• Who needs support at home, in school, and in the community? ... Every Child!
• Who needs our guidance, attention, and patience today and every day? ... Every Child!
• Who will shape the future of our world tomorrow and in the years to come? ... Every Child!

Dear WIS Family,

As we continue to support our students’ academic and personal growth, I want to take a moment to address an important concern: social media use at the intermediate level. Simply put, excessive use of social media is not beneficial. Research and real-world experience show that social media can negatively impact mental health, expose children to inappropriate content, and lead to issues such as cyberbullying and online conflicts. Many of the challenges we address at school -- including peer drama, misunderstandings, and short attention span -- stem from continual and repeated interactions on platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram. At the intermediate age, students are still developing emotionally, and most do not have the maturity or judgment to navigate these platforms safely each and every day. I encourage you to monitor your child’s digital footprint, discuss safe and responsible internet use, and set clear boundaries for screen time. Tools like parental controls, privacy settings, and open conversations can go a long way in keeping your child safe online.

Mr. Longacre

slongacre@duneland.k12.in.us

We are striving to achieve a 96% attendance rate this year at WIS.

5th Grade 93.5134%

6th Grade 92.9691%

When needing to report a student absence, parents/guardians should call (219-983-3710) or email (mkowalecki@duneland.k12.in.us) the attendance secretary in the WIS office by 9:00 am on the day of the absence. If the school sends a student home early, then no notification is required.

Duneland Schools will celebrate National School Counseling Week, February 3-7, 2025. This special week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

Each Duneland School employs at least one school counselor and each school counseling program.

In September of 2024, the Chesterton High School Counseling Team completed Indiana’s Comprehensive School Counseling Initiative, Carrying the Torch to Student Success, at the highest level possible - Gold Star. Schools who successfully complete the Gold Level programming qualify for RAMP recognition as well. CHS is currently working toward achieving the American School Counselor Association RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) recognition this summer.

All of the other Duneland School Counselors are working toward earning this new Indiana Comprehensive School Counseling initiative.

We are excited to announce that this year’s yearbook will include both Westchester Intermediate School (WIS) and Westchester Middle School (WMS). Yearbooks are available for $30.00, and you can order directly through this link: Order Yearbooks Here.

Sixth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in both WIS intramural sports and Westchester Middle School athletics. If your child wants to participate in middle school sports, they must have a current physical on file, dated after 4/1/24. Sixth grade students can ONLY participate in Middle School Cross Country, Westling, and Track and Field. This fall, students can participate in Middle School Cross Country. Mr. Rich Gross rgross@duneland.k12.in.us is the athletic director for Westchester Campus. Please reach out to Mr. Gross with any questions.

WIS Studio Art Club is a program that features special instruction with a variety of unique opportunities and experiences geared to develop students' interests and art abilities. Art Studio is open to 5th and 6th students who have demonstrated high achievement, interest, and/or potential in the visual arts. This club meets the needs of a diverse group of learners.

Language Arts

• Last week, students completed the ILearn Checkpoint 2 and a CFA over informational texts. This week, we will continue reading City of Ember, as well as working on writing short answer RACE responses and reviewing grammar skills. Honors ELA - Last week, students worked very hard! Everyone gave their best efforts to ILearn Checkpoint 2 and a CFA over informational texts. This week, we continue on with Johnny Tremain. Students were assigned an at-home project, The Lyte Cup, that is due on Friday. Details are in Canvas.

Math

• Students will be testing their new skills of adding and subtracting fractions tomorrow. Then students will move on to adding and subtracting mixed numbers. We hope to have a test on that by the end of next week. We continue to work on all skills through Get More Math and IXL practice daily and weekly.

Social Studies

• Last week, we learned about the Declaration of Independence and started reading about the Revolutionary War. We will be taking a CSA on Thursday and Friday of this week

Science

• Last week we spent some time learning about gravity. Students learned that if gravity was the ONLY force involved, objects would fall at the exact same rate. Since objects do not fall at the exact same rate, we talked about air resistance, friction, and drag. Students were able to apply their learning when we tested the time it took different objects to reach the ground. This week we will learn about constellations.

Language Arts

• Students will continue to apply all that they have learned so far this year as they read and analyze primary sources about the Titanic.

Math

• This week in the wonderful world of numbers- As we finish our study in algebraic concepts and data analysis, we head back to fractions. We will be studying ratios, proportions, and rates. Students need to continue to study their notes and key vocabulary.

Social Studies

• This week will continue to strengthen students’ understanding of the way our government works. Students will focus on the Preamble to the Constitution. Our formative assessment this week will have the students demonstrate their understanding of the main parts of the Preamble. Phrases from the Preamble will be defined using illustrations.

