WESTER WEEKLY
March 1 - March 5, 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: @BrooksWester
Upcoming Important Dates:
- March 15-19: Spring Break
- April 9: Early Release Day View early release times here.
- April 9: Virtual Students: Screening for Vision, Hearing, Scoliosis - see details below
Congratulations to Kohl Kelley! Middle School Athlete of the Month! We are very proud of you!
7th Grade Parents: Course Registration
Attention 7th Grade Parents:
I cannot believe it is already that time but we are beginning the process of course selections for next year. Your students have seen two videos during the advisory period that should give them quite a bit of helpful information during this process. I wanted to share them with you as well. Please review the attached looms and discuss with your child what courses they would prefer using the Middle School Course Sheet prior to filling out the google form below.
Elective Loom and Elective Descriptions and Videos Presentation
Course Registration Loom and Course Registration Presentation
All course selections are due by Friday March 5th via google form
2020-2021 Course Planning.Thank you,
Kasey Holder
8th Grade Counselor
Colors for Caring Day on March 1
Remember to share your Colors for Caring pictures on Monday, March 1 by emailing them to info@misdmail.org or using the hashtag #ColorsforCaring on social media!
What is Colors for Caring?
On the first Monday of each month that students are in school, Mansfield ISD is encouraging the community to wear a color that represents a cancer that affected the life of a loved one. (View a cancer color chart here.)
The remaining Colors for Caring Days for 2020-21 are:
- Monday, March 1
- Monday, April 12
- Monday, May 3
-Changes to the MISD Academic Grading Periods
Due to the bad weather school closures last week, Mansfield ISD decided to alter the grading periods for the remainder of the year. Please note the following changes to the remaining six-weeks grading periods for the 2020-21 school year:
- Fourth Six Weeks: Ends Feb. 26
- Fifth Six Weeks: March 1 – April 16
- Sixth Six Weeks: April 19 – May 26
Cheerleading and Drill Team Tryout Information
Please read the important informational flyers.
Middle and High School Cheer and High School Drill Information
- Due to the inclement weather and school closure for the week 2/15-19, we have decided to extend the HS Cheer application deadline. Applications must be received on 2/26 by 6pm. click here for info
- High School Drill Team Application Deadline is Friday, March 12 click here for info
- DATES REVISED: Middle School Cheerleading Application Deadline is Thursday, April 1 click here for info
We will not have “in person” parent meetings. Applications and information will be located on the MISD Fine Arts Webpage.
Single Sign on for State Assessments
The Texas Assessment Student Portal offers parents and students:
- A history of their scores for each State assessment taken in the past 10 years;
- Detailed results for each State assessment taken;
- Ability to view all released test questions and how they performed;
- And resources to assist parents in understanding their child’s score, understanding the STAAR test, how to help their child prepare, and FAQs.
When a guardian logs in, they will see a new TEA Assessment Parent Portal link in the District Links dropdown at the top right. Click on District Links to see the portal link for each student in the parent Skyward account. One click on the selected students will enter the Texas Assessment Portal. Details can be found here.
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
- Follow the MISD Counseling Dept on Twitter @misd_counseling
- Stay up to date with MISD Guidance and Counseling
Sign Up for Important Updates from Mrs. Gates
Please encourage your student to bring a refillable water bottle to campus. We no longer utilize water fountains for individual student use. We have refillable water bottle stations only.
ID Fines
We sent a message on Friday regarding ID fines. If you received the message, your student has an outstanding ID fine. We are working towards utilizing an automated payment system. Until that system is up and running, you may send cash/check with your student to campus. We will send them home with a receipt.
Students receive 2 IDs for free.
Each subsequent ID is added to the student's Skyward account as a $5 fine.
Virtual Students: Hearing, Vision, Scoliosis Screening
MISD is giving virtual students the opportunity to be screened for vision, hearing and scoliosis. This is optional. If you would like to have your student screened, we will be screening on April 9 from 1-4 - this is ½ day for Wester/STEM, so there will no on-campus students here. No appointment is necessary. Just come to the front door or call 682-314-1819 and we will come get your student. Parents will not be allowed inside the building and screening takes about 10 minutes.
