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February 2012 -

Basketball Blowout - Family Fun Night:   The WMMS Business Alliance held their  Annual Basketball Blowout - Family Fun Night on January 25 at the home basketball game against Wakefield.  The concession stand, run by Business Alliance members, served Chick-fil-A dinners as well as concession candies and drinks.  The  Kona Ice Cart served delicious icy desserts.  The  Chick - Fil - A  Cow, the SECU Fat Cat, the Kona Penguin, and   Wiley, the West Millbrook Wildcat  were there to entertain everyone!   Everyone who bought a Chick-fil-A sandwich  got a coupon for free milkshakes.  Those who bought Kona Ice Cups or Chick-fil-A sandwiches also received a door prize ticket.  Among the great prizes were 52 Chick-fil-A Breakfast Biscuits,  two  free Healthtrax gym memberships for a month, a Health Trax gym bag,  Health Trax water bottle, WMMS hoodies, and a Carolina Hurricanes Jersey.  To top off the fun, Rockit Learning Science Camp gave away a free week of Science and Technology Camp this summer to one of our lucky students! Tee shirts, given by Kona Ice, Rockit Learning, Health Trax, and the WMMS PTA, were tossed to the crowd.    Over $450 was raised by the Business Alliance to benefit  WMMS literacy projects.  We thank all of the members of our Business Alliance!  To learn more about the Alliance, go to WMMS.net and click on Business Alliance.

Januray 2012 -

Basketball Blowout - Family Fun - Wednesday 1/25: We hope that you will join us for dinner and fun at the home basketball game on Wednesday against Wakefield.  This will be our  Annual Basketball Blowout, sponsored by the  Business Alliance . Chick-fil-A sandwiches will be available in the concession stand and the Kona Ice Cart will be here serving delicious treats.  The  Chick - Fil - A  Cow, the SECU Fat Cat, and Kona, the Ice Mascot will be there to entertain everyone.  Who knows, Wiley, the West Millbrook Wildcat may make an appearance as well!   Buy a Chick-fil-A sandwich and get a coupon for free milkshakes, as well as a door prize ticket.  Prizes include 52 Chick-fil-A Breakfast Biscuits,  two  free Healthtrax gym memberships for a month, a gym bag, and water bottle.  To top off the fun, Rockit Learning Science Camp is offering a free week of Sciend and Technology Camp this summer to one lucky winner! They are also bringing a tee-shirt launcher, so you may go home with a West Millbrook tee, or one from an area business!  All proceeds will go toward West Millbrook literacy projects.  Bring your family for an afternoon of fun!

In the news! West Millbrook MS was the Cool School of the Day, recognizing our Olweus Program, on Thursday January 5th. Click here to watch the news clip!

December 2011 -

Tour West Millbrook! Is West Millbrook Middle one of the schools you are considering in the new school choice plan? We'd love to show you our wonderful school, discuss our academic, elective, and extra-curricular programs, as well as answer your questions. Tours will be offered each Wednesday at 1:15, and at other times by appointment. Please call or e-mail Stacy Symes (919-870-4050 or ssymes@wcpss.net) to sign-up for a Wednesday tour or to schedule another time.

Snowflakes are coming!  Here at WMMS, snowflakes come when we begin our Holiday Hugs Program.  Each year we put snowflakes on our front office window, each representing one of our WMMS children who could use some support during the holiday season.  Each child will come up with three items that they would wish for this holiday season, which will be listed on the snowflakes.  All you need to do is the following: 1. Take a snowflake from the front office window. Snowflakes available on November 29th! 2. Sign out the snowflake in the notebook on the front office desk. 3. Receive a gift bag, with tissue and directions for drop-off. 4. Return gift bags by December 19th. * Gift bags should not exceed $25! On December the 21st, your Outreach Committee and staff will hold a small celebration for families to come and pick up gifts, as well as shop our Clothing Closet! Thanks so much for supporting our WMMS Students and their families this Holiday Season. Questions? contact Mrs. Clark at 870-4059 or Mrs. Symes at 870-4050.

Ms. Nay is a Piece of the Bullying Prevention Puzzle,
and so are YOU!

Food Drive - The WMMS Student Council will kick of its annual food drive competition on November 28th.  This year the organization would like to focus on gathering healthy meal options for families.  Snacks are welcome, but our hope is to provide families the opportunity to create healthy and wholesome meals.  Suggestions include but are not limited to: pasta, tomato sauce, canned meats, canned fruits/vegetables/soups, oatmeal, chef boyardee, macaroni and cheese, etc.  The competition between grade levels will be greater than ever this year.  The grade level with the most items brought in will win a movie and popcorn party before winter break.  Again, this event runs from November 28th through December 16th.  Please help support the WMMS community and give as much as you CAN during this season of thanks.

October - November 2011 -

Girls and Boys Basketball - Tryouts begin Monday, November 14.
Students must have current physical and signed concussion forms on file in order to tryout. Links to these forms can be found on the homepage of our website under Important Information for Parents and Athletes (under the blue "Dates" box). Please note that there are two different concussion forms that must be signed, one from the parent and one from the student. Copies of physical and concussion forms are also available in the front office.

WMMS BOOK FAIR will continue online through November 11! - This year the WMMS Book Fair has its own webpage! Go online and check out http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/westmillbrookmiddleschool for information on scheduling, volunteering, and special announcements regarding 'One for Books' and the addition of an ONLINE FAIR!! The online fair is an opportunity for anyone who cannot attend the in-school Book Fair or to continue shopping after the fair is complete! Browse an expanded book selection, and send wishlists to family and friends! All orders ship to the school with no shipping fee... the online fair is open November 1st to November 11th!

Lifetouch Photo Retakes 11/8 & 9 in their studio - Lifetouch wants to make sure that you are completely satisfied with your child's fall portrait.  They will be opening their studio at 5108-B Oak Park Road in Raleigh from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm on November 8th and 9th .  No appointment is necessary. Students will be photographed on a first come, first serve basis.

If this is for an additional or missed retake, please be sure to bring your child's original picture packages when you go to the studio.

3rd Annual WMMS Fall Frenzy - Many thanks to the parents, students, faculty, and staff who helped to make this years' Fall Frenzy a success and much fun for all!

Bullying Prevention Program - Though our students have been involved in Bullying Prevention activities since the start of the school year through, the Fall Frenzy was our official kick-off. Many thanks to the students, parents, and staff who designed puzzle pieces to show how they are a part in further eliminating bullying.

Though a recent survey of all WMMS students indicated that our bullying issues are statistically similar to other schools surveyed, we are keenly aware of the impact of bullying on the well-being of children and decided to take a proactive approach to this issue by implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Each Monday throughout the 2011-12 school year, each E&R class will come together for group discussions, role plays, videos, etc. to address the variety of bullying scenarios that they may have faced or observed in the past. In addition to bullying prevention, this program will will also positively impact relationship-building in all areas of campus and community life.

3rd Annual WMMS Fall Frenzy - Friday, November 4, 5:30 to 8:00pm. Come join our ENTIRE WMMS Community for an evening of "Old Fashioned" FUN! We will have a Chili and Pie Tasting Contest, Caramel Apples, a Powder Puff Football Game w/ Football Team Cheerleaders, an opening song by our WMMS Band, a D.J., Staff Pie Auction, Vendors, Face Painting, and our Book Fair. All this " UNDER THE LIGHTS" and "FREE."

Lifetouch Photo Retakes 11/8 & 9 in their studio - Lifetouch wants to make sure that you are completely satisfied with your child's fall portrait.  They will be opening their studio at 5108-B Oak Park Road in Raleigh from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm on November 8th and 9th .  No appointment is necessary. Students will be photographed on a first come, first serve basis.

If this is for an additional or missed retake, please be sure to bring your child's original picture packages when you go to the studio.

This year the WMMS Book Fair has its own webpage! Go online and check out http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/westmillbrookmiddleschool for information on scheduling, volunteering, and special announcements regarding 'One for Books' and the addition of an ONLINE FAIR!! The online fair is an opportunity for anyone who cannot attend the in-school Book Fair or to continue shopping after the fair is complete! Browse an expanded book selection, and send wishlists to family and friends! All orders ship to the school with no shipping fee... the online fair is open November 1st to November 11th! If you are interested in volunteering at the book fair, we welcome your help! Email Amy Nagle at amynagle@hotmail.com.

Bullying Prevention Program - We are happy to announce the successful launch of a new bullying prevention program at West Millbrook Middle School. Though a recent survey of all WMMS students indicated that our bullying issues are statistically similar to other schools surveyed, we are keenly aware of the impact of bullying on the well-being of children and decided to take a proactive approach to this issue by implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program. Each Monday throughout the 2011-12 school year, each E&R class will come together for group discussions, role plays, videos, etc. to address the variety of bullying scenarios that they may have faced or observed in the past. In addition to bullying prevention, this program will will also positively impact relationship-building in all areas of campus and community life.

Battle of the Brooks PreGame Bash will be held by the WMMS Booster Club after school on Wednesday. Tickets for this fun event will be sold for $10. This includes: Hot pizza, snack and a drink,transportation to Millbrook High School, and admission to the game! Students must be picked up after the game at Millbrook High School. Buy your ticket at lunch on Tuesday, November 1. Tickets will NOT be sold on the day of the event. Permission slips are required in order to purchase tickets. Get your permission slip from your PE teacher or from the front office, or download here.

Spirit Week is Here! Each year, the Battle of the Brooks Football Game marks our major athletic competition of the year, and often draws returning students in a similar manner as high school and college homecoming games. This year, the Battle of the Brooks is scheduled for November 2. We are currently in the midst of the Spirit Week fun. Our final day, Wednesday, 11/2, we will end the school day with a Pep-Rally. Spirit Dress is Blue and White Day!

September 2011 -

The Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council (SPAC) is seeking applications for new members.  SPAC is a diverse group of approximately 21 engaged and informed parents who represent the voice of Wake County parents at the Superintendent's Summits.  The Summit Meetings are held four (4) times each school year for 6 hours each.  Council members must be available to attend all four Summit meetings. A member's length of term is 2 years.

