february2012 - West Middle School

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL
WEST SIDE STORY
A Message from Mr. Strohfus...
Dear Parents and Guardians,
February and March always bring much
preparation and celebration to the school
year. We spend a great deal of time preparing for the coming year and beginning
to celebrate some of our seasonal milestones. During the week of March 5 – 9,
we will be doing our school-wide administration of the TCAP test (formerly
CSAP). We ask for full community support during that time to help ensure a
positive and focused school atmosphere.
These tests provide a great ―snapshot‖ of
your child’s academic progress in relation
to state standards and are used to advise
programs and academic supports during
the current school year. We also continue to monitor student progress for individual learners as we prepare our programming and staffing for the upcoming
year. At West, we like to view the TCAP
as a celebration of accomplishment. It’s
a great opportunity for students to ―show
what they know!‖ Students actively participate in charting their own academic
growth now more than ever.
Just as we celebrate students’ accomplishments, we also celebrate the talents
of our tremendous teaching staff. This
year West Middle School proudly recognizes Mr. Lindsay Russell, 8th grade Math
teacher, as our Teacher of the Year. We
celebrate Mr. Russell for his 22 years
with Cherry Creek and 40 years of teaching altogether! The Cherry Creek Chapter of the Colorado Awards Organization
will hold a teacher awards banquet to
celebrate outstanding educators from
across the district on May 15, 2012.
Please join us in sharing our heartfelt appreciation and congratulations for Lindsay!
We look forward to having you join us for
parent conferences on February 29 and
March 1. Teachers will be communicating with you in weeks to come to set
up appointments. As always, we are
thankful for the partnership we share
with our parent community as we work
to challenge and support our students.
Please continue to stay in touch with
your child’s teachers and counselors if
you have academic questions or concerns. We will continue to evaluate student progress throughout the spring as
we develop student schedules for the
2012-13 year.
Parents, please remember that there
are a variety of methods that you can
use to see how your students are doing
in school. First of all, we recommend
that you frequently check PowerSchool
as a tool to check grades and discuss
upcoming work with your child. Of
course, please feel free to contact your
child’s teachers if you have and questions or concerns. You can do this via
phone or email. Our counselors, administrators, and deans are also happy to
help you as well. Please use your West
Side Story as a resource to keep on top
of school activities, PTCO events, and
other important scheduling information.
As we work to go green and reduce
printing and mailing costs, please access your West Side Story and other
school information via the WMS website
at www.west.ccsd.k12.co.us or from the
district website at www.ccsd.k12.co.us.
February 2012
INS ID E TH IS I SSU E:
Principal’s Message
1
TCAP
2
PTCO Page
3
Spelling Bee & STEM
3
Registrar’s Office
4
Nurse’s Notes
4
4Word Momentum
4
Upcoming Events-Feb.
5
Upcoming Events-Mar.
6
Important WMS #s
6
CCRW Writing Contest
7
Forensics
7
What is FLIP
7
Chili Cook Off
8
Washington DC Trip
9
EXPLORE Testing
Results
10
Art Winners
11
Study Skills
12
Honor Roll—1st Qtr.
13
PIN
16
Warm Regards,
West Middle School
David Strohfus
Principal
West Middle School
5151 South Holly Street
Greenwood Village, CO 80121
720-554-5100 Main #
720-554-5181 Fax
Office Hours:
7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Principal: David Strohfus
Asst. Prin.: 8th-Kate Bergles
7th-Chellie McCourt
COSA/6th: Ginny Niles
Dean:
Jeff Stephens
PAGE 2
What is TCAP?
TCAP (Transitional Colorado Assessment Program) is Colorado’s standards-based assessment.
There are two purposes for the TCAP program at the middle school level:
1. To determine the level at which Colorado students meet the Colorado Content Standards in the
content area assessed; Reading, Writing, Math, and Science (Science only at 8th grade).
2. To measure the progress of Colorado students over time.
TCAP at West
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TCAP tests will be given the week of March 5th through March 8th.
Only 8th grade will test on Monday, March 5th. (Science)
All grade levels will test on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Students will have a lunch period and will attend their elective classes.
The bell schedule will be slightly altered during TCAP to accommodate the testing schedule.
th
Lunches will be at the following times:
6 10:40-11:15
7th 12:30-1:05
8th 11:30-12:10
What can I do to help my child prepare?
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Feed them. Kids need fuel to operate! Please make sure your kids get a good breakfast on test days.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep. Testing days can be long for middle school students. A good night’s sleep
will help them stay energized throughout the day.
Exercise. Physical activity increases stamina, boosts brain power, helps the body fight off illness, is a
mood elevator, relieves stress, fosters creativity, and helps build self-esteem!
Build confidence. Recognize your child for a job well done. Remind kids to try their best and that you are
proud of them!
Keep stress in check. Some stress is positive, but stress can also be overwhelming! Help your child
learn about stress management techniques such as:
 Positive self-talk (―I know I can do this…‖)
 Time management (avoid being rushed in the morning)
 Taking slow deep breaths when anxious
 Talking about short and long term goals. Let your child know that education is important to you,
and discuss how doing well on tests (such as these) will help them accomplish their long term
goals.
Other Reminders…
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NO CELL PHONES are allowed in the classrooms during the test. Please ask your child to leave them
turned off in their lockers or at home during TCAP week. If a cell phone rings during a test, or if a cell
phone is found to be on a student during a test, the test could be invalidated.
Do your best to have your students to school on time during this week.
Please do your best to have your student attend all classes during TCAP week. If they are ill, please keep
them home! We will provide a time for make-ups the following week!
Our gracious PTCO has provided snacks for all students on test days. Please pack a water bottle for your
child so they may stay hydrated during the day.
