West Sylvan Middle School

Dear West Sylvan Families,

Thank you to all of the family members who were able to join us for the first FoWS Coffee Talk of the school year. We attempted to record the meeting, and our team was unable to get the recording up and running this time around. We will try to get this fixed for future meetings! As long as our speakers are open to being recorded, we will record these talks.

For future calendaring, we are planning the following speakers, topics this school year. Coffee Talks are on Fridays from 8:45-9:30 in our school library, and our plan for topics and speakers are below:

Oct 16th - School Counselors, Ms. Rebecca Cohen and Mr. Ricky Almeida presents about navigating middle school friendships, building resilience and will provide tips for supporting your middle schooler.

Nov 13th - Beaverton Police Officer Haugen will be presenting about social media and how adults can help monitor students’ activities and help keep them safe.

Jan 15th - VP Brooke Mayo (Lincoln HS) will join us to speak about the IB MYP and diploma program, and Ms. Campbell, WSMS IB Coordinator, will present about MYP at WSMS.

Feb 12th - Principal Chapman and guest(s) to speak about Lincoln High School and the middle to high school transition.

Mar 12th - Mr. Keller and Dr. Hunt will present updates on our budget and staffing for 2027-28 and any related updates from the PPS Rightsizing decisions.

May 14th - Welcome rising 6th grade families! Let’s talk about middle preparing for school together!

The mid-quarter reporting period just occurred. If you do not see progress marks yet on this report, that means that your Scholar is doing well, earning a CP or higher in all courses with no concerns (for high school credit courses, a C or better could result in no marks on this mid-quarter report). Educators may only indicate a mark on these reports if your Scholar may be earning a DP or No Grade, and the Educator will alert you to any concerns. If you are unsure about your Scholar’s progress, please contact Educators directly through email.

Our Scholars have finished their first round of I-Ready testing. This assessment routine will occur three times yearly throughout middle school in order to gauge growth and progress in Reading and Math throughout each school year. The scores should be visible through your ParenVue/StudentVue account in the next couple of weeks.

We are a week away from our sixth graders’ trip to Outdoor School (ODS)! If your family has any questions, please contact their designated Educator for Outdoor School (shown below). We had a virtual ODS meeting this week, and the materials are linked on our website. We will also reshare them here for anyone who wants to listen to meeting and see the information below:

• ODS Information Slideshow
• Virtual ODS Family Meeting recording is linked here

CAMP LOCATIONS BY EDUCATOR:

Ben Keller, Assistant Principal

Communications related to the upcoming school year will continue to come from both our West Sylvan and PPS district team with regular updates. Be sure that you have activated your settings for receiving alerts through ParentSquare, including the ability to receive communication by text, if you prefer. You can also set the frequency of notifications for posts, either Instant or Digest. The Digest setting sends all non-time-sensitive posts at the end of the day, reducing the number of notifications you receive daily. Please remember that if you set that time preference, you may not receive all messages at the same time as others in the school community.

OCTOBER

• Mon, OCT 5th ~ Thu, OCT 8th: Outdoor School *Sixth Graders and 6th Grade Educators at overnight camps
  
  
• Fri, OCT 9th: NO SCHOOL for Scholars due to Statewide Inservice
  
  
• Thu, OCT 15th: Fall Choir Sing Event at WSMS / 6:00-8:00pm in the Lower Gym
  
  
• Wed, OCT 21st: EARLY RELEASE for Scholars at 1:45PM due to monthly district-scheduled Staff Professional Development
  
  
• Thu, OCT 22nd: Future Wolfpack Family Information Night *(current 5th grade and any younger grades are all welcome to attend!) / 6:00-7:30pm
  
  
• Thu, OCT 22nd: Makeup Picture Day *(during 1st-2nd-3rd periods, only for those Scholars who missed the initial Picture Day)
  
  
• Wed, OCT 28th: End of Quarter 1 and first quarter classes *(first reporting period for report cards)
  
  
• Thu, OCT 29th: NO SCHOOL for Scholars due to grading day for Educators
  
  
• Fri, OCT 30th: NO SCHOOL for Scholars due to planning day for Educators
  


• Mon, NOV 2nd: Start of Quarter 2 *(new classes begin for quarter-long classes)

PPS appreciates the convenience and freedom of cycling and scootering and highly encourages riding peddled bikes and push scooters to and from school. However, we understand there has become a greater prevalence in the use of electric bikes/scooters as a means of transportation. It is important to know that there are age limitations associated with the use of electric bikes/scooters. It is illegal for people under the age of 16 to operate e-scooters. Elementary and middle school students are underage and not permitted to operate an e-scooter.