If you would like to apply for this position, please complete the application ( Word - 39k | PDF - 25k ) and return to Diane Dulaney at spac.wcpss@gmail.com, or 207 Whitehall Way, Cary, NC 27511 by September 30 .  You can also email applications to Terri Cobb at tcobb@wcpss.net.  Late applications will not be accepted. 

Summer 2011 -

Meet Your Teachers on August 23 - Students and parents can meet their teachers on Monday, August 23rd. Students will have an opportunity to meet and greet their teachers and pick-up any pertinent team information. There will not be any formal presentations, so families may arrive within their assigned times. In addition to meeting your teachers, families will also have an opportunity to add money to lunch accounts, ask transportation questions, purchase physical education uniforms, buy athletic passes for home games and support the school through the PTA and Athletic Booster Club. The schedule is as follows: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 7th and 8th grade families; 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for 6th grade families; and 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for any family who could not attend the earlier sessions. Though each team and non-core teacherws will likely have special supply requests, you may want to purchase basic supplies. For a list of suggest of suggested supplies, click here.

Welcome New Students and Families! Will your child attend WMMS next year? If your child did not complete the WMMS registration at his/her current school, we want to ensure that he/she receives electives of interest for next year; therefore, please download the appropriate registration form (pdf files) and return it to school as early as possible: Sixth Grade -- Seventh Grade -- Eighth Grade

June 2011 -

Please join the West Millbrook Race for the Cure team! Together we can make a difference and find a cure for breast cancer! The 15th annual Susan G. Komen, Race for the Cure will be held Saturday, June 11 at Meredith College in Raleigh. This year, West Millbrook has an official team participating and raising funds. Students, staff, parents, friends, family and neighbors are all urged to participate. You can walk, run or even simply sleep in to raise money for this great cause. Visit http://www.komennctriangle.org/ and click the pink “register” button to get involved. After clicking that button you will be taken to a new page where you can click “join a team”. You will then be prompted to search for your team, “West Millbrook Middle School”. Team t-shirts will be available for sale soon. Proceeds from the shirts will be donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation. For more information, contact team captain, Susan Arnold at sarnold@wcpss.net

Summer Camp - Summer is here and summer camps are already registering participants. Click here for links to camps sponsored by local agencies that have asked us to share their camp information with you. Latest addition: WMMS Sports Camps.

May 2011 -

Student Assignment Proposals for Review - WCPSS Superintendent Tony Tata presented two draft student assignment proposals on May 23, following more than two months of research and analysis by a task force of administrators he created in March. Review them here.

ESL (English as a Second Language) Classes need your time! The ESL homework support classes are in need of tutors. Tutors do not need to speak the students' native languages as we encourage all students to engage in English interaction. Students need support in all core areas and electives, including healthful living. There are two resource classes: from 9:14-10:05 and 10:09 - 11:06. We need at least one volunteer for each class each day. If you can help, email lharkness@wcpss.net, ESL Teacher. Thank you for helping these very special children.

Please Volunteer - West Millbrook students need you! Volunteering offers multi-faceted benefits! Not only do volunteer activities help you develop a strong connection to your child's school, volunteering is also a a great way to have fun while providing an invaluable service. The West Millbrook community needs you! A PTA volunteer form will be posted in this space shortly. In the interim, please drop by the school office and complete the WCPSS volunteer information form that is only available via the WCPSS inTRAnet.

Summer Camp - Summer is not far away and summer camps are already registering participants. Click here for links to camps sponsored by local agencies that have asked us to share their camp information with you. Latest addition: WMMS Sports Camps.

Accident Info - As many of you may be aware, there was an accident at West Millbrook on the afternoon of May 26, involving a school bus and several cars on Strickland Road. No students were aboard the bus when the accident occurred and no West Millbrook students were injured. Emergency services were immediately contacted and those injured were transported to the hospital. We anticipate full recoveries for all those involved.  We would like to thank all of our West Millbrook parents for your cooperation this afternoon, as our normal car-pool dismissal routine was interrupted. Your cooperation allowed for the emergency personnel to do their work and take care of the injured. Some of our busses departed the school later than normal due the accident and may have caused students to arrive home a little late.

EOG Retesting - We have decided to delay the start of EOG Retesting by one day, so we will not begin retesting on Tuesday, 5/24. as originally planned. Instead, we will begin EOG retesting with Reading on Wednesday, Math on Thursday, and 8th Grade Science on Friday. EOG score notification letters were distributed to students on 5/23 and provided additional explanation regarding retesting procedures.

Student Assignment Proposals for Review - WCPSS Superintendent Tony Tata presented two draft student assignment proposals on May 23, following more than two months of research and analysis by a task force of administrators he created in March. Review them here.

Testing Proctor Update - Many thanks to our generous school volunteers. We are entering our EOG testing week (Wednesday 5/11 - Friday 5/13) and only need a small handful of volunteers to fill the remainder of our slots required to meet the state mandate of a proctor in every test setting. We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members or friends who are at least 18 years old. Proctors will be needed by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30. If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 8:05 on days two and three. Please e-mail Diane Walters at dwalters@ncteacher.org , to sign up for a day or more, or ask questions.

Job Shadow Day - On Thursday, April 28, thirty-five WMMS students participated in a school-endorsed, optional Job Shadow Day for our eighth graders. This experience provided rising high school students an opportunity to shadow a professional at their place of work for part or all of a workday. Activities varied from shadowing their parents to shadowing other business hosts. This year, we had students shadow engineers, artists, hospital administrators, nurses and nurse practitioners, child development specialists, construction managers, housekeeping specialists, a chief financial officer, bankers, and several other career areas. The student evaluation forms returned to school following the activity reflected lots of learning in their chosen workplaces, and reinforced the data that indicates that observing, and sometimes helping, in the workplace often provides motivations for students to strive to reach their potential in high school, and offers a critical link between education and success. 

April 2011 -

Welcome New Students and Families! Will your child attend WMMS next year? We will be holding a tour for potential students and their families on April 27th from 1:00-2:00 for those who could not attend the Open House. **Please call Dawn Clark, Guidance Counselor, 870-4059 to confirm that you will be attending or to ask questions. If your child is not completing WMMS registration at his/her current school, we want to ensure that he/she receives electives of interest for next year; therefore, please download the appropriate registration form (pdf files) and return it to school as early as possible: Sixth Grade -- Seventh Grade -- Eighth Grade

Testing Proctors Desperately Needed May 11 - 13: EOGs are only two weeks away and we desperately need your help! Though we have had three parents/grandparents volunteer to help with testing over the past few weeks, we currently need 68 additional non-school volunteers so that we can meet the state requirement of a proctor in every testing setting. This equates to between 22 and 24 additional proctors for each day of testing . We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members or friends who are at least 18 years old. Proctors will be needed by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30. If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 7:55 on days two and three. EOGs are earlier this year than normal, so we hope to hear from many of you soon. Please e-mail Diane Walters at dwalters@ncteacher.org , to sign up for a day or more, or ask questions.

Job Shadow Opportunity for Eighth Graders - Take-A-Child-To-Work Day is a national event observed on the 4th Thursday of April. This year, it will be held on April 28. This optional event provides WMMS eighth graders, who choose to participate, an opportunity to shadow a professional at their place of work for part of a workday. Activities vary from shadowing their parents to shadowing other business hosts. Observing, and sometimes helping, in the workplace often provides motivations for students to strive to reach their potential in school, and offers a critical link between education and success. Due to WCPSS volunteer policies, WMMS staff members are not able to coordinate job placement; therefore, parents are asked to work within their personal and professional networks to find a business host. Paperwork, including the request for excused absence for educational reasons should be submitted to D. Walters, Career Development Coordinator, in the Media Center, or scan them and e-mail forms to dwalters@ncteacher.org. Access additional info and forms here. Business Host Suggestions here.

Three classes awarded for great writing - During the days following career day, many of West Millbrook's E&R classes wrote letter essays to the Career Day Committee, thanking them for their work, sharing new things that they learned from the Career Day speakers, and making suggestions for next year's Career Day. The committee received several hundred letters and many of them demonstrated writing excellence. Three classes submitted letters in which almost every class member participated and all letters demonstrated outstanding effort and content. Local businesses, Games2U and Rockit Learning, offered class parties to the winning classes. On March 23, Mrs. Seroka's E&R class received their prize of a Games2U party for being the First Place Winning Class. On March 30, Mrs. Bonner's and Mrs. Wilkerson's E&R classes received "Honorable Mention" parties with fun science activities given by Rockit Learning. Food treats were given at these parties from McDonald's, Sonic, and Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, and ConAgra Foods. Other individual prizes were given to students and teachers from Cigna, BSD, and Chipotle Grill. Many thanks to students, teachers, and local businesses who participated in this fun writing opportunity! Many thanks to Karen Fiorini and the Career Day Committee for making this opportunity possible!

Testing Proctors Needed  May 11 - 13:  EOGs are around the corner and we need your help! We currently need 84 non-school volunteers so that we can meet the state requirement of a proctor in every  testing  setting. This equates to 28  proctors  for each day of  testing . We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members who are at least 18 years old.  Proctors  will be  needed  by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30. If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 7:55 on days two and three. EOGs are earlier this year than normal, so we hope to hear from many of you soon. Please e-mail Diane Walters at  dwalters@ncteacher.org  , to sign up for a day or more, or ask questions. 

Welcome New Students and Families! Will your child attend WMMS next year? We will be holding a tour for potential students and their families on April 27th from 1:00-2:00 for those who could not attend the Open House. **Please call Dawn Clark, Guidance Counselor, 870-4059 to confirm that you will be attending or to ask questions. If your child is not completing WMMS registration at his/her current school, we want to ensure that he/she receives electives of interest for next year; therefore, please download the appropriate registration form (pdf files) and return it to school as early as possible: Sixth Grade -- Seventh Grade -- Eighth Grade

Rising 6th Grade Orientation/Campus Tour and Parent Orientation Night is April 5 - The student tour will be from 9:30-11:00 a.m. and the Parent Orientation Open House will be from 7 - 8 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room. Questions to Dawn Clark, 6th Grade Counselor (870-4059 or dclark@wcpss.net)

March 2011 -

And the Pennies for Pasta winners are... Mrs. Ford's 8th Grade E&R class for raising $1379.  They will win the Olive Garden Pasta Luncheon! Special thanks to the entire Tigers team (formerly the Sharks team) for raising $4180, which is almost 70% of the total for our school! Ms. Cloak's E&R wins an ice cream treat for being the top 7th grade class with $107 brought in.   Mrs. Keane's E&R raised $487 and are the ice cream winners for the 6th grade.   Way to go Wildcats. Everyone who worked hard to raise money for  Leukemia and Lymphoma research deserves an award for unselfishly giving your time to this great cause.  Our total fundraising effort amounts to $6088 for this year, and that is a lot to be proud of! 

