A Message from the Principal
 
Willow Springs Middle School Principal Newsletter - October 14, 2016

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
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Dear WSMS Parents and Guardians,
 
Today is the last day of the first grading period. On Thursday, October 20th, all students will receive a hard copy of their grade report for the first eight weeks. In an effort to "go green," we will not be mailing home report cards for this school year. Please be on the lookout for your son or daughter's report card, you can also view finalized grades in the Power School on Wednesday, October 19th. As we wrap up the first grading period, feel free to contact your student's teacher, counselor, or administrator if you have any questions or concerns about grades and/or assignments.
 
Have a great weekend. Go Leopards!
 
    
Sincerely,
Kent Messer
Principal
Willow Springs Middle School
1101 W. Lucas Rd., Lucas 75002
Office: 469-742-8417
Mobile: 214-293-9938
@WSMSLovejoyISD
#wsmslovejoy


WSMS Career Day 2016 - Sign up, Friday, October 14
On Wednesday, November 2nd, all WSMS students will participate in Career Day. Students will have the opportunity to visit with professionals from 4 different career fields to learn more about these industries. Students may begin signing up now for career fields they would like to visit. On-line sign up will open at 1:30pm Friday, October 14th, and will close Tuesday morning, October 18th at 8:55 a . m. Students are encouraged to sign up early as presentation slots will fill up quickly.  Students can sign up using this link .
 
 
Willow Springs PTA Membership for TXPTA Goal is Saturday, October 15
Willow Springs Parents we are so close to reaching our goal of having 500 or more PTA members at Willow Springs. Our WSMS PTA membership form is here . Our deadline to send in memberships to TXPTA is October 15th. This summer we received an award from TXPTA for having over 500 members in our WSMS PTA. We have kept those numbers for 2 years straight. Please help us achieve that goal once again.
 

NJHS Meeting - Wednesday, October 19
The next NJHS meeting is Wednesday, October 19 at either 8:15 a.m. or 4:05 p.m. in room C104. Students need to bring a print out of their current grades from Power School.
 
 
Club Day -Friday, October 21
Friday, October 21 is Club Day and we will be on an activity bell schedule. For copy of the activity bell schedule, please go here .
 
 
Orchestra Concert - Monday, October 24
Our Orchestra Fall Concert is quickly approaching on Monday, October 24th. All orchestras are working very hard on preparing this music to you and we are looking forward to our performance! Our concert is currently set to be in the courtyard at Lovejoy High School starting at 6:30 p.m. Audience members will need to bring chairs and/or blankets to sit on during the concert. You are welcome to bring snacks and drinks to enjoy during the performance. If we have bad weather that night, we will move the concert in to the gym and the start time will be 7 p.m. instead of 6:30.
 
Red Ribbon Week - October 24 - 28
There will be activities and games throughout the week, to promote drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Please click here to see this year's daily themes!
 
 
UT Dallas After School Coding Club Comes to WSMS! - Wednesday, October 26 
Beginning October 26th, UT Dallas will host an after school Coding Club here at WSMS. Please click here for more details and click here to sign up . The cost of this 10-week club is $70.


Pep Rally - Wednesday, October 26
Wednesday, October 26 we are having a pep rally in our main gym. We will be on our pep rally bell schedule. Please click here for the bell schedule.
 
 
Reflections Entry Deadline - Friday, October 28
This year's theme is "WHAT IS YOUR STORY." There are six arts categories-dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts. Students may enter the Reflections program in one or more arts categories with no limit to the amount of entries in a single category. Everyone that enters will be recognized. Winning artwork will move on to compete against other Lovejoy schools! The deadline for all entries is October 28th. Please go here for the student entry form and go here for more information about Reflections, rules and special entries. Please note, Reflections is now a PTA member benefit.
 
 
Yearbook Early Order Deadline - Extended to October 28!
There is still more time to order your WSMS Yearbook at the lowest price of the year of $40.00. Yearbook may be purchased online only by electronic check, Pay Pal, debit, or credit card. For more information, please click here . The price will go up to $50.00 after October 29 .


7th Grade Hearing /Vision Screenings - November 3 and November 4
Thursday, November 3 and Friday, November 4, WSMS nurses will be performing the required State Hearing/Vision screenings on all 7th grade students. If your child wears glasses or contacts, please make sure they bring them to school on those dates.
 
