WESTER WEEKLY
October 19 - October 23, 2020
Stay in Touch with Wester Middle School!
Website: https://wester.mansfieldisd.org/
Location: 1520 N. Walnut Creek Mansfield, TX 76063
Phone: 682.314.1800
Facebook: facebook.com/BrooksWesterMiddleSchool
Twitter: @BrooksWesterMS
Wildcat Family
Thank you for taking time late last week and early this week to conference with your student's teachers. We value the partnership of our families and are grateful to work with you in the name of student success. Two weeks remain in the second six weeks, and structured tutorials will begin this week. I will send an email with specific days/times, but feel free to reach out to a teacher if your student needs help in that class.
Thanks for yet another fabulous week!
It's Great to be a Wildcat,
Mrs. Gates
Upcoming Important Dates:
- Tuesday, October 20: Kick off Red Ribbon Week! Wear Red!
- Wednesday, October 21: Decades Dress Up Day!
- Thursday, October 22: Pink Out! National Apple Day! Bring your teacher an apple along with a note of encouragement!
- Friday, October 23: Live up to your dreams and don't do drugs! Pajama Day!
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- Monday, November 2: Districtwide Holiday
- Tuesday, November 3: Student Holiday
- Wednesday, December 9: Yearbook picture make-up day
October 5 - 21: Window to switch learning modes, please see information below
Window to Switch Learning Modes Oct 5-21
Parents/guardians wanting to switch modes of instruction for their child (Virtual Learning Academy to in-person or in-person to the Virtual Learning Academy) have the option to do so during the Texas Education Agency’s designated learning transfer windows.
Those interested in transferring must log in to their Skyward Family Access account to submit the form within that time frame. Specific instructions are available here. The form will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21. You do not need to fill out the form if you want to stay in your current learning mode.
Transfers submitted during the noted window will take effect on Monday, Nov. 4, which is the first day of the Third Six Weeks grading period. View this calendar to see all the transfer windows and grading periods for the 2020-21 school year.
PLEASE NOTE: Beginning Nov. 4, all students who have selected in-person instruction will only be counted present when they are physically in class unless they have been quarantined due to COVID-19. Quarantined students will be able to follow current practices to gain attendance for days they are quarantined.
After submitting a transfer request, campus personnel will be reaching out to parents to inform them of their child’s schedule changes once those changes are completed.
It is highly encouraged that students commit to a learning option for one semester to ensure continuity of teacher and schedule. View more information about Fall Reopening 2020 here.
Attendance & Absences for In-Person Students
Please note that beginning Wednesday, Nov. 4, the beginning of the Third Six Weeks grading period, students who have selected in-person instruction will only be counted present when they are physically in class unless they have been quarantined due to COVID-19.
This means that in-person students will no longer be able to turn in assignments by 11:59 p.m. of that day to be counted present. They must be physically present in class to avoid an absence.
Quarantined students will be able to follow current practices to gain attendance for days they are quarantined.
Students enrolled in the MISD Virtual Learning Academy will continue to follow their current attendance practices.
What to do if your student is absent or needs to leave for an appointment
If your student is going to be absent, please email Mrs. Miller or call the main line and ask for the attendance office. We will notify the teachers of the absence. If the absence is going to be in the middle of class, your student may simply log off the TEAMS meeting and since notification has already happened, there's no need to announce on TEAMS they are leaving. If the absence results in documentation (like a doctor's note), please email that to Mrs. Miller. Teachers will work with students to make up work through Canvas or email.
IN-PERSON STUDENTS:
If you need to check your student out for any reason, come to the front door with your ID and ring the doorbell. Someone will come to collect/verify your ID and call for your student. You will need to remain outside while you wait for your student to come from class. Doctor's notes may be submitted electronically by emailing them to Mrs. Miller.
Congratulations Coach Turner!
MISD Coach of the Month!
Reminder: No Food Deliveries/Drop Offs
A message from Nurse Debbie
It is important to stay hydrated, especially when wearing a mask all day. Send your student to school with a refillable water bottle each morning. Water fountains on campus have been turned off/covered up and replaced with bottle filling stations.
MISD Athletic Information: Tickets & Clear Bag Policy
Good Afternoon MISD Fans,
We are SO very excited to see our student athletes back in action.
Please see this attachment regarding ticket/spectator information: MISD Spectator/Ticket Information Flyer
As a reminder, we have put a clear bag policy in place for ALL MISD Athletic venues: MISD Clear Bag Policy
Check out the Ticket Spicket Quick Start Guide for assistance in buying tickets to support your favorite student athletes with ease. There is a Ticket Spicket App available on the App store: Ticket Spicket Quick Start Guide
See you soon!
PTA Reflections Contest
For more information about participating in the contest, click here!
New! Student ID Badges
- Health and safety are a priority at Wester.
- In order to conduct contactless transactions in the library and cafeteria, Wester students will begin wearing IDs when they return to campus this year.
- Students must wear their ID, on a lanyard around their neck or attached by a clip, at ALL times while on campus.
- This year we will provide students with 2 IDs.
