September Newsletter

West Liberty Middle School

Principal Andrew Genz

Secretary: Annie Gerstbrein

Secretary: Angie Gingerich

Email: agenz@wl.k12.ia.us
Website: www.wl.k12.ia.us
Location: 203 E 7th St, West Liberty, IA 52776
Phone: (319) 627 - 2118
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestLibCSD

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On behalf of the entire school community, we want to again extend a warm welcome to all of our students and families as we begin an exciting new school year! Middle school is a time of tremendous growth for students, academically, socially, and personally. As a staff, we are honored to partner with you during this important chapter in your child’s lives. The first week went well and students were visually excited to be back in the building and in the classroom.

Thank you for trusting us with the privilege of educating your children. We are excited about the year ahead and all of the opportunities it will bring for learning, discovery, and growth.

Below is a quick rundown of important dates this month:

Monday, September 7th - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 22nd - Picture Day

Every Monday: 3:05 - 4:00 - WLMS Library Open for Homework Help

Next month:

Wednesday, October 21st - Parent/Teacher Conferences - 4:00 - 8:00 @ WLMS

Thursday, October 22nd - Friday, October 23rd - NO SCHOOL

As a reminder, we ask that families refrain from sending homemade or home-cooked food items for students to share with classmates. If your student would like to bring a treat or snack to share, please make sure it is prepackaged and store-bought. We also ask that the student or parent check with the school nurse prior to bringing in any food to share. This helps us safely accommodate food allergies and dietary needs within our school.

A good night’s sleep plays an important role in helping students be ready to learn each day. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, children ages 6–12 should regularly get 9–12 hours of sleep, while teenagers ages 13–18 should get 8–10 hours.

Getting enough sleep can help students with attention, learning, memory, emotional regulation, and overall physical health. Establishing a consistent bedtime and limiting screens before bed are two simple ways families can help students develop healthy sleep habits.

Quick Tip: Try to keep bedtime and wake-up times consistent, even when schedules get busy.

West Liberty Middle School uses a 2-Week Academic Eligibility Policy for students participating in extracurricular activities. The goal of this policy is to encourage students to stay on top of their academics while still providing an opportunity to improve their grades before becoming ineligible.

A few key points for families:

• Students failing two or more classes will first enter a one-week probationary period and may still participate in competitions.
• If a student is still failing two or more classes the following week, they will be ineligible for competitions for that week.
• Eligibility is determined weekly, and once a student is deemed ineligible, that status does not change during the week, even if grades improve.
• Students are encouraged to communicate with their teachers and take advantage of academic support opportunities during their probationary week.

For additional details, examples of how eligibility is determined, and a Spanish version of the policy, please review the full West Liberty 2-Week Academic Policy attached to this newsletter.

This year, the WLMS Student Engagement team will continue its focus on building meaningful connections outside the classroom. The goal is simple: create fun opportunities for students to socialize, try new activities, and strengthen our school community. The Student Engagement Team has developed a growing list of ideas to help students connect with their peers. These activities will change throughout the year based on weather.

To help organize and stay up-to-date, here is a calendar of engagement activities offered at the middle school in the month of September:

SEPTEMBER ACTIVITY CALENDAR - English - CLICK HERE

SEPTEMBER ACTIVITY CALENDAR - Spanish - CLICK HERE

Highlighted Activties:

Soccer Fun - Thursdays

After-school soccer activity is a fun way for students to stay active, build teamwork skills, and enjoy time with friends. It is no cost to students and anyone can participate. It will go till 4:00. It is open to all grades.

Athletic Events

In addition to the middle school activities, we also included the middle school and high school home events on the calendar. This fall student can get into all athletic activities for FREE. Thank you West Liberty Booster Club for providing this opportunity for our students.

Our Student Handbook is an important resource that outlines expectations, policies, and procedures for the school year. It includes information on attendance, behavior, grading, extracurricular activities, and much more. Reviewing the handbook with your student is a great way to ensure they understand what it means to be a positive and responsible member of our school community.