PAGE 3
PTCO Page
The school year is halfway through and PTCO is having an exciting and productive year. Thanks for your
ongoing parental support to ensure an exemplary experience for all students. Through our parents successful fundraising efforts to date we have been able to support technology, art, music, media center,
science, social studies, language, and math.
Our most exciting news is being able to provide funding for a new staff position at West that will support
students in organizational skills and note/test taking skills that will be invaluable for success when they
move on to the independence of high school.
We are always in need of enthusiastic parent support and encourage you to continue this tradition of excellence. Our Family Giving Campaign is currently underway. It's simple, your direct tax deductible donation to PTCO allows grants to immediately and directly benefit your student.
Nominating for 2012-13 PTCO Executive and General Board is currently underway. If you would like to
volunteer, please contact us and we will find a position that best meets your time availability and skill.
From chairing a committee to assisting chairs for individual tasks, there is truly something valuable for
every parent to be able to contribute in a meaningful way.
Finally, we would like to proudly announce West's Exemplary Volunteer of the Year: Anita Corwin. She
will be honored by The Cherry Creek School District at a reception in April. It is always a difficult task to
chose just one person when West has so many outstanding and selfless volunteers, but we are only allowed one honoree. Since Anita Corwin stepped foot at West, she has given her time and enthusiasm to
chair three positions: Hospitality, Promotions, and Nominating. She is a wise and thoughtful voice on
Executive Board. She has assisted at literally every West event, lending a hand with set up, clean up, and
any task needed in between. Her signature phrase is "Whatever you need-I'm here to serve you." Every
student at West has benefitted in some way by her inability to "just say no". Congratulations, Anita, as
our CCSD Exemplary Volunteer of the Year, you are truly the spirit of such an award.
Helen Kechriotis Nelson
PTCO Co President
Carey Radochonski
PTCO CoPresident
West Middle School Selects Contestants for
the District-wide Spelling Bee
Five students will represent West at the Scripps-sponsored District Spelling Bee on
February 10th:
Zach Corwin, Danny Gao, Shritha Gunturu,
Morgan Jenney, and Manasa Ponnapalli.
Wish them luck - they've already put in all the hard work!
West STEM Lecture Series
The spring offerings have been published and sign-up forms are available through your child's SSR
teacher or Mrs. Thorp (Room C104). We have speakers coming from the fields of software, chemical
and environmental engineering, pediatric medicine and pathology, and electricity generation.
PAGE 4
From the Registrar’s Office...
Non-Resident Applications
The non-resident application process begins April 1,
2012. Be sure to check the district website
(www.cherrycreekschools.org) for updates and more
information as the window nears.
Grades
Mid-quarter 3 ends February 17, 2012. You are
encouraged to log on to PowerSchool at any time
throughout the school year to view your child’s current
grades. If you have difficulty logging on to
PowerSchool, please contact the Main Office at
720-554-5170.
Nurse’s Notes
Food for Thought
Want your student to be more alert,
focused, and ready to tackle the day’s challenges?
Encourage them to eat breakfast. Not just on a test
day, but every day of the year. It is well documented
that breakfast eaters are healthier and more energetic
throughout the day.
Eating a good breakfast helps students achieve.
National studies consistently confirm that breakfast
helps kids, concentrate, think, behave, and learn.
Eating breakfast:
 Improves children’s classroom performance, including better test scores and grades.
 Increases children’s ability to focus and concentrate on school work.
 Decreases behavior problems, tardiness, and visits to the school nurse.
 Increases attendance rates.
 Helps with weight management which can reduce
the risk of obesity and health problems.
 Just as important, when students routinely start
their day with breakfast, they learn habits that carry over to their adult years and serve them for a
lifetime.
Have You Moved?
If you have recently moved, please contact our
Registrar, Kathy Clark, at 720-554-5163, for the
necessary documentation to update your address.
If you have moved out of West Middle School’s
attendance area and would like
your child to continue as a West
Middle School student, we will
be happy to work with you to
submit the appropriate application. Thank you for choosing
West!
7th Grade Assembly
4Word Momentum
The entire 7th grade class participated in 4Word
Momentum Assemblies in January. The five hour
workshop-based assembly allowed students to reflect on their actions and how those actions can
impact others. They had an opportunity to get to
know more of their peers and realized the more
you know about someone the less likely you are
going to treat them badly. Some of the activities
provided discussions about how we often judge
someone on one thing and then they learned strategies on how to avoid these quick judgments. The
presenter wrapped up the day by giving students
the opportunity to practice being kind to one another. He shared that just like anything else we need
to practice to get better. The students were given
―forget me knots‖ (blue and yellow yarn) and were
instructed to find those peers that they felt they
needed to connect with and then share a statement
with the person before tying the string to his/her
wrist. The day was impactful and hopes are students will carry on with their kindness to everyone.
Thank you PTCO for providing the funds to bring
this program to our school!
PAGE 5
Upcoming Events
February 1
February 2
February 6
February 7
6:30 pm
3:00 pm
**
3:00 pm
8:30 am
3:00 pm
**
7:00 pm
February 8
February 9
February 10
February 13
February 14
February 15
February 16
February 20
February 21
February 22
February 23
February 27
February 28
7:00 pm
3:00 pm
**
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
7:00 pm
3:00 pm
8:15 am
5:30 pm
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
**
February 29
4:00 pm
NO LATE BUSES!
Parent Information Night (6th to 7th and 7th to 8th)
Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band, Science Club, Wildcat Symphony
6th Grade Girls Basketball @ WMS
8th Grade Girls Basketball @ Horizon
Boys Ensemble
8th Grade Band Practice @ CCHS
Jazz Band, MathCounts, NJHS, Yearbook Club
6th Grade Girls Basketball @ WMS
8th Grade Band Area Festival @ CCHS
NO LATE BUSES!
