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Willow Springs Middle School Principal Newsletter - April 7, 2017
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Dear WSMS Parents and Guardians,
We officially have seven weeks of school left. The spring is traditionally a very busy time for students, teachers, and families. With state testing, competitions, and award ceremonies, as well as extra-curricular activities both in and out of school, students can get pulled in a lot of different directions. This is also a time when students get a little restless as we wrap up the year. Please continue to partner with our teachers and staff in supporting our students to complete assignments and projects on time, and prepare for tests. Thank you for your continued support. Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Kent Messer
Principal
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Theatre Shakespeare Murder Mystery Dinner - Tickets Still Available!
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 27, 28 & 29
at Willow Springs
, an interactive Clue game where Shakespeare himself has been "slain" by his own characters!
We have very few tickets available. Tickets may be purchased in the WSMS front office. We will need to know how many adult tickets, how many students, and which night is your preference At this time Friday has 20 seats left.
This is a full evening of entertainment- 3 course Italian dinner, beverages, and audience participation! Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children. You couldn't score a deal this good on your own with dinner and a movie!
Go here
for more information.
Don't miss out on your chance to solve the question, "WHO HATH DONE IT?"
Student Holiday - Friday, April 14
Because we did not need to use our April 14 designated bad weather day, it will be a student and teacher holiday.
Get Your Summer Reading Material - Book Fair April 10-13
Mark your calendars now to get all your Required Summer Reading and MORE at the WSMS Book Fair, April 10-13.
Pep Rally -Thursday, April 13
Thursday, April 13 we will have a pep rally in our main gym. Band, choir and orchestra will perform our National Anthem. Our Color Guard will perform their We will recognize our tennis, swimming, soccer, track, and Special Olympics athletes. We will also recognize our PTA Texas Reflections award, Academic UIL, Math Counts participants, and our Color Guard will perform their bronze medal performance from the NTCA Cadet Class State Championships. Please
click here
for the bell schedule.
All parents are welcome to attend and are encouraged to park in a parking space not designated as a fire lane in the front parking lot to enter and sign-in through the front office. Overflow parking is available in the back of the school and parents may enter and sign-in through the west courtyard door.
Parents of Rising 2017-2018 Willow Springs Cheerleaders - Due Date Friday, April 14
A parent meeting was conducted March 27 at WSMS, which outlined expectations, paperwork, and tryouts. Cheer tryouts are happening April 13. There will be a cheer clinic on April 11 and 12 to review tryout material. Fittings for uniforms and camp wear are April 19 at 4:30 p.m. at Willow Springs Middle School in Room C200. Cheer physicals and the first payment for cheerleading uniforms are both due by May 15. Camp payments are due by July 1st. Payments may be made at the Online Payment Center opening soon
here.
Club Day -Friday, April 21
Club Day is Friday, April 21 and we will be on an activity bell schedule. For copy of the activity bell schedule, please
go here.
Students participating in the Extreme Club must wear a helmet. Students who are in the K9 and Kritters Club must have permission from the counseling office before bringing an animal to school. Students may leave their equipment for Guitar Club, Extreme and Remote Control Club in the front office.
STAAR Testing
STAAR tests for all of our students are below. Please keep the STAAR testing dates in mind while scheduling doctor appointments and orthodontics appointments. If a student is pulled out of school once he/she has begun their STAAR exam, the state requires it be graded "as is". If you have questions or concerns regarding any conflicts you may have with the STAAR testing dates, please contact
Kathy Stone
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STAAR Testing Days
For STAAR Testing bell schedules,
go here
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May 1-4
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8th Grade STAAR Algebra I EOC
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May 8th
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7th grade STAAR math
8th grade STAAR math retest
8th grade Fitnessgram
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May 9th
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7th grade STAAR reading
8th grade STAAR reading retest
8th grade social studies & science rotations
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May 10th
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8th grade STAAR Science
7th grade regular class day
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May 11th
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8th grade STAAR Social Studies
7th grade regular class day
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Scoliosis Screening - Monday, May 9
Our school Nurse, Gretchen Young, will be screening 8th grade students for possible Scoliosis, on Monday May 8th during their Fitnessgram Test. Scoliosis screening is required by House Bill 832 passed by the Texas Legislature in 1985.
