Weekly Update 10/26/25

Hello West Rocks Students and Families,

We are getting ready to close out October with another great week at West Rocks!

Halloween Dance
Friday night’s Halloween Dance was a huge success! Thank you to our incredible PTA for organizing such a fun event and to all the students who came out to celebrate. Congratulations to the students who won the costume contest! Your creativity and school spirit were amazing! See a few of the pictures above!

Field Trips and Experiential Learning

Last week was also an exciting one for our students out in the community. Our Dual Language students visited New York City and the Statue of Liberty on Tuesday for an unforgettable field trip connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences.

In addition, our Grade 6-7 Marine Science students spent the day at the Peabody Museum, exploring exhibits that extend their understanding of ecosystems, fossils, and environmental science.

District “State of the Schools” 2025 Edition

The Norwalk Public Schools 2025 “State of the Schools” report was released online this week, highlighting a student from each middle school. We are proud to share that West Rocks’ own Grade 8 student, Derek Smith, was featured! Check out the images below!

This Week at West Rocks
We have another busy and exciting week ahead:

• Wednesday, October 29: Grade 5 Open House

• Thursday, October 30: Sport-a-Thon Kickoff!

  • NPS District Hispanic Heritage Festival @ BMHS! 

• Friday, October 31: Picture Day – Please review the information included below for details and ordering instructions.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Our students continue to shine through their engagement, effort, and Panther Pride each and every day!

Have a great rest of your weekend,
Adam Reynolds
Principal, West Rocks Middle School

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

West Rocks’ Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Campaign

Thank you to all of the staff and students that came out to Sherwood Island last week for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  A special thank you to all who donated to our WRMS Pink Panthers team.  We were able to raise $1478 for the American Cancer Society! 

PICTURE DAY!

Fall Picture Day will be on Friday, October 31.

Dress for success on Friday since ALL students will have their picture taken for their school ID and PowerSchool. Families that wish to order a photo package can send in their order and money in the envelopes that students took home last week, OR log into mylifetouch.com and use our picture day ID: EVTMMNF2Q

YEARBOOK

The yearbook staff is hard at work beginning to put together memories of the 25-26 school year. We need your help! We need your photos to help us create the best yearbook possible! Please use the QR code or link below to submit photos! Contact Ms. Santos (santoss@norwalkps.org) or Mr. Frajndlich (frajndlichl@norwalkps.org) with any questions.

http://photos.jostens.com/3CUHTK

Ordering information! 
 

ESPORTS CLUB

The Esports Club has a few spots open!

When:  Afterschool from 3 to 5pm

            Tuesday &/or Thursdays      

Where: Verizon Innovative Learning Lab - Room 188

Permission Slip Link (to be completed by parents/Guardians)

We will be competing using the Minecraft Education Esports Program this year. Students will unleash their creativity in ready-made immersive Minecraft worlds designed to support learning through team build battles and role-based strategy games. Each of these inspiring worlds is designed to encourage team-building skills, such as collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills, through STEM-based competitions. Questions can be directed to Dr. Fox, (foxm@norwalkps.org) Verizon Innovative Learning Lab Instructor & Senior Lab Mentor.

VPA UPDATES

We are excited to announce a field trip opportunity for our 7th and 8th Grade VPA students this December! We have secured tickets for an 11:00 AM matinee performance of the Broadway musical Finding Neverland at the White Plains Performing Arts Center.

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to experience the magic of live theater and see the story of J.M. Barrie and the inspiration for Peter Pan come to life on stage.

Here are the details for the trip:

• What: Field Trip to see Finding Neverland: A New Broadway Musical

• Where: White Plains Performing Arts Center (WPAC)

• When: Wednesday, December 17th

• Time: 11:00 AM Matinee (Bus departure is at 9am. Students will return around 3:15pm and should have their own transportation home.)

• Cost: $80.00 per student (This price includes the show ticket and round-trip bus transportation.)

Important Information:

• Lunch: All students attending must bring their own bag lunch and drink for the day.

• Permission & Payment: To reserve your student's spot, you must complete the permission slip and submit payment. Spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Permission Slip

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Golding. We are so excited to offer this special experience!

HISPANIC HERITAGE

In honor of Dia de los Muertos, the Dual Language Program will be setting up a space in our lobby where families can add photos of loved ones that have passed. The table will be set up on Thursday and all staff and students are invited to add a photograph or an "ofrenda" to honor and remember this year on Dia de los Muertos.

Check out our social media account and the NPS accounts for a special performance of our 8th Grade Band playing “Señorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello. This video will be shared at the district’s festival this upcoming week. 

FOR OUR INCOMING FAMILIES...MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOICE OPEN HOUSE!

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow West Rocks on Instagram: wrms_ct

Follow West Rocks on Facebook

PTA

Halloween Dance Recap 

Our Halloween Dance was one of the best yet — filled with great music, amazing costumes, and tons of Panther spirit! 

Huge thanks to everyone who helped make it happen, especially our incredible NJHS students for the record-time setup! 

Congrats to our costume winners — The Lorax and UPS Delivery Guy — who each won AMC prize packs with movie tickets, popcorn, and drink vouchers! 

Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for more pics and videos from this spooktacular night! 

Calling all bakers and volunteers! 

We’re gearing up for our annual Election Day Bake Sale on Tuesday, November 4th, and we need your help to make it a success. Whether you’re whipping up your favorite homemade treats or signing up for a shift at the table, every bit of help makes a difference!

All proceeds support our students and school programs.

 Sign up to bake or volunteer here!

Save the Date!
Our next PTA Meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12th at 6:30PM in the school library (or join us on Zoom!). 

All are welcome — and it's not too late to become a member if you'd like to get involved and have a vote! 

Come hear updates, share ideas and get involved in what's happening at West Rocks! 

Become a member here. 

Mark Your Calendars — Outback Give Back Night!

Join us for a delicious way to support West Rocks!

 Thursday, November 13th | 4-8 PM
 Outback Steakhouse - 14 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT

Mention West Rocks when you dine in or order take out and 15% of your order will be donated back to our school! 

Bring your family, savor a great meal and be part of an evening that gives back to our students. 

Spirit Wear Update

Our new black hoodies have been a huge hit — we've officially sold out of size Large! Other sizes are still available while supplies last, so don't wait to grab yours!

T-Shirts & Hoodies → Available Now!

Orders will be delivered to your child's homeroom teacher's mailbox within 72 hours. Order here. 

Looking for more options?
Shop our on-demand vendor —orders ship directly to you in about 3 weeks.
Shop here.

Show your Panther pride — before your favorite sizes are gone!