 
DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING! YOUR STUDENT COULD WIN a $25 Cinemark gift card!
This year's WSMS Battle of the Books offers students a chance to compete against their teachers and win a $25 Cinemark card. We currently have THREE teacher teams ready to challenge students, so encourage your students to participate. Student teams can have 1-4 members. The deadline to register is November 4! Click here for the official rules, and stop by the library to get registered.


Campus Information and Reminders

Safety Corner
For security purposes, we ask that visitors enter the building one at a time. To encourage this, please do not hold the door for visitors behind you. We would like to make it a safety habit that every visitor ring the bell to enter the building. Once you enter the building, all visitors should sign in at the front office. Please bring your driver's license to help expedite the process. If you are a cleared volunteer, your driver's license will not be needed if you sign in as a volunteer.  


Bringing Your Student Lunch 
As a reminder, parents can bring a lunch of their choice to their own son or daughter but are prohibited under the Texas Administrative Code to bring lunch for other students. For example, we have had parents bring Chick-fil-a for their son and three of his friends. This is a violation of the Texas Administrative Code. In addition, if a parent brings food for other students, the parents of the other student may object to their child being provided a lunch from an outside restaurant due to diet or medical concerns of their child.
 
In the future, if a parent brings lunch for more than one student, we will inform the parent that WSMS and LISD are only permitted to allow parents to deliver food for their own student. Thank you for your cooperation in supporting the nutrition and safety of our students.
 
 
8th Grade Parents - Texas Student Success Initiative
On Friday, October 14th, we will mail a letter and brochure to all 8th grade parents regarding the Texas Student Success Initiative (SSI). The SSI details grade advancement requirements for students in grades 5 and 8. After reviewing this information, if you have any questions about SSI, please contact your student's counselor, Kathy Stone (A-K) or Kay Bordelon (L-Z).
 
 
Students feeling under the weather?
As you know, it is prime cold and flu season. To help best manage our students and to keep in line with the policy in the Student Handbook, if students are not feeling well at school, they need to be checked out through the school clinic. The student must be fever free (Temperature of 99.9 or less for 24 hours without the use of over the counter medications to keep the temperature down) and must NOT have vomited or had diarrhea in the last 24 hours. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
 
 
Traffic Officer for Carpool Procedures After School
We have been working with the city of Lucas to improve the flow of traffic after school on Bethany Rd. Parents will no longer be allowed to enter the campus through our west entrance (the entrance closest to the Rockland Farms subdivision) between 4:00-4:30. All vehicles will be required to enter the campus through the east entrance (the entrance closest to the Country Club Rd) and follow the carpool lane around the building. Parents needing to enter the front parking after school will need to drive around the building through the exterior lane of carpool. Once they get around to the front of the school, they can turn into the front parking lot. Parents parking in the front parking lot will not be able to exit campus until the busses depart. A Collin County Sheriff will be on Bethany Road from 4:05-4:15 to assist with bus and carpool traffic that is exiting campus. Thank you for following our carpool procedures after school to ensure the safety of our students and improve the flow of traffic on and off campus on Bethany Road.
 
 
WSMS Journalism
Willow Springs journalism students are busy producing news content and coverage of school and community news. Be sure to check out our online newspaper for the latest on Willow Springs and area news at http://leopardlife.net/ us on Twitter @LeopardLifeWSMS. LeopardLife is an online publication that is student-driven, producing news content daily by 30 student journalists and photographers, including some student editors and one adviser. A 16-page print LeopardLife news magazine is produced quarterly featuring in depth coverage on school and societal issues important to our students' learning, health and growth, as well as news, features and sports coverage.
 
LeopardLife has received many awards including the STAR award last spring through the state of Texas Interscholastic Press League (UIL), the highest award for journalism dedication and service. The publication also consistently has received the top awards of distinguished merit, including first class ratings through the National Student Press Association.
Additionally, students in Intro to Photography are completing production of some amazing photography work, using a technique called Bokeh - which means blurred. If your son or daughter is in photo, ask how this is achieved or how they are doing in their project. It combines, art, science and math to produce beautiful results. Their work will be featured in the photo website Willow Springs Photo at http://www.willowspringsphoto.com/ Other portfolio work will be featured through the school year.


Athletics


WSMS Girls Basketball Tryouts - Mon. Oct 31, Tues. Nov. 1, and Thurs. Nov. 3
 
8th Grade
Oct. 31: 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Nov. 1: 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Nov. 3: 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
 
7th Grade
Oct. 31: 3:25 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Nov. 1: 3:25 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Nov. 3: 3:25 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
 
8th grade will practice in the mornings and 7t h grade will practice in the afternoons.
 