CCSD District Accountability Meeting @ SARC
Chess Club, Earth Club, Girls Ensemble,
Jazz Band, Wildcat Symphony
6th Grade Girls Basketball @ Campus
Staff vs 8th Grade Girls Basketball Game
Boys Ensemble, Wrestling Begins
STEM Lectures
CCSD Board of Education Meeting @ Eastridge Elementary
Art Club, Jazz Band, MathCounts
NO LATE BUSES!
WMS Accountability Meeting
1st Annual WMS Chili Cook Off
Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band, Science Club, Wildcat Symphony
No School—Presidents’ Day
Non Contact Day—No Students
NO LATE BUSES!
Chess Club, Earth Club, Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band, NJHS
District String-a-thon Festival @ WMS
Boys Ensemble
Art Club, Jazz Band, MathCounts
Wrestling Match @ Falcon Creek
NO LATE BUSES!
Spring Conferences
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
PAGE 6
Upcoming Events
MARCH
March 1
March 2
March 5
March 6
March 7
March 8
March 12
March 13
All Day
8:00 am
All Day
All Day
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
All Day
3:00 pm
**
All Day
All Day
3:00 pm
**
3:00 pm
7:00 pm
3:00 pm
**
March 14
March 15
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
7:00 pm
9:00 am
3:00 pm
**
3:00 pm
3:00 pm
6:30 pm
3:00 pm
March 23
March 26-30
Non-Contact Day—No Students
Spring Conferences
Non-Contact Day—No Students
8th Grade TCAP Testing
Boys Ensemble
STEM Lectures
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade TCAP Testing
Jazz Band, MathCounts, NJHS
Wrestling Match @ West (vs Laredo)
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade TCAP Testing
NO LATE BUSES!
6th, 7th, and 8th Grade TCAP Testing
Chess Club, Earth Club, Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band, Wildcat Symphony
Wrestling Match @ Prairie
Boys Ensemble
CCSD Board of Education Meeting @ Heritage
Art Club, Jazz Band, MathCounts, Student Council
Wrestling Match @ Horizon
NO LATE BUSES!
CCSD District Accountability Meeting @ SARC
8th Grade Leadership Day with CMS @ CCHS
Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band, Science Club, Wildcat Symphony
Wrestling Match @ West (vs Campus)
Boys Ensemble
Jazz Band, MathCounts, NJHS
Solo & Ensemble Concert
NO LATE BUSES!
Art Club, Chess Club, Earth Club, Girls Ensemble, Jazz Band,
Wildcat Symphony
NO LATE BUSES!
Spring Break
WMS Numbers
Main #
Main Office
Fax
720-554-5100
720-554-5180 or 554-5170
720-554-5181
Attendance 720-554-5110 (speak slowly & spell names)
Security
Administration
Counseling
Clinic
Bookkeeping
Dean’s Office
720-554-5174 (to leave a message for your student)
720-554-5180
720-554-5156
720-554-5117
720-554-5138
720-554-5156
PAGE 7
Cherry Creek Republican
Women’s Writing Contest
What is FLIP?
Congratulations to the five students in 7th grade for
winning the Cherry Creek Republican Women's
Writing Contest:
FLIP is generously sponsored by the WMS PTCO
and FLIP stands for Forward Leaps In Progress
and is an excellent opportunity for your child to get
assistance to be more successful at West Middle
School. FLIP is not detention or study hall and,
since it’s available during lunch, it will not interfere
with your child’s regular school day.
Emilyanne Bartlett
Caroline McPhillips
Madeline Harding
Helayna Molke
Gregory Ludwig
A second congratulations goes to Helayna Molke for
being the first place winner for the district!
Well done, 7th Grade!
Students may be referred to FLIP by teachers or
parents, or they may request to come on their
own. They can use FLIP time to catch up on missing assignments, get extra help on something they
don’t understand, gain some organizational skills,
or simply spend a little time getting positive support
in a different environment. Middle school can be a
difficult time academically and socially. When your
child is in need of a little boost, they can come on in
and FLIP things around.
Contact me for more information!
Aviva Pflock
FLIP Program
apflock2@cherrycreekschools.org
FLIP!
WMS has a new CSI Team!
Wildlife Crime Solved by WMS’ very own CSI Team.
Sixth graders, Team 6-2, was involved in a three
week mini-unit on wildlife forensics. Students were
trained as wildlife investigators and forensic scientists. During the first week, students practiced the
forensic lab techniques on identifying different animal skulls, identifying fingerprints, identifying animal
tracks and finally, identifying different hair samples.
The second week, the interviewing process of
―People of Interest‖ (staff members) began. During
the final week, students evaluated forensic evidence
provided at different lab stations. Once all the pieces were put together, the crime was solved. Principal Dave Strohfus, aka Ryan Dixon, and our Office
Manager Kelly Mullins, aka Eliza Lucero, were
―arrested‖ on Friday, January 20th on several felony
counts!
Congratulations to all the Wildlife
Investigators of Team 6-2!
Ryan Dixon, played by Mr. Strohfus, is ‖arrested‖
for animal poaching.
Dixon’s Sister, Alicia Lucero, played by Mrs. Mullins
is ―arrested‖ for an animal poaching conspiracy
with brother, Ryan Dixon.
PAGE 8
Do YOU have the best
CHiLi in Colorado?
WMS 1st Annual Chili Cook Off
February 16th @ 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Admission is one pot of chili. Come join in on the fun!!
Condiments, paper goods, and sides furnished by WMS.
Grand Prize-$25, 2nd Prize-$15, and 3rd Prize-$10
for each catagory
(Bragging Rights-Priceless!)
Judging categories are traditional chili, chili verde, and vegetarian chili.
