Behavioral Health Hotline
The Behavioral Health Helpline is the new virtual front door to connect Massachusetts residents to mental health resources in real time. The Health line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. They offer translation services and have access to 200+ languages. Callers are connected to mental health resources, community resources, and on the spot help. The service is free and insurance blind. Any age group can use the Help Line, including but not limited to; teens, elders, and families with young children. They also offer text and chat features. They can be found at www.masshelpline.com or by calling 1-833-733-2445 (BHHL).
Your Administrative Team
We are here for you! At any point in time, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
- Mr. Jesse McMillan, Principal: jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org
- Mrs. Jennifer Leveille, 7th Grade Assistant Principal: jennifer.leveille@schoolsofwestfield.org
- Ms. Karoline Kells, 8th Grade Assistant Principal: k.kells@schoolsofwestfield.org
Quick Links
Important Dates
November 22nd-November 24th: No School, Thanksgiving Recess
Thursday, November 30th: Trimester 1 Marks Close
Wednesday, December 6th: EL Parent Advisory Council (4:30 p.m. in Cafe)
Wednesday, December 6th: WMS Chorus Concert (5:30-7 p.m.)
Thursday, December 7th: Report cards sent home
Wednesday, December 13th: WMS Band Concert (5:30-7 p.m.)
December 25th-29th: Winter Recess