Newsletter: January 29, 2026

Important Dates:

Click here for the full WVMS School Year Calendar.

Choice Options Lottery for Kindergarten Closes Mar 20

The Choice Options Lottery deadline for Kindergarten is Friday, Mar 20. Visit this link for more information. If you know of any families that would be a good fit, send them our way! We will have two info sessions:

Monday, March 2nd (Tour at 5:00, Info Session at 5:30)

Wednesday, March 4th (Tour at 1:00, Info Session at 1:30)

• Remember that all incoming siblings of Westside students MUST complete an application  
• Current Westside Village students do not need to re-apply for the lottery 

Entry into the Choice Options lottery, Dual Immersion lottery, and Priority Area Change Requests all require a current enrollment in a Bend-La Pine School for the school year requested. Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is open.

Don’t hesitate to call Marcie with any questions.  541-355-2001

Youth Truth Survey Closes Friday, Jan 30

The Youth Truth Survey is a district-wide survey that we ask students, families, and staff to complete so that we can better our schools. Our Bend LaPine District and schools use the information from the survey to plan for school improvement.

Families, please take the time to complete the survey by Friday, January 30th: ytsurvey.org/blsfamily26. For more info: Family Survey Letter.

To opt-out your student or read more about the Student Youth Truth Survey: Family Opt-Out & Information Notice.

Friendship Day, Feb 13

Valentine’s Day is celebrated at WVMS by celebrating healthy friendships and kindness. This is always an emotional time for students. Some children have unrealistic expectations with relationships. We really try to help everyone build relationships, reach out to those that they do not know as well, and have fun with friends. We DO NOT promote this as a romantic adult event.

Friendship Day at School, Friday, February 13th

-We remind our community that this day is about healthy friendships, not romantic love or the commercialism around the day.  It’s about having fun, being a great friend, and enjoying festivities.

-Please do not feel pressured to send Valentine cards.  If you do, please do not put names on the cards.  Students will make bags at school to collect any treats being passed out.

-If your child has a special gift for someone, please try to do it outside of school. In school, this can make other students feel excluded.

-Students can make big posters to share with communities, buy a small treat for their community (something that has at least 65 for the upstairs community, 50 for Centers and 65 for Elders), write quotes to put in bags, pencils, erasers, (preferably something that is not single use plastic).

2025-26 Oregon Statewide Tests (OSAS)

This school year our 3rd through 8th grade students will take the Oregon Statewide Tests. Parents have the right to opt their child out of the English Language Arts and/or the Math tests. We have made it a mission to be creative and smart about how we administer the OR Statewide Tests. We are not going to make students sit for hours at a time testing; we are going to offer them fun snacks, breaks when needed, and all the support we can give. We would like to take this opportunity to turn this challenge into a fun and meaningful experience. 

Here are links to the Annual Notice for Statewide Testing – this contains information about the testing and the Opt-Out Form.
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form English 25-26
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 25-26

If you have any questions about the test, please email Felicia at [email protected].

NO SCHOOL Days in January/February/March

Jan 30: NO SCHOOL for Teacher Work Day/End of Semester. 

Feb 16: NO SCHOOL for the Presidents Day holiday. 

Mar 18-20: NO SCHOOL for District Conference Days (Westside will have had conferences already). 

Mar 23-27: NO SCHOOL for Spring Break. 

Friends of WVMS is offering camp on all of these non school days. Sign up through Bend Parks and Rec!

News From Friends

4th Six Weeks Extended Care & Club Sign Ups Are Open!

It’s time to sign up for 4th Session of Extended Care & Clubs! Visit www.friendsofwestside.com to sign up.

Fuel the Staff for Conference Week!

Sign Up Here or with QR code below. Thank you!!

Roundabout Books Book Fair @ WVMS, Feb 3-5

We’d love to get a book into every student’s hands!  If you would like to donate to this cause, please make a donation in the amount of your choosing on the friendsofwestside.com site.  Any donations received between now and February 5th will go towards books for our students. Thank you in advance!

Village Council Meeting will be Feb 11

Due to conferences and the Book Fair, we will push our Village Council meeting to Feb 11th. 8:00am social time, 8:15 meeting starts. All are welcome!

Feb & March Give Back Nights

NexTrex Recycling Challenge

Help us reach our goal of collecting 1,000 lbs of clean plastic bags and film in one year! Westside Village is participating in the NexTrex Recycling Challenge starting in February and we need your help! You can collect at home and bring to the school OR collect at home, weigh it, and take it to one of our participating drop-off retailer locations for recycling. Make sure to email Ms. Marcie your weights so that we can log it! [email protected]

Plastic bags and film packaging are important durable and lightweight protection for food and merchandise in transit. But these materials SHOULD NOT be recycled in most curbside carts or single stream programs. Thankfully, many grocers and retailers and some communities provide specific collection bins for bags and film to be recycled separately from other recyclables.