Westfield Arrow
Aiming to Keep You Informed
APRIL 30, 2021
From the Office
Next week is Teacher Appreciation week! If there has ever been a year that teachers deserve our thanks and gratitude more, we vote for this one.
As administrators we are truly grateful for the tremendous efforts our staff has made this school year! When thinking back to where we were on March 13, 2020, in an environment without masks, without spray bottles at the ready, without quarantines, with students all in the same classroom space, a time when degrees in Zoom or Meets were not required, and a world where you barely heard anyone say "mute/unmute" or "turn on cameras". Who could have imagined that simply handing out a piece of paper to the students would be a major logistical challenge?
When we reflect on what our staff has been able to accomplish the last 13 months, it is quite impressive and inspiring! Please join us in celebrating our fabulous Westfield teachers!!
MAP Testing - May 4th & 5th
On Tuesday & Wednesday next week, all Westfield students will complete the Spring MAP assessments in-person at Westfield.
~All students will need:
- Chromebook (fully charged)
- Chromebook charger
- Earbuds/headphones
- Water bottle
- A good night's rest the night before
- Eat a healthy breakfast in the morning
- Completed health screener each morning
~Staff will be on hand to assist students with our entry procedures and direct students to their testing location. Remote students will be provided a location specifically for Remote students and will be assigned by grade level.
~Entrances on testing days: (Student drop off along Fairfield Way; front lot is for bus traffic.)
- 6th graders should enter through Door 20 (Park District Gym doors)
- 7th graders through Door 32 (Athletic Entrance)
- 8th graders through Door 1 (Main Entrance)
~Dismissal times and pick-up locations for Remote students
- Pick-up/dismissal on MAP testing days to be around 10:30 - 10:45am.
- Remote 6th graders may be picked up in our back parking lot by the Park District Gym.
- Remote 7th & 8th Graders may be picked up in our front parking lot.
- Walkers will be allowed to exit on their own.
*Please see our Reminder section below for more information regarding our Spring Assessments.
District 13 Calendar
DISTRICT 13 CALENDAR 2020-2021 - UPDATED. Please take note of the Noon Dismissal on May 19th.
Emergency preparedness drills
This past week, we practiced our safety procedures for both sheltering in-place and evacuations in the event of actual emergency situations. We appreciated the cooperation of our students and the efforts of our staff!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Stefan Larsson
Principal
Nicole Gabany
Assistant Principal
WARRIOR OF THE WEEK
Each week the staff recognizes students for demonstrating outstanding character based on attitudes or actions that fall under the Character Counts Pillars and our WARRIORS Mission and Vision.
UPCOMING DATES
Please visit our Google Calendar for all activities and schedules!
- MAP Testing* for 6th, 7th & 8th Grades: 8:30-10:30am on May 4th and May 5th *RAPTOR HEALTH SCREENING EMAIL MUST BE COMPLETED TO ENTER THE BUILDLING
- "King Midas" Virtual Drama Performance: Thursday, May 6th 7:00pm (see info below)
- LPHS Marching Band Sign-Up Deadline: May 7th (see info below)
- NO SCHOOL/Teacher Inservice: Friday, May 7th
- 6th Grade Dental Exam Deadline: May 15th
Calendars for May & June 2021
Let Your Voice Be Heard
Bloomingdale School District 13 is launching a strategic planning process to determine the future direction for District 13. Between April 12 - May 3, District 13 will solicit input from community members to participate with an online survey.
The survey offers residents an opportunity to answer questions about:
- your perceptions of the schools and
- your vision for the future of the community's schools.
The link will take participants to a third-party website and all responses will remain anonymous. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Click on the link to begin. https://ecrasurvey.com/bloomingdale13strategicplanning2021
Reminder: Spring Assessments
Every spring, students in Illinois participate in several assessments to measure their academic progress and achievement as required by the Illinois State Board of Education. We want to give you as much notice as possible to plan for testing days as we do ask that you avoid scheduling appointments during testing times, if at all possible. We also want students to plan ahead for getting extra sleep the night before a test and eating a healthy breakfast on testing days in order to allow them to perform their best.