As of March 2026, the state lowered the age for riding a Class 1 e-bike from 16 to 14. Class 1 e-bikes have a motor that kicks in when the rider is pedaling and tops out at speeds of 20 MPH. The age for riding Class 2 and 3 bikes, which both have throttles, remains age 16. Given that very few WSMS Scholars are 14 years old, these laws apply to the majority of our Scholars.

Here are some basic rules for e-bikes and e-scooters:

• Anyone under the age of 16 operating an e-bike is required to wear a helmet; however, it is recommended for all ages.
• A helmet is required for anyone operating an e-scooter, regardless of age.
• You must have approved lighting under limited visibility.
• They are NEVER allowed on sidewalks (ORS 814.410).
• Riders MUST use a bike lane if one is adjacent to or near a roadway (ORS 814.420).
• They are allowed on bike paths and crosswalks.

For a more comprehensive understanding of Oregon bicycle and scooter laws, please refer to the statutes below:

ORS 814.400 Application of vehicle laws to bicycles

ORS 814.486 Endangering bicycle operator or passenger

LOC 32.10.810 Requirements for Operation of Bicycles Generally

Our Family Handbook has clear outlines about restrictions for illegal e-bikes/e-scooters on campus. Below are some community reminders pulled from our handbook in the event that your Scholar has been relying on such a mode of transportation:

As a point of clarity, if your child is riding an e-bike without pedals, it is not classified as an e-bike but more likely a "motorized vehicle" and is subject to regulations that all motorized vehicles fall under. Almost ALL of the bikes that we have seen that have been parked off campus and on the bike path, would fall under Class 2 e-bikes or Motorized Vehicle due to the use of a throttle.

Please be aware that Class 2-ebikes are not allowed on campus as it would violate our current policy that is intended to encourage safety going to and from school. Please be aware that our school team has received multiple concerned emails from neighbors about some of our students who are riding through traffic in a manner that is unsafe on such vehicles.

PPS Risk Management FAQs: Electric Bike/Scooter Guidance

We will hold two nights for future Wolfpack families to join us to hear about our West Sylvan Middle School program. The first family night will be Thursday, October 22nd from 6:00-7:30pm. Administrators and School Counselors will present to families, and our 8th grade Packleaders will help visitors tour the school building and answer questions throughout the tours.

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Wednesdays during lunch and Advisory times

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Weekly rehearsals on Tuesdays & Thursdays after school in the WSMS Lower Gym

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Before school and/or during Advisory and Lunch times

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: After school (4:15-6:30pm) on Wednesdays starting 9/30

*Clubs/Groups that occur outside of the school day
may charge a participation fee, as these are not part of the typical
educational program, and fees help us offer these experiences.

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Mondays during Lunch/Advisory, starting October 5th

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Thursdays during Lunch/Advisory (all grades each week), starting October 15th

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Thursdays during Lunch/Advisory (all grades are welcome)

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Fridays during Lunch/Advisory

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Tuesdays during 7th/8th Gr Lunch / 6th Gr Advisory time (12:13-12:43pm)

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: Fridays during 7th/8th Gr Lunch / 6th Gr Advisory time (12:13-12:43pm)

If Scholars want to start another group, they need an adult to oversee the group,

and they can plan a time to meet and recruit others to join.

Youth sports programs are run entirely through the Portland Interscholastic League (PIL). Check the PIL website at https://www.pilsports.org/ for upcoming sports seasons! West Sylvan is not involved in registration or management of the teams. All information to register Scholars for the Lincoln Cluster of PIL Youth Sports is located here.

We want our Scholars at school daily, and our Health Office has shared
the following tips for what may be reasons to stay home for illness.

