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Phone Messages from Dr. Muttillo

June 7, 2010 Message to Parents of 8th Graders - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This message is for 8 th grade families.  As we prepare to celebrate our 8 th grade students this week, I wanted to inform you about some important dates, times, and procedures. 

The 8 th grade Promotion Ceremony will take place this Wednesday, June 9 th in the gym from 8:30 to approximately 9:30.  Only students who receive awards will be called up to the stage.  All students will not be called up to the stage, as this is not a high school graduation.  However, when students enter the gym, they will find a certificate of completion for their 2009-2010 8 th grade year as we want recognize all of our 8 th graders. We will have punch and cookies available immediately following the ceremony. 

Students should dress formally for this ceremony.  Gentleman must wear pants, (no jeans), nice shoes (no sneakers), and a button down shirt with tie.  Ladies should also dress formally and avoid jeans and sneakers.  Students failing to follow this dress code will be unable to sit with the remainder of the 8 th graders.  Students who do not think they own clothes that will meet this dress code should see Stacy Symes in the media center if they have not already.  We do have some extra dress clothes that students can use. 

Upon completion of the ceremony and brief reception, we will continue with your regular schedule and 2:00 dismissal since this is a Wednesday.  If you would like to check your child out of school at the end of the ceremony, we will have two staff members posted on the way to both parking lots.  Please officially sign your child out so we have a record of who is leaving campus.  If another parent will check your child out of school early, please write a note giving us permission to release your child.  The note should include your child's name. your name and signature, a phone number where you can be reached during the day if necessary, and the name of the parent who will check your child out of school.  Students will not be allowed to leave campus early without being signed out by their parent or another parent with your permission.  If students leave campus and return later in the day, they must be signed back in by a parent.

Thursday, June 10 th is the last scheduled day for students.  Historically, many 8 th grade families have chosen not to send their students on the last day.  That is your decision to make, of course. 

Thank you and hopefully we'll see you on Wednesday.


June 7, 2010 Message to Parents of 6th and 7th Graders - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This message is for 6 th and 7 th grade families.  Thursday, June 10 th is the last school day for students.  We will have our 6 th grade Awards Day from 8:30 to 9:30 and our 7 th grade Awards Day from 10:00-11:00.  The ceremonies will be held in the gym, and you are invited to attend.  The regularly scheduled school day will resume after the completion of each ceremony.  Historically, many parents have made the decision to sign their child out of school upon the completion of these ceremonies.  If you choose to do this, we will have members of the office staff available outside the gym, so you can sign your child out.  Parents may only sign their own child out of school unless we have a note from a parent stating that their child may ride home with another parent.  Students may not leave campus without a parent signing them out.  In order for students to return to campus, they must be signed back in by a parent. 

Thank you and hopefully we'll see you on Thursday.

8th Grade Dance Phone Message 6-3-10 - This is A.J. Muttillo, principal of West Millbrook Middle School with a message for 8 th grade parents. We will host the 8 th grade dance for eligible students this Friday evening from 6:30-9:30. As an extra bonus for students attending, a volunteer will take candid shots of students as they are enjoying their evening. These pictures will be available free of charge after the 8 th grade Awards Assembly. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who are setting up and decorating for this exciting event. Please use the regular carpool lane and have your child picked up by 9:45. Thank you.

May 16, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

I want to congratulate all students on their attendance and focused efforts during the EOG tests this past week.  We were able to relax and celebrate a little on Friday afternoon with an ice social on the field, sponsored by the PTA cultural arts committee.  Please help us remind the students that this was not the beginning of summer, but just a well-deserved break after three days of stressful testing.  School is still in session with the same academic and behavioral expectations we have had all year. Students will receive their EOG scores the afternoon of Monday, May 24 th . 

If you were one of our volunteers this year, please join us for a light brunch in the Media Center this Friday morning, May 21, at 9:30. Enjoy treats set-up and served by our Family and Consumer Science students, and allow us to say thank you for helping us make WMMS a wonderful place to learn and grow this year! Please RSVP to Lynn Midthun at lmidthun@wcpss.net by Wednesday morning so that our students can prepare properly.

The deadline to return the athletic banquet reservation form is this Friday, May 21 st .    The dinner will be held on Wednesday, May 26 th at 5:30.  Extra forms are available through our athletic department or via the website.

Your 8th Grade Dance committee greatly appreciates your donations of clothing and accessories for our upcoming 8 th grade events. We are in very short demand for dresses for our young ladies. If you could please look around your house this weekend for “appropriate” Summer Dresses, no strapless or prom length please, and send them to Stacy in the Media Center, we would greatly appreciate it.  If you have any specific questions please contact Dawn Clark @ 844-0415.

May 9, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Although there are few events taking place next week, there is one important one—the EOG tests. EOG testing will take place Tuesday through Thursday of next week. Thank you to everyone who heard and responded to our desperate pleas for proctors. We will be able to meet the requirement of a proctor in every room, thanks to your efforts. Please encourage your students to relax, get plenty of sleep, but otherwise maintain their normal routines next week. If you typically drive through morning carpool near 8:00 or later, please consider bringing your child a few minutes earlier so that we can start testing right at 8:05. The buses have been arriving early, so we hope they will continue to do so next week.

Happy Mothers’ Day.

May 2, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This is the last week before EOG tests begin. As a reminder, there is a link on our website with helpful EOG practice problems and test-taking strategies. This is a great resource for parents who want to help their students get a little more practice and confidence heading into next week.

Interim Reports will be distributed to students in all classes by this Friday, May 7th.

Thanks to those of you who have volunteered to proctor during our EOG testing. With six school days to go, we are becoming somewhat desperate to fill our remaining spots, as the state requires that we have one proctor in every testing setting. We currently need:

TEN volunteers for Tuesday, 5/11
SEVEN volunteers for Wednesday, 5/12
EIGHT volunteers for Thursday, 5/13


If you, or other adult family members (over 18) are available to assist on one or more of these days, please let Diane Walters know at dwalters@wcpss.net. Additional information is located on our homepage.

On Wednesday, April 28th, your child received a letter giving the school permission for your child to take Retest 1 should he/she receive a Level 1 on the EOGs given in May, 2010. Should your child receive a Level 2 score, he/she will automatically be retested. However, the State Board of Education has mandated that no child scoring a Level 1 be retested without a parental request.

It is important to keep in mind that EOG scores are only one piece of information used to make promotion/retention decisions. Statistically, it is very difficult for students to score a Level 3 on a retest if they scored a Level 1 on the first administration. Before putting your child through the stress of another testing session, please read the letter carefully and consider all information.

If you want your child retested should he/she score a Level 1, cut off the lower half of the letter, complete the information, sign and return to your child's E&R teacher no later than tomorrow Monday, May 3, 2010. Please contact Dr. Muttillo if you have any questions.

Monday, May 3: (3:45) Home baseball game v. Wendell
Tuesday, May 4: Spring Fling (6:30) Spanish Celebration in Media Center; (7:00) Concert in Gym
Wednesday, May 5: Home baseball game v. Ravenscroft
Thursday, May 6:
Friday, May 7:

April 25, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School , with your weekly message.

