Westview Wildcat Weekly
Wildcat Family Newsletter - Monday, August 28, 2023
Student IDs have been printed and issued to students across all grade levels. Per district policy, all secondary students are required to wear campus-issued student ID badges around their neck at all times during the entire school day. ID(s) must be worn and not kept in a backpack/purse/wallet.
Note: The first student I.D. badge is free, and the additional issuances of an I.D. badge will cost the student $5.00. Lost or defaced badges must be replaced at the cost of the student.
Overall, our students are doing a good job of wearing their IDs! We reminded students about the importance of wearing student IDs during last week's grade level assemblies. The back of the ID has a QR to make anonymous reports as well as information for crisis support. We will continue to remind students that if they see something that needs to be reported, they should tell an adult or anonymously make a report immediately to support campus safety.
We love for our parents to be involved with and contribute to our school, and we have an AMAZING PTO who continually supports the students and staff here at Westview Middle School!
If you are not already a member, please use the following Westview PTO Membership Form to sign-up. You can also find more information about our PTO on the Westview Middle School PTO page.
Teachers will offer after school tutorials Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays after school for students who need additional academic assistance.
Late buses will start running this week and will depart at 5:15 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays only. Teachers will keep a log of any students who stay for late tutorials. There will not be a late bus on Wednesdays or Fridays.
The last day of the 9-weeks is
Friday, October 20th. Our first Progress Report snapshot is this
Friday, September 1st. This first Progress Report will not impact UIL eligibility.
The 2nd Progress Report snapshot date is Friday, September 22nd. Please note that on Friday, September 29th, the 9/22 snapshot Progress Reports will be used to determine UIL eligibility. Students who need academic support should attend tutorials regularly to ensure they are passing all classes and remain eligible.
Students who are failing a class on the Progress Report of the 9/22 snapshot will lose eligibility to participate in UIL events and will have to wait until the report card snapshot on 10/25 to determine if they regain eligibility. Students will not be re-eligible to participate until 10/27.
Students turned in schedule change request forms to counselors last week, and we reminded students about this during our grade level assemblies. Please know that counselors are still working through schedule change requests this week.
If you have any questions regarding schedule change requests, please contact your student's counselor directly for assistance.
Our annual spirit t-shirt fundraiser is officially ON!
Wildcats, this is the opportunity to show your support and spirit by purchasing a Westview T-shirt! They are only $13 and $15.
Note: T-shirt sizes are adult sizes, 50/50 preshrunk cotton/polyester
To purchase a shirt, please visit our webstore link.
Meet the Teacher - September 6th
We are hosting our Meet the Teacher Night next Wednesday, September 6th! This is a great opportunity to meet your student's teachers, receive information about classes, hear about what students are learning, and ask questions you might have. We hope to see you there!
Please see the information below:
When: Wednesday, September 6th
Time:
5:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.: Mr. Jaramillo will give an introduction and overview of the format in the cafeteria.
5:45 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Parents will meet their student's teachers.
All students should bring their Chromebooks daily. We currently have a greater demand than supply available, so we are working through a process for teachers to check out Chromebooks that students can use for instruction and/or testing.
If your student has a broken Chromebook, please have your student bring that to the school and turn it in to a teacher so that we can have it repaired and returned as quickly as possible.
Lastly, we are working to acquire more Chromebooks to issue to students in need. Unfortunately, we do not yet have a timeline for when these will be available, but hope we can gain additional Chromebooks as soon as possible.
Regular school attendance is essential. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s education. The student and parent should avoid unnecessary absences. Additionally, the parent should provide a doctor's/excused note when the student is absent from school.
Student attendance will be marked daily for all periods, and students must be physically present in the classroom to be marked present. Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late to class will be marked present to the classroom as well.
We will continue to track student tardies. Students who have excessive tardies to class are subject to disciplinary consequences.
Staff Wildcat Spirit Award
Congratulations to our first 23-24 Wildcat Spirit Award winner - Mr. Collins!!! Staff complete a form to recognize staff for their hard work or ways they have impacted/contributed to our campus, and a staff member is selected each week as the Wildcat Spirit Award recipient.
The following was shared about Mr. Collins:
- “[Mr. Collins] helped out everybody get their rooms set up.”