RSVP your winning entry to Kate Bergles kbergles@cherrycreekschools.org or 720-554-5134.
Let the Battle Begin!!
PAGE 9
Attention 7th graders!
DON’T MISS OUT
ON NEXT YEARS TRIP TO
WASHINGTON, D.C.
West Middle School
Trip Dates: October 27 - 30, 2012
Early Registration Deadline: January 31, 2012
How to Register:
Mail in the bottom part of your registration letter.
(See Mr. Vigil.)
Call 1-800-688-8584.
Register Online at www.worldstrides.org.
You will need to reference our
Trip ID# 74964 when registering.
PAGE 10
Principal’s Parent Coffees
Parents and community members are
invited to share coffee and conversation
with the Principal. Join us to ask
questions and talk about what’s on your
mind!
Save These Dates For
Upcoming Coffees:
Tuesday, February 7th @ 9:00
Thursday, March 15th @ 9:00
Thursday, April 12th @ 9:00
Thursday, May 10th @ 9:00
EXPLORE Testing Results
25 Score Will Hallmark, Maya Cutforth, Summit Byrne,
24 Score Pictured from left to right, back row Brooke
Iliana Eber, Kayla Schultz, and Mr. Strohfus)
Landoch, Julia Grogan, Mr. Strohfus, Rohan Vaidya,
Edwin Bosch, and Jeremy Schiff Seated Elizabeth Goodman,
Lauren Decker, Dakota Wolner, and Caitlin Roark
(Not pictured Josiah Aklilu, Lindsey Fullmer, Elizabeth
Hoffmann, Jack McIntyre, and Manasa Ponnapalli)
The EXPLORE test is a Pre-ACT assessment designed to provide 8th grade students with a benchmark of
their academic progress as they move toward high school and college. The EXPLORE uses about 125
questions in four subject areas: English, Math, Reading and Science. Scores are compared to students in
our school and to all other 8th graders across the nation. West Middle School is extremely proud to announce that 5 students scored statistically perfect (25) on the test!!! Additionally, a whopping 15 students
scored a 24 on the EXPLORE. Congratulations to these outstanding kids!!!!
CCSD Board Meetings
Spring Conferences
February 13th, 7:00
February 29th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm and March 1st
from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Your student’s teacher will be contacting you to set up
your conference time.
March 12th, 7:00
Eastridge Elementary
11777 E. Wesley Ave.
Aurora, CO 80014
Heritage Elementary
6867 E. Heritage Pl. S.
Centennial, CO 80111
April 16th, 7:00
Fox Hollow Elementary
6363 S. Waco St.
Aurora, CO 80016
May 14th, 7:00
Challenge School
9659 E. Mississippi Ave.
Denver, CO 80247
PAGE 11
Congratulations!
The following WMS artists have received
Silver and Gold Keys
for the
Scholastics Alliance for Young Artists and Writers 2012 Awards
GOLD KEY
Libby Geraghty
Photograph
―Stuck in the Cracks‖
SILVER KEYS
Autum King
For her Ceramic Teapot
―La Bleu Parfait‖
Anisa Juson
For her Drawing
―Phishh‖
―La Bleu Parfait‖
The Alliance for Young
Artists & Writers, a 501(C)
(3) nonprofit organization,
identifies teenagers with
exceptional artistic and
literary talent and brings
their remarkable work to a
national audience through
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards
have an impressive legacy
dating back to 1923 and a
noteworthy roster of past
winners including Andy
Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, & Richard.
Avalon Robert Redford
and Joyce Carol Oates.
―Stuck in the Cracks‖
GOLD KEY
AW ARD
February 18, 1pm
Jefferson High School
Silver Key Awards
& Honorable
Mention Ceremonies &
Reception:
February 25 at RMCAD
―Phishh‖
PAGE 12
How to Help Your Child Learn Study Skills
The New Year and new grading period is often an excellent time to examine your student’s study schedule and
study skills. The difference between children who do
poorly in school and those who do well often related do
what their parents do at home to help.
When parents take the time to help, it can influence
school success as much or more than a child’s intellectual capacity or the quality of the school he or she attends. Good study skills will provide your child with a
basic tool needed to succeed in school. So, what can
you do to help?
HELP WITH A STUDY SCHEDULE
The time arranged for study should occur at the
same time each day. Most children, like adults, are
creatures of habit. When they get used to doing something at the same time each day, it becomes easier to
remember and do rather than if it occurs at different
times each day.
Work with your child to set aside times of study
when he or she is most alert. Involve your child in
making the schedule. Children are more likely to accept
a study schedule that they have been involved in setting
up than one that has been imposed upon them. Help
your child be realistic in the amount of time scheduled.
HELP WITH STUDY GOALS
Develop goals based on homework assignments.
Three or four small goals that your child can attain one
by one work better than one large goal. Check off each
goal as it is completed. This helps provide the incentive
to keep going.
Promote studying for understanding. When children
understand what they study, they remember it more
easily than if they simply memorize it. Guide your child
in these ways. Begin each study session with the assignments that are the most difficult to learn and understand. Use the ―survey-read-resurvey‖ procedure. Tell
your child first to survey for the main ideas in the chapter. This can be done by reading the introduction and
summary to the chapter and any study questions that
might be listed at the beginning or end of the chapter.
Once your child gains an understanding of the main
ideas, he or she should carefully read the chapter. Finally, have your child look back through or resurvey the
chapter and try to further understand and remember the
main ideas and important details.
Think about what is being studied and figure out a
―point of view.‖ For example, when studying weather,
or more specifically rain, encourage your child to form
an opinion about what causes rain. Once a point of
view is determined, your child can then decide what
information or evidence supports and does not support
that point of view.