Please take note of the testing schedules for Spring MAP testing and the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) that all Middle School students are expected to complete. Each schedule provides time for test preparation, wrap-up time, breaks as needed, and transition time for Remote Learning Students to travel to and from school.
MAP Testing Schedule - 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade
- Tuesday, May 4th from 8:30am - 10:30am (1 Test)
- Wednesday, May 5th from 8:30am -10:30am (1 Test)
*Remote Students should plan to be picked up/dismissed between 10:30 - 10:40am. MAP testing consists of one test in English Language Arts and one test in Mathematics. Students typically complete each test in 70 - 80 minutes.
IAR Testing Schedule - 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade
- Monday, May 17th from 8:30am - 10:00am (Math)
- Tuesday, May 18th from 8:30am - 10:30am (ELA)
- Wednesday, May 19th from 8:30am - 10:00am (Math)
- Thursday, May 20th from 8:30am - 10:30am (ELA)
- Friday, May 21st from 8:30am - 10:00am (Math)
*Remote Students should plan to be picked up/dismissed around 10:00am on MWF and around 10:30am on T & TH. The IAR consists of 5 total tests, including two 90 minute tests in English Language Arts and three 60 minute tests in Mathematics.
Testing procedures for Hybrid Learning Students
All "A" and "B" Hybrid Learning students will be expected to attend school In-Person on each of the Testing dates for their grade level. We are required by the State of Illinois to administer the IAR test at the school building sites, and we do not have the option to administer the tests remotely.
Testing procedures for Remote Learning Students
All Remote Learning students will be expected to attend school In-Person on each of the Testing dates for their grade level for the duration of the test, unless circumstances do not allow. Remote Learning students will be provided a separate location for testing, a minimum of 6 foot distance from other students, and will be required to wear a mask at all times. When the testing session is completed, Remote Learning students will be dismissed from school. Time is built into the daily schedule on testing dates to allow for Remote Learning students to travel home without missing the next class period.
We understand the hesitation Remote Learning students may have with attending school for the tests, however we are required by the State of Illinois to administer the IAR test at the school building sites, and we do not have the option to administer the test remotely.
Parents & Guardians of Remote Learning students should have received an email on April 9, 2021 with details regarding the testing procedures for Remote Learning students, including the safety precautions being taken to provide each student with a safe location to complete the test. Please reach out to the Main Office should you have any questions regarding the testing dates, times, and procedures involved with spring testing. Thank you!
Reminders
Daily RAPTOR Pre-Certification form needed for all In-Person Learners
All students attending In-Person learning must have the RAPTOR health pre-certification form completed by their parents through each day that they attend In-Person learning.
Social-Emotional Supports
If you feel that your child is struggling on a social-emotional level, please do not hesitate to contact our Social Worker, Mrs. Sheila Zagotta, and she can work with you to coordinate supports for your child for both inside and outside of the classroom.
The Middle School years can be very tricky for students to navigate even during the best of times, so with a uniquely challenging year like this one, it's even more important for all of the adults in a child's life to collaborate on supporting each student's needs. We are here to help, so please reach out if we can be of assistance and we will continue to do the same!
Academic Supports
In addition to our current academic supports, we are very excited to add the use of Paper for our students, which will begin on Monday, February 1st!
This support connects students in grades 1-8 to a live, human tutor in that content area via chat. Students can access this support through their school login whenever they have questions on homework, would like someone to review an essay, or need help reviewing for an assessment. Please see this video for Parent Information on Paper tutorial for more information. (Papel para Padres en Español)
On Monday, students will receive an email with instructions and information. They will also be watching a quick introduction video during Acceleration next week. We hope students find this resource useful, especially during afterschool hours and on weekends!
Daily Attendance
Please contact the Main Office at 630-529-6211 to report any student absences. We also ask that parents/guardians notify the Main Office if your child is listed for In-Person Learning, but will be attending classes Remotely for the day. This will help us to keep accurate records of every student present in our building. Thank you!
