Westwood Intermediate/Middle School
February 3, 2021 - Newsletter
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Happy February!
It may be the shortest month of the year, but it and will be a busy month for our families. There are many dates and events for families to know about. Please take a few minutes to preview what’s ahead.
For all of our families:
- Conferences in February: Conferences for all students are coming up. Watch for an email from teachers by the end of the week to sign up for a conference time. Conferences will be held virtually through WebEx, phone, or email. The focus for conferences is on how students are doing, next steps in learning, and understanding the learner. We look forward to talking with you about your child.
- Lunch Menu change for Thursday, February 4: POPCORN CHICKEN with Nacho Doritos Chips. (Chip=20g carb / 2g dietary fiber)
- Important dates:
- February 12 – No school for students. This day is set aside for teachers to use for communication with families, including conferences.
- February 15 – No school for all students. This is the President’s Day holiday.
For grades 7-8 families: Transition to Modified Campus (hybrid) model
We’re excited to have solid plans for returning students in our Modified Campus (hybrid) model back to school beginning February 16. The first day of at-school learning for students in this model will be:
- Tuesday, February 16 - Group B (Tuesday, Friday Group)
- Thursday, February 18 – Group A (Monday, Thursday Group)
If your student is currently in the Extended Flexible Learning (distance learning) model by choice, they will remain in distance learning. We will accept any requests to shift to Modified Campus from Extended Flexible Learning beginning the week of February 22 for the change to learning model to occur during the trimester shift.
For teachers and students to make this transition back to the Modified Campus (hybrid) model, we will use two days for planning required by the state. On February 10 and 11, there will be no school for 7th and 8th grade students in the Modified Campus (hybrid) model only as teachers and staff prepare for the transition. Students in Extended Flexible Learning will continue with classes on these days.
For 8th grade families: High school registration
High School Registration is coming in March. We will use the month of February to help prepare our 8th grade students to register. They will meet with both Middle School and High School Counselors during this process as well as have conversations with counselors and their families.
Students can start learning about high school course options now. The high school is hosting "Lunch and Learns" on Wednesdays. High school teachers are hosting WebEx sessions to talk about their classes. There are also many pre-recorded videos describing different high school courses. Directions and details are on the Spring Lake Park High School website. Have fun exploring!
Show your colors for a cause. We’re wearing our SLP gear or school colors through February 12. It’s a part of Panthers for a Purpose. We’re coming together to support the Weekend Food Pack program that helps students stay fed over weekends and breaks. We hope you’ll get involved!
Sincerely,
Tom Larson
Principal
Upcoming Theater Opportunities for grades 5-8
The Spring Lake Park Schools Theater Department has many amazing upcoming theater opportunities for all students grades 5-8.
Grades 5-6 theater workshop:
Beginning Actor's Toolkit - Online - Beginner level - Starting second week of February
Do you think you may have been bitten by the acting bug? Whether you’ve never been in a play before or you have some experience but want to be better prepared for your next time on stage, this workshop will give you the acting tools you need to prepare for everything from audition through performance.
Outcomes: To introduce or increase familiarity with basic theatre norms and conventions for beginner actors. Sign up here.
Grades 7-8 theater workshops:
Getting into Character – Online - Beginner/Intermediate Level - Starting fourth week of March
What’s the difference between pretending to be a character and really getting into character when you’re acting? Developing honest, memorable, and well-rounded characters is one of an actor’s most important tasks. Through activities exploring physicality, writing exercises, and improv, we’ll explore different ways of bringing your next role to life on stage.
Outcomes: To advance young actors’ skills in character development. Sign up here.
Intro to Playwriting - Online - Intermediate Level - Starting second week of April
The script is the blueprint for a play. As the playwright, you create the story and characters that will be brought to life by other theatre artists. In this workshop, we’ll explore how to find ideas, story structure, character development, script formatting, dialogue, research, and much more.
Outcomes: To introduce students to the practice of writing for the theatre. Sign up here.
2020-2021 Westwood Yearbook
We'd like to include your photo in the yearbook!
Balfour, our yearbook provider, will be emailing Westwood families later today to provide an awesome opportunity to upload a photo for the yearbook if one was not taken with Lifetouch during picture days. This email will be coming from Balfour along with directions on how to do this. Please be aware that the maximum image size is 4MB. Pictures need to be uploaded prior to February, 20. Questions may be directed to Kristine Powell, Yearbook Advisor at kpowel@district16.org
The AVID College Prep Elective is accepting applications for the 21-22 school year!
Attention 8th grade families! AVID is a three-trimester elective course for grade 9-12 students who know they want to go to college, are enrolled in rigorous courses, and want a competitive edge regarding post-secondary success. The classes are based on best practices in learning and can help build learners' skills in Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading (WICOR) and include college-bound experiences such as school-sponsored campus visits, guest speakers, post-secondary program and scholarship research, and community outreach/service learning.
Enrollment is dependent on the successful completion of an application and an interview process with AVID site team members. Digital Applications must be completed by February 28, 2021 and should be completed by the potential candidates.
For more information or questions, please refer to this One-Pager or contact the AVID Coordinator, Mr. Delong at jdelon@district16.org.
Want to know what AVID learners say about the program? View this video
Want to know what an AVID parent says about the program? View this video
Show your Panther Spirit for Challenge #2
Challenge #2 for the Panthers of a Purpose virtual giving event is happening now! Submit photos in your branded SLP Panther gear or school colors blue, red and white to PantherFoundation@district16.org between now and February 12. You'll earn a chance to be featured in the event video on February 27 and entered in a drawing to win a Panther Store $25 gift card!
Learn more about the Panthers for a Purpose virtual event, which helps keep the pantry stocked, children fed and ready to learn!
Can you solve a Rubik’s Cube as fast as Sagar Sant?
At the beginning of the school year, Sagar’s math teacher assigned a project to get to know students in the Extended Flexible Learning model learning from home. Students designed virtual lockers with things they enjoy, which is when Sagar’s talent of cubing—Rubik’s Cubing that is—came to light. Learn more about this 8th grader and how Sagar started the Youtube channel “Crater Cuber” and what school subjects have helped further the passion and skill for cubing.
How solving methods in math helps improve this skill: “Math helps with my cubing because it taught me how to remember things. I used to struggle with remembering things, but as I kept having to memorize more and more formulas, equations, and solving methods, it showed me how to memorize things. I memorize things best by repeating parts over and over in my head and then stringing those parts together. That helps in cubing because you have to memorize strings of letters that correspond to moves to solve a few cases, and to memorize those, I use that exact method. It helps me focus because just like on a timed math test, you have to do things as quick as possible, and in cubing it’s the same, so it’s really helped to put my all into every solve that way it’s as fast as possible.”
What Sagar likes most about the puzzle: “The thing I like most about solving Rubik’s Cubes is that even though it may seem like the same solution every time, there are millions of possible combinations so it’s always different. My favorite part about sharing on Youtube is the feeling when you come up with a great video idea that you know will be fun to make, and then it goes on to do well in terms of views. It just gives you a sense of achievement.”
So, how fast can you really solve? “On average, I can solve the cube in 16 seconds, and my best time is 10.03 seconds. Whenever I am presented with a scrambled cube, I can solve it every time, but the solution is always different due to the numerous possible states of the puzzle.”
Watch Sagar solve a Rubik's Cube
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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