Weekly Update 2/7/26
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WRMS Staff
Hello West Rocks!
Another great week at West Rocks, capped off with our PTA’s Winter Dance! We had about 120 students dancing, enjoying snacks, and spending time with friends. To make the night even more festive, it started snowing at the end of the evening, perfectly matching the winter theme…almost like the snowflakes were part of the celebration! Thank you to our PTA for organizing such a fun event for our students.
NWEA ELA Testing Update
Students completed their NWEA ELA testing this week. Initial results show solid growth across grade levels from fall to winter, which is great news. Teachers will analyze the data to identify strengths and areas for growth and use this information to guide instruction.
Students completed the math portion last week, and individual results will be uploaded into IXL to create personalized skill plans. Please review the information further down in this update for more details on how families can support practice at home.
MLK Jr. Recognition Program
We held our Martin Luther King Jr. Recognition Program on Tuesday. Thank you to Dr. Walters, Ms. Powell, and Mr. Stokes for planning and supporting our My Brother’s Keeper and My Sister’s Keeper students, who did a wonderful job leading the program. Thank you to Mrs. Jean and our Jazz Band, as well as Mr. Skelton and our Orchestra for their performances! Our keynote speaker, Reverend Carlton Giles, returned to West Rocks and shared a powerful message about the importance of mentorship and the responsibility of the mentee to be open and ready to receive that support. Check out the picture above!
Marine Science Pathway
Our students and teachers in the Marine Science Pathway continue to benefit from hands-on experiences with partners like the Maritime Aquarium and the Peabody Museum, as well as caring for marine life right here at school. Check out the picture above of the recently hatched brown trout that is conjoined in a Grade 7 classroom tank. What an exciting moment for our students!
Student-Led Conferences
On Wednesday, we will hold an extended homeroom so students can continue preparing for our Student-Led Conferences in March. Students are working with their advisors to curate at least four artifacts in their digital portfolios, identifying each as either a showcase or growth piece.
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This week, students will begin creating their Slides presentations, which will guide their conferences and highlight both celebrations and areas for growth.
Basketball Playoffs
Congratulations to our Girls and Boys Basketball teams on great regular seasons! Our boys team has advanced to the championship game and will compete for their fourth consecutive citywide championship on Wednesday night at Brien McMahon High School.
Wednesday will be Spirit Day at West Rocks. Students and staff are encouraged to wear West Rocks gear or green. Best of luck to Coach Voytek, Coach Stokes, and the team! Bring home the hardware…again!
Looking Ahead
We are rapidly approaching February Break. Friday, February 13 is the last day of school before break, and we will return on Monday, February 23. We hope students enjoy the time to rest, read a good book, and continue practicing IXL skills.
Have a great weekend,
Adam Reynolds
Principal, West Rocks Middle School
P.S. Enjoy the game (and the commercials!) on Sunday night. We voted as a school on Panther News on Friday, and the prediction was the Patriots! I’m rooting for the Seahawks, though. Who are you cheering for?
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Attendance Matters!
One of our continued priorities this year is making sure students attend school every day, as consistent attendance has a major impact on learning, confidence, and long-term success. The State of Connecticut defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% or more of the school year, and even a few absences each month can add up quickly. Thank you for helping us support strong attendance habits. Families can report student absences by email to wrmsattendance@norwalkps.org
GRADE 8 SCIENCE IXL CHALLENGE
The IXL Science Challenge: Claim Your Squares!
The Grade 8 Science IXL competition is heating up! We are channeling a “lucky” vibe for this Friday the 13th,!This is your chance to show off what you know, review some classic science topics, and—most importantly—win some prizes.
For every IXL assignment you complete with a Proficient Score (80% or higher), you earn a square on our classroom game board.
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The Goal: Earn up to 10 squares before the break.
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The Reward: Each square is a ticket into our Big Raffle on Friday, Feb. 13th!
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Don't forget to work on these at home! Finishing your assignments outside of class is the best way to ensure you get your credit and lock in those squares.
It’s not just about the prizes (though they are great!). Working through these modules helps lock in the concepts we've been covering in class. It is also helping to prepare students for the Next Generation Science test in May. Whether we're looking at the complexity of a cell or the laws of motion, every bit of practice counts.
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Now – Feb 12th: Complete assignments and claim your squares.
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Friday, Feb 13th: The Big Raffle!
Remember: A score of 80% is the magic number. If you're stuck on a topic, don't give up—read the explanations, learn from the mistakes, and push through to that proficient level!
Good luck, scientists! Let’s see who can fill up those squares first.
MATH IXL
In math classes, students use IXL to practice skills that directly align with what they are learning each day in class. Teachers may begin this work in school, and students are often expected to finish assignments at home.
Daily IXL practice helps students build confidence, receive immediate feedback, and work toward mastery. Families can support this by encouraging a consistent routine and reminding students to bring a fully charged Chromebook to school.
We need students to work toward mastery which is atleast a SmartScore of 80.
To keep things fun, we’ve launched a school-wide “Race to Mastery” challenge! Students earn tickets for each mastered skill, which can be used to participate in our Pi Day celebration on March 13, with additional activities tied to St. Patrick’s Day.
GRADE 8 UPDATES
Calendar Fundraiser
To help offset the cost of the upcoming trips (Hamilton and Quassy), we will be organizing a calendar fundraiser. This allows sponsors to choose a date on the “calendar” and donate that amount online!
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Student Benefit: Students participating in the fundraiser will be credited 85% of the total funds they raise directly toward the cost of their specific trips. If you complete the calendar, it will cover the cost of the two trips.
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Funds raised cannot be given back to the student or refunded. Any funds in excess of the trip raised will be donated to the Class of 2026.
Please use this spreadsheet to access the individual link for your child.