Students will be required to remove their shirts for the screening. Girls WILL NEED TO WEAR one of the following under their blouse or shirt: swim suit top, bra or sports bra.
The procedure for screening is simple and quick, it requires the back to be visually examined while standing straight and bending forward. For this examination, boys and girls will be seen separately and individually examined by the WSMS nurse.
If you do not wish for your student to be screened you must have your child examined by your healthcare provider and an affidavit submitted to the nurse's office on or before May 4th. Parents will be notified of the results of the screening only if professional follow up is necessary.
If you have any questions or concerns, or wish to submit medical documentation regarding your child, please contact
Gretchen by email or phone
at 469-742-8420
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Campus Information and Reminders
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Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age Presentation
On Friday, April 7th, all WSMS students will attend a presentation with counselors and administrators. Students will view and discuss excerpts from the documentary Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age. The movie Screenagers discusses the impact of the digital age on our daily lives, how to minimize harmful effects of technology, and how to find a balance between our relationships and our devices. We encourage parents to discuss the movie with their children at home and discuss how technology fits best in our lives. Use the following tips and questions to guide the conversation at home:
-Ask your child what the movie said about the impact of screen time on our brains? What does multitasking do to our peer and family relationships? What happened to the mice when they were exposed to screen-like stimulation?
-Ask your child how often their screen time is productive?
-Discuss how each family members screen time differs and ideas of how to find a balance between school, family time, and screen time. Is any family member vulnerable to a technology addiction?
-Create a Technology Contract with each family member (including parents). Have your child give input on their own non-negotiable items. Determine reasonable consequences for breaking the contract.
-Find a useful app that turns off all social media at a certain time each night. (ex: the Ourpact App).
-Have a technology fast in your home! Set aside a day/evening where the entire family agrees they won't rely on a device and do something together as a family.
Safety Corner- Online Safety & Hidden Apps
The cell phone is a valuable tool for teens and their parents, as well as for use in the classroom. However, this technology can also provide temptations for misuse, with photo vaults or "ghost" apps. These apps allow for the password-protected storage of photos, videos, and some provide Internet access with no traceable history. In addition to these apps, there are also social media websites that parents should be cautious of. Gaggle, an internet safety company for schools, has created a list of social networks, websites and apps that pose a potential risk to students. This list is updated frequently, so you will have the most current list of potential threats. To view their most current list, visit this site.
Carpool Pick Up Before and After School
With soccer being the only sport in season for the next 7 weeks, carpool traffic will move a little slower before and after school. Please make sure you continue to follow carpool procedures to ensure student safety. As a reminder, please drive slowly through the carpool lane, watch for students crossing into the back parking lot, and please do not use cell phones. This time of year our carpool line clears out around 4:15. If you are in a hurry, please arrive before 4:00 or after 4:15 as traffic will move the slowest during the 4:00-4:15 block.
Also, if you pick up after school in the front parking lot, remember that it will be coned off until 4:15 to ensure a safe departure for our buses. Once all buses have exited the campus, the cones will be removed to allow cars to exit the front parking lot.
Student Attendance
Did you know: In the 2015 TEA accountability system of 40 comparison schools with similar demographics, Willow Springs ranked in the bottom 25% of student attendance?
One of our focus areas for this year is to increase our student and teacher daily attendance on campus. Research shows that the more students are in class with their teacher, the more they will learn over the course of the school year. The more students learn, the more success and confidence they will have in middle school. To promote this, we will be recognizing students and staff who have perfect attendance during each six weeks. Please assist us by working with your son or daughter to ensure they are getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, and are taking care of themselves overall. In addition, our new state accountability system uses student attendance as criteria for evaluating the performance of schools. We also receive state funding based on our "Average Daily Attendance" of students that are present during 2
nd
period, which ends at 10:00 a.m. As you begin to plan out of town trips this spring, please consider keeping your children in school through the Friday before each break. Let's work together to encourage our students to be in class every day.
Orchestra UIL Success!
On Wednesday, April 5 and Thursday, April 6, the Willow Springs MS Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras participated in the annual Region 25 UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest at McKinney North High School. We are incredibly proud of all of the students' efforts and determination in preparing for our biggest event of the year.
