Westwood Junior High

We’ve had a great week at Westwood! Thank you to everyone who joined us for Meet the Teacher Night, we had record attendance, and it was wonderful connecting with so many families. Our Virtual Open House is being finalized and will be released next week, along with the RLA and Social Studies Learning with the Pack.

We are also celebrating 6 Distinction Designations from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Distinctions are special recognitions given to schools that show outstanding achievement in certain areas compared to other schools across the state. We are proud to share that Westwood Junior High earned distinctions in:

• Academic Achievement in Mathematics

• Academic Achievement in Science

• Academic Achievement in Social Studies

• Academic Achievement in Reading/Language Arts

• Top 25%: Comparative Academic Growth

• Postsecondary Readiness

These recognitions celebrate the hard work of our students, teachers, and families. Together, we are preparing every student for future success!

As a reminder, my messages will always highlight important grade reporting dates. On Friday, September 19 at 4:00 PM, you will receive your child’s progress report in your email box from your child's advisory teacher. Teachers update their gradebooks at least every 5 days, and we encourage you to check both Focus (link here) and Schoology (link here) regularly. Please note: according to UIL eligibility criteria, failing grades posted at this deadline may impact your child’s ability to participate in extracurricular activities.

We also have several exciting events coming up:

• Tuesday, September 16 at the WWJH Football Game: Raffle for a chance to participate in a Field Goal Challenge to win a full year of Chick-fil-A. Raffle tickets will be sold at the game and support our WWJH PTA.

• Friday, September 19 is the PTA Dance (6–8 PM, Small Gym): A fun evening for students! PTA is still seeking volunteers, please complete the form below if you can help.

Exciting things are happening every week at Westwood, and as always, we deeply value and appreciate your partnership.

With Wolf Pack Pride,

Katie Mottram
Principal, Westwood Junior High

kathryn.mottram@risd.org

• 09/19 - Fall Dance Hosted by WWJH PTA
• 10/03 – RHS Homecoming (early release @ 2 pm for parade & game)
• 10/10-13 - Fall Break
• 10/24 - Fall Picture day
• 11/3-4 - Student Holiday/Staff Professional Learning Day
• 11/05 – Road to RHS (8th grade parents at WWJH @ 6 pm)
• 11/06 – MST Ed Talks
• 12/16-19 – Fall Exam Week

Haga clic aquí para español.

Catch up on all the updates from our September 5th edition. Click below to view the full newsletter.

Join us under the big top for a night of music, lights, and dance magic at the Cirque de Wolfpack Dance! Don’t miss the chance to dance with your friends, snap some amazing photos, and enjoy a night full of fun. Tickets are on sale now, grab yours before they disappear like magic!

✨ Be part of the fun by signing up to volunteer — we truly couldn’t make this event happen without your support.

If you have a few minutes, please take a look at our volunteer opportunities and consider signing up for a shift (or two!). Every bit of help makes a huge difference.

AVID Day, September 12th, is more than a celebration—it’s a chance to spotlight the educators who help close the opportunity gap and the students who thrive because of their support. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) equips students with the tools and strategies they need to succeed—not just in school, but in life. AVID students consistently graduate at higher rates, attend college in greater numbers, and develop essential skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership.

Texas legislation requires all parents and guardians to provide clear opt-in and opt-out preferences for their student regarding various activities and services such as:

• Available access to health services (all grade levels)

• After-school clubs (all grade levels)

• Counseling opportunities (K-5 & 7-12)

• Library Services (all grade levels)
  
  

All RISD parents/legal guardians received an email from the district on Friday, August 22 with information to select your preferences for your student(s) in FOCUS. Please make sure that you check your email, you should have a message from RIchardson ISD, with the subject line: Important Parent Message in Regards to Recent Texas Legislation.

Please visit the FOCUS portal and use the newly created page to submit your preferences for each of your children.

If you have additional questions, please submit a Let’s Talk here.

Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. We look forward to a great new school year.

Dear RISD Parent/Guardian:

Texas Department of State Health Services requires different annual screenings based on the student’s grade level. A list of required screenings by grade level is below. The types of screenings conducted annually include vision, hearing, acanthosis nigricans, and spinal. All screenings will be conducted throughout the school year instead of one mass screening day.

Screenings will begin on September 16th and will continue upon completion.

