The following information was sent to families via SchoolMessenger on Wednesday, November 15 with the subject "WJMS Weekly Wednesday Update - 11.15.23". The content has been formatted for the web.
Hello, West Jeff Middle families. This is your Weekly Wednesday Update for November 15, 2023.
Upcoming Dates
November 1 - 30: Raise Craze kindness fundraiser
November 17: PTA Reflections arts program entries turn-in, 8:30 - 8:45 am, WJMS library
November 20 - 24: No school, Thanksgiving break
November 27: School Accountability Committee meeting, 4 pm, WJMS library and online
December 7: Coffee with the Counselors, 8:45 am, Room 109
School News
While we are halfway through our PTA's annual Raise Craze kindness fundraiser, it's not too late for students to sign up! More information on the fundraiser in the PTA News section of the newsletter.
Congratulations to our 6th grade players on the Mountain Predators football team! They won the sixth grade bowl game in the Jeffco Youth Football Association's 2023 Carnation Bowl.
The district's School Enrollment Survey is open 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].
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.
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
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.
In the first two weeks of our Raise Craze annual fundraiser, our fundraising total reached $6,663, with 160 students registered and 433 Acts of Kindness (AOKs).
Ms. Lauer's Advise class had the highest per student average for donations in Week 1. They received donuts and hot chocolate on Tuesday, November 14 during Advise. Tickets for every $30 raised in donations went out to students Tuesday and prizes were handed out today.
In Week 3, students will receive a ticket for every $50 in donations received that they can enter into prize drawings. This week's prizes include: lunch with a friend and your favorite teacher, a 3D printer, $55 gift card tree, 50 Jr Frostys from Wendy's, a Conifer Lobos hoodie and shirt, giant squishmallow, RC car, and LED light bars. The top-earning Advise class will receive donuts and hot chocolate the Monday after break! Keep up the hard work.
Tickets for the grand prize drawing will be given to students for every $50 in donations received for the entire month! The grand prizes include: dodgeball with the staff, ride home on a fire truck or ambulance, office helper for a day, a gaming chair, Beats by Dre headphones, LED pixel display, projector, and a chance to ride on the holiday float in the Conifer parade with Archie. Any student that receives $500 or more in donations gets a minute in the cash cube with $100 cash! The drawing for the grand prizes and cash cube will be on December 1.
This week, look for pop-up prize drawings at lunch for students who have received at least one donation since November 11.
It's not too late to join in the kindness! Students can still register a Raise Craze account and start receiving donations. Please see the registration flier for instructions.
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].
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.
Holiday Art Camps: Center for the Arts Evergreen offers half-day art programs for students during Thanksgiving and winter breaks. The middle school programs run from 1 - 4 pm and include First Im"press"ions, block printing on Thursday, December 21; Optical Illusions on Friday, December 22; and Ice, Ice Baby, where students explore painting, dying, and sculpting with colored ice on Thursday, January 4. Information on all of their youth classes is available at https://evergreenarts.org/kidsclasses/ .
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:
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 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)
November 29: Supporting Mental Health Needs of Gifted Teens and Tweens, 7 - 8:30 pm via Zoom
December 7: Tips for Grieving Families During the Holidays, 7 - 8 pm via Zoom
December 10: Climb with Resilience1220!, 2 - 4 pm at Buchanan Park Recreation Center, (32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen), cost is $12 (scholarships available, inquire at [email protected])
December 12: 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
December 16: Candle Lighting Ceremony, 4:30 - 6 pm at the Resilience1220 office (32003 Ellingwood Trail, Evergreen)
December 20: Sensitive Collective support group, 3:30 - 4:30 pm via Zoom
Jefferson County Public Library events: Please follow the links for more information on upcoming programs at the Conifer branch:
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
Tuesday, December 12: Teen Time - Holiday Cookie Decoration, 4:15 – 5:15 pm