Formulate questions. While it may seem timeconsuming and awkward at first, once your child learns
how to make up and see answers to questions while
studying, the task becomes more interesting, fun, and
more understandable and meaningful. It is essential
that he or she ask questions because this will promote
an active, involved, and thinking approach to studying.
Summarize. Outlining the textbook headings (and
subheadings) listing the major points covered underneath each heading is one simple way to summarize.
Note taking is another summarizing technique that
has been found to be very helpful in fostering understanding and remembering. The benefits of note
taking are that your child not only summarizes what is
studied but also is involved in translating what is being
studied into his or her own words.
Underlining or highlighting important key ideas,
facts, and details to be remembered also can be
helpful. The process of putting things into categories
can help your child recognize, understand, and remember essential information.
Take a few minutes at regular intervals to reflect on
what was just learned. If your child understands what
was just studied, he or she will be able to visualize it
and talk intelligently about it during reflection time. If
not, encourage your child to reread or restudy the material.
RECOGNIZE ACHIEVEMENTS
A child who receives recognition for academic achievement is much more likely to want to excel in school.
Thus, focus on what your child does right—that is, look
for achievements. Remember that the major key to
improving your child’s success if making him or her feel
successful.
(Abridged from Stainback’s “How to Help Your Child Succeed in School,” from NEA online..)
PAGE 13
1st Quarter Honor Roll—6th Grade
6th Grade 4.0
Kira Acosta
Andrea Arias
Jaylynn Armijo
Gabrielle Ashcraft
Anita Ashoury
Olivia Ayers
Cole Barrett
Lindsey Benkelman
Isaac Bloom
Jacob Bolin
Maya Borenstein
Chloe Brady
Timothy Carlson
Robert Chambers
Srikar Chava
Emma Chichester
Madeline Choi
Kevin Carlos Clark
Zachary Colter
George Conway
Molly Cutter
Jonah Darnel
Victoria Delate
Peter DeLine
Anjali Devagupta
Jack Dunbar
Nicholas Eidler
Emily Fairbairn
Owen Van Falkenberg
Gabriel Farrier
Madison Friedman
Joshua Fullmer
Jill Girardeau
Nicolas Gomez
Guery Goo
Sofia Gratton
Emily Hallberg
Camille Harmon
Dallin Haws
Mariela Hollines
Camilla Holmsen
Rachel Hutchinson
Michael Jennings
Gloria Jung
Everett Kane
Allyson Koutecky
Min Lee
Nicholas Locascio
Markus Manly
Eve March
Joshua Martelon
Sarah Mauger
Brennen Meiworm
Colette Mendel
Nahom Mesfin
Sarah Mitko
Rachel Moes
Paul Nicknish
Gwyneth Ormes
Quentin Parr
Parker Perlmutter
Grace Petroff
Benjamin Pfefferle
William Pinkelman
Samantha Poole
Claire Rainey
Makayla Rapp
Bailey Reifenberger
Bennett Reilly
Amira Reyad
Nathan Ricca
Kadeja Salem
Sebastiana Saya
Divi Schmidt
Jeffrey Schmidt
Amit Setty
Richard Small
Anna Stroeher
George Sutherland
Megan Tunnell
Kailey Ulanski Jackson
William Wang
Haley Wartell
Allen West
Emily Wilkins
Lowell Wilson
Christian Winder
Joshua Jeffrey Wojahn
Stephen Wu
Hye Jin Yang
6th Grade 3.5 & Above
William Anderson
Kamal Shreekar Anumandla
Gabriel Austin
Marqus Avalos
Ansley Avis
Cameron Barnard
Timothy Bauer
Brett Benedetti
Nicole Benkelman
Garrett Berkowitz
Isabella Bertaud
D Jackson Blatter
Bryson Bosch
Thomas Bowman
Claire Eleanor Bremner
Noah Brewer
Ryan Bricmont
Tyler Browning
Cole Cantor
Zhining Chen
Rose Clark
Kathryn Conrad
Mitchell Cook
Aubrey Couch
Kailey D Ambrosia
Madelyn Davis
Christian Davis
Carlos Emil De Vera
Owen Degroot
John Dischler
Christopher Ditzenberger
Sahiti Donthula
Brennen Dorighi
Cole Drew
Ryan Duane
Delaney Dyer
Joseph Eigner
Julian Fanos
Sydney Felsen
Taylor Geddes
Hannah Gharrity
Rachel Giffin
David Goldstein
Lateya Gonzales Hardesty
Aaron Goodman
Aditya Gopalan
Olivia Grenardo
Madison Grimm
Graham Groth
Gabriel Grunden
Taylor Guerra
Marissa Hadden
Sydney Haith
Michaela Handler
Jack Hansen
John Harge
Colin Hayes
Stone Heyman
John Higgins
Madison Holland
Nicole Holt
Kate Honeyfield
Kyra Hughes
Aidan Hutchings
Francisca Jeffords
Erin Johnson
Annabelle Johnson
Mitchell Johnson
Elizabeth Allyn Kahalley
Harley Kalter
Eliza Keating
James Keesling
