February Newsletter

Newsletter Translation

• To translate: click on" translate newsletter "in the black box on the right side of the newsletter. In the" select language menu" choose the language you need.
  
• "Para traducir al espanol: haga clic en "translate newsletter" que esta en la caja negra al lado derecho del boletin. En el menu de "select language" escoga "Spanish".
• للترجمة إلى اللغة العربية: انقر فوق "ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية" في المربع الأسود على الجانب الأيمن من الرسالة الإخبارية. من قائمة "تحديد اللغة" ، اختر "العربية".
• Kutafsiri kwa Kiswahili: bonyeza "Tafsiri jarida" kwenye sanduku nyeusi upande wa kulia wa jarida. Kutoka kwa menyu ya "Chagua lugha", chagua "Kiswahili".
• Si aad ugu turjunto Af-Soomaaliga: dhagsii "Tarjumida warsidaha" sanduuqa madow ee ku yaal dhinaca midig ee warsidaha. Laga soo bilaabo "Dooro luqadda" menu, dooro "Af-Soomaali".

What a great start to the semester so far! In addition to the learning in their current classes, students have been meeting with counselors regarding classes for the 25-26 school year. After school there have also been several musical performances, parent engagement opportunities and athletic competitions in January. February is another busy month here at West Junior High, with Valentine Grams, the AVID Dance, Community Events, and music and athletic activities. We hope to start some intermurals at lunch this month as well as continue with some fun activities in our advisory class. Thank you for your continued support of our school and community.

(BOISE, ID – 1/27/25) – The Communities for Youth (C4Y) Boise Initiative is partnering with Boise School District to offer "Quad level" Data Walks in 2025. C4Y Data Walks are a fun and interactive way for community partners and community members like parents, grandparents, concerned neighbors and others to learn about and better understand the results of the annual Boise Youth Well-being Survey.

There are four opportunities to participate in Quad-level Data Walks in Boise schools. By clicking on the events below you can RSVP and let us know you'll be joining us.

Boise Quad

• January 30th, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm

• Location: Boise High School Auditorium

• Includes Data For: Boise HS, North Jr. High & Hillside Jr. High

Capital Quad

• January 31st, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm

• Location: Riverglen Junior High Library

• Includes Data For: Capital HS, Riverglen Jr. High & Fairmont Jr. High

Timberline Quad

• February 10th, 2025, 6:00-7:30 pm

• Location: Timberline High School Library

• Includes Data For: Timberline High, East Jr. High & Les Bois Jr. High

Borah Quad

• February 12th, 2025

• Location: South Junior High School Library

• Includes Data For: Borah HS, South Jr High, & West Jr High

These events will feature in-depth discussions about the findings, giving parents, educators, and community members an engaging way to explore the experiences of students in Boise. Data walks are usually a healthy mix of parents, extended family members, school staff, local youth-service providers, and local/neighborhood leaders. Concerned community members who want to help build the best possible community for kids are also welcome.

Starting on Wednesday, February 5, Wednesday will be "Inspirational Day" where we are encouraging students to wear positive and inspirational t-shirts/sweatshirts. We will also have a lesson in advisory that teachers or shows our West Way Values of Kindness, Integrity, Community and Respect.

Thank you to everyone who attending our January meeting. It was great to see some new faces and have some new ideas. Our next meeting is Thursday, Feb 13 at 6:00pm. This is the night of the dance so a great opportunity to drop off your child and see junior high students having a great time before heading to the library for the meeting. We will be discussing the Freshman Farewell as well as the remainder of the events planned for the year. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend.

We will be selling Valentine Grams on Wed. Feb 12, Thurs. Feb. 13 and Fri. Feb 14th. We are in need of suckers to attach to the notes. If you would like to donate a bag of suckers, please just drop them off in the main office before Feb. 13th. We ask that the suckers are not the mini ones but the regular size suckers such as Tootsie Pops or heart suckers. Also, if you would like to purchase a sucker for your child, watch for a separate email from PTBC with instructions.

We have our next Dine a Around Night on Feb. 18th (See flyer below). Please note that you do have to pre-order by Feb. 15th. We have never done this fundraiser before so are excited to give it a try.

Thursday, February 13-AVID DANCE 6-8pm

Tuesday, February 11-Wear Red and White (Hope Squad Awareness)

Thursday, February 13-PTBC Meeting at 6:00pm in the library. All are welcome.

Monday, February 17-NO SCHOOL-Presidents' Day

Friday, February 28-College Day! Students are encouraged to wear college gear!

Hope Week (Feb. 10th-Feb. 14th) is a school-wide event organized by Hope Squads across the nation to raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health.

We are so excited about the "Love Makes the World Go Round" dance on Thursday, Feb. 13th.

Here are the expectations about dances at West Junior High so that everyone will have a great experience:

The dance is from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the West small gym

The dances are supervised by West staff and parent volunteers

Students must bring current school ID card (If they need a new card, they need to see Mrs. Leasure in the main office)

Only CURRENTLY ENROLLED West students are allowed

The cost is $5.00 Cash only-we do not take cards

Concessions (pizza, pop and candy) will be sold. Once again Cash Only

Students don't need a "date" to attend

The dance is from 6:00-8:00 (Parents must pick up at 8:00-if parents are late, student may not get to attend the next dance) If walking home, student must leave campus right after dance.

Once a student leaves (or goes outside) they are not allowed back into the dance. They must go home

No outside food or drink allowed

No Bags-If student brings a bag or purse, it needs to be put it in the main office during the dance.

Any type of inappropriate behavior and parents will be called to come and pick up their child

If a student was not in attendance at school the ENTIRE DAY, they may not attend the dance

If a student has in house detention or is suspended on the day of a dance, that student is not allowed to attend the dance.