We have 11 days before the start of End-of-Grade tests. It is important to remember that teachers and students have been preparing for these tests all year long and are currently reviewing curriculum that has been taught all year. If you would like to help review at home and improve your child's confidence about these important tests, I have included an internet link with practice problems and other resources. Remember though, the point of extra review is not to create more stress. We want students to gain confidence that they are prepared and ask questions of the material they still don't understand as thoroughly as they would like. The link is: http://www.wcpss.net/curriculum-instruction/make_the_grade/ . I hope to have this link as well as a presentation on test taking tips posted to our website within the week.

We currently need 84 parent (or other non West Millbrook staff member) volunteers to meet the state requirement of a proctor in every testing setting.  This equates to 28 proctors for each day of testing.  We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members who are at least 18 years old.  Proctors will be needed by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30.  If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 7:55 on days two and three. EOGs are earlier this year than normal, so we hope to hear from many of you soon.    Please e-mail Diane Walters at dwalters@ncteacher.org , to sign up for a day or more, or to ask questions.

  • Monday, April 26: (3:45) Home Softball v. East Millbrook
  • Tuesday, April 27:
  • Wednesday, April 28
  • Thursday, April 29: Home Softball Play-offs with opponent to be determined
  • Friday, April 30:

April 18, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Several neighborhoods were recently reassigned from West Millbrook Middle School to another school.  You should receive a letter from the office of Growth and Planning indicating this reassignment.  If you are eligible, this letter will also explain the on-line process for grandfathering back to West Millbrook.  If you are interested in grandfathering back to us, please follow the instructions on the letter.  The window will only be open this week, April 19 th through April 25 th .  Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions. 

EOGs are around the corner and we need your help!  We currently need 84 parent (or other non West Millbrook staff member) volunteers to meet the state requirement of a proctor in every testing setting.  This equates to 28 proctors for each day of testing.  We welcome you, your child's grandparents, or other family members who are at least 18 years old.  Proctors will be needed by 7:45 on their first day of proctoring for a brief training, and are generally finished by 11:30.  If you are able to proctor more than one day, check in and placement is 7:55 on days two and three. EOGs are earlier this year than normal, so we hope to hear from many of you soon.    Please e-mail Diane Walters at dwalters@ncteacher.org , to sign up for a day or more, or to ask questions.

  • Monday, April 19: (3:30) School Improvement Meeting (3:45) Home Baseball game v. Heritage
  • Tuesday, April 20: (3:45) Home Soccer game v. Leesville
  • Wednesday, April 21: 12:30 Early Release and Career Day during the school day
  • Thursday, April 22:
  • Friday, April 23:

April 11, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School , with your weekly message.

Third quarter report cards were distributed on Friday. I want to congratulate all students on their hard work during the third quarter and remind every student that we only have only four weeks before the End-of-Grade tests and eight weeks before the end of the school year. Please help us encourage your child to finish the school year with their best effort and performance. Our all “A” Honor Roll breakfast will be held this Friday morning in the cafeteria from 8:30-9:15. Students should report to their first periods. Teachers will dismiss students to go to the cafeteria at 8:25.

Our next family night out is Wednesday, April 14 th from 4:00-9:00pm at Moe's Southwest Grill located at Falls Village Shopping Center at 6679 Falls of Neuse Rd. Moe's does require that you bring your West Millbrook School Flyer in order for our PTA to get credit for the sales that evening. A copy of the flyer is in this issue of your Wildcat Weekly, in the front office and on our website. Our “no-fuss” fundraising efforts from Family Night's out have earned our PTA over $650 this school year. So take the night off from cooking, come out and treat yourself to great dinner of tacos, burritos and much more! Support your PTA…spend the evening with family, friends and faculty from our school. Spread the word…we'll see you there!

April is “Send a Friend” to camp month through your WMMS Outreach Team and Pampered Chef.  All month you will have the opportunity to place an order through Pampered Chef, for superior quality kitchen products. For each order placed, Pampered Chef is donating 15% off all proceeds to the WMMS Outreach Team in the hopes of sending as many WMMS students as possible to Summer Camps. In addition, for each product ordered, your name will be placed in a drawing to win a basket of Pampered Chef items valued at over $150.

To place an order, visit our WMMS homepage and follow the link.  Your child will be bringing home literature following our Healthful Living Presentation. We thank you for your generous support.

Sanderson will host a parent technology night to show parents the new math technology in the classrooms.  It will be on April 14 @ 6:30 in Sanderson's auditorium. Rising 9 th graders who will attend Sanderson are invited to attend.

Heritage High School administration will hold an information session in their Media Center on April 12th at 6 PM for students and parents recently reassigned to HHS (if you missed their Open House, you are welcome to attend as well).

Monday, April 12: Home Baseball game v. Wake Forest Rolesville

Tuesday, April 13:

Wednesday, April 14: Home soccer game v. Durant

Thursday, April 15: Home softball game v. Wakefield

Friday, April 16:

March 21, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message. A copy of this message will be posted on our school’s website.

This will be the last parent phone message until after spring break. The next phone message will occur on Sunday, April 11th.

We are still missing several hundred 6th and 7th grade Race/Ethnicity surveys where families have been asked to re-identify their child’s race/ethnicity. Students who have not returned the surveys will receive another copy on Monday. Please help us complete this state-mandated task by returning the survey by our deadline of this Wednesday, March 24th.

On Thursday, March 26th, we will hold our 2nd annual Battle of the Rock Bands. We will have 10 student bands battling for top place with a special appearance by our Healthful Living Teachers. Tickers are $3.00 in advance and $4.00 at the door. All proceeds from ticket sales will support our Pennies for Pasta fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma society’s annual campaign.

All grades in all classes appeared to be updated in SPAN as of this week. This is the last required SPAN update before the 3rd quarter ends on Monday, March 29th. If you have any questions regarding grades or missing assignments, please contact the teacher this week.

For 8th grade families, remember that registration for high school courses ends on April 16th. Changes can be made through your child’s SPAN account until they click “finalize.” After courses have been “finalized” changes can be made by contacting our 8th grade counselor, Ms. Hronsky prior to April 16th.


Monday, March 22: (3:45) Baseball game Home v. North Garner
Tuesday, March 23: (3:45) Track meet Home v. Wakefield and WF-Rolesville
Wednesday, March 24: (3:45) Soccer Home v. Zebulon
Thursday, Mach 25: (6:00) Battle of the Rock Bands
Friday, March 26:
Monday, March 29: School in session for a snow make-up day
Tuesday March 30-Monday April 5th: Spring Break with students returning on Tuesday, April 6th.
Monday, April 5th: Optional Teacher Workday

March 17, 2010 - This message is for 8th grade parents. The purpose of this message is to clarify any confusion regarding the high school course registration process.

Students met with the 8th grade counselor, Ms. Hronsky, in the computer lab on Monday and Tuesday to register for their high school courses. Some students finalized their selections and some did not. Through your parent log-in for SPAN, you can now view your child’s course selections. If your child did not finalize his or her selections, you will be able to make changes by having your child log-in to SPAN using his or her log-in and password. This information was given to the students this week. If your child did finalize his or her selections, you can make changes by contacting Ms. Hronsky at dhronsky@wcpss.net or 870-4059. Changes can be made until the final deadline of April 16th. The students who did click finalize, were provided with a print-out of their course selections on it. This was to be reviewed by parents/guardians, and signed and returned through social studies classes by Friday, March 19th.

