August Newsletter

Welcome to the start of the 2025-2026 school year! It is with great excitement that I welcome back all of our returning students and families, and extend a very warm welcome to those of you who are new to our community. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable summer break.

This school year is a chance for new beginnings, new friendship and new opportunities to learn and grow.

Important Information for Parents

We believe a strong partnership between home and school is essential for student success. Here are a few important things to note as we begin the year:

First Day of School: The first day of school is Tuesday, August 12. Classes begin at 7:50am and school ends at 12:00 noon. Lunch will not be served, but we do offer free breakfast to all students (Students can get their breakfast before school or during break). Students will pick up their schedule (some may have changed) when they arrive to their first period class. Please remind them to check the lists by the front main door or the door coming in from the buses to locate their first period.

Back to School Night: Please join us for Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 19 at 6:00pm in the main gym. This is a great opportunity to meet your child's teachers and learn about the curriculum, expectations and opportunities throughout the school day.

Stay Connected: We will be using ParentSquare and Infinite Campus to share important updates and announcements throughout the year. Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date by checking the Parent Portal in Infinite Campus.

I am looking forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, laughter and success. Please feel free to reach out to me or the school office with any questions you may have.

School bus schedules are available online this fall for students living in their home school

attendance zone busing boundary. (Information is not online for special program busing, such as special education, gifted, and overflow.)

Follow these steps:

Locate your bus stop at www.boiseschools.org by selecting Transportation, Bus Stop Locator,

and entering your full address. Select the school and select search.

Students are only allowed to ride their assigned bus. If you want your child to ride a different bus, you must provide that request in writing to the main office where it will be signed off and your child will need to give it to the bus driver. Your child will only be allowed to ride if it has been approved by the administration AND there is room on the bus.

Our cafeteria is open every morning at 7:00am for breakfast, at break and then again at lunchtime. For a complete list of menu options, please visit the Boise School District Food and Nutrition Website. Remember, ALL students are able to eat breakfast for free (either before school OR at break).

Adding funds to your child’s account: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain?requestAction=home (You will need student ID number and birthdate)

Free and Reduced Lunch Application:

https://foodservice.boiseschools.org/

West PTBC is selling West spirit wear. The store will remain open through Friday, August 15th. Shirts will be delivered to students the first week of September. Click the link to order t shirts and hoodies for your student. If you have any questions, please email the Parent Booster Club at westptbc@gmail.com. Thanks!

https://forms.gle/7VYzhmPEuC3NNE49A

The following is a general list of supplies that students typically need at West Junior High. They are not required the first day of school, but students will need to have a writing instrument the first day of school. If you prefer, you may wait until the first week of school to receive a list of supplies from individual teachers.

All Classes

• College ruled paper

• Colored pencils

• Small hand-held pencil sharpener

• Pencils

• Pens: blue, black, red (just one or two)

• Dividers with colored tabs

• Pencil pouch

• 12 inch ruler

• Glue sticks – at least 3

• 3 ring binder (3-inch variety)

• All Grades - highlighters: Green, Yellow and Pink

Specific Classes

Math:

• Math 7 – Basic calculator
• Pre-Algebra & beyond -- Preferred calculators are: TI-30XS OR TI-30XIIS;
• Graphing composition book

English:

• 7th Grade – composition notebook
• 8th Grade – any type of notebook
• 9th Grade – spiral notebooks

Reading 7: composition notebook
Speech: spiral notebook
World Studies 7: spiral notebook
Theatre 8th and 9th grade: spiral notebook

Agenda book will be supplied by the school and will be required to be in the student’s binder at all times. Many parents/students report that a “zipper binder” has helped their child keep belongings together and since backpacks are NOT allowed in the classrooms, this is a great option.

If you are needing any assistance with school supplies, please contact your child’s school counselor.

Mustang Corral Time is a daily class designed to support student's academic progress, personal development and a sense of belonging.

August 12-First Day of School Early Release-12:00 (No Lunch)

August 19-Back to School Night 6:00pm

August 21-School Picture Day (All students will have their picture taken). All ordering is done online and links will be provided at that time.

