Principal's Message

At Western Sky Middle School our goal is to work alongside you to foster a community of compassionate and driven individuals who value learning and one another.

Our school-wide expectations are that all members of our Wildcat Family are Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. Thank you in advance for your help in supporting these expectations. 

Students that arrive after the main gates close at 8:48am will need to enter through the office and will be marked as having an unexcused tardy. In order to excuse a tardy, students will need to be signed in by a parent/guardian, have a parent/guardian call the attendance line, or provide a note from a doctor/dentist if the tardy is due to an appointment. 

Please be prepared to show proper identification when coming to the school to check out your child. 

• We are unable to call a child out of class prior to reviewing identification. This protects your child from someone attempting to check them out who does not have permission.

Our office is unable to check students out after specific times in order to ensure a safe and orderly dismissal from school. 

• Full Day: may not check out after  3:20 pm
• Early Dismissal Day: may not check out after 1:20 pm

Please note that we have a new district calendar and Early Dismissal Days have moved to EVERY Wednesday. View the complete 2024-2025 LESD School Calendar HERE. 

Important components of school safety at Western Sky Middle School for students, families, and staff:

• Students and families utilize designated crosswalks and avoid walking through moving traffic or pick up lines
• Drivers stop prior to crosswalks when children are present and wait for the crossing guard to signal cars to move through
• Drivers do not stop/wait within the crosswalk. 
• School gates are closed and locked during school hours
• Front Office doors will remain locked during the school day
• All classroom doors are locked at all times
• All visitors and/or volunteers must check in and out through the front office
  • The front office doors will remain locked during the school day
  • All Visitors and Volunteers MUST have their physical ID on them to check in. There will be no exception to this new safety measure
  • The school has the authority to not allow visitors on campus at their discretion
• All Volunteers must be approved before coming onto campus
• Evacuation/fire drills completed once per month
• Lockdown drills completed with Goodyear Police Department at least 2 times per year
• Bus evacuation drills completed at least 2 times per year
• Staff participate in safety protocols and training throughout the school year

The front office doors will be locked throughout the day for the protection of our students and staff. 

• A doorbell will be on the outside of the front door. 
  • Please be patient with our staff in the time it takes them to answer the door. They may be on a phone call or working with another family. They will answer the door as soon as they are available. Plan accordingly if checking students out of school for time sensitive appointments. 
• Note that the school has authority to not allow visitors on campus at their discretion. 
• The Wildcat Cart will be placed outside of the office for drop off of small items such as water bottles, lunch boxes, homework, etc. The cart will be checked at least once each hour. Please avoid ringing the doorbell to drop these items off. Please note that we will not accept DoorDash or food from any other food delivery service. 

As always, we will do everything to guarantee the safety of everyone at Western Sky Middle School. It is imperative that you, as parents/guardians, and your child communicate with the school if you feel you have any knowledge that will help us intervene before a situation arises that may compromise the safety or health of a student.  Also, if you have a question or concern regarding your child’s academic/behavior status, as a professional courtesy, please contact the teacher prior to contacting administration to discuss the concern.   

In order to communicate with you in the most effective manner, we suggest you follow the steps listed below:

Families will receive regular communication about their child’s progress. Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held October 2-4 for all students and on January 29th as determined by the teacher. Additionally, parents are updated on the progress of their child(ren) in the following ways:

• ParentVue contains all student grades updated weekly, starting the third week of school
• Weekly Progress Reports via email/ParentSquare from teachers
• Formal Progress Reports via ParentVue in September, November, February, and April
• Formal Report Cards sent home and via ParentVue in October, January, March, and May  

1. School Website:  Please visit our website at wsm.lesd79.org. Under ‘Our School’ you will find all of our school information, a message from the Principal, suggested supplies for each grade level,  school updates, school calendar, news from our Wildcat  Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)) and much more!
2.  Email: A weekly email will come from your child’s grade level team. This email will include upcoming events and school information from the office. Please be sure you have a current/updated email address on file with our front office.  If you need to adjust the information in our system, please email our registrar, Mrs. Olague at olague@lesd79.org
3. ParentSquare: ParentSquare is the communication platform utilized by the office and teachers. Download the app for easier access. Things you can expect from ParentSquare usage.