Both Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestra received the highest honor of the Sweepstakes Award, which means that they received a First Division Superior Award on stage and a First Division Superior Award in the Sightreading room! This is the first year in program history to take both a Varsity and Non-Varsity middle school group to this event! The judges consistently remarked on how professional and musical our students were and how they played beyond just notes and rhythms to create a beautiful musical experience.
Thank you so much for all your support of our Lovejoy Orchestra program! Please help us congratulate the following students -
Philharmonic Orchestra
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Andrezejewski
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Katelyn
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7
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Ashby
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Colin
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7
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Beard
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Anna
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8
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Carlisle
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Aurea
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8
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Esser
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Eric
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8
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Gaines
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Jack
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7
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Garcia
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Jenna
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7
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Hersley
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Ella
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7
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Holmes
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Grace
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7
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Iovine
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Zachary
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8
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Iovine
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Andrew
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8
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Kapur
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Kunal
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8
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Kennedy
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Cameron
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8
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Larimer
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Justin
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7
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Lingenfelder
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Stefan
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8
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Liu
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Amber
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7
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Mayo
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Parker
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7
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Novotny
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Regan
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7
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Pang
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Hallel
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8
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Patino
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Quinn
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8
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Pickens
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Jacob
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7
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Pottinger
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Thomas
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7
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Roth
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Caroline
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7
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Sailer
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William
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8
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Sandoval
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Luis
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8
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Schmidt
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Daniel
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8
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Showah
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Joseph
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8
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Sleeper
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Jordan
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8
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Taylor
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Sydnee
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7
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Valentine
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Zachary
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8
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Waldrop
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Caroline
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8
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Chamber Orchestra
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Bedjaoui
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Abraham
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8
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Beets
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Caleb
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7
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Beets
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Jacob
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8
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Bell
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Elise
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8
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Bittlestone
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Joshua
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8
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Britton
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William
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8
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Clancy
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Maddie
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8
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Cowan
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Grace
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8
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Cross
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Keeran
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8
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DeBauge
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Caitlin
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8
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Duke
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Caroline
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8
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Dunham
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Richard
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8
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Flinchbaugh
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Amelia
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8
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Hall
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Keagan
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8
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Hanna
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Sophie
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8
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Johnson
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Alison
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8
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Kilpatrick
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Jenna
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8
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Le
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Abigail
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8
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Marshall
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Kristina
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8
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Marwaha
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Nikita
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8
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Mousavijam
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Grayson
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8
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Nakamura
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Zachary
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8
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Parkinson
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Jacob
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8
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Porter
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Avery
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8
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Poulton
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Amelia
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8
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Powell
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Emma
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8
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Scalf
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Stone
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8
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Schlimme
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Ryan
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8
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Sessions
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Caroline
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8
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Tassan
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Trinity
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8
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Underwood
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Jakob
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8
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Vilensky
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Natalie
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8
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Warren
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Kylie
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8
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Watson
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Jordan
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8
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Wen
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Mark
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8
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Wynn
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Savannah
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8
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Zhang
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Kelly
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8
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Wallaert
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John
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8
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Watanabe
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Lauryn
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8
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Notes from the Nurse - Medications
If your child has medicine at school, please make sure your child has exactly enough medicine to finish the school year. You are responsible for picking up any extra medicine as the school district has a policy against sending medicines home with students. At the end of this school year, any remaining medicines, including inhalers, will be thrown out. The school cannot store these for you during the summer.
Please remember, if your child is going to continue being medicated at school during the 2017-2018 school year, you will need to complete a new medication sheet at that time and bring a SMALL or travel size bottle of medicine that is not expired.
Immunizations
Early reminder to parents of students that will be 7th graders during the 2017-2018 school year:
It is a State requirement that all 7th grade students must have had 2 required updated immunizations in order to attend school. These required immunizations are, TDaP booster (Tetanus booster) and Menactra (Meningococcal).
Please obtain a copy of your child's updated shots and provide it to our school nurse, Gretchen Young, BEFORE August 18, 2017. You may drop it off in person, send it through the mail to Willow Springs Middle School, 1101 West Lucas Road, Lucas, TX 75002, by email to
Gretchen Young
or fax at 469-742-8501
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Walk a Mile sock drive
Packages of new socks will be collected during the month of April. These will be donated to Caldwell Elementary students in McKinney, as part of our theme: Making a Difference through Compassion.
