~ MARK YOUR CALENDARS ~

• Thursday, October 13th ~ Tualatin Hills Park & Rec "Parktober" Harvest Community Event 5:30PM to 7:30PM on the WSMS field
  
  
• Friday, October 14th ~ NO School for Students
  
  
• Monday, October 17th ~ Virtual Q&A Meeting for 6th Grade Outdoor School at 5:00pm (link will be shared)
  
  
• Saturday, October 22nd ~ 2nd Annual West Sylvan Band Fundraiser [11:00AM - 3:00PM]
  
  
• Sunday, October 23rd - 28th ~ Outdoor School for 6th Graders *overnight camp returns!
  
  
• Thursday, November 3rd ~ End of 1st Quarter
  
  
• Friday, November 4th ~ NO School for Students / Planning 

~ View the full 2022-23 District Calendar here ~

October 1, 2022

Dear West Sylvan Families,

We held our first all-school assembly in over two years on Friday, to come together, share some school spirit, have fun competitions between grade levels, and to celebrate scholars who have been nominated for modeling the MYP Learner Trait by being “Open Minded.” It was a short assembly lasting less than 30 minutes, and it afforded us some whole school time to gather together, have some fun, and celebrate successes.

We greatly appreciate the family members who have been volunteering in our Main Office, our Library, and joining us for school lunches to help with supervision!  The additional adults around campus really help with these busier spaces and the busiest times of the school day!

Visit our Counseling Corner here!

Please read the full Family Communication here.

Go Wolfpack!

Jill and Ben

9/24/22 Family Communication    [ Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Українська ]

9/16/22 Family Communication     [ Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Українська ]  

9/09/22 Family Communication     [ Español | Tiếng Việt | 中文 | Українська ]

9/06/22 Family Communication

8/11/22 Welcome Back Letter to Families

2021 - 2022 School Year:

6/10 Family Communication 

6/3 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

5/27 Family Communication   [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

5/20 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

5/13 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

5/6 Family Communication   [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

4/29 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

4/22 Family Communication [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

4/15 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

4/8 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

4/1 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

*3/25 Spring Break - no Family Communication sent out

3/18 Family Communication

3/11 Family Communication

3/4 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

2/25 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

2/18 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский

2/11 Family Communication   [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

2/4 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

1/28 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

1/21 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

1/14 Family Communication  [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

1/7 Family Communication   [Español| Tiếng Việt| 中文| Русский]

*12/24 + 12/31 Winter Break - no Family Communication sent out

12/17 Family Communication [Español]

12/10 Family Communication [Español]

12/3 Family Communication  [Español]

*11/26 Fall Break - no Family Communication sent out

11/19 Family Communication  [Español]

11/12 Family Communication

11/5 Family Communication

10/29 Family Communication

10/22 Family Communication

10/15 Family Communication

10/7 Family Communication

10/1 Family Communication

9/24 Family Communication

9/17 Family Communication

9/10 Family Communication

8/27 Family Communication

*REQUESTS for changes/corrections to CLASS SCHEDULES*

If there are errors in your Student's schedule,
please send an email to westsylvanoffice@pps.net

and your message will be forwarded to the appropriate Counselor/Administrator
who will support a conversation in making necessary changes.

*Be sure to include the Student's full legal name and PPS Student ID number.

July 11, 2022

Greetings West Sylvan Middle School Families,

We hope that you all are enjoying summer break!  Administratively, we are still doing a great deal of preparation and planning for the 22-23 school year, and we’d like to share a few key pieces of information for families to help with a successful start to next school year.  

• Updated Start of School Dates: A recent vote by our school board has allowed us to devote the first day of school, Tuesday, August 30th as a “Jump Start” day for 6th graders only. This devoted day will be targeted time for our educator team to welcome our newest members to West Sylvan Middle School and help them have one day together before the entire student body joins us on August 31st.  Only 6th graders will come to campus on August 30, 2022.  7th and 8th grade students will begin school the next day on Wednesday, August 31st.  
  
  
• Updated Electronics Items: 
  • All students are issued a PPS Chromebook to use for classwork.  For the newest scholars, these will be distributed within the first weeks of school.  

