Westside Middle School
August 6, 2019
Welcome to 19-20 School Year!
We are looking forward to having students return next week. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. The administration team is happy to help answer any questions.
Kim Eymann - Principal
eymann.kimberly@westside66.net
402-390-8211
Brian Stevens - Assistant Principal
402-390-6494
Jenni Allen - Assistant Principal & Special Services Department Chair
402-408-8589
Dan Carlson - Dean & Athletic Director
402-390-8669
Corrie Philo - Dean
402-390-8670
Important Dates
Wednesday, August 14th - First Day of School 7th Grade ONLY from 8:00-12:00
Thursday, August 15th - All WMS Students attend from 8:00-3:15
Thursday, August 22nd - 7th Grade Curriculum Night 6:00 pm
Tuesday, August 27th - 8th Grade Curriculum Night 6:00 pm
First Day of School
The first day of school will be exclusively reserved for 7th grade students only. Seventh graders will spend the morning of August 14th , from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. School buses will run their normal times for the morning run; however, only the 7th grade students will be on those buses. Lunch will be served for 7th grade. The buses will return the 7th grade students home between 12:15 - 12:30 pm
Eighth graders will not be attending school on August 14th. Rather, 8th grade students first day of school will be Thursday, August 15th.
Thursday, August 15th, all students will have a full day from 8:00-3:15.
New Staff to WMS
Tim Rischling - Band (transfer from WHS)
Kara Lane - Counseling (transfer from Prairie Lane and Loveland)
Dalton McQueen - Business and Technology
Sara Buelt - Language Arts (7A)
Paula Limbach - German
Devon Rupp - Engineering and Technology
Katie Nice - Special Ed (7th Grade)
Jade Chambers - Science (7A)
Tiffany Tatro - Math (7D)
Natalie Leahy - Special Ed (8A)
School Pictures
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
Westside Connection Show Choir Auditions
Auditions for the award winning Westside Connection show choir will be held on Saturday, August 24th in the WMS vocal music room. Any WMS student enrolled in Music 7 (semester one or semester two) and/or Chorus 8/Band/Strings Chorus is eligible to audition. Any student not enrolled in a music course will need to make schedule changes prior to auditions. Interested students should attend the learning clinics each day (Monday, Aug. 19-Friday, Aug. 23) at 7:00 AM in the vocal music room. During clinics, students will learn and practice the audition material as well as be given opportunities for feedback and instruction. Watch for more details coming in the August Update. Formal auditions will be held on Saturday, August 24th between 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Students will not be needed all day but will sign up for a time session.
Contact Mr. Djernes with any questions you may have at djernes.nicholas@westside66.net
Good luck!
Computers at WMS
Parents please visit https://area66.westside66.org/techforms/ for instructions about filling out the computer forms. Students who do not have this paper work completed by August 1st, may have a delay in getting their computer when school starts.
All 8th grade students must have all fines paid for or on a payment plan before they receive a computer. Please speak to your student's dean to get this set up if necessary.
Counseling Department
Last Name starting with A-G = Kara Lane
Last Name starting with H-O = Doug Hauserman
Last Name starting with P-Z = Mike McCann
Traffic Flow
After school, Arbor Street is a one-way street for three blocks, from 86th Avenue to 85th Avenue. In an effort to keep traffic flowing, please use a rolling technique until your student is picked up. Traffic can become congested if vehicles are stopped in the passing lane. This is not safe for pedestrians, and it causes back up of buses and other parents.
Curriculum Nights
WMS is offering two curriculum nights for 7th and 8th grade parents. The 7th grade curriculum night is Thursday, August 22nd and the 8th grade curriculum night is Tuesday, August 27th . The Principal’s presentation will begin in the Performing Arts Center at 6:00 p.m. At approximately 6:30 p.m. parents will have the opportunity to move throughout the building, listen to team presentations, and using the remaining time to visit with teachers and view classrooms.
