WSMS Principal Newsletter
April 12, 2024
Principal's Message
Hello Parents,
It's been a very busy and blessed week at WSMS. Eclipse, STAAR, frog dissections, and more! Please take special notice of the information below regarding STAAR testing for next week and our upcoming community Stop The Bleed training with Mr. Murphy. I hope everyone has a great weekend in the beautiful weather. Thank you for your continued partnership.
Save the Date!
4/16 Science 8 STAAR
4/17 Social Studies 8 STAAR
4/17 PTO Meeting at LCDC Board Room
4/18 Stop The Bleed Training WSMS Cafeteria 4:30
4/23 Algebra I STAAR EOC
4/24 Math 7 STAAR
4/25 Math 8 STAAR
5/6 - 5/10 Teacher Appreciation Week
7th Grade Awards Ceremony May 13 time TBD at WSMS
8th Grade Awards Ceremony May 18 4:00 - 5:00 PM Lovejoy High School
Sincerely,
Caitlin Eldredge
WSMS Principal
Updated Tutorial Schedule for April
We have updated the campus tutorial schedule for the next month, due to the busy spring season. Click Here to view it.
Leopard Time- Leopard Time is from 12:21 - 12:54 each day. All students at WSMS are assigned a Leopard Time teacher for attendance and monitoring purposes. Teachers may request that students leave their assigned classroom to report for academic intervention or extended learning by providing them a signed pass. Passes are also available for the library if students are not requested by an academic teacher.
STAAR Testing Reminders
What should my student bring to school on test day?
- Charged Chromebook and charger
- Healthy, non-messy snack
- Water bottle
- Lunch from home (if preferred over a cafeteria sack lunch)
- Book to read after testing
- Backpack with regular school supplies
- Sweatshirt or sweater (if desired to adjust to room temperature, no blankets)
Closed Campus
On STAAR testing days, WSMS is a closed campus. This means that we are pausing on parent lunch visits and parent volunteers for both testing and non-testing students.
Lunch for STAAR Testers
All students taking a STAAR test have two options for lunch. They may place an order to purchase a sack lunch from the cafeteria on the morning of the test (their test proctor guides them through this) or they can bring lunch from home. Students are provided a lunch break around 12:30 pm on testing days. Ensuring ahead of time that each student has a lunch in hand, allows us to adjust our schedule or relocate testers as needed so that they do not feel rushed or concerned about lunch lines. Students will not have microwave access on their test days.
To reduce distractions and testing interruptions, our campus will not deliver dropped off lunches to students taking a STAAR test. Students testing will bring a lunch from home or order a sack lunch at the start of the day.
As a friendly reminder, our campus does not accept meal deliveries from delivery services. Additionally, we do not distribute group lunch orders. On a non-STAAR testing day, you may drop off a meal for your child only.
Cell Phones and Smart Watches
Students taking a STAAR test are required to turn off cell phones and place them in a cell phone bin that remains inside the classroom. Phones will be labeled and given back to students when testing is complete. Students may not wear smartwatches during testing. Smart watches should be turned off, removed, and given to the test proctor. If there is an emergency on the day of testing or you need to get information to your child, please contact our front office. A documented medical device is an exception.
Water Bottles
Only water is permitted inside the testing rooms. All other beverages must be consumed or disposed of before students enter the classroom. Since beverages will be placed on the floor during testing, we do not want coffee or other juices spilled on the carpet. We do this to protect the Chromebooks from spills during testing. Thank you for your support on this.
How long is the test?
Per TEA guidelines, students may have until the end of the school day to complete the STAAR testing. In general, students complete the test within 3 - 4 hours.
What if I need a new Chromebook charger?
Would you like to have an extra chromebook charger? Students are free to purchase usb c chargers
of similar spec from amazon. Scan the QR code below for an example.
• Lenovo 100e
• Acer C734
• Dell 3100
If this link is unavailable you can search [your model name above] + “usb c power supply” on amazon to
find a comparable product. Alternatively, students can go to https://lovejoy.revtrak.net/, purchase a
replacement charger, and bring the receipt to the campus technician for pickup.