Tigers Team (Former Sharks) Raised HALF of WMMS $ in 2010!

Leukemia Fundraiser -  For the past three years, the West Millbrook community has received state-wide recognition for successful fundraising for leukemia and lymphoma research.  The kickoff for this year's campaign was Tuesday, March 15.  E&R classes will compete against each other to raise the most money for the cause, and the winning class will win an Olive Garden luncheon. The last day for sending cash (coins and bills) in is Thursday, March 24; however, the secure online donation site where you can make a credit card donation will be open until 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning March 30. There, you will be given an opportunity to give your child's name for credit to his/her class.  Checks, written to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will also be accepted until 3/30. Last year, our school won the honor of top fundraising school in the state.  Won't you help us keep that title!?!

Geography Bee - A HUGE congratulations to one of our 8th graders who is advancing on the to State Level competition of the National Geographic Geography Bee! The state Bee will be held on Friday, April 1, 2011, at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. One winner from each state will advance to the national competition, held in May, in Washington D.C. The final round of the 2011 National Geographic Bee, featuring Alex Trebek, will air on May 25. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. We would love to see WMMS represented there! Good luck, JS. You've made us proud!

Odyssey of the Mind Regional Tournament News: What a weekend it was! March 5th at Chapel Hill HS was the LARGEST Odyssey tournament ever! We represented West Millbrook well and are proud of the spirit and dedication from all of our groups. There were some situations where the kids had think on their feet and improvise-- and they all appeared to keep their cool. Our three teams participated in  Division II competitions for their specific long-term problem and also the Spontaneous competition. Unhinged Structure  came in 5th place Full Circle came in 8th Le Tour Guide came in 15th We honored the competitors and coaches through an ice cream party Tuesday. The Odyssey season was a five month commitment and we appreciate all of their hard work. The students really worked well together, and most importantly, had a lot of fun!

March Madness is Today! The West Millbrook PTA is gearing up for our spring event known as "March Madness.” Please mark your calendars for Friday, March 18th from 3:30pm -7:00pm. This is an exciting basketball-themed afternoon with intramural games and with students and faculty.  There will be lots of good food and fun along with some really great raffle prizes to be given away. It's open to all WMMS students, faculty and families. How can you help with March Madness? Volunteer your time and/or donate food or prize items for the event.  Click here for a letter from your PTA listing the help that is needed.  To download March Madness raffle tickets, click here.

MathCounts Students are Bringing Home a Trophy!  The Wildcats went WILD as they won "Most Improved School Team" at the 2011 MathCounts Competition!  Despite facing fierce competitors, and a record number of students on the top-seeded teams earning "perfect" scores, the Cats improved their ranking by 16 levels.  Under the guidance of Coach Roger Mark, the WMMS team raised their standing from 31st place last year to an impressive 15th place this year.  As the crowd enthusiastically cheered, our team was invited up to the stage to accept this highly coveted award!!!

Buzzworthy  Bee Update: Special recognition to our Spelling Bee Competitor, a 6th grader, who was also a member of our MathCounts club, but had to break away from the team to represent West Millbrook at the 1st Annual PAGE of Wake Co. Spelling Bee.

More Academic Competitions to Come... West Millbrook will be sending three Odyssey of the Mind teams to the Eastern Regional Tournament this Saturday, 3/6 at Chapel Hill HS. We know they will have great time and will represent West Millbrook well! Special thanks to parent coaches Audrey Mark and Tom Ficker, and staff coaches Miss Nay & Ms. Niebauer for their time & dedication to these students.

Food Drive through March 1 - West Millbrook is currently holding a canned food drive to help the NC School of Science and Math break a world record for the most cans donated in a food drive, but  more importantly, we're helping to feed those in need in our community.  All donations will go to The Food Band of Central and Eastern NC.  The food drive ends on March 1.  Builder's Club students will be collecting donations each day from E&R classes.

Spotlight on Literacy: Words of the Week - About a month ago, West Millbrook started a "Words of the Week" spotlight on the morning announcements. The purpose is to strengthen and increase vocabulary in an effort to support literacy. Each week, two new words are announced along with their definitions, synonyms, and usage in a sentence. Students are encouraged to find these words in their reading, use them in their writing and in discussions in class. Teachers are reporting that kids are really starting to catch on! The words are chosen from a list of most commonly used words on the SAT, words that teachers use in their content area, and words that students choose from novels they are reading. Help support us by asking your students about these words. Words we've used thus far:   astute, immaculate,  antagonize, intrigue,  juxtapose, adjacent,  copious, exacerbate.

Parents of Rising 9th Graders - High school registration time is approaching! Many high schools that our students will be attending have already had their informational nights. If your high school isn't listed below and if you missed their open house, we encourage you to call the school to see if they will be offering a "make-up" session. The schedule for the remaining high schools follows:
March 3 - Leesville High School (6:30)
March 17 - Knightdale High School (6:30)

February 2011 -

6th Grade Parents - If you were unable to attend our 6th Grade “ Let's Touch Base” Workshop in January, we will have an follow-up gathering on Friday, 2/18. We will meet in our Media Center at 8:30 a.m. discussing how to support our sixth graders and ensure their greatest success during their time at WMMS. This will be less formal and structured than our last workshop, with plenty of Q&A time. For additional information, please contact Dawn Clark, 6th grade counselor, at 870-4059 or by email at dclark@wcpss.net .

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West Millbrook Middle School Career Day - February 11, 2011 8am until 11am

As the Career Day event draws closer, our excitement and enthusiasm continues to grow. We are diligently working to arrange exciting speakers for each classroom. We have had an overwhelming response from teachers, students, and the community . This year our primary objective is to expose students (Grades 6 – 8 th ) to the huge variety of careers in the work place.    We hope to capture their attention before entering High School and College; exposing them to speakers enthusiastically sharing about their career path!

Schedule/Format:
The morning is divided into three separate 45 min. sessions beginning at 8:35 am. Speakers have been assigned to specific classrooms.

We are looking for volunteers which would be available to help Friday, Feb. 11, 2011

We need volunteers from 7:30am until 11:30am. You can volunteer the entire morning or a suitable shift. Can you help make this year another success? If speaking is not your forte, we need assistance in:

For more information, please contact Karen Fiorini. You may access the Career Day link from the WMMS website or click West Millbrook Middle School Career Day .

Karen Fiorini
West Millbrook Middle School
Committee Chair
919.796.7060 Mobile
919.878.7490 Fax
K_Fiorin@Bellsouth.net

Ruth Godwin
Committee Co-Chair
RthGdwin@aol.com

_______________________________________________________

Join us for our Battle of the Brooks Basketball Bash! Your $8.00 ticket includes pizza and a drink, transportation to Millbrook High School, and admission to the 5 p.m. West vs. East Basketball game. Additional snacks will be available for purchase. Parents must pick up their students at Millbrook High at the end of the game. Permission slips are required and can be picked up in the front office and in the cafeteria during lunch.

January 2011 -

Parents of Rising 9th Graders - Mark your calendar and plan to an information meeting for your rising 9th grader!
. ...January 27 - Enloe High 6 -8
. ...February 3 - Millbrook High 6:00
. ...February 10 - Southeast Raleigh High School 6:30
. ...February 24 - Sanderson High School 6:30
. ...March 3 - Leesville High School 6:30

Talent Show is This Friday. 1/28 from 4-6. Admission is free, but all students must have a signed permission slip to attend. Slips will be collected at the door.  Download permission slip here.

Chick-fil-A Cow to Attend WMMS vs. Durant Game! Start planning now to attend our last regular home basketball game on Thursday, January 27, against Durant. This will be our Family Fun Night sponsored by the Business Alliance. The Chick-Fil-A Cow will be there and door prizes will be given. Five dollars will buy you a Chick-Fil-A sandwich, chips, and a drink in the concession stand. Other concessions will also be available. Proceeds from the concession stand will go to West Millbrook School Improvement programs. Please bring your whole family for a fun game and dinner at school that night! For Business Alliance member list, click here.

Valentines for Troops - Do you have a friend or loved one serving in the US Military in a war zone? Each year the Beta Club adopts two or three military people with connections to WMMS and sends homemade valentines, along with candy and other small gifts in time to arrive for Valentine's Day. If you have someone that you'd like for our club to adopt, please contact Diane Walters (dwalters@wcpss.net) no later than January 20 with their name and address.

Talent Show Sign-up & Auditions - Interested students will have the opportunity to sign up at their lunch on January 19th and 20th. Their auditions will take place on January 20th or 21st. **NOTE** Auditions are not meant as a means to prevent any student from participating, they are simply to screen performances for appropriateness. All students with school appropriate talents will be allowed to participate. Competitors will perform for a group of their peers and teachers on Friday, January 28th from 4-6pm. Please come out to support our talented performers! More Info to Come.

WMMS Server Conversion will Impact Email and Web-based Systems Monday and Tuesday - West Millbrook will undergo a network server conversion this Monday and Tuesday, January 10 and 11. While we're excited that we'll have a more reliable network, and will have more storage for student and teacher projects, it will mean that our campus computer system will be down throughout the day on both Monday and Tuesday. Please expect delayed e-mail responses, grade-postings, web-postings and other electronic data since our staff will not have access to computer systems during this time and will likely have a large backlog to process when all systems are back up and running. Thanks for your patience during this time.

December 2010 -

Did you know that WMMS was the top fundraising school in North Carolina last year in the fight to find a cure for leukemia and lymphoma? This year the Beta Club will be organizing fundraising events in the spring for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Our E&R classes will, once again, compete with each other for the coveted top classroom that will win an Olive Garden Pasta Luncheon. If you would like to make a donation for 2010 tax purposes, and give your child's class credit for the donation, go to the secure LLS donation site. When you donate, you will be given a space to include your child's name and teacher's name.

