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Willow Springs Middle School Principal Newsletter - October 17, 2019
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Dear WSMS Parents and Guardians,
With the first grading period behind us, this is usually the time of year that students are settled into campus routines and class expectations. Please continue to work with your son or daughter to build ownership and responsibility in their learning. I have heard great feedback from our teachers and staff about students checking PowerSchool, visiting course websites, and following up with teachers about their learning. If you need any additional information about your student's performance in class, please do not hesitate to contact his or her teacher, counselor, or assistant principal.
We have had a great Red Ribbon Week at WSMS in honor of living drug free. Our Red Ribbon Week concludes tomorrow with our Red Ribbon Week pep rally (See below for more details). Please take some time over the weekend and throughout the next few months to talk to your students about the dangers of drugs and what they plan to do when they are confronted with drugs.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Lovejoy High School Homecoming football game tomorrow night. Have a great weekend!
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REMINDER! SCIS Principal's Coffee - Friday, October 18th, at 9:00 a.m-10:30 a.m.
Guest Speaker: Susa'n Hoemke, Lovejoy ISD parent
Topic: A plan to help parents to keep their children drug free.
A letter to you from lovejoy parent, Susa'n Hoemke:
"As a young parent of four kids I never imagined or even thought about the chance of my kids using drugs. We were not discussing any substances as a family because we ourselves were not educated on the topic and neither were our kids. My son Hayden was happy, curious and energetic before his drug use. When he was offered alcohol and then marijuana in 9th grade by his peers, he did try both which quickly led to his desire to have more. He had no idea of the changes going on in his brain and body even though he did not feel right. One substance led to another and began his battle with drug addiction. We did not understand him, and he did not understand himself. If he had known more of the consequences and if we had been educated about Substance Use and Substance Use Disorder/Addiction, Hayden would have had a better chance to be alive today. Hayden lost his life to Heroin Overdose at age 22 after a long 8-year battle. IMAP - I Make a Plan "Mapping the Way to be drug free" offers a way to plan and be prepared to avoid the many consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. IMAP wants to give your kids the tools they need and know why they want to say no to drugs and alcohol."
-Susa'n Hoemke, Lovejoy ISD parent.
REMINDER! Pep Rally - Friday, October 18
Friday, October 18th, we are having our Red Ribbon Week pep rally in our main gym. 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.
ParentPortal Update - DUE NOW
The PowerSchool ParentPortal is now open for you to complete the online Enrollment & Student Information Forms. Please
click here
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, FERPA Acknowledgments, General Waivers, and other information.
As of today, there are 103 students whose forms have not been updated.
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 the 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 at 469-742-8415.
NEW! WSMS Spelling Bee Tryouts
***Before school Spelling Bee tryouts in room C600 at 8:05 on Monday 10/21
(on the dot, if you are late, you will NOT be admitted; the door is locked at 8:06)
***After school Spelling Bee tryouts in room C607 at 4:10 on Monday 10/21
(on the dot, if you are late, you will NOT be admitted; the door is locked at 4:11)
SAVE THE DATE: The School spelling bee will be on November 14th from 9:30-11.
WSMS Career Day 2019
On Wednesday, November 6th, WSMS will hold our annual Career Day! This event will give students the opportunity to visit with professionals from various professions to learn about potential career fields.
Students will sign up online Tuesday, October 22nd during Advisory.
Students will sign up for TWO career fields of interest. Students will also sign up for TWO alternate career fields (in case their first choices are full).
On November 6th, students will visit FOUR career presentations - two they have selected, and two they will be assigned - perhaps a career field they didn't know existed!
LAST CALL for Presenters!
Our Career Day is not complete without your expertise! We need your help to make Career Day a meaningful experience for our students. If you are interested in presenting your career to students, but you have not signed up yet, please
sign up here
.
Thank you!
