From the Intercultural Community Center about their summer program:
2024’s Power Summer program was a raging success! Summer was kicked off by ICC’s first
Power Summer open house, an event which served to educate families about the program. Through collaboration with Adult Program ESL teacher Kareem Djerdjouri who acted as the event’s interpreter, ICC was able to welcome and get to know eight families prior to the program beginning. With fifty-four registrants, and an average of about thirty students a day, this summer we saw an unprecedented amount of new faces. Twenty-two of those fifty-four students were brand new to the ICC community.
By way of the theme, “Future Foodies,” students spent the summer immersed in Maine’s culinary scene. With the Portland Farmers’ Market and WisMaine farm serving as weekly outdoor classrooms, Power Summer students had the opportunity to step into the experiences of both the farmer and the patron. Activities in these spaces were largely student driven; at the farm some students chose to spend their time weeding garden beds while listening to music, while others were drawn towards tending hatchling chicks and collecting fresh eggs. At the market, groups of students were tasked with shopping
for fresh produce they would later use to develop their own recipes. Indoors, students strengthened their English Language Acquisition (ELA) and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) skills prior to the school year through twice weekly class sessions. Projects here included practicing math “mad minutes,” creating solar ovens, exploring the Westbrook Middle School library, and making their own zines.
This summer’s field trips prioritized time spent outdoors, and expanding knowledge about
environmental sustainability. Some of the most popular outings included river exploration and fly fishing with the Confluence Collective, learning about the history and occupations of lobstering in Maine with Lucky Catch tours, and canoeing with Friends of Presumpscot River.
The thirty-five day program ended with a family celebration held at Walker St. Park. The thirty-five students and their families in attendance enjoyed breakfast sandwiches, obstacle courses, soccer, and lacrosse. Participating partners included Help Me Grow, Back Bay Lacrosse, Locker Project and Portland Public Health.
Don't miss out on our Open House for Grades 6-8 on September 19th from 6 to 7 p.m. In addition to your child's core content teachers, you can visit with our Unified Arts staff and see some of the things they do with students in the UA classes. We look forward to seeing you on the 19th!
This morning, WMS was placed in a brief HOLD which means that the hallways were cleared and students stayed in their classrooms while there was a response to a situation in order to protect the privacy of those involved. It was reported and discovered that a student had brought a small pocket knife to school. There is no evidence to suggest that the student had intentions of using the knife to cause harm. School administration and Westbrook Police intervened immediately and appropriate action was taken. The situation was resolved quickly. All students and staff were safe and no one was harmed.
7th and 8th graders had a great time today getting to know their homerooms and building a healthy rivalry with each other. 5th and 6th graders did the same yesterday. It was great to have the students back and we're looking forward to a great year together!
This morning, WMS was placed in a brief HOLD which means that the hallways were cleared and students stayed in their classrooms while there was a response to a situation in order to protect the privacy of those involved. It was reported and discovered that a student had brought a knife to school. There is no evidence to suggest that the student had intentions of using the knife to cause harm. School administration and Westbrook Police intervened immediately and the situation was resolved quickly. All students and staff were safe and no one was harmed.
Please read the Back to School special edition of the Westbrook Schools newsletter. See you when school begins next week!
https://westbrooksdme.edurooms.com/engage/westbrook-school-department/newsletters/back-to-school-2024
Hello to all our Westbrook Middle School families! We are busy getting ready for the start of the school year and I wanted to share a few important reminders.
5th and 6th graders' first day of school is next Wednesday, August 28th. They will then be home for a 5 day weekend.
7th and 8th graders' first day of school is next Thursday, August 29th. They will then be home for a 4 day weekend.
All students return to school on Tuesday, September 3rd.
The school day starts at 7:30 a.m. and dismissal begins at 2:15 p.m. (Please note: buses are often late in the first few days of school as drivers and students all get used to the new routes and routines.)
Bus routes for middle school students can be found at this link. (https://www.westbrookschools.org/documents/bus-routes-2024-25/689893)
Our 6th -8th grade Open House is scheduled for Thursday, September 19th at 6:00 p.m. We will start the evening in the Performing Arts Center and then you will move to the classrooms for introductions to your student's team teachers.
Our school website can be found at https://www.westbrookschools.org/o/wms. You can find our calendar and other important news and information here. We are still updating a few items so thank you for your patience as we prepare for the start of school.
You can find our school supply letters here. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/10CSaTzn_zNaTRpVqCqShcWSk6Mrl-cul. If you are not able to get school supplies for any reason, please just let your student's school counselor know so they can help. School supplies will not be needed until the first full week of school.
Here is a list of some staff members that you may want to contact in these first days of school:
Laurie Wood, principal - woodl@westbrookschools.org
Sam Chatto, Asst. Principal for grades 6 & 8, chattos@westbrookschools.org
Pattie Demaria, Asst. Principal for grades 5 & 7, demariap@westbrookschools.org
Katie Corbett, School Counselor for grade 5, corbettk@westbrookschools.org
Kayla Gagner, School Counselor for grade 6, gagnerk@westbrookschools.org
Betsy Shibles, School Counselor for grade 7, shiblesb@westbrookschools.org
Megan Grimshaw, School Counselor for grade 8, grimshawm@westbrookschools.org
Jess Simmons, School Nurse, simmonsj@westbrookschools.org
We are very excited to start this year with our students! It is always a pleasure to see how they have grown and changed over the summer. Please reach out with any specific questions you might have.
Enjoy this last weekend of a beautiful Maine summer!