Our Snow Make-up day for December 16 will be January 3. Enjoy your holiday!

Holiday Hugs - You will have many opportunities to give this coming holiday season throughout our community, and all will be deserving of your gifts, however if you are able to support our Holiday Hugs program you can know that your "Hug" will reach one of our deserving WMMS children! Take a snowflake from our main office window and fill a gift bag for a WMMS child. If you have any questions regarding this program, please contact Mrs. Clark @ 870-4059 or Mrs. Symes @ 870-4050.

Food Drive - The Student Council's annual food drive is underway!  Last year, the students of WMMS donated 1,670 pounds of food.  One of the best parts of WMMS' food drive is that the donated food is used to directly support the students of our own school.  The food drive runs from through December 17th, and families are encouraged to donate as much as they can manage.  This year the competition remains strong between grade levels to see who can bring in the most food items.  The winning grade level will receive a movie and popcorn party the day before winter break. Remember we CAN make a difference!

 

November 2010 -

It's Spirit Week! This year in the build up to the Battle of the Brooks football game the WMMS Student Council would like to announce its themes for Spirit Week.  Each day students showing spirit will be counted and the winning grade level will receive a handsome prize for showing their school pride.  The remainiing themes are as follows: Monday, 11/1 - Twin Day, Tuesday, 11/2 - Sports Team Day, Wednesday, 11/3 - Blue and White Day

Battle of the Brooks Football Game - Come out to support your Wildcat Football team as they take on the East Millbrook Cougars under the big lights at Millbrook HS football stadium.  Students may choose to stay at WMMS for our Pre-Game Bash from 3:00-6:00p.m. in the gym.  Admission for the bash is $8.00 and includes:  a slice of pizza and a drink, music/games in the gym, and a ride to the game at MHS.  Permission slips are required and available in the front office, in homeroom class, and downloadable here.  Tickets on sale 10/27 through 11/2 during lunch.

October 2010 -

Fall Frenzy & Book Fair - Many thanks to the multitude of parents and teachers who worked so hard to make Fall Frenzy and the Book Fair huge successes this past week. We are a part of a fantastic school community!

Book Fair is Here! Parents, please make it a priority to visit the Book Fair in the media center this week, October 18-22! Your support with book purchases and/or donations is an invaluable way to help WMMS. We're counting on a record number of sales this year in order to provide our teaching staff with the books they need to further our children's success through literature circles. Scholastic Books will be the vendor which means there will be vast selection of fantastic books to choose from as well as novelty items. We still need parent volunteers for the fair. If you are willing to cover a shift (or shifts) during the fair, we would love to have you! Please email Amy Nagle at amynagle@hotmail.com.

Muffins with Muttillo - The PTA will be hosting a "Muffins with Muttillo" on the morning of the 19th, so come talk with Dr. Muttillo about this year's literacy focus at WMMS and browse the Book Fair!

Fall Frenzy - Friday, Oct.22nd at 5:30p.m. Calling all Chefs and Bakers! If you would like to participate in our Chili/ Pie tasting and (friendly) competition, please contact Dawn at bentoddsam@nc.rr.com. Your participation makes this exciting event possible.

Parents of 8th graders- Before you know it, your child will be off to high school. Are you looking for a great send off? You can now purchase an ad in the back of the yearbook! In the ad you can include 1 picture and 2-3 sentences. All ads will be 1/10 of a page, or about the size of a business card. The cost is $25 payable in a separate check made out to WMMS Yearbook (pay for your yearbook online and send a separate check along with your ad materials to school). All orders must be completed and paid for by October 28th. Download form here.

ESL (English as a Second Language) Classes need your time! The ESL homework support classes are in need of tutors. Tutors do not need to speak the students' native languages as we encourage all students to engage in English interaction. Students need support in all core areas and electives, including healthful living. There are two resource classes: from 9:14-10:05 and 10:09 - 11:06. We need at least one volunteer for each class each day. If you can help, email lharkness@wcpss.net, ESL Teacher. Thank you for helping these very special children.

 

School Dance - The Student Council will host our first dance of the year this Friday, October 8th from 5:30-7:30 for students who are eligible based on the behavior expectations outlined in the student handbook insert. Permission slips will be distributed on Tuesday, tickets will be sold on Wednesday and Thursday during lunch for $3.00, and at the door Friday night for $4.00. Students must be picked up by 8:00 in order to be eligible to attend future
dances.

September 2010 -

Athletic Pass - Don't miss a single moment of this year's exciting Wildcat sports season. Athletic passes are now on sale. The athletic pass will admit you to every home game at West Millbrook this year. Just fill out and return the form (click here to download) with payment to Coach Calhoun (Gym office 704).

Join the PTA today – Keep our bragging rights! Attached to our first Wildcat News that will go home with students early next week is an envelope for your PTA membership. West Millbrook and East Millbrook battle each other each year to win the trophy for the most PTA memberships. Join the PTA now so we can keep the “Battle of the Brooks” PTA trophy! Download the form here.

Yearbook Photographers Wanted - Are you a 7th or 8th grade student who loves to take pictures and would be available to take pictures at WMMS home games, events, and other activities? Completed applications (download here) are due to Ms. Luxford in trailer 5 or to Ms. Symes in the front office by September 30th.

Yearbooks are on SALE now! Yearbooks purchased before 9/27 are on sale for $25! Hurry and get your yearbook now! The price will go up! Go to Josten's website to place your order today!

Beta Club Interest Meetings - The National Junior Beta Club is an academic honor organization that recognizes outstanding scholastic achievement, promotes strong moral character and social responsibility, encourages service to others, fosters leadership skills, and provides settings for students to develop strong interpersonal skills. Seventh and eighth grade students with a GPA of at least 3.5 (an average of half A's and half B's) on last year's final report card are eligible for membership. If your 7th or 8th grade student is interested, please encourage him/her to attend an interest meeting in the media center at 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, 9/15, or Friday, 9/17. Students should only attend one meeting.  New Member application & info sheet (pdf file)

Builder's Club - Attention all students interested in being a leader in the school and serving others in our school and community! Builders Club is a service and leadership club for middle school students. Our informational meeting will be on Thursday, September 9th at 3:30 in Mrs. Bonner's room, room 325.

A Note from the 2010-11 PTA President, Dawn Clark - Welcome to "ALL" to another successful, pride-filled, and exciting year at West Millbrook Middle School. My name is Dawn Clark and I feel proud to be your PTA President for our 2010/2011 school year. Along with all of you, a committed PTA Executive Board, an amazingly dedicated Staff, and over 35 committees chaired by equally enthusiastic parents, we are sure to have our best year yet at WMMS. Our goal is no different than the one of any parent. We are committed to advocating, supporting, and working to ensure the very best for our children. We consider our children to be " ALL" the students who come through the doors of WMMS. We wish for all of the children at WMMS to reach his/her full potential. Together we can make this a reality. The PTA stands for Parent/Teacher/Association. This means that you are the PTA! Being a member is a given by virtue of you being a parent/guardian/caregiver of a student at WMMS. That means that "YOU" are a member of the PTA. In addition, like American Express, "membership has it's privileges." Your involvement in the PTA is so valuable because:

August 2010 -

Will you be new to WMMS next year? Welcome! Please click here for links to pages of interest about WMMS, along with contact information for our guidance staff.

Meet Your Teachers on August 23 - Students and parents can meet their teachers on Monday, August 23rd. Students will have an opportunity to meet and greet their teachers and pick-up any pertinent team information. There will not be any formal presentations, so families may arrive within their assigned times. In addition to meeting your teachers, families will also have an opportunity to add money to lunch accounts, ask transportation questions, purchase physical education uniforms, buy athletic passes for home games and support the school through the PTA and Athletic Booster Club. The schedule is as follows: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 7th and 8th grade families; 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for 6th grade families; and 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for any family who could not attend the earlier sessions. Please note that the cafeteria staff will not be available to receive lunch account money during the 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. session. Though each team and non-core teacherws will likely have special supply requests, you may want to purchase basic supplies. Click here for a list of basic supply suggestions.

Good Computer Monitors Needed - Parents, do you have a good computer monitor sitting in storage because you've upgraded and don't know what to do with it? We currently have several older (but still good) computer CPUs that are available for classroom use but do not have monitors to go with them. We could certainly use your donation. Please keep in mind that monitors that have become fuzzy or have other problems are not suitable for our students in the classroom, but older monitors that still work well would be much appreciated. Please contact Diane Walters (dwalters@ncteacher.org) for donation information.

Class Schedule Info & Letter from Dr. Muttillo- Our summer is quickly coming to a close and students are anxiously awaiting their back to school mailer that includes class schedule and other important information. The last of our new hires and transfers are being approved and class lists are being finalized this week. Our WCPSS bulk mailing department will receive student welcome letters and schedules on Friday, August 13. These mailers should be received in homes no later than Friday, August 20. For students and parents who have opted for SPAN (Student/Parent Access Network) internet access, schedules will be accessible at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, August 17. To view the letter that will arrive with the class schedule, click here.

May 2010 -

Top School in the State! Congratulations WMMS community! The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of North Carolina has named our school the "Top Fundraising School in NC!" This year, our efforts raised $6868 toward finding a cure for the number one cancer in children and young adults. Thank you for your support!

Sportsmanship - Congratulations West Millbrook Athletes and Coaches for winning the sportsmanship award honors for all three seasons in the 2009-2010 school year!

Were you one of our volunteers this year? If so, please join us for a light brunch in the Media Center on Friday morning, May 21, at 9:30. Enjoy treats set-up and served by our Family and Consumer Science students, and allow us to say thank you for helping us make WMMS a wonderful place to learn and grow this year! Please RSVP to Lynn Midthun at lmidthun@wcpss.net by Wednesday morning so that our students can prepare properly. Printable invitation (pdf file)

EOG Proctor Report - Round one of EOGs is history and we have a multitude of parents and grandparents to thank for generously giving their time to proctor.  This has been our smoothest EOG start in years, and our wonderful volunteers played a significant role in the success!  During this week alone, volunteers have logged almost 200 hours of service.   Many thanks again!

