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WMS PTA
Newsletter
February 5, 2023
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Feb 8 - early release (12:05) & PTA Pie Tanza Fundraiser
Feb 10 - School dance
Feb 20 - No School, Holiday-
Presidents Day
Feb 21 - PTA meeting (changed due to Valentine's Day)
March 3 - No School, Parent-teacher conferences
March 15 - early release (12:05)
Looking ahead:
-spring break is April 3-10 (Monday 4/10 is a teacher work day)
-8th grade promotion will be June 14th at 8:15 am in the WMS Gym.
View the full calendar for the school year online.
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Help make the dance a fun event! | |
We need your help in supporting the school dance for our kids this Friday. Can't be at the dance? Please donate some snacks OR blow up some balloons at home OR help with set up OR make balloon arches. There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved and make it happen. The more help there is, the more memorable it will be so please consider doing anything you can.
Volunteer to help here.
Volunteer to donate snacks here.
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We will have a lunch and learn series with our Substance Abuse Counselor, Ms. Sexton. And remember, if you are in crisis, take action! If someone you care about is in crisis, take action!
You have options:
* Call 9-1-1
*Go to the nearest emergency room at your local hospital
*Call Arlington Emergency Mental Health 703-228-5160
*Go to In Crisis/ Need Help Now? on the APS website for important phone numbers, tips for students and families, and links to emergency information.
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Please support the WMS PTA this Wednesday, February 8 ! | | | |
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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 | | | |
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WMS School Dance---Volunteers Needed | Help make the Winter Yetiland Dance special by volunteering a few hours. There's an opportunity to blow balloons up from home and deliver them to school on Wednesday the 8th. You can also come in on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning to help build balloon arches. Friday afternoon you could help put up the arches and/or decorate.Volunteers are needed to chaperone and do the snacks during as well. Finally, the opportunity to join the clean up crew. :) To sign up please use this link. | | | |
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PTA Membership and Activity Fee Reminder | |
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.
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?!
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.
http://wmspta.org/pta-membership/
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WMS After School Chess Registration for Spring | | | |
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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.
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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!
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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.
PS this is the best way to stop those weekly emails reminding you to order. ;)
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Choose WMS PTA in AmazonSmile & 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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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
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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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The Summer Activities Fair is back! Join us on Thu, Feb. 16 from 6 - 8 p.m. at Kenmore Middle School. The fair is free to attend and presents a wide range of local and regional opportunities for students of all ages in academic, cultural, outdoor adventure, sports, exploration and virtual activities. Various programs also offer volunteer and job opportunities for teens! | | | |
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Share Your Feedback on School Board Policies Available for Public Comment | |
Review and comment on draft APS policies that are available for public comment on the School Board Policies for Revision and Amendment webpage. Comments can be provided online until the deadline listed for each of the following policies:
- J-15.32 Records Management
All School Board Policies and Policy Implementation Procedures (PIPs) are available on BoardDocs and are searchable by specific keywords or phrases. For additional information or questions about School Board policies, please visit the Engage with APS School Board Policies webpage.
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APS February Recognitions, Celebrations, & Holidays | |
February is full of recognitions and celebrations. APS will observe the following:
- Black History Month
- Career & Technical Education Month
- Feb. 6-10 – National School Counseling Week
- Feb. 8 – Early Release; Countywide Professional Learning Day for Staff
- Feb. 8 – Crossing Guard Appreciation Day
- Feb. 13-17 – Virginia Kindness Week & School Board Clerk Appreciation Week
- Feb. 20 – No School - Presidents Day
- Feb. 22 – School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
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With winter weather inevitably approaching, APS wants to remind families to review our inclement weather procedures and have a plan in place in the event of a change in operations:
- The first seven inclement weather days will be treated as traditional “snow days.” If the allotted days are used, APS will revert to full distance learning (virtual) days.
- NEW: Extended Day and Check-In programs will now close at the same time schools close in the event of an Early Release due to weather conditions (previously Extended Day remained open until 4 p.m.).
- Decisions impacting the following day will be announced by 6 p.m. Morning decisions will be announced by 5 a.m., as needed, based on conditions overnight.
You can learn more about the weather codes and other important details on our website.
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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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In memory of Sergio Flores, I think this is an important community message-----Naloxone, or NARCAN, is a safe and effective medication that can reverse an opioid overdose. Community members can obtain free Naloxone through the mail by completing an online request form, scheduling a 10-minute training by calling (703) 228-4216, or attending a 1-hour virtual NARCAN training.
Arlington County’s hypothermia shelter is now open through March 2023. If you or someone you know is experiencing homelessness and needs emergency shelter, call 703-228-1010
Nominate a woman who has improved lives and opportunities for Arlington residents, especially women and girls, for the 2023 Women of Vision Awards. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 24.
Volunteer opportunities for teens & family-Do you like working outside? Join community volunteers, on Feb. 18, in protecting the local environment from non-native invasive plants and replacing them with native plants. You can join in at Tuckahoe Park on 2/18. Learn more and register here.
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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. | | | | |
