WRMS Weekly Update

According to the COVID-19 Regional Risk Matrix, Bergen County is an “orange/high risk” region, which requires public schools to follow specific protocols. Below is important information from the Department of Health that all staff, parents, and students must adhere to effective immediately.

Students and staff must stay home and notify the school nurse if they have:

• Tested positive (viral test) for COVID-19 or are awaiting results because of symptoms or a close contact

• Exhibit COVID-19 symptoms: Daily COVID-19 Home Screening Checklist for Students

• Potential exposure to COVID-19:

• Close contact with a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. (Close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.)

• Travelled to an area with high levels of COVID-19 transmission in the past 14 days:

• NJ travel advisory list

• International travel advisory

If someone in a student or staff member’s household exhibits symptoms, students/siblings/staff member must also stay home from school until the symptomatic individual receives a negative test result. If the symptomatic individual tests positive, the students/siblings/staff member will need to self-quarantine and must contact the school nurse for further instructions.

Updated Out of State Requirements:

• The State of NJ has updated their travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. This webpage has the updated information.

• Receiving Travelers

• Families receiving guests from an area on the NJ travel advisory list are not required to quarantine their children.

• Students only have to quarantine if someone in the house, resident or guest, becomes symptomatic and tests positive.

• However, as a precaution, parents may choose to proactively self-quarantine their children.

• Anyone who proactively chooses to self-quarantine must notify their school immediately.

If you have any questions on these protocols, please contact your school nurse directly as they are the most knowledgeable on our staff to answer your health and safety questions.

If the local health department calls, please answer the call and provide any requested information to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our schools and community.

Please make sure your students brings the following with them each day to school:

• 2 masks (1 on + a back-up)
• A fully charged, school-issued chromebook & charger
• Headphones
• Refillable water bottles
• Tissue packs
• Individual hand sanitizer
• Other materials according to their teachers

This has been a great week! The enthusiasm of the students and teachers has definitely been revived with so many students coming back. Everyone has been wonderful about masking and using the dividers when necessary. We are so proud of our students for handling this so maturely!

With Fridays no longer needing to rotate as they have, we have updated our daily class schedules: Hybrid Schedule Overview - Revised. The weekly schedule will continue to be listed at the bottom of each weekly update. The overall day will continue, from 8:15 - 12:36 and 1:45 - 3:04, as it has, but which days are "forwards" (1-7) and "backwards" (7-1) will change.

Drop-off & Pick-up Information:

As is often the case in the first few days of school, families are still working out their routines for arrival and dismissal. Here are a few tips and friendly reminders to help:

• For drop-off and pick-up, students are now permitted to come in any entrance.
• Please use satellite locations and our excellent crossing guards for drop-off and pick-up. The Middle School Field's lot has a sidewalk that extends to the school. Also, crossing guards are available at 3rd Avenue and Pine Street, and 3rd Avenue and Mill Street.
• We have bike racks on both the 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue sides of the school. Please encourage your student to take advantage of this healthy habit!
• The 2nd Avenue entrance is the easiest entrance for our 6th grade students.
• The new ordinance only allows right turns from Pine Street onto southbound 3rd Avenue. This may be a great option for our families who need to travel in that direction.
• The new ordinance only allows right turns from the main lot from 7:30 - 9:00 AM and 2:30 - 4:30 PM on school days.
• Please remember that the Bus Loop is for busses only. This is closed to all other vehicles.
• As always, please look out for those helping with the flow of traffic and pedestrians!

Last week, we sent 6th and 7th grade students and parents information and a Google Form to rank their encore (elective) choices. Those Forms needed to be complete yesterday, please complete it ASAP if you have not done so already, thank you!

Next week, Mrs. Sparno will be meeting (virtually) with our incoming 6th graders to go over scheduling.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, April 20th, we will be hosting a virtual assembly: Teen Truth. Teen Truth’s school assemblies are designed to stop bullying, teen suicide, and social-emotional issues in their tracks. Here is their website for more information.

If you take Ridgewood Road to get to school, please be aware that they are scheduled to mill and pave from April 20th - April 26th (weather permitting). Thank you!

Congratulations to our amazing music program! Westwood Regional School District has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education for the 8th consecutive year. Please read more information about this national recognition here.

