West Middle School e-Bulletin

• Tuesday, 9/15 . . . . . . . . . . Cross Country Meet vs. Discovery @ Northridge
• Thursday, 9/17 . . . . . . . . . .Open House (Curriculum Night) 6:00-7:35 pm Parents only
• Monday, 9/21 . . . . . . . . . . . NWEA Math Testing Begins
• Thursday, 9/24 . . . . . . . . . .Cross Country Meet vs. Liberty @ Northridge
• Monday, 9/28 . . . . . . . . . . . NWEA Reading Testing Begins
• Tuesday, 9/29 . . . . . . . . . . Parent/Student Meeting for students registered for Washington D.C. Trip @ 7 pm Chaperone meeting at 6:15 pm

We appreciate everyone’s efforts to help make drop-off and pick-up run smoothly and safely. A few reminders that will help us keep traffic moving:

1. Please have students come straight out at dismissal. Students should be outside within five minutes of the end of the school day and should avoid socializing while cars are waiting. If your child needs to stay after school to see a teacher or take care of something, please park in a spot and walk up to meet them rather than waiting in the car line.
2. Please display your family name on your dashboard. This helps our staff quickly identify and call students as cars pull forward.
3. Please remember there is no left turn out of the West front loop after school. The district placed the sign to help with traffic flow due to the high volume of families picking up students.

Thank you for helping us keep dismissal moving safely and efficiently!

Next week, we will be breaking down our PBIS Expectations Matrix with students during Primetime and grade-level meetings. At the end of the week, students will complete a Google Form acknowledging the key policies and expectations.

As a reminder, middle school is a time for students to learn, make mistakes, and grow. We expect students to make mistakes. The goal of PBIS is to recognize students when they are doing things right and reteach expectations when they are not.

Parents and guardians will be notified when a minor is assigned. These notifications are meant to keep families informed and help us work together to support students. A minor is a warning and correction tool, not a sign that a student is in serious trouble.

You can monitor your child’s progress and stay engaged with the PBIS Rewards Parent App! The first step is to download it for free on Google Play, the App Store, or Amazon Apps. Adding your child is simple. Then, we will send you a QR code to scan.

Once your child is added to your PBIS Rewards Parent App, you will be able to see how many points they have earned, which teacher rewarded them, and how they’re spending their points.

Plus, if your child receives a minor infraction. The PBIS app will send you an automatic notification of the infraction, as well as details on what occurred. This will allow you to have informed discussions with your student, as well as reach out to the assigning staff member with any questions.

As a reminder, not all electric bikes are considered e-bikes under Michigan law. To be considered an e-bike, the vehicle must have fully operable pedals and pedal assistance. Electric motorcycles and other motorized vehicles do not fall under the same rules.

Please review the infographic shared by the Plymouth Township Police Department for more information about e-bike use and the requirements in Plymouth Township. The infographic is linked below so you can enlarge it for easier reading. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe.

Parents/Guardians are invited to attend our Curriculum Night (Open House) on Thursday, September 17th from 6 pm - 7:25 pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet your student’s teachers. During each class period, teachers will be prepared to present information about their classes, content, and other pertinent information. Students will be given a handout on the day of Curriculum Night that has their class schedule on it, along with the times for the shortened classes. You may also take a screenshot of your student's schedule from Parent Portal. We look forward to seeing you soon!

We’re pleased to announce that West Middle School will be using SmartPass again for the 26-27 school year. This is a digital hall pass and monitoring system. It’s a smarter, safer way for students to move around the school. Instead of paper slips, students request passes on their devices or on a classroom kiosk, and teachers approve them. This reduces classroom disruptions and provides staff with real-time data on hall traffic. For parents, this means added peace of mind. It’s quick, easy, and keeps the focus on learning. For more details on SmartPass, please see the link to their SmartPass Academy.

We’re excited to share that our 6th graders will be heading to TreeRunner Adventure Park in a few short weeks! This trip is designed to help our students build friendships, strengthen teamwork, and kick off middle school with a shared experience.