Parents, you have an opportunity to put your kids baby picture in the yearbook. You can add a short up to 7 word quote with your kids baby photo if you want to. You will email the digital picture and the quote to, 28lexi.forbes@boiseschools.net. The deadline for the photos is the 28th of February, if you turn in the photos late sadly we only have so much space so first come first serve.

You may order your yearbook at the following site.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1076773/West-Junior-High-School/

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Miller at mark.miller@boiseschools.org

Boise School District Partners with Varsity Tutors to Offer Free 24/7 Online Tutoring for Secondary Students

Boise School District is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Varsity Tutors, bringing 24/7 online tutoring and academic resources to secondary students, free of charge through 2030. This innovative partnership ensures students in grades 7-12 have access to a comprehensive suite of academic support tools, empowering them to learn at their own pace and succeed in any subject.

Through Varsity Tutors, students can connect with flexible, on-demand support, including live tutoring sessions, essay reviews, enrichment classes, and access to celebrity-led StarCourses. The platform offers a variety of self-study tools, recorded lessons, and group classes designed to cater to every learning style.

Key Features Available:

• 24/7 Chat Tutoring – Instant help for any subject, anytime
• Essay Review – Expert feedback on written assignments
• Enrichment Classes – Supplemental courses to enhance learning
• Self-Study Resources – Tools and recorded lessons for independent study

Access for Boise Secondary Students (Grades 7-12):

All secondary students in Boise School District already have a Varsity Tutors account, accessible via Classlink on “My Apps.” Parents and students are encouraged to explore the Varsity Tutors Academic Support Launchpad for an overview of available resources. For login support, students can follow instructions provided through Classlink (myapps.boiseschools.org).

With this partnership, Boise School District is dedicated to providing students with the academic support they need to succeed anytime, anywhere.

Thank you for supporting our cell phone policy so that we can provided the best environment for your child to learn while at school. We do need your help in encouraging your child though. Please remind your child that all electronic equipment (cell phones and airpods) needs to be in the student's locker except for before school, break, lunch and after school. During class time and passing periods students should keep these items in their locker. Phones are not allowed in locker rooms or bathrooms.

We are challenging the students to keep cell phones out of the classroom. If we can reduce the number of cell phone violations from last semester, we are going to have a reward for the students at the end of the year.

Once again, if you need to get a message to your child, please call the main office and we will deliver a message to your child.

The Boise School District complies with federal law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) as it relates to the release of student directory information to the public. To learn more, log on to www.boiseschools.org and navigate to Parents & Patrons > Parent Information > FERPA Form. Or, please call the Clerk of the Board at 208-854-4123 to obtain a copy of the FERPA form.

Education is important and every missed day of school represents lost learning opportunities. However, the Boise School District’s primary concern is for the safety of all students, including students riding buses and walking or biking to school. If students cannot safely travel to school or if schools are not able to operate safely because of citywide dangerous weather conditions, school may be canceled. We do our best to make a decision by 5:30 a.m. to ensure timely communication.

We will not cancel school on days with normal winter conditions. Light snowfall, cold mornings, or areas of ice are not sufficiently dangerous to force the closure of schools. With proper precautions including appropriate clothing, road deicing, and careful driving, students can travel to and from school safely.

The Boise School District covers over 450 square miles of Ada County. We recognize that conditions vary throughout the District, even from street to street, in some cases. Conditions may be extremely dangerous in one area, while perfectly safe everywhere else. If parents believe it is too dangerous for their children to travel to school they have the option to keep their children home. If school is canceled, it will be canceled for the entire District, including Boise Online School.

The most frequent dangerous weather conditions facing Boise schools are:

SNOW: Snow levels within the City of Boise are typically light or moderate. However, there is always the potential for heavy snowfall to make traveling by vehicle or on foot dangerous. Historically, most snowfall only results in slow traffic and minor accidents throughout the City. Normal snowfalls would not result in school closures.

COLD: Frigid temperatures are more serious than snow when making school closure decisions. On bitterly cold days our concern is for students walking to school. Extremely cold weather also impairs our ability to get busses running, which causes delays in pickup routes, delays which are much more dangerous to riders because of the low temperatures.

ICE: Ice is our most dangerous winter weather condition. Freezing rain and/or refreezing of melted snow make our roads, streets, and sidewalks extremely treacherous for pedestrians, and vehicles. Icy conditions may force us to close, even if it appears that no other dangerous conditions exist.

Representatives from transportation agencies, the weather bureau, the highway district, city and county law enforcement agencies, and school administrators, including the Superintendent, check the roads and monitor information throughout the night and early morning hours. We confer early in the morning to reach a decision.

If school will be closed, we will communicate in a number of ways to spread the word. In addition to notifying local radio and television news stations, we will send text & email messages to parents/guardians & staff, send an emergency alert via the District’s mobile app, post closure information at www.boiseschools.org, on each school’s website, and on our social media channels (X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Threads & Instagram). Parents/guardians can sign up to receive emergency text messages by texting “Y” or “YES” to the number 67587. Non-parents (e.g., other family members, staff, news media, etc.) can also receive emergency text alerts via the Boise School District's mobile app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store) or via Remind. For more information, please visit our Inclement Weather Procedures on our Emergency webpage and on our Stay Informed webpage.

Sincerely,

Boise School District Administration

The Boise School District offers emergency text messaging for parents/guardians. Learn more and sign-up.

Janet Cherry - Principal

Bryce England - Assistant Principal

Email: janet.cherry@boiseschools.org
Website: https://west.boiseschools.org/
Location: 8371 W. Salt Creek Ct., Boise, ID 83709
Phone: 208-854-6450
Twitter: @WestMustangsBSD