Author Archives: Marcie Gibson

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Track & Field Meets
Apr 17 @ High Desert 3:15, 3:45
Apr 24 @ Cascade 3:15, 3:45
May 1 @ Pilot Butte 3:15, 3:45
May 8 TBD
May 13 Districts Week, TBD

Winter Adventures Begin Next Week!

We will be taking the students up to Virginia Meissner for Cross Country skiing starting next week!  Permission slips are going home today, be on the lookout!  Find them attached below as well, along with a list of groups to find out which days your student is going.  Some students have chosen to go with a different research group; they should know who they are and are also listed on the above lists.  Feel free to call the office if you have questions.

We provide all of the ski gear needed, but please watch the weather and make sure your student is dressed appropriately; layers are good! 

Calling Volunteers for XC Skiing & Garden Help

Spring is getting closer which means beautiful sunny ski days at Virginia Meissner and lots of time in the garden. If you are looking for ways to connect with our community please sign up here

Choice Options Lottery is Open for Kindergarten

The Choice Options Lottery is open for Kindergarten until March 22, 2024.  Visit this link for more information. If you know of any families that would be a good fit, send them our way! We will be hosting tours and info sessions on March 13th @ 1:30pm and March 14th @ 5:15pm. 

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

New This Year: 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 2024-2025 school year is open.

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

Sign up for March Care & Clubs

Please visit www.friendsofwestside.com to sign up for March Before & After Care and/or Session 5 Clubs!  Session 5 Clubs begin March 18th.

Spring Break Camp March 25th-29th

There is NO SCHOOL March 25-29 for Spring Break.  Friends of Westside Village offers a Spring Break camp at Westside Village for these non-school days.  You can sign up for the week or for individual days.  Visit Bend Parks and Rec to sign up!  Westside Village Camp is Activity #106510.

Friendship Day Fun!

Please Check Lost and Found!!

We will be donating any unclaimed Lost & Found items over Spring Break. We would much rather you get them back! Please come reunite yourselves with your family’s items!

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Naglieri Test

Every year, the Bend La Pine School District administers the Naglieri Test to all 2nd grade students as well as 3rd – 5th grade students new to the district. The Naglieri Nonverbal Test of Ability is a brief, nonverbal measure of general ability. We will be testing our students before Spring Break.

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Feb 27 @ 7 Peaks

Pre-VRB Raffle:  Win 4 Hoodoo Lift Tickets!

We are raffling off 4 Lift Tickets to Hoodoo Ski Area (for the current, 2023-24 season)! Raffle tickets are $2 each and can be purchased in the office with cash, check or card. You can use PayPal, but it must be done in the office in order to receive your raffle ticket.

The drawing will be next Friday, March 1st; tickets will be on sale through Thursday, February 29th at 4:00pm.

This is all to promote our upcoming fundraising event, Village, Rhythm & Bingo (VRB) on Thursday, April 25th! Mark your calendars and invite your friends, family, and neighbors! The event will be at the Unitarian Church from 5:30-8:30pm. We will have lots of great raffles, dinner, drinks, and of course, Bingo!! The event is for adults, but included in your ticket is babysitting (and fun!) at Westside Village for the kids by our staff and students!

Stay tuned for more information coming out about VRB. Make sure to get your raffle tickets and help support Friends of Westside Village!

Calling All Volunteers!

Calling all volunteers for skiing adventures and our garden! Spring is getting closer, which means beautiful sunny ski days at Virginia Meissner and lots of time in the garden. If you are looking for ways to connect with our community, please sign up here.

Sign up for March Before & After Care

Please visit www.friendsofwestside.com to sign up for March Before & After Care.  Session 5 Clubs begin March 18th (not available yet).

Winter Adventures (Cross Country Skiing)

We will begin our Cross Country ski trips to Virginia Meissner in March! We like to get all of our students out on skis at least once, but hopefully more than that! We will be going on March 12, 14, 15, 18, 19 & 22. Not all kids will go all of those days; groups will be determined soon and permission slips will go home.

Spring Break Camp March 25th-29th

There is NO SCHOOL March 25-29 for Spring Break.  Friends of Westside Village offers a Spring Break camp at Westside Village for these non-school days.  You can sign up for the week or for individual days.  Visit Bend Parks and Rec to sign up!  Westside Village Camp is Activity #106510.

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Girls Basketball (all games @ 5pm)
Feb 21 @ Cascade Middle School
Feb 27 @ 7 Peaks

3rd Six Weeks Celebration, Thursday Feb 22nd

Join us Thursday, February 22nd from 4:00pm-6:00pm for our 3rd Six Week Celebration. Catch up with staff, families, enjoy a snack and a performance!  We hope to see you there!

8th Grade Fly Up Day

On Monday February 26th, our 8th grade students will have the opportunity to visit their forecasted high school to participate in a Career and Technical Education Fly-Up Day. The goal of this day is to get students into their high school to learn about the many options they will have next year. Busses will leave at 9:30 and return at 12:30.

Permissions slips are going home tomorrow and can be found here.

