West Middle School e-Bulletin

October 23, 2026

IMPORTANT DATES

Tuesday, 10/27 . . . . . . . . .Choir Concert @ 7 pm
Wednesday, 10/28 . . . . . . Band Concert @ 7 pm (This concert is 6th grade only)
Thursday, 10/29 . . . . . . . .Parent-Teacher Conferences (sign-up opens 10/9)
Friday, 10/30 . . . . . . . . . . . 1/2 day of school - Kona Ice Day
Tuesday, 11/3 . . . . . . . . . . No School for Students - Teacher Professional Development

Thank you to the families who came out for our first night of Parent-Teacher Conferences! It was nice to see you and talk with you about your child's progress. Our second night of conferences is this next Thursday, October 29, 2026. Sign-up will remain open until Wednesday, October 28, 2026. To sign-up, please see the letter below.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE LINK

CLICK HERE FOR PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE LETTER

A belated congratulations to our West Country Team for winning the Middle School League Meet at Cass Benton on Monday, October 12, 2026! Way to go, Bulldogs!

BULLDOG OF THE WEEK - 10/23

Congratulations to our Bulldogs of the Week!

Evelyn Amos

Chloe Bonga

Jacob Cabble

Alice Donley

Dylan Grandinett

Kayla Iverson

Alessandra Mautone

James McNulty

Quinn Merchant

Toby Pepper

Kadie Porta

Jasper Rapsing

Brinley Shaw

Anna Tebben

Zoe Webb

Hailey Wu

Ms. Bone

Mr. Calzone

Mr. Ken

LOST AND FOUND GETTING DONATED 10/30

The cold weather has barely hit us, yet our lost and found is bursting at its seams! If your student is missing their sweatshirt, jacket, water bottle, or lunch bag, please have them stop by the lost and found located in the main hallway next to the showcases. We would love to get these items back to their owners! It's also an excellent time to double-check that your child's name is written on their lunch box, jacket, etc. Thank you! Items will be donated next Friday, October 30th, at the end of the quarter.

SPIRIT WEEK

HALLOWEEN DRESS CODE

🎃A reminder that the student dress code applies on holidays. This upcoming Friday, students are encouraged to wear Black and Orange for Halloween.

PARENT GROUP: PLEASE BRING IN DONATED ITEMS ON MONDAY - THANK YOU

Attention Parents! Now that the school year has started and we're all hopefully settled in to our routines, we'd like to show the incredible West teachers and staff some appreciation and support! We'd like to stock the staff lounge with some items to keep them fueled throughout their day! Please sign up for a donation through the link listed below. There is an option to sign up for an item or a link to Venmo a monetary donation to go towards purchasing items. We appreciate your willingness to help us show the staff how appreciative we are of them! Please be sure to read the directions in the sign-up genius so you know what to do with your donatio.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed already, and again, please bring donations in on Monday if you haven't dropped them off yet.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B4DA8AA28A4FC1-63732102-teacher#/

CLICK HERE FOR THE SIGN-UP GENIUS

NO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, 11/3

Classes will not meet in any of the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. P-CCS staff will be participating in professional development on this day. Classes will resume on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.

SPECIAL FAREWELL MESSAGE & PICTURE IN YEARBOOK FOR 8TH GRADERS!

YEARBOOK/FOND FAREWELL: Attention Parents or Guardians of 8th Graders! Now is the time to honor your 8th Grader with a special farewell message and picture in the Yearbook. Let them know how proud you are of them or wish them luck in High School next year. Space is limited, and submissions will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Go to www.yearbookforever.com and scroll down to the bottom of the website to “CREATE AN AD” to purchase yours today!

ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL REMINDERS

A few reminders about arrival and dismissal.

Students may not be dropped off before 7:45 a.m., as the building is closed and there is no staff supervision inside or outside prior to that time. We have noticed an increasing number of students being dropped off early and waiting outside the building. Please plan your arrival so that students are not dropped off before 7:45 a.m, especially as the weather gets colder.

Also, all students should enter and exit vehicles at the curb only in the designated drop-off/pick-up loop. Students may not pass in front of another car to reach their vehicle. In addition, students are not allowed to walk through the parking lot to meet parked cars. Families should use the curbside pick-up area so students do not move between moving vehicles.

Students, please head directly to the bus or the front loop when school lets out. Cars are waiting to pick up students, and we need you outside within 5 minutes to keep the process moving for everyone. We ask that you not sit at the picnic tables while waiting for pick-up. We need you watching for your car and ready to go rather than socializing with friends. Thank you!

WEST SCIENCE OLYMPIAD

West Middle School Students: Are you interested in building an Elastic Launch Glider, Hovercraft or Roller Coasters? Do you like problem solving, participating in labs or testing your Science Knowledge? Come and join the West Science Olympiad team to compete against other schools in over 20 Science events!

