The following information was sent to families via SchoolMessenger on Wednesday, November 8 with the subject "WJMS Weekly Wednesday Update - 11.8.23". The content has been formatted for the web.
Hello, West Jeff Middle families. This is your Weekly Wednesday Update for November 8, 2023.
Upcoming Dates
November 1 - 30: Raise Craze kindness fundraiser
November 9: PTA School Store during lunches
November 9: Choir concert, 6 - 7:30 pm
November 10: Veterans Day observed at school
November 10: last day of Trimester 1
November 10: Trimester 2 schedules available on Campus after school
November 13: No school, non-student contact day
November 17: PTA Reflections arts program entries turn-in, 8:30 - 8:45 am, WJMS library
November 20 - 24: No school, Thanksgiving break
School News
Our PTA's annual Raise Craze kindness fundraiser is underway! More information on the fundraiser in the PTA News section of the newsletter.
There will be a choir performance on Thursday, November 9 at our school. Come celebrate the decades as our students sing selections from the 70s, 80s, and 90s! The concert begins at 6 pm in the cafetorium.
On Friday, November 10, we will observe Veterans Day with an assembly and reception starting at 8:50 am. Please feel free to invite any veterans you know to join us. Students received information through their Advise classes on how to submit information for our Remembrance Wall and request service flags.
Our first trimester ends on Friday, November 10. Families, please be sure to check Campus and ask your student to show you their work in Google Classroom. Please refer to the WJMS Student Handbook for more detailed grading information. Schedules for Trimester 2 will be available after school on Friday, November 10.
There is no school on Monday, November 13 for a teacher planning day. Classes resume on Tuesday, November 14.
Jeffco Public Schools invites families to take the School Enrollment Survey through Friday, November 17. The anonymous survey takes 10-15 minutes to complete and will inform the district about how families choose the school their student(s) attends and which school programs matter most to families.
The draft minutes from the October School Accountability Committee meeting are available on the school website. The next meeting will take place on Monday, November 27 at 4 pm.
Our next Coffee with the Counselors will take place Thursday, December 7 from 8:45 - 9:45 am in room 109. We will cover How to Talk to Your Teen! Please complete the Coffee with the Counselors RSVP if you plan to join us!
As part of regular monitoring of water quality at our schools, recent drinking water test results showed higher than recommended levels of per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs). While this is not an emergency, we are providing an informational letter about our drinking water test results. For more information about school water quality, please contact Ray Cosby at 303-789-1549 or [email protected].
Adult family or community members available at the beginning or end of the school day to help keep the drop-off and pickup of students safe and well supervised are invited to volunteer with our Watch D.O.G.S.! Please contact our Lead WatchDOG, Daniel Tucker, with any questions at [email protected].
All Jeffco families have received communication from the district this week regarding a cybersecurity incident that occurred on Tuesday, October 31. The district is aware that some families have been contacted via email by an unauthorized actor. Please see the news article "Information Regarding Cybersecurity Incident" on the district website with the latest information about the event and best practice reminders about how you can keep yourself safe. Jeffco continues to partner with specialists and law enforcement to address the situation. The district will continue to communicate with families and share updates on our district’s website as they become available.
GT Student Group Opportunity
Dylan Duran, our school's Gifted and Talented Social-Emotional Learning Counselor, will be offering a small group opportunity to help students identified as gifted learn strategies to cope with the stress, anxiety, and pressures of perfectionism. They will also have the opportunity to hear from other students who may be feeling similar pressures in their lives.
The group will run for 6-8 weeks and meet during Advise, so there will be no missed class time for students. Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Duran at [email protected] or 303-982-6145 for more information. If you would like your student to participate in this learning experience, please fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/SpsaPTsJoPkAeMCk7
Hazel Health Services Reminder
Jeffco Public Schools has a continuing partnership with Hazel Health's telehealth services to provide a free telehealth extension of mental and physical health support for Jeffco students enrolled at district-managed schools accessed at home with a parent/guardian.
Parents/guardians may access these services on behalf of your student by visiting this webpage and following the instructions for Steps to Access Care.
Why Should Families Take Advantage of Hazel Health Services?
Our priority is for students to be healthy and ready to learn. Hazel Health connects you with healthcare providers through virtual telehealth, so your student can get the care they need from your home.
Quick and easy access to a self-referral system with minimal or no wait times.
If your student is suffering from anxiety, depression, grief/loss, bullying, academic stress or more, Hazel Health therapists can help them!
All Hazel Health providers serving Jeffco students possess the appropriate Colorado credential for their profession, whether to practice medicine (i.e. medical doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant) or provide mental health services.
We encourage you to take advantage of these no-cost Hazel Health Services for your student's well-being. You can access this service right now by visiting our webpage to learn more and begin the referral process.