• Mass Emails
• Texts
• Voice Messaging
• Auto Notifications
• Attendance Notifications
• Forms/Permission Slips/Digital Signatures
• Secure Document Sends
• Newsletters

NEW for Middle School Students! StudentSquare: Students will now  receive messages, view school newsletters, and get selected notifications through their school email. Students are also able to download the StudentSquare application, with parent permission. This app will replace the use of Remind for clubs, athletics, etc. When setting up the application, students MUST use their LESD email account information. View directions HERE

4. Phone:  If necessary, students may use the phones in the front office before school, during lunch or after school. Students will not be permitted to use or carry cell phones on campus. Please refrain from calling your child’s personal cell phone during school hours. It is disruptive to the learning environment and could result in consequences for your child if answered. The office can relay messages to your child that are necessary for them to have during the school day.
5. Peachjar:  We will be maintaining a paper-free flier school through the use of Peachjar. These flyers will be sent to the email address you have on file with our school.  If your email address changes, please let us know!

You can visit the Transportation webpage at our district website www.lesd79.org/departments/transportation to gather more information about bus transportation. All families must register for their child to ride the bus this school year. Register as soon as possible to make sure your child is able to ride the bus to and from school.

• Download the Bus Quest App to receive notifications from our Transportation Department
• NEW THIS YEAR! All students will be required to scan a badge to get ON and OFF the bus each day. This is an important safety measure and we are asking for support from our families to relay the importance of all students carrying their badges daily
• Students will be receiving their badges in the first few days of school
• Students without their badge will not be permitted to ride after a short grace period has expired

This is a reminder that the student handbook needs to be acknowledged each year. Please complete the acknowledgement by logging into your ParentVue account. This will need to be completed for each student. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance in keeping your child's records current.

Please note there is a new behavior matrix for school personnel assigning consequences for student misbehavior. Review this information with your child:

https://www.lesd79.org/family-community/information-guidelines

The education of our students is extremely important and being in class is vital to their academic success.  School attendance is not only a good habit, state law requires it.  Arizona State Law (15-802.E, 15-803.) requires every person who has custody of a child between the ages of six and sixteen years shall make sure the child attends school for the full time school is in session unless unable to attend due to illness or another legitimate reason.

To encourage and improve school attendance, Litchfield Elementary School District has implemented a truancy program in partnership with Maricopa County Juvenile Court. This truancy program is called C.U.T.S. (Court Unified Truancy Suppression). We will be tracking attendance very closely. Your child is expected to be at school every day, unless there is an excused reason for them not to be at school.  We appreciate your cooperation in this very important matter.

If your child will be absent from school, you can now email the office at wsmattendance@lesd79.org

to let the office know. In your email, please include: your child’s name, teacher’s name, reason for absence, and the name of the person emailing. If you prefer to call instead, you may call 623-535-6303 and leave a message. Please note, failure to provide an appropriate reason for an absence will result in an unexcused absence. For your convenience, the attendance phone line and email are available 24 hours a day and are monitored by our office staff.

For more information on how attendance impacts student achievement and long-term life outcomes, please visit http://www.attendanceworks.org/

Remember, kids who attend school more often will learn more!

We will expect our students to develop strong study habits, take responsibility, and have pride in their academic efforts.  A strong partnership is the best recipe for our students’ success.  Therefore, you have the right to expect the best from us!  We hope you will partner with us to bring out the best in our students.

