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WEST WORLD MONTHLY OCTOBER 2019
Letters from our Principals
Dear Parents/Guardians, and Members of the West Community,
Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming! We will be going on Conference Schedule from October 23-25.
There is no school for students on Thursday and Friday. Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, October 23
from 3 pm to 7 pm and Thursday, October 24 from 8 am to 7 pm.
Parent/Guardian/Teacher Conferences are extremely important for everyone. Please contact your child’s
teacher or the office to schedule your conference time. These conferences allow the school and family to work
together to develop the student’s academic and social goals for the year. During these conferences, the teacher
will show you examples of your child’s work and discuss your child’s progress with you. Your child’s teacher
will address where your child is in relation to attaining the Standards at his/her grade level. I hope that this will
give you a clearer picture of your child’s progress and some hints on how to help your child be more successful.
Conferences are one of the most important activities at school each year. Please make every effort to attend the
conference and to take an active role in your student’s education. Because our teachers need to maintain their
conference schedule to be fair to everyone, please make every effort to arrive for your conference a few minutes
early so that conferences may begin at their scheduled time. Thank you, in advance, for your promptness!
In addition to attending conferences, we will have some opportunities for you to meet with additional staff
members to learn how you can support your child at home in their learning. If you meet with three of our
learning stations, you will be given a ticket for $5 to spend at the Book Fair. The Book Fair will be in our
Media Center and will be open from Monday, October 21 through Thursday, October 24.
Families are invited to join us for our Veteran’s Day Assembly on November 8, 2019 at 9 am. We are looking
forward to honoring our Veterans. The American Legion Centennial Post 209 will again join us.
Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s education,
Karen Newton
Principal West Elementary
Dear Families,
We want your child to be successful in school, and that means going beyond the basics. Excelling in
academic classes is important, but students also need to know how to learn, make good decisions, handle
strong emotions, and get along with others.
This week, we will begin the Second Step Middle School Program, which focuses on skills and concepts
designed to help students both in and out of school. These include:
Mindsets and Goals: Students learn about ways to grow their brains and get smarter, along with research-
based strategies for achieving goals and handling difficult situations.
Values and Friendships: Students learn to identify their personal values and use those values to make good
decisions and build strong, positive relationships.
Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions: Students learn the positive role emotions play in their lives, how to
handle unhelpful thoughts and strong emotions, and specific strategies for calming down.
Serious Peer Conflicts: Students learn how to identify and avoid serious conflicts, resolve conflicts that are
unavoidable, think about other people's perspectives, and help stop bullying and harassment at school.
If you have any questions about the Second Step Middle School Program, please do not hesitate to contact
me for more information. Thank you for supporting your child in learning the skills and concepts that lead
to success in school and in life.
Sincerely,
Principal, West Middle School
District News:
What do you want Colorado Springs School District 11 to offer in the future? How
can D11 continue to Inspire Every Mind with innovative programming, while meeting
the needs of all? You will have a voice in these topics at any D11 October World Cafe to help shape
the District 11 academic master plan!
Thursday, October 10, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Urbanites, 506 E. Moreno Ave., 80903 Saturday, October 12, 9 a.m. – noon, Holmes Middle School, 2455 Mesa Road, 80904 Monday, October 14, 2 – 5 p.m., East Library, Community Room, 5550 N. Union Blvd., 80918
Please register at this link for the date and location you plan to attend: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/D11AcademicPlan
ATHLETICS
SPIRIT WEAR UPDATE
Spirit Wear orders will be arriving
mid-October. We will send out a
Blackboard announcement on the
day items are distributed to your
student(s) to bring home.
Thank you for supporting
West Campus!
Be sure to check ParentConnect
to stay in the loop on your child’s
academic progress. If you do not
have a PIN or Password, please see
the front office.
IF YOUR CHILD WILL BE ABSENT, PLEASE CALL THE ATTENDANCE LINE
AT 719-328-3911. ABSENCES MUST BE REPORTED WITHIN 24 HOURS OR
WILL REMAIN UNEXCUSED.
Girls’ Track: Join us at our track meets at Gary Berry Stadium
· Wednesday, October 2nd at 4:45pm
· Classic Monday, October 7th at 3:00pm
Wrestling: We only have one home meet this year. Come out and
support your West Warriors! Concessions will be available and
proceeds will support PBIS and our Sports programs.