Lawrence Kindregan
Eliza King
Gabrielle Klotas
Clarissa Koch
Dana Koch
Zachery Koutecky
Kaitlyn Krajicek
David Kuharski
Nathan Kujawski
Nabhur Lamsal
Courtland Langley
Bianca Laratta
Jade Law
Jacob Lawrence
Anna Lawrence
Nicole Lee
Nathaniel Lei
Drew Lei Alerta
Nayeli Lopez Alcantar
Holly Lundell
Vincent Luther
Zoe Mack
Max Malden
Stephen Maloney
Julia March
Alexander Markano
Erin Markham
Hector Martinez
Grace Mc Ginnis
Sean Mccotter
Lyla Meadows
Graham Miller
Cristina Mole
Ryan Moore
Jovena Moreno
Joseph Morris
Anne Morrison
Chadwick Mulligan
Mark Nawrocki
Hailey Neault
Max Nelson
Alyssa Novinger
Samuel Osmon
Anushka Pal
Carl Palmer
Elizabeth Panton
Neha Patil
Alexis Pena
Anna Pentermann
Cameron Pike
Kaitlyn Pinkelman
Jarred Pond
Nore Rasheid
Farran Reiland
Laurel Revers
Irma Rosales
Taylor Roylance
Ryan Russell
Hector Sandoval
Rachel Schiff
Tyler Schoen
Michael Schroer
Jaylee Segrist
Christopher Seifert
Jena Sexton
Joshua Shanks
Kelsee Sharp
Galya Sickles
Natalie Smallcombe
Paul Smith
Olivia Stacks
Lucas Stafford
Clarissa Starbuck
Trenton Steese
Elliot Steinberg
Anna Belle Szymanski
Nicholas Teegarden
Christopher Tekavec
Jake Thomas
Calvin Titsworth
Anthony Trifiletti
Alanna Turkington
Ashton Turner
Nidhi Vaidya
Radost Vanovska
Michael Varveris
Anisurei Vazquez
Joanna Vazquez Cardona
Levi Von Feldt
Emma Walilko
Sean Walker
Morgan Walls
Audrey Frances Waltrip
Abbey White
Nicholas Whitham
Mary Wilkerson
Cole Wilson
Jack Wilson
Calahan Wilson
Eric Winkler
Jack Winsor
Tessa Woodard
Ashley Zdinak
Jacob Zepeda
PAGE 14
1st Quarter Honor Roll—7th Grade
7th Grade 4.0
Emily Abed
Cody Allen
Lincoln Ambrose
Steve An
Samantha Anwar
Sophia Armatas
Augustus Ballantine
Quinn Baur
Sara Behbakht
Jeremy Bernstein
Alec Bildstein
Avery Blackmon
Lena Bloszies
Chesney Boal
Chloe Brew
Nicholas Brill
Cooper Carrington
Camden Castellano
Allan Chen
Grant Claymon
Wayles Concklin
Claire Cooper
Colin Craighead
Rachael Davidson
Henry Davis
Luccio Dellepiane
Lian Doerr
Claire Drury
Allison Dwinnell
Bradley Edholm
Fese Elango
Jeffrey Erickson
Natalie Evans
Hannah Fey
Amalia Frommelt
Elisabeth Geraghty
Griffin Gharrity
Justin Gill
Bogeun Goo
Olivia Guarino
Shreyas Gupta
Madeline Harding
Kailee Henderson
Ethan Hillis
Caitlyn Holt
Nicolas Houghton
Spencer Howard
Lars Hultgren
Erin Hunley
John Hyer
Bailey Jacobson
Carter Jaynes
Julia Kallet
Jordan Kallet
Ross Kalter
Brian Jin Kim
Emma Knierim
Katherine Kovarik
Lucie Kuljis
Abhijit Kurse
Jessica Lancisi
Dong Wook Lee
Dalton Leyden
Ashley Licht
Joseph Lovelace
Madison Martin
Gabrielle Mason
Margaux Mcfarland
Valyria Mcfarland
Catherine McKenna
Lauren McMillen
Caroline Mcphillips
Aubrey Mereness
Julia Merten
Helayna Molke
Samantha Most
Jonathan Mueller
Vlad Muresan
Cole Nelson
Trent Orndorff
Portia Pettis
Catherine Philpott
Sarah Porter
Kai Rackley
Eliza Radochonski
Alyssa Radtke
Emma Rau
Katherine Robinson
Kayla Rondinelli
Helen Roosevelt
Georgia Russell
Hunter Ryll
Ashley Sayre
Emily Schmahl
Alexander Sironen
Marissa Smith
Mckay Smith
Autumn Sue Stahnke
Kayden Steeghs
Jamie Stokes
John Strain
Supriya Sunil
Blake Tangora
Nicholas Tew
Shannon Thomas
Madison Thomas
Zachary David Thomson
Olivia Townsend
Makala Tucker
Hunter Tuite
Abigail Weeks
Garin Wilson
Erin Windfeldt
Margaux Woellner
Jonathan Wu
Haley Zerobnick
7th Grade 3.5 & Above
Antonia Aguilar Rosenthal
Joseph Arnold
Liberty Atencio
Stella Atkinson
Matthew Bainbridge
Jose Balbona
Lindsay Barker
Emilyanne Bartlett
Hongorzul Batbayar
Bryanna Benassi
Alexa Blessinger
Connor Brady
Chazz Burney
Andrew Carlson
Josiah Chamblin-Torres
Devon Chayet
Derek Chen
Yeji Chong
Danielle Cuellar
Purna Darjee
Meghan Decker
Kiana Dreblow
Blake Drnec
Joshua Drouillard
Daniel Esayev
Christine Felling
Vanessa Gary
Katherine Goodall
Sean Greenwell
Cedric Grunden
Shritha Gunturu
Daniel Hamson
Conor Heathershaw
Madison Helm
Janelle Henningsen
Jonathan Hertel
Jordan Hess
Jacqueline Hitt
John Warren Hubbard
Kevyn Huke
Morgan Jenney
Lindsay Kough
Eumalina Krueck
Adam Lambright
Matthew Lefebre
Matthew Lovelace
Katherine Lupkes
Anna Lynton
Grace Malone
Carmen Marfizo
Zachariah Mccurdy
Aileen Mendez
Peter Mitchell
Kyle Moran
Paige Mosch
Nadia Mowszowski
Nicci Mowszowski
Annemarie Muntean
Sophia Otte