- Replacement ID cards are $5.
Dress Code Reminders
Common dress code infraction reminders. We will go over dress code reminders this next week. (From the MISD Student Handbook):
- Halter, tube, crop, and tank tops, as well as tops with large armholes and muscle shirts are not allowed. Additionally, all shirts/blouses/tops must cover cleavage, the entire back, and midriff.
- Spandex, tights, leggings / jeggings, and yoga style clothing will be allowed only if they are worn under pants, shorts, shirts, and skirts that are fingertip length front and back all the way around.
- Jeans with rips/shreds/holes are permitted as long as the rips/shreds/holes are below the fingertips when arms are by the student's sides.
- Pajamas, bathrobes, and or sleepwear are not allowed.
- For all dress code information, see page 45 of the MISD Student Handbook.
Transportation Reminders: Bus & Car Riders
To reduce the amount of possible contact on school buses, families are strongly encouraged to drop students off, carpool or walk with their student to school. For families who are still in need of bus service, find your bus number and review the extended safety measures here.
For parents dropping of and picking up students, please be courteous of our buses and allow them to get in and out of parking lot. Please do not block driveways.
All students should be picked up after school at the front of Wester. Please do not pick up students at back of building. We have buses trying to navigate through the back lane and this interferes with STEM parent pickup line.
Student Nutrition: Menus & Virtual Learner Meals
It’s BACK! Free Meals for ALL Kids!
Starting October 1 through December 17, MISD Student Nutrition will offer a holiday special – children may receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every school day!
This promotion applies to in-person learners at all MISD campuses, Virtual Academy students, younger siblings, and non-MISD-students. Second meals, additional entrees/sides, and snacks will be available to in-person learners to purchase for an additional cost. In-person learners will access meals as usual, at their designated meal periods.
We will offer a daily public curbside service that the community and virtual learners may access from 10:30-12:30 at the following 13 sites:
Brockett Elementary
Gideon Elementary
Harmon Elementary
Holt Elementary
Thelma Jones Elementary
Morris Elementary
Nash Elementary
Perry Elementary
Ponder Elementary
Rendon Elementary
MJ Sheppard Elementary
Smith Elementary
Spencer Elementary
Elementary campuses that currently operate a curbside site that will DISCONTINUE curbside service (effective 10/1) are:
Boren Elementary
Brown Elementary
Daulton Elementary
Tipps Elementary
Reid Elementary
Neal Elementary
Anderson Elementary
Davis Elementary
Cabaniss Elementary
Miller Elementary
General Student Nutrition Info can be found by clicking here.
MISD COVID-19 Web Page
Mansfield ISD is committed to opening school buildings with guidelines that prioritize public health and protect students and staff to the greatest extent possible.
In addition to that commitment, the district also understands the need for transparency as we face this global pandemic together.
MISD has created a web page with the purpose of tracking COVID-19 cases within the district. The data provided includes the number of lab-confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and the recovery status of those cases by campus.
View the COVID-19 case data web page here.
The information will be updated daily. Cases will also be communicated via email directly to the employees and parents of affected facilities.
Teams Norms
Proof of Residence for 2020-21
Dear Parent/Guardian:
Mansfield ISD welcomes you and your family to a new school year! Before school starts in August, all students are required to provide proof of residence (POR).
All families with returning students to Mansfield Independent School District may email their proof of residence to their student’s current campus at: Wester_POR@misdmail.org
PLEASE NOTE: Each campus has their own email address, so if you have multiple students at different campuses, you will need to send a separate POR to each campus’ email.
Satisfactory proof of residence includes:
- Electric, Gas, or Water Bill – with May service dates or later
Newly Established Residency in last 30 days includes:
- Lease Agreement
- The lease agreement may be acceptable if it is new (30 days or less).
- Is used when you do not have a utility bill and the lease states bills are paid by lessor.
- Other documentation may be requested when a utility bill is not available.
- The lease agreement must list the student occupants.
Any of the above forms of proof of residency utilized by MISD residents must show a service address. Lease agreements must show a beginning and ending date and the address of the property with signatures from both the lessor and lessee. Families who have a contract on a home that will close within 45 days of the beginning of school, will need to confer with Student Services on applicable Board Policies and guidelines for enrollment. Failure to provide the necessary documentation may result in enrollment delays or withdrawal from school.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
Please disregard this notice if you have already completed online registration.
Complete your returning student online registration through Skyward Family Access
SHOT RECORDS
Shot records for 7th Graders and Students NEW to the district should be emailed to DeborahRuhde@misdmail.org
Need to Update Information in Skyward?
Follow these steps to update information in Skyward:
- Log into Family Access
- Click on My Account (top right corner)
- When the Account Settings screen opens, there is place for their email address and up to three phone numbers. (Please note – Each parent/guardian can enter one email address to receive communication via Skyward Message Center.)
- Once changes are made, click Save.
If the parent/guardian is unable to log into Family Access, there are a couple options.
1 – Use the Forgot Your Password link from the Family Access login page
2 – Email misdregistration@misdmail.org