College Board PSAT 8/9 - Thursday, October 24
On Thursday, October 24th, WSMS 8th graders will take the College Board's digital PSAT 8/9 test. This assessment is an opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to assess a student's math, writing, and reading skills needed to be college-ready. For more information on the College Board's PSAT 8/9 test, you can visit this website. The PSAT 8/9 assessment will begin promptly at 9am on Thursday, October 24th and will last approximately 3.5 hours. 8th graders may want to bring a bottle of water for testing. 8th graders are asked to leave their phones at home on test day. If students bring their phones, we will ask students to sign a waiver, collect phones and store them securely until testing is over. All 8th graders will eat C lunch that day. This will be an online test, and WSMS counselors will review scores with students in the spring.
Club Day - Friday, October 25
Club Day is Friday, October 25 a
nd we will be on an activity bell schedule. For copy of the activity bell schedule, please
go here
. Students participating in the Extreme Club must wear a helmet. Students who are in the K9 and Kritters Club must have permission from Mr. Abney before bringing an animal to school. Students may leave their equipment for Guitar Club, Extreme and Remote Control Club in the front office. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kathy Stone.
2019-2020 Reflections Theme Is In!
The Willow Springs PTA is pleased to announce the theme for this year's Reflections contest: "Look Within". We encourage ALL 7th and 8th graders to participate in this annual competition which promotes student creativity and expression. The categories include dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. Students may enter works in one or more categories with no limit to the number of entries in a single category.
The deadline for submission is Monday, October 28th by 3pm
. Every student who participates will receive a certification of recognition signed by the Texas PTA President and recognition on the Texas PTA website.
In order to participate, students must complete an
entry form
.
For any further questions or concerns regarding Reflections, please contact
Christy Payne
.
Dude Be Nice Week and Presentation - October 29th
Willow Springs'
Dude Be Nice
week is coming soon! During the week of October 28th Willow Springs students will be participating in
Dude Be Nice
week. This is a week dedicated to random acts of kindness that we hope will spread and continue on campus throughout the year!
On Tuesday, October 29th, 7th and 8th graders will attend a
Dude By Nice
presentation, paid for by WSMS PTA. We encourage all students to purchase and wear a Dude Be Nice shirt on October 29th to show unity and support of kindness across our campus! To purchase the shirt, click here:
https://lovejoy.revtrak.net/lhs-dude-be-nice/
NEW! WSMS Yearbook Deadlines
IMPORTANT YEARBOOK DEADLINE FRIDAY 11-1!!!
Important 8th grade Recognition ADS!!!
TO ALL 8TH GRADE Willow Springs MS PARENTS: FRIDAY 12-13 IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE 8THGRADE RECOGNITION ADS.
All 8th grade recognition ads must be paid for and submitted online by Friday, December 13th via the
jostensyearbooks.com link.
NEW! 7th Grade Hearing /Vision Screenings - November 4 and November 5
Monday, November 4th and Tuesday, November 5th, WSMS nurses will be performing the required State Hearing/Vision screenings on all 7th grade students. If your child wears glasses or contacts, please make sure they bring them to school on those dates.
NEW! Author Dennis Lee to visit WSMS - November 19
On November 19th, our 7th graders will have a unique experience as they hear from Author/Ventriloquist Dennis Lee.
Robotics Club - Every Thursday After School
Interested in Robotics....Join Us! The WSMS Robotics Club will meet every Thursday after school. Students should come to room C300, right after school, with pickup being 5pm. Please sign up by joining the Robotics Club classroom. The code is
ubltty5.
If you have any questions, please contact Sylvia Woods at [email protected].
Gardening Volunteer Opportunity
Do you have a green thumb? Do you enjoy gardening and helping get kids out in nature more for hands-on learning? We need you to join the Willow Springs "Guardians of the Green" parent group! This parent group will support what Dr. Messer and Mrs. Perez want to accomplish this year and beyond with outdoor learning projects, nature education and beautification around campus. To get involved, join the Facebook Group called "Willow Springs Guardians of the Green" or contact Lisa Wilkins at [email protected] or 214-206-7407. Thank you!