Students will attend based on their social studies teacher, which organizes the group by teaching teams:

• Mr. Meyer’s classes will go on Thursday, October 8, 2026
  
  

• Mr. Workman's classes will go on Friday, October 9, 2026
  
  

Each trip will run from 9:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

We hope every student will join us. If the cost is a concern, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we want all students to be able to attend.

All families need to return the permission form, even if your child will not be participating. Students received a copy of the form at school today in class and it's linked below if you need it.

For students attending, please complete the permission form and send in the $50 non-refundable payment (cash or check made payable to P-CCS). This fee covers round-trip transportation and admission to the park.

Forms and payments are due in the main office by Monday, September 25, 2026.

In addition, TreeRunner requires a waiver for each participant. Please complete the waiver online using this link below.

We’re looking forward to a fun and memorable day together, and we can’t wait to see our 6th graders take on this adventure.

8th grade parents and students who are registered for the Washington D.C, please attend the meeting on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at 7 pm in the West Cafeteria. This information will cover packing list, expectations, roommates, bus assignments, chaperones, health information, and itinerary. Chaperones should plan on attending a chaperone meeting starting at 6:15 pm in room B102. Thank you

Canvas Parent Observer accounts for students at the secondary level were updated so that families no longer need to seek out a pairing code to get connected to their student(s)' account(s) in Canvas. If you already had a Canvas account, you might have received a merge request email. This is a legitimate email and you can proceed with merging the accounts. If you are unable to access your Parent Observer account, please use the “Forgot Password?” on the Canvas login page. Please note that your account will be under the email address listed for you in MISTAR Parent Connection. For additional information and screenshots on how to sign in, please review these more detailed set of directions.

During the testing week, your child will spend about two and a half hours completing each of these two tests. Each school year, students in grades 6-8 will take the MAP tests in the fall and again in the spring. The results will be used to help students set academic goals, help teachers inform instruction, and help the school to align resources to support student learning. Following each testing period, you will receive a report showing your child's growth. We are truly excited to utilize this to focus on every child's individual growth and achievement. For more information on resources for parents, download the Parent Toolkit at http://www.nwea.org.

In addition, please note the following testing information for your West student

• As students begin NWEA testing, please remind them that it is an adaptive assessment. This means the difficulty of the questions changes based on how they answer. Students may only feel confident about roughly half of the questions - and that is completely normal and expected!

  The goal is not for students to get every question correct. The assessment is designed to find the level that best matches what they know and are ready to learn. Please encourage your student to do their best and not worry if some questions feel difficult.

• If your West Middle School child is participating in the 1:1 Chromebook program, they will be using their Chromebook for the MAP testing. As such, having a full charge on the device when they comes to school is expected.

• Finally, the standard pre-test message to parents applies here – 1) Make sure that your student eats a healthy breakfast on the day of the testing; 2) Make sure that your child gets enough sleep on the night prior to the testing; and 3) Engage in some conversation about the upcoming test and what the results will mean for your student.

As always, if you have questions regarding this information, please feel free to contact me via

e-mail (cheri.steckel@pccsk12.com) or phone (734.416.7599).

This important program, which is designed for teens and adults, will be led by Hasti A. Raveau, PhD, LP, Founder and CEO of the Mala Child & Family Institute/the Danny Boy Foundation, and Ryleigh Kryska, LMSW, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Danny Boy Foundation. This presentation will challenge common myths about neurodiversity and suicide, explore why suicide prevention should be part of everyday conversations, and discuss why these conversations should begin during adolescence.

Teens, parents, caregivers, educators, and other adults in our community will leave with practical, neurodiversity-affirming ways to talk openly about mental health, recognize when someone may need additional support, and strengthen communication between young people and the adults who care about them. Register Here

It’s important to understand that sharing concerning messages—rather than reporting them—can create fear and disrupt learning. After notifying an adult, students should avoid spreading the issue among peers; if they need to talk, counselors and school staff are available for support. We also encourage families to review a letter from Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, which outlines the serious impact and consequences of school-related threats. The letter is posted in several languages on the district website in the news section.