• Supplies– The most important supplies are: pencils, pens, loose leaf paper, spiral notebooks, a binder, and a backpack. See Suggest Supply Lists on our school website.  Teachers will give you more information about specific supplies at Open House and during the first days of school.
• Parent Vue– Parent Vue gives both parents/guardians and students the capability to go online and check classroom assignments and grades on a regular basis. This is a great way to stay on top of your child’s academic progress. All progress reports and report cards will be available to view through Parent Vue. Paper copies will not be printed.  
• 1:1 Computers for Students– All Litchfield Elementary School District schools operate in a tech-rich environment with all K-8 students offered a 1:1 device. The availability of one-to-one student devices allows teachers to design learning experiences using e-textbooks and curriculum with embedded links, video, 3D graphics, simulations, collaborative publishing, and instant access to reference information. Students who knowingly cause damage to their school assigned computer will be responsible for the cost associated with repairs that may be necessary.
• Moment of Silence– Per HB2707, the school is required to have a moment of silence between 1 and 2 minutes long. We encourage parents, families, & caregivers to discuss with your student how to best use the moment of silence.

It is our hope that we will be able to work together to help your child reach their full potential by maintaining an environment conducive to learning.  

In our student handbook/agenda, there is a discipline rubric that is followed.  The rubric can be found at: https://www.lesd79.org/family-community/student-and-parent-handbook. Students who choose to interrupt the learning environment will be subject to disciplinary action.  Please read and review the student handbook with your student in ParentVue and sign digitally. This will need to be signed in the digital format in order to access grades, progress reports, and report cards in ParentVue.

• Dress Code Standards:  We want our students to take pride in their appearance and dress for success. Students will need to adhere to the dress code policy stated in the handbook/agenda.  Quick guide: no revealing undergarments, no midriffs/crop tops, or clothing that advertises/condones activities that are illegal, racial, distracting or offensive.  Parents will be notified if your child chooses not to adhere to the dress code. We appreciate your cooperation and support.
• Cell Phones:  As stated in the handbook, the use of cell phones as well as all other electronic devices are prohibited on campus. Cell phones and other electronic devices (including Smart Watches) that are visible during school hours will be confiscated and MUST be picked up in our front office by parents. If your child will be coming to school with these types of items, they should be securely stored in his/her backpack and not visible throughout the day by the student. Students may take these items out once they are outside of our school gates.  The school is not responsible for missing or lost items. Students will have disciplinary consequences for repeated offenses. 

In the first quarter of the school year our school nurse will be conducting vision and hearing screenings. If you do not want your child to be screened, please reach out to the school nurse to opt out of this service.

• Immunizations:  Please make sure that your child is up to date on ALL immunizations.  If you received shots over the summer, please bring those records in to the nurse on or before the first day of school. 
• Medicine:  All medicine (including cough drops) must be brought into the nurse’s office in its original packaging.
• Energy Drinks:   All energy drinks are prohibited on our campus and will be confiscated.
• Water:  All students should bring a reusable water bottle to school each day.  Students can refill their bottles in the hallways and at lunch time at the water bottle filling stations.
• Healthy Snacks:  A list of our approved Smart Snacks for School can be found on our district website.  

 Arrival Map

• Please follow these safety guidelines
  • Follow the school speed limit laws
  • Refrain from using your cell phone while driving
  • Follow the directions of Staff Members
• Wildcat Drop Off
  • DO- pull into one of the two Drive through Lanes that are located in front of the school off of 144th Ave.
  • DO NOT- drop students anywhere along 144th Ave or Wigwam Ave.
    • This is for the safety of all Wildcats
  • DO- pull all the way forward before having your child exit the vehicle
  • DO- drive past the crosswalk in the larger parking lot before having your child exit the vehicle
• Bus Riders
  • Students arriving by bus will enter through the north gate as buses arrive
  • Bus riders will enter campus through the Bus Gate and will follow staff direction entering campus
  • Please note there is NO parking, dropping off, or driving through the WSMS Bus Lane
  • All students will be required to scan a badge to get ON and OFF the bus each day. These will be provided in the first few days of school
• Walking or Riding to School
  • There are school crosswalks on Wigwam Blvd. and on 144th Ave.  Please encourage your child to use these crosswalks for crossing the street.
  • Wildcats that walk or ride a bike/skateboard will enter campus through the Main gate or Neighborhood gate.
  • Riders may use the bike/skateboard racks to lock up their equipment.  Please encourage your child to use a lock.