Celebrating our 8th Graders!!! To prepare our 8th graders for their upcoming events, such as their Dance and Ceremony, you can help by donating any of the following items: Girls Dresses, age and dress code appropriate (no full length gowns, please); Girls Dress Shoes, various sizes. Mens dress pants, waist sizes from 28 to 36, Ties, Belts and Dress socks. The Outreach Committee thanks you for helping to ensure that “ALL” our WMMS 8th graders are able to attend and enjoy their accomplishments. Please drop donated items to Stacy Symes in the Media Center.If you have any specific questions or needs, please contact Dawn Clark @ 844-0415.

EOG News - End-of-Grade tests begin on May 11! It is important to remember that teachers and students have been preparing for these tests all year long and are currently reviewing curriculum that has been taught all year. If you would like to help review at home and improve your child's confidence about these important tests, click this internet link with practice problems and other resources. Remember though, the point of extra review is not to create more stress. We want students to gain confidence that they are prepared and ask questions of the material they still don't understand as thoroughly as they would like. To view a test-taking strategy presentation, click here. (Click to advance to the next slide. This presentation requires MS Powerpoint or the free viewer which can be downloaded here.)

Testing Proctors Needed May 11 - 13:  EOGs are around the corner and we need your help!  We need 84 non-school volunteers so that we can meet the state requirement of a proctor in every testing setting.  This equates to 28 proctors for each day of testing.  Thanks to volunteers who have already responded, we currently currently have 5 spaces remaining for proctors for 5/11 & 13, and 3 spaces for 5/12. We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members who are at least 18 years old.  Proctors will be needed by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30.  If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 7:55 on days two and three. EOGs are earlier this year than normal, so we  hope to hear from many of you soon.    Please  e-mail Diane Walters at dwalters@ncteacher.org ,  to sign up for a day or more, or ask questions. Thank you, if you have already volunteered!

WMMS Outreach Sponsors The Pampered Chef Fundraiser to “Send A Friend To Camp” April 1st - April 30th . (All profit goes directly to sending some of our WMMS students, with financial need, to Summer Camps in 2010) We'll raise funds two ways: Donations of up to 15% of the fundraiser's total sales and $3 contribution for each show booked. Students will learn about healthy snack choices at an interactive demo on Wednesday, April 14th or Wednesday, April 28 th , 2010. Mini Catalogs will go home on one of these dates.  Watch for them as anyone who places an order within 48 hours of receiving his or her Mini Catalog will go into a drawing for a Free Chopper! (Details here.)

Career Day, A Success! Many thanks to the multitude of parents and community members who worked hard to make this year's Career Day a success. The students and teachers are still enthusiastically talking about things that they learned. Their enthusiasm makes the hours of preparation on the part of speakers and event workers completely worthwhile!

Student Transition Info - The Wake Co. PTA Council invites all Wake County School System parents & guardians to its Family Day on Saturday May 1, 2010 at Millbrook High School on Spring Forest Road. The program will focus on the best ways to handle students' transitions from Pre-Kindergarten to High School. Spanish-language sessions will also be offered. The registration form is available on the WCPSS website. Parents without computer access, or with limited English, can register by calling Betty Diaz at (919) 858-1657.

April 2010 -

WMMS Outreach Sponsors The Pampered Chef Fundraiser to “Send A Friend To Camp” April 1st - April 30th . (All profit goes directly to sending some of our WMMS students, with financial need, to Summer Camps in 2010) We'll raise funds two ways: Donations of up to 15% of the fundraiser's total sales and $3 contribution for each show booked. Students will learn about healthy snack choices at an interactive demo on Wednesday, April 14th or Wednesday, April 28 th , 2010. Mini Catalogs will go home on one of these dates.  Watch for them as anyone who places an order within 48 hours of receiving his or her Mini Catalog will go into a drawing for a Free Chopper! (Details here.)

Career Day, A Success! Many thanks to the multitude of parents and community members who worked hard to make this year's Career Day a success. The students and teachers are still enthusiastically talking about things that they learned. Their enthusiasm makes the hours of preparation on the part of speakers and event workers completely worthwhile!

Congratulations to our Odyssey of the Mind teams who competed in the Eastern Regional tournament over the weekend: Our Food Court Team came in 7th place; the Discovered Treasures team came in 6th place; the Nature Trail'R Team came in 4th place; and the Return to the Gift of Flight came in 2nd place earning an invitation to the STATE finals! Way to go Wildcats! You represented West Millbrook well.... Good luck at the State Finals in April!

Parents of Rising 9th Graders - For all parents/guardians of rising 9th grade students, please frequently check your high school's web-site for updated registration and visitation information. For links to all WCPSS high school websites, go to the high school directory page.

Leukemia Society Fundraiser A Success! The generosity of our school community in light of our tight economic times, and the recent giving of our students to support those in need in Haiti, is impressive! We raised $6843.44 as a school in our Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraiser! Way to go, Wildcats! Mrs. Moses' class, Sharks Team, wins the Olive Garden Pasta Luncheon for the second year in a row with donations brought in of $1012! Ms. Youth's and Mr. Navin's classes, each brought in $914, followed by Mrs. Ford's class with $596. Our top four fundraising classes were from the Sharks team. THANK YOU! Our top fundraising class from the 7th grade was Mrs. Shirley's class with $380, and the top class from 6th grade was Mrs. Hooker's class, under the leadership of our substitute teacher, Mrs. Cronk, with $300. Way to go, Wildcats! Though the classroom competition is over, it is not to late to donate in the North Carolina Schools competition. For the past two years, WMMS has received recognition for placing First and Third in Central and Eastern NC. Click here to make a tax deductible donation through the LLS website and give credit to the school campaign .

West Millbrook Rocked Down the House on March 25 - The Battle of the Rock Bands was a huge success on Thursday evening, March 25. Approximately 300 students, staff, parents, grandparents, and friends attended this collaborative effort between the Beta Club, Booster Club, and PBS team as funds were raised for the school's annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Society campaign. Camille Walton, a former WMMS student whose leukemia is in remission, was our special guest and spoke to the group about her experience with leukemia and the important roll that LLS played throughout her illness, bone marrow transplant, and remission/recovery. A teacher band entertained everyone and ten student bands and competed for the top band title. All of them did an impressive job. At the end of the night, the judges and VIP voting section selected "Oh Yeah" the winner. A few Rock Band tee-shirts are still available for purchase at a discounted price of $6. See Mrs Symes if you're interested in buying one.

March 2010 -

2009 - 2010 Pilot for the Writing Instruction System - In May of 2009, the State Board of Education approved the proposal for the 2009-2010 Writing Instruction System. This replaced the previous version of the North Carolina Writing Test at grades 4 and 7. Download additional information about the Writing System here (pdf file). To review other testing updates, please download pdf file here.

From the Healthful Living Team - Beginning Friday, March 19 we will begin our gymnastics unit in Physical Education. Equipment includes the vault, bean, uneven and parallel bars, the rings and the rope. This is a challenging and exciting unit for all of our children. Understanding that our students are of all abilities and skill levels, these events will be differentiated for students, based on abilities. A letter describing our class expectations has been sent home to the students of Mrs. Moore, Mr. Miterko and Mrs. Carlyle. Prior to April 7, the same letter will be sent home to the students of Mrs. Holley, Mr. Calhoun and Mr. Hrbek, or view the letter in PDF format here.

West Millbrook Rocked Down the House on March 25 - The Battle of the Rock Bands was a huge success on Thursday evening, March 25. Approximately 300 students, staff, parents, grandparents, and friends attended this collaborative effort between the Beta Club, Booster Club, and PBS team as funds were raised for the school's annual Leukemia and Lymphoma Society campaign. Camille Walton, a former WMMS student whose leukemia is in remission, was our special guest and spoke to the group about her experience with leukemia and the important roll that LLS played throughout her illness, bone marrow transplant, and remission/recovery. A teacher band entertained everyone and ten student bands and competed for the top band title. All of them did an impressive job. At the end of the night, the judges and VIP voting section selected "Oh Yeah" the winner. A few Rock Band tee-shirts are still available for purchase at a discounted price of $6. See Mrs Symes if you're interested in buying one.

Leukemia Society Fundraiser Update - The generosity of our school community, in the midst of our tight economic times, and the recent giving of our students to support those in need in Haiti, is impressive! We have currently raised $6723.01 as a school! Way to go! Students may still turn in cash or check donations on Monday before spring break. (Make checks payable to LLS.) The classroom competition and school campaign will continue online through noon on Monday, April 5. Click here to make a tax deductible donation online through the LLS website. When contributing online, be sure to list the name of your student so that donations can be associated with his/her class.

PTA Election Info - The PTA is preparing to elect officers for next year. To learn more, go to the PTA page.

Congratulations to our Odyssey of the Mind teams who competed in the Eastern Regional tournament over the weekend:
Our Food Court Team came in 7th place; the Discovered Treasures team came in 6th place; the Nature Trail'R Team came in 4th place; and the Return to the Gift of Flight came in 2nd place earning an invitation to the STATE finals! Way to go Wildcats! You represented West Millbrook well.... Good luck at the State Finals in April!

Parents of Rising 9th Graders - For all parents/guardians of rising 9th grade students, please frequently check your high school's web-site for updated registration and visitation information. For links to all WCPSS high school websites, go to the high school directory page.

Make up days set for snow absences - February 15, originally a teacher workday, was our first make-up day. The remaining two days will be made up on June 10, and the first day originally scheduled for Spring Break, March 29.

West Millbrook, are you ready to ROCK??? Come out and see West Millbrook’s wild side on March 25 at 6:00 p.m., at the 2nd annual Battle of the Rock Bands. This year, we will have 10 student bands battling for the top place! Back by popular demand, we have a special performance by our very own Healthful Living teachers; this is not to be missed!! Tickets are $3.00 in advance, $4.00 at the door, and will be sold during all lunches March 22-25. All proceeds from ticket sales will support our fundraising effort for “Pennies for Pasta”, the Leukemia and Lymphoma society’s annual campaign. Camille Walton, a former WMMS student whose leukemia is in remission, will be our special guest! Rock Band t-shirts will be on sale Monday for the event, they are $8.00 each. Any questions, please call Stacy Symes 870-4067 or ssymes@wcpss.net. Thanks for your support!

