Westside Middle School
August 29, 2019
Please make sure students arrive to school by 7:50 in order to give them time to get to their lockers and to class on time. If a student arrives after 7:55, please enter through the main office as the PAC doors are locked to secure our building.
Important Dates
Monday, September 2nd - NO School (Labor Day)
Friday, September 13th - WMS Fun Night 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Physicals & Immunizations
All incoming 7th graders are required to have a physical on file in the health office before starting school in August. Please turn in your school physical forms and updated immunization documentation. The Tdap (pertussis booster) or valid religious or medical waiver is required before beginning 7th grade. All incoming 8th graders participating in sports will need a sports physical dated after May 1, 2019.
Prescription medications required to be given at school must be brought in the original labeled prescription bottle with a medication authorization form signed by a physician AND a parent/ guardian. All over-the-counter medication (including cough drops) must be brought in the original, unexpired, container accompanied by a parent/ guardian-signed medication authorization form.
Any student with severe allergies, asthma, diabetes, and/or seizures is required to submit an updated health action plan each school year. Forms are available on the WMS website under the Health Information tab. Please contact the health office with any questions or concerns.
Melissa Smith, RN, BSN, BS
WMS Fun Night
Tickets will be sold in advance for $5.00, during lunch, on September 11th and 12th. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $7.00. Students should bring extra money for the large maze, photo booth, a variety of games, and concession stands.
This event is for WMS Students only.
Parents/Guardians, if you are available to help with concessions or supervision of a game that evening or ticket sales during lunches, please send an email to bolamperti.crystal@westside66.net
MAPs Testing
MAPs Test is given to students to see what curriculum and concepts they are ready to learn. The scores are only used internal, as teachers use this data to help guide their lessons.
7th and 8th Grade will be taking the Winter MAPs Test in December.
Counselor's Corner
Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! My name is Kara Lane and I’m the new counselor for students with last names A-G. This is my 14th year in Westside and my 4th year as a school Counselor. Before becoming a counselor, I taught elementary Spanish. I’ve worked as an elementary counselor and/or Spanish teacher at Loveland, Prairie Lane, Oakdale, Paddock Road, and Sunset Hills. Fortunately, I’m coming to WMS knowing a lot of the students already and I’m excited to get to know more! The other counselors at WMS are Doug Houserman (last names H-0) and Mike McCann (last names P-Z).
The most important part of our job is to help students succeed in school. As school counselors, we work with ALL students in the areas of social emotional development, career development, and academic achievement. We will accomplish this through presenting classroom lessons on to each grade quarterly, meeting with students in small group settings as well as individually. Other services provided by the school counselors include: crisis intervention, career planning, academic planning and student support coordination.
Call or email any of us anytime with questions and/or concerns!
Kara Lane (A-G) 402-408-8618 / lane.kara@westside66.net
Doug Hauserman (H-O) 402-408-8577 / hauserman.douglas@westside66.net
Mike McCann (P-Z) 402-408-8591 / mccann.michael@westside66.net
Children's Behavioral Health
Cross Walks
News from the Athletic Director
SPORTS ATHLETIC INFORMATION ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION FORMS AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS:
Each student-athlete must have an Athletic Physical Exam and his or her Parental Consent Form completed and signed by all necessary individuals prior to the beginning of athletic practices. All forms must be completed with all required signatures prior to a student being allowed to participate. This is an Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA) requirement as well as a Westside Middle School requirement. All forms are kept on file at Westside Middle School.
* * * ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION FEE* * *
All students who participate in sports at Westside Middle School must pay an athletic participation fee. The cost of this fee is $25.00 and will cover all sports for the entire school year. Athletes participating in a fall sport will need to pay this fee by September 1, 2021. Athletes playing a winter or spring sport will need to pay this fee prior to the start of the season.
FALL SPORTS
BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY:
7th/8th grade boys and girls interested in participating in cross country can sign-up for cross country Thursday, August 19th and Friday August, 20th at Westside Middle School. Practice will begin Monday, August 23rd. Parent Meeting at 5:00 to meet coaches and share information about the XC Season.
Head Coach: Emily Vlcek vlcek.emily@westside66.net
Asst. Coaches: Jonathan Pingel, pingel.jonathan@westside66.net and Thomas Benedetto, benedetto.thomas@westside66.net
FOOTBALL:
Equipment checkout and official practice for 8th graders will be held Thursday, August 19th from 3:30-5:00. Parent meeting following equipment checkout August 19th at 5:30 p.m. in the Westside Middle School auditorium.
Head Coach: Todd Johnson, johnson.todd@westside66.net
Assistant Coaches: Zane Cozad, cozad.zane@westside66.net Brandon Madison, madison.brandon@westside66.net and Brandon Pond, pond.brandon@westside66.net
Volunteer Coaches: Kris Brown, Jarrod James, and Dave Kline
INTRAMURAL FOOTBALL
Sign-up information will be distributed at school during the week of August 23. Games will be played from 3:30-4:00 starting September 7th . A schedule of games will be provided.