- Virtual students only (on campus students have been screened)
- All 7th graders
- All 8th grade boys
- 8th grade girls who are new to MISD this year
Again, April 9 from 1-4
Thank you, Nurse Debbie
MISD School Board Approves 2021-22 Calendar
Mansfield ISD’s academic calendar for the 2021-22 school year has been approved.
The last day of school for students will be Thursday, May 26, which falls before the Memorial Day holiday.
View the full 2021-22 calendar for other important dates and holidays.
MISD Advanced Academics: Fall 2021 Information
Beginning in the Fall of 2021, the title of Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP) courses will change. In the 2021-2022 Course Catalog, these courses will be referred to as Advanced. For example, if a class was previously called Pre-AP Geometry, it will now be named Advanced Geometry. The change is in name only; the curriculum and related services will remain the same. The Advanced title more closely aligns course titles with the strong programming MISD already has in place and clearly identifies and defines the courses as advanced in content.
5th Grade Only: All Pre-AP and Advanced course designations are being removed effective in the 2021-2022 school year. All 5th grade courses will be on-level. This gives teachers and students the opportunity to establish a strong foundation for future advanced programming coursework, and it will better support the transition from elementary to a post-elementary model of instruction.
7th Grade Mathematics Only: Grade 7 Advanced Mathematics will continue to be an accelerated course where students will be expected to master both the 7th and 8th grade state standards and curriculums during the student’s 7th grade year and prior to subsequent enrollment into Algebra 1.
Should you or your student have any questions about the new course names or existing services, please contact your campus grade level counselor or the Advanced Academics Department at 817.299.4388.
Attendance Guidelines
if you have any questions regarding attendance, please mail ChrystalMiller@misdmail.org.
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.
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.
Early Release Days: Recently added to the MISD Calendar
- Two Early Release Days (Feb. 19 and April 9, 2021)
The Mansfield ISD School Board approved to change two dates on the district’s 2020-21 academic calendar to early release days. Students will now have early dismissal on Feb. 19 and April 9. The change was made to help teachers and give them the necessary time to report grades and ensure attendance is accurate for the end of the remaining six weeks periods. View early release times here.
- Breakfast will run identical to any other school day.
In-Person Lunch: We will prepare a special grab-n-go meal for lunch (free of charge for all students) that will be incredibly quick to receive through the lines.
Virtual Lunch: Curbside meal service and bus delivery for virtual students will consist of 4 meals on the Thursday prior and we will NOT offer the service on the actual early release day to avoid overlapping your dismissal on Friday. We will communicate that to families closer to time.
TEA Pauses A-F Ratings for the 2020-21 School Year
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced that A through F (A-F) ratings would be paused for the 2020-21 school year due to the ongoing disruptions associated with COVID-19. Although the ratings are paused, the TEA said the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test will proceed for the 2020-21 school year in order to provide critically important information about individual student learning that teachers and parents can use to help students grow. For more information on this, CLICK HERE for a press release from TEA.
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.
Parent Resources: Canvas & TEAMS
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.
Reminder: Attendance Policy Changes Begin Wednesday, Nov 4
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.
See mansfieldisd.org/parents-students/covid-19 for more information
Reminder: No Food Deliveries/Drop Offs
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!
Student Nutrition: Menus & Virtual Learner Meals
For the remainder of the 2020-21 school year, all children up to age 18 and adults with special needs up to age 21 will be able to receive one free breakfast and lunch meal every school day.
The free meals are being made possible due to waivers placed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that extended the free summer meals program to ensure all children have access to nutritious food.
In-person learners at all Mansfield ISD campuses will access their meals as usual during their designated meal periods at no cost. Second meals, additional entrees, sides and snacks will be available for in-person learners to purchase.
Virtual learners and all other individuals will be able to receive the free meals curbside at specific locations on every school day. View more information about times and locations.
The free meals were originally scheduled to end on Dec. 17. The program has since been extended to last through the last day of school for students on May 26.
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
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