Dear Willis Families,

We are so excited to have our students back on campus -- we just wish we could welcome them with cooler weather. It has been a fantastic first three days and students have done wonderful! I appreciate the enthusiasm and energy they have brought to campus.

The heat is certainly a challenge. Please be sure that your student brings a water bottle to school every day and that they drink water throughout the day. Encourage them to take advantage of cool spaces on campus -- the cafeteria in the morning, the cafeteria and the gym at lunch, and C3 while waiting for busses. At this time we are not allowing students to play outdoors during lunches, however, we have the gym open with the bleachers pulled out. Students may play basketball, or just sit in the bleachers and relax. Hopefully we will be able to open our fields and basketball courts in a couple of weeks.

Thank you for your patience as we begin the new school year. If you, or your student, have any questions or concerns please bring them to our attention. We are here to help! We are looking forward to great things -- academically and socially -- for our students. It's going to be a great year Firebirds!

Have a safe and restful weekend!

Jeff Delp, Principal

Email: delp.jeff@cusd80.com
Location: 401 South McQueen Road, Chandler, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-883-5700
Twitter: @principaldelp

It has been a fantastic first week at Willis! We are so happy to have our students back on campus and begin our focus on learning and growth for the upcoming school year. The students have been "rock stars" and done a great job of coping with the extreme temperatures. Whew - it is hot! Check out some pictures from our first three days.

We are asking that ALL of our families take a few minutes to complete the Free and Reduced Price Lunch Application. It is a simple process that is important to ensure our school receives correct funding and that all qualified students receive appropriate meal assistance. Please note that this application must be completed annually. For more information, please visit the CUSD Food and Nutrition Department's website.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this brief application!

Next week, new Willis students will begin to check out Chromebooks through their ELA classes.

• To get a Chromebook, the Student Device Agreement must be completed by a parent (either hard copy or on Infinite Campus>More>Student Device Agreement).

• Passwords were reset this week. All Willis students must set up new passwords for this school year. Any problems with this process, students can come to the Media Center for assistance.

• Students can purchase Device Protection Plan (DPP)for $25 online through Infinite Campus>More>InTouch Fee Payments or in the Media Center with cash or check. We HIGHLY recommend this -- repair and/or replacement of broken devices can be expensive.

• If students have any questions or problems with Chromebooks, they can come to the Media Center.

• Students should bring their Chromebook to school CHARGED every day

We know that many of our families have experienced challenges with transportation early in the year. We apologize for the inconvenience and frustrations.

This year, qualified families who wish to utilize district provided transportation to and from school must register via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Students qualify to receive transportation to and from school if they live in the Willis boundaries and they are more than a mile from campus.

If you do not already have one, you may create an account using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal Creation link. Once you have access to your Infinite Campus account, please use the directions provided in the following attachments to ensure that your student is set-up to access the bus.

If your student is currently riding a bus (i.e. eighth graders riding their route from last year) but you have not registered them, you still need to do so. Please contact our front office 480.883.5700 if you need assistance. We will do our best to help.

Our school's core values serve as a central theme for the actions of all members of the Willis Junior High School community. We recognize and value the diversity on our campus and want to ensure that our school is a place where every student feels welcomed. Junior high school can be a challenging time – often charged with emotion – but it also provides a great opportunity for students to develop maturity and work on their interpersonal skills. The core values serve as a guide for students to participate in a manner that is school (and society) appropriate.

We ask that all families take time to review the Willis Core Values, as well as the Willis Core Values in Context document so that everyone is clear about our expectations and what these values look like in different settings. Working together, we can ensure that all students at Willis feel safe and valued and have the opportunity to thrive academically and socially.

Willis Core Values Statements

Spanish - Willis Core Values Statements

Willis Core Values in Context

Spanish - Willis Core Values in Context

In addition to tutoring with individual teachers, students have an opportunity to attend Homework Hub, Monday through Thursday, from 4:05 PM until 5:00 PM. Homework Hub is held in the Willis Media Center.

At Homework Hub, students have access to teacher and tutor assistance, as well as a computer lab. A late bus is available for students who are assigned to a regular bus route.

Homework Hub will begin on Monday, July 31.

Next week will will kick-off our first sports season of the school year. Registration for athletics at Willis is done through Aktivate (formerly "Register My Athlete").