Intramural Coach: Mike McCann, mccann.michael@westside66.net
VOLLEYBALL:
Try-out for volleyball teams will be held Thursday, August 19, Friday, August 20th, and Monday, August 23rd from 3:30–5:15 in the WMS Gyms. Parent Meetings will be held Thursday, August 26th after practice.
Head Coach: Jaden Daake, daake.jaden@westside66.net
JV Coach: Lauren Jadlowski, jadlowski.lauren@westside66.net
Reserve Coaches: Tiffany Nagel, nagel.tiffany@westside66.net and Corby Cerni, cerni.corby@westside66.net
Intramural Coaches: Liddy Mahacek, mahacek.elizabeth@westside66.net and Megan Albers, albers.megan@westside66.net
If you have questions about any of our fall athletic offerings, please contact Dan Carlson our Athletic Director at 402-408-8669 or carlson.daniel@westside66.net
After School Library!
Westside Middle School offers after school library hours. This opportunity allows students to have a quiet work space to complete homework after school with adult supervision. After School Library will begin on Monday, August 19 and run throughout the school year. After School Library hours are as follows (please note that Wednesday Library hours are only until 4:00) :
Monday - 3:15-5:00
Tuesday - 3:15-5:00
Wednesday - 2:44-4:00**
Thursday - 3:15-5:00
Friday - 3:15-5:00
The library will be closed on the following days, please make sure you have these dates down. There was an error in the previous communication:
Week of Conferences - October 14 - 18
Tuesday, November 26
Friday, December 20
Week of Conferences - March 9-13
Friday, April 3
Last day: Thursday May 21
In order to supervise and track student attendance accurately, we are asking parents/guardians to fill out the registration found at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOPSXDiATaN5qhyNlycngnWfhA-5-WPGEjDUFW7gjlFB7ioQ/viewform. Each student needs to be signed up in advance.
If you have questions, please contact Corrie Philo. We look forward to another great school year!
Corrie Philo
Dean of Students
402-408-8670
Free/Reduced Lunch
Please be advised the grace period for last year’s free/reduced meal status for the 2019-2020 school year ends on Thursday, September 26th. Therefore, if you have not submitted a new application for the 2019-2020 school year by Sept 26th, the student will go to a paid status.
Below is an application for the Free and Reduced Meals.
You may also submit the application online.
Go to District Website
Click on Menu and Nutrition
Click on District Download
Click on Free and Reduced to start the process
Any Question please contact Michele Divoky
Email divoky.michele @westside 66.net Or Phone 402-390-3382
TAGG
Communication from WMS Community Club
Community Club now has a website that you can order Westside Gear online and also donate money to help the club support students and staff throughout the school year.
Proper School Dress
Tops: Any shirt or blouse worn to school should completely cover the back, top of shoulders, and stomach. Tank tops for boys or girls are not acceptable if they are worn as a stand alone shirt. Any top that allows the midriff, cleavage, or undergarments to be exposed is unacceptable. The following items are unacceptable: see-through blouses or shirts, tube tops or crop tops, halter-tops, and spaghetti straps. Students must leave heavy winter coats, long overcoats, trench coats, and other jackets in their lockers between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 3:22 p.m.
Pants, Shorts, Skirts: All shorts and skirts must be appropriate length, no shorter than mid-thigh. A great way to determine if shorts are acceptable for school is to place arms at the sides and relax them. The finger tips naturally stop just about mid thigh. If the shorts are shorter than the finger tips, then they are not acceptable to wear to school. In addition, the shorts should have pockets and not be made out of some kind of stretchy material such as spandex. All pants, shorts, and skirts must be worn no lower than the hips; no sagging is permitted. All shorts must be worn at the hips so underwear cannot be seen.
Sleepwear, such as pajama bottoms, are not acceptable at school.
Footwear: Appropriate shoes must be worn at all times. Slippers are unacceptable footwear.
Accessories: Hats, caps, bandanas, hair picks, sunglasses, visors, and sweatbands must be placed in lockers during the school day. Backpacks and other book bags must also be stored in lockers between 8:00 a.m. and 3:22 p.m. For safety reasons, chains, dog collars, or sharp objects are not to be worn to school.
Offensive Dress: Clothing or other personal items that are racist, sexist, or promote drugs/alcohol/ tobacco are not permitted. Clothing which contains violent, obscene, offensive, or suggestive words, images, or language is not permitted. Gang-related symbols worn, written, carried, displayed or communicated will not be tolerated.
Any student wearing clothing that violates the dress code, disrupts the learning atmosphere or is deemed inappropriate may be asked to go home and return to school properly dressed. Students who do not follow the above expectations will be dealt with on an individual basis. Any school time missed due to correcting dress code violations may be required to be made up after school.
Westside Middle School
Website: http://wms.westside66.org
Location: 8601 Arbor Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 402-390-6464
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WMS66/