September 6, 2024
In The Loop
Greetings Westbrook Families,
Welcome to the next edition of In The Loop. Each year, teachers engage in ongoing professional development and professional discussions that shape the student experience and aid in both instruction and student learning. This year, we are tackling human learning via the book, Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning. We have already completed our first reading and conducted our first discussion. Ultimately, students will benefit from our study of how people learn best, how they learn most and how we can transform our teaching and their learning to enhance depth of understanding as well as make knowledge and skills stick for good. I am so impressed by our faculty and staff; they are lifelong learners and excellent models for our kids. Okay – find those reading glasses, for this Loop is chock-full of information. There is much to know at the beginning of the school year to consider yourself truly In The Loop.
Clubs
Getting involved in school clubs can be a phenomenal way to become more connected with WMS. We offer about a dozen clubs, seasonal intramural sports and several interscholastic athletic choices. Middle school is a great time to try out different activities, so encourage your child to branch out and experience something new. Below, see a list of the clubs in which your child can participate. Remember that the late bus operates Monday through Thursday, so transportation is taken care of.
Art Club - Mondays with Mrs. Colagiovanni, starts September 9th
Game Club - Tuesdays with Mr. Jennings and Mr. Irons, starts September 10th
Drama Club - Several days a week with Ms. Floyd, starts late November/early December
AV Production - Daily in AM with Ms. Runkle, starts September 3rd (please let HR teacher know if you will be attending)
Student Council - TBD; more information to follow
Newspaper Club - Thursdays with Mrs. Renaud, starts September 12th
Literary Magazine - Thursdays with Mrs. Renaud, September 12th and runs concurrently with Newspaper Club
Yearbook Club - Thursdays with Mrs. Fredrickson, starts mid-November
Math Olympiads - Mondays with Mrs. Maselli, starts late October (available to all grades this year)
Homework Club - Mondays with Mrs. Goad, starts September 9th
Robotics Club - Tuesdays with Mr. DeRose, starts September 10th
Sports
Middle school games begin next week. I would like to wish our fall athletes and coaches good luck this season!
- Reminders
- Intramural tennis begins on Tuesday, September 10th.
- Head Coach: Paul Garrity
- Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:40 PM (athletes may take the late bus home)
- Unified Sports begins on Thursday, September 12th.
- Head Coach: Dan Jennings
- Assistant Coach: Nicole Archambault
- Meets Thursdays from 2:30-3:40 PM (athletes may take the late bus home)
- If you would like to follow a team on ArbiterLive so it syncs to your personal calendar, please click on the following link and follow the directions:
- Important Links
- Contact Information
- PK-12 Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Health
- Athletic Trainer
- Shoreline Conference Middle School Division Philosophy of Interscholastic Athletic Competition
- The member schools of the Shoreline Conference that participate in middle school interscholastic athletic competition are committed to providing activities that will enhance the educational growth of their student athletes. Participation in athletics, both as a player and as a spectator, is a significant component of the educational experience and should contribute positively to the knowledge, skills, and emotional patterns that students possess, thereby enabling them to become better people and citizens. The elements of competition and winning, although they exist, will be controlled to the point that they do not determine the nature of the program; therefore, no team standings will be kept and championship tournaments will not be allowed.
School Pictures
Joseph’s Photography will be at Westbrook Middle School on Thursday, September 19 to take annual school portraits. Picture forms will be sent home next week. You might like to know that we do pictures first thing in the morning; we try to snap their official annual photographs while they are still looking fresh. Please reference this memo for additional picture day details. Note that the online, pre-pay option will go into effect on Monday, September 9.
Open House
I invite you to join us for our annual Open House on Wednesday, September 18 from 6 - 7:45 PM. Follow in your child’s footsteps for just over a 100 minutes as you get to know the facility, administration, the fantastic faculty and all about what goes on at Westbrook Middle School. This is a night that is not to be missed. Be on the lookout, as more specific information about this fun, informative evening is forthcoming. And, yes. There will be cookies!
Seventh and eighth grade students and parents are invited to attend Westbrook High School’s Open House on September 11 at 6:00 - 7:30 PM. This is a college fair-style event. Students and parents can come at any time between 6 - 7:30 PM to the WHS gymnasium. This will be a good opportunity for them (and you) to get to know all about the phenomenal offerings at the high school. WHS continues to amaze me, for they offer a wide variety of opportunities for students to learn, grow, perform and explore at incredibly high levels. Check it out.
Test Results
Early next week, you will be receiving test scores and information related to last year’s Smarter Balanced and Next Generation Science assessments in the mail. I am attaching the letters that accompany your child’s scores below; copies are provided in your preferred language. You will, however, have to check the mailbox to see your student’s scores.
SBAC:
NGSS:
upDates
September 9 - Interscholastic Sports Competitions Begin
September 9 - Clubs Begin
September 9 - Late Bus Commences Monday - Thursday; Leaves WMS at 3:50 PM Daily
September 11 - WHS Open House for 7th and 8th Graders and Parents
September 18 - Open House for WMS
September 19 - School Photo Day
September 23-27 - Book Fair
That just about does it for the September 3 - September 6 Loop. Before I sign off, I typically attach photos to my memos at the end of each Loop. School Messenger is not allowing that currently, so I will be attaching a document with weekly photos. Pictures of the previous week are but a click away. This week’s pictures include young scientists making plastic (from milk and vinegar) and building a “plankton.” Additionally, I have included snapshots of our athletes as they prepare for their first competitions next week. Click here to enjoy the 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