West Sylvan Middle School
November 17, 2023
Greetings, West Sylvan families!
Throughout the week, we have all watched and waited to hear some better news about a return to school for our entire school community. This process is growing exponentially more difficult for all involved as time has gone on in this strike. I am sad and disappointed that we are still not at a point where there is a clear timeline for a return to school. Please be sure that your email address(es) are correct and updated in ParentVue so that you are receiving communications. Here are the updates that I have at this point, and the majority of these were shared through larger communications from the District:
Fall conferences are not occurring on November 20th/21st and will have to be reconsidered for another time, pending calendar agreements made through this bargaining process with PAT and PPS.
Even if an agreement is reached, voted on, and accepted by PAT over the weekend, there will be no added make-up school days for students on November 20th/21st in lieu of the postponed conferences.
First, the two groups still have to reach tentative agreements or MOUs on the numerous articles that they are bargaining.
Next, PAT would need to vote to accept a full contract proposal prior to the strike ending. If the contract proposal is not ratified through voting, the mediation process continues.
Folded into these decisions, the two groups need to agree to any changes in the District calendar, including adding back missed school days, adding back missed conferences and any changes in the grading calendar.
View strike information and family resources:
Most recent proposals: PAT has just responded to PPS proposal from 11.15
PPS bargaining website and contingency plans
We hope that the weekend brings better news for our students! Go Wolfpack!
Jill Hunt, Principal
Ben Keller, Assistant Principal
UPCOMING DATES
NOVEMBER
- Mon, NOV 20th ~ Fri, NOV 24th: NO SCHOOL due to Fall Break
- Mon, NOV 20th/Tue, NOV 21st: Fall Teacher Conferences *postponed with a date TBD
DECEMBER
- Tue, DEC 5th: Ida B. Wells Family Showcase for current Eighth Graders *at IBWHS 6:00PM - 8:00PM
- Wed, DEC 6th: Lincoln HS Family Information session for current Eighth Graders *at LHS 5:30PM - 8:00PM
- Fri, DEC 8th: Eighth Graders visit Lincoln HS *during the school day
- Mon, DEC 18th ~ Mon, JAN 1st: NO SCHOOL due to Winter Break
How do I learn more and share my thoughts about the strike?
The voices of our families and students are especially critical in driving the efforts to get students back to schools while this strike continues. Here are links to stay informed, speak up and ask questions of the PPS Bargaining Team, the larger PPS School Board, and PAT:
PPS School Board: Ask a question here or contact bargaining leaders directly.
PPS Leaders: Parent or community concerns can be submitted using this form - someone from the District office will get back to you with an answer.
Portland Association of Teachers (PAT): click here for strike updates
PPS School Board meeting involvement: https://www.pps.net/board
Comments and questions may be emailed to the Board at SchoolBoard@pps.net or sent via regular mail to School Board, P.O. Box 3107, Portland, OR, 97208.
How about some good news?
WEST SYLVAN is still one of the best Middle Schools around! US News and World Report just released their updated rankings. We admit some bias in this caveat, but Winterhaven is a K-8 (so a totally different kind of school than a Middle School). Here’s that link to the ranking, and the link to the middle school list.
NOVEMBER IB MYP LEARNER PROFILE TRAIT: BALANCED
This is a real challenge right now, and our Scholars are to be practicing being “BALANCED” this month, as our selected Learner Profile Trait. They are working on understanding the importance of balancing different aspects of life - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve well-being for themselves and others.
MYP AUTHORIZATION UPDATE
The MYP report was returned with ample positive feedback and acknowledgement of the growth of our school community to meet the standards to be an authorized IB MYP school. Thank you to the family members who gave their time to give input about the MYP work at WSMS! Your input was received very positively and made a strong impact with the leaders of the authorization process!