Save the Date! Village Rhythm and Bingo is April 25th

Thursday, April 25th will be our annual FUNraiser at the Unitarian Church, 5:30-8:30! Let’s play bingo, win cool raffles and connect to our Vibrant Community! More info to come.

Friends of WVMS Board Position Open

Have any interest in volunteering on our wonderful Friends Board?  Friends of Westside Village is looking for a Co-Treasurer. If you are interested, please let us know.  Bonus points if you have accounting experience!

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Friendship Day Activities

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, Wednesday, February 14th

-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 50 for each upstairs community, 40 for Centers, and 80 for Elders), write quotes to put in bags, pencils, erasers, (preferably something that is not single use plastic).

Centers & Elders Ice Skating Thursday, February 15th

Centers and Elders will be Ice Skating on Thursday, Feb 15th to celebrate friendship!  Permission slips are going home this week, or find it attached here.  The cost is $5 per student.  We will have an early lunch and walk to the Pavilion, leaving school around 12:30/12:45.  We will arrive back at school around 3:15/3:30.  Please make sure your student knows their shoe size or write it on their hand so that skate fitting will go smoothly and quickly and we can get more skating in!

Youngers & Olders Ice Skating Tuesday, February 20th

Youngers and Olders will be Ice Skating on Tuesday, Feb 20th to celebrate friendship!  Permission slips are going home this week, or find it attached here.  The cost is $5 per student.  We will have an early lunch and walk to the Pavilion, leaving school around 12:30/12:45.  We will arrive back at school around 3:15/3:30.  Please make sure your student knows their shoe size or write it on their hand so that skate fitting will go smoothly and quickly and we can get more skating in!

BTA Madness Middle School Basketball Tournament, Registration Ends 2/14

Registration ends tomorrow, February 14th. Don’t forget to sign up if you are interested!

Elder Dance, Friday Feb 16th

February 16th, from 4-6 pm, is the Elder Friendship Dance. The theme is “A Night in Paris.” This is a social for our middle school students only. There will be music, a dance party, snacks, games and lots of fun! Ms. Alice, Ms. J. and Ms. Lovely are chaperoning the event. Elders are allowed to invite a guest that does not attend Westside Village. We are asking for $3 from Westside Village students and $5 if there is a guest from another school. Elders are also invited to bring a snack or treat to share.

Elders are invited to “dress up” or come in as they are in casual clothes. We have been reminding them that this is celebrating friendship and we are not asking each other to go as “dates.”

NO SCHOOL Monday, Feb 19th

3rd Six Week Celebration, Thursday Feb 22nd

Join us Thursday, February 22nd from 4:00pm-6:00pm for our 3rd Six Week Celebration. Catch up with staff and families, enjoy a snack and a quick performance.

Friends of WVMS Board Position Open

Have any interest in volunteering on our wonderful Friends Board?  Friends of Westside Village is looking for a Co-Treasurer. If you are interested, please let us know.  Bonus points if you have accounting experience!

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Schedule Your Winter Conference

It’s time to sign up for Winter Conferences! Conferences will be Feb 6th – Feb 13th. We have availability before, during and after school- call the office at 541-355-2000 to schedule a time. These are student-led conferences, so students should attend. Please remember to bring your ID to sign in if you are scheduled for a time during the school day.

Session 4 Clubs Begin Feb 5th- Sign Up with our New Website!

We are SO excited to share with you our brand new website through which club, care and camp sign-ups will happen. Please visit www.friendsofwestside.com to sign up for session 4- it’s not too late!

Friends of WVMS Board Position Open

Have any interest in volunteering on our wonderful Friends Board?  Friends of Westside Village is looking for a Co-Treasurer. If you are interested, please call the office to let us know.  Bonus points if you have accounting experience!

Save the Date! Village Rhythm & Bingo is April 25th

Thursday, April 25th will be our annual FUNraiser at the Unitarian Church, 5:30-8:30! Let’s play bingo, win cool raffles and connect to our Vibrant Community! More info to come.

Friendship Day Activities

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, Wednesday, February 14th

-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 50 for each upstairs community, 40 for Centers, and 80 for Elders), write quotes to put in bags, pencils, erasers, (preferably something that is not single use plastic).

Centers & Elders Ice Skating Thursday, February 15th

Centers and Elders will be Ice Skating on Thursday, Feb 15th to celebrate friendship!  Permission slips are going home this week, or find it attached here.  The cost is $5 per student (can be paid with cash, check or card in the office or with this PayPal Link).  We will have an early lunch and walk to the Pavilion, leaving school around 12:30/12:45.  We will arrive back at school around 3:15/3:30.  Please make sure your student knows their shoe size or write it on their hand so that skate fitting will go smoothly and quickly and we can get more skating in!

Youngers & Olders Ice Skating Tuesday, February 20th

Youngers and Olders will be Ice Skating on Tuesday, Feb 20th to celebrate friendship!  Permission slips are going home this week, or find it attached here.  The cost is $5 per student (can be paid with cash, check or card in the office or with this PayPal Link). We will have an early lunch and walk to the Pavilion, leaving school around 12:30/12:45.  We will arrive back at school around 3:15/3:30.  Please make sure your student knows their shoe size or write it on their hand so that skate fitting will go smoothly and quickly and we can get more skating in!

