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Phone: 720-554-5180
Fax: 720-554-5181
Attendance: 720-554-5110

5151 South Holly Street
Greenwood Village, CO 80121
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September 2011

Dear Parents,

The 2011-12 school year is well underway.  I hope and trust that your year is going well so far.  This year we welcomed 400 new sixth grade students as we moved nearly 400 ninth graders to Cherry Creek High School.  We truly appreciate your support and ongoing involvement in your child's education here at West.  Comments I hear regularly focus on the vast differences between the middle school environment and the elementary schools that both students and parents have grown used to over the past six years.  I thought I would take a few moments to explain and reinforce some of our structures and procedures here at West to help you, as parents, navigate the middle school landscape more smoothly and successfully.

  • Communicate with your student(s).  Even for issues as simple as what days your child might stay after school for academic help, participation in a club, or when/where they have a sporting event - stay involved and keep in touch.  We are happy to help your student when needed but we also work to foster independence with our students as they develop the adult skills of time and schedule management.
  • If you have questions, just ask!  Middle school is full of transitions, and sometimes navigating the system is very different than what you were used to at your elementary school.  If you have questions or needs, please let us know what they are, and we'll see what we can do to help!
  • Office Hours:  The school is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • School hours:  Doors open at 7:45 a.m. for students (7:35 a.m. for breakfast).  School ends at 3:00 p.m.  Regular buses depart at 3:07 p.m. and late buses leave at 4:10 p.m.  Your student is required to be involved in a scheduled school activity in order to stay after school and ride the late bus.  They will not be allowed on the bus if they are not participating in an activity or if they have left school grounds.  If your student is not riding the bus, please ensure that they are picked up no later than 4:15 p.m.
  • Drop-offs/Pick-ups:  Getting 1125 students into the building each morning and home again each after noon is no small task, and student safety is our top priority!  We need your help to keep traffic flowing smoothly!  Don't leave vehicles unattended in our traffic loops.  Do not use parking spaces along the curb in the traffic loops between 7:00-8:00 a.m. or 2:00-3:30 p.m.  Always pull forward to the next stopped vehicle and move forward as other vehicles depart the lot.  Please avoid "swooping" around other cars into vacant spots.  Pull as close to the curb as possible.  Double parking/loading is never allowed.  And, finally, never let your student jump in or out of your vehicle along Belleview, Holly, or even along our lower driveway.
  • When you visit West:  Please be prepared to show your driver's license or other valid photo ID.  At the security desk, we will ask you to sign in as a visitor and ask a few questions about your visit.  This way, we can ensure that our staff members are available for your appointments.  We ask that you do not go to your child's locker or enter student hallways unless required by your scheduled appointment.
  • Lunch periods:  Parents are welcome to visit the lunchroom during their students' lunch period any day after signing in at the security desk.  8th - 11:10 a.m. to 11:40 a.m., 7th - 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., 6th - 12:48 p.m. to 1:18 p.m.
  • Early sign-out:  If you need to pick up your child during the school day, please plan for up to ten extra minutes as we have to send a member of our security team to deliver a pass to your student.  Your student will probably need to visit his/her locker before leaving which can also take a few additional moments.  Also, the last 20 minutes before school is dismissed are very busy for our security and front office team so, unless it is an emergency, please refrain from early sign-out during this timeframe.
  • If you have a delivery:  We make every effort to minimize interruptions to classes, so we will hold all items delivered for students at the attendance desk.  Students pick up these items when they see their name on a message board in the main hallway.  Please remind your student(s) to check the board.
  • Academic progress:  We encourage you to frequently check your child's progress in her/his classes on PowerSchool and communicate with your child's teachers via phone or email if you have questions or need additional support.  If your child is absent, check the teacher COLE sites (Cooperative Online Learning Environment) for assignments and resources.
We truly value the strong partnerships we share in our school community and look forward to working collaboratively with you to make it a great year.

Warmest Regards,
David Strohfus
Principal, West Middle School
Copyright © Cherry Creek School District #5, 4700 S. Yosemite Street, Greenwood Village, CO 80111 | 303-773-1184
Cherry Creek School District No. 5 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability in admission to its programs, services or activities, in access to them, in treatment of individuals, or in any aspect of their operations. The lack of English language skills shall not be a barrier to admission or participation in the district’s activities and programs. The Cherry Creek School District No. 5 also does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices. This notice is provided as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Questions, complaints, or requests for additional information regarding these laws may be forwarded to the designated compliance officer: District Compliance Officer or directly to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VIII, Federal Office Building 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite #310, Denver, CO 80204.