Note from Principal Lutz WMS Families,
If you didn't review the communication Middle School Principals sent to families yesterday, feel free to review it.
I also want to take a moment to recognize the accomplishments of WMS students this year, as our last day of school is tomorrow, June 4. While the year will end in a much different manner, I hope the virtual messages and activities teachers have assembled for students in each grade level are meaningful and work to provide closure. Students faced an incredibly challenging set of circumstances this spring, including being asked to attend school in a completely new format. Thank you students and families for hanging with us through these challenges, and for the extra efforts you made this year to make it all possible.
A message to 8th grade students: Thank you for your three years of leadership at WMS and best of luck at the high school this fall! Remember to represent WMS well by being BOLD at WHS - Build Community, Own Your Learning, Lead Positively and Develop Balance. These values are needed now more than ever, and I have confidence each of you will put what you learned in middle school to good use as you move on to bigger and better things. The staff will miss you at WMS and are proud of your accomplishments.
As I communicated previously, I will be moving into a district position this summer (Director of Curriculum and Instruction), so on a personal note I want to say thank you to the West Middle School students, families, staff and school community for what was a great three years serving as your principal. You are in good hands with Principal Ryan Carlson, who will be stepping in to lead what I know is an amazing school. I very much appreciate the outpouring of support and well wishes I have received from families, and look forward to serving students, families and staff across the district in my new role.
Be Bold, Be West!
-Principal Lutz
Did You Know? Yearbooks Curbside Pickup For those who ordered a yearbook, we are distributing yearbooks on Friday, June 5 from 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We will distribute yearbooks curbside following the same process as picking up locker contents last week. Please read these procedures carefully to ensure a smooth and quick pickup process:
Day One Committee Day One is a way of starting off the school year in a positive way. It focuses on setting the climate of the new school year by welcoming the students back after the summer. Due to the COVID-19 school closure and the unknown, the Day One Committee will not be meeting this summer before school to plan. When more details are known about the beginning of the school year, students will be contacted. If your student is interested in remaining on the committee or would like to join it, please complete the consent and contact form.
Moving this Summer? Please contact Kim Gessner in Student Services if your family is moving over the summer or if you are enrolling your student in another district for the 2020-2021 school year.
Reminders 2020-2021 School Supply Kits for Incoming 6th-8th graders West Middle School PTA is excited to partner again with 1st Day School Supplies to offer students the opportunity to order their school supplies online for the 2020-2021 school year. The kits will have everything students need for their core classes with the option of adding a calculator, graphing calculator, and/or headphones for an additional fee. All supplies for 6th and 7th grade encore classes minus instruments and music books will be included in your kit. All encore class supplies for 8th grade will be included except items needed for FCS and a sketchbook for art. There is an option through First Day School Supplies to purchase a sketchbook for those 8th grade students who have art. Kits will be paid for by credit card online and available for pick up at Locker Move In Days. The ordering deadline is July 1. As always, families are still welcome to purchase their school supplies on their own using the lists provided on the WMS website. Please contact Deb Burica with questions. Media Center Construction Update Check out the construction progress in the media center by visiting our WMS Twitter. Demolition is almost complete and the first of the new walls are being framed!
Hennepin County Library offering e-cards! You can now apply for a Hennepin County Library e-card to get access to all of the great online resources our Hennepin County Libraries have to offer (ebooks, audiobooks, databases, etc.)! Applications are quick and easy for those who do not have a current library card. Anyone who needs help with an existing library card can go to the Ask Us page. With a library card, students can access online tutoring from 1:00-11:00 p.m. Families who have used this tutoring in the past have found it very helpful.
Be BOLD Be West! Looking for some help with establishing positive expectations for Distance Learning at home? This modified BOLD Matrix highlights the language from our school-wide expectations that apply to Distance Learning. Feel free to bookmark or print and post in your student's workspace at home to provide reminders about Being BOLD!
Videos for eBook Resources We have two videos available:
Also, if you or your student does not have a library card number for Hennepin County Library, they are taking phone applications from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. They will mail physical cards to people but will also give the card number over the phone so that people can start accessing online content right away.
Bold Ambassador Food Drive & Opportunity to Help The Bold Ambassadors' annual food drive unfortunately had to end early due to our school closure. Thank you to all who made donations last week. For those who either still hoped to contribute or are looking for ways to help our community's families in need during the COVID-19 crisis, a contribution to Interfaith Outreach could go a long way.
