Fall
2015
IMPORTANT
DATES AND
LMS
Cougar News
A Message From Your Administrators:
TIMES

November 11
No School
Veteran’s Day

November 17-20
Early Release
11:15 Tues-Fri
 November 17
Report cards post
to Family Access

November 18
Conferences
11:50-2:35

November 19
Cookie Dough
Pick-Up 4:00-7:00
 November 19
Conferences
11:50-2:35
4:00-7:00
 November 26-27
No School
Thanksgiving
Dear Families,
Thank you again for your continued support of Lakewood Middle School. When we look
to improve the learning of our students by providing engaging lessons and high expectations, your help in sending your students to school ready to learn is crucial to our shared
mission. It is my hope that your children are achieving and learning at high levels in each
of their classes.
As a staff at LMS we have engaged in many discussions this year to reach our goals for
your students. We have participated together in several professional development activities this year that I would like to make you aware of.
Beginning in September, we have examined the values and goals of Lakewood Middle
School. We are considering our current status, what we value at LMS and what LMS will
be in the years to come. Soon, we will reach out to you and your students for help in
creating that vision. Your input will be valued.
Additionally, at each Wednesday late start, staff has been collaborating in their Professional Learning Committees to improve instruction and making learning, not teaching
their focus. Each group has identified goals for themselves in the areas of curriculum,
assessment, intervention and enrichment in their classes. We are fortunate to have this
devoted time to work together.
Finally, we have begun to look at the ways we recognize our students in this important
developmental time in their lives, A really great middle school has a systematic structure
for seeking out and rewarding not only academic success but also personal characteristics like honesty, integrity and respect for those in their community. What we value and
who we are determines the decisions we make so it is important to recognize those that
achieve in multiple areas.
Please enjoy your family and time during the upcoming holidays.
 December 10
Winter Band
Concert 6:30pm
Best Regards,
Bryan Toutant
Principal
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2
Pick up your ASB Fundraiser Cookie Dough November 19th 4:00-7:00pm
LMS Conferences
Next week we will be holding conferences here at LMS. We have arena style conferences with no appointment
time necessary. The teachers will be available to talk with you about your student and go over their classroom
progress. There are three times available to choose from.
Wednesday, November 18th
Thursday, November 19th
11:50-2:35
11:50-2:35 and 4:00-7:00
Report Cards
1st quarter ends November 9th.
Report cards will be posted to Family Access on November 17th.
If you would like a hard copy give us a call and we will be happy to print one out and mail it or
send it home with your student.
The College Bound Scholarship for Washington Students!!
The College Bound Scholarship program encourages low-income, middle school students to choose
a path that will lead to educational success after high school. The Scholarship is available to current
7th and 8th grade students who meet one or more of the following criteria:
Reminder!

Are eligible for the free/reduced school lunch program

Are a youth in foster care
No School

Receive basic food or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefits
Wednesday,