Dress Code - Shorts Weather
Spring has come to Lovejoy, and with the warm weather comes the opportunity to wear shorts and sleeveless tops. Please remember students must wear shorts of fingertip length when attending classes or school functions. If a student comes to campus with shorts that are considered too short, the student will be asked to call home for appropriate clothing. Tops must have straps that are three fingers in width or something must be worn over it. If students do not have something they can change into, our clinic does have some clothing, but we can't guarantee it will fit. We appreciate your help,
click here
for the WSMS dress code.
Academic UIL - Results!
Academic UIL is a rigorous contest where students compete head to head against other schools in academic subjects such as number sense, oral reading, chess, modern oratory, spelling, music memory, art, and many, many more. Last weekend our students competed against UIL teams from Highland Park, Prosper, Colleyville, Grapevine, and Coppell.
We are thrilled to announce that at the end of the day, both seventh and eighth grades won first place sweepstakes!
Go here
to see the winners of each academic contest. We are Lovejoy Proud!
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WSMS Track and Field News
The middle school track and field season was a successful one! We had a bunch of kids accomplish great things over the course of the season. Congratulations to all athletes for their hard work and dedication this year!
The District Track Meet was held in Rockwall, and the following athletes earned a medal for their event.
GOLD - DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
Avery Ashley - Pole Vault
Julia Brochu - Discus
7th Grade Boys 4x400 meter relay - Aiden Murphy, Dillon Magee, Mason McClure, Boden Davidson
SILVER
Audrey Bensmiller - Pole Vault
Bo Allen - 300 meter hurdles
Taiden Conner - 800 meter run
Brian Kotecki - Shot Put
Parker Pritz - High Jump
BRONZE
Matthew Murray - 2400 meter run
Alex Pedersen - 2400 meter run
Aiden Murphy - 300 meter hurdles
Boden Davidson - long jump
4x100 meter relay - Braeden Larsen, Boden Davidson, Daely Phillips, Parker Pritz
4x100 meter relay - Hunter Smith, Sam Clay, James Boyd, Luke Mayfield
4x400 meter relay - Bo Allen, Luke Mayfield, Trevor Malik, Hunter Smith
WSMS will offer year-round tennis!
Fall
This Fall (2017) all WSMS athletes will have the opportunity for a new Tennis Development Class during first period athletics. This class will be for those athletes that want to mainly focus on Tennis. Parents will transport their tennis athletes to the LHS Tennis Courts at 8:15am. The class will be dismissed at 9:15 am. A bus will transport these athletes back to the WS campus to prepare for their 2nd period class. Those athletes who would like to do other sports would be in off season and transfer over to tennis at semester when the season starts. This would not affect their schedules, as I will offer a before school practice during this time. Also Lou Hervey has an after school program that players can get involved in while playing other sports at WSMS.
Spring (In Season)
The WSMS tennis season will begin in the spring (2018). Practices are scheduled for 7:45 - 8:30 AM (8th period athletes)at the LHS Tennis Courts. The tennis athletes will be dismissed @ 8:30 AM to dress and prepare for their bus travel back to WS campus. First period athletes will workout from 8:30-9:15 with a bus taking them back in time for second period.
Tryouts for the WS Spring Tennis Team will be the second week back from Winter Break (Jan. 15-19). Once the team has been selected, I will have the ladder set on what number each athlete is. The tryout will take place after school from 4:30pm-6:30pm. I am very excited for this opportunity to continue developing our middle school tennis players. Please contact
Coach Davis
with any questions or concerns at
[email protected]
or 972-975-2631. Thank you for all your support of Willow Springs Tennis.
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Lovejoy ISD Pre-Kindergarten
Lovejoy ISD is accepting applications for tuition-based Pre-Kindergarten. This comprehensive program will be staffed by credentialed teachers and housed on the Puster Elementary School campus. This program will offer enhancements in music, fitness, art, library, science, technology, engineering, and math. We are enthusiastic to provide a Lovejoy education for community members looking for a rich learning experience which will provide a firm foundation for kindergarten and beyond.
To apply, please click here. To schedule a tour of the Pre-Kindergarten program, please contact Stacey Dillon at 469.742.8003.
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| Kevin Parker, Principal of Puster Elementary School, "shoots hoops" with incoming Pre-Kindergarten student, Crew Thomas.. |
The Summer Enrichment Camps have been finalized, and we are excited to offer opportunities for Pre-K through 12th grade. You will find everything from dodge ball to robotics, and cooking to coding.