If you ordered WRMS Swag, it will be available on Monday April 19th at student dismissal. Students are asked to pick up their swag at the main entrance of the school at 12:36pm. For students who are not attending school, you may pick up your swag any time between dismissal and 1:15pm on Monday the 19th. Thank you!

Thursday, April 22nd is Earth Day! The Westwood Green Team is partnering with the Township Green Team to hold a one-day Styrofoam collection in our school parking lot. Styrofoam that is used in packing and shipping (not peanuts) will be accepted). More information to follow!

Recycling - remember, every town has slightly different recycling rules - always be aware of your town's regulations. Please see the slides linked below for your town's recycling information.

Township

Westwood

Congratulations to all of our students who submitted to the district's WWRSD has heART contest. We were truly inspired by their images of hearts and what it means to “have heart”. Congratulations especially to Lisa Johnson and Julianna Molnar on their winning pieces! Here is a new video with the winners and special messages of congratulations!

ALL MEALS MUST BE PREORDERED USING THE DISTRICT’S PREORDER SYSTEM at Payschools Central by MIDNIGHT on Sunday before the pickup week.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 12, 2021 Meals will be distributed as follows:

STUDENTS ATTENDING 5 HALF DAYS A WEEK: Students will be able to pick up meals daily at the same locations listed below. One meal each day.

FULL REMOTE STUDENTS: Students will select to pick up their Meals at 1 of the 6 School Locations. They will be able to pick up their meals twice a week from 12:30 – 1:30. On Monday(s) they will be given meals for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Wednesday(s) they will be given meals for Thursday & Friday.

· Berkeley School: At the covered area located to the Right side of the Main Entrance

· Brookside School: Front Door of the Building

· George School: Back of the Building by the All Purpose room Door

· Washington School: Front Door of the Building

· Westwood Regional Middle School: Front Door of the Building

· Westwood Regional High School: HS Cafeteria enter through the courtyard

STUDENTS ATTENDING FULL DAY PROGRAMS: Students will be served lunch daily at the school they attend.

REMINDER – ONLY STUDENTS THAT PREORDER WILL RECEIVE MEALS

Friendly reminder that all lunches must be pre-ordered through our online system PaySchools Central. We cannot accept phone calls or messages. Please visit our Food Services website for more information. Thank you!

Our 2020-2021 yearbook is now available to order! You must order it in advance to secure a copy. Orders close April 30th! Here is the flyer with more information.

Screenings: Our nurses, Mrs. Penn and Mrs. Galow, are continuing with their annual screenings. If you had a physical completed since May of 2020, please send it in and this will replace our need to conduct the exam.

Email to: deborah.penn@wwrsd.org or kenia.galow@wwrsd.org

Fax to: 201-664-4865

Or have your student hand-deliver it to the nurse

Water Bottles: Also, please encourage your student to bring in their refillable water bottle with them to school each day. Our water fountain bubblers for direct drinking are turned off for safety, but the refill stations are still operational. Thank you!

Pomptonian is happy to announce another edition of the Nutrition News with award-winning pediatrician, author and keynote speaker, Dr. Jill Garripoli Pedalino. Dr. Jill and Pomptonian’s Corporate Dietitian, Toni Bowman, will be discussing “How to Incorporate Screen Time into a Healthy Lifestyle.”

Here is a link to the video: https://www.pomptonian.com/nutrition-news/

If you need help with your school-issued chromebook, please have your student email tech.help@wwrsd.org from their school account.

The Guidance Counselors are available every day to meet with students regardless of whether they are scheduled for in-person or remote learning. In an effort to maintain current safety guidelines, students are strongly encouraged to request meetings with their counselors by emailing them. Counselors will contact the student as soon as possible to schedule an online or in-person meeting. Counselors will continue to see students on an emergency basis, as well.

If your student is having difficulty, be is academic, technological, social emotional or more, please reach out to us! Our trained staff is here to support them whether we are in-person or remote!

