Wildcat Weekly

2/22/26

As we conclude Black History Month, we are incredibly proud of the meaningful conversations and reflections happening across our campus.

This month, our Wildcats have had the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the powerful contributions of legendary Black leaders in United States history — and more importantly, to reflect on how their messages connect to our own lives.

We began the month by celebrating the message of hope shared by Barack Obama. Students explored the idea that hope is more than a feeling — it is a force. Whether inspiring a national movement or motivating personal growth, hope can spark meaningful change in our world and within ourselves.

Next, we honored the courage of Harriet Tubman. Her bravery reminded us that each of us has the opportunity to stand up for what is right and to make a difference — even through small, everyday acts of courage.

In the second week, we reflected on the legacy of Malcolm X and his desire to help others seek and recognize truth. Students discussed how acknowledging truth in our own lives can strengthen our character and positively impact those around us.

We concluded last week by exploring the power of voice through the life and work of Maya Angelou. Her example reminded us that our words matter. Each of us has a voice that can inspire, uplift, and encourage others to think deeply and act purposefully.

This week, we will unite our celebration through a campus-wide Spirit Week, with themed dress-up days that reflect the powerful messages we have explored together. Details for each day are included below — we look forward to seeing our Wildcats participate and celebrate!

We will also host our Black History Month Essay Writing Competition, giving students an opportunity to explore these themes more deeply while strengthening their writing skills. Competition details are included in this edition of the newsletter.

📚 Important Updates for This Week

Course Selection:
Our counselors are wrapping up entry of student choice sheets for next year’s course selections. If parents or students have any questions about course options, please reach out directly to your grade-level counselor for assistance.

TELPAS Testing Begins This Week:
We will begin administering the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) this week. TELPAS allows students who are learning English as a second language to demonstrate their proficiency in English.

• Tuesday: Modified campus schedule for Reading & Writing portions

• Thursday: 6th Grade Speaking & Listening

• Friday: 7th Grade Speaking & Listening

We appreciate your support in ensuring students arrive on time, well-rested, and ready to do their best.

Rising 8th Grade Career Pathways Reminder:
The deadline to opt out of the Career Pathways course for next year is Friday, February 27th. Information was emailed to families previously. If you have questions about this course or the process, please contact us.

As we close out Black History Month, we are reminded that hope, courage, truth, and voice are not just themes for February — they are qualities we strive to live out every day at Westview Middle School.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to build a campus where every Wildcat is inspired to grow, lead, and make a difference.

💜🐾

To help our families stay informed and support students in doing their very best, below are the major assessment dates for the next two weeks. Please review carefully, as several grade levels will participate in important campus assessments over the next few weeks.

📅 Week of February 23rd

• 7th Grade Accellerated Math Module 5 Topic 1 Assessment

• 7th Inheritance & Change in Population Science Assessment

• 8th Grade Math Module 5 Topic 1 Assessment

• 8th Grade - Algebra I Module 5 Topic 1 Assessment

• 8th Grade - Social Studies Module 9 Assessment

📅 February 24th

• TELPAS Reading & Writing Assessment
• 6th Grade TELPAS Listening & Speaking Assessment

• 7th Grade TELPAS Listening & Speaking

• 8th Grade TELPAS Listening & Speaking

If you have any questions about these assessments, please reach out to your child’s teacher or our front office. Thank you for partnering with us to support our Wildcats!

On Tuesday, February 17th, we had the privilege of welcoming Mr. Alex Okafor to Westview Middle School as our special guest speaker. Students in elective courses during 2nd period, along with students in 6th and 7th grade science and social studies classes, gathered in the cafeteria to hear his powerful and inspiring story.

Mr. Okafor shared his journey of hard work, perseverance, and determination — emphasizing what truly makes a leader. He spoke about discipline, resilience, and the importance of staying focused on your goals, even when challenges arise.

Our Wildcats were highly engaged and asked thoughtful questions about who inspired him most along the way, what it felt like to play in the NFL, and what the experience of competing in a Super Bowl was really like. Students were not only impressed by his accomplishments, but also by his humility and authenticity.

We are especially grateful that after his visit, Mr. Okafor expressed interest in returning to continue mentoring and supporting our students. We look forward to building on this partnership and providing more opportunities for our Wildcats to learn from leaders who model excellence both on and off the field.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this special event possible!

💜🐾

If your child is in need of services provided by our counseling team, such as an academic or scheduling concern, a peer conflict, family or grief concern, mental health concerns, or request for community resources, please use this linked form to request support.

It is already time to begin planning for next year’s courses, and we are excited to guide all of our Wildcats through this process!

⭐ 8th Grade Course Selection & High School Transition

• All course selections must be submitted in SchooLinks by February 6

• By February 27: Students & parents must review and confirm their Personal Graduation Plans (PGP) in SchooLinks

To ensure smooth communication, please verify that your email address is correct and up to date. If you need to make changes, contact our registrar, Ms. Hilchey, at (512) 594-2237 or Stephanie.Hilchey@Pfisd.net.

Choice Sheets for 6th & 7th Grade Students

Our 6th and 7th grade Wildcats will complete paper choice sheets in February. These must be fully completed and turned in before March 6th. Counselors will visit classrooms to guide students through their options and answer questions.