If a student’s screening results indicate the need for further evaluation by a physician or other health provider, then the nurse will send home a referral letter. This screening does not replace your child’s need for regular health care and check-ups.

If you do not wish for your child to participate in the mandated school screening, a physician-signed hearing, vision, acanthosis nigricans and/or spinal evaluation for the student must be submitted to the school nurse before September 2, 2025.

Required Screenings by Grade Level

Pre-K 4’s – hearing and vision

Kindergarten – hearing and vision

1st grade – hearing, vision, and acanthosis nigricans

2nd grade (new to RISD students only) – hearing and vision

3rd – hearing, vision, and acanthosis nigricans

4th (new to RISD students)- hearing and vision

5th - hearing, vision, acanthosis nigricans, and spinal (spinal is girls only)

6th (new to RISD students) – hearing and vision

7th hearing, vision, and acanthosis nigricans, spinal (spinal is girls only)

8th (boys) - spinal

8th-12th (new to RISD students) - hearing and vision

Thank you,

RISD Health Services

Parents, thank you for your support in ensuring your child wears his/her badge throughout the school day every day. We are also proud of our bus riders for complying with the requirement to scan their badge each time they board and exit the bus to and from school.

If your child needs help or a reminder about this new district requirement, please watch this video, visit our Transportation web page or contact our office.

Hello Westwood Families,

It’s that time again! Westwood Junior High, Math, Science, and Leadership Magnet is excited to invite speakers to chat with our students about how the skills they are learning in the classroom connect to future careers. This year’s event will take place on November 6th.

We are so grateful for the incredible community support we’ve received in the past and would be thrilled to have you join us again this year—either in person or virtually!

If you’re willing to share your time and experiences to help inspire and develop young minds, please let us know by completing this Google Form.

Our students truly benefit from the knowledge, stories, and skills our community members bring, and we deeply appreciate your involvement in continuing the tradition of Westwood EdTalks!

If you have any questions, please contact:
Melissa Compton 📧 melissa.compton@risd.org

Join us as we travel to London during Spring Break 2026!

Since 2022, Westwood 8th grade students and parents have explored London together, experiencing highlights such as:

• Oxford University
• The Tower of London
• The London Eye
• Westminster Abbey
• The Globe Theatre
• West End Musicals such as:
• Matilda
• Back to the Future
• Walking Ghost Tours
• ...and much more!

This action-packed five-day trip is the perfect way to make lasting memories while discovering the history, culture, and excitement of London.

📢 Details for an upcoming interest meeting will be shared soon as we finalize plans with the travel company.

Questions? Contact Coach Lockett at beverly.lockett@risd.org.

Thank you for supporting PTA Chick-fil-a Westwood Spirit Nights.

Fall Sports Photos will be taken on Wednesday, October 1st from 7:00 AM - 9:30 AM. The teams participating in picture day include Football, Volleyball, Cross Country, and Cheer. Additional information with times will be provided to student-athletes prior to the photo date.

RHS Homecoming 2025:

As in the past Westwood Athletics will participate in RHS's annual homecoming parade on October 3rd. This year's theme is RHS EAGLES: BE THE LEGEND. The entry fee for the parade is one donation item (a package of socks or underwear) per student participating which is for the RISD Clothes Closet. If you would like to volunteer a truck and/or trailer for the athletes to ride on or decorations, please inform the coaches. Last year the parents did a great job helping out, decorating, and donating items for the trailers and bottled water for the students. Thank you once again for your thoughtfulness and generosity. We could not make things happen in such a great manner without our parents!

WWJH Athletics Store

Open Store: The athletic store is open and will remain open until September 16th. Spirit wear such as practice items, WOLVES spirit wear (t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, sweatpants, polos, and hats) are included on the site. https://nhathletics.com/westwood-athletics/

● Once the store closes on September 12th, please keep in mind, delivery takes 14-21 days after the store's closing date to receive the items.

● In order to create and maintain a culture of unity, student-athletes are encouraged to wear the approved 7th and 8th Westwood Athletics Uniform and team shirts. We have a few more pairs of shorts available for purchase, if you need additional shorts for your student-athlete.

Westwood Athletic Coordinators

Girls: Beverley Lockett beverly.lockett@risd.org

Boys: Andres Cervantes andres.cervantes@risd.org

• The 7th and 8th grade football teams had their first game against Apollo this week. The next opponent will be Liberty at Eagle Mustang Stadium.