WSMS gates will close at 8:48am to ensure that all of our Wildcats are able to transition to class before the final bell rings at 8:50am.  Students that arrive after 8:48am will need to enter through the Front Office.

Dismissal Map

• Wildcat Pick Up- Please follow these safety guidelines 

• Follow the school speed limit laws
• Refrain from using your cell phone while driving
• Follow the directions of Staff Members

• DO- pull into one of the two Drive through Lanes that are located in front of the school off of 144th Ave.
• DO NOT- pick students up ANYWHERE along 144th Ave or Wigwam Ave. This is per the Goodyear Police Department.
• DO- pull all the way forward before having your child enter the vehicle
• DO- drive past the crosswalk in the larger parking lot before having your child enter the vehicle
• FOR STUDENTS
  • 6th Grade:  6th grade students exit the small gate at the northeast end of school. They are picked up in the north parking lot off 144th avenue unless they have a sibling in 7th or 8th grade. If a student has a 7th or 8th grade sibling, they will meet their sibling by the bike rack and exit the big gate to wait with their sibling in the south parking lot.
  • 7th/8th Grade: 7th and 8th grade students are to leave through the big gate by the bike racks to be picked up in the south parking lot.

• Bus Riders
  • Students leaving by bus will meet between the 700 and 800 buildings and wait for their bus number to be called. Once their bus number is called. students will quickly get on the bus for an on-time departure.  Please remind your child that their bus route number may have changed for the 2024-2025 school year. 
  • Will be called to board busses as they arrive and will board in the WSMS Bus Loop
  • Please note that there is NO parking, dropping off or driving through the WSMS Bus Lane
  • All students will be required to scan a badge to get ON and OFF the bus each day. These will be provided in the first few days of school
• Walking or Riding Home
  • There are school crosswalks on both Wigwam Blvd. and 144th Ave. for students to use to transition home.  Please encourage your child to be safe and to use these sidewalks for crossing the street.
• Visitor Parking:  Visitors should park in the north lot on 144th Avenue.  All gates on campus will be locked during school hours. It is required that all families parking in the 144th Avenue lot utilize the crosswalk to enter campus safely.  All visitors must check in at the front office prior to entering campus during school hours and must return through the front office when leaving the campus. Visitors are not permitted on campus until after 9:00 AM.

Thank you, ahead of time, for paying attention to these important instructions.  The safety of our students is most important.

An excellent way for you to stay involved and informed about your child’s school experience is to participate in our Volunteer Program.  You can complete the online training on our district website.  Parents volunteering for any school function, must complete the training.  You are required to update your paperwork each year.  We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.  Your child’s safety is our number one priority. https://www.lesd79.org/family-community/volunteer 

Individuals listed on your contact list are intended for emergency situations only.  They will only be allowed on campus or allowed to participate in school activities (ie; field trips) if they are over 21, they have been approved as a volunteer,  and you are accompanying them.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and your family but it is our intent to keep our campus secure and keep your child safe.

Parents/Guardians are welcome to come and have lunch with their child at our parent table (outside) after the first month of school.  We encourage all parents to get involved, and there are many opportunities through our PTO.  Keep an eye out for information about upcoming meetings and ways that you can get involved! The safety of our students and staff is of utmost importance, therefore we ask that you report to our front office to sign in, receive a Visitor’s badge, and then sign out upon your departure.  

Students who participate in before/after school activities will need to be transported to and from school.  We do NOT have activity buses.  Activities may include: sports, clubs and detention. All after school activities will be announced in our daily announcements.  Encourage your child to give extra attention to these announcements so they are not missed.

With the end of the USDA Universal Meal Program, LESD is not able to provide free meals for any student during  the 2024-2025 school year who have not applied and qualified for a free or reduced rate. We strongly encourage all families to apply for the Free and Reduced Meal Benefits Program.  Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be available and processed after July 1, 2024.

