Westpark Weekly

Good morning Wildcats,

Remembrance Day

A big thank you to all the families who sent in photos of loved ones who have served or are currently serving in our military. Including those photos in our Remembrance Day Ceremony makes it that much more meaningful and helps our students understand that the sacrifices we're recognizing are connected to real people, including members of their own families.

We had a really great ceremony on Friday, and I was particularly proud of how respectful and attentive our students were throughout. Remembrance Day gives us an important opportunity to talk with our kids about service, sacrifice, courage and the freedoms we sometimes take for granted. It's also a reminder that remembering isn't just about looking back, but about appreciating what others have done for us and understanding our own responsibility to contribute to a peaceful and respectful society.

A huge thank you to Penny Ralston for organizing our ceremony. Penny does such a fantastic job with this every year, and the time, care and attention she puts into making it meaningful for our students certainly doesn't go unnoticed. We're very lucky to have her!

House Champions!

Congratulations to the Lynx House, our September/October House Competition champions! Lynx members will receive a little something to celebrate their victory when we return from fall break.

I've really appreciated the enthusiasm, effort and attitudes our students have brought to our House competitions this year. There's been some great competition, plenty of school spirit and lots of kids getting involved. That's exactly what we're hoping to build through our reimagining of the House system. Congratulations again to the Lynx - I have a good feeling that the Panthers will come out on top next time!

Thank You, Volleyball Coaches!

With our volleyball season wrapping up, I want to take a minute to recognize the people who make these opportunities possible for our kids.

School sports remain one of the few relatively affordable opportunities for students to participate in organized athletics, and that's largely because of the people willing to volunteer their time. Most of those volunteers are teachers who have already put in a full day at school before heading to practices, games and tournaments.

A huge thank you to TJ Hartel, Tanya Young, Kailyn Smalley, Kristy Hartt, Morgan MacDonald and Liz Symonds for your time, commitment and dedication to our student-athletes. These opportunities mean a lot to our kids, and they simply wouldn't happen without people like you. We really appreciate it!

Freak the Mighty: A School-Wide Book Study.

We've recently started reading Freak the Mighty during our LEAD Block, and I've had a few questions about why we're doing a school-wide book study.

There are a couple of reasons. First, improving literacy is one of our school-wide learning goals, and we want to create more opportunities for kids to read, think and talk about what they're reading. Second, Freak the Mighty is a great story with some powerful lessons about friendship, kindness, belonging, overcoming challenges and not judging people based on appearances. All of these connect nicely to our LEAD values of Learn, Effort, Accountability and Dignity.

I also think there's something pretty valuable about having every student in Grades 6–8 reading the same book. It gives us a common experience and an opportunity to have meaningful conversations across classrooms and grade levels. It's about building literacy skills, but it's also about building the kind of school culture we want at Westpark.

A Few Reminders

Immunizations: Student immunizations are coming up in a couple of weeks. Consent forms have been sent home, so please make sure those are completed and returned to the school. Thanks for helping us get everything organized ahead of time.

Dress for the Weather: When we return from break, please make sure your kids are coming to school prepared for the weather. We're heading into that wonderful Alberta season where the temperature can change dramatically from one day to the next. Students will still be heading outside during breaks, so proper jackets, footwear, gloves and toques are important.

Parking Lot: Finally, thank you to everyone who has been respecting our request to stay out of the staff parking lot during morning drop-off. I know our parking lot and drop-off situation is less than ideal. Trust me, I didn't design it! But keeping that area clear makes things safer for students and helps traffic flow much more smoothly. I really appreciate everyone's cooperation and patience.

Parent-Teacher Interviews: Parent-Teacher Interviews are coming up quickly! Mark Thursday, November 26 on your calendars. I'm really looking forward to having parents back in the building and giving everyone an opportunity to connect with teachers, talk about how things are going and celebrate some of the progress our kids are making. More details about booking interviews will be coming soon.

Basketball Tryouts: With volleyball wrapping up, basketball season is just around the corner! I'd really encourage as many students as possible to come out for tryouts. Whether they've played for years or are just interested in giving it a shot, we'd love to see lots of kids getting involved. Keep an eye out for tryout dates and information when we return from break.

Enjoy Your Fall Break!

Finally, I hope everyone enjoys a well-deserved fall break! It's been a busy couple of months at Westpark, and I think our students and staff are ready for a few days to recharge.

Hopefully the break gives everyone a chance to slow down a little, spend some time with family and friends, catch up on some sleep or just enjoy a few mornings without the usual rush to get out the door. Whatever you've got planned, I hope it's a good one.

We're looking forward to welcoming everyone back on Thursday, November 12, rested, recharged and ready for the next stretch of the school year.

Have a great break, Wildcats!

Stephen

Fair Notice - VTRA

Use of AI & Automated Systems Notification

Detention Room

Welcome Back Student Presentation

Why Are You So Tired?

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nBNbvt4VPhYpMgV8bbWCNGmQZWt_aMgrs3WCK2eHvzQ/present

Please save the Westpark Middle School Student Phone number to your contacts so you don't miss calls from your child:

• Student Phone (Outgoing Only): 403-346-9259
• Main School Line (To Call Back): 403-347-8911

Note: Calls from the student phone cannot be accepted. If your child calls you from this number and you need to call them back, please dial the main school line instead.

• The last chance to place a hot lunch order is five days before the actual event.
• We don't keep hot lunches unless you tell us it will be picked up or you're happy to give it to another student.

Our WMS School Council is looking for parent/guardian volunteers to help with our Hot Lunch program.

If you’re able to lend a hand, please sign up using the link below. Signing up only takes a few seconds!

Volunteer Sign-Up:

https://volunteersignup.org/WRTCP

Thank you for helping make Hot Lunch possible for our students!