Science

• Teachers will demonstrate using red, blue, and green lights to shine on M&M's to explore how different colors of light interact with the candy coating.This demonstrates how the color we see depends on the object’s ability to reflect specific wavelengths of light and how the light source impacts our perception.The teacher will shine a laser through gummy bears of different colors to show how materials interact with light. This activity demonstrates light absorption, transmission, and how color is related to the wavelengths of light an object interacts with. Students will also be working on Gizmo’s doing additive & subtractive colors of light, seeing colors, and color absorption of light. MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2, & MS-PS4-3

PE

• This week in PE, we are continuing our Pickleball unit. We are playing 2 v 2 Pickleball and then 4 square Pickleball. Friday is our last day of the rotation.

Art

• This week in art students will wrap up their art rotation by completing our Bright Wishes Chalk Pastel projects along with our Doodle Monsters project. Students will begin a new related arts rotation next Monday.

  
  

Music

• 5th graders will be introduced to our band program and have an opportunity to try instruments from the woodwind, brass, and percussion families. 6th graders will finish up our Piano unit with learned basic chord patterns and progressions in the key of C.

PLTW

• 5th graders will redesign their robots for their final Battle Bot Challenge and will also get more practice with coding. 6th graders will explore how to use lights and servo motors with the Micro:bits.

Media

• This week students will engage in various media activities and digital citizenship projects, including logos.

Our Trojan Cafe has a new look! We have a new serving area with 2 lines to serve our students. We will also have new trays available for our students to use during lunch.

Please help your student memorize their student identification number, as they will need to know this number in order to purchase their lunch.

Here are the meal prices for the 2024-25 school year.

Elementary Breakfast Price: $1.45

Elementary Lunch Price: $2.55

Intermediate/Middle/High Breakfast Price: $1.60

Intermediate/Middle/High lunch Price: $2.95

• iPads are the property of Duneland Schools. Students should keep the devices in operable condition.
• Students should refrain from downloading apps, pics, etc. that are not permitted under school and/or corporation policy.
  
• Students are required to bring their charged iPads to class.
• Our Intermediate curriculum is designed to utilize iPads for lessons, remediation, and enrichment activities.

5th and 6th grade students are not allowed to use their personal communication devices (cell phones and smart watches) during the instructional day. Items used for communication should be stored in lockers to be kept safe throughout the day. If students need to contact a parent/guardian during the day, they are welcome to do so from the office. Classrooms also have phone access. Similarly, students are not permitted to wear personal earbuds with bluetooth capabilities attached to their phones (e.g. Air Pods, etc.). Students will need to use their school-issued iPad earphones for Exact Path lessons and select ILEARN testing sessions. The only time audio ear pieces are permitted are for teacher-assigned classwork and medically-approved needs.

Westchester is committed to supporting students' use of technology. To get your problems solved as fast as possible, choose one of the following methods:

1. Open a new Incident IQ online:
   1. AV number is typically located on a sticker on the back/bottom of the device
2. Open a Incident IQ ticket by sending an email to: helpdesk@duneland.k12.in.us
   1. Please be sure to include email address, student or staff name, and a description of the problem
3. Contact Westchester's tech aide (Ms. Bennett) in WIS Library/Media at 219-983-3710 or fbennett@duneland.k12.in.us.

Since the Skyward migration has been completed, the mobile app should automatically pull the new URL. Parents who are not getting the new URL, should remove the current account from the Skyward app and add the account back.

You can verify that the app is using the new URL by performing the following steps in the app:
1. Accounts--Edit
2. Click District. Review the URL under "Connection will be attempted using:"

You can delete the existing connection by performing the following steps in the app:
1. Accounts--Edit
2. Delete

DSC's new Skyward uses the following link: https://skyward.iscorp.com/scripts/wsisa.dll/WService=wsedudunelandscin/seplog01.w

Do you want to earn money but still be home with your family?

Does the cost of childcare hinder your plans to work?

Does your child participate in the many afterschool opportunities?

Would you like to spend quality time with your kids during spring, summer and winter breaks?

DUNELAND TRANSPORTATION

Information regarding student bus transportation for the 2024-2025 school year is available on DSC website under the Transportation Department.

TRACK STUDENT'S BUS WITH MYSTOP APP

The Duneland School Corporation Department of Transportation has now made My Stop available to our families.

My Stop is a web-based application which will allow parents to access live bus GPS information using a smartphone, tablet, or computer and securely view the current location of your child’s bus on routes. The system also provides the bus’s estimated time of arrival at your child’s bus stop.

Please read the attached letter to parents for more information on how to use My Stop to track your child's bus.

To make an appointment please call 219-763-8112. Let NorthShore know you are a Duneland School student or staff member and that you would like to make an appointment at the Duneland School Clinic located at the old CMS.

WIS Mission:

WIS provides a safe and engaging environment where students are empowered to explore their talents, build on their curiosity, embrace high expectations, and become responsible, caring citizens.

WIS Vision:

WIS inspires learners to become independent, critical thinkers collaborating in an environment where responsibility, adaptability, and reflection are modeled and developed.

Email: slongacre@duneland.k12.in.us
Website: https://wis.duneland.k12.in.us/
Location: 1050 South 5th Street, Chesterton, IN, USA
Phone: (219) 983-3710
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westchesterintermediate/