*** The PTA provides support to the WMS community in many different ways, including helping with events like PALS days, funding Wolf Paw prizes and classroom grants, providing recognition for our teachers, and more. We can only continue to do so with your support. Please consider donating to the PTA to support our activities for the remainder of this school year and into the next. ***

PTA ANNOUNCEMENTS

Teacher Appreciation Week - We have 53% of Needed Funds - NEED DONATIONS

Last week, we had only 20% of the needed funds for Teacher Appreciation Week, compared to past years. Thanks to your donations this past week, we are now at 53% of our fundraising goals!

Please consider donating so we can honor our teachers with our traditional Teacher Appreciation Week activities.

Our teachers go the extra mile for our students every day, so we hope you are willing to show them your support as well. Please consider donating to the Teacher Appreciation Fund.

Whether it’s a small contribution or a larger gift, every donation makes a difference and helps us say “thank you” in a meaningful way.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

For questions, or to volunteer to help with this special week, please contact Ingrid Gust at ingrid.gust@outlook.com. 

Restaurant Fundraiser - Deli Italiano - THIS WEDNESDAY

Join us for a restaurant fundraiser at Deli Italiano in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, at the intersection of Williamsburg Blvd and Sycamore St.

Wednesday, May 6

4-9 PM

6505 N 29th Street

Arlington

Be sure to mention WMS Fundraiser when you order!



WMS 8th Grade Yards Signs are In!

We have received our WMS 8th Grade Yard Signs! Our team has been reaching out by email to confirm delivery. 

If you have not received your yard sign, please send an email to mjhenneberg@gmail.com or nina.cribbs@att.net.

There's still time to order a yard sign! We have extended the ordering window through this Thursday, May 8, at 5PM! Click here to order: Givebacks

A big thank you to our WMS sign team: 
Molly Henneberg Nagel, Betsy Churchill, and Nina Cribbs

Message from YHS PTSA for 8th Grade Parents

Dear Rising 9th Grade Patriot Families,

The Yorktown HS PTSA would like to invite you to our last General Member meeting of the school year on Monday, May 11, 2026 at 7:30 P.M. The meeting will be virtual and on Zoom. We will send the meeting link out on May 11.

We have invited two guest speakers, Mike Krulfeld, Activities Director, who will share information for the upcoming Fall season for sports and clubs, and Roberta Henault, an attorney who will share information on what families need to know when your high school student turns 18. We also will be voting to approve our Summer budget. If you’re able to join, this is a great way to meet the PTSA Board and Dr. Clark, YHS Principal. 

Our Spirit Wear store is now open until May 15th - Click to order! The proceeds from this online pop-up sale will support the Yorktown PTSA and it's a great way to outfit your rising Freshman with official Patriot merch. All items purchased will be delivered directly to you by June 8.

We encourage you to sign up for the weekly PTSA newsletter. Click here to stay updated on our events and Yorktown happenings. 

We’re also seeking volunteers for many of our PTSA Committees and programs next year. If you’re interested in helping or would like more information please complete the Volunteer form. Volunteering with the PTSA is a great way to stay connected, support our students and staff, and make a meaningful impact in our school community.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting, otherwise we look forward to meeting you at the New Families orientation in August.

Congratulations and have a wonderful summer!

Jill Gaspar, PTSA President

8th Grade - End of Year Activities - Schedule

• Boardwalk Beach Carnival at WMS - Friday, June 12
  6 pm – 8 pm, parents to drop off/pick up at the school, children to dress in boardwalk/beach attire (no swimsuits)

• Kings Dominion Day Trip - Monday, June 15
  8 am - 6 pm, buses transport children to/from school

• Graduation/Promotion Rehearsal at WMS - Tuesday, June 16
  7:50 am, parents to drop off at school

• Graduation/Promotion Ceremony at WMS - Wednesday, June 17
  8:15 am, parents to attend. Families receive 2 tickets only!

For the June 12 Boardwalk Beach Carnival, we will reach out closer to the event with a Sign Up to recruit parent volunteers and obtain donations to make the event fun and fabulous for our 8th Graders!  

Please also consider donating to the 8th Grade Activity Fund. The budget for the above events comes directly from the activity fund. Donations to the 8th Grade Activity Fund can be made here: https://wmsptawolves.givebacks.com/shop

Additionally, if you are an owner of a local business or have a connection with a business, we are happy to take business sponsorships for any of our 8th Grade events. Please let the PTA know by emailing events@wmspta.org.

Code Ninjas of Arlington - Summer Camp Offerings

Please see the summer camp offerings from Code Ninjas of Arlington.

They recently attended our PTA meeting to speak on "AI Fluency and Responsible Usage for Middle Schoolers and Rising High School Students." 

Click here to see their camp offerings.

Summer Learn-to-Row Camp at W-L

Are you thinking about rowing in high school? 

Rowing is one of the few sports that you can start in high school and become successful with very quickly!

W-L Crew's Summer Learn to Row camps are perfect for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders who want to give rowing a try!

Or join us for Green Days next fall! 

Learn more about both on our website: www.w-lcrewboosters.org. 

W-L Crew now rows out of Columbia Island Marina, which is very conveniently located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River near the Pentagon.  

Serve as a Democracy Intern with Learning Life

For kids who will be in 8th-12th grade in the fall...

- Need to complete community service hours?

- Interested in politics, government, and policymaking?

- Do you have a GPA of 3.5 or higher?

Apply to serve as a summer or fall Democracy Intern with Learning Life!

Click here for more information and to register!

