Dear Willis Families,

A warm welcome to all our new, and returning, Firebird students and families! We are excited about the start of the school year and new opportunities. This newsletter is one avenue of early communication intended to provide an overview of essentials so that your preparation for the upcoming school year is as stress-free as possible.

The beginning of junior high school, or a new school year, can result in some anxiety for students -- and for families. Please do not worry. You do not need to know everything on the first day. Our staff is here to help. We will guide, answer questions, point you in the right direction, reassure you, and welcome each student on our campus with kindness and patience. Our goal is to help every student have a positive school experience.

It is important for you to know that we ask all our students, families, and staff members to follow our Willis Core Value Statements (you can review each in detail later in the newsletter).

1. Willis is a place where everyone must feel safe, and valued.

2. Willis is a place where learning is a priority.

3. Willis is a place where we take pride in our school.

We believe that our actions related to each of these statements are essential to providing a positive learning environment that will ensure the success of our students, our staff, and our school community. Please take the time to review our core values with your student so they understand the role they play in making Willis a safe and welcoming place. As a school, our goal is to make a significant investment in the continuous development of positive relationships and instructional practices so that the needs of ALL our students are met.

We are excited to partner with you in guiding your student to academic success and social development during the upcoming school year. See you soon. GO FIREBIRDS!

Warm regards,

Jeff Delp, Principal

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

If you would like a quick, printable overview of our summer newsletter, check out the summary documents below. Browse this document and then check the newsletter if you would like additional details.

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

Our current bell schedule is available on our website or you may download a pdf copy below.

Being prepared to learn with the right materials is one way for students to achieve early success. Students should be prepared with the following supplies to begin classroom activities on the first day of school.

• A backpack

• At least one folder, or binder

• A minimum of 2 pens (blue or black ink)

• A minimum of 3 pencils

• Loose-leaf notebook paper

Individual teachers, or houses, will have additional supply requests but they will communicate this information with students and parents, and allow time for students to get the required materials. If your family needs assistance with a backpack and school materials, please connect with our Parent Liaison -- Mrs. Maria Huntington at 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.

If you do not already have one, we encourage our family members to create an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. This will assist you in monitoring your student's grades and attendance and provide information that will help you support their efforts at school.

In addition, Infinite Campus is used throughout the school year to communicate critical information. We encourage all of our families to create an account and set-up their communication preferences (i.e. text or email) so that you stay up to date on everything that is happening at Willis. If you experience any difficulties in setting up, or accessing, your account please contact the Willis front office for assistance: 480-883-5700.

NOTE: if you used Infinite Campus during prior years you will continue to utilize the same account.

This year, qualified families who wish to utilize district provided transportation to and from Willis 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. Please note that students who receive transportation as a part of the Individualized Education Plan do not need to register for transportation.

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.

The first few days students are on-campus is always a bit chaotic – especially during student drop-off and pick-up. As you are likely to experience, our parking lot is not large enough to accommodate the amount of traffic we experience during these times. In addition to managing our own parking lot, we must be mindful of limiting traffic backup on McQueen Road – this can be very challenging. In the interest of your convenience and student safety, we would like to make you aware of a few alternatives to using our front parking lot (especially for after-school student pick-up).

• Delay your pick-up time by approximately 10 minutes. Our front parking lot is typically “cleared-out” by 4:10, or 4:15 pm.

• When dropping your student off—please pull as far forward along the curb as possible (do not stop at the front gate). If you are going to wait with your student, please use a parking space.

• Parents may park in the Monterey Point II neighborhood, directly West of Willis. Students may then cross McQueen (with the assistance of our crossing guard) and meet their parents in the neighborhood. Please do not park at the entrance to the neighborhood but pull into one of the side streets.

• Parents may park along Frye Road – directly North of Willis. Students may exit on the North side of our campus and cross the baseball/softball fields. There is a gate near the softball fields where students may exit onto the sidewalk along Frye Road. This area typically has very little congestion.

• There is also a very small parking lot, south of campus that may be used for student drop-off and pick-up.

You are certainly not obligated to use these alternative methods, but your consideration would help us diminish the congestion in our front parking lot. Regardless of the pick-up area you use please be patient and extremely cautious (watch carefully for students) in order to keep all our kids safe.

Thank you for your understanding, and patience.

As a part of our district's 1:1 learning initiative every Willis student will receive a Chromebook for use at school and home. We are excited about the innovative personalized learning opportunities that we can offer to all students when we provide them with a reliable technology device.

To help parents and students learn more about this initiative, please reference the 1:1 Student Guide website. There is a lot of information on this website, but we feel it is important to the success of this initiative to clearly communicate all of it to our parents and students. We encourage you to review this information with your child so you have a clear understanding of device expectations, maintenance, etc.

Before students may receive their device, their guardian must acknowledge a device agreement form. This form can be completed electronically by visiting the Infinite Campus parent portal. Directions on how to do this can be found in the 1:1 Device Website.

In addition to signing the student device agreement, we highly recommend that all families purchase the annual Device Protection Plan (DPP) for each student device. The annual cost of the DPP is $25 but it will dramatically reduce the expense of repair/replacement if the device is damaged, lost, or stolen. DPP may be purchased through Infinite Campus, at Firebird Day, or in the Willis front office.

We recognize the role that cell phones play in the lives of our students and families. However, there is an appropriate place and time for their use at school. We do not want phones to be a distraction during instruction (for the student, or others in the classroom). Research has shown that the mere presence of a cell phone can significantly diminish focus, for adults and students. With this in mind, students may use their cell phones before and after school and while at lunch. However, during the class period, phones must be in silent mode and IN THE STUDENT'S BACKPACK (not in pockets, etc.). This also applies to headphones/earbuds. If students struggle with this expectation, their cell phone may be taken and kept in the office for the day, or for repeated issues a parent may be required to pick-up the device.

