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Willow Springs Middle School Principal Newsletter - September 21, 2017
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Dear WSMS Parents and Guardians,
We are looking forward to Leopard Friday tomorrow for our home volleyball and football games. Leopard Friday is a great tradition in Lovejoy and always a fun event for the entire community. Please see below for more information.
As we wrap up the 5th week of school, I love seeing our students excel in a variety of school activities. Our volleyball and football seasons are underway and our theatre program has begun rehearsals for their fall musical. In addition, we inducted 107 eighth grade students into our National Junior Honor Society this past Monday. It is a great time to be a Leopard. See you tomorrow at the Leopard Friday activities.
Sincerely,
Kent Messer
Principal
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September 22 - Deadline for Completing Parent Portal Forms
Please
click here
to access the
Parent Portal
.
Completion of these forms is required every year for every student.
Please take a few minutes to update your contact information, emergency contacts, authorized pickup, FERPA, SCOC, Student Handbook, etc.
PLEASE NOTE:
Regarding the Release of Directory Information for School Use:
In order for your child's picture to appear in the Yearbook, you should answer "YES".
IMPORTANT
- Students and parents have a separate login/password for PowerSchool. Students should never have access to ParentPortal or use their parent login. If students were to access ParentPortal on a school or public computer and not log out, family demographics as well as sibling's grades would be open for others to access. If you have any questions, you may contact Carol Vik or 469-742-8415.
Early Release - Tomorrow, September 22
Tomorrow is an early release day for our students and they will be dismissed at 12:50 p.m. Students will visit all 8 periods and each class will have meaningful instruction. Please
click here
for the bell schedule.
The front office will close at 1:30 p.m. For assistance after 1:30 p.m., please call the administration building at 469-742-8000.
Leopard Friday - Friday, September 22
The Lovejoy Independent School District will host a free community event on September 22nd from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Leopard Friday.
On Leopard Friday, the Courtyard at Lovejoy High School will be transformed into a showcase of our students, clubs, community, and organizations. There truly is something for everyone:
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Face painting
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Candy and tattoo prizes
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Cotton candy and popcorn
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Instrument "petting zoo"
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Try out multiple sports
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Spirit wear for purchase
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And much more
We will end the event with a community pep rally at 6:30 PM in the LHS Courtyard. All Leopard fans will be invited onto the field to form a spirit line prior to kick off.
A BBQ dinner will be catered by Sonny Bryan's. Ticket sales ended yesterday.
A small number of tickets will be sold at the door.
Student Spirit Shirts - Wear them for Leopard Friday!
As part of the WSMS student experience, we would like to offer a spirit shirt for all 7th and 8th grade students. Students may wear their spirit shirts to school, pep rallies, athletic events, and field trips to identify them as a WSMS student. Spirit shirts may be purchased by
clicking here
.
If you pre-ordered, please have your son or daughter pick it up in the school store during lunch. A limited number of shirts are available for sale in the School Store. We will place another order based on our online purchases.
Club Day Registration - Open until Sunday, September 24th
Club Day happens once every six weeks here at WSMS! Teachers and staff sponsor non-academic clubs. We ask students to commit to one club each semester. Students will sign up online this year for club day by selecting their top three choices. For a complete listing of WSMS Club Descriptions and to access the Club Day Sign Up sheet
click here
. Sign up as soon as you can as most clubs have limited openings.
Club Day registration will close on Sunday, September 24th at 9:00 pm. Make a note of the club and location so that on September 29th, you can join your club! Please contact Kathy Stone with Club Day questions or concerns.
No Pass - No Play: Six Week Progress Report Grades
Next Week, September 29th, will be the last day for six week progress reports. Although we have moved to a nine week grading system this year, UIL requires all schools to check eligibility after the first six weeks and again at the end of the first grading period if it exceeds six weeks. Based on our district academic calendar, we will have two eight week grading periods in the fall. Our first grading period will end on Friday, October 13
th
. For a copy of the UIL eligibility calendar, please
click here
.
Willow Springs Yearbooks
Yearbook online sales have been up and running since August on the
Jostens website.
We wanted to give you heads up on a special personalization offer through midnight tomorrow. Your child should have received a flyer in his or her homeroom this week. For a limited time, with a yearbook personalization for $5.50, four icons are available free. Yearbook sales will continue at $40 per book, but order soon because prices will go up to $50. We did not want you to miss this opportunity to personalize your child's yearbook and receive free icons.
