The Howler

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Dear Families,

As we turn the page to October, I'm pleased to share that our first month of school has gone remarkably well! Students have settled into their routines, and it's been wonderful to see our learning community come together with such positive energy.

I hope you'll join us for Open House on October 8th. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet your child's teachers, explore our classrooms, and get a feel for the daily rhythms of our school. We're excited to have food trucks on-site, so plan to stay, enjoy a meal, and connect with other families!

I'm thrilled to announce that our Principal's Council has been established, with one student representative from each team. These student leaders will be attending a leadership conference later this month, where they'll develop skills and bring back fresh ideas to share with our school community. We're also beginning important conversations about implementing No Place for Hate from the Anti-Defamation League, an initiative that will help us continue building a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

Be sure to look out for the new team newsletters launching this week! These will provide team-specific updates and give you deeper insight into what's happening in your child's learning community.

Please don't forget to follow us on our Facebook page to stay up-to-date with all the exciting things happening around WMS. From spirit week photos to academic achievements and field trip updates to important reminders, it's the best way to stay connected with our school community.

As always, I'm here to support you and your family. Please don't hesitate to reach out anytime. Your partnership is essential to our students' success.

Here's to a wonderful October!

Best,

Jesse

While we do not celebrate Halloween as a school community with any specific event or activity, Westfield Middle School traditionally allows students to wear costumes to school for Halloween; therefore, students can wear Halloween costumes on Friday, October 31st only. However, all students must follow the guidelines below to maintain appropriate standards that respect our educational setting.

Costume Guidelines:

• All regular dress code requirements regarding length and coverage still apply.
• Costumes must be school appropriate.
• Costume preparations must be completed at home. (No dressing or applying of make-up, colored hairspray, etc. once students arrive at school).
• Costumes must allow students to fully participate in all classroom activities. Inflatable costumes are not permitted.
• Costumes that depict violence, gore, or horror are not permitted.
• Absolutely no props that contain simulated weapons of any kind (e.g., pretend swords, guns, grenades, knives, etc.)
• Masks or costume hoods are not permitted.
• Costumes that can be offensive or perpetuate a stereotype of someone’s culture, gender, heritage, or religion are not permitted. Students wearing costumes that violate these guidelines will be asked to change into their regular clothes. Caregivers will be contacted, if necessary.
  
  

Your child recently had their first library visit of the school year and borrowed a book. Mrs. Scott, our librarian, had a scavenger hunt to help students learn to navigate the library. Ask your child for a fun fact about Thomas J. Abernethy, our school library namesake.

We will have the Scholastic Book Fair October 6-10th. You can send cash, check (payable to Westfield Middle School), or you can set up an eWallet using this link and here is a digital flyer to preview the books.The Book Fair will also be available at Open House.

Reading improves academic success and social-emotional growth, especially during middle school. Students who read regularly outside of school tend to perform better across all subjects as it strengthens vocabulary, comprehension, focus, and critical thinking skills. It also helps develop the ability to connect with others and manage emotions. Encourage your child to spend at least 15 minutes a day reading at home.

Thank you for helping to foster a love of reading and for supporting your child’s learning journey!

In a timely and thought-provoking lecture titled “Hope Through History: How to Survive Turbulent Times,” Meacham will explore how lessons from the past can help guide us through the challenges of today. Drawing from his deep knowledge of American history and leadership, Meacham will offer perspective, context, and inspiration—showing how our nation has faced and overcome periods of crisis, division, and uncertainty.

A bestselling author and frequent contributor to MSNBC, CNN, and major publications, Meacham is known for his ability to make history accessible and relevant to all audiences. This evening promises to be enlightening, engaging, and deeply resonant for anyone interested in the power of resilience, leadership, and civic hope.

Thanks to a WMS family member, we have the opportunity to reserve tickets for anyone interested. Please email Principal McMillan (jesse.mcmillan@schoolsofwestfield.org) if you are interested!

In this New York Times article, Catherine Pearson interviews Jean Twenge (pronounced

TWAIN-gee), a psychology professor at San Diego State University, an expert on the link

between heavy social media use among adolescents (averaging 4.5 hours a day) and anxiety,

loneliness, and depression. Twenge is also raising three adolescent girls and practicing what

she preaches, notwithstanding their fervent pleas.

“Having concrete rules that are reasonably strict is usually the way to go,” says Twenge.

“When stuff has gone wrong, it’s often because I’m like, OK, just this one time. And then it

blows up in my face… I don’t have perfect children; I’m not perfect either.” Among the

compromises so far: one is allowed to use Discord on her laptop to chat with friends, another,

who is “a total Swiftie,” can use Spotify on her phone. Twenge says her daughters have not

suffered socially. Her oldest, now in college, says that when a friend asks her to text, she says,

“No. Call me. I want to hear your voice.”

When it comes to Twenge’s recommendations to other parents, she is fighting an uphill

battle. The average age of getting a smartphone is 11, nearly 40 percent of 10-12-year olds use

social media, and half of teens, according to one study, “almost constantly.” Here are the

guidelines in Twenge’s new book:

- You’re in charge; parents set the rules versus negotiating or following peer norms.

- Start kids with “dumbphones” with calling, texting, and music but limited apps.

- Advocate for bell-to-bell smartphone bans during the school day.

- No social media until age 16 (or older)

- Give the first smartphone with the driver’s license.

- Beware of laptops, gaming consoles, tablets, and other devices; all screens pose risks.

- Use robust parental controls.- Create no-phone zones – for example, the dinner table and family vacations.

- Give kids real-world freedom, encouraging independence and face-to-face socializing.

- No electronic devices in the bedroom overnight.

On the last item, Twenge says, “The biggest link to happiness, and the biggest link to

depression, is sleep – always.”

To those who argue for flexibility around when kids get their first smartphone, Twenge

says, “We don’t say, Oh, some 12-year-olds are ready to drive and some 20-year-olds aren’t, so

it’s just up to the individual or it’s up to the parent… With so many other things in society, we

choose an age and we stick with it.”

“An Unwavering Warning About Teenagers and Screen Time” by Catherine Pearson in The

New York Times, September 9, 2025; Twenge can be reached at jtwenge@sdsu.edu . Twenge’s

book is 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World: How Parents Can Stop Smartphones,

Social Media, and Gaming from Taking Over Their Children’s Lives” (Simon & Schuster,

2025)

When the PTO met on 9/24/25, elections were held for the 25-26 school year. Thank you to the parents who were able to attend for accepting some of the open positions. Unfortunately, there are still open positions that NEED to be filled. If we do not fill these six positions, we will lose our incorporation status. If that happens, the PTO will have to dissolve and sell off any assets including monies in the bank account. Additionally, without a PTO some of the activities the students of Westfield Middle School have previously enjoyed will not be able to happen.

The PTO rasied $4800 during the 2024-2025 school year and $8500 during the 2025-2026 school year to support our students! This money was used to sponsor a low-cost dance for our 8th graders which includes a local venue, reduce some of the cost of the end of the year activities by providing needed scholarships and providing things like Kona Ice for both the 8th and 7th graders. They also do all of the planning for Teacher appreciation week and fill in the gaps for items that are not received through donation taking much of the burden off families.

Elections - Nominated and accepted:

• President - OPEN
• Director (Vice President) - OPEN
• Treasurer - Justine Andras
• Financial Secretary - OPEN
• Clerk (Recording Secretary) - Colleen Cekovsky
• Social Media Secretary - Stephanie Nunez

Our first all-school dance will be on Friday, November 7th from 6-8 p.m. Please mark your calendars! More information to come at a later date.