Wolverine News
February 22, 2021
West Orient Middle School
Website: gresham.k12.or.us/woms
Location: 29805 Southeast Orient Drive, Gresham, OR, USA
Phone: (503) 663-3323
Twitter: @WOMSwolverines
Dear Families,
Remember, there will be no school on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week!
- Feb 23, Staff Safety Training, No School
- Feb 24, Q3 Progress Reports, No School
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Ms. Elise Catanese
Principal
WOMS is EPIC (Engaged, Persistent, Intentional, Career & College Ready)
SNAP Replacement Benefits
Did you lose food purchased with SNAP benefits due to storms, flooding, power outages or fires? We may be able to replace your SNAP benefits. Click here for more information.
In-District Transfers
Parent Requests For IN-DISTRICT Transfers
Accepted March 1-31, 2021 * Deadline is March 31, 2021
The Gresham-Barlow School District will accept in-district transfer requests for the 2021-2022 school year during the month of March only.
If you live within the Gresham-Barlow district and want your child to attend a Gresham-Barlow school outside of your attendance area, you need to request an in-district transfer. If your student currently has an in-district transfer and is moving from elementary to middle or middle to high, please submit a new request.
A digital transfer request form will be available on the Transfers section of the district website, http://gresham.k12.or.us/Page/2249. The link to this form can also be emailed to you directly if you request it from any GBSD school or district office. Forms must be submitted by March 31, 2021.
You will be notified in writing after review of all requests. Please note: kindergarten and first grade requests may not be decided upon until late summer after elementary registration. For further information, contact the Gresham-Barlow School District Office at 503-261-4575.
Solicitud de los padres para Transferencias DENTRO DEL DISTRITO
Se aceptan del 1º al 31 de Marzo del 2021 * Hay plazo hasta el 31 de Marzo del 2021
El Distrito Escolar Gresham-Barlow aceptará solicitudes para transferencias dentro del distrito para el año escolar 2021-2022 durante el mes de Marzo solamente. Si ustedes viven adentro del distrito y quieren que su hijo(a) asista a una de las escuelas de Gresham-Barlow afuera del área de su vecindario, necesitan una solicitud de transferencia del distrito. Si su estudiante tiene una transferencia dentro del distrito corrientemente y pasará de primaria a secundaria o de secundaria a preparatoria, ustedes deben entregar una nueva solicitud.
La solicitud digital de transferencia estará disponible en la sección de transferencias del sitio web del distrito, http://gresham.k12.or.us/Page/2249. El vínculo a esta solicitud también se puede enviar directamente por correo electrónico si lo solicita en cualquier escuela del Distrito Escolar Gresham-Barlow u oficina del distrito. Las solicitudes se deben presentar antes del 31 de marzo.
Ustedes serán notificados por escrito después de haber revisado todas las solicitudes. Por favor noten: Solicitudes para kindergarten y primer grado no serán decididos sino hasta finales del verano después de las inscripciones para primaria. Para mas información por favor contacten a la oficina del Distrito Escolar Gresham-Barlow al 503-261-4575.
Springwater Trail Applications - Due Friday, February 26
8th Grade Students & Families,
It's that time of year to start thinking about your high school plans. Are you interested in a small high school experience right here at home? Springwater Trail may be the school for you! Please review the important dates & information below:
Applications are accepted now through Friday, February 26th and will be entered into their lottery. Contact Ms. Kinder or the Main Office if you have any questions. Be EPIC in your goal planning and consider being a Springwater Trail Titan!
New Student Health Center
There is a new Student Health Center that just opened at Reynolds High School. The center welcomes all K-12 youth who live or go to school in Multnomah County.
More information is available here: https://www.reynolds.k12.or.us/rms/new-health-center-rhs
NEW! Library Connect
I have some very exciting news to share with you!
Gresham Barlow School District has partnered with the Multnomah County Library system to automatically provide all of our students with a Multnomah County Library account!
That’s right, your child now has a Multnomah County Library card. They don't have to do a thing to request a card - it’s already been done for them using their student ID number. Library Connect is free and there are no late fines. There are never fees for digital materials. Contact the library if items get lost, or if fees are stopping you from using the library. They can help!