Willow Springs does not collect checks or cash for advance orders of the yearbook. All advance sales are online for most efficient bookkeeping. Please
go here
to order your child's book today by PayPal, debit card, or credit card to take part of this limited free icons with personalization sale. There is also a link on our school website homepage for your convenience.
Your student could earn a $25 iTunes card!
It's time for the annual WSMS Battle of the Books!
Please encourage your students to participate in this fun event. Student and teacher teams are already forming. Using books as ammunition, participants will go head-to-head in this epic battle that will test each competitor's knowledge of the 4 selected titles. Students may compete as individuals or as teams with up to 4 students per team.
The student champs will earn a $25 iTunes card and will get to compete against in our teacher teams to see who will be the Overall Grand Champions
. The EPIC battle will take place on November 14. Tell your students to stop by the library to get more details and to sign up a team.
Principal's Coffee - Tuesday, September 26
I would like to invite you to our upcoming Principal's Coffee, on Tuesday, August 29 at 9:00 a.m. The Principal's Coffee is a forum discussion for all 7th and 8th grade parents to visit with me about the middle school experience over a cup of coffee. During the discussion, I will provide information about the overall 7th and 8th grade experience at Willow Springs and answer any questions you may have. Attending parents are encouraged to park in the front parking lot to enter and sign-in through the front office. The last meeting will be held October 31.
WSMS Fall Back to School Social & Dance - Friday, September 29
Our Fall Back to School Social and Dance will be Friday, September 29th from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at WSMS. We will have a DJ and music in the cafeteria as well as basketball, volleyball, and soccer in both gyms. Cost for the dance is $10.00. Tickets can be purchased online by
clicking here
.
-Students are welcome to purchase snacks and water during the dance
-Chips, Goldfish, Teddy Grahams, M&M's and Kit Kat's and bottled water for $1.00
Chaperones:
We need at least 12 chaperones for this event to be able to offer all of the activities.
Chaperoning is easy, very little work, and it's fun to watch the kids having a good time (they forget we are there). Please arrive by 4:15pm and plan to stay until the dance concludes.
**Please make sure you have completed your online volunteer clearance.**
To sign up to volunteer as a chaperone please
click here
!
Additional Dance Information
*This is not a date dance so middle school students will not need a date to attend.
*Students will not need to change clothes or get into any special attire. Students will wear what they will be wearing to school and must be in dress code.
*After school athletics will only practice during 8th period so students can attend the social/dance. Coaches will make adjust to their schedules so practices are over by 4:15.
*This is for Willow Springs students only, students who attend a campus other than Willow Springs will not be allowed to enter.
*Once school is dismissed at 4:00, students staying for the dance will report to the Auxiliary Gym until the dance begins at 4:30.
*Once students enter the dance, they will not be allowed out of the building until 6:30 p.m. If your son or daughter needs to be picked up early, please come to the cafeteria doors in the courtyard to check your student out.
*7th Grade Parent pick up will be in the back of the school in the courtyard.
*8th Grade Parent pick up will be in the front of the school near the main entrance.
Picture Retakes - Tuesday, October 3
Picture retakes with Legacy Studio are Tuesday, October 3 for students that did not have their picture taken on August 25 or for students needing a retake. For parents who originally purchased a package and want their child to have a retake, please have your son or daughter bring those original photos with them on this retake day. Students who did not have their picture taken on August 25 may have their picture taken and a proof with order information will be sent home within two weeks.
Girls Basketball Parent Meeting for 7th-12th Grade Players - Tuesday, October 3
We will have our parent meeting for all 7th -12th grade players that are interested in playing basketball this season on Tuesday, October 3rd at 6:30 p.m. in the Lovejoy High School lecture hall. Coach Boxell will be talking about information on the tryout process for all of our teams, practice/game/holiday schedules, expectations of parents and players for the season, etc. This will be a very informative meeting. Players do not need to attend. If you are unable to come to the meeting Coach Boxell will be happy to set up a meeting with you individually. All the information that will be covered in the meeting will also be provided by email after the meeting.
Pep Rally - Thursday, October 5
Thursday, October 5 we are having a pep rally in our main gym. Our choir will perform the National Anthem, band and orchestra will also perform. We will be on our pep rally bell schedule. Please
click here
for the bell schedule.
All parents are welcome to attend and are encouraged to park in a parking space not designated as a fire lane in the front parking lot to enter and sign-in through the front office.