Joseph Owsley
Alexis Padgett
Ashley Park
Estefany Perez
Naara Perez Tirado
Devon Claire Peterson
Katherine Plank
Cole Quisenberry
Reed Radochonski
Gabrielle Reynard
Royston Richards
Carli Rodriguez
Aiden Rodriguez
Daniel Schlatter
Dylan Schmitt
Gentri Shopp
Jack Sironen
Elizabeth Steel
Mara Steron
Alexander Strepman
Jackson Tidey
William Tidey
Andrew Melvin Tuitele
Sara Turken
Robin Tutchton
Evan Tyler
Lea Fang Vakilitabar
Casey Villars
Bevin Wallace
William Wallis
Blythe Waltman
Lindsey Watson
Mara Weber
Anne Williams
Sarah Winkler
Charles Zoeller
PAGE 15
1st Quarter Honor Roll—8th Grade
8th Grade 4.0
Rylie Ackley
Annelise Adolph
Josiah Aklilu
Morgan Alexander
Lauren Austin
Chloe Beardsley
Kristen Blume
Blake Britten
Summit Byrne
Robert Calkins
Addison Cantor
Caroline Carman
Lin Chen
Amelia Colliver
Caitlyn Costanzo
Grace Cunningham
Maya Olivia Cutforth
Maria Dadiotis
Maryanna DeLine
Jyoti Devagupta
Rachel Dipretoro
Anna Dischler
Nolan Donaldson
Donovan Droege
Iliana Eber
Benjamin Eidler
Kelsey Emery
Yasmin Farsad
Ethan Fleer
Lindsey Fullmer
Lindsay Gersoff
Reilly Goerig
Cameron Goodman
Elizabeth Goodman
Russell Shang Greyson
Julia Grogan
Lauren Hagen
Nicole Hagen
Thomas Haines
Avery Hall
William Hallmark
Samantha Harding
Elizabeth Hoffmann
Claire Marie Honl
Sarah Hutchinson
Hannah Ibbotson
Nicholas Johnson
Abra Kagan
Hannah Keller
Paul Kim
Eden Kim
Regan Kinney
Kaley Kris
Min Lee
Jinnie Lee
Devin Lee
Chang Lee
Aubrey Lefebre
Makenna Leyden
Sofia Llanes
Riley Malloy
Alexandra Martin
Lauren Mcgrath
John Mcintire
Rausny Merchant
Shyla Moeller
Mariel Molke
James Murphy
Austin Myers
Ryan Oakes
Austin Parsons
Carrie Plank
Manasa Ponnapalli
Lily Rackley
Luke Reckard
Emma Reilly
Parker Revers
Mackenzie Reyes
Caitlin Roark
Jessica Rueger
Gabriela Salinas
Emma Sanning
Jordan Sax
Jonah Saya
Jeremy Schiff
Megan Schmidt
Amanda Seale
Cassandra Spath
Tiara Stephan
Holly Sutherland
Nancy Tarr
Victoria Teegarden
Abby Thomas
Anna Timbers
Sophia Trifiletti
Alyssa Tucker
Matthew Valent
Ryan Volkert
Wendy Waltrip
Jon Williamson
Yapheth Wolday
Dakota Wolner
8th Grade 3.5 & Above
Henry Adams
Arman Akbarzadeh
Amber Anaya
Olivia Angone
Troy Arthur
Scott Beck
Mitchell Biggers
Hannah Bolin
Edwin Bosch
Geoffrey Bremer
Shelby Cohen
Robert Congel
Amelia Conti
Austin Cooper
Justin Coopersmith
Dominique De Paz
Juli Irene De Vera
Lauren Decker
Austin Donaldson
Trevor Drouillard
Meagan Rose Eberlin
Samuel Evans
Katherine Field
Joshua Finesilver
Matthew Finesilver
Frank Gansukh
Jordan Gawthrop
Jesse Gendelman
Alexander Grant
Alexa Groesser
Katherine Haar
Rachael Hadden
Colby Haines
Darian Hallbauer
Kathryn Hallberg
Matthew Hawkins
Emily Herbert
Haley Honeck
Zavier James Hose
Daniel Huff
Tamila Husnetdinova
David Imola
Euhyun Joh
Ezekia Johnson
Caroline Jordan
Anisa Judson
Kevin Keesling
Autumn King
Joseph Kinsky
Vishnusai Kodicherla
Gabriel Kortz
Armon Laleh
Xena Land
Brooke Landoch
Derek Lush
Sawyer Mack
Kimberlyn Magana Urtiz
Trent Martin
Ashton Martin
Spencer Maw
Haley Mordini
Alana Moreen
Cole Morgan
Ella Morris
Miranda Mostellar
Katie Moulton
Tyus Muklebust
Carol Murray
Christian Myers
Leo Nakasone
Ellie Nash
Alexandria Nash
Thai Nguyen
Phoebe Nielsen
Ji-Eun Park
Hayden Parr
Nicholas Perdue
Chad Peterson
Kaitlin Phillips
Abby Pierce
Brooke Pingree
Nikolas Price
Amanda Rigsby
Margaret Rzepiennik
Safa Salem
Maia Samuel
Kayla Schultz
Sagun Sharma
Nathan Shelton
Annemieke Sickles
Tova Slavkin
Brianne Stiers
Marc Storch
Maxwell Stroeher
Makayla Sullivan
Lorenzo Thompson
David Torres Sandoval
Valerie Turgeon
Nomin Uyanga
Rohan Vaidya
Madison Valent
Annelise Wagner
Theodore Walker
Audrey Walker
Frances Warden
Alan Warden
Jake Watkins
Tristan Whitlock
Abigail Wist
Alexander Wyman
Luca Zocchi
PAGE 16
Parent Information Network
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Little Girls Can Be Mean
Dr. Michelle Anthony, expert in developmental psychology and author of ―Little Girls Can Be Mean‖, provides the
tools to enable your child to become stronger, happier and better able to enjoy friendships. Whether your child is just
starting grade school, or already on their way to high school, you’ll learn valuable information to help them navigate
through social issues.