- “As a newbie here at WVMS, Mr. Collins was super helpful, efficient and calming... he pretty much answered all of my questions in 5 minutes and put me at ease, offering me tips to work smarter instead of harder (which I think is especially pertinent when first starting in public school).”
- “Mr. Collins has been crucial in helping new teachers to Westview set up classrooms and technology for us to be able to teach. He has been very welcoming, hospitable and has made us feel like we belong at Westview Middle School.”
Please see our bell schedule below.
- 1st period begins promptly at 8:20 a.m., and the last class ends at 3:35 p.m.
- Wildcat Hour (advisory) is between 6th and 7th periods, which is our advisory period. During this time, students will engage in Social-Emotional Learning activities, relationship building, conferencing with teachers, and help with classwork/academic support/enrichment/intervention.
Students will have lunch depending on which teacher they have 5th period. We will continue to remind students which lunch they need to attend.
Breakfast: served daily to students from 7:50 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Students will be released from the cafeteria to 1st period at 8:15 a.m.
Lunch: Students will have lunch depending on which teacher they have 5th period. We will continue to remind students which lunch they need to attend.
Westview Middle School will provide free breakfast and lunch to students for the 2023-2024 school year: (Click the campus below to log-in to Skyward)
Seven campuses in PfISD are now qualified to operate under the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows PfISD to provide breakfast and lunch at no-charge to all students, eliminating the need for the free and reduced meal application under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). PfISD is requesting that families complete our District's Socioeconomic Information Form. Your reported income levels found on the form and the form itself will not be sent to TEA. PfISD will only report a student's socioeconomic status to TEA using the information found on the form.
The online form is available online through the Skyward Parent Portal, available by clicking “Log in here” at: pfisd.net/skyward
If you are still not sure of your student's bus number and pick-up/drop-off location, you can click on this link to find this information. This link is active for the 23-24 school year.
Electronic Devices & Cell Phones
Per PfISD policy, students are permitted to possess personal cell phones for safety purposes; cell phones are only allowed to be used in the classroom for approved instructional purposes. The use of cell phones or any device capable of capturing images is strictly prohibited in locker rooms or restroom areas while at school or at a school-related or school-sponsored event. Additionally, the following procedures are in place regarding inappropriate cell phone usage:
- 1st time phone is confiscated: Phone is taken up and turned into office. It will require the Parent/guardian to pick up. Emergency contacts are not allowed to pick up the property.
- 2nd offense and beyond: Phone taken up and thereafter turned into office. Parent/Guardian must pick up with $15.00 return fee. Emergency contacts are not allowed to pick up the property.
The student is never allowed to pick up their phone. Only a parent/guardian will be allowed to pick up the cell phone.
Airpods and headphones fall under electronic devices and should not be used during instruction as these can be distracting and take away from student learning/engagement.
Outside Food Deliveries to Students
As part of enhanced safety at campuses starting last school year, all Pflugerville ISD campuses do not accept deliveries from meal delivery services or restaurants for student lunches. Campuses no longer have drop-off tables for student meals. Parents may still bring outside food for their children if they plan to deliver the meals directly to their child’s designated lunch period. All guests are required to follow existing safety protocols and check in with ID at the front office.
Campus Visitors & Student Pick-Up
As previously noted, campus priority is paramount. All visitor must check-in through the main office and will be required to present a state issued ID or driver's license to receive a visitor's pass through our raptor system.
Visitor's badges must be worn on the shirt and must be visible at all times. Any adult without a badge will be escorted to the main office immediately to check-in.
A parent or authorized adult must come to the office and show identification to sign the student out. A campus representative will ask the student to report to the office. For safety purposes and stability of the learning environment, we cannot allow any unescorted adult to go to the classroom or other area to pick up the student. If the student returns to campus the same day, the parent or authorized adult must sign the student back in through the main office upon the student’s return. Documentation regarding the reason for the absence will also be required.
Important Contacts at WVMS
Labor Day (No School): Monday, September 4th
Staff Development (No School): Tuesday, September 5th
Meet the Teacher: Wednesday, September 6th - 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Student Holiday (No School): Thursday, October 5th
Student Holiday (No School): Friday, October 6th
Student/Staff Holiday (No School): Monday, October 9th
End of 1st-9 Weeks: Wednesday, October 20th
William Jaramillo, Principal
Westview Middle School