Want to play sports at West? What do I need to complete to play sports at West?

Physical:

7th & 8th Grade Physical Form All Incoming 7th graders are required to have a completed physical (Sometime after May 1) with a doctor and the form must be submitted via the online Activate portal for sports and PE. The physical will be good for 7th and 8th grade sports and 7th grade PE. Any 8th grader who did not submit a physical for 7th grade will also need a physical.

9th Grade Physical Form: 9th graders will require a new physical.

Sports Registration Forms:

To register your child for sports, please watch the following Registration Video or use the Parent Instruction Sheet to set up an Activate Account. All athletes and 7th graders need to have this account set up and physical uploaded before the 1st day of school.

ASB Card:

Any student participating in a sport at West will need to purchase an ASB Card for $12. This fee can be paid on the Welcome Day or on-line (more information to follow about on-line payments)

Additional Information about sports at West:
What are the practice days for sports? At West, we only practice on school days (fall sports may need to start a week earlier to accommodate schedules). For junior high sports at West, no weekend practices or games and no practices or games on days when school is not in session.

What times do games begin and end? Games will begin between 3:30 and 4:30 and end by about 6 pm each game night (Baseball games are usually sometime on Saturday as field availability allows). Game schedules will be posted on the West Athletics and the District website once they are finalized by the district.

Do you offer transportation? We offer transportation to and from all away games except for golf, softball, and baseball. Games generally end by 6pm and players will need transportation home from West at that time. Students will need rides home from practice each night.

Is there a cost to participate in Sports at West? There is a nominal cost (currently $12) to participate at West. Borah athletes may have additional fees. This one time cost covers the cost to participate in any and all sports for the year.

Do I need to have experience playing sports? No, At West, we have a strict no cut policy for 7th & 8th grade sports. Ninth grade may allow cuts. All 7th or 8th graders will be placed on a team and get an opportunity to play. We encourage all students to give sports a try. You will meet new friends and classmates and get an opportunity to cheer on our teams.

What else do I need to compete in sports at West? You need to have a positive attitude and practice gear (shorts, t-shirts, shoes, etc.) All equipment and uniforms will be provided.

For Additional updates and information, click on the West Athletics Tab

Physical Exam Requirements

Who needs a physical?

· Every 7th grade student

· Any 8th grade student who did not have a physical exam in 7th grade

· Any 9th grade student participating in athletics

PHYSICALS MUST BE COMPLETED AFTER MAY 1, 2025

This is a requirement of all students participating in PE or athletic programs.

*Submit copies via the Activate portal

Immunizations

Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines are required for all incoming 7th graders prior to August 12th, the first day of school. * Submit copies to the West School Nurse’s Office*

Students without the proper immunization, may not be allowed to attend school. Please contact the school nurse with questions.

Going Home Sick

All students experiencing signs of illness during school should request to see the nurse. The nurse will assess the student's symptoms and determine if the student needs to go home. Students who call or text a parent about illness without seeing the nurse should be directed to the nurse to determine if their symptoms warrant being excused from school. To be granted a medical excuse by the school nurse, symptoms must meet the district's "Guidelines for Keeping Sick Children Home."

Medication

If your child is on a daily medication that needs to be given at school, an authorization form must be filled out and signed by a parent/guardian. All medication must be in the original prescription or over-the-counter bottle with clear, written directions and should be brought to school by the parent/guardian. If you have any questions, please call (208) 854-6468.

Medical Conditions

Please let the nurse know if your child has any health conditions, such as: Severe Allergies, Asthma, Diabetes, ADHD, or Heart Conditions to name a few. It is also important to know if a student takes medications (including medications taken at home) or has any activity or diet restrictions. This will provide complete information should your student ever require 9-1-1 Emergency Services.

If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Veronika Parr at (208) 854-6468 or veronika.parr@boiseschools.org

Dress Code:

We expect our students to dress appropriately for the learning environment and the weather and to follow the Boise School District Dress Code Policy (3223).