Breakfast and lunch pricing for the 2024-2025 school year:

SIMPLIFY LIFE:  Make your school lunch payments online.  Go to: https://www.lesd79.org/departments/food-services  Click: Online Meal Payment.

Our PTO is an essential part of our school!   Our PTO takes pride in helping Western Sky Middle School be a great place for students, teachers and staff.  We are looking for additional members with ideas, energy, talents and strengths. We invite you to become an active PTO member and visit our membership table at our Open House on July 30th. Whether you can volunteer just one or twice throughout the year, or frequently, there are things that you can do to help.  PTO will meet monthly and have volunteer opportunities throughout the school year.  Follow Western Sky Middle School PTO on Facebook, Instagram, and on their website: https://wsms.ptboard.com/.  PTO will be taking yearbook orders at Open House and will have Spirit Wear, locks, and P.E. T-shirts available for purchase or via this pre-sale link through July 29th. 

Interested in becoming a PTO member this coming school year?  Please sign up today: https://forms.gle/YzBQFpJysdb1yDKs6

Tax credit is a win-win combination!  You can donate up to $200 as an individual or $400 as a couple to your child’s school and receive a full credit on your state taxes. Due to budget cuts, our tax credit money becomes essential in helping us continue the programs and activities that we have become accustomed to providing for our families.  This money can help to fund field trips, before-school activities and clubs, character education programs, music, drama, sports and art programs.  Forms will be available at Open House and throughout the year should you wish to take advantage of this win-win situation!  The staff and students of Belen Soto Elementary School thank you for your support. Visit this site to donate online: https://www.lesd79.org/our-district/online-payments/school-tax-credit

Tuesday, July 30 from 5pm to 7pm

We highly recommend that you and your child attend this evening event. Our school is large and it will help your child feel more confident on the first day if he/she knows how to get around campus.  Our teachers and staff have been preparing for your family and we can’t wait to meet you!

Schedules are distributed during Open House from the student's homeroom teacher. Students can look up their homeroom teachers on the display boards located by the bike racks or using the QR code below starting Tuesday, July 30th at 5:00pm.  QR Links to the homeroom teachers will be turned off until that time.  We encourage your child to visit each teacher on their schedule during Open House. Please note that due to high class numbers and the complexity of scheduling, specific teacher requests or specials changes may not be made, unless it is to join Band or Choir.

WSMS 2024-2025 Homeroom Lists

Link will NOT be active until 5:00pm on 7/30/24

Open House Reminders:

• It will be hot outside and we have limited shade while waiting to come in the gates, please plan accordingly.
• Parking is limited and we ask that our families are considerate of our neighbors. 
• If you park in the neighborhood, please be courteous to our neighbors. Do not block driveways or thru traffic. 

5:00 PM - Gates Open:

• Locate your child’s  name on the grade level boards, or use  the QR Code, to find your Homeroom Teacher & Room Number
• Proceed to Homeroom to meet the teacher and to get your child’s full schedule
• Meet the other Academic Teachers
  • Lockers are not assigned at Open House, they will be assigned the first week of school
• Tour campus and meet your Specials Teachers

Be sure to visit:

• GYM - WSMS PTO will be selling locks, PE Shirts, Spiritwear and more!
• CAFE/GYM FOYER - Pick up all presale PTO items
• NURSE - If you need to drop off medications or speak with the school nurse 
• MEDIA CENTER - Bus Information, ParentVue assistance (must have ID), general assistance
  • ParentVue:
    • New students: ParentVue is set up during the registration process. The account you created to register is the same as what you will use to view grades, attendance etc.
    • Returning LESD Families: ParentVue is only issued one time for each parent. If you used ParentVue for another student, or at one of the LESD Elementary schools, the credentials are the same. 
    • If you need to know your user name, or reset your password, bring your ID to the Media Center where we will assist you.
    • We are unable to assist with ParentVue without valid identification