With their new library cards, students can access all that the library has to offer:
Books and materials from any Multnomah County Library location.
Amazing digital materials including ebooks and audiobooks.
Ebooks in multiple languages including Chinese, Russian, Spanish and others.
Digital magazines.
Stream music, movies and quality television programs from sources like PBS, History Channel, and National Geographic.
Mango language programs.
TumbleBooks animated storybooks with audio.
Live homework help from tutor.com.
To get started with Library Connect, students should visit Multnomah County’s Library Connect webpage. They’ll find a link to the Library Connect page on Clever. There’s also a link on our GBSD Library Resources page, found under the parents tab. And of course, they can always just Google “Multnomah Library Connect”
Some of the library’s apps will require students to sign in. Logging in to Library Connect is SO easy! Student’s card numbers are 1-0 and their student ID numbers. And their passwords are their birthdays in number format: 2 digit month, 2 digit day and the 4 digit year.
If you or your student has any questions about using the new Library Connect accounts, contact your school library. Your building’s library media assistant is a Library Connect expert - and ready to help with Library Connect accounts anytime!
Your family can learn all about Library Connect accounts from a tutorial video on our GBSD website, Library Resources page, found under the parents tab.
Together, let’s keep kids reading!
Oregon state assessments and 2020-21 opt out information
Every year, students throughout Oregon take state assessments prescribed by the Oregon Department of Education. The purpose of these assessments is to show individual student growth over time and to provide student-specific data that teachers can use to ensure each and every child is on track and achieving learning goals. Results are also used to inform course placement and to provide focused feedback to students and parents.
Oregon state law requires us to inform you that a form is available from the Oregon Department of Education that allows you to opt your child out of state assessments for the 2020-21 school year. Should you wish to opt out your child, please fill out the form and submit it to the main office at your child’s school. The form can be accessed in English at
https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Documents/Opt-Out_Form.pdf
or in Spanish at
https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Documents/Spanish_Opt-Out_Form.pdf
Additionally, the Oregon Department of Education has sent us the following information regarding the state’s application for a waiver to pause state testing in English Language Arts and Math:
Under the Student Assessment Bill of Rights, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and Oregon’s school districts must provide families with a “Notice of Statewide Tests and Opt-out Form” 30 days before the start of statewide testing.
This year, school has been significantly disrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other factors. In response, ODE plans to ask the United States Department of Education for a temporary pause (also known as a “waiver”) in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math testing. A pause is also being requested for science testing, but science testing is not subject to this opt-out rule.
· If this waiver request is approved, then statewide ELA and Math testing will not happen this year, and there will be no need for parents to submit opt-out forms to their child’s school.
· If the waiver request is not approved, test windows will open on April 13, 2021.
ODE will update your district regularly with news about the waiver.
(Click this link to view the letter in Spanish: https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/assessment/Documents/Spanish_Opt-Out_Form.pdf )
If you have questions or want more information about state assessments, please contact our Assistant Principal, Tadd Gestrin.
iReady Winter Assessments Begin February 1st
READING
2/1 - 2/5
Begin iReady Reading Diagnostic
2/8 - 2/12
Finish iReady Reading Diagnostic
MATH
2/15 - 2/19
Begin iReady Math Diagnostic
2/22 - 3/5
Finish iReady Math Diagnostic
WOMS Counseling Center
Hello again, Wolverine Students & Families!
Our "new normal" continues to impact us and those around us in many different ways. Whether it be housing, bills, food, mental health, or other needs, I am happy to help connect you to those resources. The links below are by category and can be translated to your home language. Other specific resource links can be found on the WOMS Counseling Website.
Please don't hesitate to contact me! Students & Families can always email me or submit a Request Form.
-Ms. Kinder
School Office Hours
Distance Learning Resources for Parents
Do you need Technology Help?
If I have further technology related questions, where can I get help?
For further technology questions, please contact our school at 503-663-3323. Our school will work to get you in touch with a staff member who is able to assist you, or pass along further information to the Technology Department. You may now also get in touch by calling our Family Tech Assistance Line at 503-258-4733.