WMS PTA Newsletter November 6

WMS PTA

Newsletter

November 6, 2022

Hope you changed your clocks back one hour for Daylight Saving Time. Be mindful of the darkness on the way to school. Have your student(s) pay extra attention when crossing the roads. Stay safe and enjoy your extra hour!

IMPORTANT INFO

Main Phone Line: 703-228-5450

Attendance Line: 703-228-5444

TECH SUPPORT

For technical support, call the Family Technology Call Center at 703-228-2570, Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Friday from 7 am - 6 pm

Parent tech help can also be found at

https://williamsburg.apsva.us/technology/tech-help/tech-help-parents/

Parentvue Access

https://va-arl-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login.aspx

WMS News

PTA Membership and Activity Fee Reminder

Please help us be sure we can have the Fall festival!

Activity fees are what primarily fund the WMS fall fest, WMS End of Year Parties along with most of 8^th Grade Promotion. If you haven’t already, please consider donating today.

http://wmspta.org/pta-membership/

Order WMS Spirit Wear

You can order hoodies and sweatpants to wear for PE and school spirit until November 7. https://williamsburgmiddleschoolfall2022.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

Band Election Day Sale

I like cookies! WMS is my polling place! I want to support the WMS Band!

If you agree with ANY (or ALL!) of these statements, the WMS Band Bake Sale on Election Day is for you! Stop by Cafeteria Door #3 anytime between 7 a.m. and 3 pm on Tuesday, November 8. Organized by the Band Boosters, Bake Sale proceeds provide critical funding for music purchases, specialized coaching, and other activities that benefit all Band members. Please support the WMS Band program!

Gifted Monthly Newsletter

Happy fall ya'll! The gifted monthly newsletter is ready! Select this link to access opportunities for children and resources for parents. You will find a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary & Visual contest, the 3M Young Scientist Competition, a Problem Solving Competition, and the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay contest. There are also parenting articles about stress, identity, and misdiagnosis. Please visit our WMS website to learn more about gifted services overall.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Information

Thinking about applying to TJHSST? Please check out this video before starting the application process:

TJHSST RISING FRESHMAN VIDEO (Links to an external site.) This video will answer any questions you have about the school, the application process, how to fill out the application and important dates!

APPLICATION WINDOW OPENS: OCTOBER 24, 2022 @ 4pm

Student Services Newsletter

This is the first edition of the student services Newsletter.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAFMTDQrwpI/vW0ccKOgL4JNVld-Eewyjw/view?utm_content=DAFMTDQrwpI&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=publishsharelink

Volunteers Needed

While we're talking about the PTA.....we have volunteer positions available. Most are a short commitment.

HIGH NEED - ACTL Rep - This committee meets monthly at Syphax Center from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (IN PERSON). Secondary schools are allowed two representatives. Job Duties - attend meetings and report out to monthly PTA membership meetings.

Back to School Teacher Breakfast - Needed for August 2023 - Solicit volunteers, donations, and purchases for back to school teacher breakfast. Drop items off at school and set up breakfast.

PALS Day Coordinator - Needed for August 2023 - Solicit volunteers, donations, and purchases of doughnuts and water for PALS Day. Drop off items at school and man the doughnut table with additional volunteers.

Schools Supplies Coordinator - Late Spring 2023/Late Summer 2023 - Work with vendor to order supplies, once delivered, solicit volunteers to open boxes, and deliver to correct classrooms before PALS day in August.

PTA Reflections Art Contest Chair - August/September/October 2023 - Solicit artwork from students, collect from school, find judges, award students, deliver artwork to county contest. This is a concentrated effort in August to announce the contest and find judges before the county contest due date.

Pre-order Your WMS Yearbook Now!

Get a jump on the year and pre-order your 2022-2023 WMS yearbook. Information on how to order can be found in here.

Link Your Harris Teeter Grocery Card and Raise Money for WMS PTA!

Don't forget to link your grocery card numbers! Harris Teeter requires re-linking with your school each year. Our linked numbers are low so you may not have re-linked your cards for this year. It's easy and a great way for WMS to earn extra money. Learn how below:

Harris Teeter - VIC Card Shoppers:

Go to Harris Teeter's Together in Education website and sign into your HT account. Click on "Link Your School Today." Then enter the Williamsburg Middle School ID: 4926.

Don't have your VIC card number? Call 800-432-6111

Choose WMS PTA in AmazonSmile and Help Us Earn Money!

AmazonSmile is operated by Amazon and benefits non-profits like our WMS PTA. If you make purchases through AmazonSmile (vs. regular Amazon), Amazon will donate a percentage of your purchase to WMS PTA. Click here for instructions on how to set that up on your mobile app, mobile web browser or desktop computer.

WMS Box Tops Program - Now An Easy-to-Use App!

The Box Tops for Education program is now mobile. This makes it so much easier for families to increase our school earnings. WMS has earned over $12K from Box Tops, funding much-needed programs within our school. Please click here for more information on how to download the app and start sending Box Tops dollars to WMS.