UPDATED: Out-of-State travel - possible Quarantine days
If out-of-state travel becomes necessary for your child, students will be required to attend classes remotely upon returning to Illinois for a period of up to 10 calendar days if the student has traveled to an area that has a higher transmission rate than Illinois. Please reach out to our Nurse, Beth Jones, if you have any health related questions or concerns. Thank you for helping us keep our building as safe as possible for our students and staff!
8th Grade Graduation Ceremony - June 2, 2021 @ 4:30pm
We are in the process of working with Lake Park High School to finalize the details for an In-Person Graduation Ceremony for our 8th Grade students. Three local schools will be sharing the Lake Park location on June 2nd for their 8th grade ceremonies. At this time we are planning to hold the Ceremony on June 2nd at 4:30pm outdoors using the stadium at Lake Park High School, with the two additional schools following Westfield. All current IDPH & DCHD health and capacity requirements will be followed, which will unfortunately limit the number of spectators allowed to attend. At this time, we have been informed that each family will be alloted 2 tickets, not counting graduates. We will share more details as they become available.
WESTFIELD THIS WEEK
MAP Accelerator Champions
6th Grade:
Aashna D.
Rayan A.
Abigail S
7th Grade:
Tyler G.
Shaylen K.
Christopher C.
Cameron K
Cheyenne P.
Westfield is Exemplary!
Rollercoaster Physics in Science
PE Soccer in the Rink
Favorite Period...Lunch!
Track Club Warm Up
4-Square Action in PE
Grade Level News:
STUDENT INFORMATION
Don't Miss the Westfield Drama Club Performance of "King Midas and the Touch of Gold"
Opening Thursday, May 6 at 7:00 PM~mark your calendars now~ The Westfield Drama Department proudly presents: King Midas and the Touch of Gold, virtual edition. You can access the live stream at this link. You will need to be logged in with a D13 account, so make sure your kids hook you up!!! We will again be offering a live Q and A session with the cast and crew, so if you would like to talk back with them, please use this link to ask your questions and leave your comments.
We've been working hard on getting just the right touch of gold on Mrs. Bringer's last production. Original cast/crew members from the same play performed in Mrs. Bringer's first Westfield production have been part of the rehearsal project and will join in on the Q and A. Don't miss this GOLDEN opportunity!
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK TODAY
- Click the blue link below
- Create an account, or log in to your existing account
- Yearbooks will be shipped directly to your home
- If you need the Westfield passcode: 1014041382501890
Please use this link to order your 2020-21 Yearbook from TreeRing.com
Class ot 2025 (that's YOU, 8th Grade): Review of the Lake Park High School Incoming Freshman Orientation
8th GRADERS: Send in Your Baby/Toddler Picture for the Yearbook
Yearbook Baby Picture Submission is extended to April 26th!
Email your picture HERE8th Grade BAND STUDENTS! Sign Up Here for LPHS Marching Band
8th Grade Parents/Students: Viewing and Ordering Graduation Pictures
- Color Portraits emailed you an individual code to preview your graduation pictures and purchase them if you like.
- If you have questions, please email Color Portraits at: info@colorportraits.com or call Customer Service at: 847-382-7505, ext. 7
Check Out Westfield Library Books Remotely
Upcoming Student Council Events
- Teacher Appreciation Day on May 4th
- Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser May 18th-20th with funds donated to 'Feed My Starving Children'. Watch for future info!
- Bloomingdale SeptemberFest on Saturday, September 11th
Assist. Principal, Mrs. Gabany's Virtual Office
Want to give someone a shout out?
Parents/Guardians: Please Call in Your Student's Absence (even if they are 'full remote')
FROM WESTFIELD TECHNOLOGY
RETURNING STUDENT ONLINE REGISTRATION IS OPEN for School Year 2021-2022!
Click the blue link for all the info you need to know:
Enrolling a Brand New Student to District 13 AND Starting in August 2021?
Chromebook Trouble?
If you need assistance from the Technology Department, please use this link to request support:
Students: Please log out of your Chromebook and log back in daily
See this video on how to log in and out of your chromebook.
