West Intermediate School
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| Grades 4-5 |
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| Principal: Mr. Ed Foster |
| 22 Carter Lane |
| Wilmington, MA 01887 |
| 978.694.6050 |
| School Hours: 8:55 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Early Dismissal Time: 12:00 p.m. |
The West Intermediate School prides itself on creating a positive environment; greeting children by name and making each child feel valued as members of the school community. The West staff is always working together to improve the quality of our instruction and our service to the community.
Staff members regularly participate in professional development activities that support the District Strategic Plan and West School Improvement Plan. We use Pearson Envisions 2.0 for our math curriculum, Reader's Workshop for ELA instruction, Pearson Science for science, and a district designed Social Studies curriculum. In our classrooms, One hundred percent of classrooms are now equipped with ceiling-mounted projectors, a set-up that allows direct student interaction with any program being used. We also have a laptop cart for EACH class with EACH student being assigned their own laptop. Our library is an energetic, vibrant space where students can work individually, in small groups, or as a class. There is also display space for classroom projects. It is the focal point of the school in many ways thanks to the efforts of parents, staff, and students. Staff members continue to participate in Professional Development activities that strengthen our understanding and use of technology for both teaching and learning, ensuring that our students are provided the skills they need to become 21st Century learners.
In the classrooms, we participate in many activities in addition to our academics. An important goal at the West is to instill in the children a sense of personal achievement and social awareness. We have assemblies, many organized by students and performed by students covering topics such as friendship, respect, and anti-bullying. We have class representatives, and the members develop video representations of the highlights of our core values. Other regular programs include PBIS activities, Read Across America Day (Hat’s off to Reading, Read-a-thon) Poetry Day, participation in the WPS Art Fair; participation in Wilmington's Fire Department Toys for Children In Need; food collection for the local food pantry; the annual winter coat drive sponsored by Anton's cleaners; and Box Tops for Education.
In PE class, the children participate in the 5 Minute Fitness Run, where every child in the school runs for 5 full minutes without stopping. In Art, children participate in the Reading Municipal Light Department's redesigned Poster contest; make pottery, murals, and collages that we display throughout the school. In Music, the fifth grade chorus performs concerts, and the fourth graders perform smaller informances.
The Wilmington C.A.R.E.S. program operates daily from the West, and is an integral part of our school community. The Shawsheen/West PAC continues to support grades one to five at both the Shawsheen and the West Schools. They provide Student Planners and West t-shirts for every child. They fund enrichment programs, which included Mister Magnet, the artist Rob Surette, Techsploration/ Simple Machines, and Cryogenics. The PAC also organizes additional activities such as the Ice Cream Social, Holiday Gift Fair, Grade 5 Student Yearbook, Family Game Night, and the grade five Yearbook Signing Party, which is the final farewell to the fifth graders as they prepare for the Middle School.