Meet the family income standards as described in the College Bound brochure
November 11th
Veteran’s Day
The College Bound Scholarship will combine with other state financial aid you receive to cover the
average tuition (at comparable public college rates), some fees, and a small book allowance.
Recipients must sign up in the 7th or 8th grade, work hard in school, stay out of legal trouble, and
successfully apply to a higher education institution when they graduate.
You can enroll online at www.collegebound.wa.gov or obtain an application from our school
counselors at conferences in November. Online, you will also find applications in Spanish, Russian
and other languages. The deadline for applicants is June 30 at the end of their 8th grade year.
Please check out the website above or contact Mrs. Bartness at mbartness@lwsd.wednet.edu or
360-652-4510 for more information.
LMS
FALL
2015
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3
Better Grades—10 Ways Families Can Help
How are your student’s grades at this time? Here are 10 tips for
better grades!
1. Check and verify! If your child tells you homework is done and classes are “fine”, log onto
Family Access and check. If you don’t have your Family Access login and password, contact our office today. You
can also download the Skyward app on your smartphone (and your child’s) so that grade updates are available at
the tap of a finger.
2. Create a.m. and p.m. routines. Have your child get up at the same time each morning, eat a nutritious breakfast, and institute a positive bedtime ritual that includes 20+ minutes of reading.
3. Prepare the night before. Avoid morning chaos by eliminating the need for last-minute decisions. Accomplish
as much as possible before bedtime, such as choosing what clothes to wear and gathering needed materials in the
same spot. Having a backpack prepared with essentials fosters self-confidence, including a binder, planner and
flashdrive.
4. Help your child get organized. Kids need help developing a system for listing, storing and retrieving assignments so that they feel in control of their grades. Check your student’s planner and binder(s). Help children keep
backpacks uncluttered and store school items in a safe place. Store older, graded assignments at home.
5. Provide a quiet place for homework, but let your child work alone. A regular time and a good workspace to complete homework are essential, and homework should be a priority. Remember that the work is your
child’s responsibility, not yours. Homework provides important information about student comprehension to teachers, so you do your child a disservice if you correct answers.
6. Limit distractions. Phones, electronic devices, and video games can be a huge competitor for your child’s attention, especially when it comes to homework, so limit these activities on school nights. The problem with these
diversions extends beyond the way they waste time, though, because they also foster an entertainment-oriented
mindset that makes school seem boring.
7. Encourage intellectual curiosity. Engage your child in dinner-table conversations. Share your own interests.
Talk about current events. Nourish your child’s curiosity about the world. Use the internet for learning!
8. Allow free time. Every child needs time to unwind, so be sure that part of each day is free of responsibilities.
Overscheduling your child with too many afternoon and evening activities often takes away from homework. Free
time helps manage stress. The absence of free time creates unnecessary anxiety.
9. Build relationships with teachers. Open the lines of communication. Ask teachers how things are going and
be open to hearing about problems. Please don’t criticize teachers in front of your child. Besides causing confusion
and conflict, criticizing the teacher in front of the child does nothing to address the problem. In the case of older
children, such criticism may foster arrogance, defiance, and rudeness toward teachers.
10. Again, check Family Access (aka Skyward)! It’s worth mentioning twice – contact the office if you need
your login and password. This resource is your key to staying informed in your child’s education.
PAGE
 Fever: 100. 4 degrees or higher. Child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
 Vomiting: child may return to school after there is 24 hour period without an episode of vomiting.
 Lice, scabies: children may not return to school until they have been treated and are free of live lice. Children
with scabies can be admitted after treatment.
 Diarrhea: more than one watery stool in a 24 hour period, especially if the child acts or looks ill
 Chronic cough and/or runny nose: continual coughing and greenish nose discharge. Conditions may be contagious and
may require treatment from your health care provider.
 Sore throat: especially with fever or swollen glands in the neck
 Rash: body rash, especially with fever or itching
 Ear infection: with fever. Without fever can attend school, but the child may need medical treatment and follow -up. Untreated
ear infections can cause permanent hearing loss.
 Eye infection: pink eye (conjunctivitis) or thick mucus or pus draining from eye
 Unusual appearance, behavior: abnormally tired, pale, lack of appetite, difficult to wake, confused or irritable. This is a sufficient reason to exclude a child from school.
QUESTIONS? District Nurse (360) 652-4501 ext. 4138 or our Health Room at 360-652-4501 ext. 3043
Parents and students! Check out the LMS Counseling Center website on our school homepage.
You will find great Information and videos about these topics and more:

Counseling Center

College Bound Scholarship Information

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention

Common Core State Standards

Anti-Bullying and Internet Safety

Help for Struggling Students

Career Exploration for Middle School Students

Smarter Balanced Exams and MSP 2015

College Access and Planning
Congrats to the 30 students who
attended the recent La Chispa (The
Spark) workshop at Everett Community College! They spent a day learning leadership skills, the benefits of
being multicultural and bilingual,
and got to tour the EvCC college
campus. Muchas gracias, los estuMS
diantes. EresLimpresionante!
COUGAR
NEWS
Julian and Alan having fun with students from other schools!
4
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5
GIRLS SOCCER/BOYS BASKETBALL
Currently girls soccer and boys basketball seasons are in progress. Wrestling and girls
basketball seasons will begin the end of January. If you child would like to participate,
please be certain they have an updated physical on file with the school.
ATHLETIC PARTICPATION
Lakewood Middle School feels strongly that academics come first. Therefore, students must not have any failing
grades. Students are expected to maintain a 2.0 GPA. Grade checks are done every 2 weeks of each sports season.
During that time, students may participate in practices, but they may not participate in actual games. If a student is
absent from school, he/she will not be able to participate in practice or games scheduled that day.
In order for an athlete to participate in athletics, all paperwork must be completed prior to the first practice.
Athletic registration packets are available on our website or may be picked up at the Middle School Office.
The athletic packet includes parent permission, emergency card, physical paperwork, insurance information, sport
waiver, and concussion information sheet. The packet must be turned in to the Lakewood Middle School office. The
athlete will also be required to purchase an ASB card and pay a $30 participation fee per sport.
All athletes are required to have insurance if they participate in school sports. Please stop by our office for more
information and an enrollment form should you need to purchase insurance.
LOST AND FOUND
Check out the lost and found when
you’re here for conferences!
There are currently many items in the lost and found located in the commons! To eliminate
excessive amounts of items in the lost and found, items not claimed are donated to Kids’
Kloset monthly.
Please take a few extra minutes to mark your child’s name on their clothing and please have
your child check
The Lakewood High School Drama Club will be performing
the play It’s a Wonderful Life on December 4th, 5th, 11th,
and 12th. This is a wonderful holiday classic and fun for the
whole family. Please mark your calendars and make plans
now to attend. The Drama Club is proud and excited to be
bringing this once more to the Lakewood Community.
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6
Family Access - Helpful Hints for LMS Students & Families
Find the Family Access portal on the homepage of the district’s website: www.lwsd.wednet.edu
You can put the
Skyward (Family
Access) app on
your smart
phone, giving you
quick access to
grades!
Log in. Don’t have your login and password?
Login:____________________________________
Contact the LMS office for that info.
Once logged in, you’ll see these options on the
Password:_________________________________
left side of your screen:
Want to see information in another language?
Click on My Account and select the Google Translator tool.
Want to see assignments at a glance?
Click on Calendar. (Missing work will be in red.)
Click on the text to see specific details and notes that the teacher added about the assignment.
Want to check grades?
Click on Gradebook.
Want to check attendance, including excused vs. unexcused absences?
Click on Attendance.
Want to be notified automatically if your child’s grades or assignments go below 65%?
Click on My Account then adjust Email Notifications to check those boxes that apply to you.
Want to check your child’s discipline history, including teacher’s notes about infractions?
Click on Discipline.
Want to check your child’s state and district test scores?
Click on Test Scores.
Want to see past grades?
Click on Academic History.
Want to see report cards?
Click on Electronic Report Card.
Want to check information such as address or email information?
Click on Student Info.
Family Access is a great tool to help students and parents/guardians stay on track at LMS!
Parents and students have different accounts (student accounts are called Student Access). Be sure you are accessing the parent
account with your username to see all information available. Let us know if you have any questions at 360-652-4510.
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7
LAKEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT #306
Agreement for Students and Parents
Acceptable Use Guidelines/District User Agreement
As outlined in Board policy and procedures on student Internet responsibilities (#2022), copies of which are available
on the District website and at the administration office, unacceptable network use by district students includes but is
not limited to:

Downloading, sending, or displaying offensive messages or pictures

Using obscene language

Harassing, insulting, or attacking others

Violating copyright laws

Using another’s password

Trespassing in another’s folders, work, or files

Malicious use or vandalizing of the computer system

Personal gain, commercial solicitation, and compensation of any kind

Saving or storing games, audio files, video files, or other applications (including shareware or freeware)
to the network

Support or opposition for ballot measures, candidates, and any other political activity

Hacking, cracking, vandalizing, the introduction of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, time bombs, and changes to
hardware, software, and monitoring tools

Unauthorized access to other district computers, networks, and information systems;

Cyber bullying, hate mail, defamation, harassment of any kind, discriminatory jokes and remarks

Information posted, sent, or stored online that could endanger others (e.g., bomb construction, drug
manufacturing)

Accessing, uploading, downloading, storage, and distribution of obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit
material;

Attaching unauthorized equipment to the district network
Students are responsible for good behavior on school computer networks just as they are in a classroom or a school
hallway. Access to network services is given to students who agree to act in a considerate and responsible manner.
Network storage areas may be treated like school lockers. Network administrators may review files and communication to maintain system integrity and insure that users are using the system responsibly. Users should not expect that
files stored on district servers will always be private.
Violations of the use policy may result in a loss of access as well as other disciplinary or legal action.
If you prefer your student not access computers and our district network please send a
written email or note to the building principal.
Thank you.
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8
STUFF THE BUS
NOVEMBER 21, 2015
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
SMOKEY POINT WALMART
PROCEEDS GO TO THE
MARYSVILLE & ARLINGTON FOOD BANKS
SUGGESTED ITEMS NEEDED :
Box Meals
Pancake Mix
Syrup
Eggs
Potatoes
Sugar
Canned Fruit
Canned Veggies Peanut Butter
Frozen Turkeys Frozen Ham
Crackers
Pasta
Cereal
Fruit Juices
Jello
Flour
Butter
Condiments
Celery
Apples
Onions
Soups
Gravy Packets
Shampoo
Dish Soap
Laundry Soap
Baby Diapers
Baby Food
Toothpaste
NON-DISCRIMINATION NOTICE
Stay Connected
Don’t have a login or
password?
Contact the LMS
office for that info.
360-652-4510
We’re on the Web
www.lwsd.wednet.edu
Lakewood School District complies with all federal and state rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, creed, color,
national origin, sex, sexual orientation (including gender expression or identity), the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of
a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
District programs will be free from sexual harassment. This holds true for all
students who are interested in participating in educational programs and/or
extracurricular school activities. Board Policy #3210 and associated procedures outline the steps taken to secure an equitable solution to a justifiable
complaint.
NON-DISCRIMINATION GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
Students, and/or parents, staff or other individuals acting on behalf of students of the district are eligible to participate in the complaint procedure.
The complaint procedure is designed to assure that the resolution of real or
alleged violations will be directed toward a just solution that is satisfactory
to the complainant, the administration and the school board. If you have
questions, or need assistance with the process, please contact the District
Compliance Officer, Daniel Lee at 360-652-4500.
TITLE IX/RCW 28A.640 COMPLIANCE OFFICER
SECTION 504/ADA COORDINATOR
DISTRICT COMPLIANCE OFFICER
Daniel Lee, Director of HR & Administrative Services
17110 16th Dr. NE
Marysville, WA 98271
360-652-4500