Back to School Letter
August 14, 2024
Dear Middle School West Families,
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year at STMA Middle School West! On behalf of the entire staff, we are excited to welcome you to the upcoming school year! We look forward to meeting and supporting every student and family new to our school as well as welcome back our returning students. Please review the following information to prepare for a successful start to a great year at STMA Middle School West.
Student Schedules
Student schedules will be available via StudentVUE and ParentVUE on Wednesday, August 21st. Please review your child’s schedule and reach out if you have any questions or concerns about the assigned courses. Student passwords for StudentVUE are available in ParentVUE. You should contact your child’s school counselor with any questions.
Middle School West School Counselors
Mrs. Lauren Keyes- Last Names A-L laurenkey@mystma.org
Mrs. Melanie Chapman- Last Names M-Z melaniec@mystma.org
Open House Information
We are looking forward to meeting students and families during two scheduled Open House opportunities on Tuesday, August 27th.
5th/6th Grade students and families- 4:00-6:00 pm
7th/8th Grade students and families- 6:00-8:00 pm
Music Registration
5th & 6th Grade students
Come meet our band/choir department
it's never too late to register to be a part of our music family.
Grade Level meetings will be held in the Auditorium during Open House
4:15 - 5th grade meeting
5:00 - 6th grade meeting
5:45 - 5th grade meeting
Please contact your students counselor to add band and or choir to your students schedule.
School Pictures
Students are required to get a school photo taken for student ID’s and our yearbook. Pictures will be taken during the scheduled Open House. Please be sure to stop by for a photo before you leave. For those unable to attend Open House, pictures will also be available to be taken on our retake day, Tuesday, October 1st. Pictures are also available for purchase through Zahler Photography and can be accessed HERE or online by going to: www.z-schools.com and using code: WEST2425
WEB Information-5th Grade Students
5th Grade students are encouraged to participate in our 5th Grade WEB Orientation on Monday, August 26th from 8:30am-12:00pm. If your student is riding the bus, they should be at their scheduled bus stop a few minutes earlier than the regularly scheduled pick up time, as with no 6th, 7th and 8th grade students on the bus, the route will be completed a little faster than a typical school day. The bus will take them to and from WEB Orientation. Parents will be able to find the bus pick-up time by going to their STMA ParentVue account and clicking on the Student Info tab. Parents who are dropping their student(s) off, please use Door O (back of the building - labeled Student Entrance) and have them at MSW by 8:15 a.m. With the 5-8th Grade Open House Events being the next day (Tuesday the 27th), students are reminded to leave backpacks and school supplies home.
Student Ambassadors Welcome New Students
Grades 6th-8th
New Student Orientation is for all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who are NEW to STMA Middle School West. You will have the opportunity to meet other MSW students, take a tour of the building, meet some of the MSW staff, and learn more about STMA Middle School West. There will also be time for you to ask questions or voice concerns you may have. The orientation will begin at 1:00pm and end at 3:00pm.
Daily Schedule/Building Hours
School Hours: 8:25am-3:00pm
Doors open at 7:55am
Click HERE for our Daily Schedule of classes for each grade level.
Supply List
Supply lists are available on our school website(www.stma.k12.mn.us) or click HERE to access the 2024-25 supply list for STMA Middle School West.
Bus Information
Transportation Information was made available in ParentVUE the week of August 5th. All transportation changes for new and existing families must be submitted to Vision STMA by Thursday, August 15th to be in effect for the first day of school. All changes received after this date will start on Monday, September 16th and parents must drive their students to school. You will be notified by an automated message when the bus stop location and time information is available in the ParentVUE parent portal system. A change form is available within ParentVUE if the information is incorrect.
Student Drop Off/Pick Up
Click HERE for information regarding the drop off and pick up process for students before and after school.
ParentVUE Online Parent Portal Information
ParentVUE is a vital communication tool regarding the communication of student progress and it is imperative that you become a regular user of this tool. Parents are responsible for keeping family and contact information up-to-date in ParentVUE. Please review your personal data and edit your email, phone numbers, and emergency contacts directly in ParentVUE. See the STMA website for more information.
Communication
STMA Middle School West uses different platforms to communicate with our families. Please utilize our newsletter for current information regarding school programming and student/family resources. We also use emails, texts, phone calls, and our school website. It is crucial that family information is current and updated in ParentVUE to ensure you are receiving all necessary information.
Health Information
Please be sure to share all necessary medical information and/or medications necessary to support your child throughout the school year with our school nurse, Mrs. Andrea Mischke, or our Health Assistant, Mrs. Niki Waldoch-Hunter. They look forward to supporting your child during each day at our school.
Attendance
It is important for all students to make every effort to attend school each day. From keeping up with learning in the many classes they attend each day to forming and maintaining relationships with peers and staff, it is important to make attending school a priority. We are focused on social development in addition to the academic success of students. Thank you for making every effort to have your child in attendance outside of unforeseen circumstances. We appreciate your support in helping get middle school students to school each day!
Activities
With an exceptional variety of opportunities, students at Middle School West can try new things, grow their skills, and aim for excellence in whatever they choose. Students in Grades 7 and 8 are eligible to participate on our middle school sports teams. For fall sports, football and cross country start on Monday, August 26th. Volleyball, girls tennis, girls swim and dive, and boys and girls soccer start on Tuesday, September 3rd. It is not too late to register. Click HERE to access the Athletic and Activities page for our school for info on sports and registration. .
Handbook
For more information about our school policies and procedures, click HERE to see the MSW Student Handbook. This is also located on the MSW School Website. Please consider reviewing the expected behaviors, dress code, and attendance expectations to allow for a successful school year.
Important Dates
August 21st- Student Schedules available in StudentVUE and ParentVUE
August 26th- WEB Orientation for incoming 5th Grade Students
August 27th- Open House 5th/6th grade at 4pm 7th/8th at 6pm
August 27th- School Pictures (during Open House)
August 29th- New Student Orientation for new 6th-8th grade students
September 3rd- First day of school for all middle school students
If you have any questions, or your child needs any additional support in transitioning to our school, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our teachers, school counselors, support staff, WEB leaders, and administrators look forward to meeting new students and families and supporting them throughout their middle school years. Enjoy the rest of summer and we welcome you to STMA Middle School West soon.
Sincerely,
Andy Merfeld
Principal Assistant Principal Dean/Activities Director
763-497-4524 ext. 4553