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WMS PTA
Newsletter
October 30, 2022
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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 8th Grade Promotion. If you haven’t already, please consider donating today.
http://wmspta.org/pta-membership/
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You can order hoodies and sweatpants to wear for PE and school spirit until November 7. https://williamsburgmiddleschoolfall2022.itemorder.com/shop/sale/
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Order WMS Spirit Wear 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!
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Virtual High School Night | |
Attention 8th-grade families! Virtual High School Information Night will be on Tue, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Families will be able to watch the event online (link will be posted prior to the event).
Learn about the transition to high school, core classes, electives, and extracurriculars.
Families interested in option schools/programs or neighborhood transfers will learn about the application and lottery process.
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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
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It’s time to learn about gifted services at WMS! Gifted Services Information Sessions can be viewed by selecting this link to our Information Sessions page on our gifted services website. You will find three separate videos about gifted services: Overview/ Delivery of Services, Differentiation, and Referral/ Identification. You will have the option to watch the video for each topic or choose to read through the presentation slides that correspond to each video. If you have questions regarding gifted services or you have specific questions regarding your child, please complete this form and I will be happy to set up a conference (in-person, video, or phone).
The monthly newsletter is published! Please select this link to access. You will find information about the APS Virtual High School Information Night, APS JR Honors, Honors Band, Orchestra, & Chorus Music program auditions, and a Patriot’s Pen essay competition. There are also parenting articles about identity and meditation as a coping tool for twice exceptional children. Please visit our WMS website to learn more about gifted services overall.
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While we're talking about the PTA.....we have volunteer positions available. Most are a short commitment (unlike this here newsletter so if you'd like to help with that too, I won't turn you down.)
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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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October is Bully Prevention Month | |
During October’s Bullying Prevention Month, students will learn strategies to Recognize, Refuse and Report bullying. Unity Day will be recognized on Wed, Oct. 19 to celebrate kindness, acceptance, and inclusion in our schools. Everyone is encouraged to wear orange that day to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying. Here’s how to report incidents of bullying:
If you are concerned that your student is being bullied, share your concerns with your student’s counselor or administrator.
Any student, parent/guardian, or school staff may initiate a complaint for themselves or another party by completing the Bully Harassment Incident Form.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Update Your ParentVue Info-Deadline Oct 31 | |
AOVP is the opportunity for families to review and update student, parent and emergency contact information. It also contains important policies and information. All families must complete this process by Oct. 31, 2022. Support is available in a variety of ways: Families can access the AOVP through their ParentVUE account online or on the app.
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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.
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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!
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Halloween is tomorrow... Mon, Oct. 31. Arlington County has assembled a host of resources from events in the area to safety tips for trick-or-treating to guide your fall fun. Enjoy and be safe!
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.
Nominations are now being accepted for Arlington's annual Notable Tree Awards! Nominate a tree you think is notable due to its size, age, history, uniqueness or neighborhood significance by Mon., October 31.
Share your thoughts with the Arlington County Board on a proposed voting method pilot for the 2023 County Board June primary election through Nov. 4.
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.
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Have content for a future PTA Newsletter? Send it to Tonya Chiarodo by Friday and it will appear in the following week's newsletter. | | | | | |