PTA News Please visit the PTA page to get meeting dates, minutes, and sign up to be a volunteer, sign up for the directory and more.
Introducing MemberHub Please look out for the new West Middle School PTA site coming soon. MemberHub is one place for PTA membership, student directory, volunteers, fundraising and spirit wear. PTA is seeking a volunteer to manage the site — no experience necessary, lots of online training available for this amazing tool. Please contact Amy Hunt for more information.
Volunteer Needs
Around the District We Are Wayzata Strong Food Drive – Thursday, June 11 We Are Wayzata Strong, a community-based group of west metro neighbors, friends and Wayzata High School's Club Y.E.S., will host a food drive to supply the food shelf at Interfaith Outreach on Thursday, June 11, 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Wayzata High School parking lot (4955 Peony Lane N, Plymouth). Wayzata Strong Food Drive Flyer Distance Learning End-of-Year Parent Survey We want to hear your voice regarding how well we delivered on our goal of providing high-quality, inviting, and accessible instruction for all students during Distance Learning this spring. Your honest feedback will help us improve our Distance Learning practices in the future. All parents and guardians received an email from K12 Insight, our survey partner, the week of May 25. The survey is anonymous and no one from the District will know if you participate or how you answered the questions. The final survey results will show the overall findings and themes. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and will be open until June 10. If you have more than one student enrolled in the Wayzata Public Schools, you can click on the link at the end of the survey to take the survey again. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Mindful Kids: Managing Stress During Hard Times Being stuck at home and away from school and friends is difficult for many kids and teens. Relate Counseling Center is offering online Mindfulness and Stress Reduction groups to help kids ages 7-11 manage emotions during COVID-19. Groups will incorporate discussion around feelings about the current pandemic, as well as provide tangible tools to help manage stress and anxiety. Kids will also engage in movement and relaxation strategies. The cost is $10 per week and meets Tuesdays from 1:00-1:30 p.m. Contact Kelly Smith, LGSW at knsmith@relatemn.org for more information. Wayzata Education Fund’s Thank a Teacher Program We have the best teachers and staff around, and never has it been clearer than during these unprecedented times. Whether they’ve helped make a difference in person or virtually this year, show your appreciation by participating in our Thank a Teacher program. From May 4 to June 3, any donation you make to the Wayzata Education Fund honoring a teacher or staff will come with a certificate of appreciation from your student. Additionally, if you donate $25 or more, they will also receive a bundlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes Minnetonka. Say thank you and support a good cause at the same time! Certificates will be sent via email. Bundlets will be delivered at a later date when it is deemed safe to do so, and when teachers and staff are back on school property. What can I do to protect myself and others?
We've had so many great Ask Ali questions in our inbox – thanks to all who have submitted! Ali, along with her network of local experts, has been working hard to answer these questions. Responses are posted every Monday on her blog at partnersinpreventionmn.org/askali. Parents, you've got to check out the responses to these questions! There are some interesting ones that have been asked; chances are you might be wondering some of these things.
Community Ed New Online Classes We welcome you to our online classrooms! Our online classes ensure that you are able to gain valuable information, stay on track with your fitness routine, learn new skills, and connect with others during the next month. Our buildings may be closed, but lifelong learning never stops. We are offering a variety of online classes for adult and youth. You can find all the online options on our registration site. Financial assistance is available or call 763-745-5200 for more information. Stay Creative While You Stay At Home! In these days of social distancing and stay-at-home guidance, it’s more important than ever to connect with friends and family members and to continue expressing your creativity. Destination Imagination’s Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament (GF20) is a one-of-a-kind collaborative problem-solving experience that takes place online and is open to all students and families (yes, you read that right!) who enjoy being creative, collaborative, and solving fun challenges that require out-of-the-box thinking. You do not need to have been on a Destination Imagination (DI) team for the 2019-20 DI season in order to participate. GF20 is a whole new experience and is open to everyone! For Global Finals 2020, you will work with your DI teammates, friends, or family members online to participate in several different Challenge Experiences. The cost to participate in the Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament is $199. Your team may participate in as many or as few of these Challenge Experiences as you choose. GF20 teams will compete for a number of awesome awards and prizes! We’re excited to welcome everyone to the Summer of Creativity and hope you’ll join us for this historic, one-time-only event! Learn more on the Global Finals website.
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