While many students already enjoy school lunch, our foodservice staff invite families to encourage their children to stop by the cafeteria before class and discover what’s new on the breakfast menu. P-CCS has enhanced our offerings to include a hot breakfast option every day, with an emphasis on satisfying protein choices and hearty whole grains to help students stay fueled throughout the morning. Whenever possible, our meal options also feature locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Whether your student missed breakfast at home, needs extra fuel, or wants to enjoy a meal with friends, the Food and Nutrition Services team is here to help make busy mornings easier and start the school day fueled, focused, and ready to learn!

All families are strongly encouraged to complete the Education and Nutrition Benefits Form—even if you do not think you qualify. Your response helps protect uninterrupted meal access if State funding changes and may qualify your family for additional benefits while generating important funding, including Title dollars, for students and schools across P-CCS.

Spots are still available in the popular Youth Dance program. Visit us at the annual Studio Open House at Salem HS the evening of September 11th. Additional information available on our website.

CEBL Fall Basketball Leagues (grades K–8) are also accepting registrations. Volunteer coaches are needed. While some leagues are currently waitlisting, players are encouraged to add their name. More spots will be opening soon! Winter CEBL enrollment begins in late October. Visit the Community Ed website for full details and watch for new programs being added throughout the season. Stay connected by following Community Ed on Facebook and Instagram: @PCCSCommEd

You may purchase your 26-67 yearbook online by visiting www.yearbookforever.com. You are able to engrave the cover with your student’s name and order extra add-ons for your student. Yearbooks are available for $35 from 8/14/26 thru 10/1/26; $38 from 10/2/26 thru 1/14/27; and $40 1/15/27 thru 5/30/27.

Important Note: When entering your child's information in the "Homeroom Teacher" box, please type your student's FIRST HOUR teacher's name. This is VERY important! If your student takes a class at the high school in the morning, type "Bechtel" in the spot.

West Middle School uses a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure that all students have access to the support they need to be successful. MTSS provides different levels of support based on individual student needs, beginning with Tier I supports that are available to all students.

At West, we have identified several universal Tier I supports that teachers can provide to any student when needed. Students do not need to have a 504 Plan or IEP to access these supports.

Universal supports include:

• Access to teacher notes
• Visually accessible directions
• Check for understanding
• Extra time on assessments (up to 50%)
• Extra time for assignments (up to 24 hours)
• Preferential seating
• Access to reading support tools, including Google Read & Write

If your child is struggling or needs additional support, please reach out to your child's teacher so we can partner with you to identify the supports that will best help your student be successful.

Attention all West Students and their families!

West Middle School has an E-Commerce Spirit wear store! All you have to do is click THIS LINK and it will take you to our very own website designed to meet all of our West Middle School spirit wear needs. From T-shirts to Jackets, bibs to blankets, and everything in between. Shop at your leisure, pay online via your credit or debit cards, and have your exclusive order shipped directly to your house! All the convenience of Amazon, with West flair! Additionally, you can shop knowing that 10% of your order will be returned directly back to West and invested in your child!

Order Now and start summer with the West Middle School Swag that will have you representing our school in style all summer long!

West Middle School

Principal: Mrs. Cheri Steckel

Assistant Principal: Mr. Patrick Calzone

Dean of Student Support: Ms. Jennifer Jacobs

Counselor A-K: Mr. Josh Bechtel Counselor L-Z: Mrs. Amanda Blanchette

General Office: Mrs. Tracy Visnaw, Mrs. Joyce Bauder, Mrs. Lisa Campbell

Staff Directory: CLICK HERE

Website: https://www.pccsk12.com/our-schools/middle-schools/west

Location: 44401 West Ann Arbor Trail, Plymouth 48170

Phone: 734-416-7550