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Campus Information and Reminders
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Safety Corner
For security purposes, we will be locking all exterior doors to Willow Springs at 8:55 AM. This means that students that arrive after 8:55 AM will not be able to enter the building through the courtyard; they will need to enter at the front of the school and obtain a late pass from the front desk. If you drop your student off in the morning, please assist us in getting your son or daughter in the building prior to 8:55 AM. During the school day, teachers and students have been asked not to open exterior doors for anyone. This means they are not to open doors for parents, teachers, coaches, custodians, etc., even principals. All parents and/or visitors should enter the building through the front door. All campus or district personnel are expected to use their access badge or keys to enter the building. Thank you for assisting us in keeping Willow Springs safe and secure during the school day.
WSMS Percussion Success
The WSMS Percussion Ensemble is the National Winner in the 2017 Mark of Excellence/ National Percussion Ensemble Honors Project. The Mark of Excellence is a national music competition which honors music programs and their ensembles for the highest standards in performance. You may
click here
for additional information. To enjoy the audio submissions, please click on the following links:
Congratulations to the following students involved in these recordings:
Maddy Allen
Andres James
Daniel Khalil
Annika Kjellgren
Joshua Lass
Carson Person
Christina Taylor
Charis Vela
State Fair Tickets/Absences
All WSMS students will be receiving a complimentary state fair ticket early next week. If your son or daughter does not receive a state fair ticket, please have them check with their 7
th
period teacher.
Just a reminder that if your son or daughter attends the state fair during a school day, he or she will be counted absent. WSMS and LISD do not accept fair receipts as documentation for the absence or as a waiver for the day. Thank you for your cooperation with this.
After School Procedures
As school dismisses at 4:00 every day, we are asking our students to exit the building by 4:10. If they remain in the building, we ask that they be in a classroom for tutorials, the CAT, the Library, or the Fine Arts wing for rehearsals. We will be sweeping the halls between 4:00-4:10 asking students to move to their designated location. If your student needs to remain on campus past 4:10, please encourage them to remain in tutorials, the CAT, the Library, or the Fine Arts wing until you arrive.
Google Classroom Email Summaries for Parents/ Guardians
Lovejoy has been sending invitations for Google Classroom email summaries for parents/guardians over the last week; however, Google is having some technical issues with the invitations to all parent/guardian email addresses. We continue to work with Google to resolve this problem. Please continue to watch for your invitation for Google Classroom email summaries.
As a parent/ guardian, you may receive email summaries showing your student's progress in Google Classroom. You may choose daily or weekly emails, and unsubscribe or remove yourself from Google Classroom anytime. Guardian summaries include missing work, upcoming work, and class activity. As a parent/ guardian, you must receive and accept an email invitation before you receive email summaries. Following is a sample of the email invitation you may receive:
For additional information regarding Google Classroom email summaries for guardians, please
click here
. If you have questions, please contact the Library Media Specialist for your campus:
Lovejoy High School
Willow Springs Middle School
Sloan Creek Intermediate School
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Volleyball
7th Grade
If you missed the games last Thursday, they were tough ones. We took each round to the 3rd game! B team came away with a win and A and C fought hard to the end AGAINST Wylie Burnett.
TEAM
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LL-A 18 WB 25
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game 2/ 25-22
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game 3/ 25-27[what a close one]
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LL B 25- 17
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8-25
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25-13
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LLC 21-25
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25-22
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23-25
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Volleyball -Tournament News
The 8th grade A team competed in the Allen Tournament on Saturday! In pool play, we beat Ford and lost to Prosper (last year's tournament champions). In bracket play, we beat Carroll and Ereckson, and met up again in the championship with Prosper!! Well, we were a little more hungry for the WIN and pulled off the victory in a tight 2nd set!! It was an on-the-edge-of-the-seat thriller that's for sure!!! Congrats to our A team girls for earning that 1st place title in a challenging tournament!!
The 7th grade A team competed in the Allen Open Tournament on Saturday September 16. In pool play Lady Leopards finished in 2nd place after competing against Ford and Roger's Middle school. The A team advanced on to the Championship Bracket and finished 3rd overall after competing against Carroll and Dawson Middle school.
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Volleyball Junior High Night - Friday, September 22!
Don't miss the action Friday night! The Leopard Volleyball team will take on its rival the Highland Park Scots at Lovejoy High School for a match up of two of the areas top 5A teams. All Willow Spring students will be allowed to enter the game free of charge. We will also recognize the Willow Springs volleyball teams preceding the start of the Varsity match. All festivities will begin at 5:00 with play beginning at 5:30.