Summer Enrichment Camps will be offered in three sessions:
Session I: June 12-16
Session II: June 19-23
Session III: July 10-14
Click here
to see all of the exciting summer enrichment camp offerings. Registration is open.
With a few exceptions (athletic camps and Lovejoy theatre camp), information for all enrichment camps is available through this link. If there is a need to register through the camp provider, the link will be provided with the session description for each session (e.g., PSAT Prep from Princeton Review).
Please review the enrichment camps and consider one or more of these excellent opportunities for your children this summer.
Lovejoy ISD Athletic Summer Camps and Performance Course
Registration is now open for Lovejoy ISD Athletic Summer Camps.
Click here
for details.
Lovejoy Athletics is pleased to announce their partnership with Geno Pierce's Performance Course for the 2017-2018 school year. Performance Course brings with it a proven track record of championship success. Performance Course offers many different courses from high intensity programs for males to foundational courses for 1st graders. There is something for everyone.
Click here
for details and registration links.
Sewing Camp
A summer sewing camp is being offered at WSMS. Sewing Basics 101 teaches machine and tool basics while making a pillowcase and PJ's. Sewing Skill Builder 201 will continue developing your sewing skills with an individualized project. There are three weeks in June from which to choose. Spots fill quickly. For questions, or to reserve a spot, please contact
[email protected]. Click here for camp information as well as details regarding a t-shirt quilt option.
Lovejoy ISD Training Pool Open House - Saturday, April 8
The Lovejoy Swim and Dive team will host an open house at the new Training Pool on Saturday, April 8th, from 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM. Please join the team for a tour of the 25-yard training pool located inside the dome behind Sloan Creek Intermediate School (440 Country Club Road, Fairview, Texas).
Metroplex Aquatics, the company managing and operating the training pool, will be available to answer questions regarding future program offerings available to the public. The Kona Mobile Shaved Ice truck will be on-site offering refreshments for purchase. We hope to see you there.
Oxfam Hunger Banquet - Sunday, April 30
An Oxfam Hunger Banquet is a memorable, interactive event which brings hunger and poverty issues to life. After 40 years, this volunteer-led effort is still going strong and has changed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Draw a ticket and expand your world by attending Carrie Duke's Oxfam Hunger Banquet.
WSMS Independent Studies student, Carrie Duke, is planning this hunger banquet for her 2nd semester project.
Participants will choose an income card which will depict what they will have for dinner. Depending on the income card, attendees will receive either a more nutritious and a higher quantity of food, or a less nutritious meal.
Join Carrie on Sunday, April 30th, from 5:00 - 6:30 PM in the WSMS Cafeteria (1101 West Lucas Road, Lucas, TX, 75002) for a learning experience which will change your outlook on world hunger. See hunger in a whole new way.
For additional information, please visit Carrie's website by clicking here.
Lovejoy Orchestra Spirit Night - Tuesday, April 11
Lovejoy Orchestra will host a spirit night at Zoe's Kitchen (Fairview) on Tuesday, April 11th, from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Please join the Orchestra for a great combo of delicious food, good company, and support of the Lovejoy Orchestra. 15% of the proceeds will benefit the Orchestra Booster Club. When you order please let the cashier know you are with Lovejoy Orchestra. This includes dine in and take out.
Lovejoy Hockey Players Wanted
The 2016-2017 varsity hockey season has wrapped up and the team is now looking forward to the summer and fall seasons. Registration will end soon for the summer season and the 2017-2018 season signups are around the corner. Any incoming 8th - 12th grade students who love to play hockey and are interested in joining the team please contact,
[email protected].
Friends of Fairview Firefighters Association Pancake Breakfast - Saturday, April 22
The Friends of Fairview Firefighters Association will host a pancake breakfast on Saturday, April 22nd from 8:00 - 11:00 AM at Fairview Fire Station #2.
Click here for details.
 April is Autism Awareness Month
E-Waste Recycling Event - Saturday, April 22
In conjunction with the celebration of Earth Day, Lovejoy High School will host an e-waste recycling day on Saturday, April 22nd from 9 AM - Noon in the LHS parking lot. Please click
here
for additional information regarding the e-waste collection.
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