UPDATE: Leukemia Fundraiser in honor and in memory of two former WMMS Students - As of Friday afternoon 3/19, WMMS students have brought in over $3000 in donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thank you! Collections will continue in team classrooms through next Friday (3/26) and will continue online through spring break.

For the past three years the Beta Club has sponsored a school-wide LLS drive in honor of former club member Camille Walton and in memory of former WMMS student Sherilyn Adams. Last year, our school community collected more than any other school in Central and Eastern NC to support blood cancer research. The top fundraising classroom will receive a pasta lunch from the Olive Garden. Students in top classrooms from the other two grades will receive ice cream treats. Please consider sending spare change or checks in any amount with your student to support this worthy cause. Tax deductible checks should be made payable to LLS, or click here give online through the LLS website.

March Madness is March 5! This basketball-themed evening of excitement is sponsored by the WMMS PTA. It’s open to all WMMS students, faculty and families. Come out and to have fun and help raise funds for our school! There will be good food, great music, lots of raffle prizes, entertainment and of course… BASKETBALL! Download Student Packets and Requested Donation Lists (pdf files).

February 2010 -

Cheerleading Competition - Please come out and support our WMMS Cheerleaders. The Wake County Cheerleading Competition has been postponed to Saturday, February 27, 2010 at Broughton High School. The competition starts at 10:00 am. Our cheerleaders have been working hard and the more support and cheering we have from fans at the competition, the better our scores will be. We look forward to seeing you there!!

Teacher of the Year - Please join us in congratulating Mr. Derek Currie, 8th Grade Math and Algebra teacher. He was recently chosen the WMMS Teacher of the Year by WMMS faculty. Mr. Currie came to West Millbrook through the Visiting International Faculty program in 2005 and has challenged 8th grade students to do their best and reach their potential on both the Sharks and Eagles teams since then. Former students say that he is a great teacher who demands much and cares equally as much. Our faculty and staff agrees! To learn more about Mr. Currie's background, click here.

Millbrook High School Curriculum Fair Postponed to Feb. 18 - Due to the early February snow, Millbrook High School posponed their annual Magnet Curriculum Fair to February 18, 2010 from 6:00-7:45pm. This event is for rising 9th grade students and their families only. Teachers, Counselors, Administrators, and the IB Coordinator will be present to answer your questions. Questions answered include: How will the IB Program affect my student? What is Paideia? How do we get into honors classes? What is Wildcat Prep? What classes does my student need to graduate? What electives are available? And, What classes are required to promote? For additional information, please call Millbrook High School's Student Services at 850-8807, or see the 8th grade counselor, Ms. Hronsky (870-4059).

Community Service - West Millbrook Middle Beta Club students are recognized for finding ways to help their community, during the holiday season and beyond. Ashley Smith reports through the WCPSS monthly news magazine, The School Connection. Click the COMMUNITY SERVICE link when you arrive at the School Connection webpage.

Battle of the Brooks Basketball - Join us for our Battle of the Brooks Basketball party! Enjoy games— wall ball, basketball and other fun activities. Your $6.00 ticket includes popcorn and a drink, transportation to Millbrook High School, and admission to the 5 p.m. West vs. East Basketball game. Additional snacks will be available for purchase. Parents The small bus, with seating for 15, will make only one south route trip. If you live on the afterhours south route, make reservations early for the limited seating. All other students will need rides home from Millbrook High School following the game. (Flyer - Parent Permission Slip - South Bus Permission Slip) (pdf files)

January 2010 -

H1N1 and Seasonal Flu: Information for parents, students and staff - WCPSS works closely with Wake County Human Services on any cases of communicable diseases or viruses. These agencies are carefully monitoring the situation and will keep parents and the public updated.

Taking simple steps to protect your health are very important. As with any virus, cold or other illness, students and staff with cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fever or feverishness, tiredness, body aches, headache, chills, diarrhea and vomiting should stay home from school/work until they have recovered.

• The CDC recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) H1N1 (Swine Flu) Web site, http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu, is updated frequently and is the best source for general information.
• Information can also be found by contacting the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
  CARE-LINE at 919-855-4400 (English/Spanish)

  Additional WCPSS Information: Difference between H1N1 and Seasonal Flu; Info sheet (pdf file) or http://www.wcpss.net/swineflu

Chick-fil-A Cow to Attend WMMS vs. Wakefield Game! Start planning now to attend our last regular home basketball game on Thursday, January 28, against Wakefield. This will be our Family Fun Night sponsored by the Business Alliance. The Chick-Fil-A Cow will be there tossing balls to the crowd. One of the balls will give the lucky catcher free Chick-Fil-A breakfast entrees for a year! Five dollars will buy you a Chick-Fil-A sandwich, chips, and a drink in the concession stand. All of the regular concession items will be available for purchase, too. For each meal or sandwich sold, you'll receive a free Chick-fil-A breakfast entree coupon AND a chance to win half-time prizes. Lucky drawing winners may receive gifts donated by Business Alliance members, including movie tickets, a month's family membership, or free personal training sessions at Healthtrax Fitness and Wellness, or a week of summer science camp at Rock It Learning! Proceeds from the concession stand will go to our Positive Behavior Support program. Please bring your whole family for a fun game and dinner at school that night! All proceeds from foods and concessions sold will go to the PBS (Positive Behavior Support) program at WMMS. Our Business Alliance members represent the following companies: Chick Fil-A (Falls Village and Capital Crossing), Healthtrax Fitness and Wellness, Rock It Learning, Safeguard Business Systems, Small Business Administration, State Employees' Credit Union and the Total Connection News.

Career Day Volunteers Needed - We're a couple of weeks away from Career Day (February 3) and need a few more volunteers. Would you be willing to make calls to our Career Day speakers? The job is quite simple. You'll be given all the info you need before calling, but we have learned that personal contact - not e-mails or phone messages - are crucial to ensure that all speakers show up! Also, we need parent assistance for a variety of things during the days prior to Career Day. We're thankful that if all of our speakers, who have made a commitment,. come through, we have plenty of speakers for the day. Contact us: Karen Fiorini K_Fiorin@Bellsouth.net or Molly Leavitt Molly.Leavitt@Gmail.com if you are able to assist with with set-up, calling, or "morning of" duties.

Book Club to Start this Tuesday! WMMS is beginning a Book Club for students in grades 6-8. The purpose of the club is to foster a passion to read through bi-monthly meetings and interactive Paideia seminars to further develop students’ comprehension skills. Beginning January 12, 2010, the Book Club will meet every other Tuesday after-school from 3:30-5pm. For more information, please feel free to contact Ms. Nay at enay@wcpss.net.

December 2009 -

WMMS Holiday Hugs “ Snowflakes” Program is up and running! This program allows you to provide a special holiday gift to one or more of our WMMS students! Through our Outreach Program we have put together a “ Holiday Hugs” program that is all set up in the Main office. Please drop by school and pick up a snowflake on the Main Office Window and check out with our office staff to bring some extra joy to a WMMS child this Holiday Season. No gift is over $25, and you are welcome to share in the giving of a gift to make this opportunity more affordable. We thank Lynn Midthun, Milca Nieves, Valerie Ellington, Elizabeth Smith, and Gayle Murray for their help in making this program possible! Any questions? Or if you would like a to participate and can’t physically make it to WMMS, contact Dawn @ bentoddsam@nc.rr.com.

Give the Gift of Reading! The Builders Club will be collecting new and gently used books for all ages until Wednesday, December 16th. Donations can be dropped off in the Book Drive Box in the front office. The Builders Club students will be sorting the books with NCSU Student Athletes, and book deliveries will be made to the following programs: Haven House, The Healing Place, Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, and the Boys and Girls Club. Thank you for all of your support!!!!

Attention Hockey Players - The Carolina Scholastic Hockey League (CSHL) will be seeking interested students in grades 6-8 to form an in-line hockey team comprised of West Millbrook Middle School students and competing against other area teams of middle school students.Registration begins November 30, 2009, with season lasting February – May 2010. There is a fee for enrollment – which includes jersey, all practices, games and playoff championships. Note that CSHL is not affiliated with WMMS, but does offer this opportunity for our students. Download flyer with other info here (pdf file).

Schoolwide Food Drive - The Student Council and Outreach Committee are partnering with the Food Bank of North Carolina's Back Pack program for a food drive from November 9th through December 11th. Students will bring home a paper bag with a list of needed food items. The donated items can be dropped off in the cafeteria by parents or students and will be counted each day to keep track of which grade level brings in the most products. The grade level with the highest number of donated goods will win a popcorn and movie party on December 18th (the day before winter break). If you'd like to make a tax deductible donation, click here. Please join us in this season of giving to show that our school and community "CAN" make a difference!

WMMS Holiday Marketplace opens on Saturday, December 12 th from 10:00 to 4:00. A variety of vendors and our “ Snowflake Café” will be in our WMMS Cafeteria for your shopping enjoyment. The WMMS band will perform during the day and Builders Club students will be available to assist shoppers. We ask that you please stop by, even if you don’t plan to make any purchases, to give our vendors the opportunity to show what they have to offer. Remember that “ALL” proceeds will come right back to our WMMS students through our Outreach Program. We would LOVE your support! Contact Dawn Clark at bentoddsam@nc.rr.com with questions.

November 2009 -

West Millbrook Wins Both Trophy and Teacher Breakfast! Congratulations West Millbrook parents and teachers! You have come through in such numbers that West Millbrook won both parts of the PTA membership contest against East Millbrook in the Battle of the Brooks. West Millbrook has a total of 428 PTA members, for an overall PTA membership percentage of 49%. For this winning percentage, West Millbrook will be honored with a trophy during half-time at the Battle of the Brooks football game. West Millbrook teachers & staff sported even higher numbers; seventy-five joined PTA. That's 96%!! As their prize, the West Millbrook staff and teachers will enjoy a wonderful breakfast catered by East Millbrook. Thank you all so much -- this good-natured rivalry is fun and ultimately helps everyone at WMMS!

