West Hills Middle School

You are invited to join the West Hills Global Education Team, whether you've been a member in the past or are looking to join us for the first time. Our first meeting of the school year is Tuesday, September 28 at 7:30 a.m. (before school) in the cafeteria.  This meeting will be in person. 

Save the date for West Hills Fall Fest

October 15th from 5-7PM

Food trucks, games, sports, DJ and more!!

More info to come!

The 2020-2021 yearbooks were passed out Friday, September 17 and Monday, September 20. 

Beginning on Monday, September 20, the yearbooks for last year's eighth-graders will be available for pick up in the main office.  Families can email Ms. Spanos if they would like the yearbook to be sent home with a younger student in another grade. You can contact her at aspanos@bloomfield.org

Didn't order one, but you'd love to have last year's yearbook?  No problem!  We have a few extra on a first-come basis.  The cost is $45.  Contact Ms. Spanos at aspanos@bloomfield.org for further details.

Update:  Chromebook cases to be distributed the week of 9/27/21!

All students in grades 4-8 were issued a district-owned Chromebook for the entire school year.  This is the only device students should be using in school.  WHMS students received their devices on Monday, September 13 during the school day.  Please be sure to have your student charge their device nightly and bring it to school each day.   Cell phones are stored in the locker during school hours.  If students need to make contact with home they are allowed to come to the office to make a call.

This past week marks the first full week of school this year.  Since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020, it was the first full week with nearly all of our entire student population attending in-person.  It was a busy, fantastic week.  Our school therapy dog, Ollie, began his tenure at WHMS on Monday and spent the majority of his time in Mrs. Bratton's class.  He was present in the hallways and ended the week at the bus loop yesterday!  Staff and students were elated to meet and greet him.  We thank our fourth and fifth-grade teachers and families for connecting virtually Tuesday and Wednesday evenings during our goal-setting conferences. Wednesday marked a time-honored tradition of School Picture Day!  Our students looked their best as they posed for their annual photos.  We also enjoyed connecting during our first PTO meeting this past Wednesday.  Our WHMS staff and students truly appreciate the support provided each year by the PTO (see article below on how to join).  It was really nice to see how this week really solidified our routines and procedures as students have become acclimated to their schedules and the flow of a school day.

We also want to share that we are starting to meet again as a building Global Education Team (GET).  Our first meeting of the year is Tuesday, September 28 at 7:30 a.m. (before school) in the cafeteria.  Our building and district GET work exists to build a community that supports a restorative culture through relationships and educational equity for all. The three main focus points of the Global Education Team are student outreach, culture and climate, and training and development. If you would like to be a part of our GET Team see the article below for more information.

This update was sent on September 24:  The athletic update from yesterday indicated there were not enough athletes to field a soccer and a football team at West Hills, and there were plans to combine with East Hills for these two sports. Increased interest has changed the plans. Both sports will have a home team at West Hills. For football, student-athletes from EHMS are invited to join our team. For soccer, we have a full roster of WHMS athletes.​​​​​​​

What an exciting start of the school year in our district!  We welcome back our returning families and we welcome our new families to the West Hills community as we begin the year learning together again in-person.  This monthly article will keep you informed regarding our Middle Years Programme. It will include student learning highlights, an overview of the monthly learner profile, and ways we can support learning at home. 

Learner Profile Focus for September: Caring
At IB schools across Bloomfield Hills Schools, we feature one Learner Profile trait each month.  While all of the traits are addressed in classrooms throughout the year, a different trait will get some extra attention each month. In September, we will spend time thinking about, talking about, and developing the Learner Profile trait of Caring. This connects perfectly with several of our school district’s Portrait of Learner dispositions (taking responsible action, respectful dialogue, and understanding multiple perspectives). 

How Can I Help Support my Child as an IB Learner?
Promote the IB Learner Profile at home!  The IB Programmes encourage students and staff to embody the IB Learner Profile. When appropriate and natural, make connections to these characteristics. The more that we "speak the same language" between the school and the home, the more we build a shared understanding that will last. 

What does a CARING student look like?
“We show empathy, compassion and respect toward the needs and feelings of others.  We have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.” – IB Learner Profile

How can I help encourage CARING behavior?

1. Role model the caring behavior you would like to see in your child all the time.  

2. Think about how your family can get involved with community organizations.

3. Have discussions about how to show caring during difficult situations--disagreements with friends, standing up to bullying, and including others who are being excluded are typical examples for this age group.

Family Connections for the Lone Pine/West Hills Community

The first Lone Pine/West Hills Family Connections gathering of the school year will take place on Tuesday, October 5, at 7:30 pm, in the Lone Pine Media Center. Any newly enrolled families are welcome to join! Come meet other new families, and ask questions about the schools or area. Drinks and treats will be provided. Welcome to Bloomfield Hills Schools! Click HERE for the flyer!

PTO Membership

Please join and support the PTO: Like you, the WHMS PTO is experiencing the social, emotional, physical, and financial impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. We will continue to support our staff, build community, and help fund clubs and activities--all of which make WHMS such an amazing school. 

PTO INFO: It’s easy to get and stay in the loop all year around by...

• Join the WHMS PTO by accessing Community Pass

• Joining the West Hills Middle School PTO Facebook group 

We hope you were able to join us Tuesday, Sept. 14, for our 6th - 8th-grade curriculum night.  The slideshows that were used for the presentations can be viewed below.

Click HERE for the 6th-grade slideshow.

Click HERE for the 7th-grade slideshow.

Click HERE for the 7th-grade slideshow.

If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, your pay to participate fee may be waived. We do not want any student to miss the opportunity to participate in athletics or clubs due to financial hardship. Please contact Mr. Gignac, West Hills Principal, at agignac@bloomfield.org

We hope you were able to join us this past Thursday for our 4th and 5th-grade curriculum night.  The slideshows that were used for the presentations can be viewed below.

Click HERE for the 4th-grade slideshow.

Click HERE for the 5th-grade slideshow.

If your middle school child plans to try out or participate in a sport this year, they must have an athletic physical on file that is dated by a physician no earlier than April 15, 2021. The form must be turned into the school office before students can participate in a school sport.

We are looking forward to our 8th Grade DC Trip later in the spring of this school year.  In an effort to provide the most accurate information regarding our plans for this school year, we are going to reschedule our meeting for later in the fall.  Please stay tuned for communication regarding the specific date and time the meeting will be held. 

Each year, West Hills offers students a number of clubs for student participation. The clubs typically begin in October.  In late September/early October, we will offer an explanation of the clubs and communicate the sign-up process for families, and once we know which clubs the students are interested in, the clubs will begin to meet. Students should listen for announcements at the end of the day over the PA for club information.

Bloomfield Hills Schools will continue with the national school lunch and school breakfast program that provides FREE healthy breakfast and lunch to all students enrolled in our schools.

Please see the District website “Lunch” page for details on menus and putting money on a student’s lunch account. You will also find information on the BHS website “Lunch” page about alternative menus for students with allergies or other special dietary needs.

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS:
Families eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch must reapply every school year. To complete the Online Free/Reduced lunch application, parents/guardians can log in to ParentPortal and complete the application. Click on your child's name, then click "Food Service Free & Reduced Lunch Application" under School Links. Paper applications are available by clicking HERE.