· Thursday, October 10th at 5:00pm
Girls’ Basketball:
· Tryouts begin October 16th
Physicals are required to play sports. You must have a new physical every calendar year.
Please see Ms. Sharp or the front office for the paperwork needed to participate.
Remember, there are no fees this year!
INTRAMURALS will be starting this month. Have
your student listen to the announcements or check
our West website for details.
ATHLETICS
The rational part of a teen’s brain is not fully developed and will not be until age 25 or so. The connections between the emotional part of the brain and the decision making center are still developing – and not always at the same rate. Navigating social media is a challenge for today’s teenagers. While undoubtedly social networking plays a vital role in broadening teen social connections and helping them learn valuable technical skills, teens lack the ability to self-regulate their screen time, thus increasing their risks to peer pressure, cyberbullying, and even sexting. Further, there are a number of health issues that can develop as a result of too much time online. Some of the most common are depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation. As teens utilize texts and social media as a means of communication, it is very easy for misunderstandings to occur, and risk losing the ability to interact in face-to-face communication. This can result in having relationships that are not deep or authentic. Because so much brain development occurs during the teen years, it is important for parents and guardians to understand the impact that social media can have on their kids. For this reason, it is important to establish guidelines and have regular discussions on how to use social media responsibly and safely. When families navigate the world of social media together, a teen’s online world becomes much more manageable. To read this article in its entirety, please visit https://www.verywellfamily.com/ways-social-media-affects-teen-mental-health-4144769.
Gordon, Sherri. “How Social Media NegaAffects the Teen Brain.” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 19 June 2019
ELEMENTARY
Steve Webb, Counselor,
[email protected]; 719-328-4944
Juliann Walker, Social Worker,
[email protected]; 719-328-9937
MIDDLE
Nicolas Liles, Social Worker
[email protected]; 719-328-3906
Sarah Clapham, 7th & 8th Grades
[email protected]; 719-328-3907
Sara Tusler, 6th Grade
[email protected]; 719-328-3917
How Does the Teen Brain
Respond to Social Media?
OCTOBER AT A GLANCE
Tuesday, October 1 Picture Retakes
Tuesday, October 1 3:30pm ES School Accountability Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 1 5:00-5:45pm MS PTA Meeting
Tuesday, October 1 5:45-6:30 MS School Accountability Committee Meeting
Saturday, October 5 CityServe Day at West 9:00am-11:00am
Monday, October 7 ES Kids Heart Challenge Assembly 8:30am
Monday, October 14 Teacher Work Day – NO STUDENTS
Tuesday, October 15 Data Collection Day – NO STUDENTS
Friday, October 18 – ES PTA Fall Carnival 5:00pm-8:00pm
Wednesday, October 23 ES and MS Parent/Teacher Conferences – Students are expected to attend this day. Conferences begin after the school day ends.
Thursday & Friday, October 24-25 Parent/Teacher Conferences – NO STUDENTS
CONTEST: Finish this spooky tale Help make this year's Unfinished Halloween Story Contest, an annual competition sponsored by The Gazette newspaper, spookier than ever! Gazette reporter Stephanie Earls has written the beginning of a spooky tale. How it ends is up to you. Creative
Pikes Peak region students in grades one through eight are invited to finish the story, in 250 words or fewer, for the chance to win Halloween-themed prizes and publication in The Gazette.
Email entries to [email protected] by Oct. 22. Entries MUST include the writer’s full name, grade level, school and contact information. See below, or link to online story: https://gazette.com/ae/contest-finish-this-spooky-tale/article_e34537f8-da59-11e9-9e59-7f23cf270e3f.html
Here’s the beginning of this year’s story: When I was a little kid, afraid of the dark and convinced
something sinister lurked in the shadows of my bedroom, my dad would turn on the lights, check all hiding spots, and tickle my arm until I fell asleep.
“Remember, monsters are like spiders,” he’d say. “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”
I’m almost 13 now — old enough to know that spiders aren’t out to get me and monsters don’t live under the bed or in the closet.
They live in the ash pit under the fireplace.
If I listen closely at night, I can hear the creeeeeeak of the trap door in the hearth as it’s pushed open from inside, and then the pop and whine of floorboards as something crosses the living room and climbs the stairs.
I sleep with the lights on, when I sleep at all.