Again, if changes need to be made after your child has selected finalized, you may contact Ms. Hronsky to make those changes. Ms. Hronsky will work with you over the next couple of weeks to ensure that your child has registered for courses that meet your approval. Thank you.

March 14, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Ms. Kelly and Ms. Longenecker, of Our Parent Education Committee, have arranged for Huntington Learning Center to present a parent education workshop focused on “Reducing Test Anxiety” on Monday, March 15th at 7:00 in the Media Center. Plan to attend and learn strategies how to help your child reduce stress and tension before taking a test.

Are you interested in getting more involved at West Millbrook? John Kinney, Karen Fiorini, and Michelle Vesel are serving as the Nominating Committee for next year's PTA officers. They are looking for people interested in the following PTA Offices: President, President-Elect, Vice President Volunteers, Vice President
Fundraising, Treasurer, and Secretary. If you would like to serve as a PTA officer, or if you would like to suggest someone else for a PTA officer, please contact our PTA President, Anne Rajagopalan @ tel. 855-8284.

SPAN should be current as of last Friday, March 12th.

Monday, March 15:

Tuesday, March 16: (3:45) Home Track Meet v. East Millbrook

Wednesday, March 17: (3:45) Home boys soccer game v. Heritage

Thursday, Mach 18: (12:00) Character Ed. Lunch for Perseverance; (3:45) Home softball game v. East Wake; (3:45) Home baseball game v. Ligon; (6:30) Heritage High School 9th Grade Open House

Friday, March 19:

March 7, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Thank you to all families who came out for a night of school spirit and support at Friday’s March Madness event. Thanks to the work of numerous volunteers, donators, and participants, the evening was a success.

All students received a short form last week where they were given the opportunity to re-identify their race and ethnicity. As parents of 6th or 7th grade students, you were asked to sign that form to re-identify your child’s race and ethnicity or sign the form opting not to re-identify your student’s race and ethnicity. 8th grade students and parents received a form as information only. 8th grade students will be required to re-identify in SPAN when they log on to complete high school course registration. The form that students received included a letter from Dr. Burns directing parents to a Department of Public Instruction website for additional information. Please help your child complete this form and return it to the school as soon as possible.

Ms. Kelly and Ms. Longenecker, of Our Parent Education Committee, have arranged for Huntington Learning Center to present a parent education workshop focused on “Reducing Test Anxiety” on Monday, March 15th at 7:00 in the Media Center. Plan to attend and learn strategies how to help your child reduce stress and tension before taking a test.

February 28, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

March Madness will be held this Friday, March 5th from 3:30-7:00. In anticipation of and preparation for this big event, March Madness admission tickets AND raffle tickets will be on sale during all lunches from Monday through Friday. If you haven’t seen the March Madness packet, please dig through your children’s back packs. You can print off the March Madness flyer and raffle tickets directly from the website or pick them up at the front desk. We look forward to seeing you on Friday night.

For 8th grade families, Leesville and Broughton High Schools will host their open houses this Thursday, March 4th. Leesville will begin at 6:30 and Broughton will begin at 7:30.

Interims should have been distributed in all classes last week. Grades should also be updated in SPAN with the next update occurring on or before March 12th.

February 21, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

The next PTA Family Night out will be held at Cici’s Pizza this Thursday, February 25th from 4:00-9:00. Please bring a WMMS flyer so we receive credit. Flyers will be available in the front office and at Cici’s the night of the event.

Remember that March Madness has been rescheduled for Friday March 5th from 3:30-7:00. More detailed information, including donation opportunities, can be found on our website.

Sanderson High School will host an open house for rising 9th graders this Thursday from 7:00-8:30.

We will host a dance for all eligible students this Friday, February 26th from 5:30-7:00. Tickets will go on sale this week.

Tryouts for Spring Sports are scheduled to begin this Monday. Dress warmly.

3rd Quarter interim reports will be distributed to all students in all classes by this Friday, February 26th. Grades in SPAN will also be updated at that time.

I hope you are enjoying the nice weather this weekend.

February 14, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Please remember that school is in session on Monday as we make-up our first missed day from the snow.

This is an important notice that March Madness has been rescheduled for Friday March 5th (one day later than the previously scheduled date) due to conflicts with high school Open Houses. The time will remain 3:30 to 7:00 pm.

Beginning with lunch on Monday, students will use their Student ID numbers in order to purchase lunch in the cafeteria for the remainder of their time as WCPSS students. Student ID numbers can be found on report cards and SPAN reports. We will also distribute note cards with ID numbers to all students on Monday morning. I have also been told that they upgraded mylunchmoney.com so that any money you deposit in your child’s account will be available immediately.

For Rising 9th Grade Families, Millbrook High School will host their Curriculum Fair this Thursday, February 18th at 6:00 p.m.

3rd Quarter grades in SPAN for all classes should have been updated by last Friday, February 12th.

I hope you are enjoying your Valentine’s Day.

February 7, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message. A copy of this message will be posted on our school’s website.

I would like to thank all students for their donations for Building Back Haiti, this has truly been a student-initiated and student-led fundraiser. It is heartwarming to see our middle school students thinking of others first. We are going to extend the Building Back Haiti fundraiser for Monday and Tuesday. Please congratulate your children for their efforts and remind them that they will have two more days to contribute to Building Back Haiti. One of their dollars (not yours) will buy them a paper brick to add to our cafeteria mural as a visual representation of Building Back Haiti. All money donated will be donated directly to the Haiti relief efforts.

Please send in your Box Tops for education. They are due in by the end of the month! We are having a contest where the winning homeroom will get a pizza party!

Please join us for our Battle of the Brooks Basketball games this Monday evening. The games will begin at 5:00 at Millbrook High School.

All 2nd Quarter A and A/B Honor Roll Students are invited to a celebration in their honor Friday, February 12 during 7th period. Offered will be time to hang out with friends, participate in indoor gym activities and outdoor field activities (weather permitting). A huge “Thank You” goes out to our local YMCA for their collaboration in this event. With a whopping 372 of our students earning Honor Roll status, additional parent supervision would be appreciated. If you are able to help supervise this event (we will need you from 2:00-3:00 this Friday, February 12th), please e-mail Molly Moore at mamoore1@wcpss.net.

The PTA is getting ready for West Millbrook's annual family night called March Madness that will be held March 4th. There will be an organization meeting next Wednesday, 2/10 at 1:00pm in the media center. All parents that would like to find out more about March Madness or would like to volunteer to help with the March Madness event are welcome to come. Contact Jody Gross for more information jodypta@aol.com .

Due to the days missed as a result of our inclement weather, 3rd quarter grades in SPAN may not be updated until Friday, February 12th.

January 24, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This is a reminder that our second semester begins tomorrow, Tuesday, January 26th. This means that students will begin their new semester electives. Please tell your students to report to their first semester homerooms. They will receive their new schedules and then transition to their second semester first period classes. As a result of balancing class sizes and adding an additional reading teacher for the second semester, some schedules have changed. Students will receive their new schedules during first period tomorrow; however, the new classes are posted and viewable in SPAN. Please direct any schedule change questions to your child’s guidance counselor. Remember that with the start of a new quarter comes a fresh start with tardies to class. As of right now, all students have zero unexcused tardies for the third quarter. Please help us minimize tardies be encouraging your students to be on time to classes. If you utilize morning, carpool, please plan to have your students on campus with enough time for them to go to their lockers and report to first period by 8:05. Once a student receives his or her 4th tardy to class, they will be required to serve After-School and Saturday Detentions.

Mark your calendars for our last regular season home basketball games on Thursday, January 28, against Wakefield. The Business Alliance will sponsor our Family Fun Night. The Chick-Fil-A Cow will be there tossing balls to the crowd. One of the balls will give the lucky catcher free Chick-Fil-A breakfast entrees for a year! Five dollars will buy you a Chick-Fil-A sandwich, chips, and a drink in the concession stand. All of the regular concession items will be available for purchase, too. For each meal or sandwich sold, you'll receive a free Chick-fil-A breakfast entree coupon AND a chance to win half-time prizes. Lucky drawing winners may receive gifts donated by Business Alliance members, including movie tickets or a week of summer science camp from Rock It Learning! Proceeds from the concession stand will go to our Positive Behavior Support program. Please bring your whole family for a fun game and dinner at school that night!


Join us for our 2nd annual Battle of the Brooks basketball after school party on February 8. Your $6.00 admission includes popcorn and a drink, a ride to Millbrook High School, admission to the games. Your admission could also include a seat on the South Route activity bus home from Millbrook High School if you arrange this with Ms. Symes prior to the event. Tickets will be sold in the Media Center January 27-February 2nd.
If you are interested in track, there will be an interest meeting for Girls this Wednesday at 7:50 a.m. in the Mat Room and Boys this Thursday at 7:50 a.m. in the Mat Room.
Report Cards will be issued this Friday.

This coming week, we will hold a fund-raiser called “Building Back Haiti.” It’s a school wide fund-raiser for the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti last week. “Building Back Haiti” will take place January 26th- February 2nd in the cafeteria during ALL lunches. For just a dollar students and parents can help the victims in Haiti start to rebuild their lives. Students or parents who donate will be given a brick to put their name on. The bricks will be used to create a mural in the cafeteria that will represent our efforts as a school to help the people of Haiti begin to rebuild their lives. This is an exciting effort as it was the result of an idea from some of our students and the willingness of parents to help. Please help your children remember to bring in their donation this coming week. Thank you for your support.
For Rising 9th graders, Millbrook High School's Magnet Curriculum Fair will be held on February 2nd from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Millbrook High School’s campus. Garner, Enloe and South East Raleigh Magnet High Schools will hold their open houses this week. See our on-line calendar for the days and times.

January 18, 2010 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

The letters regarding the online survey about school calendar options currently used in Wake County Public Schools were sent home to all students last Thursday. As a reminder, the results of this survey will assist the Board in making decisions. They are asking parents of all current WCPSS students to complete this survey. The survey must be completed and submitted by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, January 25th. If you did not receive your letter regarding the survey please contact Elizabeth Smith at eosmith@wcpss.net or by phone at 870-4050.

Attention 8th grade families. Believe it or not, it is time to also begin referring to our 8th graders as “rising 9th graders.” The window for high school course registration is right around the corner. Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 19th we will host an informational meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 in the media center for all rising 9th grade families. We will review registration timelines and provide you with general information regarding the high school registration process. As information becomes available, we will post the events that will be held at specific high schools.
Millbrook High School's Magnet Curriculum Fair will be held on February 2nd from 6:00-7:30pm on Millbrook High School’s campus.

Calendar Events for this Week Include:

January 10, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

The Wake County Board of Education would like to invite you to complete an online survey about the school calendar options currently used in Wake County Public Schools. The results of this survey will assist the Board in making decisions. They are asking parents of all current WCPSS students to complete this survey. The survey must be completed and submitted by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, January 25th. During the upcoming week, West Millbrook will receive personalized letters for each student. As soon as we receive these letters, we will send them home with students. Upon receipt of the letter, please use your child’s NC Wise number (printed on the letter) to log-on to the electronic survey and complete it. It should take 5-10 minutes. If you do not have access to a computer, you can stop by West Millbrook and use one of our computers. You can also request a paper copy of the survey from West Millbrook. The paper survey can be returned to West Millbrook prior to January 25th at noon. I believe it is important for the Board of Education to hear from as many parents as possible, so please take a few minutes to complete this survey. If you do not receive your letter regarding the survey by this Friday, January 15th, please contact Dr. Muttillo. If you have any questions or need assistance, please also contact Dr. Muttillo.

This Wednesday, January 13th, the PTA will host our next Family Night Out. The event will be hosted by Chick-fil-A at Falls Crossing on Falls of Neuse Road. In order for our school to receive credit for your purchases, you must present a flier. Fliers will be handed out in carpool next week and will also be available on-line. The homeroom that brings in the most fliers to Chick-fil-A will receive a free nugget tray, compliments of Chick-fil-A.

SPAN was updated for the last time this quarter on Friday, January 8th. With the end of the quarter only two weeks away, please review SPAN and contact the child’s teachers if you have any questions.

Attention 8th grade families. Believe it or not, it is time to also begin referring to our 8th graders as “rising 9th graders.” The window for high school course registration is right around the corner. On Tuesday, January 19th we will host an informational meeting from 6:30 to 7:30 in the media center for all rising 9th grade families. We will review registration timelines and provide you with general information regarding the high school registration process. As information becomes available, we will post the events that will be held at specific high schools.
Millbrook High School's Magnet Curriculum Fair will be held on February 2nd from 6:00-7:30pm on Millbrook High School’s campus.

Calendar Events for this Week Include:

December 13, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Due to the upcoming winter vacation, the next phone message will be recorded on January 10, 2010.

WMMS is beginning a Book Club for students in grades 6-8. The purpose of the club is to foster a passion to read through bi-monthly meetings and interactive Paideia seminars to further develop students’ comprehension skills. Beginning January 12, 2010, the Book Club will meet every other Tuesday after-school from 3:30-5pm. Please encourage your child if they are interested to sign up January 5-6, in their E&R class. For more information, please feel free to contact Ms. Nay at enay@wcpss.net.

Support our basketball players and cheerleaders as they take on Zebulon Middle School at West Millbrook this Monday beginning with the girls’ game at 3:45.

Please join us in the gym on Tuesday, December 15th at 7:00 p.m. for a Winter Concert performed by our band and strings students. During the day on Wednesday, the students will have the opportunity to hear a version of this concert during 2nd period.

Other calendar events include:

If I don’t see you next week, I hope all of you enjoy spending family time together during a restful and safe winter vacation.

December 6, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

I want to start by thanking everyone for their generous donations during the months of October and November. Parents have donated a total on $931.00 for various purposes such as field trips, classrooms supplies, and band and orchestra equipment. In addition to the monetary donations, parents have also donated many other classroom supplies. This type of generosity goes above and beyond what we have seen in the recent past, so I just wanted to let everyone know how much we appreciate it.

2nd Quarter interim reports will be distributed in all classes by Friday of this week. Please ask your students for these reports.

On Monday during the school day, the Sanderson High School Chorus will perform a winter concert at West Millbrook as part of our cultural arts offerings.

On Thursday, our basketball teams and cheerleaders will kick off the home basketball season with games versus Heritage Middle. Come out and support our teams.

On Friday, West Millbrook and the PTA will honor and appreciate our bus drivers and cafeteria staff with a breakfast in the cafeteria. This week would also be a great time for students to thank their drivers and cafeteria staff for the often underappreciated services they provide.

Our West Millbrook Holiday Marketplace will be open on Saturday December 12th from 10:00 to 4:00 in our cafeteria. You will find a wide variety of vendors at the marketplace with all proceeds going to our WMMS Outreach Program where WMMS Families helps WMMS students!

I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

November 22, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

On Tuesday, December 1st our Holiday Hugs Program begins. You will find many snowflakes on our Front Office Window. Each snowflake represents a child at West Millbrook who could use a little extra holiday cheer. Just come to the main office, take a snowflake off the window, sign out to give a gift to a child, and receive details on what you need to do along with a gift bag and tissue paper for your gift. No gifts will be over $25 and you can always take more than one, or go in together with someone else!

Our West Millbrook Holiday Marketplace will be open on Saturday December 12th from 10:00 to 4:00 in our cafeteria. You will find a wide variety of vendors at the marketplace with all proceeds going to our WMMS Outreach Program where WMMS Families helps WMMS students!

The WMMS PTA is offering a one-time Spirit wear Pre-Order. This is a convenient way to purchase WMMS apparel & show your school pride - just in time for the holiday gift giving season! In addition to offering our spirit wear in blue, pink, and white, we are also offering gray for this pre-order. Payments must be included with the order & must be received by 3pm on Monday, November 30 in order to be received before the holiday break. This is the Monday after thanksgiving. Order forms will be available in the main office, through your team parent, or by contacting Yates Marsic at ysmars@earthlink.net or 368-6611. Thank you for your support!

On Tuesday, December 3rd, the PTA will be hosting a “Family Night Out” at Zaxby’s. Please join us.

Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, teachers will either update SPAN again on November 23rd or 24th or wait until the holiday is over and post on Monday, November 30th.

Since this is last message before the holiday, I want to wish everyone a happy and restful Thanksgiving.

November 15, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This Tuesday, November 17th the arts and foreign language departments will host our Fall Fling. A celebration of visual arts and Spanish will begin at 6:30 in the media center and our beginning musicians will perform beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room (located at the back of campus in the 500 building). We hope you will come out and join us for these celebrations.

Attention 7th Grade Duke TIP Students: The application deadline for 7th grade students in the Duke TIP program is fast approaching. Paper applications for students testing in January or February, must be postmarked by November 20th, and the deadline for on-line applications is December 7th. For questions, contact Mrs. Kelly at 870-4057 or rjkelly@wcpss.net.

Millbrook High School will be holding two Magnet Open Houses on Wednesday 11/18 at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. There will be a general magnet information meeting at the beginning each session, an opportunity for questions and answers, then a tour of the campus. Please contact Millbrook High School if you need further information.

SPAN was updated for the second quarter last Friday, November 13th. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday, teachers will either update SPAN again on November 23rd or 24th or wait until the holiday is over and post on Monday, November 30th.

Other Calendar Events Include:

Thanks and goodbye.

November 8, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Report Cards were distributed to all students on Thursday. Ask your children for these if you have not seen them. The second quarter began last Monday, November 2nd. Tardies to classes (including 1st period) have been reset with the beginning of the new quarter. Please encourage your students to report to class on-time, and thank you for your efforts in getting students on campus on time in the mornings.

If you have pictures from field trips, team days, sporting events, etc and would like them included in either the yearbook or end-of-the-year slideshows please email them in the highest resolution possible to WMMSYearbook@ncteacher.org .

School will be closed Wednesday, November 11th as it is a holiday for students and staff.

The first required SPAN update for the second quarter will occur on or before this Friday, November 13th.

Thanks and goodbye.

November 1, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Are you interested in helping children enjoy intramural after school sports at WMMS? We may have a way for you to get involved. Last year we were able to put together our 1st Indoor Soccer Intramural Team in the Spring. No tryouts, no special equipment to purchase, no physicals, just parental permission and FUN! If you, as a PARENT, would be interested in finding out more about starting or helping to start an Intramural Sports Team, please come to a parent informational meeting on Monday, November 2nd at 5:00 in the Media Center at WMMS . If you can’t make the meeting and still wish to be involved, or need more information, please email Dawn Clark at bentoddsam@nc.rr.com .

A parent education workshop entitled “Cyber Safety” will be held on Monday November 9th at 7:00 in the Media Center. Parents will learn about popular social networking sites, identity theft, cyber bullying and steps for fostering online safety in support of student learning. For more information, contact Mrs. Kelly @ 870-4057.

This Wednesday spirit wear is being sold in the front office at 7:4O until the school bell rings with fun NEW West Millbrook products. The blue paw print tattoos are finally here and so are the live strong silicon bracelets with our wildcat name embossed on them in navy blue or tie dye. Come see and purchase some new wildcat merchandise this Wednesday morning before school starts in the office.

This Wednesday is our annual Battle of the Brooks football game versus East Millbrook. The game will take place at Millbrook High School starting at 6:00 p.m. We hope you will come out and show your school spirit. We will have a PEP Rally for all students from 1:00 to 2:00 on Wednesday. As a result, we will alter the schedule and 6th grade students will eat lunch rather early. Please consider sending your 6th grade student with a snack for later in the afternoon. The students who have purchased a ticket for the Battle of the Brooks Pre-game party will be transported via school bus to Millbrook High School. All students, except for those who have signed up for the South Route Activity Bus, must arrange their own transportation home from Millbrook High School. Please plan to pick your student up between 7:30 and 7:45. Help us reinforce to students that all school behavioral expectations apply throughout all Battle of the Brooks events.

The first required SPAN update for the second quarter will occur on or before Friday, November 13th.

Thanks and goodbye.

October 25, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

The deadline to join West Millbrook PTA for the Battle of the Brooks PTA membership contest is this WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28TH! At half-time Nov. 4th, we want West Millbrook to win back the trophy for the most PTA members! The school with the most faculty members who join PTA will win a wonderful BREAKFAST for the teachers, catered by the losing school! DON'T DELAY! Either mail your completed membership form to West Millbrook or send it with your child to his/her homeroom teacher. Forms are available on-line on the West Millbrook webpage and in the front office.

SPAN was updated this past Friday, October 23rd. This was the last update of the first quarter. The first quarter ends this Thursday, October 29th. Report Cards will be distributed on Thursday, November 5th. The first required SPAN update for the second quarter will occur on or before Friday, November 13th.

Calendar Updates Include:

Thanks and goodbye.

October 18, 2000 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Spirit Week and the Battle of the Brooks are coming! The Battle of the Brooks is a long-time tradition at WMMS. It is a football game pitting West Millbrook against rival East Millbrook on "neutral turf" at Millbrook High School. West Millbrook has challenged East Millbrook to another Battle: a contest of PTA membership numbers. The school with the greater number of families who join PTA will win a trophy! And the school with the most faculty and staff members who join PTA will win a tail-gate lunch catered by the losing school! To join PTA, just fill out the membership forms available in the front office or WMMS website and return it with your tax-deductible payment by mail OR send it with your student to his/her homeroom teacher. Please note that each school's PTA is a separate organization, so your PTA membership at another school DOES NOT support West Millbrook. PTA Memberships last for one school year.

Attention 7th and 8th grade parents, if you participated in last year’s fundraiser by purchasing an Hcard, please be aware that the cards are being renewed this year by automatically drafting your credit card or bank account. West Millbrook is not utilizing the Hcard this year, so if you do not want to renew your Hcard, please contact your credit card company, bank or the Hcard staff directly at support@thehcard.com. I know of at least one family who was offered a refund by the Hcard company after noticing her account had been automatically drafted.

Families who purchased items in support of this year’s fundraiser, should expect their children to bring the items home this Thursday afternoon.

Girl Help, a service group that was started by and includes West Millbrook students, is organizing a food drive to benefit the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. It will be held at the Farmer's Market at Falls River Town Center on Saturday, October 24th from 8am until 1pm. If you are in the area, we invite you to come out and support the service efforts of our West Millbrook students.

The next required SPAN update will occur on or before this Friday, October 23rd.

Thanks and goodbye.

October 11, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Important Calendar Events Include:

Grades should have been updated in SPAN as of last Friday, October 9th.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

October 4, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your shortest weekly message of the 09-10 school year.

West Millbrook’s annual book fair starts tomorrow, Monday October 5th! It runs all week and ends Friday night at the Fall Frenzy. Come to the media center to purchase great books and support the school! Hours are listed on the website and in the newsletter. If you're interested in volunteering at the book fair, it’s not too late. Contact Amy Nagle at 803-3785.

I hope you will be able to join us this Friday, October 9th from 5:30 to 8:00 on the football field for our first annual Fall Frenzy. It promises to be a night of Family Fun. Entrance to the event is free.

5:15 p.m. activity bus routes are dropping off at specific limited stops this year. For the list of specific stops please see information in the Wildcat Weekly or posted on-line under After School Bus Stops.

Fall Sports, Clubs, and Make-up pictures will be taken on Wednesday, October 7th.

The next SPAN update will be on or before Friday, October 9th.

The last message is a repeat message regarding the donation of used Sprint/Nextel phones. We will gladly accept any phones that have the Direct Talk feature. This is different than Direct Connect. Direct Talk allows us to use the phones as walkie talkies without paying for phone service. To check if your phone has Direct Talk access, simply check the main menu for an icon entitled Direct Talk. Belt clips and chargers for the phones you are donating will also be useful but are not necessary. If you are willing to donate, please drop them off with Lynn Midthun at the front desk.

September 29, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

Interim reports for all classes were distributed last week. If you have not seen them, please ask your child. The next SPAN update will be on or before Friday, October 9th.

WMMS Athletic passes are still on sale. Prices range from $25 for a single student pass to $100 for a family pass. Order forms are available on-line and can be returned to Coach Calhoun in room 704, the gym office. Any checks should be made payable to WMMS Booster Club. Orders will be filled by the next home game.

This week we will host our first Wednesday Home Game as the football team competes against Heritage. Students who would like to remain on campus and watch the games will have a study hall in the cafeteria from 2:30 to approximately 3:30. Students are expected to bring homework or academic reading material to remain productive during this time. Students who do not comply with the expectations of the study hall will not be able to attend future Wednesday home athletic events.

If you are willing to donate any of your used Sprint/Nextel phones to West Millbrook, we will gladly accept any phones that have the Direct Talk feature. This is different than Direct Connect. Direct Talk allows us to use the phones as walkie talkies without paying for phone service. To check if your phone has Direct Talk access, simply check the main menu for an icon entitled Direct Talk. Belt clips and chargers for the phones you are donating will also be useful but are not necessary. If you are willing to donate, please drop them off with Lynn Midthun at the front desk.

The Yearbook Sale ends September 30th! Only $25- limited time only!

Go to www.wmms.net

Click on the link www.jostensyearbooks.com

Click on “Place New Order”

*** Please note, you do NOT have to pay for your book in-full when you order it, but you cannot receive your book in the Spring until it is paid in-full!***

The European Tour 2010 still has a couple spots available! You don’t want to miss out on your chance to visit Greece, Italy, and Spain! Space is limited so email Ms. Luxford to find out more information! (nluxford@wcpss.net). You can also go to www.eftours.com and enter tour number 760807 to see pictures and print a detailed itinerary!

Please remember to pull your car ALL THE WAY forward to the sign in front of the sixth grade building during morning and afternoon carpool. This simple step will assist us greatly to get students unloaded quickly and safely. It will also reduce traffic back ups out onto Strickland Road.

The last message is a repeat for 8th grade families regarding yearbooks. A great way for 8th graders to commemorate their time here at West Millbrook is to include an ad for them in their yearbook! Ad order forms are available from Ms. Symes in the Media Center or go to www.wmms.net where you will find a link to print an order form. Each ad is 1/10 of a page (a little smaller than a business card) and the price is only $25! Within your ad you can include a picture and 2-3 short sentences. All ad orders must be completed, paid for, and turned into Ms. Symes by October 30th. Please make checks out to “WMMS” and indicate in the memo line that it is for a yearbook ad.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of your 3-day weekend.

September 20, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

This Wednesday, September 23rd is our first early release day for students. They will be dismissed at 12:30.

Hard copies of progress reports will be distributed in all classes by Friday, September 25th. If you don’t receive any from your child, please ask him or her for them. Grades will also be updated again in SPAN by Friday, September 25th.

Our girls’ soccer and volleyball teams will compete in the first home game of the season on Thursday, September 24th at 3:45. Please come out and support Wildcat athletics as we kick off the home athletic schedule.

A parent education workshop entitled “Survival Tips for School Success” will be held on Monday September 21st at 7:00 in the Media Center. Malia Dodson of Sylvan Learning Center will provide parents with strategies to help your child identify and achieve success. Mark your calendar and make plans to attend. For more information, contact Mrs. Kelly @ 870-4057.

Mark your calendars for October 9th from 5:30 to 8:00 for West Millbrook’s first Fall Frenzy. It is a free event that promises to be a night of fun for the entire family.

While using carpool in the morning or afternoon, please do not utilize the bus lot or any of our side lots. The increased traffic flow in these areas risks the safety of our students. Our carpool line is typically gone between 3:15 and 3:20. If you do not like to wait in afternoon carpool lines, please consider coming between 3:20 and 3:30.

Beginning this Monday, September 21st, we will begin documenting tardies to first period just as we document them to the other periods throughout the day. Students using carpool are expected to be in class by 8:05. The carpool line continues to move quickly from 7:35 to 7:50. If your morning routine permits it, please consider coming prior to 7:50. Students who ride buses will continue to receive passes to class if their bus arrives on campus after 8:00. Hopefully, we are getting closer to all buses running on schedule.

The PTA Membership Committee held a raffle drawing on Thursday, September 17th for those memberships received by the 16th. Congratulations to the following winners:

Staff Winner: Mrs. Robinson, 7th grade Science teacher, won a basket of fun notepads and magnets donated by Shoestring Studio
Bronze Winner: The Sauls Family won a Spirit Basket full of WMMS items, including a t-shirt, license plates, magnets and more
Silver Winner: The Keen Family won a 2009-2010 WMMS Athletic Pass
Gold Winner: The Bradshaw Family won a 2090-2010 WMMS Family Athletic Pass (set of 4)

If you haven’t joined PTA yet, it’s not too late to make a difference. All donations except $3.50 stay here at WMMS to fund many exciting and rewarding programs and school needs. You may get involved as little or as much as you like. Show your child you care about WMMS---join today!

WMMS Student Directories will be on sale in the cafeteria starting Friday, Sept. 25th through Friday, October 9th. They will also be available for purchase at the Book Fair Oct 5-9th. Purchase price is $2 each. If you have any questions, contact Julie Sande at (919) 676-7362 or sandej@bellsouth.net .


The last topic is a repeat from previous weeks regarding yearbook sales:

Yearbooks are on sale TODAY! Purchase your yearbook by September 30th and the price is only $25. The price will continue to increase so buy your yearbook TODAY at www.jostensyearbooks.com. This year 8th grade parents and families can purchase an ad that will be featured in the back of the yearbook. Order forms will be available from Ms. Symes in the Media Center. All order forms, money, and pictures are due by October 31st, no exceptions! The ads will be a little smaller than a business card in size and cost $25. Please see Ms. Symes in the Media Center to pick-up and drop off your order forms.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

September 13, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

On Tuesday, September 15th from 5:30-7:30 we will host an Open House for 7th and 8th grade parents. The evening will begin with a brief PTA session in the gym. From there, parents will have an opportunity to follow their students’ schedules and hear brief presentations from each teacher. An agenda for the evening will be posted on-line. Beginning at 5:00, the PTA will be selling spirit wear. Every person that spends more than $5 on spirit wear receives a FREE wildcat paw print tattoo! Also, we have deep discounts on NEW products for our special 7th and 8th grade wildcats on Tuesday evening ONLY! Come see all the new wildcat products. PTA memberships will also be available during the Open House night.

Thank you for your support for the PTA's fundraiser and we hope that you will continue to support the students in their sales efforts. Remember that all orders are due back to school on Monday Sept 21.

A parent education workshop entitled “Survival Tips for School Success” will be held on Monday September 21st at 7:00 in the Media Center. Malia Dodson of Sylvan Learning Center will provide parents with strategies to help your child identify and achieve success. Mark your calendar and make plans to attend. For more information, contact Mrs. Kelly @ 870-4057.

Interest meetings for potential Beta Club Members will be held in the media center beginning at 7:40 a.m. from Wednesday, September 16th through Friday September 18th.

The remainder of this phone message includes repeat messages that are still current.

Yearbooks are on sale TODAY! Purchase your yearbook by September 30th and the price is only $25. The price will continue to increase so buy your yearbook TODAY at www.jostensyearbooks.com. This year 8th grade parents and families can purchase an ad that will be featured in the back of the yearbook. Order forms will be available from Ms. Symes in the Media Center and there will be a table at Open House on September 15th where families can pick-up order forms and turn in completed orders as well. All order forms, money, and pictures are due by October 31st, no exceptions! The ads will be a little smaller than a business card in size and cost $25. Please see Ms. Symes in the Media Center to pick-up and drop off your order forms.

Earn cash for our school every time you shop for groceries. Clip Box Tops coupons from hundreds of your favorite products. Each coupon is worth 10 cents when our school redeems them from General Mills. Visit www.boxtops4education.com for even more great ideas to earn cash for our school. Tell your family and neighbors to help you collect. Each class should have a box to collect Box Tops. In October, a special prize will be given to the team who collects the most Box Tops. You may also drop Box Tops off in the front office. For questions, contact Julie Sande at (919) 676-7362 or e-mail at sandej@bellsouth.net .

Have a great evening.

September 6, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

On Thursday students brought home their packets for the PTA's Fund Raiser with J & H Distributors. They will be selling wrapping paper, gift items, magazines and tasty food items. The kids have the opportunity to earn various prizes and even a limo lunch depending on how much they sell. We hope there will be something for everyone. Orders are due by Monday Sept. 21 and will be delivered in time for the holidays.

Please Clip Box Tops for Education coupons from hundreds of your favorite products. Each coupon is worth 10 cents when our school redeems them from General Mills. By next week, each class will have a special Box Tops depository and the Box Tops will be counted for each class. A special prize will be given to the class who collects the most Box Tops. You may also drop Box Tops off in the front office. For questions, contact the Box Tops Coordinator, Julie Sande at sandej@bellsouth.net .

President Obama’s national address to students has received some attention both in the media and in our own school community. West Millbrook has chosen to tape the live broadcast this Tuesday. We will play the national address during E & R on Thursday with a follow-up activity during E & R on Friday. All students received permission slips on Friday and should return them beginning Tuesday to indicate whether or not you would like your child to view the address. Additional forms will be posted to our website.

All students will have their picture taken for the yearbook through their healthful living classes on Tuesday, September 8th. Students may also order picture packages on-line or by bringing an order form on picture day. Please encourage your child to dress appropriately for pictures.

Yearbooks are on sale TODAY! Purchase your yearbook by September 30th and the price is only $25. The price will continue to increase so buy your yearbook TODAY at www.jostensyearbooks.com. This year 8th grade parents and families can purchase an ad that will be featured in the back of the yearbook. Order forms will be available from Ms. Symes in the Media Center and there will be a table at Open House on September 15th where families can pick-up order forms and turn in completed orders. All order forms, money, and pictures are due by October 31st, no exceptions! The ads will be a little smaller than a business card in size and cost $25. Please see Ms. Symes in the Media Center to pick-up and drop off your order forms.

Cookies and Conversations for 6th grade families will be held this Tuesday, September 8th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Families will have an opportunity to learn important information about the transition to middle school and specific team and subject information. The evening will begin with a general PTA meeting in the gym at 5:30 p.m.

I hope you are enjoying your 3-day weekend.

August 30, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

The Student Council will be taking nominations for officers and representatives Monday, August 31. 7th and 8th grade students who are nominated should have a speech ready to videotape on Tuesday 9/1. Elections will be held on Wednesday 9/2 after the student body has viewed the speeches during their E&R time. Winners will be announced Thursday 9/3.

Students received school insurance forms this week. The insurance that is offered seems reasonably priced. If you are interested in purchasing this insurance for your student, please ask them for the form. Please contact the school for additional forms if needed.

West Millbrook is proud to offer you the availability to see and purchase spirit wear this coming Wednesday at 7:40 till 8am before school begins in the library. We have brand new products available for our Awesome Wildcats. Highlights include tie dye t-shirts, draw string West Millbrook tote bags, and new sweatpants. Come see us in the library from 7:40 till 8am this Wednesday. Order forms are also available in Spanish this year. Please park in one of our few visitors’ spots in front of the building or pull through car-pool, make a right after the 6th grade building and park in the side lot.

Car-pool is flowing better. Please remember to pull all of the way up to the car in front of you at the curb in front of the building in the morning and afternoon, even if this means your child will have to walk a few yards. Car-pool is more efficient when we maximize the number of cars in front of the building. We will adjust the a.m. drop off time slightly. Beginning Monday, we will allow parents to begin unloading students at 7:35 instead of 7:40 to help minimize lines later in the morning. All students should stay in front of the main office building until 7:40 when teachers are on duty in their buildings and classrooms.

Reminders:

* Cookies and Conversations for 6th graders will be held on September 8th from 5:30-7:00
* 7th and 8th grader Open House will be held on September 15th from 5:30-7:30
* The first SPAN update will occur on or before Friday, September 4th. We hope to have all new accounts created by that time. Please look for an email to the account you provided on your application

The remainder of this message is for 6th grade families only: North Carolina law requires a Tdap Booster for all children entering 6th grade on or after August 1, 2008 if 5 or more years have passed since their last tetanus shot. We still have many students who have not provided documentation of this booster. Without proof of receiving the booster shot, students will not be able to attend school after September 25th. Wake County Human Services is offering free clinics with no appointments needed. The Raleigh clinic will be held on Monday September 14th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Millbrook Human Services Center at 2809 E. Millbrook Rd. Please see our website or call Wake County Human Services at 212-7000 for additional times and locations outside of Raleigh.

August 25, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with a brief message.

In general, we had a good first day of school today. Thank you for your patience as the bus drivers began getting used to their bus routes. Transportation typically becomes smoother every day we are in session. If you have questions or concerns regarding bus routes, don’t hesitate to call the transportation department at 870-4247. Carpool ran rather smoothly with the line substantially ending by 3:20. Please remember to always pull up to the car in front of you. We had quite a line up early this morning in carpool, please remember that we cannot let students on to campus prior to 7:40 and the arrival of teachers on campus.

This is an important reminder that tomorrow is Wednesday and our first early dismissal day. We will dismiss at 2:00 tomorrow and almost every Wednesday this year. Athletes staying for tryouts will have a study hall from 2:30 to 3:30 before practice begins. Practice will end at the regularly scheduled time.

Good night and we’ll see you tomorrow.

August 23, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your weekly message.

We want to thank all of the families who attended Meet the Teacher sessions last week. We had approximately 70% of our families attend. We look forward to welcoming the students for their first day of school on Tuesday, August 25th at 8:05 in the morning. Please help us start school and all classes on-time by dropping your students off with enough time for them to report to their first period classes by 8:05. Beginning Monday, August 31st, tardies to all classes (including first period) will be documented and students will be held accountable for reporting to class on-time. Students may be dropped off in the carpool lane beginning at 7:40 a.m. Remember to drive all the way up to the 6th grade building before dropping students off to minimize back-ups.

Some students received schedules with a homeroom teacher listed who was not their first period teacher. This error has been corrected. All students’ homeroom teachers are the same as their first period teachers. All students should report to their first period classes on Tuesday, August 25th.

Tryouts for football begin on Tuesday, August 25th. Activity buses will leave West Millbrook around 5:15 for students who cannot get a ride home from their parents. These buses will drop students off at limited bus stops in our attendance zone. A South Side bus will drop students off at Poe Elementary School, Joe Louis and Merrywood Ave, Navaho Dr. and Benson, and Millbrook High School. We are working to add a stop off of Brentwood Rd. but have not secured permission at this time. A North Side bus will drop students off at Brassfield, Baileywick, Pleasant Union, and North Ridge Elementary Schools. Any adjustments to these routes that might occur throughout the first weeks of school will be communicated via phone message and posted on our website.

Cookies and Conversations for 6th grade families will be held on Tuesday, September 8th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Families will have an opportunity to learn important information about the transition to middle school and specific team and subject information. The evening will begin with a general PTA meeting in the gym at 5:30 p.m.

Open House for 7th and 8th grade families will be held on Tuesday, September 15th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Families will have an opportunity to follow their child’s schedule and hear important curriculum and procedural information from the teachers. Families with multiple 7th and/or 8th grade students will be invited to stay from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to meet any teachers they were not able to meet during the general schedule. This evening will also begin with a general PTA meeting in the gym at 5:30 p.m.

In order to minimize flu outbreaks, The Center for Disease Control recommends frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, frequently cleaning areas in the school where germs can accumulate, and staying home from school when sick. We ask for your help by following these guidelines so we can keep students in classrooms and learning.

I hope you are enjoying your last summer weekend. See you on Tuesday.

August 18, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with another reminder about Meet the Teacher Tomorrow, August 19th.

Students will have an opportunity to meet and greet their teachers and pick-up any pertinent team information. There will be no formal presentations, so families may arrive within their assigned times. The schedule is as follows: 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 7th and 8th grade families; 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for 6th grade families; and a make-up session from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for any family who could not attend the earlier sessions. In addition to meeting the teachers, you can also visit the Cafeteria to purchase healthful living uniforms, athletic passes for home events, and spirit wear. In the cafeteria, you can also join the PTA, deposit money into lunch accounts, have bus route questions answered by representatives from the transportation department, become a member of the PTA, and sign up for volunteer opportunities. In the Media Center, you will be able to establish or renew volunteer clearance information, sign-up for new SPAN accounts, and have academically gifted education questions answer by our AG teacher, Aimee Niebauer. Healthful Living teachers will be in the classrooms listed on student schedules and not in the gymnasium.

We hope to see you tomorrow and are looking forward to the successful start of the 2009-2010 school year.

See you soon.

August 13, 2009 - This is A.J. Muttillo, Principal of West Millbrook Middle School, with your 1st weekly message of the 2009-2010 school year. Subsequent messages will be sent between 2:00 and 5:00 almost every Sunday afternoon. A copy of this and all phone messages will be posted on our school’s website.

We are getting excited to welcome our new and returning West Millbrook families back to school. Our first event will be Meet the Teacher on Wednesday, August 19th. Students will have an opportunity to meet and greet their teachers and pick-up any pertinent team information. There will be no formal presentations, so families may arrive within their assigned times. In addition to meeting your teachers, families will also have an opportunity to add money to lunch accounts, purchase physical education uniforms, buy athletic passes for home games and support the school through the PTA and Athletic Booster Club. These opportunities will be available in the cafeteria. The schedule is as follows: 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for 7th and 8th grade families; 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for 6th grade families; and a make-up session from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for any family who could not attend the earlier sessions. Parking is a challenge at West Millbrook. We have three small parking lots-two on either side of the buildings as well as a portion of the lower bus parking lot. Please do not park in any of the large bus parking spots. When you arrive, please go to either the cafeteria or any of the classes listed on your schedule. Students and staff members will be available to show you the way.

On Saturday or Monday, you should receive a mailing that includes a welcome back letter from me, PTA information, your student’s schedule, and a bus schedule. For families with SPAN access, schedules will be available for viewing on Monday morning. Forms are available on the website for any family who would like SPAN access to view their student’s schedule, attendance, grades, and discipline information throughout the year. These forms can be returned to the school during Meet the Teacher or any other day. Please be prepared to present a picture ID when requesting SPAN access.

West Millbrook's PTA will increase membership dues for this school year by a $1.00 per member for standard memberships. This increase is merely to pass along a State PTA dues increase. Therefore, the new PTA dues are: $7.00 for both West Millbrook staff and individual memberships. These memberships receive 1 card.

$12.00 for family memberships. These memberships receive 2 cards. Dues for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold premium" memberships will remain the same. These premium memberships also receive 2 cards.

I think that is enough information to get you started for the year. We are excited to start the school year and build on the momentum we started last year.

See you soon.

.

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