PTA News
In the week since our Raise Craze annual fundraiser started last Wednesday, we have already raised $3,853 with 126 students registered, 191 Acts of Kindness (AOKs) and 259 emails sent out.
Prizes for students that registered and received at least one donation were given in Advise on Tuesday, November 7. Students can still register a Raise Craze account and start receiving donations. Please see the registration flier for instructions.
Students will receive a ticket for every $30 in donations received through Friday of this week that they can enter into prize drawings. This week's prizes include: lunch with a friend and your favorite teacher, shark blanket, $50 gift card tree, 50 Jr Frostys from Wendy's, a Conifer Lobos hoodie and shirt, giant squishmallow, mini drone, and a skull Bluetooth speaker. The top-earning Advise class will receive donuts and hot chocolate Tuesday! Keep up the hard work.
Our goal is to raise $25,000 to help support items such as school safety upgrades, implementation of the No Place for Hate program, recess upgrades, and programs PTA provides.
During the fundraiser, students collect donations and pay the generosity forward by completing Acts of Kindness for others (AOKs). Information on how to register and participate is available online in the registration flier.
Questions? Contact JoLene Kucera at [email protected].
The next School Store is coming up next Thursday, November 9 during lunches. Students may pay with cash, card or Google/Apple Pay. Nothing is more than $5.
Students are invited to submit their original artwork for the PTA Reflections art program on the theme "I am Hopeful Because". We are accepting submissions in the categories of visual arts, photography, literature, film production, dance choreography, and music composition. Projects are due in the West Jefferson Middle School Library on Friday, November 17th between 8:30 - 8:45 am. More information is available in the attached flier.
Business owners, you can advertise your business and support the PTA at the same time! Check out our website for more information on becoming a fence sign sponsor.
Connect with PTA: PTA Website and PTA Facebook
Community News
Jeffco Public Schools is hiring! There are available positions in many areas for adults interested in working for Jeffco Public Schools. Learn more about available positions and apply online on the Jeffco Jobs Board at jeffcok12jobs.org.
We have an immediate opening at our school for an Independence Support Para Educator: Job 23678 - Para Educator - 6th grade Independence Support. The position is .875 FTE (7 hours/day) and starts at $19.13/hour.
BSA Pie Fundraiser: Scouts BSA Troop 400 is selling handmade frozen pies from Hinman Pie just in time for Thanksgiving! Order and pay for your choice of pumpkin, salted maple, apple, or pecan pies by Wednesday, November 15 and pick them up on Monday, November 20 between 5 and 8 pm at Conifer Community Church, 9998 Havekost Road, Conifer.
West Jeff Baseball: Registration is open for boys and girls in 2nd through 8th grades for spring competitive league. Players need to attend skill evaluations on Sunday, October 15 at Evergreen High School to be considered for placement on a 2024 team. Please visit the West Jeff Baseball website for tryout times and more information.
Platte Canyon Little League: Spring 2024 registration is open for boys and girls ages 4 through 16. Players ages 11 through 14 may register in the Intermediate Division, and players ages 13 through 16 may register in the Junior / Senior Division. Please visit the Platte Canyon Little League website for more information.
Mountain Grapplers Wrestling Club: Registration is open for the 2023-24 Fall/Winter Folkstyle season for wrestlers in K - 8th grade with Mountain Grapplers Wrestling Club. If you would like to be added to their mailing list or have any questions, please contact [email protected].
Jeffco Gifted and Talented Events: Jeffco Public Schools' Gifted and Talented Department is hosting the following upcoming events for Jeffco families:
November 9: Young Children Who are Gifted and Who Have Overexcitabilities, 6 - 7:30 pm via Google Meet; free registration required to receive Google Meet link
December 14: Twice Exceptional with Anxiety, 6 - 7:30 pm via Google Meet; free registration required to receive Google Meet link
Resilience1220 events: Resilience1220 is a local non-profit organization that provides free counseling sessions and support groups for young people ages 12-20, and community outreach and events that increase awareness of mental health issues. Some of their upcoming events:
November 14: Beyond the Rainbow, 6 - 7:30 pm, separate groups for youth and adult family members that are LGBTQ+ or allies, please RSVP to [email protected] by 10 am the day of event
November 15: Sensitive Collective support group, 3:30 - 4:30 pm via Zoom
November 16: Support after Suicide Loss support group, 5:30 - 7 pm, both via Zoom and in person at the Resilience1220 office (32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen)
Jefferson County Public Library events: Please follow the links for more information on upcoming programs at the Conifer branch:
Tuesday, November 14: Teen Time - Shrinky Dinks, 4:15 – 5:15 pm
Saturday, November 18: Teen Dungeons & Dragons, 2 – 4 pm
Saturday, November 25: LEGO® ROOM!!!, 11 am – 3 pm
Saturday, December 9: Conifer Creation Station, 11 – 11:45 am