April 24th, 2026

New information will always appear above the blue line, while

reminders and helpful links can be found below it.

Cherry Creek High School and CCSD information is at

the bottom of this newsletter, past the WMS reminders!

A huge shout out to the students and staff who participated in CMAS testing this year. We had great attendance and kept our minds and bodies in tip top shape with our first ever CMAS Movement Challenge. Thank you so much to Ms. Nahorniak, Ms. Whitley, and Ms. Flanagan for organizing that for us! While state testing is one piece of evidence in a student's school year, we are excited to know that WMS students gave it their best.

We are now moving into the busiest time of our year - full of field trips, celebrations, recognition nights and other exciting opportunities. Take this time with your student to reflect on their growth this year, but also to continue to focus for these last few weeks. We have a whole month to go still and we want to finish up strong! I look forward to seeing all the exciting things our Wildcats have left to do!

Have a wonderful rest of the year! It will fly by fast!

We are currently seeking interested guardians and community members to join our School Accountability Committee (SAC) Board for the 2026–2027 school year.

The SAC is a collaborative group that meets quarterly to support our school by sharing input on budget priorities, the Unified Improvement Plan (UIP), family engagement, and student learning.

If you are interested in being part of this important work and helping shape the continued growth of West, please complete the interest form here: SAC Board

We value your voice and partnership!

You can always find the Activities and Athletics schedules on the website as well! 😀

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

Boys Flag Football after school on the Field.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

NJHS Ceremony for incoming 8th Graders at 6pm in the South Gym (invite only).

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

Jazz Band after school in D126.

Wildcat Orchestra after school in D125.

Strategic Games after school in A112.

Boys Flag Football after school on the Field.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

eSports after school in the Design Hub.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

NO SCHOOL ~ Teacher Work Day

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

NJHS after school in the Design Hub.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

6th Grade Recognition Night at 6pm in the South Gym (invite only).

• Please email cwheeler@cherrycreekschools.org with any questions.

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

Jazz Band after school in D126.

Wildcat Orchestra after school in D125.

Strategic Games after school in A112.

Student Council after school in C104.

6th Grade Girls Volleyball game @ WMS - game starts when other team arrives (~4:45pm).

8th Grade Girls Volleyball game @ Prairie - game starts when WMS arrives (~4:45pm).

Homework Help before & after school in the commons.

6th & 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Practice after school in the Gym.

Spring Band Concert at 6:30pm in the South Gym.

• Wildcats, this is Mr. Westwood's last concert, let's come together to support him!

Homework Help before school in the commons.

eSports after school in the Design Hub.

8th Grade Girls Volleyball game @ WMS - game starts when other team arrives (~4:45pm).

6th Grade Girls Volleyball game @ Horizon - game starts when WMS arrives (~4:45pm).

Homework Help before school in the commons.

8th Grade Families,

We are excited to share a special opportunity to celebrate your 8th grade student during our annual 8th Grade Clap Out – Wildcat Style! 🎉

Date: May 21, 2026
Time: 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

In response to your feedback, we are thrilled to expand this event to include time and space for families to join in the celebration. After the Clap Out, families will be able to spend time taking pictures, signing yearbooks, enjoying Kona Ice, and celebrating together with music from our DJ.

This is a wonderful opportunity to honor your student’s journey at West and celebrate their transition to high school, truly a moment to create a lasting core memory.

Please save the date and plan to join us for this meaningful celebration!

We look forward to celebrating with you and your Wildcat.

A huge THANK YOU to our amazing West Wildcat families for helping make our end-of-year dance such a success! 🐾🎉

From the generous gift card donations to the time spent setting up and chaperoning, your support made all the difference. We are so grateful for a community that shows up and makes special moments like this possible for our students. 💙

We couldn’t have done it without you—thank you for being part of what makes West so special!

We have seen an increased number of clinic visits for students who do not feel well due to drinking energy drinks (headaches, nausea, feeling jittery, and racing heart).

Students are not permitted to possess, consume, or distribute high-caffeine or energy drinks on school grounds at any time, including during arrival, lunch, recess, after-school activities, and dismissal. This includes, but is not limited to, the following brands: 3D, 5 Hour Energy, Alani Nu, Bang, Beyond Raw Lit, C4 Energy, Celsius, Ghost, Mountain Dew, Monster, Nocco, Nos, Reign, Red Bull, Rockstar, Zevia, Zoa.

Children's hospital's reasoning behind warning against energy drinks: High doses of caffeine may work together with the other ingredients in energy drinks to cause adverse reactions like sleep disturbances, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, anxiety, irritability, and vomiting. They have also been reported to cause very serious problems such as seizures, cardiac events, and even death. If you’re looking for a boost of energy, don’t put your health at risk by reaching for an energy drink. Instead, concentrate on effective training, healthy eating and getting adequate rest.

Hello WMS Families!