Incoming 6th Graders (Current 5th Graders)

We look forward to welcoming our future Wildcats!
To support a smooth transition to middle school:

• February 6: 5th Grade Campus Visits to WVMS

• February 10: 5th Grade Family Night at WVMS

Families will learn about course offerings, electives, and the middle school experience.

Questions? We’re Here to Help!

Please reach out to your child’s grade-level counselor:

• 6th Grade: Laurie Hulse — (512) 594-2288

• 7th Grade: Kathryn Blake — (512) 594-2229

• 8th Grade: Rachel Cruz Herget — (512) 594-2228

We are excited to partner with you as we plan for another successful year for our Wildcats!

Our Wildcats competed in their second track meet this past Wednesday at Bohls Middle School, and once again, they represented Westview with pride, determination, and outstanding sportsmanship.

We are especially proud to celebrate Sarah Adelman, who earned 1st place again in both the 2400m and the 1600m events! Her dedication, discipline, and commitment to excellence continue to shine. We are so proud of her demonstration of excellence both on and off the track.

From explosive starts to strong finishes, our student-athletes demonstrated hard work, teamwork, and perseverance. Whether competing on the track or cheering on their teammates, our Wildcats truly made us proud.

Track season is just getting started, and we are excited to see their continued growth and success. Please join us in supporting our team at their next meet this Wednesday at PMS beginning at 4:30 p.m. We would love to see our Wildcat families there cheering them on!

Let’s continue to show our Wildcat Pride both on and off the field!

We are beyond excited to share that our WVMS Cheer Team brought home 1st place in their division AND were named Grand Champions in the School Division at the Redline Southern Showdown in Cedar Park! These incredible athletes outperformed four other teams on their way to victory.

They didn’t just win banners and rings — be sure to check out their new championship jackets when they wear them to school on Tuesday!

The team scored an outstanding 89.78, and we could not be more proud of the way they represented Westview with spirit, class, and determination.

When you see these athletes, be sure to congratulate them — they earned it!

Now we eagerly wait to hear if they received a bid to Kalahari Super Nationals in May. Stay tuned!

Go Wildcats!!!!

At Westview Middle School, our goal is to maintain a focused, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment for all students. As a reminder, cell phones are not allowed to be seen or used during the school day. This includes hallways, classrooms, and common areas.

To support consistency across the district, we will be following the PfISD Cell Phone Consequence Ladder for any violations:

OffenseConsequence

We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing this expectation at home. When students are free from distractions, they can better focus, engage, and succeed in their learning.

💜 Go Wildcats — focused and ready to learn!

Beginning this month, the PfISD Transportation Department will introduce a new Transportation Badge System for students who ride the school bus. This system is designed to make transportation even safer and more efficient for our Wildcats.

Students who ride the bus will receive a new ID badge from the transportation department. They will simply scan their badge when getting on and off the bus, allowing district staff to ensure students are always on the correct bus and helping families stay informed. This system helps prevent mix-ups and gives everyone greater peace of mind—nothing more, and nothing to worry about.

These new badges are multi-purpose, too! Students will be able to:

• Access breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria

• Check out books in the library

• Wear the badge daily as part of our regular school ID expectations

If your child does not ride the bus, they will continue using their current school badge, and no changes are needed.

We appreciate your partnership as we roll out this helpful system that supports student safety and smooth daily routines for all.

We love seeing our Wildcat families join their students for lunch! Families are always welcome to bring outside food and enjoy lunch with their child at our picnic tables. These moments mean so much to our students, and we truly enjoy having our families here on campus.

If you would like to have lunch with your child, simply stop by the front office when you arrive. Our staff will call your student out of the cafeteria, and you can briefly sign them out and back in once lunch is finished. It’s a simple process, and a wonderful way to stay connected with your child during the school day.

We hope to see you at lunch soon!

Help your child perform at their highest level this year! 🏫✨

• Our Year to Date Attendance is 93.1.
• 6th Grade = 94.3%
• 7th Grade = 92.3.%
• 8th Grade = 92.5%

• Try to schedule doctor and dentist appointments after school or in the afternoon so your child can be counted present.
  

• Every school day matters—just a few missed days can add up quickly.
  

Thank you for partnering with us to make every day count for your child’s success! 💙

We’re proud to share that our students have been doing a much better job getting to class on time! Thank you to all of our families for supporting this effort — your partnership makes a big difference. When students arrive to class promptly, they are more engaged, prepared, and ready to learn from bell to bell.

While we’re celebrating this progress, please remember that we are still issuing consequences for excessive tardies according to our campus Tardy Consequence Ladder:

# of Tardies
Consequence

Thank you for continuing to encourage your student to be on time every day. Every minute in class counts toward their success!

💜 Let’s keep up the great work, Wildcats!

Please mark your calendars for these important dates and events this week:

• February 24th
• All Grades TELPAS Reading & Writing Assessments
• February 25th
• Spring Picture Day
• February 26th
• 6th Grade TELPAS Speaking & Listening Assessments
• February 27th
• 7th Grade TELPAS Speaking & Listening Assessments
• WVMS Black History Program (Teachers may sign up)
• Deadline for Career Pathways Opt Out for Current 7th Grade (Email was sent to parents)
• PfISD P-TECH & ECHS Application Deadline
• 6th Grade WEB Hangout (3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

Let’s stay focused, stay involved, and keep our Wildcat momentum going strong! 💜🐾