THE HOWLER
The Official Newsletter of Westfield Middle School
From Principal McMillan
Happy Fall! While I certainly enjoy the summer months, autumn is my favorite season and I always eagerly await the traditional festivities: apple picking; pumpkin patch visits; scenic drives; corn maze challenges; local harvest; and evening campfires. Despite my wife and I welcoming our baby daughter just over two weeks ago, my three-year-old daughter really enjoys apple picking and has asked to go each weekend, so we have more apples than we know what to do with! If you have any great recipes, send them my way!
We have had a great start to the school year, and everyone is settling in their classes. I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome all of our new 7th grade students and families to Westfield Middle School. You are now a part of our very special middle school family with dedicated staff! Over the past several weeks, I have been able to see first-hand the meaningful activities, instruction, and connections between our students and faculty/staff, and I am looking forward to visiting each classroom many times throughout the school year and learning about how we can better support our students. Your students are in great hands.
It was wonderful to see everyone at our annual Open House last week! We had a significant turnout and I was so pleased to see and hear the conversations happening throughout the building. We appreciate you taking the time to come and visit with us. If you have any "warm" or "cool" feedback on the format of the evening, please let me know.
New this year, our monthly newsletter will include information from all PACKs, as well as our community partner. Please be sure to check out our community partners section below to learn more about some fun events happening in our area! Updated events will be included in each monthly newsletter.
If you have any questions or need anything, please do not hesitate to contact me at jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org.
Sincerely,
Principal McMillan
Translations; Переклади бюлетеня; Traducciones de boletines; د خبر پاڼې ژباړې
¡Puede traducir fácilmente este boletín con solo hacer clic en un botón! En la esquina superior derecha, haz clic en "traducir". Cuando aparezca el menú desplegable, seleccione un idioma y el boletín se traducirá automáticamente. Si necesita ayuda o nota algún error, comuníquese con el director McMillan en jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org. ¡Gracias!
100 Day Report
When I joined Westfield Middle School last December, I shared an entry plan that outlined my first six months of listening and learning tours with students, staff, caregivers, and community members. As a result of these listening tours, I am pleased to share my "100 Day Report" that outlines my entry plan findings and strategic initiatives that we will begin working on during the 23-24 school year. If you have any questions or comments, I always welcome the opportunity to meet with you.
Your Administrative Team
We are here for you! At any point in time, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
- Mr. Jesse McMillan, Principal: jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org
- Mrs. Jennifer Leveille, 7th Grade Assistant Principal: jennifer.leveille@schoolsofwestfield.org
- Ms. Karoline Kells, 8th Grade Assistant Principal: k.kells@schoolsofwestfield.org
Nurse's Corner
Tips for when to keep your children home:
A fever of 100°F or higher. Your child should be fever free for 24 hours with no fever-reducing medications before returning to school.
A contagious illness such as COVID, influenza (flu), or chicken pox.
If your doctor has given antibiotics for strep throat, impetigo, or pink eye. Your child needs to complete 24 hours of antibiotics before returning to school.
Diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24 hours.
Continuous cough or wheeze
Crusty eyes and/or green or yellow drainage from the eyes.
Rash that could be contagious. Please have unknown rashes checked by your pediatrician.
If diagnosed with scabies, return after completing 24 hours of treatment with a provider’s note to return.
If your child seems ill, has upper respiratory illness with significant sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion or discharge, or feels too ill to participate in school.
Medications at School
Only medications that are medically necessary will be given at school. Whenever possible, medications should be scheduled outside of school hours to keep students in class and learning! Prior to medications being given at school, we need:
A written medication order from a licensed provider
The parent’s signed consent form
The medication with a pharmacy label attached and delivered to the school nurse by a parent/guardian during school hours.
**Students may not transport medication except for asthma inhalers, Epi Pens, diabetic supplies, and cystic fibrosis medications. These still need a medication order, parents consent, and coordination with the school nurse.
Reminders:
Please submit a copy of your child’s most recent immunization records and physical exam as an updated copy is required upon entering 7th grade. Also, please note an updated immunization exemption letter is required annually if your child is not fully vaccinated according to MDPH requirements. You would have received correspondence via mail if documentation is required for your child.
Please register for the SNAP Health Portal. Emails have been sent with instructions on how to set-up and access this account (https://www.studentehr.com), you have been provided a temporary password to get started. If you did not receive an email, please check your junk/spam folders, and also verify that we have a current email address on file.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the above matters, please do not hesitate to contact me at (413) 572-4520.
-Nurse Hynek
The Daily Calm
A daily meditation practice helps with lessening anxiety, worry and stress, while enhancing self-esteem and self-acceptance. It also improves resilience against uncertainty and adversity. There’s loads of of scientifically proven meditation benefits including improving mental strength, focus, better decision-making and problem solving - all of which are paramount to achieving success on the entrepreneurial journey. This is something we share with our students, too. Give it a try! You don't have to be an expert!
Be sure to follow us on Facebook!
Click here to follow us: https://www.facebook.com/westfieldmiddleschool
Check out our page for day-to-day happenings at Westfield Middle School!
Wolfpack Howl!
Furry Friends
Each month, therapy dogs will visit our WMS students!
Community Closet
Mrs. Modestow and 8th grade students volunteer their time to maintain our Community Closet, which is filled with clothing, tioletires, supplies, etc. We graciously rely on donations from our community members to keep the closet running. Currently, we need boys' and girls underwear (new only), as well as sweatshirts. We would greatly appreciate any donations! If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Modestow at j.modestow@schoolsofwestfield.org.