This week, 8th graders have been busy continuing on their pathway towards High School and spent time at Junior Achievement-Dream Accelerator Lab exploring options for their future! Throughout their Middle School journey, our 8th graders have set achievable goals, used Naviance to take career interest inventories, spoken with industry experts about classes available at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus and used virtual reality goggles to test out virtual career simulations! Check out this virtual tour of the Dream Lab https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=8kGZLXdwhx9!

While at JA, our students participated in six interactive experiences:

• Introductory Film – Inspires students to be excited about the legacy of entrepreneurship in Colorado and their role in continuing that legacy through their own future
• Picture Your Strengths – Gain perspective on how their personal qualities, strengths, and aspirations can provide the foundation for passion-driven careers
• Colorado Business Hall of Fame Laureates – Discover how the careers of laureates match their own interests
• Reality Check – Understand the costs that are associated with their anticipated adult lifestyle
• Entrepreneurial Mindset – Educates students on the key attributes of the entrepreneurial spirit
• Visualization – Illustrated mural engages students to consider their future goals and greatest hope

Interested in keeping the conversation going at home? Try these conversation starters:

• What is your greatest hope for next year/your future?
• What colleges/ careers/ military branches have you researched and how might this research support you in the future?
• What are your future goals and what steps do you need to take in order to accomplish these?

-The Counseling Team

Please join us for our last general PTCO meeting of the school year! 🐾

🗓 Tuesday, April 28
⏰ 9:00-10:00 AM
📍 West Middle School

We will be:
• Voting in our 2026–2027 PTCO Board
• Hearing important updates from Principal Burkett

We’d love to see you there! 💙

West Middle School is participating in the Colorado Rockies School Fundraising Weekend, and every ticket purchased helps support our school community.

🎟 How it works
• Buy discounted tickets through our school link
• Enter promo code: WESTMIDDLE at checkout
• Bring your family & friends to the game!

📅 Eligible Games

🆚 San Francisco Giants
• Friday, May 29 – 6:40 PM
• Saturday, May 30 – 7:10 PM

🎟 Get your tickets here:
🔗 https://www.mlb.com/rockies/tickets/specials/school-fundraiser

Grab your seats, invite friends, and help us hit a home run for West! ⚾🐾

• May 1 is the final date for library book check-outs.

• Please encourage all students to return overdue books. Check your mailboxes for lists of students with overdue items. Tell them to come to the library if they think they returned something or if they can't find a book.

• Thank you for supporting the Scholastic Book Fair. We had a successful fair.

Head over to the West Middle School Library page to see what new books are available for check out at the library. You can also visit SORA to find e-books.

Click here for a preview of available titles and check out some of the featured titles coming to West next week.

Hi Wildcat Families! We are working on a video to celebrate our 60th anniversary and would love your help. If you or anyone you know attended West and would be interested in sharing your experience, please contact Veronica Yates at vyates@cherrycreekschools.org. We appreciate your support.

We’re building something special at WMS — and everyone is part of it. Westwear isn’t just clothing; it’s our pride, our identity, and our way of showing the world what the WMS community stands for.

Students, parents, teachers, staff — this is your moment. Let’s fill the halls, the stands, and our whole community with Westwear from head to toe. Spirit days, game days, field trips, weekends… every day is a Westwear day.

Let’s show our unity. Let’s show our pride. Let’s show our Westwear.

WMS Community — let’s go!

🛍️ WESTWEAR ONLINE STORES

West Middle School Westwear www.moq1.com/catchfiremarketing/westwear

Westwear Club and Sports Store www.moq1.com/catchfiremarketing/westwear-clubs-and-sports

Managed by the WMS PTCO 20% of every sale goes back to WMS!

• Stores are always open

• Ships directly to you

• Orders fulfilled in 3 days or less

• Brand‑new Westwear designs

• Choose any design on any item

• No minimum order

• Buy more, save more — mix & match

• Savings start at just 4 items

👕 How to Build Your Westwear

1. Browse by category to find your favorites

2. Filter by Youth or Adult sizing

3. Click any item to customize

4. Select More Designs to choose your graphic

5. Choose your color, add to cart… and you’re West‑ready!

Questions? 📧 westwear@westptco.com

• WMS Athletics
• WMS Activities & Clubs
• WMS Attendance
• WMS Parent Resources
• WMS Student Resources
• WMS Campus Admin Office
  
• WMS Counseling

• Main Line (720) 554-5100
• Attendance Line (720) 554-5195
• Counseling (720) 554-5156
• Campus Admins (720) 554-5155
• Clinic/Nurse (720) 554-5117
• Transportation (720) 554-4664

Starting March 23rd, Yearbooks will be able to be bought online with MySchoolBucks, so please make sure you have your account! You are also welcome to still send your student with $40 cash to our Bookkeeper!

Not sure if you’ve already ordered a yearbook?

Email our yearbook sponsor, Caroline Rose Wheeler, to double-check!

Transportation is required by CDE Regulations to account for all students on the bus and unauthorized passengers are not permitted. However, the Transportation Department recognizes that circumstances may arise, e.g. a family emergency, parents out of town, etc., when a student needs to ride home with another student on a one-time only basis. The student must get off at the assigned stop of the student they are riding with (no exceptions).