Counselors:

• 6th Grade - Ms. Fabrocini (caitlin.fabrocini@wwrsd.org)

• 7th Grade - Mrs. Androulakis (christie.androulakis@wwrsd.org)

• 8th Grade - Mrs. Sparno (jenny.sparno@wwrsd.org)

Nurses:

• District Head and Middle School Nurse - Mrs. Penn (deborah.penn@wwrsd.org)
• Part-time nurse and RN - Mrs. Galow (kenia.galow@wwrsd.org)

Assistant Principals:

• 6th Grade - Mr. Corso (michael.corso@wwrsd.org)

• 7th Grade - Mr. Albert (barry.albert@wwrsd.org)

• 8th Grade - Mr. Attanasio (michael.attanasio@wwrsd.org)

The Westwood Regional High School National Honor Society is pleased to provide free peer tutoring throughout the academic year. The National Honor Society (NHS) is a selective organization of students who have excelled academically and demonstrated consistent character, leadership and service within their school and community.

NHS students are seniors who can provide extra help in various subjects. This year, during our Hybrid schedule, NHS students are available to meet individually with a limited number of middle school students via Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime, or phone call. Students who are having difficulty in a particular class, want to review before an assessment, or need help with a particular topic should reach out to their grade level Guidance Counselor for more information about how to get involved with the NHS Peer Tutoring program.

• 6th Grade - Ms. Fabrocini (caitlin.fabrocini@wwrsd.org)

• 7th Grade - Mrs. Androulakis (christie.androulakis@wwrsd.org)

• 8th Grade - Mrs. Sparno (jenny.sparno@wwrsd.org)

Submit Your Box Tops and Make Money for Your School!

Did you know you can submit Box Tops electronically? In fact, although you can still hand in clipped Box Tops, the system has transitioned almost entirely to electronic submission. Download the Box Tops app, select Westwood Regional Middle School, and scan your store receipt within 14 days. The app will automatically find your Box Tops products and credit WRMS.

Shopping online or getting a digital receipt in store? You can still submit your Box Tops via the app or on the website, boxtops4education.com.

Need help? Read more at https://www.boxtops4education.com/emailgroceryreceipts or contact Sue Chevrier at chevsil@juno.com.

And don’t forget to click on the special bonus offers to earn even more money for our school!

Please find a Bergen County Mental Health resource document (updated 3/1/21) for your reference and support. You can also check out the resource page on www.BergenResourceNet.org regarding resources about inclusion, social consciousness and understanding, etc. Recently, they shared with us some Self-Care Strategies for Resilience as well.

Need help buying groceries? NJ SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is New Jersey's food assistance program that can help you buy groceries. Learn more about NJ SNAP at www.njsnap.gov or see their flyer for more information.

Spring Middle School Afterschool Sports Programs: All WRMS students are welcome for flag football or multi-sports games. Please click here for more information and the link to register.

Please click here to access an online library of electronic flyers for our community partners.

Please mark your calendars for important upcoming events...

• 4/20 - Teen Truth Virtual Assembly, 1:45 PM
  
• 4/21 - End of Marking Period 3
• 4/22 - Earth Day & WRMS Styrofoam collection Day
• 4/28 - Marking Period 3 grades available in Genesis
• 4/29 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 PM
• 4/30 - Yearbook orders due
• 5/3 - 5/7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
  
• 5/13 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 PM
  
• 5/21 - End of Marking Period 4 Progress Report period
  
• 5/25 - 8th Grade Field Day
• 5/26 - Rain Date - 8th Grade Field Day
• 5/28 - Progress Reports posted online
  
• 5/31 - No School

June 23, 6:30 PM - 8th Grade Culmination

Upcoming schedule:

• Monday, 4/19: B Day, periods 1-5, lunch, 6-7
• Tuesday, 4/20: A Day, periods 7-1, lunch, assembly
• Wednesday, 4/21: B Day, periods 7-3, lunch, 2-1
  
• Thursday, 4/22: A Day, periods 1-5, lunch, 6-7
• Friday, 4/23: B Day, periods 1-5, lunch, 6-7

Email: shelley.laforgia@wwrsd.org
Website: http://www.wwrsd.org/westwoodrms
Location: 23 3rd Ave, Westwood, NJ, United States
Phone: 201-664-5560
Facebook: facebook.com/WRMiddleSchool
Twitter: @wrmscardinals