WSMS Cell Phone Policy Reminder
At WSMS, student cell phones are to silenced and out of sight during the entire instructional school day. Phones are strictly prohibited in restrooms and locker rooms. Cell phones should remain in backpacks and out of sight in all areas such as the cafeteria and hallways. Students may utilize the phone in the front office to contact parents if needed. Staff members will confiscate phones and turn them in to the front office for parent pick up if students are in violation of the policy. Thank you for your support.
Deliveries
Our campus does not accept meal service deliveries. Parents may drop off food items for their child only at lunch time. You may drop off lunch for your child only. We have noticed a sharp increase in the number of group food orders delivered and requests to distribute it. We do not allow this at the middle school for the safety of our students with food sensitivities or allergies.
Students may pick up dropped off lunches on their way to the cafeteria for lunch.
Please note that our office staff is not authorized to receive or distribute dropped off medication to students. Please contact our nurse, Ms. Glover, if you have questions about medication procedures through the school clinic.
Student ID Badge Info
LISD Calendar
Please go here for LISD calendars.
April Nutrition Newsletter
Click Here to view the nutrition newsletter
Powerschool App
The PowerSchool app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You use the same PowerSchool online login. Enter the District code NJBC. **Helpful Tip: If your app is not syncing, follow these steps:
- Log out
- Update app
- Log back in
Attendance continues to be a top priority for Lovejoy ISD. It should come as no surprise that attendance has a direct relationship with student learning. Additionally, public school funding is provided by the State of Texas based on each district's average daily attendance (ADA).
Lovejoy has developed an Attendance Task Force consisting of staff, parents, and students to formulate ideas about how to positively impact ADA in our district. One suggestion is to update the community via weekly principal communication on the number of absences each campus has accrued YTD along with the budgetary impact of those absences. This information can be found below:
Visitors to Willow Springs and Office Hours
WSMS office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Student Support Center Update
Registration 24.25 Information
We have completed our Spring Registration Meetings for students and parents.
Please visit our WSMS Registration Page for all of our up to date information.
If your student would like to update or change any of their course requests, please fill out the google form for your student's 24.25 school year. As a reminder, a request does not guarantee class placement.
If your student is interested in any sport other than football or volleyball, please complete the Additional Sports Sign Up.
Upcoming Grief Group
In spring, we will be implementing a small group for students who have experienced or are currently struggling with grief. If you have a student who you feel might benefit, please fill out this google form.
Please join us on April 16, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. for “Creating Space for Grief” hosted by Kerri Newman and Farren Barnett with Journey of Hope. For more information, click here.
2024 PTO Board Positions
Slating Report for next year’s PTO Board Positions.
PTO General Meeting
Updated PTO General Meeting dates and locations
(Aprils meeting will be off campus due to STAAR testing)
April 17- 10:00am- LCDC Board Room
May 15- 10:00am- WSMS Band Hall
Volunteer:
If you’d like to know more about volunteer opportunities at Willow Springs please fill out this form and we’ll notify you as needs arise. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ZUVnniJK4utt6GgYVq8mkXVZVxAlz1uo3VdBkLeXkjnIVA/viewform
Connect Your Kroger Card
Kroger Community Rewards offer a great way to earn money for the Willow Springs Middle School PTO. Just swipe your Kroger rewards card or use the phone number on your Kroger rewards account when shopping to earn money for WSMS.
Visit Kroger Community Rewards website:
www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards.
New users will need to create an account which requires a valid email address and a rewards card. Once logged into your Kroger account, search for WILLOW SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL PTO either by name or WG753 and then click Enroll.
2024 Summer Camp
Lovejoy ISD is excited to announce that 2024 Summer Camp Registration opens
Monday, April 8th at 9:00 a.m.!! Here is the complete Summer Activity Guide.
Lovejoy Majestics Dance Team Spring Show tickets are now on sale through the Fine Arts Box Office: https://tinyurl.com/n7c3ze77. We hope you will join us for a royal affair as we uncover the profound depths of sisterhood and what it means to truly reign as queen.
Performance nights are April 18, 19 & 20, 2024 at the LHS Auditorium at 7:00pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students, seniors and children.