We do not accept DoorDash/UberEats or other food delivery services for our Scholars. Scholars may always eat the free breakfast and lunch daily here on campus and/or bring prepared food from home. If a family member wants to drop off items and deliver them to the Scholar, they may, and we are not staffed to manage added deliveries throughout the day. Orders placed by Scholars or that are placed for Scholars will be declined and turned away. This information is also in our Family Handbook which is posted on our school website.

In need of school supplies and/or access to our WSMS Clothing Closet? Some of our former 8th graders established a WSMS Clothing Closet several years ago, and LHS Scholars regularly volunteer to keep it stocked and looking nice for everyone. At this time, we only need specific donations for the Clothing Closet, such as warm coats, socks, undergarments, and sweatpants (the kind without elastic on the bottom) in all sizes S - 3X. We have a fair amount of smaller sized items, and the larger items go quickly, so larger sizes and baggier items are most appreciated for donation.

Any Scholar may access the WSMS Clothing Closet at any point by letting an adult on campus know that they would like access. We have all kinds of clothes, coats, shoes, bags, hygiene items, snacks, even bikes. Don’t be shy! We want to be sure that our Wolves have what they need to feel successful! Additionally, if there are any challenges getting school supplies, please let a School Counselor know. We can assist with ensuring that necessary school supplies are given to our Scholars when families need some support.

As we know, rain is a consistent weather occurrence in our location. We still hold outdoor recess on rainy days. We also have some areas indoors which Scholars may access (library, hot lunch room, cafeteria, and the lower gym when weather is very harsh).

Please help your Scholar dress for the weather and/or keep a jacket handy in their locker for such days! Need a jacket? We have a number of jackets available in our Clothing Closet! Let your School Counselor know.

Picking up your Scholar from school early? If a Scholar needs to leave school before 4:00 p.m., we do need you to please come into the office, show ID, and physically sign out your Scholar. We want our Scholars to be in school for the entire school day, but if you need to pick up early, please make every effort to pick up prior to 3:30 p.m. so that our team can attend to your request with ample time before the school day concludes.

Does your Scholar need to ride a different bus after school?

A bus change that will be a regular occurrence can be requested through a “hitcher” pass on the PPS Transportation website. For changes that are sporadic or less consistent, please send a note providing permission for your Scholar to ride that alternate bus at westsylvanoffice@pps.net. Scholars who are assigned to those buses for their home routes have priority over Scholars who are trying to ride alternate routes (i.e. going to the MAC, Lincoln HS, or to a park for sports). Requests for your scholar to ride an alternate bus must be received prior to 3:30pm on the day of the change in order to communicate properly.

Families are now able to submit both full day and partial day absences (such as late arrivals to school, or early student pick-ups) through ParentVUE!

Log in to the ParentVUE website on your computer or download and open the phone application.
(Note: You are not able to use your browser on your phone to report an absence in ParentVUE).

1. Look for the blue "Report Absence" button to the right of your student's photograph in the app or click Attendance when on the website to find the blue button.
2. Select whether the absence is All Day, Arrive Late, or Leave Early.
3. Select start date, end date (only if more than one day) and a reason from a drop-down list.
4. Add a note if needed.
5. Remember to click SAVE and you should receive a popup confirmation.
   
   

For more detailed instructions with screenshots, please see the

Submitting Attendance in ParentVUE documentation

Portland Public Schools uses ParentSquare for communication with families. An introductory video is here to familiarize yourself with this application. This means text messages, emails, and calls from the school and from your child’s Teachers will be delivered via ParentSquare to the contact information currently in our system. If you set a time on the application for message delivery, some messages may be delayed until the time that you have determined.

Update your contact information in ParentVUE or through westsylvanoffice@pps.net throughout the year if your email, address, emergency contacts, or cell phone number changes, as all school communications are connected to your information in ParentVUE.

New versions of the ParentVUE and StudentVUE apps must be downloaded to continue using the apps to access student information. When asked to select your district, Parents and Students will need to find Portland Public Schools (NOT West Sylvan) using the 97227 zip code and then it is important that Parents select "Already Activated" when prompted. You will use your same ParentVUE User ID and password to log in.

