WESTPARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

3310-55 Avenue, Red Deer, AB T4N 4N1 Phone 403-347-8911· Fax 403-343-2792 · Attendance Line 403-343-2737

www.wms.rdpsd.ab.ca

Mr. Dean Pasiuk, Principal · Mrs. Christine Chappell, Vice-Principal

February 2016

Hello Wildcat Community, January brought us the unveiling of changes in our WMS Circle of Recognition. Our goal with the Circle of Recognition is to change the focus of our students to be intrinsically motivated, instead of creating a culture of “do”, for rewards. We want our students to do things because this is who we are. We are kind, considerate, honest, hardworking, diligent, honest, respectful and trustworthy. We had town halls for each grade to explain the historical development of the Circle of Recognition and our expectations as we move forward with our Circle of Recognition. We are very excited about our Wildcat community owning this new focus and sense of being...even when no one is looking. Digital Citizenship is a constant in our lives these days and some of us are not comfortable in that world. We will be hosting our first W-Talk on Tuesday, February 23 at 1800h (just before our School Council meeting) where we will share some of the legal expectations of digital citizenship and some of the technical things parents need to know. We encourage you to attend, and stay for our School Council meeting. The W-Talk and meeting will be held in the library. Our school basketball teams are making huge gains in their skill development and team play. The juniors play on Tuesdays and the seniors on Thursdays. We welcome spectators. The senior teams will be playing at Hunting Hills after school on Monday, February 1st. We encourage our WMS students to come out and cheer for our teams. We will be doing another SWAG gear order towards the end of February. Parents, please check out the gear, as the kids will be adding some more choices to the order sheets.

Attendance Students need to come to the office when

arriving late.

Students need to check out at the office when leaving the school.

Parents, please let the Office know when your child is away due to illness or going on vacation.

Attendance Line: 403-343-2737

Coming into the School in the Morning The doors will open at 8 am with a teacher’s direction. Students are not to come in before they are given that direction.

School Fees

Payment by debit or credit card is now available at the school. There is a $1 service charge for using debit and 2.55% on credit card payments. Updated school account fee sheets will be coming home within the next month. Monthly payments will be accepted.

School Bus Zone Please do not park in the School Bus Zone before school or after 2 pm. Winter weather conditions make this even more dangerous.

Wed., Feb. 10 Hot Lunch/FLEX pm Friday, Feb. 12 Staff Learning Day Monday, Jan. 15 Family Day Tue., Feb. 16 District Ski Loppet Th/Fri - Feb. 18 & 19 Teachers Convention Tue, Feb. 23 School Council Mtg 6:30 pm Wed., Feb. 24 FLEX am Hoop Dancing 1:30 pm

School Dance On Wednesday, February 10 there will be a school dance during FLEX blocks 2 and 3. Entry to the dance will be $1 or a food bank donation.

Dress for the Weather… We strongly encourage students to wear appropriate winter wear for the 30 minute outdoor lunch recess and outdoor Physical Education. Proper footwear, mitts, toques and warm jackets are required.

Please return your overdue

Library books – ASAP!

School Council Corner The online hot lunch system was launched January 4th and has had a tremendous response. We have had a few bumps, but that was to be expected. We hope you find the online system easy to navigate. If you have any questions, we can be reached at wmshotlunch@gmail.com Want reminders about hot lunch? Sign up for our REMIND texts... Text @wmscou to 587-316-6135 Important Hot Lunch Dates - February lunch orders must be submitted and

paid by end of day Monday, February 1st. - February Hot Lunch is Subway, and will be

on February 10th. - March Hot Lunch orders must be submitted

and paid by end of day Monday, February 29th.

The next school council meeting will be held Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30 pm in the school library. Everyone is welcome! Do you have a fundraising idea? We would love to hear it! Your ideas can be submitted to school council via email at wms-schoolcouncil@rdpsd.ab.ca or you are welcome to bring it to our next meeting. Have a fantastic February!

Health Action Team 1. The HAT (Health Action Team)

is presenting a lesson called Sugar Shocker, for many of the PE/Health classes next week. The objective of the lesson is to create awareness in our youth of the abundance of added sugars in common beverages. Anyone interested on more information on the lesson or its content, email penny.ralston@rdpsd.ab.ca

2. In conjunction with Subway and Only Women's Fitness, many Red Deer schools will be operating a running club for girls starting in late March. Members of the club will have the opportunity to participate in the Only Women's Fitness Fun run on the Mother's Day weekend, and would have a chance to win a school-based party sponsored by Subway with free food and swag! We want to encourage MAXIMUM participation. More details will follow in the next newsletter.

3. As part of the Career Explorations Unit in LA 8,

all Grade 8 students will be participating in a job shadowing program in April (date TBD). Parents, this is a heads up that your child will be spending some quality time with you for the period of an entire school day, to learn about the realities of work. We typically require a few kind people to place students unable to shadow a parent, so if you could do this, please contact: penny.ralston@rdpsd.ab.ca.

Breakfast Baskets! Westpark Middle School has started a breakfast basket program. Healthy snacks in a baskets are provided each morning for each advisory class. We are looking for any donations from families from Westpark Middle School. You could provide non-perishable food items or if your family or company would like to donate money please contact Mrs. Streit in the office.