With the strike, our staff has yet to have time to review the report to discuss our next steps. There were many areas where our team has made great progress from our last visit in Spring 2022, showing the hard work and dedication of the entire teaching staff to move toward MYP Authorization. At this point, we were given some areas to address prior to getting final authorization, which include the two main items with follow:
Establish a clear assessment system amongst all Educators for coursework that aligns with the IB MYP rubric system;
Submit student evidence of assessed items for all MYP units;
Create a timetable (more commonly known as a school master schedule) that allows students to access World Languages in both semesters of each school year, grades 6-8. Currently, World Languages is offered in 6th grade, and we were given feedback that the course is not meeting enough of the language exposure requirements.
The timeline to meet these expectations is flexible, given all that is occurring with the PAT strike and the instructional disruptions. Our Educator team will meet together once the strike concludes to create our timeline for addressing these areas together so that we can achieve final authorization. The changes to our course offerings and master schedule will be coming for next school year as we expand our World Languages to the Sixth Graders as part of an elective wheel that all Sixth Graders will take, in alignment with the IB MYP expectations.
YEARBOOK ORDERING 2023-24
Our Leadership class, with Ms. Lacaden, is hard at work creating this year’s Yearbook for WSMS. All sales of yearbooks will be pre-ordered directly through an outside company, and will not be purchased through the school. To pre-order this year’s book, go to: yearbookordercenter.com and enter the code 6339. Pre-order cost is $30. The price will increase as we get closer to the deadline. PRE-ORDER TODAY to get the early pricing!
ONLINE SAFETY WHILE AT HOME
While students are home, I recommend keeping close watch on their engagement and activity on social media sites, including online video games where they have access to chat rooms. Unfortunately, during school breaks, we often see a spike in online bullying, harassment, and conflict between students. The more you can do to help monitor your students' interactions and activity, the less likely they are to be part of negative interactions online.
A few District provided guiding resources are here for how to talk with your students about this strike. Also, specific resources to support our students’ mental health needs can be found at the link on this website.
STAYING CONNECTED
Mr. Alonzo, Student Success Advocate, and I have opened a Canvas course for students and sent invitations to all students to join the course this week. Through the Canvas course, students can ask us questions or share information with the few of us who are still working.
Please be sure that you are receiving information through larger District communications, as they are being published. Nightly updates will continue to be sent by 7 p.m. about the following school day, as the strike continues.
Grades for First Quarter are now delayed due to the strike. District leaders are working on a plan for addressing these calendar issues through their negotiations with PAT (as calendars are always negotiated items). Middle Schools have a unique schedule with our students changing electives at the quarter mark.
The District educational options for independent learning are linked here.
Instructional links for PPS middle school curriculum are also linked here showing Educators’ expected pacing of lessons and units at various times of the year.
All families, regardless of income, are eligible for meal service Tuesday through Thursday for grab-and-go packed meals at WSMS. Families can also go to any PPS school that offers meal service for that pick up if WSMS is not your closest school location. A link to the various resources available for families is here. Also, transportation is routing some buses with meals to service the apartment buildings around PPS where many of our families on free-and-reduced lunch reside to help our students access food, if transportation is a barrier. A bus will deliver to the Vibrant building where a group of our students reside, as an example.
- Chromebook items and repairs: All students and families have the ability to call the Support Desk at 503.916.3375 or send an email to support@pps.net. Should there be a need to replace a device for a student, an appointment will need to be made to allow them to enter the PEC building. Students are also allowed to work directly with their school to exchange a device or charger should that be a need.
TALENTED & GIFTED (TAG) INFORMATION
Due to Teachers being out of the building, the district timeline for nominating students for TAG will most likely be adjusted, to give Educators and Parents/Guardians time to complete any necessary steps in the nomination process. Information outlining how the district makes consideration for TAG nomination has been created by the PPS TAG Department, and West Sylvan will update you on any changes in nomination dates as they are shared with Administrators. In the interim, please feel free to review the video linked here, or explore the district TAG Family website here. While we are not planning our normal TAG presentation at this time, we may hold a "Q&A" office hour session once Teachers are back and we have a better idea of any new nomination deadlines. Thank you!