Battle of the Brooks - Make plans to attend the Battle of the Brooks football game at Millbrook High School with your family this Wednesday, 11/4. at 6 p.m. For those of you who are new to WMMS, the Battle of the Brooks is a long-standing fun rivalry between East and West Millbrook Middle Schools. The two schools opened the same year in the 1970's and have enjoyed their "battles" since then. Because of the tradition that goes with the Battle of the Brooks, many think of this game in a similar way to a homecoming game. Often, former students attend the game and cheer their team on. Spirit week always precedes the football battle and is one of the highlights of the year.

October 2009 -

Battle of the Brooks Pre-game Party - Join us for the 2nd Annual Battle of the Brooks Pre-game Party sponsored by the WMMS Athletic Booster Club. Your $8 party admission includes a slice of pizza and drink, fun and games in the gym athletic fields, activity bus ride to Millbrook High for the game, and game admission (a $4 value). Tickets will be sold during lunches October 27 - 29. All students need to bring their signed parental consent and emergency info form when they purchase their pre-game party ticket. Students who need a ride on the South Raleigh bus at the end of the game should also bring a signed activity bus form. Access flyer and more info about the party here. Tickets will NOT be sold on the day of the event. Don't lose out, purchase your party ticket by October 29! Parents, contact Stacy Symes with questions or to volunteer to assist with the party.

PTA Membership Deadline is Wednesday!! - Hurry! The deadline to join West Millbrook PTA for the Battle of the Brooks PTA membership contest is this WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28TH! At half-time Nov. 4th, we want West Millbrook to win back the trophy for the greater proportion of PTA members this year! Also the school with the greater proportion of faculty members who join PTA will win a wonderful BREAKFAST for the teachers, catered by the losing school! DON'T DELAY! Either mail your completed membership form to West Millbrook or send it with your child to his/her homeroom teacher. Forms are available on-line at the PTA webpage and in the front office.

Attention all 8th Grade Students… in a few short months you will be moving on to high school and this is your year to shine. 2010 is going to be a year NOT to be forgotten. This year 8th grade parents and families can purchase an ad that will be featured in the back of the yearbook. Order forms will be available from Ms. Symes in the Media Center and there will be a table at Open House on September 15th where families can pick-up order forms and turn in completed orders as well. You may also download an order form here. All order forms, money, and pictures are due by October 31st, no exceptions! The ads will be a little smaller than a business card in size and cost $25. Please see Ms. Symes in the Media Center to pick-up and drop off your order forms.

September/October 2009 - Fall Frenzy - All WMMS students, families, faculty, and friends are invited to our first Fall Frenzy on Friday October 9 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. This free event, sponsored by the PTA and Athletic Booster Club, will take place on our school Athletic Fields with activities in our Media Center as well. Join us for Live Music, Chili Tasting and Contest, Pie Tasting Contest and Auction ( Staff Pies), Powder Puff Football with Male Cheerleaders, Field Events for All. JDRF Kick-off, Concessions, Book Fair & Spirit Wear and much much more! If you would like to enter your Chili or Pie in our contest, or help in any way please contact Stacy at ssymes@wcpss.net or Dawn at bentoddsam@nc.rr.com. With your help and support, there will be fun for everyone!

September/October 2009 - Book Fair Ends Friday! The BOOK FAIR is almost over! Encourage the love of reading and support your school through the purchase of great books! Students have enjoyed visiting the book fair in the media center every day this week. The Fair ends Friday evening at the close of Fall Frenzy. Families, please drop by the Media Center during Fall Frenzy. You'll certainly find wonderful books for the entire family to enjoy!

September 2009 - Yearbook Sale through 9/30! Purchase your yearbook by September 30th and the price is only $25. The price will continue to increase so buy your yearbook TODAY at www.jostensyearbooks.com

• Monday, 11/17 .........  .noon - 3:30
• Tuesday, 11/18           7:50 - 3:30 and 6:30pm - 8:30pm (during evening band concert)
• Wednesday, 11/19     7:50 - 3:30
• Thursday, 11/20          7:50 - 3:30
• Friday, 11/21               7:50 - 3:30

Dr. Bookenstein, aka Mrs. Cole, visited campus October 29-31.  (November 2008) Meeting with all of our sixth graders in the Media Center, she taught them about the elements and history of scary stories starting with oral tradition and Beowulf and progressing through modern literature.  With the style of a story-teller, she captivated the students' interest.  If you have a sixth grader, please ask for a report.

JDRF Walkathon (October 2008)- The West Millbrook Wildcats are supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Walk to Cure Diabetes.  You can support us by donating through any member of our team (A.J. Muttillo is already registered).  You can also support us by participating in the Walk.  It will take place at the Nortel Campus in RTP on November 1, 2008 at 9:00 a.m.  The official beginning of the walk is 10:30 a.m.  To me, this a great opportunity to support a cause that impacts many of our families, let our children experience what it is like to put others before themselves, and show Wildcat pride.  Please consider supporting us as we Walk to Cure Diabetes.  Visit www.walk.jdrf.org to participate.

LLS Award (October 2008) - Jenny Wayne, with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, presented a banner to Dr. Muttillo on Monday, 9/29, commending WMMS for being the 3rd Highest Fundraising School in Eastern NC during the 2007-08 school year.

The Student/Parent Access Network (SPAN) is here!  (August-October 2008) Parents who signed up for the SPAN system earlier in the year, received e-mails between 9/22 and 9/24 with access information.  Please note:  The parent user ID has an underscore between the word, "parent" and the unique number that is assigned to you.  If you do not notice the underscore, you will not successfully log-in.

The Student/Parent Access Network allows you to log-on to a secure site to view you student's grades, schedule, attendance, and discipline referrals. In order to begin this transition, you will need to request a SPAN account. You may do this by completing one of two forms. To mail the form to the school or send it with your student, you will need to complete a notarized form. If you would like to hand deliver the form, you may present a valid picture ID to a staff member. Remember, there are two different forms depending on whether you will have your request notarized or hand-delivered with picture ID.

Welcome Dr. A.J. Muttillo (July-August 2008) - The Wake County Board of Education appointed Dr. Muttillo to become the new principal of West Millbrook Middle School effective July 1. He is now hard at work preparing for the 2008-2009 school year. Dr. Muttillo comes to WMMS from Wakefield High School where he has served as Assistant Principal, and most recently oversaw the creation of the Wakefield Ninth Grade Center. Prior to that he taught Language Arts at Martin Middle School and also served as Assistant Principal there. He comes with high accolades from those who worked with him at Wakefield and Martin. The West Millbrook faculty, staff, and students look forward to a great 2008-09 school year!

WMMS Artists' Work on Display (June-July 2008) West Millbrook has many talented artists. Currently 18 talented rising 8th graders are displaying their work at the State Employee's Credit Union on Bridgeport Drive in Stonehenge. Please drop by to see their work!

Mason Park - Second in the 2008 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man of the Year! (May - July 2008) This is another huge honor for rising eighth-grader Mason, who received national recognition last year for his volunteer spirit. Mason was the only youth volunteer nominated for this high honor by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and a second place finish is quite an accomplishment. Congratulations, Mason!

Danica Zoeller - Second in Sunday Star Regional Competition! (May-July 2008) Kudos to Danica Zoeller, a WMMS 8th grader (2007-08 school year). She finished a very close second in the News and Observer's 2008 Sunday Star vocal competition. Since all of her competitors were adults, winning second was a huge feat! We are so proud of her. Read the News and Observer article here. Congratulations, Danica!

Eighth grader, Danica Zoeller, is one of the five finalists in the News and Observer's "2008 Sunday Star" Award! (May 2008)
The winner will be selected by those who vote on the News and Observer website between now and noon on Friday, May 23. Let's support Danica, our talented young vocalist by voting for her this week. Go to the N&O Sunday Star Page to listen to her beautiful song and vote.

West Millbrook Orchestras Taste Success! (April-May 2008)
The West Millbrook Orchestras have been working hard and accomplishing a great deal this year! In addition to performing in the String Clinic that WMMS hosted in the fall, the 7th and 8th grade students performed at West Millbrook and Millbrook High School during December. Beginning orchestra students helped with the execution of String Clinic in mid-October, and worked hard at learning their new instruments and gaining musical skills throughout the fall. They performed for their families and friends at a “Beginner’s Concert” for instrumental music students in late October.

In late March, the Chamber Orchestra (7th & 8th grade) performed in an excellent concert for family and friends in the Millbrook High School Auditorium in recognition of “Music in Our Schools Month”. They also traveled to State Contest in Fayetteville on April 10th to perform for adjudication and written/taped comments. The ensemble performed music in Grade Level III and received a Superior Rating- the highest rating that can be awarded to an ensemble! As you may expect, Ms. Iseminger is extremely proud of all of her hard-working students!

WMMS Students Participate in the Special Olympics (April-May 2008)
The Autistic class participated in Special Olympics April 22, 2008. The eight boys had practiced with 2007 Special Olympics Coach of the Year Ron Miterko. The event was hosted by Ravenscroft. Some of the sports events included softball throw, standing broad jump, 25m dash, shot put, standing long jump, and the 100m dash. The students had a wonderful time and brought back plenty of blue ribbons.

Congratulations Mrs. Robinson and Mrs. Oliver! (December 20007-January 2008)
Two WMMS teachers were awarded high honors in November. Mrs. Oliver received her National Board Certification on November 11 and Mrs. Robinson learned on November 15 that she was chosen by her fellow teachers at West Millbrook as Teacher of the Year. She was honored with a celebratory party by the faculty on December 3. (photos)

National Board Certification, offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), is a way to recognize the accomplished teaching that is occurring in the classroom. The certification process is based on high and rigorous standards that evaluates teaching practice through performance-based assessments; the ultimate result is improved performance and achievement for West Millbrook's students.

The Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952 and continues as the oldest, most prestigious national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.

Be sure to congratulate both of these excellent classroom leaders when you see them!

Beta Club Shoebox Project A Success! (November - December 2007) On Friday afternoon, November 16, approximately 100 Beta Club students gathered in the cafeteria to celebrate the induction of our new members with a pizza party followed by our November/December service project. When the pizza was finished, students gathered in teams of two or three to fill festively-wrapped shoeboxes with toys and toiletries. By the end of the afternoon, 147 boxes were packed full! These shoeboxes will be delivered by the Samaritan's Purse organization to children of war, famine, and poverty on six continents and more than ninety countries during the upcoming holiday season. Read the entire story here.