Summer Educational Trip: Costa Rica
For the past three years, students at WSMS have been provided an opportunity to extend their science learning in 7th and 8th grade by participating in a summer trip to Costa Rica. This trip is hosted by WorldStrides, a company with over 50 year's of experience with student travel working with middle schools across the country to provide summer learning experiences. This year's trip is Coastal Conservation. Students will zipline through the rainforest canopy, hike through a cloud forest, horseback ride through the rainforest and visit National Parks and Costa Rican beaches. Students will discover Costa Rica's rich culture and traditions, and experience incomparable learning moments. S
ign up today at
worldstrides.com/signup
using Trip ID 181112. If you have any questions, contact Jennifer Perez at
j[email protected] .
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Campus Information and Reminders
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NEW! Safety Corner -
Red Ribbon Week Follow Up
Parents, as Red Ribbon Week is coming to an end, it is a great time to talk to your children about drugs and alcohol. It is not a matter of "if", but instead a matter of "when" your children will be approached to try alcohol or drugs. Are they prepared? This week WSMS students went through a program called IMAP. Students discussed the impact of drugs and alcohol on their personal goals, discussed new information about vaping, and brainstormed ways to say no when approached to try these things. Please talk with them about a plan to help them those tough situations. Here are some talking points for you from this week's RRW discussions:
*Tell me more about the video you watched about Hayden. What happened?
*What are you goals? (2 year goals, 6 year goals, 10 year goals, and 15 year goals)?
*Tell me something new you learned about vaping and alcohol?
*What are ways you can say "no" with even your closest friends?
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)
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Volleyball Results vs Allen Curtis - October 10th
7th Grade
A Team - Won
B Team - Won
C Team - Won
8th Grade
A Team - Lost
B Team - Lost
C Team - Won
Football Results vs Allen Curtis - October 16th
7th Grade
Red - Won
Black -Won
8th Grade
Red - Won
Black - Won
C Team Volleyball Tournament Results
Congratulations to our 7th grade C Team volleyball girls on their win at the tournament this last weekend.
UPDATED! Girls Basketball Parent Information & Tryout Details
Coach Boxell (The Girl's Varsity Coach) will be holding a middle school basketball informational meeting on
October 21st at 6pm at Lovejoy High School in the Lecture Hall.
Middle School Tryouts will be held
October 29th (Tuesday) through October 31st (Thursday)
. Thursday the 24th - During 7th period (for 7th grade only), I will pull all the girls trying out for basketball - this time will allow me to get a first look before tryouts actually start - this is NOT required in order to try out.
We will meet with the girls individually on Thursday the 31st and let them know if they made the team. Practices will start the following Monday (We will only have one week before games start!) I will send an email out on the 31st that will have the practice schedule included.
8th Graders will tryout from 7:30am - 8:50am
7th Graders will tryout from 3:25pm - 5pm
Boys Basketball Tryouts for 7th and 8th Grade
Tryouts for 7th and 8th grade boys basketball will take place October 30th-November 4th. This year the basketball team will have three teams for each grade with 10 players on each team. Tryouts will take place at Willow Springs Middle school. The boys need to have turned in a physical and completed the online forms found at:
www.lovejoyathletics.com
The schedule for tryouts can be found below:
8th Grade:
October 30 - 8:00am through 1st period
October 31 - 7:00 am through 1st period
November 1 - No School for students
November 4 - 7:00 am through 1st period - pickup tryout letter after school
7th Grade:
October 30 - 7th period through 5:30
October 31 - 7th period through 5:30 pm
November 1 - No school for students
November 4 - 7th period through 5:30 pm - Decisions Made
RUN-A-THON ---SAVE THE DATE!!! TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29th
Get ready for the 2nd annual GLOW RUN-A-THON! This was a big hit last year, and this year we are making it even better! Grab your glow sticks, your best neon gear, and your running shoes and get ready for a great event!