Make sure to fill out and turn in the linked Permission Slip to the Campus Admins office no later than 9:00 AM on the requested ride date. Forms can be printed and handed to the Campus Admins Assistant. Hard copies of the form can be picked up from the Campus Admins office if they are needed but must be picked up prior to the day they need to ride a different bus. No emails will be accepted. If there is an emergency, please call the Campus Admins office at 720-554-5155.

West Middle School offers HW Help! Please review the available options below, and reach out to your teachers for specific support, as needed. We’ve listed the teachers and room numbers for your convenience. Can’t wait to help you out!

Please note:

• Teachers highlighted in RED are Language Arts teachers
• Teachers highlighted in GREEN are Math teachers
• Teachers highlighted in BLUE are Science teachers
• Teachers highlighted in ORANGE are Social Studies teachers
• Teachers highlighted in YELLOW are elective teachers.
• PURPLE highlighting indicates the teacher specializes in both Language Arts and Math.

Expectations:

• Use the restroom and fill your water before entering.
• Stay in the Commons.
• Bring a charged device.
• Sign in. Find a seat. 1 person per table.
• Keep your phones off.
• Work on school work quietly until dismissal.

At the end of Study Hall…Push in your chair and take all your belongings.

Hello West Families,

We are excited to share that West is launching a school food pantry to help support our families.

Thanks to a district grant, we have received a supply of shelf-stable food items and are grateful for the opportunity to continue assisting those who may need a little extra support.

The pantry provides pre-packed bags with items such as ramen, soup, canned vegetables and fruits, pasta, and other non-perishable foods. If your family would benefit from receiving a food bag, please complete the form below so we can connect with you.

West Food Pantry

To access other food resources like fresh vegetables and perishable items, or to see how you can support our district food supply please follow the link below.

CCSD Food Resources

2026 Freshman Field Hockey Interest Meeting

• Date: Tuesday May 5th

• Time: 6:00pm-7:00pm

• Location: Cherry Creek HS - Shillinglaw

**I will have Pinnies for sale at this meeting! Attached is what they look like!

If you want to pre-purchase you can Venmo @ToriKar-330

2026 Field Hockey Summer Camp

The below is all stated in the registration form, however for ease of reference I have included it below! **Please note any lifting opportunities will be decided in a few months. That registration will be separate as we navigate construction and availability.

These High School Summer Camps are open to rising Freshman through returning Seniors. We are looking to build our fitness, get touches on the ball and continue to grow our team success. The program includes ten 2-hour training sessions. These sessions will focus on fitness first and lead into individual skills, small group play and larger scrimmages depending on the day. This is a perfect way to keep up your fitness and improve your field hockey skill over the summer. Athletes will be broken up first by grade level and will eventually be split by skill level.

1) Field Hockey Summer Camp

DATES: Monday, June 15th - Friday, 19th - AND - Monday, June 22nd - Friday, 26th
TIMES: Mondays @ 4:00pm-6:00pm & Tuesday's - Friday's @ 7:00am-9:00am
LOCATION: CCHS: Turf 1

DEADLINE to Register: Friday, June 5th

2) 2025 Full Program PRESEASON CAMP

DATES: Monday, Aug. 3rd - Friday, Aug 7th

TIMES: Monday: 4:00pm-6:00pm & Tues- Friday @ 7:00am-9:00am

LOCATION: Stutler Bowl

Register: https://forms.gle/24ybe5WXdabte3eUA

For up to date information feel free to follow our Creek Instagram! @Creek_FieldHockey

Please reach out with any questions!!

Coach Tori - vkarsten@cherrycreekschools.org

Cherry Creek Baseball will be hosting an informational meeting for 8th grade parents on Wednesday, May 6th at 7:00 PM in the Shillinglaw Lecture Center at Cherry Creek High School.

The meeting will include information on:

• Summer Camps

• Fall and Winter Workouts

• Program expectations and opportunities

Thank you for helping us spread the word!

Cherry Creek High School has exciting opportunities to get exposure with the soccer program. More information can be found on our website: www.creeksoccer.org.

Follow us on Instagram to stay in the know! @cherrycreekboyssoccer

To be added to our mailing list, click here.

BOYS’ SOCCER MIDDLE SCHOOL FREE SOCCER CLINCS

May 13, 2026 4:30-6:00pm Village Greens Park

No need to register, just come ready to play!

BOYS & GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER CAMP

May 26-29, 2026

Girls 8:00-10:00am

Boys 10:00am-12:00pm

CCHS Turf Fields

Cherry Creek High School soccer is conducting a middle school soccer camp for 6th-8th graders, including incoming Freshmen.

The camp includes conditioning, teaching, individual drills, and fundamentals. Coaches and Varsity players from the boys’ and girls’ teams will lead instruction.

The cost is $180. Scholarships are available.

All campers will receive a t-shirt.

https://www.milehighsportscamps.com/cchs-elementary-middle-school-soccer-camps-26

May 1st, 2026

K - 8 ~ No School

All Day