Willow Springs Middle School


A Message from the Principal

WSMS Principal Newsletter, May 17, 2022

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Good Afternoon Parents!


As our time together ticks away, we are gearing up for our end of year celebrations and recognitions.  I am so excited to take our panoramic picture tomorrow, celebrate our 7th grade students who are being recognized on Thursday morning here at Willow Springs, and celebrate our 8th grade students on Friday morning over at Lovejoy High School.  Our students have worked so hard all year long and I am excited to notice them for their accomplishments.


As a reminder, we will have a full school day after each of those celebrations.  Our teachers are  geared up for reviewing for our final exams and they are anxious to soak up every last minute with our students.  We will be bussing all of our 8th grade students back to Willow Springs after the celebration, so there will not be a need for you to drop them off afterwards.


Lastly, we are going to have our yearbook signing parties after our 4th period exam on the last day of school, May 27th.  We will need help with that event and would love to encourage our dads to come up and help out.  Of course, Moms are always welcome as well, but I would love to see a great showing of dads to come and help us out that day.  Please see the link below to sign up to help!


Thank you again for your continued support of Willow Springs Middle School and Lovejoy ISD!




Respectfully,


Chris

Chris Koder
WSMS Principal
1101 West Lucas Rd, Lucas 75002
Office: 469-742-8417
@WSMSLovejoyISD
#wsmslovejoy


WSMS Attendance Rates

WSMS Library Material Due Date

Hello Parents!


All student library materials were due back on Monday, May 16th. So that you and your student know what materials are currently checked out, I will be sending out weekly overdue notices starting the first week of May. Students with outstanding materials and/or fines will not be allowed to receive their yearbooks until their library account is cleared. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out!

Upcoming Dates

8th Grade Panoramic Picture


The WSMS 8th grade class of 2022 will be taken on Wednesday, May 18th. Panoramic pictures will be on sale during all lunches on Thursday, May 19. Please go here for more information.

Regarding Medications in Clinic


If your child has medicine at school, please make sure your child has exactly enough medicine to finish the school year.


All Medications must be picked up by Friday May 27th by 12:00 pm.


You are responsible for picking up any extra medicine as the school district has a policy against sending medicines home with students. After 12:00 pm on Friday 5/27/22, any remaining medicines, including inhalers, will be thrown out. The school cannot store these for you during the summer.

 

Please remember, if your child is going to continue being medicated at school during the 2022-2023 school year, you will need to complete a new medication sheet at that time and bring a SMALL or travel size bottle of medicine that is not expired.


Yearbook Signing Party Volunteers – Calling All Dads (and Moms)!


On the morning of May 27th the school is requesting several volunteers to supervise the yearbook signing and associated party, which will relieve teachers to finish their year-end wrap-up prior to their other afternoon responsibilities. They specifically would like to encourage DADS to come out that morning and engage with kids on the field and in the gym. Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0445acaf2ea75-wsms6 


Lost and Found – Donated June 3rd


Please encourage your son or daughter to look through the lost and found by the library and the athletic lost and found and claim any sweatshirts, shoes, hats, etc. they may have left behind.  All items not claimed by June 3rd  will be donated to Allen Community Outreach.

Immunizations


Early reminder to parents of students that will be 7th graders during the 2022-2023 school year: It is a State requirement that all 7th grade students must have had 2 required updated immunizations in order to attend school. These required immunizations are, TDaP booster (Tetanus booster) and Menactra (Meningococcal).Please obtain a copy of your child’s updated shots and provide it to our school nurse, Gretchen Young, BEFORE August 1st, 2022. You may drop it off in person, send it through the mail to Willow Springs Middle School, 1101 West Lucas Road, Lucas, TX 75002, by email to Gretchen Young or fax at 469-742-8501.

End of Year Award Ceremonies

SAVE THE DATE!

WSMS End of Year Award Ceremonies


7th Grade Awards Ceremony—Thursday, May 19, from 8:00—9:00 in the WSMS Gym

  • Only students receiving Honor Roll or Teacher Awards will be in attendance
  • Notification emails have been sent


8th Grade Awards Ceremony—Friday, May 20, from 8:00 - 9:30 in the LHS Main Gym

  • All 8th grade teachers will be in attendance. Please arrive by 7:45 and park in the front of the building.
  • Every student will be recognized for completion of middle school
  • Students will also be recognized for Honor Roll, Teacher Awards, and the Principal's Award
  • Students will have the option to ride the bus back to WSMS. If you will be bringing your student back to WSMS rather than them riding the bus, we ask that they are back by 10am.