• Forms that need to be uploaded into your “Aktivate” account can be submitted via .pdf or .jpg.
• https://aiaonline.org/files/16936/forms-157-a-d.pdf
• More information can be found in the Willis website under the Athletics tab https://www.cusd80.com/domain/4183

Our first athletic season begins on Wednesday, July 26th. The First season sports include:

• Boys’ Baseball
• Girls’ Volleyball
• Wrestling (non-cut sport)

All athletic forms must to be completed and uploaded into the "Aktivate” site prior to your student trying out. Feel free to contact student services at 480-833-5700 with any questions.

At Willis, we see ourselves as a community school and want to do all we can to support the families in our neighborhood. Through our Willis Community Resource Room, we serve our students and their families by providing a wide variety of supplies and services.

Some of the resources we can provide are: backpacks and school supplies, gently used clothing and shoes, food boxes and hygiene items, assistance with the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, translation services, communication support with our school/teachers, parent use of computers for basic needs, parent education information, locating community resources, holiday assistance and a variety of other materials and services.

If you have a need, we will do our best to provide assistance. Mrs. Maria Huntington serves as our parent liaison and she is committed to making a difference for our kids and their families. Please feel free to contact her at any time. We are happy to help in whatever way we can.

Email: huntington.maria@cusd80.com
Location: 401 South McQueen Road, Chandler, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-883-5792

In addition to our teaching faculty, we have a number of staff members who are available to assist your student (in multiple areas) as they navigate the junior high years. We encourage students to connect with an adult for guidance any time they have a question or concerns. We also want our families to feel free to reach out to any of the following staff members if your child or your family needs support. We will make every effort to help.

• Jeff Delp - Principal

• Brett Epstein - Assistant Principal (8th Grade)

• Delawn Leggett - Assistant Principal (7th Grade)

• Michele Chapin - Counselor (7th Grade)

• Maria Murray - Counselor (8th Grade)

• Shauna Goldberg - Counselor (STEAM Academy and students with IEP)

• Kim Boersma - Social Worker

• Gwen Smith - Student Services (Special Education) Coordinator

• Jen Duffy - School Psychologist

• Kacy Irvine - Site Behavioral Specialist

• Roman Thomas - Attendance Support Coordinator

• Maria Huntington - Parent Liaison

Feel free to email anyone on this list and we will either provide assistance or find someone who can.

All students at Willis are an important part of our community and we value each one of them. We know that transitioning to a new school year can be challenging and stressful. To help make the transition easier we have a team of support staff available and willing to help.

8th Grade Counselor: Maria Falcon-Murray

(480)883-5728 falconmurray.maria@cusd80.com

7th Grade Counselor: Michele Chapin

(480)883-5726 chapin.michele@cusd80.com

STEAM and 7/8 Support Counselor: Shauna Goldberg

(480)883-5706 goldberg.shauna@cusd80.com

School Social Worker: Kimberly Boersma

(480)883-5717 boersma.kimberly@cusd80.com

School Behavior Specialist: Kacy Irvine

(480)883-5731 irvine.kacy@cusd80.com

School Psychologist: Jennifer Duffy

(480)883-5780 duffy.jennifer@cusd80.com

Here is a link to the Mental Health Resources in our community:

Mental Health Resources

Willis has a therapy dog -- his name is Stitch! Stitch is owned by Willis counselor Shauna Goldberg. He is a hypo-allergenic Aussie-Doodle. Willis is working in coordination with the Chandler Unified School District's counseling department to build our program in a manner that is best for our students. At this time, Stitch loves spending time in a few classrooms where he likes to be read to, chills out, and enjoys pets. He can also be seen around campus with Ms. Goldberg and students are welcome (but not required) to introduce themselves. Sometimes a cute face and a little puppy love is all we need to get through a tough day!

Wednesday, July 26

• 4:00 PM Fantasy Club (permission slip required) - M19
• First Season Sports Tryouts begin

NEXT Monday, July 31

• Homework Hub begins

NEXT Tuesday, August 1

• 5:15 PM Title I Parent Meeting
• 6:00 PM WJHS Open House

Website: cusd80.com/wjhs
Location: 401 South McQueen Road, Chandler, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-883-5708
Facebook: facebook.com/wjhsfirebirds
Twitter: @willisfirebirds