Rising 6th Grade Frequently asked questions

The middle school day begins at 7:40 am. and finishes at 2:37 pm. We also offer an 8th period from 2:37-3:30 for students to receive additional support in their classes. Students may be required to attend 8th period if they are performing poorly in their classes; otherwise, they are free to leave after 7th period.

Students are not on a block schedule at WPM/HS. This means that we do not have A and B days or semester-long classes. We have all 7 classes each day for the whole year with the exception of exploratory classes which rotate each quarter. Class periods are 52 minutes long.

Core classes consist of Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Science.

The elective period can be filled with either band or chorus. 

For 6th graders, the exploratory rotation consists of:  art, intro to technology, career investigations, and academic seminar.Please see the Program of Studies for descriptions of these classes. Students rotate their exploratory class each quarter.  Students will stay with the same group of peers throughout the year.

Language Arts Science, and Social Studies are heterogeneously grouped.

Math placements are based on the scores earned on the 5th grade end of the year assessment and 5th grade SOL, as well as information from 5th grade teachers.  6th graders can be placed in Math 6 (Algebraic Foundations I) or Math 7 for 6th graders (Algebraic Foundations II). We are waiting on guidance from the math department to determine this year’s placements.

We offer 8th period from 2:37-3:30pm for students who would like to receive additional support in their classes, complete make-up work, etc. Sometimes, rehearsals and meetings are held during 8th period as well. Students may be required to attend 8th period for remediation purposes if they are performing poorly in class. Students may also be assigned to 8th period detention. Parents will be notified in advance if their student will be required to attend 8th period. Transportation is available to bus-riding students after 8th period. No sports practices or activities start until after 8th period so that we ensure all students have access to academic support without missing out on afterschool activities. 

Unfortunately, only students grades 8-12 are eligible to participate on sports teams at WPM/HS. We do, however, have a variety of clubs and activities they can participate in including running club, chess club, and more. See the list of our club offerings here. 

The West Point Middle/High School website is the best source for up to date information. On it, you will see Upcoming Events and a link to calendars for the rest of the year. The morning announcements are also posted on the WPM/HS website. 

Assignments are posted on Canvas. There is also an electronic grade book via Canvas that parents can access at any time. Grades can be accessed through PowerSchool as well.

Teachers can be contacted via email or phone.

We hold conferences twice a year, one in October and another in February. Additional individual conferences with teachers or the school counselor can be scheduled throughout the year as needed.

Students can expect to have approximately 10-15 minutes of homework per core class per night. At times, homework is only assigned if a student needs additional time to finish class work.

We offer a continuum of services for students with an IEP.  Students whose goals and accommodations/modifications can be met in a general education classroom will be placed in collaborative classes for math and language arts. This means that special education staff (which includes both teachers and interventionists) collaboratively teach so that IEP students can receive additional support in class. IEP students also take a resource class all year with their special education teacher instead of taking the exploratory rotation classes. 

Students whose goals and accommodations/modifications are best met in smaller settings are taught their curriculum by a highly qualified special education teacher. Please direct questions about special education to Jennifer Gay, Special Education Department Lead. 

There will be an opportunity for students to visit WPM/HS before school begins at the 6th grade orientations offered over the Summer. Individual tours can also be scheduled upon request. Contact the school counselor or front office staff  if you are interested in scheduling a tour.

Parents can “pair” to their student’s Canvas courses to view assignments and upcoming tests/quizzes. Teachers also are happy to communicate with parents via email regarding specific questions or concerns.

We do not have home rooms. Students are to report to their first period classroom at the beginning of the day.

Students will be using Canvas as part of their daily learning. Canvas is a tool used by teachers to deliver content to students and it is accessible by students through their Chromebooks. Canvas is used by students to: check and submit assignments, access study materials, take assessments, and record media. Students are to use Canvas daily as teachers update their Canvas pages frequently.

In looking at our students who have been identified as gifted, we do try to cluster gifted students together in classes. The Gifted Talented Coordinator, Jennifer Hart (jhart@wpschools.net), at West Point Middle/High School will work with teachers to differentiate in the classroom for those students who need an extra challenge.  Ms. Hart also meets with gifted students to provide opportunities for them to work on various enrichment activities throughout the year. 

WPM/HS is a 1:1 Technology School which means all of our students will have access to Chromebooks. Teachers use Chromebooks in a variety of ways. Students may use them for academic activities or games, to write and collaborate with projects or take tests/quizzes to name just a few. Students will also use their Chromebooks to access Canvas to stay on top of assignments.  In the first week of school, teachers will review with students the acceptable use policy so students are clear on expectations.

Students will be assigned a locker. Their locker number and combination will be listed on their schedule. If they forget their locker number or combination, they can ask the front office or school counselor for this information. All lockers have 3 number combination locks. Some students find it useful to practice using this type of lock over the Summer! At the beginning of the year, staff will be walking around to assist 6th graders with lockers as needed. 

6th grade students will be able to receive their schedule at orientation or open house. If they cannot attend, they are able to pick their schedule up on the first day of school at the front office or at the counseling office. 

The expectations for the first few weeks of school will be for 6th graders to become comfortable within the WPM/HS community. Staff will be giving tours, helping with lockers, working with students to understand routines and the bell schedule and to provide organizational tools to help manage their schoolwork.

There are many opportunities to make new friends at WPM/HS! A great place to start is by checking out our after-school clubs. We encourage all students to get involved in the school community and attend school events.  Aside from classes, all sixth-grade students eat lunch together without assigned seating which allows students to meet new peers. The counselors and student services staff are also always here to support our students if they find they’re having a tough time making new friends.

Before school, students have access to the library on all days starting at 7:30 am. They will also go with their Language Arts teachers, as well as other teachers, to check out books and help with research.

We know that a lot of students get very concerned about whether or not their friends share their classes, but we ask you to consider a few things. The entire 6th grade eats lunch together and we do not have assigned seats, so students can see their friends in the cafeteria. Students will also be able to see their friends in the hallway between classes as our middle school classes are, for the most part, in close proximity in one hallway of the building. With it being a smaller school community, the likelihood of having at least one or two classes with your friends is high, especially in band, chorus, and/or PE. Lastly, middle school is a wonderful time to meet some new people and make some new friends!

Teachers will provide school supplies lists at open house. School supplies lists will also be posted on Canvas.

6th graders eat lunch during the middle school lunch period (which also includes our 7th graders). This is the last lunch period of the day and takes place from 12:17-12:47. Students can purchase lunch (entree, milk, fruits and vegetables) for $2.75, can purchase items a la carte (like snacks or drinks), or may choose to bring their lunches each day. Students can also purchase breakfast (entree, milk, fruit) for $1.75 at the breakfast carts in the morning . Parents can set up lunch accounts online where students simply enter their student number and the cost will come out of the account like a debit account. To apply for free and reduced lunch, contact mosborne@wpschools.net to fill out the necessary forms prior to the school year. If you want to make your choice of whether or not to pack a lunch based on what is for lunch each day, you can check out the menu online with this link.

During lunch, students are able to sit wherever they like. This is a great way to see friends you may not have classes with and get to know new friends you are meeting. Make sure to invite those new faces to get to know them better!  Some students may choose to see a teacher during lunch for a variety of reasons; if this is the case, students will need to have a pass to go to the teacher during lunch.

If you would like to come see the counselor, you can ask your teacher for a pass. The counselor can also notify your teacher and write you a pass if you stop by the counseling office (room #167) between classes. If your counselor is not in their office when you stop by, leave a counseling request in the mailbox outside of their office (you’ll find those in the small folder next to the counselor’s mailbox). You can also fill out a counseling request online on the WPM/HS School Counseling website. Once the counselor has your request, they will find a time for you to come to the counseling office during the day. Students can also email the counselor.