A Message from the Principal
 
Willow Springs Middle School Principal Newsletter - January 9, 2020

 
 
 
 
 
 









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Dear WSMS Parents and Guardians,

I hope everyone is having a great week.  Our students have done an excellent job of transitioning into their spring semester classes.  It is hard to believe that in just a few weeks, we will begin the registration process for the 2020-2021 school year. This is traditionally a busy time of year for our students, parents, and counselors. Please see information below about important dates and events for the spring semester. 



Kent Messer
Principal
Willow Springs Middle School
1101 West Lucas Rd, Lucas 75002
Office: 469-742-8417
Mobile: 214-293-9938
@WSMSLovejoyISD
#wsmslovejoy



School Board Appreciation Month



January is National School Board Appreciation Month.  This year in Lovejoy ISD, each campus will be recognizing one of our school board members for the entire month of January.  WSMS is so excited to honor LISD school board-vice president Amy Smith.  

Amy and her husband, Abe, have four children in the Lovejoy Independent School District.  Amy is a graduate of the inaugural Leadership Lovejoy Class and Leadership Allen/Fairview Class XXIV. Amy's experience in the Leadership Lovejoy Class inspired her to create and implement the Lovejoy Letter Campaign. This campaign is a way for students and parents to personally express their appreciation and gratitude for all of the employees of Lovejoy ISD.  Amy received the PTA Lifetime Member Award in 2016 and previously served as the PTA President at Puster Elementary.  
 
She is a graduate of Baylor University where she received her BBA in Marketing and obtained a second degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Early Childhood Education.  After teaching for four years in the classroom and after the birth of their first child, she opened a Kumon Math and Reading Center in McKinney. After ten years of growing a successful Kumon Center (and three more children later), Amy sold the business in May 2014.  From 2014 to 2018 she was an event planner and fundraiser for the Baylor Scott and White Health Care Foundation raising funds for many medical initiatives within the system. Currently, Amy is the Business Development Officer at Commercial Bank of Texas, N.A. who has a long history of generously supporting Lovejoy ISD.
 
When Amy is not running children around to their various activities, working or volunteering, you can find her on the tennis court.  She has been married for 21 years to Reverend Doctor Abe Smith. Abe is a United Methodist minister as well as a life coach through his company SmithCoaching.com.
 
Amy is an excellent example of the LISD Graduate Profile pillar of Working for Justice Through Community Servicethrough her leadership on the LISD school board.  Throughout the month of January, Amy will be partnering with our campus to share more about her civic service on the LISD school board with our students.  Please take some time over the next few weeks to personally thank Amy for her service to Lovejoy ISD.


Front Parking Lot After School
We have noticed an increased number of parents picking their kids up in front of campus after school. This disrupts our bus traffic and is a safety concern for students. Beginning Wednesday, January 15th, the front parking lot will be coned off between 4:00 pm and 4:15 pm. Traffic in the front parking lot will be released to exit the campus as soon as buses depart and the flow of traffic in our carpool lane slows.  The fastest way to exit the campus after school is to follow the carpool lane; once your student is in your vehicle, exit through the exterior carpool lane.  


Group Photos  - Thursday, January 16
Group photos day is Thursday, January 16 with retakes for students that are new or missed portrait day for the yearbook. Please have your child dress in the appropriate attire recommended by their teacher for group photos or for portraits individually. 


Signs of Suicide Presentations at WSMS
This year, WSMS counselors will present, Signs of Suicide, a Suicide Prevention presentation to our students.  Dr. Messer's January Principal's coffee will offer parents a preview of this presentation. Please join us on January 16th from 9am to 10am at WSMS to preview this important program.   Please follow this link for more information on this program.
  You can also visit the Signs of Suicide website for more information,  sossignsofsuicide.org/parent  If you have concerns or do not wish your student to participate in this program, please contact your child's counselor.  Student presentations will be January 29th for 7th grade and January 30 for 8th grade. 


School Holiday - Monday, January 20
Monday, January 20 is a school holiday.


Geography Bee - Thursday, January 23
All 7th and 8th grade history classes took a preliminary quiz to determine which students qualify for the National Geography Bee the week before finals. The school Geography Bee will be held January 23 at 4:15 p.m. in the WSMS cafeteria. Typically, about 30 students qualify for the school bee. Students that qualify for the school bee will receive a letter the week of January 6 letting them know specific details about the school bee. Additional information about the National Geographic Bee can be found  here  .


Winter Pep Rally - Friday, January 31
Our Winter Sports Pep Rally will be Friday, January 31 in our main gym at 9:30 AM.  We are needing to do a morning pep rally so our 6th grade students from SCIS can participate before they tour our school.  We will have performances from our band, choir, orchestra, colorguard, dance, and cheer programs. We will also recognize all of our winter sports programs and other students who participated in competitions in the months of December and January.   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. Overflow parking is available in the back of the school and parents may enter and sign-in through the west courtyard door.  More info to come...