7th grade games are on Monday nights ( exception is Tuesday, January 17 ) . 8th grade will play on Thursdays.
 
 
Cross Country - Southlake XC Invitational
Please click here for full results.
 
 
Volleyball Results - October 6
7th Grade: All three volleyball teams defeated Ereckson Middle School.
The results are :
A team 25-13, 25-18
B team 25-19, 25-11
C team 25-22, 20-25, 25-12

8th Grade: We had a great and busy week of volleyball this past week. A and B swept Ereckson both winning in 2 games, and C team fought hard winning the first game, but coming up short in games 2 and 3.


WSMS PTA

WSMS PTA Volunteering Opportunities! Want to help at WSMS but not sure how or where??
PT-Ave is a one stop shop for volunteer opportunities at WSMS. By following this link you will find all the ways you can support WSMS for the month of October!
 
 
Needs for the remainder of the month of October are:
 
Thursday Teacher Copies
 
Letter Writing Campaign Contributions
 
CAT (Center of Academic Training)
 
Our feature volunteer area this week is our CAT! The CAT (Center for Academic Training) serves two main purposes.
 
First, it provides a place for all students at Willow Springs to go before school, after school, or during lunch to receive extra help on their classwork, homework, or projects. Along with help from certified personnel, the CAT has many resources available to all students such as computers, supplies, textbooks, and study aides.
 
Second, the CAT is also the source for retesting for all students.
Some students require oral reading of assessments, and this is when we need volunteers to help read to students.
 
Additionally, we need volunteers to help manage students during lunch times, 11:15 - 1:20, each day. This may include monitoring the testing side to make sure it is a conducive environment for testing, or it could be working with students who need extra help (keys to assignments are available).
 
Your help is vital to the effective running of the CAT and is very much appreciated by all of the staff members.
 
 
WSMS Letter Writing Campaign
We need your help for an upcoming opportunity to let our teachers and staff know how much our Lovejoy ISD community values them and what an impact each one has on our children! The district provides an extra check for teachers the day before Thanksgiving break. In addition to those checks, again this year we would love to include a hand written letter from Lovejoy ISD families expressing gratitude and appreciation to each teacher and staff on your campus.

We would be so grateful if you could write a letter or letter(s) to any teacher or teacher(s)/staff, either current or past, that have been valuable to your child(ren)'s educational experience. Please clearly label the envelope with the staff/teacher's name and LLC (Lovejoy Letter Campaign) and return the letter to the front office by Friday November 11th.

The letter campaign has become such a meaningful tradition, we really appreciate the time and effort your contributions will make again to this year's letter campaign.

Sincerely,
Kasey Havens [email protected]
Lovejoy Letter Campaign WSMS Coordinator  



District and Other News


Leopard Friday - Tonight!
The Lovejoy Independent School District will host Leopard Friday tomorrow, October 14 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. This annual event, held in the Courtyard of Lovejoy High School, will showcase our students, clubs, organizations, and community. The LHS Courtyard will be transformed into a setting which truly has something for everyone.
 
 
National Digital Citizenship Week: October 17-21
Grown-ups dread it. Kids need it. It's time to have The Talk.
When it comes to navigating social media, online games, smartphones, and the Internet, it is best for kids to get their information from a trusted source. With 92 percent of teens going online daily and nearly three-quarters of kids age 1-8 using apps , having The Talk is an essential rite of passage.
 
As parents and educators, we want to raise kids to be safe, responsible, and ethical in the digital world. Giving kids a solid understanding of how we expect them to behave -- both online and off -- starts everyone off on the right foot.
 
Lovejoy students will participate in Digital Citizenship Week October 17-21, 2016. Activities will focus on how to be safe, think critically, and participate responsibly in our digital world. Digital literacy skills are essential for students to leverage the full potential of technology for learning. We encourage you to engage in conversations with your student about making great choices in their digital lives.
 
 
Lovejoy Orchestra Spirit Day/Night: October 18
Lovejoy Orchestra will host a spirit day/night on Tuesday, October 18th from 10:30 AM - 8:00 PM at Kelly's Burger Stand (Lucas Road, Parker, TX). Please join the Lovejoy Orchestra for a great combination of delicious food and good company. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Orchestra Booster Club. When you order, please let them know you are with Lovejoy Orchestra.
 
