September 22 - Fall Picture Day

September 24-29 - 6th graders at Outdoor School (see below for locations and details)

September 29 - Standards and Assessment Day - No school for students

October 12 - Standards and Assessment Day - No school for students

October 13 - State Inservice - No School and Building Closed

• If your student has medication needs during the school day, an adult is required to bring in the medication in the original container. Students may not transport medication themselves.
• Bus riders, please be outside and ready for the bus ten minutes prior to pick up time. Delays in arrival home should be expected for the first few weeks.
• If your student plans to ride home on a different bus, please send a note with your student. The note must be turned in at the front office for approval.
• Please make sure your student has money deposited in their lunch account. Free and reduced applications are available online or in our office. Breakfast is free for all students.
• Students are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle and a snack to school each day.

We encourage all of our students to attend camp as it is a unique learning experience that is only provided to GBSD 6th grade students.

Regardless of what you are planning, we need to know ASAP so that we can plan for staffing accordingly. Please let your student's first period teacher know via email, phone, or Parent Square message. If you are not sure if you have given the most up-to-date choice to the teacher, please send it again just to be sure. We will be calling families that have not shared their plan for next week!

Thanks tons for all of you who have already communicated your student's choice.

Families have the opportunity to purchase a variety of items from Lifetouch. Picture packets were sent home last week so please be sure to ask your student for them!

If you are able, please purchase any of the items below and drop them by the office:

• Goldfish - individual bags
• Gatorade - small size
• Smarties
• Croc Charms
• Granola bars
• Jolly ranchers
• Small chocolates (kisses)
• Takis - individual bags

Thank you for all the ways you support us at West Orient!

Also, no bikes, skateboards, balls, backpacks or outside food and beverages will be allowed into the stadium.

• All paperwork needs to be turned in as soon as possible. Thank you to all of you who returned your forms so quickly!

• A small soil sample from somewhere meaningful to the student in a ziplock bag labeled with the student’s name needs to be packed and brought to Outdoor School.

• All articles of clothing, toiletries, and personal gear need to be labeled with the student’s name and WOMS. (Refer to the packing list included in the Outdoor School pamphlet.)

• As a suggestion, put the sleeping bag in one large plastic garbage bag with a twist tie to keep everything contained and dry. Other luggage can go in a plastic bag, as well!

• Bring any prescription and/or over-the-counter medications in the original containers with the child’s name printed on them. These are to be given to the first-period teacher before boarding the buses.

• Remember to refer to the clothing and equipment checklist for what and what not to bring. The main thing to remember is to bring enough clothes and appropriate shoes to keep dry and warm. It can be very wet and cold. Students need to have a rain jacket, poncho, or waterproof layer for their upper body. They should also consider bringing a pair of rubber boots or other waterproof shoes. Layering is the secret to happiness!

• The buses will load students at West Orient Middle School on Sunday, September 24th in the back parking lot.

• Kong’s, Reed’s, and Hyman’s students should arrive no earlier than 3:15 at West Orient Middle School. Kong’s, Reed’s, and Hyman’s first-period classes depart at 3:45 for Collins, Kuratli and Namanu.

• Darby’s and Gatlin’s students should arrive no earlier than 1:00 at West Orient Middle School. Darby’s and Gatlin’s first-period classes depart at 1:30 for Westwind.

• Classes will return from Outdoor School on Friday, September 29th in the back parking lot at West Orient Middle School between 1:00 and 2:00. All students should be picked up no later than 2:00 P.M.

• First-period teachers will send out a ParentSquare notification when their bus leaves their site with an updated estimate for arrival time at WOMS.

Calling all readers! It's time to start thinking about OBOB (Oregon Battle of the Books).

Find the 2023-24 book titles here - https://www.oregonbattleofthebooks.org/title-list/ and visit the library to start reading!

Did you know?

Overdue books often become lost books. Our library loses an average of 50 books per year. At a median cost of $10.00 per book, that is $500 of lost inventory and over 1/2 of our library book budget every year!

How can YOU help?

* Stay on top of overdue notices by checking in with your student when books are overdue.

* Search high, low, in, out and at Grandma's house for missing books.

*. Refund the school for lost items.

* Donate popular titles for our Free Little Lending Library.

September 2023 Newsletter

You can find more information, including a QR Code for easy access to the Mealtime portal, by following this link: Mealtime

Free and Reduced Lunch applications must be completed each year. Here is the link to the online forms: Free and Reduced lunch application