“C’mon, lazybones. You’ll make us late again,” yelled my sister Daniella, dashing out the door for the school bus as I gobbled a few scoops of cereal and finger-combed my dirty hair.
I had bigger things to worry about than breakfast and bad grooming. Whatever otherworldly creature was stalking my home in the wee hours, it was definitely not more afraid of me. But tonight, if everything went according to plan, it would be.
At lunch, Spooky Sarah was waiting — as promised — in the hall outside the cafeteria.
“Did you bring it?” I asked my former babysitter, who was heading to art school after graduation.
Sarah’s black-lipsticked mouth curled into a grin, and she pulled a small leather pouch from her backpack. I took it and started to unlace the top, but she stopped me.
“Not here,” she said. “Only when you’re absolutely ready to use it.”
“What’s that smell?”
“Tannis root. Powerful stuff. That’s what you wanted, right?” Sarah handed me a folded up piece of paper and a pillar candle. “Make sure you follow the steps perfectly, or I’m not responsible for what happens. Let’s just say I’m not responsible, period.”
As midnight approached, I crept down to the living room and got to work.
The paper instructed me to keep the room dark except for a single candle flame, sprinkle the stinky herbs on the floor in a circle around me, and then read three lines written in a language I didn’t recognize.
I was halfway through the ritual when the metal trap door started to squeak open, and my sister flipped on the lights.
“What the heck are you….” Daniella said, her words trailing off as she saw the thing crawling out of the fireplace.
Then she looked at me, and screamed.
TO BE FINISHED, BY YOU!
From Your West Campus Parent-Teacher Association
PTA News and Notes for
October 2019
Dear West Campus Parent,
Our next meeting will be Tuesday, October 1, 2019 at 5:00. Come help us plan our elementary-school carnival! We’ve
moved it from the Spring to the Fall – and we need your help to pull it off. It’s a super-fun family evening out—so if
you’re willing and able to do stuff like cook hot dogs, bake for the cake walk, take tickets at the dunk tank, etc... we’d
love to have you be involved.
1) CARNIVAL – new date: Friday, October 18 from 5-8 pm.
If you’re willing to help in any way—with planning, baking, setting up, taking down, etc—email [email protected] and we’ll keep you in the loop on what’s going on.
If you’re willing to help and can make the next meeting—October 1 at 5:00 in the Media Center—please come! You can bring your kiddos, we don’t mind. We’ll need a few point people to help coordinate this and that, so we’d love to see you there.
2) Follow us on Facebook at "West Campus PTA.” If you haven’t done this yet, please do! We try to keep the page updated with what’s going on so it’s the easiest way to stay plugged in.
3) Become a member of the West Campus PTA today by filling
out the form below. It’s just $10 to join, and these are funds we’ll use toward teacher grants, field trips, and more kid-focused activities. By joining, you help enrich your child’s education.
4) Connect your King Soopers loyalty card to our West Campus PTA account. And ask your family and friends to do so as well. Every time you spend anything, a percentage goes to us. You don’t do anything you wouldn’t do anyway—and we earn money! Here’s how:
a. Go to www.kingsoopers.com b. Login using your King Soopers card or alternate ID c. Click on “My Account.” d. Click on “Community Rewards.” e. Search for West Campus PTA or KC862 f. Click “Enroll.”
Thanks!
Jacilyn Evans, Shauna Prince, & Jen Stevens
West Campus PTA Officers [email protected] (Meetings: First Tuesdays at 5:00 in Media Center.)
Next Meeting Tue.
Oct. 1, 2019 5:00 in
the Media Center
Mark Your Calendar!
West Elementary Carnival
Friday, October 18, 5-8 PM
Games, Food, Face Painting,
Obstacle Course, Cake Walk, and
More!
The West Campus PTA (Fall 2019 Membership Drive—Oct. Newsletter)
YES! I’d like to join and donate to the West Campus PTA today. It’s just $10 to join—any additional donation beyond
that (which we’d appreciate!) goes toward our PTA-sponsored projects. Cash accepted or make checks out to West
Campus PTA. Simply drop this at the office or have your child give it to his or her teacher.
Please circle one: $10 $ 20 $ 50 $ 100 $ _____________ (other)
Name
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Child(ren) and Grade/Class
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Email ___________________________________________________ Phone___________________________________
[ ] Yes! Please let me know if you need help with any projects, and I’ll let you know if I’m available.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF WEST CAMPUS!
Westside is the best side!
