Preschool screenings will be held soon for students approaching three or four years old with concerns for developmental delays, please see the attached flyer for more information.
Westbrook Public Schools is now offering voluntary student accident insurance. For more information, review the attached documents or visit http://www.k12studentinsurance.com/.
Westbrook Public Schools is pleased to announce that Westbrook Middle School was ranked #1 in Middlesex County by Niche. The primary indicator in the Niche school rankings data is student performance in mathematics and English language arts as measured by the Connecticut Smarter Balanced Assessment. These are assessments that are administered annually each spring and a snapshot measure of student progress in grade level standards. The spring assessment results from 2022 and 2023 revealed strong student growth and achievement in both reading and math. Westbrook Middle School was acknowledged by the CT Department of Education as a CT School of Distinction for both high performance and high growth for all students in mathematics for the 2022-2023 school year. CSDE School of Distinction designations have not been announced for 2023-2024 (expected November 2024).
Not yet factored into the recent ranking is the continued improvement in reading and math for all students evident in the most recent state assessment data from the 2023-2024 school year. Of particular note is the growth and high achievement in grades 7 and 8.
In Spring 2024, 83.8% of Westbrook students in grade 8 and 74.5% of Westbrook students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks in English language arts. In comparison, 49.1% of Connecticut students in grade 8 and 49.5% of Connecticut students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks. In mathematics, 81.1% of Westbrook students in grade 8 and 80.4% of Westbrook students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks. In comparison, 38.2% of Connecticut students in grade 8 and 41.5% of Connecticut students in grade 7 met or exceeded state benchmarks in mathematics.
Westbrook Middle School Principal Matthew Talmadge shared, “Over the past 4 years, Westbrook has doubled down on fidelity of curriculum implementation, utilization of best instructional practices, authentic literacy in all subject areas and targeted intervention for struggling learners. Teachers understand that student growth is the big picture, and that moving the achievement needle forward requires all hands on deck and an intense focus on all of the little student pictures that create the mosaic. Teachers are making informed educational decisions with consistency and the result for Westbrook Middle School’s students has been steady growth.”
Dear Westbrook Families,
Welcome back! Today was an amazing and positive start to the new school year! This morning, we welcomed 576 students PK-12 to the start of the new 2024-2025 school year. District-wide, we also welcomed 35 new families to our community and 60 new students to our schools.
November 8, 2024
In The Loop
Greetings Westbrook Families,
Welcome to the next edition of In The Loop. WMS will be bombarding your mailbox in November, the school will be vacant for 90 minutes next Monday, and find both a calendar and a pen, for I have several upDates for you this week. Stick around, and I’ll Loop you in.
In The Mail
Keep your eyes peeled for several items arriving in your physical mailbox over the next few weeks. First, we are sending report cards home in the mail this quarter. For a time, we aligned with the high school and only did electronic report cards; however, you will receive a hard copy this year. Please note that report cards come to you without comments (we write personalized comments at WMS, and the report cards would be multiple pages long in some cases if we included comments). To see teacher comments, view quarter grades in PowerSchool. Next, look for an attendance mailing from Amy Gallagher. We are working hard this year to spread the word about the importance of regular school attendance. Last, you will be receiving a book from the school. Annually, we do a schoolwide read that exposes students to quality literature, introduces students to both new locations and cultures, and celebrates diversity. Between Thanksgiving and the December break, we will be reading Deborah Ellis’ The Breadwinner. We want you to be in on the conversation, so we will be sending one copy of the schoolwide read book home. Look for more information in Loops to come about how you can read along with us and join the community conversation.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Westbrook is holding a town-wide Veterans Day ceremony on the town green. On 11/11 at 11 AM, Daisy, WMS, WHS, many veterans and the public will gather on the green to celebrate this important day. In Westbrook, we hold school on Veterans Day, so that we can honor the patriotism, sacrifice, and love of country of the United States' military veterans. We are proud to do that with the community in the spirit of solidarity, unity, pride and respect for our veterans. From 10:30 AM until about noon next Monday, there will be nary a sound in the hallways of WMS, as we honor this important day in and with our community.
Full School Movie Night and Dance
On Friday, November 15 from 6 PM to 8 PM in the WMS cafeteria, we will be hosting interested sixth through eighth grade students in the cafeteria. Students are encouraged to cozy up for a movie from 6 - 7:30 PM and prepare to cut a rug from 7:30 - 8 PM. Students are highly encouraged to bring in a $5 donation to watch the movie and to bring a little extra money for snacks and drinks that will be sold by the PTO at the event.
Athletics
Students are enjoying a well-deserved break from interscholastic athletics for a few weeks, but the winter sports season is on the horizon. While they are taking a little hiatus, this is a good time to connect with Westbrook athletics on Facebook and Instagram. Follow the Knights at @wpsknights.
WMS Celebration of Fall Athletes and Teams - We are excited to invite all fall athletes—girls soccer, boys soccer, field hockey, and Unified Sports—to a special celebration on Thursday, November 14, from 2:30 PM to 3:15 PM in the WMS Cafeteria. This event is a fantastic opportunity to recognize the hard work and achievements of our athletes, and we will be serving pizza to make it even more enjoyable. Coaches will share memorable moments from the season, present certificates to all athletes, and highlight special team awards. Note: A gluten free pizza will be purchased for athletes with specific dietary requirements. Should your child have a specific food allergy that might be triggered in this situation, please contact Caitlin Eichler. Students will have the option to take the late bus home at 3:45 PM. We hope to see every fall athlete on the 14th as we come together to celebrate their accomplishments.
Winter Sports Registration is Open - As we look forward to the upcoming winter sports season, we’re excited to invite you to sign up your students for Boys and Girls Basketball and Unified Sports by Friday, November 22nd. If your child is interested in participating in Intramural Volleyball, please register by Friday, January 31st to ensure they’re ready for the first day of practice. Let’s gear up for an exciting season ahead!
Important Reminder - Students must have a physical on file with the nurse, dated within the last 13 months, to participate in interscholastic sports or intramurals. Don’t let your child miss out on the action this winter!
Winter Registration Links:
Let’s make this winter season a memorable one for our Knights!
upDates
November 11 - Veterans Day Ceremony on the Town Green
November 12 - Board of Education Meeting; 7 PM - WHS Library
November 15 - Movie Night and Dance
November 20 - PTO Virtual Meeting; 6 PM
November 27 - 29 - Thanksgiving Recess
December 4 - WMS Choirs in Concert; 6 PM - WHS Auditorium
December 11 - WMS Bands in Concert; 6 PM - WHS Auditorium
That just about does it for the November 4 - November 8 Loop. Before I sign off, while your students were off for election day last Tuesday, our teachers were hard at work. Teachers had a Professional Development day that was filled with CPR training for some, Title XI and teacher evaluation training for all, professional education-based discussions, schoolwide read curriculum mapping, department projects and much more. We are very busy on our PD days, and although we miss having students in the building, we do appreciate the time to take care of professional business.
I received an interesting request a few days ago. I was asked if I could show a few pictures from past Loops about what the kids were doing this week but from years ago. Sure. I can do that! Enjoy the blast from the past. It is amazing how fast they grow. Click here to see this week’s photos. Students only get one chance at a middle school education. At Westbrook Middle School, we aim to make it the best education possible. Consider yourself Looped in.
Sincerely,
Matt Talmadge
Principal
Westbrook Middle School