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Naglieri Test

Every year, the Bend La Pine School District administers the Naglieri Test to all 2nd grade students as well as 3rd – 5th grade students new to the district. The Naglieri Nonverbal Test of Ability is a brief, nonverbal measure of general ability. We will be testing our students this Spring.

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

NO SCHOOL Friday, Feb 2nd

Friday, February 2nd is a NO SCHOOL day for all Bend-La Pine students. February 1st is the last day of the first semester and February 2nd is a Teacher Work Day for teachers to input grades. We’ll see you back on Monday, February 5th.

Schedule Your Winter Conference

It’s time to sign up for Winter Conferences! Conferences will be Feb 6th – Feb 13th. We have availability before, during and after school- call the office at 541-355-2000 to schedule a time. These are student-led conferences, so students should attend. Please remember to bring your ID to sign in if you are scheduled for a time during the school day.

Session 4 Clubs Begin Feb 5th- Sign Up with our New Website!

We are SO excited to share with you our brand new website through which club, care and camp sign-ups will happen. Please visit www.friendsofwestside.com to sign up for session 4!

Friends of WVMS Board Position Open

Have any interest in volunteering on our wonderful Friends Board?  Friends of Westside Village is looking for a Co-Treasurer. If you are interested, please call the office to let us know.  Bonus points if you have accounting experience!

Donation Request- Board Games

Friends of Westside Village is looking for COMPLETE age-appropriate board games in GOOD SHAPE for art camp week. Please leave your donations in the office with Ms. Marcie or Ms. Felicia. Thank you!

Youth Truth Survey – Please Do This!

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, February 2nd: ytsurvey.org/bendfamily24. For more info: Youth Truth Family Survey Letter.

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

Westside Village Playground

We are thankful to have a really fun playground at Westside Village! We aspire for all of our students to have a safe & fun time on the playground. Please remind your student to get help from a staff member if they ever have a problem while out on the playground.

WVMS Girl Scout Troop #69001 Cookie Sales

If you love Girl Scout cookies, WVMS’s troop of 3rd grade Brownies would love to hook you up! Please use this link (Girl Scout Order Card | Girl Scouts) to order by February 4th. The Girl Scouts will deliver your cookies to you at school or home around February 20-23.

2023-24 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 23-24
OSAS Annual Notice and Opt-Out Form español 23-24

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

Naglieri Test

Every year, the Bend La Pine School District administers the Naglieri Test to all 2nd grade students as well as 3rd – 5th grade students new to the district. The Naglieri Nonverbal Test of Ability is a brief, nonverbal measure of general ability. We will be testing our students this Spring.

Hello Westside Village Families!
Here are a few things to look out for this week:

Parent Meeting: Join the VRB Committee!

We’re ready to start talking about Village Rhythm and Bingo (VRB), Friends of Westside Village’s annual fundraising event! We invite any families interested in becoming a part of our VRB Committee to attend one of two meetings this Wednesday, January 10th. Both will be in the library, 8:00am and 4:40pm. Attend the one that works for you!

Free Breakfast and Lunch Starting January 2nd

Very exciting news! Westside Village has qualified to be a CEP (Community Eligibility Provision) school which means that ALL of our students will get free lunch and breakfast starting January 2! Our eligibility in this program will last for 4 years. You can learn more about what it means to be a CEP school here.

Please note that students that would like a 2nd lunch or 2nd milk, etc, must pay for those items. Please make sure your student has money in their account to cover these items. If they do not have money available to cover it, they will not be allowed to receive those items. Thank you for your understanding.

Friendly Reminder About Pickup

The end of the school day at Westside Village is an important time for fitness and community. Therefore, we ask that between 3:00 and 3:35, students not be picked up from school unless there is an emergency.  If your student leaves early for a regular sports practice or activity, please arrange to pick them up at or before 3:00. This will decrease the burden on our staff at the end of the day. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Choice Options Lottery is Open

The Choice Options Lottery opened on January 2nd.  Visit this link for more information. If you know of any families that would be a good fit, send them our way! We will be hosting tours and info nights in January and March. Dates and times will be posted here as well as on our school website.

Remember that all incoming siblings of Westside students MUST complete an application.  Current Westside Village students do not need to re-apply. New This Year: 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 2024-2025 school year opened on January 2.

In other words: Parents should enroll in their boundary school for 2024-2025. Once that enrollment has been processed, then they will be able to apply for the lottery through Parent Vue.

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

NO SCHOOL Jan 15th: Join our Day of Service 10am-12pm

There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 15th! We will be honoring MLK at Westside Village with a Day of Service. Our agenda for the day is weather dependent. We will either be inside the school or out in the garden. Please join us from 10am-12pm.

There is Still Room in Session 3 Clubs

Session 3 Clubs are open- sign up here! Pokemon and Drumming are full, but we have room in all other clubs. Please also sign your student up for January Before/After Care if you need it (use same link)!