• CELL PHONES/ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT & DEVICES (New for 22-23 school year)
  • All personal devices, other than a school-issued chromebook, should be left at  home. Our policy is OFF and AWAY during the school DAY.  
  • Families can communicate through the office phone if there is a need to leave messages.
  •  If cell phones and electronic equipment,  including earphones and earbuds, are brought to school, they must remain off and be kept in the locker at all times between 9:15 AM and 3:45 PM. Cell phones &  electronic equipment are not to be kept on a scholar’s person (pocket, schoolbag,  binder, etc.) for the duration of the school day.  
  • Scholars who are using their cell phone or electronic device, or have their cell  phone/device outside of their locker, without permission from an educator or staff, will  have their phone/device taken away and turned into the office for pick-up at the end of the school day.  Families will be notified if this occurs.  
    
    
• School Supplies List for 22-23: Educators may update items with individual classes, and this is a general list to guide your planning.
  • General WSMS supply list
  • 8th grade specific list
    
• Family and Scholar Opportunities: 
  • Lunch monitors: Any adults who are approved as PPS volunteers, we would love your involvement in supporting lunch recesses.  If you are interested, please add information here about your availability, and we will be in contact with you.  
  • Sign language club: We will have a couple morning clubs offered with details about dates to come. Families would need to self-transport to campus by 8:15a.m. If you have an interested scholar, please complete the form here. Once more details are available, the leaders will be in contact.  
    
    
• Student Schedules:
  • Scholars' class schedules will be available for viewing in Synergy the week before school starts.  Placement issues will be addressed as first priorities for any schedule changes.

Enjoy July! Go Wolfpack!
Jill and Ben

 Quick Reference:

Recently, we have received several questions from staff, families, and a media outlet, asking us to detail our efforts at maintaining optimal air quality in our schools. We understand the concern and the need for reassurance from our students and employees – that as a school system, we are taking prudent measures to promote a safe and healthy learning environment.

On September 20, 2022, the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education unanimously approved a historic agreement that centers Black students, and embarks on the development of a community plan for their future by making the voter-approved Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) a reality.

We are pleased to announce that we will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority. The clinic will be open to all, and offer first, second and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available. Additionally, this clinic will include access to the new bivalent vaccine (12+). The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, and boosters for everyone 5 years and older.

We are currently seeking membership applications for the district’s inaugural PPS Racial Equity and Social Justice Community Advisory Committee (RESJ CAC). This committee will advise both the Superintendent and School Board about about the racial equity and education impacts of policy decisions and work collaboratively to increase understanding and progress towards the PPS Racial Educational Equity Policy and the PPS RESJ Plan and Framework, PPS reImagined, and the PPS Strategic Plan.

Uprising 5th Grader Parent Visit Slideshow -

Presentation Slideshow. from May 2022.

Forecasting using Studentvue has now passed.  Please use the following information if you still need to communicate your elective choices with us: 
General Resource Links:

• Information about MYP (Middle Years Program) - Programming and course requirements
• Example Daily Class Schedule
• AVID information and Resources - Fill out this FORM if you are interested or want more information about AVID.

       STEP 1.  Resources for review BEFORE completing forecasting: 

• 6th Grade Electives Descriptions (PDF)
• 6th Grade Elective Video Descriptions   - (Please be aware that we do not have a current video and that this video may not represent all our updated course options.  Please refer to the electives list for the most current elective choices.)
• 7th Grade Elective Descriptions (PDF)
• 8th Grade Elective Descriptions  (PDF) 

*(8th Grade students who would like a full year band or dance, as an elective, may opt out of the second half of their world language course but will not be able to receive HS credit for W.L.  W.L. will be taken during the first semester and band second semester.

STEP 2: Sharing your elective choices with us:              

• Elective Survey for incoming 6th Graders
• Elective Survey for incoming 7th Graders
• Elective Survey for Incoming 8th Graders 

Questions and Support 

If you have specific questions about this process, or need technical support, please contact:

• Kirsten Crombie / Registrar: kcrombie@pps.net; 503-916-5690
• Ben Keller / Assistant Principal: bkeller@pps.net
• Ricky Almeida / 6th Grade Counselor: ralmeida@pps.net
• Kandice Abney / 7th Grade Counselor: kaabney@pps.net
• Rebecca Cohen / 8th Grade Counselor: rcohen@pps.net