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:
Conferences - October 15 and October 16
Thursday, October 17
Tuesday, November 26
Friday, December 2o
Conferences - March 10 and March 11
Thursday, March 12
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
News from the Athletic Director
WMS Athletics Information
Greetings! I hope you are having an enjoyable and relaxing summer. With the beginning of each school year, numerous questions arise concerning athletic programs at WMS. I hope that the following information is useful in answering some of these questions.
Athletic Program Information
The following chart lists our athletic programs, general length of each season, and coaching contacts. Coaches will conduct try-outs to determine team placement for football, volleyball and basketball. We want our students to try new things and participate in athletics! All coaches listed below can be contacted at 390-6464 or through district email.
Athletic Physical Examinations, Parental Consent Form, and Athletic Participation Fee
Each student athlete must have a Physical Examination and Parental Consent form completed and signed by all necessary individuals prior to the beginning of athletic practice. For 7th grade students, the physical examination requirement has likely been met as part of the WMS enrollment process. 8th graders, however, will need to have a current Athletic Physical Exam on file with the Athletic Director dated after May 1, 2019.
To assist in meeting this requirement, we are offering athletic physical examinations at Westside Middle School on Tuesday, August 6th from 6-8 p.m. No appointment is necessary. The charge is $30 and we will be prepared to handle large quantities of students.
Volleyball:
Any girls interested in playing volleyball for Westside Middle School should plan to attend an organization meeting Thursday, August 15th from 3:30-4:00. The meeting will be held in the auditorium. Please make arrangements to pick athletes up at 4:00. Athletes needing to ride the 4:05 bus will be given a pass to ride the bus.
Football:
8th graders interested in playing football for Westside Middle School should plan to check out football equipment after school Thursday, August 15th. Equipment check-out will run from 3:30-5:00 in the pit. Please make arrangements to pick students up at 5:00. Student-athletes needing to ride the 5:30 activity bus will be given a pass to ride the bus.
All students who participate in interscholastic 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. Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch will be provided a waiver application to complete, these waiver forms are available at school. Athletes participating in a fall sport will need to pay this fee by September 1, 2019. Athletes playing a winter or spring sport as their first sport at WMS will need to pay this fee prior to the start of the season.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to call me at 408-8669. We are looking forward to a successful year!
Dan Carlson, Athletic Director
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.
Communication from WMS Community Club
Dana Zeiss, WMS Community Club President
Hello Westside Middle School Families! I hope you are having a wonderful summer. It’s hard to believe it is already time to start thinking about the upcoming 2019/2020 school year. I’d like to invite you to participate in our Westside Middle School Community Club! We are looking for parents to assist with our sponsored events, and also serve on our various committees.
The WMS Community Club is a volunteer group of parents who work closely with the administration, staff, and other members of the WMS community. Our mission is to support the students and staff throughout the school year. The Community Club is also a great way to meet other middle school parents, and keep current with what is happening at WMS.
Our sponsored events include providing meals to the staff during Parent-Teacher Conferences, organizing Staff Appreciation Week, helping with student athletic and academic recognition events, and selling WMS logo wear!
Parent involvement is what keeps our Community Club strong! Please consider assisting with your time, talents and treasures. The volunteer and donation forms are attached below. Forms may be emailed to myself at dana.zeiss@alegent.org or returned to WMS.
Enjoy the rest of your summer. We look forward to seeing everyone soon! If you have any questions, or need any additional information, please feel free to email me.
Dana Zeiss
School Supplies
For the upcoming school year, we are once again asking families to consider donating school supplies. By donating school supplies, the district will save approximately $25,000 annually. Below you will find a list of school supplies needed for our building however, once school starts teachers may request specific materials for their class. As you are purchasing supplies, please consider purchasing a few additional items for those families who are unable to provide these supplies for their children. We will have a collection box available in the guidance office for this purpose. We will continue to provide supplies for all children who do not wish to voluntarily contribute.
Generic School Supplies:
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Binder with zipper
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Notebooks and Folders - 1 for each class
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Loose-leaf notebook paper
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Drawing Sketch pad if taking an Art class
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Pens
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Pencils
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Highlighters
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Headphones
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/