During the summer six members of the Westbrook School Department attended the Farm & Sea to School Institute at the Ecology School in Saco for three full days of learning about growing food, purchasing local foods and teaching sustainable agricultural practices. The institute supports Maine schools to increase healthy food access, create a culture of equity & wellness, and strengthen their local food systems. Westbrook has greenhouses at three of our schools. WMS has a 20 tree orchard and 12 raised beds as well as a donated aquaponics system to provide for cultivating fish inside the greenhouse, which was also funded by grants. Westbrook will also be hosting a service member from Food Corps, Hannah Morse. Her role will be provide nutrition education in the classroom and also taste testing in the cafeterias throughout the district. Team members included Mary Emerson, School Nutrition Director; Brian Davis, WHS Science Teacher; Abby Harnik, WMS Science Teacher; Mariah Krauss, Summer Greenhouse Coordinator & Alternative Education Teacher; Austin Mehlhorn, WMS Social Worker. Not pictured - Jerome Bennett, Community Member.
There will a Community Conversation about the revised FY25 School Budget and Validation Vote on Thursday, July 11, 5:30-6:30pm at the Westbrook Middle School cafeteria.
PLEASE VOTE on July 16!
Tomorrow is Field Day for our 6th grade class! Our 6th graders should come to school appropriately dressed for Field Day, wearing comfortable clothes, sneakers and bringing sunscreen and a water bottle if possible.
Don't forget that this last week at WMS is Spirit Week!
Here are the themes for each day:
Monday, 6/10- Wacky Tacky Day (Mismatch, backwards, crazy hair, crazy socks)
Tuesday, 6/11- Summer Vibes (Think tropical, Hawaiian, sun hats, glasses, etc; No bathing suits!)
Wednesday, 6/12- WMS Pride (Blue & White or Westbrook gear)
Thursday, 6/13- Fast Forward to the Future Day (Dress to impress, dress like your future self, or go all out futuristic)
Friday, 6/14- Color Wars (5th-Blue, 6th-Green, 7th-Red, Staff-WMS Gear)
Join the fun!
Attention all 8th Grade Families - please see an email I sent to you about helping provide some food items for our newly promoted students after their ceremony. Please reach out to me or Principal Wood directly if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all on the 13th!
Reminder: All K-8 students and families are invited to a presentation by renowned children's and young adult author Hena Khan this evening at 5:30 at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center. There will be refreshments, discounted book sales with books signed by the author, free books and learning activities, and fresh food for take home provided by the Locker Project. Hope to see you there!
Come see our Theatre Club perform "An Absolutely True Story" in the Performing Arts Center, May 21st at 6:00 p.m. Share in the fun of this adventure (as told by a bunch of liars!). :)
The Intercultural Community Center presents Future Foodies for our 2024 summer program! Power Summer registration opens today! Please share with any students, teachers, friends, or other Westbrook community members. Below are a few reminders about the criteria students must meet to attend Power Summer. Dates are June 24th - Aug. 9th.
-The child must be a rising middle schooler. This means that the grade the child is entering in fall of 2024 must fall between 5th and 8th grade.
-The child must be a student or incoming student of Westbrook Middle School.
-The program is primarily designed for low academically performing students.
Parents/caregivers can register their students by:
-Visiting our website
-Clicking the bit.ly link on our flyer
-Scanning the QR code on our flyer
If any parents express interest in registering their child but need assistance with translation, please direct them to fill out the registration alongside a caseworker, or reach out to us directly at via call or text at 207-272-1766 or email kaim@iccmaine.org
Registration will close on June 1st.
On Friday, May 3 a group of 7th grade WMS students participated in a conservation project in conjunction with Portland Water District (PWD) and Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District (CSWC). The 7th grade Dirigo Team and our alternative education program had been raising trout eggs and making scientific observations since February. On May 3rd students, staff, and our partners from PWD and CSWC joined on the trails behind the Middle School. The students broke up into 7 groups and cycled through stations. The first group learned about macroinvertebrates by searching the water for little creators to identify. Next they learned about water quality and tested water samples from the creek. Students completed a site assessment of the area we were releasing the trout. We engaged in some ELA content by having students write poetry in our beautiful outdoor space. Students helped with trail building and trail cleanup. They did square foot investigations where students pick a small patch of ground and find all the life they can. Finally students helped with trash clean-up on the trails and surrounding area. The day culminated in releasing the trout fry that we had been raising in Beaver Pond Brook which then leads into the Stroudwater River.
Congratulations to 7th graders Bryan Muanza and Henry Branch for finishing first and second, respectively, in the Maine State Stock Market competition. This was a year-long competition between middle school students across the state. This is the second consecutive year that Westbrook Middle School has had a top-three finisher in the competition.
Explanation of the Program:
The Stock Market Game™ is a project-based financial education program
widely used in 4th-12th grade classrooms that introduces youth to the global
capital markets through an integrated curriculum and dynamic, online market
simulation. SMG is proven to raise student test scores in economics, math
and personal finance, while also teaching essential life skills. Starting with a
virtual cash account of $100,000, student teams strive to create the best
performing portfolio of bonds, common stocks, ETFs and mutual funds. SMG
teaches youth cooperation, communication, and leadership as they relate
long-term saving and investing know-how to financial news and current
events. Winners are recognized nationally and regionally.
WMS will be completing testing for Reading and Math next week for all grades. The Maine Through Year Assessment will take place on Tuesday, 5/7, and Thursday, 5/9, in the morning. The Science Assessment will be given to 5th and 8th graders on Wednesday, 5/15. Please contact administration if you have any questions about these assessments.
Our 8th grade math team, which is made up of 8th graders Parker Benedict, Tailyn Lychalk-Chooying, Kairi Burr, Nathan Ly, Arkin Gonzales, and 7th grader Javier Santos, placed third in our final meet of the season at the Portland Expo today! Parker Benedict placed 2nd overall with his individual score. What a great season, we're so proud of these students!