Academic UIL - Save the Date
Academic UIL competition is on the horizon, and we are looking forward to attending this year's competition on April 3 and 4, 2020 at Heritage Middle School in Colleyville!  All students in grades 7 and 8 are eligible to try-out for a team. Students may compete in as many events as they would like as long as the events they enter compete at different times during the competition day. Students who make the team (3 members plus one alternate for most teams) will begin practices as determined by the team coach.  Practice days and times will vary with each competition and coach. Tryout dates, times, and locations will be publicized in early February . If you have any questions, please contact Heather Lamb at [email protected]


2020-2021 Registration Meetings
It is time to begin the process of registering current 6th, 7th, and 8th graders for the upcoming school year at WSMS and LHS!  Middle school and high school counselors will begin speaking to students in late January about elective classes, core class selections, how to register online, and what to expect in the 2020-2021 school year. Parent Registration Presentations will be held on:
  • Parents of current 6th graders:  At WSMS, February 4, 9am-10 am - Parent Registration Presentation
  • Parents of current 7th graders:  At WSMS, February 4, 11am-12 noon - Parent Registration Presentation
  • Parents of current 6th graders: At WSMS, February 4, 5:30pm-6pm - GT Information Meeting
  • Parents of current 6th graders: At WSMS, February 4, 6:00pm-7:00pm - Parent Registration Presentation
  • Parents of current 7th graders: At WSMS, February 4, 6:30pm-7pm - GT Information Meeting
  • Parents of current 7th graders: At WSMS, February 4, 7:00pm-8:00pm - Parent Registration Presentation
  • Parents of current 8th graders:  At LHS, February 10, 6:00pm-7:00pm Parent Registration Presentation
  • Parents and current 8th graders:  At LHS, February 10, 6:00pm-8:30pm LHS Elective Showcase, Immediately following parent meeting




Campus Information and Reminders


Students feeling under the weather?
As you know, it is prime cold and flu season. To help best manage our students and to keep in line with the policy in the Student Handbook, if students are not feeling well at school, they need to be checked out through the school clinic. The student must be fever free (Temperature of 99.9 or less for 24 hours without the use of over the counter medications to keep the temperature down) and must NOT have vomited or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.


PowerSchool App
The PowerSchool app is now available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. You use the same PowerSchool online login. Enter the District code NJBC.


Reporting an Incident at WSMS
One of our top priorities at Willow Springs Middle School is to ensure the safety of all of our students.  Our most important asset in this is the eyes and ears our students can provide us on campus. We will begin using the Safe Schools Alert System this year for students and parents to report incidents they are aware of happening.  You can access the system by going to  www.lovejoyisd.net .  Under Quick Links click on "REPORT IT!"  You will have four ways to submit an incident.  Furthermore, you will receive an access code to follow the progression of how an incident is being handled.


LISD Calendar
Please go here for LISD calendars.



WSMS Twitter Feeds  #wsmslovejoy
@WSMSLovejoyISD (Campus Event Updates)
@sscwsms (Counseling updates) 
 
 

Athletics
 
7th Grade Basketball vs. Allen Ford
Girls
A-Team Won 40-15
B-Team Won 34-4
C-Team Won 14-9
 
Boys
A-Team Won 47-8
B-Team Won 55-25
C-Team Won 53-8


Spring Tennis Tryouts, January 13th-17th
If your son or daughter is interested in trying out for the WSMS Tennis Team this next spring, please see below for important information about the tryout process.  
  • Students interested in trying out will participate in a scheduled 2 day tryout at 7:30am-8:30am at LHS during the week of 1/13-1/17. 
  • The tryout will consist of 2 matches against 2 players of the same age level and skill level that are currently on the team. 
  • Skill level evaluation will be based on players form
  • Coach Cherry and Coach Davis will evaluate all players and base their decision on the players skill level and the scores that they have against players who are currently on the team.
  • There is not a certain number of athletes that we will keep. The final team number will be determined based on the level and skill set of current players and players that are trying out.
  • To schedule a day and time for a two match tryout with current players, please contact Coach Davis at [email protected] to schedule.  Once he receives your email, he will schedule two matches with two separate players of equal skill set that are currently participating in the WSMS tennis program.  
  • Please contact Coach Davis for any further questions.






WSMS PTA

Parent Presentation J anuary 16th from 9am-10am in the band hall please join us for a presentation from our counselors on the Signs of Suicide. 
 
SAGE Coffee Meet and Greet The Lovejoy Council of PTA will be hosting a coffee meet and greet for all Special And Gifted Education parents for a meet and greet with other parents, Dr. Goddard and coffee. January 23rd 9am -10am in the Training Room.
 
Reminders To have reminders sent to your phone about donations needed, volunteer time, PTA meetings and parent presentations please text @wsmspta2019 to 81010
 
PTA Board 2020-2021 We are currently looking for new board members for the WSMS PTA during the 2020-2021 school year. If you are interested in a position please contact, Kasey Havens, [email protected] or 214-534-6200
 
Donations We know you can give to so many organizations and many within our district.  Your financial donations to WSMS PTA go to funding both parent and students programs on safety, AIM for success, kindness, college preparedness and more.  You may donate to us here.




Sincerely-
Kasey Havens
WSMS PTA President 2018-2019
214-534-6200




District and Other News


Community News
The   Lovejoy ISD Community News Page  includes news from our schools, programs, booster clubs, student organizations, Foundation for Lovejoy Schools, community, and more. Check back often for up-to-date news on events and activities.

This Weeks News:

For more information on the following topics click the "Lovejoy ISD Community News Page" link above.


Inclement Weather
School closures will be determined based on safety. In the event of a school closure, notifications will be announced on the district's website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. We will also announce any closure through the media and through a special edition of Message from Mike. Links to our social media accounts are listed at the end of this communication.
 
LHS Performing Arts Presents - Pirates of Penzance - January 23 - 25

Save the Date!Lovejoy ISD STEM Festival
February 29, 2020
 
Toy Drive to benefit the Children of Little Scholars
     
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Application Process Open for Administrative and Financial Assistant

Senior Judges Needed!
 
Now Enrolling! SAT Prep Classes

Save the Date! Lovejoy Country Run: April 18
 
Turn Lucas Green
 
News from Collin College




 
For the latest Athletic News, download the "Lovejoy Leopards Athletics" app.
 
For the latest Fine Arts News, follow @LovejoyArts on Twitter, or like them on Facebook at Lovejoy Arts.