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
North Texas Giving Day: Thank You
The Foundation for Lovejoy Schools would like to say thank you to the Lovejoy Community for raising over $108,000 from 402 donors on North Texas Giving Day. The Foundation is well on their way to reaching their goal of receiving donations from 650 donors totaling $200,000 by December 31st. Every gift is valuable to the mission of enhancing education in Lovejoy. If you are considering making a donation to the Foundation, please
click here for more information.
Men's Tailgate Tournament: Wednesday, October 11
It is time for the men to sign up for the Men's Tailgate Tournament. Join us for food, beer, and a cornhole tournament. The tournament is double elimination, so everyone is guaranteed to play two games. The tournament will be held at the home of John and Kris Dunaway in Lucas. Sponsors for the event are Renfrow Dunaway Group, Lee Lewis, Nine Band Brewing, Tom Grisak Estate Homes Realtors, Estate Life Magazine - Lucas and Fairview, Chick-fil-A of Allen, and the Dunaway Family. For more information and to register to for the event click on the following link:
Men's Tailgate Registration.
Wednesday, October 11
6:30 PM
120 McMillen, Lucas, Texas
Homecoming Mums
The Lovejoy Majestics will be selling mums in the high school commons area during A, B and C lunch from Monday, September 25th through October 12th between 11:25 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and in the evenings, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the high school between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM beginning September 26th through October 12th.
Majestic Mums are a great Lovejoy tradition with all profits supporting the Majestics Dance Team. A dazzling array of mums and garters will be offered to suit any taste and budget. Unique custom designs are available for mums and garters with numerous decorative ribbons, bling, and sports specific trinkets from football, basketball, baseball, band, theater, choir, fishing, wrestling and so much more. Come by the LHS Commons Area to see the offerings. The Majestics thank you for your support.
New This Year: Name loops, braids and bases to buy to help you make your own.
Lovejoy Leopards, Inc. 9th Annual Golf Tournament Friday, October 6
Lovejoy Leopards, Inc. will host their 9th Annual Golf Tournament on Friday, October 6th at Twin Creeks Golf Club in Allen. Registration will begin at 7:30 AM with a Shotgun Start at 8:30 AM.
Click here
for the registration form and for additional information.
Hurricane Relief
In light of the devastation caused by Harvey, Anthony Tang (LHS Senior) is leading the way to help those affected by the hurricane. From sorting toothbrushes to organizing fundraising drives in the district, Anthony has been doing anything he can to help the cause.
Anthony, a senior at Lovejoy High, first learned of the traumatic impacts of the storm when he contacted a childhood friend who lives in Houston. "My buddy's family was fortunately not severely affected because his house is on higher ground, but many other houses in surrounding neighborhoods were flooded and ruined. I can't imagine the troubles those families are facing, but I want to help in any way I can." Anthony has reached out and partnered with Trusted World and Salvation Army and has delivered boxes of donations to be transported from their warehouses. "It makes me smile to see how genuinely cooperative people are in this time of need. Everyone I have worked with seems so willing to help."
Anthony is requesting the help of fellow Leopards. There is a need for clothes and shoes, especially for youth. Other supplies in need include Adult X-Large T-Shirts and undergarments, as well as Women's Sports-bras. If you wish to donate supplies or help pack donations to support this cause, please contact Anthony at:
Gifted and Talented Meet & Greet - Thursday, September 28
The Lovejoy Gifted Association will host an informal Meet and Greet on Thursday, September 28th from 8:30 AM - 10:30 AM in the Board Room of the Lovejoy ISD Administration Building, 259 Country Club Road, Allen, TX 75002. Please join us for a "light" breakfast and coffee and to learn more about the Gifted and Talented program at LISD, as well as The Lovejoy Gifted Association. This is an opportunity to meet Brie Smith (LISD Director of Advanced Academics), Kari Lockhart (LISD Advanced Academics Coordinator), and other GT parents. For additional information please visit the LGA website at
www.lovejoygifted.org
.
Evening with the Majestics - Friday, October 13, 2017
The annual Evening with the Majestics will be Friday, October 13th. All Lovejoy ISD students in grades K-6 are invited to join the Majestics as we celebrate Homecoming. "Mini Majestics" (grades K-4) and "Majestics in Training" (grades 5-6) will perform the pre-game Fight Song in the Victory Lines on the field, and will then sit with the Majestics and participate in "stand routines" in the bleachers.
Click here
for additional information.
Click here
to complete the registration form and be a part of the Homecoming tradition.
Friends of Fairview Firefighters Association Community Pancake Breakfast: October 21
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STAY CONNECTED
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