About Learning Life: Learning Life is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit lab devoted to innovating education, democracy and diplomacy by spreading learning in everyday life beyond school walls. In our increasingly interconnected yet divided world, we develop inclusive learning communities in order to widen and deepen participation in democracy and diplomacy.

WMS Food Bus to Assist AFAC

The Helping Hands club is bringing the AFAC Food Bus back! Each school day, students are encouraged to place unopened and/or unused food in the dedicated AFAC fridge or bins in the cafeteria, which is transported to AFAC in a bulk delivery at the end of the week. This partnership provides for our community's food insecure, diverts food waste, and promotes a culture of giving among the entire student body. 

We need parents (and their students) to help to make this possible by collecting and transporting the food from WMS to AFAC (2708 S Nelson St, Arlington, VA 22206) at the end of the school week (usually Friday afternoons).

It is SUPER easy, a great lesson for our children, and it feels good to give! 

Please consider volunteering to drive the food donations to AFAC!

CLICK HERE to sign up!

Outdoor Lab Seeking Board Members; Summer Camp Info

Outdoor Lab Seeks Board Members: The Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA), the volunteer-run nonprofit that owns and supports the Outdoor Lab in partnership with APS, is seeking new Board member candidates. We particularly need a volunteer with finance/accounting experience to serve as Treasurer. Learn more on our website and contact vp@outdoorlab.org with questions or to express interest.

Outdoor Lab Summer Camp 2026: Outdoor Lab Summer Camp 2026 is a fantastic opportunity for students who have a passion for nature, love spending time outdoors, or have an interest in animals. Our camp is hosted at the Phoebe Hall Knipling Outdoor Lab, offering a week-long immersive experience that combines fun and learning in a beautiful natural setting. 

New this year, APS is offering two weeks of Outdoor Lab Summer Camp for Middle School students (current grades 6-8), the weeks of July 6-10 and July 13-17. Registration opens at 6pm on March 6 and is first-come, first-served until spaces are filled: https://www.apsva.us/curriculum/outdoor-lab/ 

"Growth" Speaker Series for Parents and Professionals - FREE Admission

Parents, caregivers, teachers and therapists: if there’s a child in your life with learning differences, chances are you are seeking some advice. Discover the Lab School's popular Speaker Series! Our monthly lectures are rich with information, insights and tips that will help you nurture the opportunities—and navigate the challenges—learning differences can present. Coming up...

The Intersection of Learning Differences and Culture - May 6

May 6, 2026 | 6:00-7:00 PM

Linda Fleming McGhee, J.D., Psy.D., Clinical Psychologist, McGhee & Associates, LLC

CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

WMS GENERAL INFORMATION

Main Phone Line: 703-228-5450

Attendance Line: 703-228-5444

Technical support: 703-228-2570, Monday through Thursday from 7 am - 9 pm, and Friday from 7 am - 6 pm



Technical support information: click here.

ParentVue: click here.

Morning announcements: click here.

APS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

Upcoming APS Community Engagement Opportunities:

APS Launches Adopt-a-School: Building Strategic Partnerships for Student Success

Learn more about the Adopt-a-School program. Complete the interest form.

Thu, May 14  School Board Meeting: Recognition of Asian American and Pacific islander (AAPI) and Jewish American Heritage Months; Strategic Plan Priority – Operational Excellence (Focus on Information Services); Information on VSBA Legislative Positions & Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2027-36 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP)

7:00 pm    Watch School Board meeting online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2nd FL, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204

Fri, May 15   Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed for adults who regularly interact with adolescents (age 12-18), hosted by APS for staff, families and community members.

9 am – 3 pm  Register prior (link needed). Wakefield High, 1325 S Dinwiddie St, 22206

Tue, May 19 School Board Work Session with Advisory Committees: End-of-Year Reports

6:30 pm        Watch Work Sessions Live  or at Syphax Education Center, School Board Room, 2nd FL, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204

Thu, May 28  School Board Meeting: Recognition of JROTC; Strategic Plan Priority – Student-Centered Workforce (Focus on Professional Learning); Action on Final FY 2027 Budget (Tentative) and VSBA Legislative Positions

7:00 pm    Watch School Board meeting online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2nd FL, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204

More at: Community Engagement Opportunities with automatic translation into: Español  Монгол  አማርኛ   العربية  (Other languages)

Arlington Community Opportunities and Events:

Last call: AUSA Scholarships for High School Students. 

The George Washington Chapter AUSA 2026 Scholarship Committee is accepting digital scholarship applications at C2101@ausa.org. Email questions to karen.lowe1956@gmail.com or dickwinter1@gmail.com. Applications are due May 1.

Mon, May 4    County Board Townhall Meeting

6:30-8:30 pm Central Library Auditorium, 1015 N. Quincy St, 22201

Sat, May 9   Arlington History Fest VA 250: Telling Arlington’s Story

10am-5 pm Kenmore Middle School, 200 S Carlin Springs Rd. 22207

Tue, May 12    Author Talk and Indonesian Cooking Demo with Pat Tanumihardja—including a free tasting!

6:30-7:30 pm Arlington Central Library, 1015 N Quincy St, 22201

Fri, May 15    Bike to Work Day hosted by BikeArlington

Register here. Receive a FREE T-shirt and find Pit Stops set up across the region.

Sat, May 16    Neighborhood Clean-up Day | Dispose of bulky household items and metal with County assistance.

7 – 11:00 am   Green Valley Neighborhood. Contact: Jorge.Laura@arlingtonva.us

Have content for a future PTA Newsletter? Send it to our Communications VP by Thursday and we will include it in the following week's newsletter.