Senior Basketball Congratulations to the Sr. Boys Basketball team for starting out their season strong. The members of the team are: Aidan Skinner Andre Escorpiso Ben Ramic Blake Hopkins Brett Hanson Cole Wasmuth Evan Stahl Gavin Walters Griffin Velichko Joel DeMale Jordan Siwak Jordy Isaac Kelton Perkins Kinnkade Streit Lucas Norris Nathan Anderson Shaaf Khan Tyler Clarkson

Phys. Ed. Department We are always looking for hockey helmets, skates, ball gloves or old exercise bikes for our P.E. Dept. Please contact Mr. Howes

403-347-8911 or norm.howes@rdpsd.ab.ca

Raise money for our school, simply by eating at Boston Pizza! Our school has partnered with Boston Pizza in Red Deer & Blackfalds for Operation Education! 5% of whatever you spend at Boston Pizza gets donated to the school to help with our fundraising goals. All you have to do is: · Eat at Boston Pizza in Red Deer & Blackfalds:

Dine-in, Takeout or Delivery. · Save your receipt, and have your child hand in

at the main office. Thanks for your support

RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS by Central Alberta Rhythmic Gymnastics Opportunity ELEGANT ARTISTIC ATHLETIC CREATIVE GRACEFUL MUSIC MOVEMENT

New beginners welcome! Recreational and Competitive/Provincial level programs programs (+ more!) are available now for registration online. http://www.cargoreddeer.com

Rhythmic Gymnastics is a performance-based sport meaning rhythmic skills are best presented in a routine rather than in isolation. Our classes focus not only on learning skills but presenting these in a choreographed sequence.

Classes: Pre-school, Competitive, Kinder Rhythmics, Ladies Rhythmics and Recreational

Training Centre: Gaetz Memorial United Church Gymnasium, 4758 Ross Street (easy access and close parking)

WMS February, 2016 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Day 1 2 Day 2 3 Day 3 4 Day 4 5 Day 1 6

7 8 Day 2 9 Day 3 10 Day 4 11 Day 1 12 13

Staff Learning AM

Collaborative PM

FLEX pm No School K-12

Hot Lunch - Subway

14 15 16 Day 2 17 Day 3 18 19 20

Family Day District Ski Loppet

Teachers Convention No School K-12

21 22 Day 4 23 Day 1 24 Day 2 25 Day 3 26 Day 4 27

District Ski Loppet FLEX am/Advisory

Alertnate Date

School Council Mtg Teddy Anderson Hoop Dancing 1:30 pm gym

6:30 pm Library

28 29 Day 1

Newsletter

For girls age 12 to 14 with their Mom or a female adult.

Cost is $20.00 for Moms, girls are priceless. Lunch included

Keynote speaker Karen Klassen, founder of “Women Embracing Brilliance“.

Other sessions will include topics on drugs and alcohol, healthy relations, not

without consent, bullying, cutting and self -harming, financial literacy,

achieving goals, suicide prevention, nutrition, and empowering girls.

Plus information on Red Deer College and 211.

For more information, or to register, please call

Dianne Macaulay at 403-588-8803 or Bonnie Vestrum at 403-704-0625

Or email soroptimistCAB@outlook.com

Yellow School Busses – Carry-on Policy

It’s that time of year again, where students are attempting to board school buses with items that cannot legally be

transported as carry-on luggage. We bring your attention to the following Alberta Traffic Safety Act Regulations:

Alberta Traffic Safety Act, Regulation 437/86, Section 16 (1) states:

“When luggage, equipment or tools are carried on a school bus, they shall not be carried in the interior of the school

bus.”

Alberta Traffic Safety Act, Regulation 437/86, Section 16 (2) states:

“Where it is not practical to carry luggage, equipment or tools other than in the interior of the bus, they may be carried in

the interior of the school bus if they:

a) are stored under the seats b) do not block the aisles or emergency exits, and c) are stored, lodged or secured in such a manner so that they cannot be dislodged or move about when the

brakes of the school bus are applied, during acceleration of the school bus or in the event of an accident involving the school bus.”

Alberta Traffic Safety Act, Regulation 437/86, Section 16 (3) states:

“The person operating the school bus shall ensure that any luggage, equipment or tools carried on the school bus are

transported in accordance with this section.”

Please be advised that the following are NOT permitted to be transported as carry-on luggage on school buses, in

accordance with the above legislation:

Hockey sticks / Lacrosse sticks / Snowboards / Skateboards / Sleds / Skis and or poles / Arrows / Golf Clubs / Baseball

bats / Pets / AND ANY OTHER ITEM DEEMED OBJECTIONABLE by the Driver of the school bus. Aside from the fact that

some of these items could be employed as weapons, they are considered to be “projectiles” in the event of a collision or

vehicle upset.

Ice skates MAY be transported as carry-on luggage IF they are equipped with skate guards AND enclosed in a proper

canvas skate bag. Musical instruments MAY be transported IF they are in a proper container for that instrument. These

items will be stowed securely under the seat.

* Should a student be at a stop with an item that should not be transported, at the Driver’s discretion, it may be

returned to their home prior to boarding the bus or taken to the school BUT the Driver will inform the student that the

item WILL NOT be transported home or allowed on the bus in the future.