If you are interested, Parents and Students please fill out the interest form: Complete this form by 10/23 and join us for an informational meeting held during Primetime on Monday, November 2, 2026 Join us and see what it is all about and the events this year.

If you'd like to read more about Science Olympiad, go to the national website https://www.soinc.org/

If you have questions, Please email Ms. Culbert- Kimberly.culbert@pccsk12.com

DADS ARE DOING SOMETHING AT WEST

Hey, West families! Meet DADS FOR EDUCATION, a group of dads and father figures who love showing up for kids. They're joining the West community to cheer on students, lend a hand at school events, and be a friendly face in the hallway.

Because when kids see dads, grandpas, and uncles pitching in, it makes school feel even more like home.

Want to join the fun? Visit www.dadsforeducation.com or email bryan.johnson@dadsforeducation.com.

NJHS INDUCTION CEREMONY 10/26

The NJHS Induction Ceremony for our new members will take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 6:30 PM. The ceremony will last approximately 30 - 40 minutes.

In the spirit of service, we ask that each new inductee bring a hygiene product to donate to those in need. Collection bins will be available at the ceremony, and all donations will go to Plymouth Community Foster Closet.

As induction is an important milestone in our students’ NJHS journey, we encourage all new inductees to dress nicely for this special occasion.

We look forward to celebrating this achievement and welcoming our newest NJHS members!

REMINDERS FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

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DISTRICT NEWS

MOONLIGHT ART OPPORTUNITY 10/26

Join the P-CCS Student and Family Engagement department for an hour of creative exploration on Monday, October 26, in the Discovery Middle School Auditeria. There will be two sessions, starting at 5:30 or 6:45 p.m. Local artist Alessandra Lipman will lead this free, family-friendly art class as you create a moonlit piece of art. Space is limited; please plan to attend if you sign up at RegisterHereforMoonlightArt. Questions? E-mail sierra.marschall@pccsk12.com or call 734-582-5723

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR MOONLIGHT ART

FAMILY HEALTH PRESENTATION ON THURSDAY, 11/12

The P-CCS Student and Family Engagement department welcomes you to join them for a Family Health Presentation via Google Meet on Thursday, November 12 at 6 p.m. When Should I Take My Child To The Doctor - Understanding When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention vs. a Scheduled Pediatrician Visit is an informative presentation on how to handle medical situations in children. Dr. Rachel Nash, a pediatrician with Trinity Health IHA Medical Group Schoolcraft Campus, will lead the conversation.

Questions? Email sierra.marschall@pccsk12.com or call 734-582-5723.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

PROVIDE INPUT ON SPECIFIC SEX EDUATION STARDARDS TAUGHT/NOT TAUGHT

P-CCS is encouraging all parents/guardians to use the link below to provide input on when you would like to see specific sex education standards taught/not taught in the P-CCS Health Curriculum. Survey responses must be received by November 6, 2026. The Health Curriculum Teams and the district SEAB (Sex Education Advisory Board) will consider data submitted during this year’s curriculum audit. Thank you for supporting your student’s Health education.

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2026 SEX EDUCATION PARENT SURVEY

P-CCS COMMUNITY EDUCATION LATE FALL CLASSES ARE STILL ENROLLING!

After school and evening enrichment and athletic courses are being offered, including art, golf, karate, pickleball, STEM and more. Enrollment for winter courses that start in January will open on December 7.

Registration for CEBL Winter 2027 (Community Ed Basketball League) for grades three through 12 boys and third through sixth girls opens online on October 23. Season runs January-March. Spots are filling quickly so register early. If a course goes on the waitlist, please add your information. More teams will be formed as coaches are secured.

CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER COACH A TEAM

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMON GRADING FRAMEWORK

Grades reflect learning. Grades are intended to communicate a student’s level of mastery of the content standards, rather than behavior or other factors.

Students are graded on a 5–0 scale. This scale is used for individual assignments and assessments:

4–5: Exceeding expectations
3–3.9: Meeting expectations
2–2.9: Progressing toward expectations
1–1.9: Approaching expectations
0–0.9: Area of concern
N: Not enough evidence to determine progress

Report cards still use traditional letter grades. The 5–0 gradebook scores are converted to A–E grades in MiStar for report cards.

Not all assignments carry the same weight. Grades are organized into three categories:

Practice – 5%: Activities that help students develop skills and reinforce learning
Checkpoints – 35%: Shorter assessments that check understanding along the way
Summative Assessments – 60%: Assessments that measure learning at the end of an instructional period

Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning. Teachers provide opportunities for students to show their understanding more than once, including opportunities to redo or resubmit work in accordance with teacher expectations.

Late work can be submitted without a penalty before the related summative assessment. Teachers have a process for accepting late work, and additional guidelines apply after the related summative assessment.

Behavior is not part of a student's academic grade. Things such as turning work in early or on time, bringing supplies, or other non-academic behaviors are not assigned an academic grade.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE MS COMMON GRADING FRAMEWORK