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.
In The Loop
November 15, 2024
Greetings Westbrook Families,
Welcome to the next edition of In The Loop. This past week, we honored our veterans, ascended in the state rankings, hosted international guests and chose our annual musical. It has been a big week! Stick around, and I’ll Loop you in.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Mr. Bialicki and his student leaders planned and ran a phenomenal Veterans Day Ceremony last Monday. Hundreds of students, veterans and townspeople gathered on the Westbrook green to celebrate, honor and show respect for our veterans. There were celebratory speeches, patriotic musical performances and educational addresses about the history of this important day. It was a wonderful event for our children. Sixth grader Molly C. and seventh grader Dominic C. were interviewed during the ceremony by Channel 8’s Gil Simmons, and they said it best when they both thanked the veterans for their service for protecting our freedom. See our kids in action here.
School Movie Night and Dance
The movie/dance event is tonight! The Student Council will be hosting interested sixth through eighth grade students in the cafeteria. Students are encouraged to cozy up and watch Despicable Me 4 from 6 - 7:30 PM and prepare to dance (a very small portion of) the night away 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.
U.S. News and World Report
Just a few weeks ago, I reported out that WMS was rated the #1 middle school in Middlesex County by Niche. Well, earlier this week, the U.S. News and World Report published their updated list of best middle schools. I am proud to announce that we, once again, made their official list and are a U.S. News and World Report Best Middle School! To make their list, schools must provide quantitative evidence of being a high-achieving school that has succeeded in educating all of their students. Last year, Westbrook Middle School was ranked #20 in the state. The steady, high-quality work of our teachers has pushed us forward to #16 this year. While we do not hang our hats on these types of rankings, it is nice to receive affirmation from time to time that the potent combination of quality teaching and a supportive community is not going unnoticed. To read about Westbrook Middle School’s ranking, please visit this page.
Safety and Security
The safety and security of our students and staff is always at the forefront of our priority list in the Westbrook Public Schools. This week, we had an atypical evacuation drill and have plans to train students on lockdown procedures next week. Regarding the former, we held a planned fire drill during a passing period to address protocols when evacuations occur outside of classroom time. I am proud to report that the drill was imperfect. I am proud of this, because it allowed us to address what did not go well and offer the clear feedback needed to ensure an expeditious, calm and quiet exit should this situation arise in the future; this is precisely why we run drills of this nature. Regarding the latter, teachers will be taking a few minutes out of each of their classes to clearly explain the lockdown process in each space that students occupy inside and outside of the building. At the end of the day on Wednesday the 20th, students will have the knowledge and confidence to act and react in the case of an emergency lockdown.
Unified Sports
It was an incredible week for WMS Unified Sports! A delegation of international educators visited Westbrook Middle School, Coginchaug High School, and Lyman Hall High School on Wednesday to learn more about Unified Sports and inclusion efforts in our schools. The educators work in the areas of physical education, special education, and professional athletics and some are also involved with Special Olympics. It is such an honor to be viewed as a model school for Unified Sports in the state of Connecticut, and it was a proud moment for all of the coaches and student athletes to host international educators and members of Coginchaug High School for a joint practice at our school.
Wednesday evening Nick M., Silas R. and Mr. Jennings were invited to attend All Elite Wrestling (AEW). They were granted front row seats for the continued promotion of inclusion through efforts with Unified Sports. Nick had the opportunity to meet Justin Roberts, the ring announcer for AEW. He was so impressed with Nick's role in our school community that he brought out Tony Khan, owner of AEW, ROH, & Chief Football Strategy Officer for the Jacksonville Jaguars, to meet Nick! Mr. Jennings noted how proud he is of Nick for how he was able to share what inclusion means to him and the importance inclusion has on our school community.
Yesterday six members of our Unified team attended the annual Unified Sports Youth Leadership Summit. These students collaborated with other youth leaders throughout the state to further improve their leadership skills. Coach Jennings would like to thank you for your continued support for our Unified program, noting that these opportunities don’t happen without the incredible support from all stakeholders. Take a look at this slideshow to get an inside look at Unified’s great big week.
Athletics
Yesterday, we celebrated the outstanding achievements of our Westbrook Middle School fall athletes at the Fall Sports Celebration. Athletes were recognized with certificates, coaches shared memorable highlights from the season, and special awards were presented. A special thank you to the Westbrook Athletic Boosters for providing pizza and making the event even more enjoyable. Congratulations to all our athletes on a fantastic season.
We invite you to stay connected with all the thrilling action by following the Westbrook Athletics Facebook Page and Instagram Page (@wpsknights).
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.
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:
Boys Basketball
Girls Basketball
Intramural Volleyball
Unified Sports
Important Links
Contact Information
Caitlin Eichler
PK-12 Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Health
Email: ceichler@westbrookctschools.org
Phone: 860-399-7099
Elizabeth Saunders
Athletic Trainer
Email: esaunders@westbrookctschools.org
Phone: 860-399-6214
upDates
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 11 - November 15 Loop. Before I sign off, I have a few exciting announcements. Ms. Floyd announced that WMS would be doing Annie Jr. this year for the musical. There is a whole new generation that is about to learn that “It’s a Hard Knock Life,” but not to worry, because the sun will come out “Tomorrow.” Speaking of musicals, don’t forget to stop by WHS to see their musical. They are performing Bring It On: The Musical. You can catch the show next Friday and/or Saturday. For $10 (students) or $15 (adults), you can support our WHS musical and “cheer” for our talented cast.
I have added some flyers to our pictures this week. The music program is selling poinsettias, we are holding a food drive and I have posted the official Bring It On announcement. I also included several photos of the Veterans Day ceremony, the sports celebration and a few of your kids in the classroom. 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