○ 8th Grade will play at 5:30 PM

○ 7th Grade will play at 7:00 PM

• RISD Clear bag policy is in effect. Students attending the game must wear their student ID's.
• Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate.

VOLLEYBALL:

• The 2025 teams will continue regular season play against Forest Meadow MS on September 18th.

○ The 7th grade games will be played at Forest Meadow with 7B playing at 5:30 PM, followed by the 7C team at 6:30 PM, and 7A will close out the night at 7:30 PM.

○ The 8th grade teams will play at Westwood JH. Game times are set for 8A @ 5:30 PM and 8B @ 6:30 PM.

• RISD Clear bag policy is in effect.
• Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

Cross Country:

• Boys Cross Country parent meet is set for September 15th at 5:30 PM via Webex. A link will be emailed and sent in Talking Points for parents to join.
• Practices will continue at 6:45 AM.
• The official season for boys is scheduled for Monday, September 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM at Huffhines Park (Richardson, TX).

Girls Cross Country

• Practices began this week and will continue each morning at 6:45 AM.
• The official season for girls is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 4:30 PM at Huffhines Park (Richardson, TX).

IMPORTANT: All students must have an updated physical using the correct 2024 form and all UIL Rank One paperwork completed prior to participating in any tryouts, practices, or games. Updated and valid athletic physicals allow students to actively participate for one calendar year from the date of the doctor's examination. All UIL information can be found on Westwood, RHS, and RISD Athletics websites. In order for a student to remain in the Athletics period, all eligibility requirements (physical and Rank One) must be completed by Friday, August 29th. If you have any questions or would like to speak with one of the athletic coordinators at Westwood, please contact Coach Lockett or Coach Cervantes.

Tickets for all RISD Athletic Events can be purchased at the gate or by visiting the link below:

https://richardsonisd.brushfire.com/

This is Ms. Moore’s 10th years as the LITE at Westwood, though she taught RLA and Reading at Westwood from ’99-’08. After earning her Masters of Library Science, she moved to Forest Meadow Junior High as the Librarian. After that she moved up to Pearce High School as their LITE. But she soon realized junior high was the place for her and came back home to Westwood, as the LITE this time. Her goals are to create a space that builds community for students and staff, knowing that junior high is full of transitions for students and finding a spot they can land can be challenging. All the events planned in the library are to enrich students’ education, but also their lives as a whole. Please check out all the activates she has planned this month below! And if you’re on Twitter, you can find the library @WWJHLibrary to keep updated on what’s happening!

Database of the Month

Each month we spotlight one of our online databases and Culture Grams is the database for September! Check out this presentation to see what information Culture Grams contains. There is a Database Challenge each month as well. Students need to enter by the last day of the month. All the information is in the students’ Library Schoology Group.

Database Challenge due 9/30 – 3 prizes will be given at random from everyone who completes the Form completely!

September’s Reading Challenge! …This is the End! Students will determine which books contain the last lines posted outside the library? Whoever gets the most correct wins a prize! Entries are due September 26th.

Book Club

The next Book Club Meeting is September 30th during lunch.

• A lunch is reading The Selection.
• B and C lunches are reading Milo Moss is Officially UnAmazing!

Copies of the books are available in the library to check out. It’s never too late to join Book Club!

Fun Friday allows students to come to the library during their lunch to participate in board games and building community! We have this event as the calendar allows, when the library is available during lunch periods. Thanks so much to the parents who purchased some new games for this from our Amazon Wishlist!

Can you guess who your students’ teachers are from their junior high pics?

Teachers Back in the Day, Guess who They are Today!

If you’d like to support the library, we have an Amazon Wishlist of items we would love to

add to the library. Please make sure you add a note if you donate something.

Thank you for your support!

Join the WWJH PTA and show your support for our students! We welcome and encourage parents, grandparents, neighbors, extended family, friends and members of the community to join the WWJH PTA! Support your school and your child by joining WWJH PTA!

RISD recognizes the work our teachers perform to support every child, every day. And we believe there is an opportunity EVERY day to show our appreciation for all they do to ensure student success. Click here to learn more about the Thank a Teacher program and how to sign up, and we will connect you with a campus.