This is an important topic for parents of both boys and girls! Dr. Anthony will discuss how adults can use a fourstep process to identify and deal with tough situations. She will provide empowering strategies for parents to communicate and connect with children to help them build self-esteem and resilience.
To see a video clip of Michelle Anthony speaking on the Rachael Ray show go to:
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/bullies-in-kindergarten/
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/bullies-in-kindergarten/
Plan ahead to take a little time out of your day or take a few hours off of work and come to connect with other parents,
be informed by local and national speakers, and get empowered to take a proactive approach to parenting. All parents, school administrators and community members are welcome and encouraged to attend Parent Information Network (PIN) presentations.
Presentations are free and are held the first Tuesday of each month
at the Student Achievement Resource Center (SARC).
14188 Briarwood Avenue, Centennial, south of Arapahoe Rd., between Potomac and Jordan Roads
Come at 9:00 a.m. for refreshments and networking
For further information go to:
www.PINccsd.org.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
March 6th Family Dynamics: When One Child Requires More Time & Energy
April 3rd Creating a Peaceful Family Environment
May 1st Annual PIN Brunch at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church
Keynote speaker: Michael Gurian-NY Times Bestselling author of
―The Minds of Boys‖ and ―The Wonder of Girls‖
Orchard Hills Marketplace
Dear Parents of West Middle School Students,
Most of you are aware that many of our students visit the Orchard Hills Marketplace in the afternoons, especially on Fridays. This has
become a fun pastime for many of our students. Although there are many positive social skills and life lessons to be develop ed during
after school socializing, there have been some negative issues as well. We wish to bring this information to parents, so they can better
help their students navigate through these potential safety issues. This will serve them well now and into high school where there are
even more unsupervised and unstructured opportunities for socializing. While student conduct in our local stores wouldn’t normally be
considered a school issue, we do recognize the mutual benefit of working with parents and our community partners at the Marketplace to
promote positive student behaviors. Just as your concerns for your child’s safety do not end when you drop them off at school, we also
care about their wellbeing beyond school property.
Specific issues involving students:
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Parents have commonly observed students pushing one another off of the sidewalks and into traffic. Students also have been s een
running back and forth across Holly Street between cars and not using crosswalks and throwing objects to other students acros s
lanes of traffic in a distracting game of catch.
Police have reported the selling of drugs and other illegal activities occurring in the parks and open space around the Marketplace.
It is not believed that West students are initiating these activities, but students are exposed to these situations in these areas.
PAGE 17
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and open space around the Marketplace. It is not believed that West students initiating these activities, but students are exposed
to these situations in these areas.
Our local businesses partners report a wide variety of unacceptable student behaviors:
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Playing ―hide and seek‖ and games of catch with food items at King Soopers
Sitting in the grocery aisles so shoppers can’t get by
Students are shoplifting by opening packages of food items and eating them as they roam the store at King Soopers and damaging other goods making them unsalable
Students have been seen literally eating soup directly from the ladles in the deli area at King Soopers
Students have been sighted urinating in public in the parks and on the patio areas
Stores have ended product samples because of student abuse
Loud and discourteous interactions at King Soopers and Panera including profanity and other abusive language
Students running in and out of stores chasing one another.
Students having ice fights with discarded soda glasses
Pushing other students and carts into adult customers
Making large messes and not picking up after themselves
Shoplifting is reported at several businesses at the Marketplace
Large groups of students are loitering until well after dark
Steps being taken by the Marketplace to promote safety:
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Ongoing update meetings with West Principal, Dave Strohfus
Hiring of off-duty police officers to promote positive and appropriate student behaviors- officers may issue tickets to students who
demonstrate inappropriate behavior
Steps being taken by West Middle School to support parents and students:
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Ongoing liaison communication between the Marketplace and West parents.
West Staff, in partnership with PTCO, believe in the philosophy, ―It takes a village…‖ We ask that parents talk with their students
about appropriate behaviors in a public setting. We believe that if parents are made aware of student behavior and students understand expectations, then parents will guide their students to use the Marketplace as a respectful after school social gath ering
and not an extended hang out well into evening hours without adult supervision.
Ongoing conversations about appropriate community behavior with student groups.
Create a CARE lesson to be delivered during SSR to students to talk about their responsibilities when in settings outside of
school. We’ll discuss the ―Code of Conduct‖ that Cherry Creek High School promotes with their students as they visit local businesses on their off periods. The CCHS Code of Conduct includes three guidelines: 1) Cleaning up after yourselves and disposing of your trash properly. 2) Talking to other customers and business people in an appropriate manner using appropriate la nguage. 3) Treating others in stores and around shopping areas with the same respect you would like them to give you.
Through parent partnerships and information sharing, discussion at school with our students, and the positive influence of th e Marketplace and the Greenwood Village Police Department, we are hopeful that we will promote ―positive patronage‖ with our student body.
Just as parents wouldn’t want for people to be forming negative opinions of their own children, we also don’t want that opini on formed
about our students. We understand that most of you may not be aware of the extreme nature of the behaviors that many kids ar e
demonstrating now. Please contact Mr. Strohfus directly if you have any questions at 720-554-5180. Thanks for your understanding
and your continued support of West Middle School students!
Dave Strohfus
Principal West Middle School
Helen Kechriotis Nelson
Co-President-PTCO
Carey Radochonski
Co-President-PTCO