APS News

November is National Native American Heirtage Month

November is National American Indian Heritage Month. APS recognizes the contributions and cultures of the Indigenous peoples across the North American continent, including those right here in Virginia. Learn more about National American Indian Heritage Month and check out these books recommended by the Arlington Public Library from Native American Voices.

2023-24 School Year Calendar Survey

APS is seeking input from students, staff, families, and community members related to the development of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar. The calendar survey will be available to be completed between now and November 8. There will be three calendar options available for the community to review and all calendar options have a school start date prior to Labor Day. Based on feedback received from the community, one of the calendar options aligns with the school year calendars of neighboring school divisions.

For additional information on the 2023-24 school year calendar and to view the school year calendar options, visit the Development of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar webpage.

Bond to Improve School Infrastructure on November Ballot

On Election Day, Nov. 8, Arlington voters will vote on $165.01 million in school bonds to improve and upgrade existing school infrastructure. The school bonds support projects to maintain and update APS school facilities to meet the changing needs of students and the community. The projects included in the 2022 School Bond Referendum are:

- Major infrastructure projects that include the Escuela Key roof replacement, Hoffman-Boston HVAC replacement, and LED lighting upgrades at various sites.

- Entrance security vestibules and kitchen renovations at 24 school buildings.

- The modernization of the Arlington Career Center to construct a modern facility to support student learning for full-time Arlington Career Center (ACC) students and students from all APS high schools who are enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses at ACC.

For additional information visit the 2022 School Bond Referendum webpage.

Submit Your Creations for the 2023 MLK Arts Contest!

Arlington Public Schools students are invited to take part in the annual “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Literary and Visual Arts Contest.” The prompt this year is to “describe a time where you saw someone treated unfairly because of what they looked like or who they were; OR an event in history where people were treated unfairly because of what they looked like or who they were.”

Entries are due by 5 p.m. Fri, Nov. 18.

APS Boundary Update

At this week's School Board meeting, it was announced there will not be a school boundary process for Fall 2022 meaning no boundary adjustments will take place during the 2023-24 SY. Earlier this year, staff reviewed projected enrollment levels and determined that student enrollment would be manageable for the current school year. Staff will share the various measures to manage student enrollment when the Superintendent’s Annual Update is presented this spring.

Academic Help Online at No Cost!

NEW Academic Support for Middle and High School Students: the new academic support available for secondary students called PAPER. PAPER provides 24/7 on-demand virtual tutors available to students for assistance with homework, essay review and other academic support in multiple subjects and languages. Teachers have been promoting this service directly to students. Details online. It is a great resource!

Free COVID Testing Resumes

COVID Testing Continues—Opt In Now: Our in-school weekly COVID testing program is available to all students. This testing helps with early detection of positive COVID cases at school, and is available to returning and new students whose parents/guardians either reaffirm their initial consent or complete a new consent form online. Complete information and opt in forms are online. View the updated COVID-19 Protocols and FAQ online.

Community News

Please remember to stop for pedestrians, look both ways when crossing, maintain a safe distance from cyclists while driving, and follow all speed limits as part of Arlington County’s Vision Zero Action Plan to eliminate severe and fatal crashes involving pedestrians.

If you see suspected incidents of financial fraud, waste, and abuse that have a negative impact on the County, you can confidentially and securely report it on the Financial Fraud, Waste and Abuse Hotline.

YHS Crew Holiday Wreath Fundraiser---Please consider ordering your holiday wreath through the Yorktown High School Crew's annual fundraiser. Funds will go toward equipment and operations for the team. Local orders will be delivered by one of the crew to your address by December 1.

Order your wreath here! Please list the Rower Name as 'WMS' on the order form to help us group deliveries. Deadline to order is Tuesday, November 15th.

Prepare for leaf collection starting November 14! Find out how and when leaf vacuum trucks will be in your neighborhood and make sure to pick up your free paper yard waste bags at one of six locations throughout the County.

Join Arlington County Foster Parent Services on Tues., November 15, at 6:30 p.m. for a virtual information session to learn about the requirements to become a foster parent in Arlington.

Want to learn more about working for Arlington County? Find out about public service care

ers at Arlington County's Career Expo on Wed., November 16, at 4 p.m.

Help spread joy this holiday season during the 8th Annual Fill the Cruiser Toy Drive. Starting November 4, Arlington County Police Department will be accepting donated, new and unwrapped toys to ensure the holidays are bright for some of our most vulnerable community members.

PTA Executive Board

President: Heather Selig

VP External: Allison Glatfelter

VP Internal: Cristina Pereira

VP Communications: Tonya Chiarodo

VP Administration: Bryan Boykin

Secretary: Rena Cutlip-Mason

Treasurer: Melissa Mathews

Webmaster: Liz Crescioli

Have content for a future PTA Newsletter? Send it to Tonya Chiarodo by Friday and it will appear in the following week's newsletter.

Williamsburg Middle School PTA | wmspta.org