 
Rudolph Run: December 3/ School Registration Deadline: November 1
The Rudolph Run is one of Allen's most exciting holiday 5Ks and takes place on Main Street in downtown Allen. The event begins with a non-competitive, one-mile run and concludes with the USATF-registered 5K Rudolph Run. Chip timing is used to determine race results of participants. Also, there is an overall male/female Master's division for 50+ winners. This is a family-friendly event open to all ages and skill levels.
 
You may help a Lovejoy PE department earn money by registering through the Rudolph Run's "School Registration Only" page. For each registration, $5.00 will be donated to the Lovejoy campus (PE department) of your choice. Click here to register.
 
 
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Men's Tailgate Tournament - October 26, 2016
The Foundation for Lovejoy Schools is pleased to announce the annual Men's Tailgate Tournament. Join the Foundation for food, beer, and a cornhole tournament. The tournament is double elimination, so everyone is guaranteed to play two games. The event will be held at the home of Chris and Kim Collier in Lucas. Sponsors for the event are Owens Realty and Capacity Lending, Nine Band Brewing, Chick-fil-A of Allen, and the Collier Family. For additional information and to register for the event click on the following link: Men's Tailgate Registration
 
 
Pink Out Day and Football Game: October 28
This year, Lovejoy's annual Pink Out football game and fundraiser will be held on Friday, October 28th. Lovejoy is proud to support this cause to help beat breast cancer. If you would like to support breast cancer research and a local non-profit, you are invited to purchase Pink Out t-shirts to help raise money and spread awareness for the cause. Money raised will benefit Cancer Can Stick It!, a local non-profit created by a breast cancer survivor and rock drummer dedicated to fighting cancer.
 
You may order your t-shirts now by clicking here . The deadline for orders is October 18. T-shirts will be delivered to your home campus.
 
Additionally, you may visit: www.breastcancercanstickit.org for information on April Samuels, the founder of Cancer Can Stick It!
 
 
3....2....1.... Blast Off.....It's ROCKET LAUNCH TIME!
Rocket Build Party: November 2; Rocket Launch: November 6
The Lovejoy Gifted Association and the Dallas Area Rocket Society (DARS) will be sponsoring the ROCKET PROJECT again this year due to the overwhelming success of last year's event! The Rocket Project is an extracurricular STEM activity at which your child builds a rocket one evening, then launches it another day -- all with the assistance of the professionals from DARS. Demonstration launches will be held behind SCIS during lunch periods Wednesday, October 12th. Please join us for the fun:
 
What:                Rocket Build Party*
Where:               SCIS cafeteria
When:               Wednesday , November 2nd from 6:00-7:30
Who:                Skill level geared toward 3rd-6th graders, but all ages are welcome with an adult.  
Launch:             Sunday, November 6th at LHS -- time TBD*
Cost:                $12 for LGA members and $22 for nonmembers.
 
Click here to order your rocket kit . The deadline for orders is: October 19
 
*Parental supervision is required at both the Build and Launch events.
LGA Rocket Launch Video: https://youtu.be/EPVqhiCap48
 
 
Revisiting Diversity: More than a Buzzword: November 17
You see it sprinkled in college catalogs, corporate mission statements, and in employee training seminars: Diversity. A New York Times piece recently made the claim that the ubiquitous word has all but lost its meaning. This lecture, presented by Dr. Salena Brody, will revisit what diversity really means for our schools, workplaces, and communities, focusing on social science research from the past half century.
 
Thursday, November 17, 2016
6:00 - 7:30 PM
Lovejoy ISD Administration Building/Training Room
 
Dr. Salena Brody is a professor of Psychology at Collin College. She earned her doctorate in Social Psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, studying intergroup contact and attitude change. Her research focuses on identifying the conditions under which contact between groups leads to prejudice reduction and other positive outcomes. She is a Phi Beta Kappa member and has received numerous teaching awards including being named the 2016-2017 Outstanding Professor of the Year at Collin College. She is a proud Lovejoy parent and active member of the community, serving on the Friends of Fairview Fire Board of Directors.
 
 
Lovejoy Women's Lacrosse Try It Days: October 22 and November 12
Lovejoy senior Kennedy Miller has taken on the challenge of launching the Lady Leopard Lacrosse program as her 2017 Senior Project. Please join Kennedy, Coach Shannon, and the rest of the Lovejoy student volunteer coaching staff for one of the free Try It Days scheduled this fall:
 
October 22, 2016           LHS                 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM    
November 12, 2016       WSMS             10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
 
All grades are welcome and loaner sticks will be available on a first come, first served basis. For additional information contact Kennedy Miller at [email protected]
or visit the website at: www.leopardlacrosse.com