Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
April 27, 2022 - Newsletter
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Westwood Families,
The kids had a great time at the lock-in on Friday. They hung out with friends, danced, enjoyed the inflatables, and played basketball and bingo. Thank you to our PTO for organizing the event and to all the parent volunteers and staff for making this possible for the kids.
On Saturday, April 23, five fifth grade students from Westwood Intermediate represented Spring Lake Park for the very first time at the Minnesota American Choral Directors Association 4-6 Girls Honor Choir in Mahtomedi. Amelia Doffin, Noemi Brown, Lauryn Kaneko, Mallory Major, and Natalia Melendez auditioned and were selected to participate with 200 other singers from around the state. They rehearsed five pieces over the past two months and performed in a large concert this past Saturday. Congratulations to these singers!
There is music happening at the high school, too! The spring musical is underway. “Oklahoma!” is a show that’s good for all ages and a fun way to introduce younger students to their future options at SLP Schools. Check it out.
We hope to see many of you at our office hours on May 12, 3-5 p.m. at Westwood.
Have a wonderful week,
Tom Larson
Principal
Coffee with the Counselors event series
Do you want to learn more about common topics students may experience during high school? SLPHS and current 8th grade parents and guardians are invited to join the SLPHS counseling team for the Coffee with the Counselors event series for coffee and conversation to touch on varies topics. All events take place at 7:30 a.m. at SLPHS. Please fill out this form to let us know what event(s) you'll be joining us for.
May 4: Career Readiness: How to help your student be career ready
There is so much talk about college vs. tech school vs. career. Learn about amazing post high school plans that include little to no college and all of the ways SLPHS provides opportunities for students to explore career options before leaving high school.
May 11: College Readiness: How to help your student be college ready
It is important students are prepared for college while still in high school. Learn how to help your student be college-ready and receive a timeline to help you stay on track with college planning and preparation.
May 18: Credit recovery options at SLPHS
Learn about the opportunities SLPHS provides for students who have fallen behind academically and what we are doing to make ensure every student graduates on time.
May 25: PSEO vs. Concurrent enrollment: What is the right fit for your student?
A guest speaker will go over all the "pros" and "cons" between PESO and Concurrent Enrollment and why your student may want to choose one over the other.
Final weekend of SLPHS musical "Oklahoma!"
Performances:
- Friday, April 29, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, April 30, 7 p.m.
- Sunday, May 1, 2 p.m.
Summer SPARK!
Ignite the SPARK in your child, your family or yourself this summer! Try a new sport or activity, strengthen your skills, meet new friends and make the most of your summer! View this week's highlights below and see all summer program options here.
- Soccer Camp with AKASPORT (grades 1-6)
- Tennis Camp (grades K-12)
- Football Mini-Camp (grades 9-12)
- Girls Lacrosse Camp (grades 8-12)
- Boys Lacrosse Camp (grades 7-12)
- Canoeing and Fishing at Silverwood Park (grades 6-8)
- Beginning Band Camp (grades 6-8)
- Drawing Workshop: Cooking and Baking with Young Rembrandts (grades 1-6)
- Video Production for YouTube (grades 5-9)
- Discovery Days (ages 3-5)
- Summer Trek (Learning Ventures) grades 1-7
Family Program:
Reptile Adventure at Springbrook Nature Center - Are you looking for a fun way to get out of the house this summer? Does your child love animals or nature? Take a break from your screens and explore the beautiful Springbrook Nature Center! This is a family activity for all ages.
Adult Program:
- Barn Quilt Painting (June 4 or August 6) - Create a beautiful barn quilt pattern on a 14x14 reclaimed wood pallet.
- Learn to Kayak (June 1) - Learn how to paddle on White Bear Lake. Expect to enjoy the nature and serenity around you.
- Making Kombucha at Home (July 25) - Learn how to make this fermented tea beverage at home.
Westwood Intramurals
Starts next week! Spots are still available for Ultimate Frisbee and Flag Football. Participants will focus on fundamentals and sportsmanship with lots of games and scrimmages! Click here to register.
Math League
The Westwood Math League Team ended their season in January and were finally able to celebrate many successes in April! Fortunately, we were able to compete this year, and though most schools in the division had lower numbers of students, our students made a fine showing.
There were around 125 students with nearly 20 teams in the division competing. Westwood had 20 students compete on three of these teams and had 12 of our students place within the top 25 students in the division overall. We also had strong team performances with our Westwood 2 Team placing second overall, Westwood 3 Team placing third overall, and Westwood 1 Team placing seventh overall. Our Westwood Mathletes represented well in so many ways this year; there was a lot to celebrate within a unique year of continued COVID restrictions. Pictured below are left to right with grade:
Westwood 3 Team
Westwood 2 Team
Giovanni Bacin (8), Sophia Doffin (7), Noah Jacklitch (8), Mia Swinarski (8), Andrea Quist (6), not pictured Zi Joslyn (6)
Westwood 1 Team
Earth Day
Minnesota ACDA 4-6 Girls Honor Choir
DNA Day
Westwood Staff Appreciation Week is in May!
The PTO is seeking support for this week of spreading gratitude! Here are ways you can help.
Send a personal note or email to say “thank you” to a staff member during the week of May 6-12.
Have your student write a note or email to say “thank you” to a staff member during the week of May 6-12.
Sign up to provide a food or drink product for the staff appreciation week (Sign up Genius Link)
Donate an item for the “thank you” raffle for the staff. Each day of staff appreciation week, there will be a drawing of names of staff members to win a “thank you” gift. Ideas might include: coffee/tea, chocolate or other treat, SLP Fan items (mug, hat, shirt), yard game, a plant, candle, grill/marinade/rubs, foodie/baker items, stationary, bath/spa, etc. Gift Cards are also greatly appreciated. The office staff provided us with some suggestions for gift cards: Starbucks or Caribou, Nelson’s Deli, Bob’s Produce, Jimmy Johns, Panera, DoorDash, Old Piper Inn, Panther Store, Amazon, Target, Barnes and Noble, other local restaurants/stores, etc.). Donations will be collected at the front office of the school through Monday, May 2.
Thank you for supporting this year’s Westwood Staff Appreciation Week!
Additional Upcoming Events
- Wednesday, April 27 - MCA Math (grades 5-8)
- Wednesday, May 4 - MCA Science (grades 5 and 8 only)
- May 18-19 - MAP Reading (8th grade)
- May 25-26 - MAP Math (8th grade)
In case you missed important information from last week's newsletter, check out the topics below and click to learn more.
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