October 29, 2020

MESSAGE FROM PRINCIPAL DIANNE CARTER

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Happy Thursday, WRMS Families!!!

I hope you all have had a great week! This week, I need to give a shout out to our kids (and their teachers leading them) for their creativity and resilience. As we all know, there are many things that we have to come up with different ways to do them. For example...our GT kids have created a virtual STEAM Day for our three feeder elementary schools' 5th graders! Also, our Student Council kids have not only moved to virtual announcements (so that both remote and in person kids get to see them), but they are also working on a virtual Veterans' Day commemoration (part in conjunction with WHS). These are just a few examples of how our kids are figuring out ways to roll with it and make the best of a rotten situation. I'm proud of them!

Next are this week's words from some of our EEF teachers. Here are some of their favorite things to do outside of school:

So many favorite things!!!! I love spending free time with my family and having adventures with my twin six-year-old grandsons and baby granddaughter, all of whom love "nature walks." I love to travel and explore the globe, and look forward to being able to do so again, post-COVID! I collect antique and modern glass paperweights, love reading, baking, and playing with my puppy. I love co- organizing the annual TEDxYouth@Austin event with Austin-area high school kids. Genealogy fascinates me – I am trying to learn more about my father's side of the family, as they left Eastern Europe during difficult times and little is known of my ancestors beyond my grandparents. - Mrs. Reese

My passion outside of school is traveling and learning about other people and their cultures. The summer of 2019 I was fortunate enough to spend six weeks with an Italian family, exploring Europe. It was especially interesting to be immersed in their customs and traditions. - Ms. Behnke

Outside of school, I love to hike and camp. I even spent 8 weeks on the Appalachian trail one summer. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. - Ms. Cummings

NOW for the information items:

Race for Participation: The 7th Graders are ahead by a hair, followed by the 8th Graders and 6th Graders trailing behind. All are so close and there is still time ...Donate today to help your class win the % participation challenge for EEF donations! ANY amount is welcome!
Checking out for an appointment: Please help your Wildcat remember two things. First, if they don't feel well at school, they should go to the nurse. If they reach out to you and say they don't feel well, please ask them if they have gone to the nurse. Second, if you come to pick up your Wildcat for an appointment, please ask them if they checked out with the office. Since we have gone electronic with attendance notes, etc., it is easier for them to forget! However, we still need to know for sure who is where!
No School November 3rd - As you know, next Tuesday (11/3) is election day! A few Eanes schools will be polling places. As a result, our district chose to make it a holiday. If you haven't already, be sure you GO VOTE!!!

I will stop there for this week. It should be a pretty amazing weekend. I hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween with just enough spookiness and candy.

We're all in this together! Enjoy!

Dianne Carter

¡Feliz jueves, familias de WRMS!

¡Espero que hayan tenido una gran semana! Esta semana, necesito agradecer a nuestros niños (y a sus maestros que los guían) por su creatividad y resistencia. Como todos sabemos, hay muchas cosas en las que tenemos que idear diferentes formas de hacerlas. Por ejemplo ... ¡nuestros niños GT han creado un Día STEAM virtual para los estudiantes de quinto grado de nuestras tres escuelas primarias que lo alimentan! Además, los niños de nuestro Consejo Estudiantil no solo se han trasladado a los anuncios virtuales (para que los niños tanto remotos como en persona puedan verlos), sino que también están trabajando en una conmemoración virtual del Día de los Veteranos (parte en conjunto con WHS). Estos son solo algunos ejemplos de cómo nuestros hijos están descubriendo formas de seguir adelante y sacar el máximo provecho de una situación podrida. ¡Estoy orgulloso de ellos!

Las siguientes son las palabras de esta semana de algunos de nuestros maestros de EEF. Estas son algunas de sus actividades favoritas para hacer fuera de la escuela:

Tantas cosas favoritas !!!! Me encanta pasar el tiempo libre con mi familia y tener aventuras con mis nietos gemelos de seis años y mi nieta bebé, a todos los cuales les encantan los "paseos por la naturaleza". Me encanta viajar y explorar el mundo, ¡y espero poder hacerlo de nuevo, después de COVID! Colecciono pisapapeles de vidrio antiguos y modernos, me encanta leer, hornear y jugar con mi cachorro. Me encanta coorganizar el evento anual TEDxYouth @ Austin con niños de secundaria del área de Austin. La genealogía me fascina: estoy tratando de aprender más sobre el lado de la familia de mi padre, ya que dejaron Europa del Este en tiempos difíciles y se sabe poco de mis antepasados más allá de mis abuelos. - Sra. Reese

Mi pasión fuera de la escuela es viajar y aprender sobre otras personas y sus culturas. El verano de 2019 tuve la suerte de pasar seis semanas con una familia italiana, explorando Europa. Fue especialmente interesante estar inmerso en sus costumbres y tradiciones. - Sra. Behnke

Fuera de la escuela, me encanta ir de excursión y acampar. Incluso pasé 8 semanas en el sendero de los Apalaches un verano. Fue una de las cosas más geniales que he hecho en mi vida. - Sra. Cummings

AHORA para los elementos de información:

Carrera por la participación: Los estudiantes de séptimo grado están por delante por un pelo, seguidos por los estudiantes de octavo grado y los estudiantes de sexto grado detrás. Todos están tan cerca y todavía hay tiempo ... ¡Done hoy para ayudar a su clase a ganar el desafío de% de participación para las donaciones de EEF! ¡CUALQUIER cantidad es bienvenida!
Salida para una cita: ayude a su Wildcat a recordar dos cosas. Primero, si no se sienten bien en la escuela, deben ir a la enfermera. Si se comunican con usted y le dicen que no se sienten bien, pregúnteles si han acudido a la enfermera. En segundo lugar, si viene a recoger a su Wildcat para una cita, pregúntele si se registró en la oficina. Dado que nos hemos vuelto electrónicos con notas de asistencia, etc., ¡es más fácil para ellos olvidar! Sin embargo, ¡todavía necesitamos saber con certeza quién está dónde!
No hay clases el 3 de noviembre - ¡Como saben, el próximo martes (3 de noviembre) es el día de las elecciones! Algunas escuelas de Eanes serán lugares de votación. Como resultado, nuestro distrito decidió convertirlo en feriado. Si aún no lo ha hecho, asegúrese de VOTAR !!!

Me detendré allí esta semana. Debería ser un fin de semana increíble. Espero que todos tengan un Halloween seguro y divertido con lo suficiente de terror y dulces.

¡Estamos todos juntos en esto! ¡Disfrutar!

Dianne Carter

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

October: National Bullying Prevention Month

The counselors will be posting a weekly lesson for students to participate in during Wildcat Time to help prevent bullying and to increase respect and celebration of differences. Please contact your school counselor if you would like to discuss any of these topics further or need support.

Week 1 (Oct. 5-9): Bullying and David's Law

Presentation
Handouts
Dinner Topics:
- What is David's Law? What can a student do if they are feeling bullied?
- How can a student report a bullying situation whether or not it is occurring to them?

Week 2 (Oct. 12-16th): Identity-Based Bullying

Presentation
Dinner Topics:
- What stood out most to you in this lesson?
- How would you describe your identity?

Week 3 (Oct. 19-23): Diversity and Inclusion

Presentation
Dinner Topics:
- How comfortable are you with diversity?
- How can you be more inclusive?
- Has someone ever made an assumption about you (or your identity) that was not accurate?

Week 4 (Oct. 26-30th): Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving Steps

Presentation
Handout
Dinner Topics:
- What are the first steps in addressing a conflict or solving a problem?
- What were some steps or some aspects about problem solving that you learned from the video that you had not known before?
- What are some strategies you have used in the past to help resolve/deescalate the situation?
- What are some ways you can begin to solve a conflict that you are having in your life?
- Who can you go to if you need help brainstorming or problem solving how to solve a conflict?

Sincerely,

The WRMS Counseling Team

Jamie Delgado (6th grade): jdelgado@eanesisd.net

Christy Catalano (7th grade): ccatalano@eanesisd.net

Kiran Avasthi (8th grade): kavasthi@eanesisd.net

EEF

Community Giving Day

We want to extend a HUGE thank you to all the parents who came out, showed up and donated to EEF on Saturday, October 24 - the first EEF Community Giving Day! It was a huge success raising over $35,000 that goes directly to the EEF Teacher Fund! Representatives from every EISD elementary school, both middle schools and the high school came together to show support of our amazing school district. We are indeed #BetterTogether!

Congratulations to The McGrath Family who won the grand prize basket for the donation drawing!

EEF Race to Participation!

The 7th Graders are ahead by a hair, followed by the 8th Graders and 6th Graders trailing behind. All are so close and there is still time...Donate today to help your class win the % participation challenge for EEF donations! Any amount is welcome!

For the latest and greatest information, follow our new EEF-WRMS Instagram Page

@westridgemiddleschool_eef

WILDCAT CLUB

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

Do you have a drawer full of Box Tops that you don't know what to do with?

WRMS still collects and redeems them. Send them in today to help earn cash for WRMS!!

Don't like to clip?

Download the Box Top App onto your smartphone and simple scan your grocery receipts to help earn cash for WRMS!

WRMS WILDCAT GENERAL MEETING

Our next WRMS Wildcat General Meeting will be held via Zoom on

Friday, November 13th at 9:00am

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 872 7680 6677

Passcode: 823199

Don't Want to Miss a Thing This Year at WRMS?

Join the Wildcat Club on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wildcatclub

It's a GREAT Day to Be a Wildcat!

VETERANS DAY

Click HERE to participate in the Veterans Day Memorial Wall

HEARTS FOR MK

WYBA

Westlake Youth Basketball Association ("WYBA")

A non-profit organization serving the Eanes Schools and Westlake Community Since 1994

WYBA invites you to register for the upcoming WYBA 2020-21 Winter Season. Games will begin in January 2021. All Eanes eligible students, Kindergartners through 12th Grade are eligible to play in the Winter League. Don't wait, register by November 21 to avoid a late fee and join the 1000+ Eanes students for another great Winter Season and help us support the EANES schools. To learn about the programs and register go online at www.wlyba.org.

NEWS

GT Assessment Parent Information Meeting, Nov 12

Parents are strongly encouraged to attend this informational meeting for Grades K-8 on November 12, 2020 @ 5PM. Consent to assess form will be available Nov 12 - Dec 9.

Got 4 mins to learn about the Penny Swap?

The Penny Swap, also known as Eanes ISD Proposition A, adds more funds to the district’s operating budget by swapping two cents from the district’s interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate to the district’s maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate. Click to watch a quick 4-minute explainer video.