Please know that if you text your student during the school day, they may not be able to respond immediately. We do have phones for student use in the front office, student services, and the classroom (if they need to call you). In addition, we will gladly pass along messages from parents/guardians, or help you connect with your student.

Thank you for your assistance in supporting our efforts to limit cell phone distractions during the school day.

Junior high sports and extracurricular activities can be incredibly valuable for the overall development of students. These activities offer opportunities for students to learn teamwork, leadership, responsibility, time management, physical strength, and endurance. Participation in extracurricular activities can also increase student engagement and success in school, as evidenced by better attendance and academic achievement. In addition, these activities encourage empathy, build commitment and accountability, and provide opportunities to make new friends and expand horizons beyond school.

Students interested in representing Willis in our after-school sports program should complete the athletic registration on the Aktivate website. All forms can be viewed, signed, and submitted electronically on this site. All participating students are required to have a current physical. Additional information can be found on the Willis athletics website. Hard copies of all documents are also available in the Willis Student Services office.

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

• Co-Ed Wrestling

• Boys’ Baseball

• Girls’ Volleyball

Feel free to contact Ms. Bonilla in our student services office with any question: 480-833-5700.

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. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Students are assigned to one of three lunch periods (A, B, or C) during the day. They have the option of bringing a lunch from home or purchasing a meal from food services. Parents may put money in the student’s lunch account, which students can access via a keypad in the cafeteria. Money may be added to student accounts during Firebird Day, or via the My School Bucks website.

In addition to eating, during the lunch period students have the opportunity to socialize, play games, utilize the library and relax. This downtime is important and we encourage our kids to use it as a brain break.

Please note that lunch lines can be long during the first few weeks of school. In order to avoid long lines, students may want to bring lunch from home. However, we will make sure all students have the opportunity to eat lunch. Encourage them to see an adult if they do not have enough time.

Research indicates that small improvements in attendance can yield large gains in academic performance. Please emphasize with your student the link between attendance and success by making sure that they miss as few days as possible. When students miss a day of school (for any reason) they miss a lot! Even students who complete their make-up work cannot replicate the activities and experiences they miss in class. If a student must be absent, a parent/guardian should notify the school every day of the absence.

In addition, students are expected to arrive at each class period, on-time, and prepared to work. Being on-time sets the tone for effective learning and reduces disruptions for our classroom communities. You may monitor your student’s attendance using Infinite Campus.

During the first week of school, we will be lenient, and will assist students in finding their classrooms. We understand that learning a new schedule takes time. Adults will be present on campus during passing periods to help students find their classrooms.

We recognize that fashion trends are constantly changing and kids often want to wear current trends. However, clothing that may be appropriate in other settings may not be appropriate for school (just like in the workplace).

Our district dress code expectations are specifically outlined in the student handbook you will receive. Please review this information with your student. We want to address several points related to student dress before families begin shopping for back-to-school clothes.

The following items are NOT PERMITTED on the Willis campus:

• Hats/headwear (this includes beanies, bandanas, hoods, etc.). If students wear a hooded sweatshirt to school, the hood must remain down at all times while on campus. For safety reasons, we need to be able to clearly see student's faces and we also want to reduce the temptation to wear earbuds in class.

• Clothing baring the midriff, revealing undergarments, or sagging below the waistline. Please note that wearing a jacket/sweatshirt/hoodie over school inappropriate clothing does not necessarily result in compliance unless it is worn all of the time (difficult in hot weather). Boys should ensure appropriately fitting pants, or wear a belt.

• Spaghetti strapped or see-through/sheer clothing

• Clothing or jewelry that display/imply messages that are inappropriate for school: profane language, illicit/suggestive images, drugs (i.e. Cookies), alcohol, gangs, violence, weapons, etc.

Students in violation of the dress code will be asked to change (we maintain clean t-shirts in a variety of colors), or call their parents to bring a change of clothing. We appreciate your attention to helping students meet these standards of dress so that we are able to maintain our focus on learning.

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

Restart SMART has partnered with Willis Junior High School to offer various student, family, and community support on site. Restart SMART at Willis will be staffed by a Site Director, Student Support Specialist, and Family Support Specialist to serve the community. Years of research has shown that having a Community School in your neighborhood is extremely beneficial to overall wellness, safety, access to resources, and strengthening the student-to-workforce pipeline.

Our Mission:

Knowing that each person is the expert of their own life, Restart SMART empowers students, families, schools, and communities to develop their unique goals. Our mission is to empower one person at a time to reach, transform, and elevate their community through love and character building.

How We Support:

• Build relationships between schools, local businesses, families, and organizations so that we understand the community’s needs and capacity to support

• Offer a safe, central location for whole-community resources such as but not limited to food distribution, clothing and hygiene assistance, adult learning, collaboration spaces, and healthcare

• Pave a mentorship pathway for students who will enter the workforce in a few years and young families who are looking to grow their skills

• Establish the community as a desirable place to live and takes action to retain community gifts, talents, and support systems

We look forward to sharing more about Restart SMART and introducing our staff at Willis in the coming weeks.

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.

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

Saturday, July 15

• 8:00 - 11:00 AM Operation Back to School - Compass Christian Church

Monday, July 17

• 8:30 - 11:00 AM Firebird Day (schedule pick-up and more)

Wednesday, July 19

• First Day of School!

Tuesday, August 1

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

Thursday, August 10

• 5:30 PM First Parent Teacher Organization Meeting

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