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District Communications
Student and Parent Concerns/Grievances
The faculty and staff of Lovejoy ISD are committed to the service of our students and their parents by responding promptly and professionally to concerns or grievances which may arise.
Student and Parent Complaints/Grievances are governed by LISD Board Policies FNG (LEGAL) and FNG (LOCAL).
How Do You Resolve Parent Concerns?
If you, as the parent or guardian of a Lovejoy ISD student, have concerns regarding your child's education or performance, we want to talk with you. Sitting down and talking with the people who interact most often with your child on a daily basis - his/her teacher, counselor, coach or director- can remedy the majority of concerns.
Most concerns can be and usually are resolved at the classroom/activity/sports or campus level. However, if your concerns are not addressed by visiting with the teacher, campus counselor, coach or director, you may choose to follow the three-level process listed below:
Level One:
Within 15 business days of the incident causing the concern/complaint, you may request a meeting with the next level supervisor which could be the Athletic Director, Fine Arts Director or Campus Principal. The Level One form may be found
here
.
Level Two:
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Level One process, within 10 business days of receipt of the Level One decision letter, you may request a meeting with the Assistant Superintendent of Operations (Athletics, Safety, Operations) or Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction (Teachers, Administrators, Student Discipline). The Level Two form may be found
here
.
Level Three:
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Level Two process, within 10 business days of receipt of the Level Two decision letter, you may appeal the decision to the School Board by contacting the Superintendent. The Level Three form may be found
here
.
Upcoming Events
Running Over Depression - Senior Project
Please join us for the 4th Annual Running Over Depression Run on Saturday, November 16th at Lovejoy High School. The 1K Fun Run will begin at 8:00 AM and the 5K Run will begin at 8:30 AM at Lovejoy Leopard Stadium. Running Over Depression is an event being organized by Lovejoy Seniors Zane Edwards, Shalin Mehta, and Thomas Michal for their Senior Projects. The goal of this run is to raise awareness about teenage depression and suicide prevention. All proceeds from the run will be donated to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To register please
CLICK HERE
.
If your business is interested in sponsoring Running Over Depression please email
Safety and Security Training
Lovejoy ISD is offering "Stop the Bleed" and "Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events" trainings during the month of November. You are invited to join us for this training which is applicable and practical for all community members.
Stop the Bleed
November 19, 2019
6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Lovejoy High School Lecture Hall
Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events
November 21, 2019
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Lovejoy High School Lecture Hall
Community News
We are pleased to announce the
Lovejoy ISD Community News Page
. This new addition to the Lovejoy ISD Webpage will share 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.
For more information on the following topics click the "Lovejoy ISD Community News Page" link above.
Senior Judges Needed!
Register Now! 10th Annual Turkey Chess Tournament
Varsity Football Tickets Available Through School Store
Parking Information for Home Football Games
2019-2020 PTA Reflections Contest - Look Within
Majestics Fundraiser
Homecoming Mums and Garters
On Sale at Lovejoy High School through October 15
City of Lucas Farmers Market
Choir Fundraiser
Majestics Fundraiser
When Life Gives You Lemons Fundraiser
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools Men's Tailgate Party and Cornhole Tournament
Taste of Fairview Benefiting the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Red Ribbon Night at Allen Americans
Lovejoy Professional Network Charity Benefit Golf Tournament
Senior Project!
Boys Wrestling Camp
STEM Design Your World Conference for Girls
Senior Project!
Girls Wrestling Camp
Senior Project!
Running Over Depression
Safety and Security Training
Leopard Baseball Buddy League
Mountain Bike Team
Lovejoy High School Cheer Fundraiser
Holiday Poinsettias for Sale
Arthritis Foundation Jingle Bell Run
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.
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