Final Exam Schedule

Final Exam Reviews – Available Wednesday, May 18th


On Wednesday, May 18th, teachers will provide students with a copy of the final exam review. In addition, an electronic copy will be posted in Google Classroom for students to access on Wednesday, May 18th. 


Teachers will be going over their review in class prior to the final exam. Each review will provide vocabulary, concepts, and/or skills needed to be successful on the final. Students will be expected to take the information from the review and apply it to questions on the exam that include graphs, charts, maps, diagrams, and excerpts. These application based questions provide a foundation for the level of thinking that aligns with the higher level thinking of our state standards in middle school and high school. Rather than studying the review for 2-3 hours the night before the final exam, we encourage students to prepare for each exam by studying for approximately 15-20 minutes a day. In addition, students should refer to notes, handouts, assignments, and their textbook to support their learning and preparation.

Final Exam Testing Schedule


Click here for a copy of the final exam schedule.  

Not Returning to LISD Next Year?

If your student will not be returning to WSMS or Lovejoy High School for the 2022-2023 school year, please email Carol Vik with your student’s name, as well as complete and return this form.

WSMS Student Successes


WSMS NEWS reporters at Willow Springs Middle School represented Lovejoy ISD at the  Interscholastic League Press Conference this past weekend in Austin bringing home multiple  individual achievement awards, including a coveted Star Rating. Students submit multiple broadcast entries: complete news broadcast programs, features, news packages, sports packages, anchoring, graphics, production, editing, commercials and public service  announcements.  


WSMS students were up against high schools all over the state of Texas and brought home more  awards than any other middle school or high school in their category. Student journalists brought  home six gold medals, five silver medals and one bronze medal. The competition is keen, and the  champions represent the nation's finest in scholastic journalism. 


Student broadcasts are also judged and assigned ratings by publications specialists. According to the  UIL website, “Our judges are master teachers who have advised award-winning publications and who  know the nuances of student publications.” WSMS News was given the association’s highest rating, Award of Distinguished Merit, for the fifth year in a row. For the first time, the program won a coveted Silver Star Award which represents the top 10% of all broadcasts in the state. Only 6 broadcast programs across the state received a Star Award. WSMS News was the only middle school to receive this award against five 5A and 6A high schools. Congratulations to every single journalist from both Media 2 classes, as this is a team accomplishment. Go Leopards! 


For a complete list of awards and winners, please click here: 

https://www.uiltexas.org/journalism/ilpc/results




Operation Unite


Lovejoy ISD staff will be holding a drill to test logistics and communication planning in case of a real emergency in the district, and need parent and student volunteers (completed grades 2-8). The event will take place on June 7 from 8am to 11am. This is a great opportunity to support our administration and help them prepare for scenarios we hope will never happen. You can use this link to view details or sign up to volunteer.  WSMS students who have applied to NJHS may earn up to 3 service hours for the fall 2022 semester by volunteering at the event. Questions? Email Volunteer Coordinator Christy Forte' (christyforte44@gmail.com).


Reminders From The Nurse

Parents...


To keep all of our students safe, please partner with us and monitor your child for the following symptoms BEFORE sending them to school. 


  • Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Cough
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Sore throat
  • Shaking or exaggerated shivering
  • Significant muscle pain or ache
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea/Vomiting
  • Fatigue
  • Congestion or runny nose

 

If your student is not feeling well, please keep them at home and email your child’s assistant principal. Please also keep them home, contact the nurse, and their assistant principal if your student receives a lab positive COVID test.


Nurse Young gretchen_young@lovejoyisd.net or by phone at (469) 742-8420. 

 

Carol Vik Carol_Vik@lovejoyisd.net - Attendance/PEIMS Clerk



Rebecca May Rebecca_May@lovejoyisd.net - Assistant Principal for students whose last name begins with the letters A-Le.

 

Rachael Merrick Rachael_Merrick@lovejoyisd.net - Assistant Principal for students whose last name begins with the letters Li-Z.


If there is a positive case of COVID in your child's classroom, we will send an email to let you know. Lovejoy ISD will maintain our current COVID-19 dashboard by each campus on the website. Numbers will be updated at the end of each day. We are also required to notify the Health Department and the TEA of positive cases in our schools.

 

Please click here for the most up to date information regarding LISD’s 2021-2022 Health and Safety Measures.