MCAS Parent Report
In the very near future, you will receive a copy of your student's MCAS report from last year's test. It is very user friendly! This is one important data point that we use to determine extra support for students, as well as curriculum planning. If you have any questions about your student's progress, please let us know. Below is a sample report.
Math Intervention
As we approach the halfway point of the current trimester, I wanted to provide you with some important information regarding our math education program here at Westfield Middle School.
At WMS, we are committed to ensuring that every student receives the support and resources they need to excel academically. With this goal in mind, we have implemented a new initiative this year to further enhance our math curriculum.
Each half-trimester, nearly twenty percent of our students will be placed in a math “Intervention” class as part of their WIN Block (What I Need). It is important to note that this class is not solely about remediation; it is designed to provide targeted instruction to students based on their MCAS Math proficiency levels. Ultimately, our goal is to help students develop a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and build a strong foundation in mathematics, and ideally, most students will be enrolled in the “Intervention” block at least once during some point in the year.
What makes this program unique is that it will change at the halfway point of each trimester. This roughly six-week rotation system allows us to tailor the instruction to meet the evolving needs of our students. By doing so, we can offer enrichment opportunities to those who have shown proficiency and provide additional support to those who may need it. We believe that this dynamic approach will maximize the learning experience for each student and help them reach their full potential in mathematics.
We understand that you may have questions or concerns about this new initiative, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you would like to discuss it further. We value your input and are dedicated to working collaboratively to ensure the success of every student.
Thank you for your continued support of your child's education here at Westfield Middle School!
Cell Phones
Thank you for your ongoing support with our new cell phone policy! It is working quite well and, overall, students have done an excellent job following this expectation.
We tightened our cell phone policy to improve student focus, academic achievement, and well-being. Our educators and national research are finding that student overuse of cell phones is negatively impacting their ability to focus and succeed in the classroom, while also impacting them socially and emotionally. Excessive screen time is linked to lower academic achievement, detrimental changes to the developing brains of our youth, an increase in anxiety and depression, and lower scores on language and critical thinking tests. We realize that some students may feel dependent on their devices and social media. If this is true for your child, you are encouraged to "practice" time away from electronic devices and social media at home. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting screen time to 2 hours a day. A recommended strategy is to start in small increments and slowly increase the amount of time away from screens. Additionally, families can help address the negative effects of digital distraction by encouraging students to be involved in screen-free activities and having students turn off all screens at least an hour before bedtime.
If your student is struggling with limits on use and you need help, please reach out to grade level guidance counselors or directly to your family pediatrician.
Again, we are off to a great start and we appreciate your support!
Attendance Mentors
Strong attendance is critical to student learning. We understand that life happens, people get sick, and there are family matters; however, outside of these occasional circumstances, it is important for students to be present in school. A student is "chronically absent" when they miss more than 18 day, 0r 10%, of the school year.
Beginning this year, we will have two student mentors, Erica Brunette and Jessica Stanwood, who will focus on attendance. If your student is regularly tardy or we notice that they are missing school often, one of the WMS Attendance Mentors will be in touch with you and your student, as their goal is to begin to understand why students are not coming to school, build relationships with students and the people in their lives, and make progress towards improving attendance at WMS.
If you ever have any questions concerning student attendance, please reach out to our attendance mentors:
- Erica Brunette, 7th Grade Students, erica.brunette@schoolsofwestfield.org
- Jessica Stanwood, 8th Grade Students, jessica.stanwood@schoolsofwestfield.org
Picture Re-Takes
Picture re-takes will take place on Tuesday, October 17th. If you have questions or concerns about your student's school pictures, please contact LifeTouch directly at 800-736-4753.
Order your pictures today! Click on the photo below!
Welcome to the PACK!
Please join me in welcoming our new faculty/staff to Westfield Middle School!
Westfield Middle School PTO
Jillian's Bags
Jillian, one of Westfield High School's juniors, is accepting donations for veterans. She is looking for Westfield Middle School's help to collect puzzle books, notebooks, and travel games! Please send in your donations with your student and each homeroom teacher will have a collection box. The 7th and 8th grade homerooms that collect the most will be treated to an ice cream party. Thank you for your support!
From Our Community Partners
Westfield on Weekends (WOW)
Join us for PumpkinFest!
YMCA
We are hosting a youth fitness program (see flyers below), as well as drop in teen volleyball. Volleyball will run every Friday from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Free for members, $10 drop in fee for guests. We are hoping to use this program to build interest and hopefully launch an intramural team league for volleyball in December.
Gandara Family Resource Center
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Fundraisers
The WMS band is raising funds for their field trip to UMass!
Quick Links
Important Dates
Thursday, October 12th: WTA Presentations for 8th Grade Students
Thursday, October 12th: Builders' Club Car Wash
Tuesday, October 17th: Picture Re-Takes
Wednesday, October 18th: Color Run (details to follow)
Wednesday, October 25th: EL Parent Advisory Council (4:30 p.m. in Cafe)
Friday, November 3rd: Band Field Trip to UMass
Tuesday, November 7th: No School, Professional Development
Wednesday, November 8th: Team 82 Field Trip to Sturbridge
Friday, November 10th: No School, Veterans' Day
November 22nd-November 24th: No School, Thanksgiving Recess
Thursday, November 30th: Trimester 1 Marks Close
Wednesday, December 6th: EL Parent Advisory Council (4:30 p.m. in Cafe)
Wednesday, December 6th: WMS Chorus Concert (5:30-7 p.m.)
Thursday, December 7th: Report cards go home
Wednesday, December 13th: WMS Band Concert (5:30-7 p.m.)
December 25th-29th: Winter Recess