Please click the following links for detailed instructions on downloading the newest version of the ParentVUE app for Android users and iPhone users. Be sure to select the app with (New) in the title, which you can download from the Google Play Store or App Store for iPhone.

Counselors are best contacted via email.

School starts at 9:15AM and ends at 4:00PM every day, with the following daily bell schedule. Variations to this schedule will be communicated out through our weekly newsletter and through reminders sent via ParentSquare.

** NEXT EARLY RELEASE date is WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21st **

Please calendar the monthly Early Release dates this year, which are listed below. On Early Release Days, all Scholars are released at 1:45 PM, and Staff are in meetings beginning at 2:00PM, meaning we will not be available to supervise any Scholars who are not picked up on time. Buses will drop Scholars off two hours earlier than usual.

Early Release dates for the 2026-2027 school year:

Sept 16th - Oct 21st - Dec 16th - Jan 20th

Feb 17th - Mar 17th - Apr 21st - May 19th

WSMS continues to be a NO cell phone zone from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM daily. This is a policy that we have had at WSMS for the last four years, and the state legislation and PPS School District board policy also align with our expectations. We request and advise all families to keep Scholars’ cell phones at home during the school day. If you must send your Scholar with a device, please use the parent control features to turn off access to all social media. Our school team assumes no responsibility for devices sent to school. We will not exhaust resources searching for lost or misplaced phones, as we have asked that they not be at school or used during the school day.

If a Scholar brings a cell phone to school, they will be asked to store their turned-off phone in their locker and have it out of sight throughout the entire school day (including lunches). Important messages can be sent to our main office via email (westsylvanoffice@pps.net), and will be forwarded to your Scholars through classroom phone calls. District policies related to electronic devices and other Administrative Directives can be found on the PPS website.

• Cell phone Policy and AD: Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices

• Administrative Directive: Social Media Use & Expectations for Students

• WSMS Family Handbook (English) and (Spanish)
  

• Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook

As we continue in this school year, we are hopeful that we can have more families involved in regular school activities such as volunteering on campus, taking part in our Friends of West Sylvan (FOWS) family group, and serving on the school Site Council. If you are interested in having a voice in one or more of these school groups, please sign up here. The Site Council meets at least quarterly in virtual meetings. FoWS has many ways that you can help our campus.

Get involved in Friends of West Sylvan! If you are a new family member at WSMS, we are still looking for as many adults as possible to join in our parent organization (our version of a PTA), Friends of West Sylvan! You can connect with current members at: https://www.friendsofwestsylvan.org/

We could not do so many fun things for our students without the dedicated family members and your partnership! Both board members and anyone looking for a way to help out are all welcome!

FRIENDS OF WEST SYLVAN is a dedicated group of parents building community, supporting staff, and creating meaningful experiences for our scholars. The FoWS website is the place to go for most information, but if you ever have questions or are interested in lending a hand with our all volunteer crew, please email us at: hi@friendsofwestsylvan.org

TO CREATE YOUR FoWS ACCOUNT:

• In order to take advantage of our activities over the school year, please be sure to login to www.friendsofwestsylvan.org and get your account set up. All events will be run through this system.
• If you previously had an account, you'll be prompted to update your information upon logging in. If you are new to West Sylvan or didn't set up an account before, you'll be asked to create one. Just use your email that you provided to PPS and that will link to your family information.
• Once logged in you can determine whether you would like to be included in our family directory and what information you would like to share. Our directory requires login to access, so it's not available to the public. Any questions? Email us at hi@friendsofwestsylvan.org

MAIN OFFICE

westsylvanoffice@pps.net

(503) 916-5690
[General Inquiries / Attendance / BUS-Transportation Changes]

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ SCHOOL SECRETARY

[Attendance / Enrollment / Withdrawals]

Christie Doerr

cdoerr@pps.net

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT/ PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY

[Staff / Substitutes / Financial]

Jerda Solonche

jsolonche@pps.net

Website: westsylvan.pps.net
Location: 8111 Southwest West Slope Drive, Portland, OR, USA