Campus Reminders

May Nutrition Newsletter

Please click here for the May nutrition newsletter.


PowerSchool Log In

Please take a minute to log in to PowerSchool to ensure the accuracy of your password. Over the summer, the district will push out information that will require you to access PowerSchool such as state testing results, transportation registration for 2022-2023, etc. If you need to have your password reset, please contact your child's campus registrar.




PowerSchool App

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


LISD Calendar
Please go here for LISD calendars.


WSMS Report Card
We recently received our updated TEA federal report card for Willow Springs. This has been uploaded to our website and can be viewed by clicking here.



WSMS PTO

Special Membership Meeting

A quick membership meeting will be held via Zoom tomorrow at 2:00pm to approve the budget for next year. Email Christy Forte’ (christyforte44@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.

 

Yearbook Signing Party Volunteers – Calling All Dads (and Moms)!

On the morning of May 27th the school is requesting several volunteers to supervise the yearbook signing and associated party, which will relieve teachers to finish their year-end wrap-up prior to their other afternoon responsibilities. They specifically would like to encourage DADS to come out that morning and engage with kids on the field and in the gym. Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0445acaf2ea75-wsms6 

 

Operation Unite – Volunteers Needed

Lovejoy ISD staff will be holding a drill to test logistics and communication planning in case of a real emergency in the district and are recruiting parent and student volunteers (completed grades 2-8). The event will take place on June 7 from 8am to 11am. This is a great opportunity to support our administration and help them prepare for scenarios we hope will never happen. You can use this link to view details or sign up to volunteer.  WSMS students who have applied to NJHS may earn up to 3 service hours for the fall 2022 semester by volunteering at the event. Questions? Email Volunteer Coordinator Christy Forte' (christyforte44@gmail.com).

 

Parent Program Recordings

The following recorded parent programs can be found on our web site:

-Legal consequences of bad decision-making with April Doyle and Debbie Benko (May 2022)

-Digital safety and responsibility by Michelle Nietert (April 2022)

-Community building by Lori Dillard (March 2022)

-College readiness by Randy Trevino (February 2022)

-Suicide prevention by WSMS counselors (January 2022)

-and more!




Warm Regards,

 

Christy Forte'

WSMS PTO President

2021-2022

https://willowspringsmspto.wixsite.com/willowspringspto

Athletics

One Standard Practice Shirts

The link below to purchase 22-23 student athlete "One Standard" daily practice shirts will expire at the end of the school day on May 27th.  The link will re-open in mid July for those who might miss this opportunity to purchase. Shirts will be distributed during the first week of school in August.


https://lovejoy.revtrak.net/hs/lhs-standard-athletic-shirts/



Athlete Physical Information

Online athletic forms are online and ready to be completed for the 2021-2022 school year. Please go to https://lovejoyisd.rankonesport.com/New/Home.aspx set up your account, and fill out the forms.


Any and all online paperwork questions should be directed to Steve Smith at 469-742-8411 or wsmsathletictrainer@gmail.com.


The 2021-2022 physical forms are now available for players to pick up. Players may get one at the front office of WSMS, or print one by clicking here.  

Important News from Student Nutrition 

Regarding Student Meal Accounts

This is a courtesy message from Lovejoy Student Nutrition Services to inform households of an upcoming change in student meal accounts. In an effort to minimize negative balances at the end of the school year, beginning Wednesday, May 11th and for the remainder of the school year, students will no longer be able to charge meals which will result in the student incurring a negative balance to their meal account. Students may continue to use their lunch accounts as long as they have money in the account. Households with students who currently have negative balances will receive reminder emails and phone calls. Federal regulations prohibit us from rolling over negative balances to the next school year. Please make arrangements to remit payment for any negative lunch accounts your child may have incurred.


All positive balances will be rolled over to next school year. If you have a graduating senior, funds may be transferred to any sibling in the school district. To request a meal account refund, please complete a refund request form located on the Student Nutrition website. For assistance, please contact Student Nutrition at 469.742.8041. 


Student Nutrition Services thanks you for your understanding and for allowing us to serve your student(s) this school year. 


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.



New Instruction Materials

New instructional materials for Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Physical and Health Education are available for review at the Central Office Building beginning May 9 through May 20 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Please check in at the receptionist desk for assistance.



Leopard Store Spring Sale



Lovejoy ISD Summer Enrichment



Lovejoy ISD Summer Sports Camps


Lovejoy "Green Team" Needs You!

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