Working...
Updates and Events for the week of April 22-26, 2024
Dear Parents:
Please read all announcements below that may pertain to you. A look ahead to next week is at the end of the document. As always, if you have any questions or concerns for any of us, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Mrs. Berkemann
Mrs. Haar
Mrs. Kloeckner
Mrs. Ross
Mr. Brandmeyer
Mr. Bernhardt
ISA Testing:
Wesclin Middle School will be administering the Illinois Science Assessment to all students in the 5th and 8th Grade. The 5th grade will be testing between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm Monday, April 22 through Wednesday, April 24. If at all possible, please avoid making appointments during these times. Any test sessions that are missed, will have to be made up. You can help your child prepare for the tests by making sure they get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast, and encourage them to do their best. If you have any questions regarding the tests, please contact Mr. Brandmeyer
Students will need earbuds or headphones for testing. Please be sure that your child has a working set.
Scholastic Book Orders:
The final order form of the school year for Scholastic Book Clubs are available in Mr. Brandmeyer’s room. All ordering must be completed online. Simply go to scholastic.com/bookclubs. You can search for Mr. Brandmeyer’s classroom or use the code GKKBY to link to the classroom account. All orders will be received at the school and sent home with your child. Your order helps provide additional books for our classroom libraries. All orders will need to be submitted by Thursday, April 25.
Volleyball Camp:
The Wesclin High School volleyball team will be sponsoring a summer volleyball camp for all students entering grades 3 through 9. The camp will be held Tuesday, May 28 through Thursday, May 30 in the afternoon/evening at the high school gym. The cost of the camp is $40 and includes a t-shirt. Please complete the registration form that was sent home or visit https://forms.gle/2Kqjac2wHK3Q9aJT6 by Friday, May 10.
Junior Warriors Football:
Jr. Warriors Football registration is open to all current 4th-7th grade students for the upcoming
season. There will be four summer football camp dates in June, and a full fall season starting in
August. This is a full-contact football team and we are looking to continue to build on the football
program within the Wesclin community. Contact Coach Hollenkamp (hollenkampn@wesclin.org) if you have any questions.
Puberty Instruction:
Your child has entered the preadolescent years. The school feels that you are your child’s best teacher in these sensitive areas of growth and development, however, the state of Illinois requires puberty education be offered to students in the fifth grade. We are offering instruction to the 5th grade class on May 1, 2024. The girls’ class will be taught by nurse Mackenzi Biggins and the boys’ class will be taught by Mr. Brandmeyer. The curriculum consists of growth and development changes, characteristics of puberty and the importance of a healthy lifestyle including hygiene, exercise, diet and a positive attitude. Packets will be sent home with each child the day of the class. I encourage you to look at this material with your child. State regulations specify that parents may decide whether they want this instruction for their child. Please contact Mr. Huels (huelsz@wesclin.org) or the school office if you do NOT want your child to participate in this class.
Skate City Field Trip:
The fifth grade students will be attending a class field trip to Skate City, formerly FunSpot, in Belleville on Tuesday, April 30. Skate City staff will be conducting a STEM class about math, music, and skating. After the STEM activity, students will be able to free skate with the Skate City staff. If your child did not order the pizza lunch, be sure they bring a sack lunch along with them to Skate City. Cell phones will not be allowed on the field trip. Students may bring extra money along to purchase additional snacks from the concession area or to use in the arcade.
Blood Drive:
Wesclin Middle School along with the American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive on Monday, May 13 from 2:00 until 7:00 at the Civic Center in New Baden. For information on appointments and incentives, see the attached information.
Girls’ Basketball Camp:
Coach Ben Crawford and the high school girls varsity basketball team will be hosting a basketball camp for girls in grades 3-8. The camp will be held on Monday, June 3 through Wednesday, June 5. Students in grades 3-5 will attend from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, and students in grades 6-8 will attend from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. To register, fill out the form sent that was sent home (extra are available in the office) or contact Coach Crawford at crawfordb@wesclin.org. Campers who register before May 17 will receive a T-shirt.
Anonymous Alerts:
Wesclin is offering students the use of a free app, Anonymous Alerts. The app is designed to allow users to notify school administrators of concerns they may see throughout the day. The concerns may be related to bullying, violence, drugs, alcohol, strange behaviors, etc. The app will be installed on the student’s Chromebooks. You can also download the app on personal devices by going to the App Store or Google Play. To start the app, enter wesclincusd as the activation code. You can also go online to send a report (https://tips.anonymous.com/wesclincusd). If you have any questions about the app, please contact Mr. Huels at huelsz@wesclin.org.
Yearbook Orders:
Yearbook orders for the 23-24 school year are now being taken. Packages start at $22.00. To order, go to https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/2712090/Wesclin-Middle-School/2024-Yearbook/20230829042653990102/CATALOG_SHOP/
Water Bottles and Snacks:
Students may bring a small snack to have after their 2nd Hour class each day. 2nd Hour ends at 9:43. If your child would like to bring a water bottle, he/she may keep it in his/her locker until snack time. WATER BOTTLES SHOULD CONTAIN WATER ONLY. Please be sure to take the bottle home each night to be cleaned. Snacks should be healthier snacks. Candy will not be considered an acceptable snack.
Warrior Wednesdays:
Each Wednesday has been designated as “Warrior Wednesday.” Be sure to show your school pride by wearing your Wesclin gear (no hats, please!). Students and their families are also encouraged to come out and support the various teams throughout the year. Go Warriors!
Class Website:
Feel free to visit the 5th grade website at https://www.wesclin.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/Middle%20School%7CTeacher%20Pages%3E%3E5th%20Grade for a variety of information including frequently used links, daily homework list, and contact information.
Upcoming Events
Monday, April 22-Wednesday, April 24: ISA Testing
Friday, April 26: 4th and 5th Grade Health and Safety Fair; Popcorn Sales
Tuesday, April 30: Skate City Field Trip
A Look at Next Week: April 22-26, 2024
Be sure to check the assignments for your child’s teacher in each subject...not just the homeroom teacher)
ELA Reading: Explorers: Triumphs and Troubles & Explorers of North America
Test: Tuesday, April 23
“Canyon Cave” Test Monday, April 29
Skills Covered: details, main idea, inferences, text evidence
Writing Unit: Opinion Brainstorming and Writing
Grammar Spotlight: Prepositions, Interjections, Conjunctions, & Titles
Literature Blocks: Ask your students about their novels!
Reading: Mrs. Kloeckner: Continue reading Skylark
Science
Mr. Brandmeyer: Lesson 9-2: Elements; Vocabulary Due Tuesday; Vocabulary Quiz Thursday, April 25
Chapter 9 & 10 Vocabulary Review (Quizlet)
Be sure to check Google Classroom as many of the daily assignments and resources will be posted on a daily basis.
Math
Mrs. Haar, Mr. Bernhardt, and Mrs. Ross: Next week, we will finish Unit 5: Algebraic Thinking and the Coordinate Plane - More Decimals and Fractions - Lesson 33 on Analyzing Patterns and Relationships. This will also conclude Unit 5. THE UNIT 5 TEST IS THURSDAY, APRIL 25th. Students will be responsible for completing their My Path lessons in class.
Mrs. Kloeckner: Measurement, perimeter, area
Social Studies
Mrs. Berkemann: We are continuing our Civil War project. We are learning about some major battles of the Civil War. Please make sure your child has scissors, glue sticks, and colors (or markers).
Language Arts
Mrs. Kloeckner: Writing complete sentences, idioms, verb tenses