WRMS Weekly Update

September 20, 2019

Weekly Updates

At the end of each week, please look for my weekly updates with important information including upcoming events. Normally my updates are shorter, there's just a lot to share with the start of a new year!

Please download the Westwood Regional app so you don't miss any updates! Click here for instructions. You can also follow us on twitter (@wrmscardinals) or facebook (@WRMiddleSchool) for photos and announcements with the fun and educational activities we're engaged in!

NJSLA Performance Reports

Today we mailed home the NJSLA Language Arts and Math Assessment Reports. Included you will find a cover letter from our Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Mortimer. Should you have any questions about the information, please feel free to reach out to me, the relative assistant principal (Language Arts: barry.albert@wwrsd.org, Math: michael.attanasio@wwrsd.org) or your child's counselor or teacher.

Club and Activity Fair

Next week we will hold our annual Club and Activity Fair on Wednesday, during lunch (rain date on Thursday). Please encourage your child to get involved! They can sign up for more than one, and if they decide they don't like something and want to try something else later, no problem, just have them reach out to the advisor! Please visit our website for more information about each of our clubs and activities!

Nurse's Update

Please remember that students should remain home if any of the following symptoms are present:

Excessive runny nose, coughing, or sneezing
Fever of 100 degrees or above – students may return to school only after being fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of antipyretics (i.e., Advil, Motrin, or Tylenol)

Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea
Skin rashes of a questionable or unknown origin
Sores on the skin, especially if moist, draining or encrusted

Students should be symptom-free for 24 hours prior to returning to school. Please see our District Medical Handbook for more information.

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Biking to School

Did you know that children who walk and bike to school have higher physical activity levels throughout the day, helping them meet the recommended 60 minutes of activity daily. This level of activity helps prevent childhood obesity and supports healthy bones. Also, students who walk and bike increase oxygen flow to the brain, which helps them be ready to learn first thing in the morning and can improve their academics.

We're thrilled to see so many students taking advantage of this opportunity, and would love to see even more! Please also remind your student to wear a helmet, not only does it make them safer, it's the law!

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Literacy Update

Based upon parental feedback we wanted to ensure that parents have the ability to remain partners in developing their child's literacy. To that end, we've launched a new website highlighting key elements and answering many of the questions you may have about our literacy model, Reading and Writing Workshop. Key points that you'll be able to find, include:

- Descriptions of reading levels, including information that reading level Z not only indicates how complex a text may be to read, but may also indicate that it contains mature themes.

- The link to our Destiny database, which is in the process of being updated, helps students and parents search the wide variety of titles available in each of our classrooms. Each title will have a brief summary and reading/interest level. Additionally, the "Explore!" section identifies the various themes that are present within each title. You can search by keyword, subject, sublocation and more (ie: civil rights, relationships, science, violence, fantasy, drugs, etc.)

- If you find your research reveals any titles you are not comfortable with, or your student comes home with a text you are not comfortable with, please email and notify us right away so we can prevent your child from selecting it in the future or make an immediate change.

As always, should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's Language Arts teacher, the Humanities Department Assistant Principal Barry Albert (barry.albert@wwrsd.org), or myself!

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Parking Lot Safety

Please drive with caution when traveling in our lots, especially the one closest to the school. It's a tight fit and teachers and students are walking through it to get to the school. Please also make sure to drop your student off on the passenger side of the vehicle, it's dangerous to get out on the driver's side with cars passing to exit the lot. There is a yellow, painted sidewalk for students to use when being dropped off in the lot.

Additionally, there can be no drop off or pick up in front of the school on either the Northbound or Southbound sides of Third Avenue. Westwood PD is enforcing this safety precaution, so please be aware as you navigate and figure out your daily routine.

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Drop-Off, Pick-Up and Getting to WRMS

The building opens at 7:45 AM for students and all students must be picked up by 3:15 unless they are staying after for a club of activity. We highly recommend that you avoid the lot for drop-off, Second Avenue or surrounding streets are great alternatives. With the construction, students cannot be picked up in our main parking lot. Students can be picked up in the A Field lot, the Second Avenue cul-de-sac or other surrounding streets that may be a block or two away from the school. We have excellent crossing guards available to assist students before and after school.

Roadwork & Drop-off & Pick-off Notifications

Please see the included notifications from PSE&G regarding the pipe replacement work in Westwood and Washington.

Please review the notification from WWPD regarding drop-off and pick-up at WRMS.

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PSO Information

Please visit our website for information regarding the WRMS PSO. The PSO is seeking parents to fill the following open positions: 6th Grade President, 6th Grade Secretary, and 6th Grade Treasurer. If you are interested, please email them at middleschoolpso@wwrsd.org.

Look for an email from Toolkit (formerly My School Anywhere) to setup your Middle School account and pay your dues. Future purchases for swag, activities, and more can be made through this site.

The PSO Middle School Sports Fall Program is set to kick-off the week of September 16th! Click here for the flyer with more details, and here to take you to the website to register starting next Friday, September 6th. Lisa’s pizza will continue their $5 special (2 slices of pizza and a water) after school for students registered in the program.

Our first open meeting will be Monday, September 23rd at 7:30 PM in the Middle School Media Center. We hope to see you there!

Save the date for our annual Fall Festival, October 23rd (10/24 rain date)!

Food Services

Students should bring lunch, money for lunch (checks should be written out to "Westwood Regional Board of Education"), or have money prepaid on their id card for the first day of school.

In addition to lunch, we will also be serving breakfast this year.

Please click here to visit the Food Services link on the district's website for more information about meal prepayment options, and monthly menus and prices. Also, the Free & Reduced Lunch Application packet for the 2019-2020 school year, which you can print out and complete or apply online through the Genesis Parent Portal.

Voluntary Student Accident Insurance

Please click here if you are interested in accident insurance for your child.

Community Flyers

Please click here to access an online library of electronic flyers for our community partners. This includes information about the Westwood Emergency Services Night next Wednesday!