The traffic around school is quite busy from 7:20am until 7:50am. Please make sure to plan accordingly as students will be marked tardy if they are not in class by 7:50am. A few things really help in keeping the traffic flowing. When you pull into the parking lot, please pull forward all the way past the crosswalk. While we would love for everyone to get front door service, this really backs up traffic. Also, once you are in the parking lot, have your child exit the car immediately. If your child needs extra time to say goodbye or gather items, please pull into one of the parking spaces. In addition, if you pick up your child after school, please be mindful of the traffic on Salt Creek, do not double park or park behind the administration parking spots as other cars and our buses need to be able to get through on Salt Creek or into the front parking lot. We also want to be good neighbors so please do not cut through or park in the neighborhood.

Please park only in designated areas. Remember, the roads around the school are public roadways and Idaho State Laws apply. Please no stopping in the roadway to load/unload passengers, no U-turns in the middle of the street and no driving on the sidewalks.

We love seeing our students ride or skate to school. Please note that we have a skateboard/scooter rack in the back of the school (between the music rooms and gym) for students, as well as many bike racks. This is where you will lock up your item for the day. You will need to bring your own lock to use. We can no longer store scooters in the main office.

If you have a child driving please have them park in the furthest N.E. corner of the parking lot. While students do not need to buy a parking pass, the student will need to show Driver's License, Proof of Registration, Proof of Insurance, License Plate Number and description of vehicle to the main office in order to park in the West parking lot.

Students are not allowed to go to their cars during the school day.

• Students will follow the Boise School District attendance policy (3121). Students will be physically present 90% of the time in classes. We are an in-person school, so if your child cannot attend in person, please contact your child's counselor for options including Boise On-Line School. If your child is absent, please call the attendance line within 48 hours. That number is (208) 854-6454.
• Students will be assigned lunch detention on the 2nd tardy in an individual class.

If you need to pick your child up during the regular school day, a permit-to-leave is required. Please call the attendance line (208) 854-6454 and state your name, your child's name, the time you will be picking up your child, if your child will be returning to school or not and your contact number. Please provide at least 1 hour notice.

We want to welcome Office Perez to West Junior High. He will be our SRO (School Resource Office) this year and we are excited to have him a part of our West Community.

We also want to remind you that we do have a full time social worker as West. Barbie Campbell is available to meet with students individually or in a group setting to support academic and social emotional learning. Group topics include Healthy Relationships, Resiliency, General Support, and Friendship. She is also the Homeless Liaison for West Jr. High which means she can provide additional support and resources for students that qualify. If your family lives in any of the following situations: shelter, in a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation, in a car, park, abandoned building, doubled up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship, please contact Mrs. Campbell to discuss resources. Maintaining school stability is very important and she will partner with you to advocate and provide additional support for your child’s education.

Her contact information is:

email barbie.campbell@boiseschools.org

208-854-6849

Here is a list of contact people at West that can hopefully help you with anything you may need.

Administrators:

Janet Cherry, Principal janet.cherry@boiseschools.org

Jon Zwainz, Assistant Principal jonathan.zwainz@boiseschools.org

Counselors:

7th Grade Counselor, Scott Warnock scott.warnock@boiseschools.org

8th Grade Counselor, John Ruprecht john.ruprecht@boiseschools.org

9th Grade Counselor, Claire Sullivan claire.sulivan@boiseschools.org

School Nurse:

Veronika Parr, veronika.parr@boiseschools.org

Athletic Director:

Mark Miller mark.miller@boiseschools.org

Main Office:

Sarah Stevenson (208) 854-6450 (Main Office) sarah.severson@boiseschools.org

Kathy Leasure (208) 854-6454 (Attendance) kathy.leasure@boiseschools.org

Kaleen Goedhart (208) 854-6461 (Registrar) kaleen.goedhart@boiseschools.org

Detective Damien Perez (SRO) dlperez@cityofboise.org

Please continue to check your email or our website for the most accurate and up-to-date information. Once again, have a great summer and we will see you on August 4th for our Welcome Day.

https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Policy/PolicyListing.aspx?S=36030877

Jon Zwainz - Assistant Principal

Website: https://west.boiseschools.org/
Location: 8371 W. Salt Creek Ct., Boise, ID 83709
Phone: 208-854-6450