PTA Membership and Activity Fee Reminder

Psssstttt......while you're already on the PTA page for the No Frills Fundraiser, you can also pay activity fees. Activity fees are what fund the fun events at WMS.  If you haven’t already, please consider donating today and joining the PTA. We are below 40% participation and would love to go well over that if possible. PS your grade level funds roll over and stick with your grade as well.

Which brings me to this.....

8th grade families, our students didn't get a big end of elementary school celebration. If more families don't participate, we won't be able to have a middle school ones as well. Currently only 102 of 267 families have paid. That's only 38%. I encourage you to contribute if you can. Unsure if you've already paid? Please feel to email Melissa Mathews. Did you also see the promotion is scheduled already?!

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

Please support the WMS Band Program on Thursday, February 2!

WMS School Dance

Exciting news.......WMS will be having a winter yetiland dance on Friday, February 10 from 6:00 to 8:00 in the gym. The dance is free, but students will need a ticket via the link below. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wms-winter-yetiland-tickets-520685423117

WMS Helping Hands Food Drive

The Helping Hands club is hosting a FOOD DRIVE for Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) starting Monday 1/23. We're making this a competition - each grade will have its own collection bin and the grade with the most items wins a popsicle party during lunch!

WHO: Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) and the many Arlington residents that need help with food

WHAT: Food Drive for AFAC (with a popsicle party for the winning grade!)

WHEN: Monday 1/23 - Friday 2/3

WHERE: Collection bins are located in each grade's main hallway

WHY: Many Arlington residents are food-insecure and we can help!

Most needed items are canned tuna, soup, vegetables and tomatoes, peanut butter (in plastic jars) and cereal. Any other canned or boxed food item is welcome!

Library Survey

The Department of Planning and Evaluation in the APS is conducting a Library Services Program Evaluation and looking for feedback from parents/guardians. Participation is voluntary and all responses are aggregated and kept confidential. Individual responses will not be reported or shared. If you have students at more than one school, please complete one survey for each school. You can access the short survey with the information below. The elementary one is included for those with younger students. This way you can easily access them both.

Elementary Family Survey Link: https://survey.k12insight.com/r/LibElemParents

Secondary Family Survey Link: https://survey.k12insight.com/r/LibSecParents

WMS After School Chess Registration for Spring

WMS Academic Planning Night Recap

If you missed the academic planning information night on Thursday, January 12, click on the presentation link for the corresponding grade.

https://williamsburg.apsva.us/counseling/academic-planning/

Want to set up some social events?

Miss picking up the kids from school and meeting other parents?Are you feeling disconnected from the school? If you feel that way and want to help set up a single one-off social event to meet more parents, please let us know. You could plan a coffee date at Chill Zone, dinner event at Pie Tanza or Maya Bistro, you. Good news is that if you plan it, you pick the location AND time. Contact our PTA president and you can take the lead. Send the details and we'll promote it too.

Updated Gifted Services Information

The monthly newsletter for January is posted so please check out the opportunities for coding courses, William & Mary's Enrichment Programs, summer camps (many are already open for registration) and photo, art, creativity, and civic competitions! There are also articles on gifted adults, identity, and meditation. Please visit our website by going to the WMS homepage->Teachers/Departments->Gifted Services->Monthly Newsletter or by selecting this link: https://williamsburg.apsva.us/newsletter-current-monthly-opportunities-and-resources/

Does your child want to look through book recommendations, see what clubs are available at WMS, visit a virtual museum, or read educational tweets from vetted organizations such as NASA? Have them go to our “Student Resources” page on our gifted services website by going to the WMS homepage ->Teachers/Departments->Gifted Services->Student Resources or by using this link:https://williamsburg.apsva.us/student-resources-page/. They can “bookmark” this page on their iPads for easy access in the future.

New Attendance Process

NEW year, NEW Process!

Attendance Notification Changes: Beginning this Tuesday, Jan. 17, APS is modifying the attendance notification process. The changes will allow families to receive earlier and more frequent, real-time notice if their student has an unverified absence from school and/or has missed a specific class period.

The transition to the process will be:

11 a.m.: Call and text based on information reported by 10:30 a.m. 

1 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Text notification of unverified absences for specific periods, based on information reported at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

5 p.m.: Call and text to recap unverified absences throughout the day, based on information entered by end of day.

Don't forget to notify the school when your student will be absent.

Still Need Volunteers

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 - Thanks to Sara Crummett for taking this on!

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.

PS this is the best way to stop those weekly emails reminding you to order. ;)

Choose WMS PTA in AmazonSmile & Help Us Earn Money!

Link Your Harris Teeter Grocery Card

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