Kami
WMS School Council Chair

Students are NOT permitted to use food delivery services (Skip the Dishes, DoorDash, Uber Eats, etc.) to have food delivered to the school. Please ensure your child has appropriate access to food prior to the start of lunch eating time.

Important Date

• Estimated Delivery: Items will be shipped to the school around November 12th.

Is this a Holiday Surprise?

If your purchase is intended as a surprise Christmas gift, please let us know. We will hold the items securely at the school rather than sending them home with your student!

We have students and staff with sensitivities so please refrain from wearing or bringing scented personal care products, perfumes, or colognes into the building.

Thank you.

We are always collecting new or gently used books to give our students even more novels to explore. If your home bookshelves are overflowing, please drop your donations off in the main office.

We are especially looking for ERIN HUNTER books to help build the WARRIORS collection and THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB GRAPHIC NOVELS. Both of these book sets are extremely popular.

Thank you for helping us inspire a community of readers!

WMS STUDENT TECHNOLOGY EXPECTED USE AGREEMENT 26/27

WMS VARIOUS OFF CAMPUS FORM 26/27

WMS WALKING FIELD TRIP FORM 26/27

You will also find the Charter Transportation Application form in there too if your student is wanting to ride the Yellow Charter Bus this year

And if your student is in Sports Academy, you will find those forms in there too.

Log into your Parent Powerschool account

Go to School Engage (left hand menu - last item)

Click on the word Students (or Grad Cap icon)

Select your WMS Students name

Then look for the forms

As your child prepares to transition to Grade 6 at Westpark, we are excited to welcome your
family to our school community. Middle school is an important and exciting step, and we look forward to supporting your child through this next stage of their learning journey.
As part of this transition, we would like to share some important information regarding school fees. Unlike elementary school, middle schools in Red Deer Public Schools collect a $150 Comprehensive Fee for students in Grades 6–8. This fee helps cover the cost of materials, supplies, and specialty programming that enhance your child’s learning experience across a variety of courses.
In addition to this base fee, some optional courses may involve additional costs. These courses include programs that require specialized equipment, materials, or transportation, such as band, fine arts, recreation and outdoor education, as well as Career and Technology Studies.

Families will be able to view the Comprehensive Fee through PowerSchool beginning August 24, 2026.

Payment can be made in full, or you may choose to set up a convenient monthly payment plan. The payment plan option allows families to pay $15 per month from September through June, with automatic charges applied to a selected credit card. Instructions for payment and setting up a payment plan are available within PowerSchool.
We understand that this may be a change for many families. If you have concerns about paying the fee, we encourage you to contact our school administration. We are committed to working with families to ensure that all students have access to the opportunities and resources they need.
Thank you for your understanding and support.

We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead at Westpark Middle School and to getting to know your child.

If you have applied for bussing, and it's been approved and processed, the Transportation tab (left hand side menu) in Powerschool will show all the pick up and drop off information.

Students will have a few days grace to ride the bus without a pass as we hand them out.

To qualify for free bussing, Gr 6 students must live >1.6km from the school, Gr 7&8 must reside >2km from the school

If there is room on the bus, we will allow ineligible students to ride - the fee is $300

To apply for bussing, log into your Parent Powerschool account, go to School Engage (left hand side menu), click on the word Student / Grad Cap and select your WMS students name - then complete the Charter bus application

Just a quick reminder to all families that our Breakfast Program is open every single morning!

Whether your child missed breakfast at home, needs a bit of extra fuel after the bus ride, or is just feeling hungry before class, everyone is welcome. Students can simply stop by the Snack Shack window on their way to class to grab a bite.

What's on the menu?

• Quick grab-and-go days: Granola bars and fruit cups.
• Warm breakfast days: Freshly toasted bread and waffles prepared by our amazing staff.

How you can help:
Our program is 100% donation-based. We rely entirely on the generosity of our community to keep our shelves stocked. If you or a local business would like to support our students, donations are always greatly appreciated!

Thank you for helping us start every student's day ready to learn!

Requested Donations

• Cookies & Brownies
• Cupcakes & Muffins
• Rice Krispie Squares
• Small Loaves
• Cakes
• Any other homemade treats

How You Can Help

• Sign Up: Click this link to enter your name and what you are baking.

• Raffle Cake: Please let us know on the sign-up form if you can provide a cake for our raffle draw, and if it needs decoration.

• Decorating Support: If you want to donate a treat but need help decorating it, bring your item and your decorating supplies to Ms Angelstad in Room 206. The Leadership 7 team will happily decorate it for you!

• Packaging: Package your desserts into individual servings if possible. If not, bring them in and we will package them for you.

• Allergen Info: Please include a clear list of common allergens with your treats.

• Drop-off Window: Monday Nov 23 - (morning of) Thursday Nov 26

Bake sale will take place

Thursday, November 26th (WMS Parent Teacher Interviews)

1pm - 8pm in the Great Space

A huge thank you to Mr. Reid Mills and Hype Hoops for sponsoring our Red Deer Advocate subscription this year. Their generosity means our students and staff will have access to up-to-date local news, sports, and community events right here at school. This is an incredible resource for classrooms, as it helps us connect learning to the world around us and sparks meaningful discussions about current events.

We are grateful for their support and proud to partner with community members who invest in our Wildcats. Thank you, Hype Hoops, for helping us keep our students informed and engaged.

Westpark Middle School

Vice Principal: Danielle Verklan

Vice Principal: Aaron Langstraat

Main Office: (403) 347-8911

Email: westparkmidd@rdpsd.ab.ca

Website: https://westparkmiddle.rdpsd.ab.ca/
Location: 3310 55 Ave, Red Deer, AB T4N 4N1