This information is also on Google Classroom.
Grade 8 Yearbook Ads
Grade 8 families are invited to purchase personalized ads for their child in the yearbook. If you are interested in doing so, please visit the Jostens website to complete the process. You will have to create and account and follow the prompts.
Grade 8 Year-End Events - Volunteers NEEDED!
We are looking to form a committee of family members that want to get involved with year-end events, specifically the Grade 8 Semi-Formal Dance in May and Promotion events in June. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Golding at goldings@norwalkps.org.
SAVE THE DATE: The Class of 2026 will sponsor our annual March Madness Staff vs. Student Basketball on Thursday, March 5th. Hope to see you there!
SOCIAL WORK MONTHLY TIP
Kindness & Compassion ❤️
SEL Focus: Social Awareness and Empathy: Love is in the air!
This month, let's focus on understanding and connecting with others. Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes.
Tip: Have a "Kindness Challenge." As a family, brainstorm simple acts of kindness you can do for others—a note for a sibling, helping a neighbor, or a kind word to a friend. Make it a fun challenge to see how many you can complete by the end of the month.
Activity: Perspective Swap
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How-To: After watching a TV show, movie, or reading a book together, discuss a conflict between two characters. Ask your child to argue the point of view of the character they disagree with the most.
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Goal: Practicing seeing things from a different angle strengthens empathy skills.
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Discussion Starter: "Why do you think that character made that choice, even if it wasn't the right one?"
YEARBOOK
The Yearbook Club is working hard to create an incredible keepsake for our students. Please use the link below to submit photos!
https://photos.jostens.com/3CUHTK
Yearbooks will be $35 for a limited time! Online Orders Only- There will be no cash sales Please use the link below to order!
VPA UPDATES
Eastside Band Festival
It was a full house at Norwalk HS for the Eastside Band concert on Wednesday night! The event featured fantastic performances from our 7th and 8th grade band students, as well as musicians from Nathan Hale. The spirit of collaboration was on full display during the combined 8th-grade finale. To top it off, Norwalk High School students inspired the crowd with performances from their winter percussion, jazz, and concert bands, giving families a great introduction to the road ahead in the band program. Special thanks to Mrs. Jean for her hard work to create this unique opportunity for students.
Save the Date! Tickets for Drama Club’s March production of The Little Mermaid will go on sale on February 23rd at 10am!
WEST ROCKS ATHLETICS
Congratulations to our travel girls and boys basketball teams on a great regular season! Thank you to our coaches: Ms. Cammarota, Ms. Ornousky, Mr. Voytek, and Mr. Stokes, and to Ms. Mouland for her incredible organization and support.
Our boys team is headed to the championship! This week was the last week of the regular season! Join us to cheer for the Panthers on Wednesday, Feb. 11th. For official game highlights and score updates throughout the game, be sure to follow our social media channels!
RYTE FAMILY WORKOUT PROGRAM
Check out the great family events sponsored by the Reaching Youth Through Exercise Program (RYTE) that is the work of EJ’s H.E.A.R.T. Inc. Spots are limited. The event for middle school students on Feb. 20th is FREE. It is a great opportunity for something to do during break, and lunch is included! Be sure to register HERE.
MATH BOOSTERS! AFTER-SCHOOL
Failing to Nail Math? Stop the Struggle and Start Succeeding!
Is your student stuck in math confusion? Our flexible Math Booster Sessions are the turbo-boost they need to crush their next test and own the material! Students can attend for the full hour and a half across all three days or just drop by for targeted help. We meet in the Coaches' Room (195). Quick Reminder: Students must bring their own snack/fuel and have their own transportation sorted.
Ready for a grade-level glow-up?
Check out all the information: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GiIQsHRHDvMUT9xEdYas_sGzwMkMKDlB/view?usp=sharing
Register: Sign up Google form
SCHOOL COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow West Rocks on Instagram: wrms_ct
Follow West Rocks on Facebook
PTA
Thank you for a great Winter Dance!
Save the Date!
Join us for our next VIRTUAL PTA meeting on Wednesday, February 11th at 6:30pm. We'll be sharing updates and discussing upcoming events and fundraisers.
Open to everyone!
THIS MEETING WILL BE VIRTUAL ONLY
Not a member yet? It's not too late to join! Join here!
We hope to see you there!
Hat Day Fundraiser 
Wear Your Hat. Support Our School!
Baseball hats
Beanies
Fun, school-appropriate styles welcome!
For just $2, students can wear a hat to school all day on Friday, February 13th, while helping support our PTA!
How to pay: Students will give $2 to their homeroom teacher that morning. They will receive a sticker showing that they paid to wear their hat all day.
Every dollar raised will help support school programs and events!
Save the Date — Giveback Night at Outback! 
Mark your calendars! Join us for a Giveback Night at Outback, where a portion of your meal will support our PTA.
Date: Thursday, February 26th
Location: Outback Steakhouse, 14 Danbury Rd (Wilton)
Dine in or take out from 4-8PM
We hope you can join us!
Spirit Wear
T-Shirts & Hoodies → Available now! Orders will be delivered to your child’s homeroom teacher’s mailbox within 72 hours.
Order here: https://westrocks.ptboard.com/formvw?store=7084&form=2
Looking for more options? Shop through our on-demand vendor. Orders ship directly to you in about 3 weeks.
Shop here: https://spirithero.com/collections/west-23
Stay Connected
Don’t miss out on updates, events, and ways to get involved—follow us on social media!
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Facebook: facebook.com/WestRocksPTA
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Instagram: instagram.com/westrockspta
VISIT THE SCHOOL CALENDAR ON OUR WEBSITE
Follow West Rocks on Instagram: wrms_ct
Follow West Rocks on Facebook