I “Can” Make A Difference, Canned Food Drive!! (November - December 2007) Now through December 6, students at WMMS will collect canned foods to assist families in Wake County for the winter months and the holiday seasons.

"Students Make Strings Sing" (October-November 2007) This was the headline in the North Raleigh News Section of the N&O on Friday, October 19. The West Millbrook String (Orchestra) Clinic was held on October 11. In it's fifth year at West Millbrook, the five-school clinic is the brainchild of our outstanding orchestra teacher, Heidi Sue Iseminger. For the complete story, go to... http://www.newsobserver.com/nrn/story/742178.html

ATTENTION CARPOOLERS (October-November 2007) It has been brought to my attention that several parents are attempting to take a left onto Strickland Road from our parking lot. Not only is this " Right Turn Only", it is extremely dangerous and holding up traffic leaving the campus. I know that this might be an inconvenience for some, but it is classified as "Right Turn Only" for a reason. It is our purpose to make sure that you as parents and your children are safe leaving our campus. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Deputy W. West
School Resource Officer
West Millbrook Middle School

The Book Fair is Here! (October-November 2007) Now that you’ve partied like a rock star, read like a star! The annual book fair is here through Tuesday, 11/6. Stop by and check out our great selection of books and see what the stars are reading! The hours are:
...* 11/1: 7:50 AM - 3:30 PM; 7 PM– 8:30 PM
...* 11/2: 7:50 AM - 3:30 PM
...* 11/5: 7:50 AM - 5:30 PM
...* 11/6: 7:50 AM - 1:30 PM
Everyone who stops by will be entered into a daily
drawing to win a free book! Anyone interested in
volunteering at the fair, please contact Martha
Radulovich at mradulo@aol.com.

AND THE WINNERS ARE .... (October 2007) Congratulations to the following winners of our West Millbrook Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Premium Membership incentive drawings: For joining at the Gold Level ($100), Poul and Deirdre Lindegaard won FOUR FREE PASSES FOR ALL WMMS HOME GAMES THIS SCHOOL YEAR! For joining at the Silver Level ($50), David and Donna Wells won a FREE PASS FOR ALL WMMS HOME GAMES THIS SCHOOL YEAR! For joining at the Bronze Level ($25), Mike and Sharon Luihn won a WMMS SPIRIT PACK!

Of course, the real winners are our children, the students of West Millbrook. The 28 Bronze, 19 Silver, and 13 Gold premium PTA memberships brought in nearly $3,000 extra for our PTA to use for the educational goals of West Millbrook. Although the Battle of the Brooks membership contest is over, it's not too late for YOU to join PTA! Just fill out a PTA form from the WMMS front office or this school website. Send it, together with your membership dues, by mail (WMMS/ 8115 Strickland Rd/ Raleigh, NC/ 27615) or with your student to his/ her homeroom teacher.

A Big Thank You to our PTA Parents (September 2007) Many thanks to all of the parents that helped with the staff "Back to School" Luncheon/ Pig Pickin'." The teachers and staff were honored to receive the attention! The food was delicious and the door prizes were a huge surprise. It was a great way to start the year!

The PTA Hospitality Committee asks that everyone thanks the following vendors for their generous donations to the door prize collection:

From Principal Smith (September, 2007) The staff of WMMS is off to a grand start. We are truly excited about this school year! We are beginning PAW Time (Literacy Period) this year for all students. This time is dedicated to Advisor/Advisee (Guidance Lessons), Literacy in Mathematics and Reading, Writing, and Vocabulary (EOG, EOC, SAT, ACT). This time is expected to be uninterrupted and focused. We are requesting each child to have a PAW Time journal (hard cover composition book) to keep in each homeroom. Please remember to ask your child about the day’s activities.

I encourage each parent to continue to use our school agenda/ planner to communicate with teachers and teams as well as monitor homework and class work. We will make every attempt to keep you informed of your child’s progress. Progress reports will be distributed every two weeks, beginning the week of September 10th. If you don’t see one, please jot a note to the teacher or team leader.

WMMS welcomes your participation and involvement and solicits your support!

MySpace Concerns (Spring/Summer 2007) Many parents are concerned with safety issues and other implications relating to the use of social networking websites such as MySpace. The Wall Street Journal reports that MySpace will soon offer free parental notification software. To learn more, go to the WSJ article. For additional information, go to MySpace Parent Safety Tips with other helpful links.

From Principal Smith (5/2007) This year has been full of challenges and opportunities and through them all we have risen to the occasion. Our students have faced another academic year with many fond memories and new lifelong friendships. Middle school is always the most transitional period in an adolescent’s life and it is the most exciting roller coaster ride one will ever experience as a parent. I hope all of you are proud of this year’s achievements, I know I am. WMMS has the best staff, students, and parent support group and I am honored to be the principal of this wonderful school. Have a GREAT summer break and I look forward to greatness from our students and school community again next year.

Congratulations Ms. Koch, WCPSS Teacher of the Year Finalist! (4/2007) The Wake County Public School System named 20 semi-finalists for 2007-08 Teacher of the Year. A Selection Committee reviewed portfolios submitted by each Teacher of the Year nominee at all 147 schools to identify the 20 semi-finalists. The semi-finalists include our very own GEMS team science teacher, Ms. Jennifer Koch!

Operation Clean Sweep - A Success! (4/2007) Many thanks to the huge number of Beta Club members and parents who gave up their Saturday morning on April 21 to participate in Operation Clean Sweep. Our campus is much prettier and MUCH cleaner thanks to their efforts. Students, please be sure to thank your friends who participated, and PLEASE be careful to pick up any candy wrappers and other trash that accidentally drops from your hands and notebooks. Let's work together to keep West Millbrook beautiful!

Congratulations to Our "Top Youth Volunteer," Mason Park (3/2007) Mason is a sixth grader at WMMS and is a volunteer youth advocate who promotes philanthropy and charitable fundraising on behalf of a variety of organizations. His acts of volunteerism have earned him the honor of being one of two "North Carolina's Top Youth Volunteers" selected in the 12th Annual National Awards Program on February 13, 2007. If that's not enough, this young man got his own day in the Capital City. Charles Meeker, the mayor of the City of Raleigh, proclaimed Tuesday March 20, 2007 "Mason Park Day". (Entire article here.)

"Dance Explosion" Participates in Day of Dance (3/2007) Members of West Millbrook's dance company, Dance Explosion, performed at Wake County Schools Day of Dance. The Day of Dance was held on Saturday, March 17th at Durant Road Middle School. (Full Article)

Daylight Savings Time Changes this Sunday (3/2007) In August of 2005 the United States Congress passed the Energy Policy Act, which changes the dates of both the start and end of daylight saving time (DST). When this law goes into effect this weekend, DST will start three weeks earlier (2:00 A.M. on the second Sunday in March) and will end one week later (2:00 A.M. on the first Sunday in November) than what had traditionally occurred. Please keep this in mind when you are preparing for school next week. We will be losing an hour on Sunday morning.

Picture of Robert Nelson, Tigers Team, explaining the features of the West Millbrook Future City entry, Simcinaty, to Raleigh Mayor, Charles Meeker on Saturday, January 12 at the History Museum.

March Madness is Coming (2/2007) The West Millbrook Annual March Madness showdown is scheduled for Thursday, March 1, 3:30 – 7 PM in the gym. Come cheer on your friends as the 6th grade plays the 7th grade in basketball and the winner plays the 8th grade. Then cheer on your favorite teachers as the women take on the Lady Cats basketball team and the men take on the boy’s basketball team. Bring the whole family and enjoy a pizza dinner (pizza, chips, dessert, and drink). There will also be a free-throw contest and a raffle for fabulous prizes! Raffle tickets will be sold during the games and you do not have to be present to win. Each child received a packet of information and raffle tickets to sell. All tickets and money can be turned into their teacher anytime up until March 1. Don’t miss this fun event! Admission is only $3.

Red Cross Blood Drive Scheduled for Thursday (2/2007) Did you know that every 2 seconds someone in America needs blood? The Builders Club will be sponsoring a blood drive at WMMS on Thursday, Feb 15th from 2:30-7:00 pm in the Multi-purpose Room. Anyone interested in making an appointment to donate blood, donate refreshments or volunteer to help out the day of the drive should contact Stephanie Blocher. Donors must be at least 17 years old. Walk-ins will be accepted the day of the drive. However, to help make the process quicker for you, please complete and return the downloadable form to sblocher@wcpss.net. Help save a life today!

Teacher of the Year (1/2007) Congratulations to Ms. Jennifer Koch, West Millbrook Teacher of the Year 2006-2007! This honor is given each year by the faculty to one teacher who demonstrates excellence in teaching, and who is a leader within the school. Ms. Koch is in her fifth year as the Science teacher on the 6th grade GEMS team, and is also the Science Department Chair. She is a graduate of NCSU where she was actively involved in the Teaching Fellows program.

Booking With the Pack (12/2006) Over 40 of our students and parents attended the NC State v Winthrop basketball game December 4, 2006as a reward for students that completed the "Booking With the Pack" reading challenge (115 of our students particpated in the reading challenge).

Many scholarship athletes from numerous NC State sports teams were in attendance. These student athletes were most gracious in interacting with the middle school students and signing autographs. This was a terrific opportunity for our students to interact with student athletes.

The students and parents had a terrific time at the game. The Pack pulled off a hard fought victory in the closing minutes of the game.

Thanks to Danielle Boucher, Intern for Director of Academic Support Program for Student Athletes at NCSU for all her work with Booking with the Pack and for planning and organizing this great event.

OCC Shoebox Project - A Huge Success! (12/2006) On Friday afternoon, November 17, a majority of the 149 Beta Club members met for pizza and fun as they packed an assortment of small gifts in 151 shoeboxes destined for underprivileged children on each of the six populated continents.These gifts will be distributed by the Samaritan's Purse organization between mid-December and mid-January. The Beta Club members would like to thank members of the WMMS community who contributed to the success of the project by sending in gifts and shoeboxes.

Comments to: dwalters@wcpss.net
Last updated: January 27, 2012
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