Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
February 17, 2021 - Newsletter
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Westwood Families,
I hope you were able to connect with your child(s) teacher last week and or this week for conferences. There are four weeks left in the trimester and it is important students and parents stay connected on upcoming assignments, retakes, projects and communicating with each other so we are able to finish the trimester strong.
It was a cold day on Tuesday morning and in spite of this the grades 7 and 8 kids on the “B” day schedule were excited to be back to see their friends and teachers. We look forward to seeing our “A” group students on Thursday.
Updates for this week:
- Request learning model change by February 26: Trimester 3 is coming. If your family wants to request a change from Extended Flexible Learning to learning at school full-time (K-6) or Modified Campus (hybrid) (7-12), you can make the request by contacting our school office February 22-26. We need to have any requests by the end of day on Friday, February 26 in order to have time to make any needed adjustments to class rosters for trimester 3. We’ll be working to honor all requests as we begin the trimester. Families may continue to request a move to Extended Flexible Learning at any time.
- For 6th grade families – Intro to the Middle School: Families of sixth grade students, mark your calendar for virtual information sessions on March 4 to learn more about the transition to the middle school. See details in the "Need to Know" section of this newsletter.
- Panthers for a Purpose virtual giving event: The big night is almost here. I hope you’ve marked your calendar for Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m. when you can tune in live to see some familiar faces….and join together in some fun for a good cause. Find all the info you need on the Panthers for a Purpose event page.
Sincerely,
Tom Larson
Principal
Funds for food through Pandemic EBT
Students who are eligible for free or reduced-priced meals in our school will get Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) funds through the 2020-2021 school year. P-EBT funds can be used to help you buy healthy food for your student and family. A new P-EBT card will be mailed for each child who qualifies for free and reduced-price meals.
It's not too late to complete an application for free and reduced-price meals. If you previously did not qualify for free/reduced-price meals and your financial circumstances have changed, you are welcome to reapply. Be sure to sign up before February 28 to get the P-EBT benefits as soon as late March.
If you have questions, contact Nutrition Services, foodservice@district16.org or 763-600-5041.
Need more food help? If you are eligible for P-EBT you might also be eligible for SNAP. Contact the Minnesota Food HelpLine to see if you are eligible 888-711-1151.
Daily Health Self-Screening
Staff, students, parents and visitors of Spring Lake Park Schools must self-screen for symptoms at home daily before coming to school (also called passive screening) using the Daily Health Self-Screening Checklist. If a person is sick or exhibits symptoms of COVID-19, they MAY NOT come to school.
For 6th grade families: Information Session for the Middle School Transition
The transition from 6th grade at Westwood Intermediate School to 7th grade at Westwood Middle School is more than a walk across the hallway. In 7th grade, students begin to have more choices in the classes they are taking and begin to make their plans for high school and beyond.
Families of sixth graders are invited to attend a live virtual Transition to Middle School information session on Thursday, March 4 to find out what to expect with the transition, learn about curriculum choices and get answers to any questions you may have.
Plan to attend a virtual session during one of these three times on Thursday, March 4.
- Coffee and Conversations - 9 a.m.
- Lunch and Learn - Noon
- Dessert and Discuss - 6:30 p.m.
The content of each presentation will be the same so families only need to attend one session. WebEx links to these sessions will be available and shared with families next week.
There will also be a recorded presentation available to families after these sessions with the same great information.
Questions? Contact the Westwood office at 763-600-5300. We look forward to chatting with you.
Library Book Checkout for Extended Flexible Learning Students
Starting the week of February 22, Extended Flexible Learning students can reserve library books and pick them up at their home school. This book pick-up process will happen every week for the remainder of the school year for EFL students, with the exception of scheduled non-school days on Wednesdays.
Reservation and Pick-up instructions:
- On the Monday of each week, students and/or family members need to request the books they would like to check out. To do this, first, go to the Destiny Discover app on your iPad and log in using your district username and password.
- Once logged in, students can search available books and place hold requests for pickup; eBooks and other digital resources may also be available for checkout by Monday morning.
- Next, wait to receive confirmation via Schoology that the books are available and ready to pick up on Wednesday.
- On Wednesday of that week, go to your home school during the hours listed below. Call the number and someone will bring the books out to your vehicle.
To be eligible, overdue books must be returned or the corresponding fines must be satisfied. Books will be held for two weeks.
Wednesday Pick-up times and number to call
- Centerview - 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 763-600-5500
- Northpoint - 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., 763-600-5700
- Park Terrace - 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., 763-600-5600
- Woodcrest Spanish Immersion - 1-3 p.m., 763-600-5800
- Westwood Intermediate and Middle School - 8:45-9:45 a.m. and 2-3 p.m., 763-600-5308
- Spring Lake Park High School - 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 763-600-5100
Westwood's Scholastic Book Fair
Westwood Pick up and Drop off Procedures
Yearbook Photo - Last Chance for Submissions and Clarification
All photos for the yearbook must be submitted by February 20. Please see the link sent out by Balfour for further information (this may be found in your junk/spam folder as it comes from Balfour and not Westwood/SLP).
Clarification-If a photo was taken by Lifetouch last fall, then no further action is needed on your part. The email was intended for those families that were EFL or missed picture day at the school. Unfortunately, the emails had to go out to everyone. We are trying to make sure all are included and had the option to include a photo. Sorry for any confusion this has caused.
Any questions may be directed to Kristine Powell, kpowel@district16.org
Register for the Panthers for a Purpose Silent Auction, show your dance moves for Challenge #3
The Panthers for a Purpose virtual giving event is almost here! Starting this week, you can preview the fantastic Silent Auction items and mark your favorites here. The Silent Auction, featuring 300+ items will open Wednesday, February 24. Packages start as low as $25 with all proceeds going to the Panther Pantry and Weekend Pack Program. This event is free, but you need to be registered in order to bid on the items. Follow this link to register and click "get started" to begin.
As a reminder, Challenge #3 is underway which means it's time to get your groove on, Panthers! Put on some music and show us your favorite moves between now and February 24.
Send videos of your family dance party to PantherFoundation@district16.org to be entered in the prize drawing.
Remember to tune in on Saturday, February 27 at 7 p.m. for the Panthers for a Purpose virtual giving event as we celebrate our Panther spirit, unite our community for a purpose and fill the Panther Pantry. Watch the event at SpringLakeParkSchools.org/giveback.
The next Westwood PTO Meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom.
We are looking forward to working with all of our parents and families this year to support the staff and students at Westwood.
Visit the PTO Facebook page: Westwood Intermediate and Middle School PTO
- Click here to receive email notifications about Westwood PTO.
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