Otus Student Progress for 6th Grade Parents
Get the Parent PowerSchool App
Similar to the PowerSchool Parent Web Portal, parents can download the PowerSchool Mobile App from the App store on your iOS device or the Play Store on your Android device. Simply search for “PowerSchool” to find and install the mobile app on your smartphone or tablet.
- After downloading the mobile app to your device, connect the Mobile App to the correct PowerSchool server for Bloomingdale School District 13, by entering our unique, four-character code: G M K T
- You can also search for Bloomingdale SD13 by district or school name.
- The PowerSchool Mobile App will display your child(ren)’s schedule and assignments.
- PowerSchool Mobile app users can also enable Push Notifications to receive alerts when attendance is recorded or a final grade changes. To setup notifications within the app: Tap Account, then tap Notifications to configure the notifications you want to receive. Use the slider icons to turn the notifications on or off.
- Note: Parents must have a PowerSchool Parent Web Portal account created and students linked to their account before using the PowerSchool Mobile App. Click here for instructions on how to create a parent Portal account.
'How-To' for Parents/Guardians:
FROM THE WESTFIELD SOCIAL WORKER
The Glenbard Parent Series
Join other parents, high school and middle school students, and professionals to learn about issues facing today’s youth. The Glenbard Parent Series engages top experts, parents and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal to strengthen our communities. Programs are free and open to the public.
Parents, please complete this needs assessment:
LOCAL FOOD PANTRY AT BLOOMINGDALE CHURCH
Roselle Community Food Pantry
FROM THE WESTFIELD NURSE
6th Grade Parents: Student Dental Exams Due May 15th
Discard Your Masks Safely
By cutting the ear straps on your masks before throwing them away, you can prevent wildlife from getting tangled in them. If the straps aren’t snipped, the loops can easily catch onto an animal’s legs or wings, and animals can easily choke on or consume them, leading to fatal bowel obstructions.
PARENTS:
The State of Illinois is not waiving the requirements for all students who have mandated health forms (physicals, immunizations, dental and eye exams), even though students are not currently physically present in the schools. Please submit the mandated forms to your child’s school as soon as possible. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact your school’s building nurse for assistance (Westfield Middle School nurse is Beth Jones bjones@sd13.org) Please scan, fax, or drop off hard copies of medical documents to the school. We are unable to accept photographs of medical documents. Thank you!
{Students who are transferring into our district from out-of-state must speak with the building nurse.}
The exclusion date for non-compliant students remains October 15th, except for the dental exam which is not due until May 2021.
The required forms are available at your Doctor offices and on your school’s website, located under “Health Information”.
Please see below for the grades which have mandated paperwork due October 15th:
Kindergarten (or 1st grade, if your student did not attend kindergarten): physical examination, up-to-date immunizations, eye exam and dental exam. (Dental exam is due in May 2021.)
2nd grade: dental exam. (Dental exam is due in May 2021.)
6th grade: physical examination, up-to-date immunizations and dental exam. (Dental exam is due in May 2021.)
Teenage Depression and Anxiety
Student Expectations for Remote Learning
We ask that all parents take a moment and review the expectations for proper school behavior and on-line etiquette provided in the following links. Please reference our Student Handbook for general policies and procedures and this Virtual Etiquette for Google Meets infographic to assist students with Remote Learning expectations. Thank you!
WESTFIELD'S PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION (PTO)
When students return fully, we'll use SignUp.com to organize Westfield Volunteers.
1) Click this link to see our SignUp: https://signup.com/go/xZeejVZ
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
BLOOMINGDALE PARK DISTRICT
WESTFIELD SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
How-To Videos
Gmail:
- How to delete all email (6th grade)
- How to appropriately write an email
- You can only email other sd13.org email addresses
- Creating Bookmarks
- Starring and snoozing Emails
Google Classroom:
- How to Join Classroom(with Code)
- How to Join with Teacher Invite
- Check Stream and classwork page
- How to Turn in assignments
PowerSchool: Coming Soon
- Logging in
- Checking grades
- Seeing assignments
- Comments from Teachers
FlipGrid:
Chromebook: