Reminder: TCAPS has an early release day on Thursday, March 12. 🔔
Find start and dismissal times here: https://5il.co/3jfxa
View the academic calendar here: https://5il.co/3jfx6
For questions, please contact your school directly.
We are thrilled to celebrate 14 Titan Stars who were nominated by their science teachers for going above and beyond to Walk the Path of a Titan! These students consistently demonstrate curiosity, perseverance and a commitment to excellence both in and out of the classroom. Their dedication to learning and their positive impact on those around them truly make them shine. We are so proud of these students and incredibly thankful to have them as part of our Titan community.
Congratulations to Penelope Barrett, Emerson Bernard, Tristen Brackett, Wesley Charnes, Nicolas Clisso, Marcello Gubbini, Elodie McGill, Hayden Pheasant, Musaver Qayumi, Adalynn Schopieray, Nolan Sevenski, Lana Williams, Owen Williams, and Renna Wolf.
Congratulations to Penelope Barrett, Emerson Bernard, Tristen Brackett, Wesley Charnes, Nicolas Clisso, Marcello Gubbini, Elodie McGill, Hayden Pheasant, Musaver Qayumi, Adalynn Schopieray, Nolan Sevenski, Lana Williams, Owen Williams, and Renna Wolf.
This week, we are excited to highlight Elena, one of our outstanding 7th graders here at West Middle School.
Elena loves being part of the WMS community because of the people and the many friendships she has built along the way. Her favorite class is Choir, where she has truly found her voice. One of her teachers shared, “Elena is a star singer in Choir! She consistently leads by example with enthusiasm and hard work.”
Outside the classroom, Elena stays very active, proudly representing the Titans in volleyball, tennis, and cheer. She also has a unique talent: she can solve a 12-sided Rubik’s Cube at an impressive speed.
Her teachers consistently describe her as kind, hardworking, and respectful. As one teacher put it, “Elena is a cheerful, friendly student who is always willing to lend a hand. She walks the path of a Titan by being a good friend and respectful to everyone.”
Elena’s goal this year is to earn a 4.0 GPA, and with her dedication and positive attitude, we know she will continue to accomplish great things. We are proud to have Elena as part of our Titan community.
Elena loves being part of the WMS community because of the people and the many friendships she has built along the way. Her favorite class is Choir, where she has truly found her voice. One of her teachers shared, “Elena is a star singer in Choir! She consistently leads by example with enthusiasm and hard work.”
Outside the classroom, Elena stays very active, proudly representing the Titans in volleyball, tennis, and cheer. She also has a unique talent: she can solve a 12-sided Rubik’s Cube at an impressive speed.
Her teachers consistently describe her as kind, hardworking, and respectful. As one teacher put it, “Elena is a cheerful, friendly student who is always willing to lend a hand. She walks the path of a Titan by being a good friend and respectful to everyone.”
Elena’s goal this year is to earn a 4.0 GPA, and with her dedication and positive attitude, we know she will continue to accomplish great things. We are proud to have Elena as part of our Titan community.
Ms. Babiasz, Dr. Witt and Mr. Dedenbach's students put their thoughtful engagement and learning on display as they discussed The Diary of Anne Frank and The Boys Who Challenged Hitler. Using an inside- outside circle format, students engaged in quick, focused conversations around discussion prompts and then reflected by summarizing their thinking.. It was wonderful to see such thoughtful engagement and learning taking place!
Congratulations to WMS 8th Grader, Kavontaye Matthews, who is a recent recipient of a Titan Ticket for his hard work in Mr. Klopcic’s science class.
Kavontaye’s favorite class at WMS is Choir with Mr. Dee. He says that it is a fun experience, namely that the students get to travel and sing.
Kavontaye’s favorite memory at WMS has been meeting all of his friends for the first time, and strengthening those friendships.
Outside of school, Kavontaye enjoys hanging out with family and friends, as well as playing video games.
Kavontaye would like to give a shout out to Mr. Dee and Mr. Mattson because they are ‘cool’ and they help him with a lot of things. Kavontaye (pictured Left) would also like to recognize his friend, Trevor Curtiss (pictured Right), because Trevor helps Kavontaye a lot and they’ve been friends since 6th Grade. Kavontaye also gives a shout out to his Mom and Dad for being his biggest supporters!
Way to go, Kavontaye! We are proud that you are a Titan!
Kavontaye’s favorite class at WMS is Choir with Mr. Dee. He says that it is a fun experience, namely that the students get to travel and sing.
Kavontaye’s favorite memory at WMS has been meeting all of his friends for the first time, and strengthening those friendships.
Outside of school, Kavontaye enjoys hanging out with family and friends, as well as playing video games.
Kavontaye would like to give a shout out to Mr. Dee and Mr. Mattson because they are ‘cool’ and they help him with a lot of things. Kavontaye (pictured Left) would also like to recognize his friend, Trevor Curtiss (pictured Right), because Trevor helps Kavontaye a lot and they’ve been friends since 6th Grade. Kavontaye also gives a shout out to his Mom and Dad for being his biggest supporters!
Way to go, Kavontaye! We are proud that you are a Titan!
This week’s Titan Stars were selected by our Art and Physical Education staff, who recognized these outstanding students for truly demonstrating the Path of a Titan each and every day! We are so proud of the positive example these students set for our school community! In celebration of their efforts, each Titan Star will be receiving a special gift from Jimmy John’s.
Congratulations to
6th: Carl Benson, Eleanor Traile and Logan Burtrum
7th: Rickey Raphael, John VanDalson and Zada Elston
8th: Jayce Carlson, Jacob Harrison and Geneva Whitman
Congratulations to West Middle School artists Kalen Fate, Jasmine Primeau, Nate McSparron, Sophia Angove and Lucy Cory! These artists had their photography pieces accepted into the Michigan Art Education Association K-12 State Exhibit.
Over 500 pieces of artwork were entered for adjudication and these artists stood out from the rest. Jasmine's photo was chosen as one of the Top 18 middle school works of art in Michigan while Nate, Sophia and Kalen represent the Top 100. Lucy's photograph was chosen to be on display at the Michigan Department of Education for an entire year.
This year both the MAEA K-12 Show as well as the Michigan Department of Education Show will be available to be viewed in person March 16-28 at the Hickman Gallery on Adrian College’s campus. Gallery hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Friday with a reception on Saturday, March 28th 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Over 500 pieces of artwork were entered for adjudication and these artists stood out from the rest. Jasmine's photo was chosen as one of the Top 18 middle school works of art in Michigan while Nate, Sophia and Kalen represent the Top 100. Lucy's photograph was chosen to be on display at the Michigan Department of Education for an entire year.
This year both the MAEA K-12 Show as well as the Michigan Department of Education Show will be available to be viewed in person March 16-28 at the Hickman Gallery on Adrian College’s campus. Gallery hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Friday with a reception on Saturday, March 28th 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Reminder: TCAPS has an early release day today, Thursday, February 19. 🔔
Note: There is no school for students tomorrow, Friday, Feb 20 (Teacher Work Day).
Find start and dismissal times here: https://5il.co/3jfxa
View the academic calendar here: https://5il.co/3jfx6
For questions, contact your school directly.
Huge shoutout to our amazing Math Club students! We are proud to share that we have the #1 team in the region, and they are headed to the State Competition in March!
Even more impressive, our team includes some of the top individual performers in the region:
#2 - Abe Blackburn
#3 - Colton Beaver
#4 -Graham O'Brien
#6 -Sadie Ambrosius
If you see these outstanding mathematicians around campus, be sure to congratulate them and Coach Rundio on this fantastic achievement. We are so proud of you!
Reminder: TCAPS has an early release day this Thursday, February 19. 🔔
Find start and dismissal times here: https://5il.co/3jfxa
View the academic calendar here: https://5il.co/3jfx6
For questions, contact your school directly.
We are incredibly grateful to our outstanding 8th grade volunteers , many of whom are pictured here , who generously gave their time last week to support our 5th into 6th grade registration nights.
These students were phenomenal representatives of WMS, greeting families with smiles, leading building tours and assisting with the registration process. WMS is a great place because of our great students, and this group made us especially proud. Thank you for making a difference!
These students were phenomenal representatives of WMS, greeting families with smiles, leading building tours and assisting with the registration process. WMS is a great place because of our great students, and this group made us especially proud. Thank you for making a difference!
Please join us in celebrating our latest Titan Star recipients, proudly nominated by our Social Studies team. We are incredibly proud of these students who consistently go above and beyond to be safe, respectful, and responsible each and every day. Your positive choices and leadership help make our WMS school community stronger!
Congratulations to:
Fiona Kurth, Karson Flesher , AJ Cornelius, Heidi Raths, Adelyn Smits, Hannah Heethuis, Carter Slade, Lincoln Moore ,, Evelyn Makowski & Karissa Kitley
Congratulations to:
Fiona Kurth, Karson Flesher , AJ Cornelius, Heidi Raths, Adelyn Smits, Hannah Heethuis, Carter Slade, Lincoln Moore ,, Evelyn Makowski & Karissa Kitley
Our WMS students had a wonderful time during rec this week getting creative with Valentine’s Day crafts! From colorful cards to festive designs, their creativity and kindness were on full display. It's always great to see our students enjoying hands-on activities while sharing a little extra joy with others.
Our Culture Fair was a celebration of language, learning, and global connection! Ms. Donahue's EL students took the lead, using their authentic voices to practice reading, writing, and speaking English while engaging a live audience of peers.
Mrs. Taplin’s Seminar students rotated through seven interactive cultural stations, thoughtfully designed around the cultural content EL students shared in videos viewed ahead of the Culture Fair. EL students taught about traditions, perspectives, and experiences from around the world to their visitors.
To commemorate the experience, participants received a handmade beaded “String of Memories”—a bracelet or ring/keychain—crafted by our EL students as a meaningful keepsake of the day.
We are so proud of our students for their creativity, collaboration, and confidence, and grateful to everyone who helped make this event such a memorable celebration!
Mrs. Taplin’s Seminar students rotated through seven interactive cultural stations, thoughtfully designed around the cultural content EL students shared in videos viewed ahead of the Culture Fair. EL students taught about traditions, perspectives, and experiences from around the world to their visitors.
To commemorate the experience, participants received a handmade beaded “String of Memories”—a bracelet or ring/keychain—crafted by our EL students as a meaningful keepsake of the day.
We are so proud of our students for their creativity, collaboration, and confidence, and grateful to everyone who helped make this event such a memorable celebration!
We are so proud of our WMS Titan Star students who make our school a better place each and every day. These students consistently go above and beyond by showing leadership, kindness, and responsibility. This outstanding group was recognized by our English Language Arts teachers, support staff and administrators for the positive impact they have in our classrooms and throughout our school community.
Congratulations to the following:
Keyan Kouchnerkavich, Dayton McSauby, Susanna Dumon, James Nicol, Vann Cravey, Genesis Lopez, Khrystyna Narolska, Lauren Frick, Gunner Gorbea & Payten Holtcamp
Be sure to "paws" for this heartwarming boost for today!
Mrs. DeKett's 6th grade Art Unleashed class recently welcomed Cherryland Humane Society to learn about the incredible work they do providing refuge and medical care for homeless pets. Inspired to give back, our students launched a special service-learning project.
Students selected photos of adoptable animals and transformed them into stunning digital drawings. The best part? These masterpieces will be gifted by Cherryland to the families who give these animals their "furever" homes!
Check out these young artists using their skills to make a difference. These portrait examples were created by Maddy Bauer, Jesslynn Chorley, Quinn Lautner, Steven St. Germaine, Alice Bridges, Maggie Freeborn, Emma Kremer and Grayson Turland.
We loved welcoming Dr. Craig Hadley, Curator at the Dennos Museum, to WMS today!
Our 8th grade ELA students explored real-world applications of writing- learning how to synthesize information and ensure their writing is clear, meaningful, and accessible for all audiences. What a powerful connection between classroom skills and the world beyond school! A big thank you to Dr. Witt, Ms. Babiasz, Mr. Dedenbach, and Ms. Donahue for making this experience possible!
Our 8th grade ELA students explored real-world applications of writing- learning how to synthesize information and ensure their writing is clear, meaningful, and accessible for all audiences. What a powerful connection between classroom skills and the world beyond school! A big thank you to Dr. Witt, Ms. Babiasz, Mr. Dedenbach, and Ms. Donahue for making this experience possible!
Jack Williams, an eighth-grade student at Traverse City West Middle School, was named the District 13 and State of Michigan winner of the VFW Patriot Pen Youth Essay Competition. Selected from more than 60,000 students nationwide, he was formally recognized for his essay on patriotism and service at the 47th Annual Mid-Winter Conference of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. We are incredibly proud of Jack!
Congratulations to all of our Spelling Bee participants who studied hard and showed the courage to compete. We are so proud of you!
We are also proud to announce that Sadie Ambrosius is the 2026 West Middle School Spelling Bee Champion! After an impressive 14 rounds, 8th grader Finley Nolan earned runner-up honors, exiting the competition on a truly tough word. Our 3rd place finisher was 6th grader Leo Ruble, who will serve as the school alternate when Finley and Sadie head to the Regional Spelling Bee in March.
Way to go, Titans!
We are also proud to announce that Sadie Ambrosius is the 2026 West Middle School Spelling Bee Champion! After an impressive 14 rounds, 8th grader Finley Nolan earned runner-up honors, exiting the competition on a truly tough word. Our 3rd place finisher was 6th grader Leo Ruble, who will serve as the school alternate when Finley and Sadie head to the Regional Spelling Bee in March.
Way to go, Titans!
Ms. Wares’ class dove into lively debates on the ethics of genetics, challenging students to think critically, consider multiple perspectives and engage in meaningful academic conversations. Students stepped up as debate moderators, showing leadership and keeping discussions on track and even asked for sources to fact-check one another!
Critical thinking, student voice and leadership all in one classroom moment!
Critical thinking, student voice and leadership all in one classroom moment!