EIGHTH GRADE INFORMATION NIGHTS AT FEEDER HIGH SCHOOLS
While the majority of our WSMS students will attend Lincoln HS, based on current address, some students’ addresses are within the Ida B. Wells catchment area for High School. Information about both nights are below. For more information on which High School your address belongs to, visit this website. If your address is not within a certain High School boundaries, and you would like your Eighth Grader to attend another school, apply for that lottery petition through the linked website. The Transfer Cycle opened on November 15, 2023 and closes on December 22, 2023.
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL TRANSFER WINDOW OPEN
The PPS Middle and High School transfer cycle opened November 15. Lottery applications close December 22. Students who apply for a transfer during this time will be notified of the decision mid-to-late January. All transfer requests are handled at the main PPS offices, not at the school level. Please contact the PPS Enrollment and Transfer Center at 503-916-3205, or email your questions to enrollment-office@pps.net. More details are available at this website: https://www.pps.net/Page/2343.
MT. HOOD MEADOWS SKI BUS
Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Bus 2024 has gone live for enrollment!
Follow this link for Sundays in Jan: https://www.skihood.com/store/116325 Dates for the Jan bus are Jan 7, 14, 21, 28
Follow this link for Sundays in Feb: https://www.skihood.com/store/2223966 Dates for the Feb bus are Feb 4, 11, 18, 25
A March bus has been added this year and enrollment code will be provided soon
We will meet each Sunday at 6:15am and return by 5:30pm(ish) at 5319 SW Westgate Dr
Great opportunity for West Sylvan Wolves to have fun together on the mountain! All ski/board levels welcome. All ages welcome.
Parents are welcome to ride up with us on a space available basis or you can secure a seat for all 4 weeks through enrolling
Need more information? Please email or call me <westsylvanskibus@gmail.com> or 503-810-9126.
Marla McLeod-Ali
Group Organizer
503-810-9126
FAMILY RESOURCES
The following resources are available to all PPS families during the strike:
https://www.opb.org/article/2023/11/02/portland-public-schools-strike-resources-meals-for-families/
FoodFinder.OregonFoodBank.org : Oregon Food Bank is offering “pop-up” food distribution locations. They are open one day a week, for as long as the strike lasts, and are available to anyone.
COUNSELING SUPPORTS
Counselors are usually available by email, and they are part of PAT, so they are unavailable throughout the strike. Please refer to the following list for your School Counselor by grade.
EDUCATOR UPDATES
We are still working to hire a permanent Educator for Ms. Ashcraft’s vacant 8th Grade Spanish Immersion position. We have offered the position to a candidate who lives abroad, and we are waiting on TSPC to issue a U.S. teaching license. In the meanwhile, we are working to have a regular substitute teacher who can be here most days to cover the classes, who also speaks fluent Spanish. All assignments that were completed with subs and assigned by our DLI Intern, Juanma, have now been graded and entered into Canvas. For questions about the grades in Canvas, email jihunt@pps.net.
We have posted full-time Math and full-time Science positions for the remainder of the 23-24 school year. If you know of anyone who would be an excellent candidate for our students, please tell them about the opening. The website to apply is here.
We still have an open Paraeducator position in our SPED Intensive Skills Classroom. This is a full-time position from 8:30AM - 4:00PM Monday-Friday. Interested applicants can apply here.
- We are always looking for Substitutes who like working in our building! To become a substitute, the information is here.
VOLUNTEERS
Interested in Volunteering and Being More Involved?
Become an approved PPS volunteer by following the information here. Once your application is approved, please contact the Main Office to see how and when you can be of service. Our Friends of West Sylvan organization also regularly shares ways to get involved on campus, specifically to volunteer in the Library, monitor hallways, help in the Main Office, help in classrooms, and do recess duty.
Friends of West Sylvan is parent/family organization that supports Scholars and Staff and fosters community connection through fundraising and volunteer opportunities. Join the mailing list and stay connected with other families!
CONTACT US
MAIN OFFICE
(503) 916-5690
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY
[Staff / Substitutes / Financial]
Jerda Solonche
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ SCHOOL SECRETARY
[Students / Attendance / Enrollment]
Kirsten Crombie
West Sylvan Middle School
Website: www.pps.net/westsylvan
Location: 8111 Southwest West Slope Drive, Portland, OR, USA