The handbook is available through the links below and can also be requested through the main office. We encourage every family to take time to read through it together and reach out with any questions. By working together, we can create a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment for all students.

English Version - CLICK HERE

Spanish Version - CLICK HERE

The West Liberty Booster Club is sponsoring FREE student admission to all fall HOME events! This includes both middle school and high school events throughout the fall season. We appreciate the Booster Club providing this opportunity for our students to come out, support their classmates, and cheer on the Comets!

Fall Sports Begin Monday!

West Liberty Middle School offers fall sports for all 7th and 8th grade students at no cost. Athletics are a great opportunity for students to get involved, stay active, and build connections with their classmates and coaches. Families should download the Bound app (pictured to the right) to sign up and stay up to date on schedules and information.

Every school day matters! Consistent attendance helps students stay on top of their learning, build strong connections with classmates, and develop positive habits that set them up for success both in and out of the classroom. Each lesson builds on the one before, and missing even a single day can make it harder for students to keep up with new material.

We understand that sometimes absences are unavoidable due to illness or emergencies. If your student is unable to come to school, it is VERY IMPORTANT TO CALL OR EMAIL THE OFFICE as soon as possible. Here are the methods to report an absence:

Office Phone: (319) 627-2118

Absence Email: msabsence@wl.k12.ia.us

Emailing is a new way to report a student absence. You may email at anytime. The office may contact you to confirm absence on a case-by-case basis.

Reporting absences helps us keep accurate records, ensures your child’s safety, and allows teachers to provide any missed work in a timely way. Together, by making attendance a priority, we can support your child’s learning and growth.

If you are an 8th grader and scheduled to go to the high first period, please report to the middle school on the first day of school. More information on your schedule for the rest of the week will be given Monday.

The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority. In order to maintain a secure environment, all visitors are required to check in at the office with school personnel and receive a visitor badge before entering any part of the building during the school day (7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.). This process helps us know who is in the building at all times and ensures a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.

If you would like to meet with a teacher or administrator, we kindly ask that you email ahead of time to set up an appointment. This allows us to make sure the person you wish to see is available and prepared to meet with you. We truly appreciate your cooperation and support in keeping our school a safe place for learning.

Did you know that both parents and students have access to Infinite Campus? This online portal is a great tool for staying connected and informed. Through Infinite Campus, you can view class schedules, check grades, monitor attendance, and see important updates throughout the school year.

If you need help getting set up with an account or logging in, please don’t hesitate to contact the main office, we’re happy to assist. There is also Infinite Campus information in both Spanish and English attached below. Regularly checking grades and attendance on Infinite Campus is one of the easiest ways to stay up to date on your student’s progress and provide support at home when needed.

This school year, West Liberty Middle School will be moving to quarter grading periods. This change will provide families with formal grades more frequently throughout the year and create additional opportunities to monitor student progress. Families are encouraged to continue checking Infinite Campus regularly to stay up to date on grades and assignments.

End of Quarter Dates:

• Quarter 1 - 46 days (October 28)

• Quarter 2 - 46 Days (January 20)

• Quarter 3 - 46 Days (April 7th) - On Conferences Day

• Quarter 4 - 39 Days (June 3rd)

Say cheese! Picture Day will be held on Tuesday, September 22nd. This is a great chance for students to capture a memory of the school year. Ordering information and details will be sent home with students soon. Please help your child come prepared with their best smile!

Picture Absentee/Retake Day: Wednesday, November 5th

Mark your calendars for In-person parent/teacher conferences! This is a wonderful opportunity for families to connect directly with teachers, discuss student progress, and strengthen the partnership between home and school.

The conferences will be held on Wednesday, October 21st, from 4:00–8:00 p.m. More details about the structure and organization of the evening will be shared in a later email. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to support our students’ success.