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Williamsburg Middle School PTA Newsletter
September 23, 2024
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From the Williamsburg Middle School PTA
Greetings Williamsburg Families,
It was wonderful to see so many parents at Back to School Night! A big thank you to everyone who donated to the Back to School Night pizza dinner for the teachers and staff.
Tomorrow is our first PTA meeting at 6:30 p.m., in the WMS library and we will vote on the budget. Please take a look at the proposed budget on our website. Mr. Boykin will present the survey results from" Your Voice Matters" and school action plan.
This Wednesday, Old Dominion Pizza Company will host our Restaurant Night Fundraiser from 4-8 p.m. Please use "PTA925" when ordering and we will receive 15% of those sales.
As always, please feel free to contact me at president@wmspta.org.
Jill Gaspar
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6th and 7th Grade Parents!
Hello Parents!
We are seeking 6th and 7th Grade Parents volunteers for our Graduation Hospitality Committee.
This is a one time volunteer event and can be shared with other parent volunteers. The 2-3 person committee will organize and manage a sign up to arrange for food donations, and volunteers to provide light refreshments outside the main entrance following the 8th grade promotion ceremony.
-8th Grade Activity Committee, Kelly, Leigh, Melanie and Courtney
If interested, please email 8thactivities@wmspta.org.
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WMS PTA Volunteer Open Positions
- 6th Grade Parent Activity Coordinator(s)
- Fundraising Coordinator(s)
- CCPTA Liaison
- Teacher Appreciation Week Co-Chair(s)
- Book Fair Coordinator
- Website Administrator
- Volunteer Coordinator
If you would like to volunteer please email president@wmspta.org.
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Outdoor Lab Fall Open House - Sept. 29
Sign up now for the Fall Open House. Sunday, September 29, 10 am - 2 pm.
Register your squad now!
While at the Lab, your family can:
- fish in the pond (cane poles & worms provided!)
- paddle the boats
- hike our trails (over 5 miles, various hiking abilities)
- observe critters in our Nature Center (maybe pet a snake?)
- find a perfect spot for a family picnic (bring your lunch!)
For the Safety of Visitors:
- All visitors must sign in
- NO Dogs allowed
- Please leave only footsteps and take only pictures
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Bad weather, check www.outdoorlab.org for updates (dress for the weather!)
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
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BSA All-Girl Troop Inviting Girls Ages 11-17 to Learn About Troop 163 - Sept. 30
Looking for an activity this fall? Troop 163, a Scouts BSA all-girl troop, is inviting girls aged 11-17 who want to learn more, to join us on September 30.
Troop 163 is a vibrant, well-equipped troop with a year-round program designed to build character, citizenship, and personal fitness through outdoor skills/ camping and scout-led leadership with the counsel of trained adults. Girls explore and improve their interests in a variety of skills and can work toward Scouting’s highest rank- Eagle.
Den leaders, parents and girls, come learn about all the exciting events the scouts have planned for the new school year:
Mon, Sept. 30, 7:30-8:30pm at Westover Baptist Church, 1125 Patrick Henry Dr Arlington, VA 22205 (in the parking lot closest to Washington Blvd).
For more information, please email the Scoutmaster - scoutmaster163@gmail.com or visit the website www.troop163scoutsbsa.com
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Yorktown Spirit Program
Hosting Sports and Games Clinic
Monday, Oct. 14
(No school for Indigenous People/Columbus Day)
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Yorktown Dance Team
Hosting Junior Dancer Clinic
Tuesday, Nov. 5
(No school for election day)
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National PTA's Reflections
Start creating your Reflections entry in response to the 2024-2025 program theme, Accepting Imperfection! Think about what the theme means to you and respond - Draw or paint a picture, take a photo, make music, make a movie, create a dance, write a story or poem – the choice is yours! Visit https://wmspta.org/national-pta-reflections/ get started today!
Students of all grades and abilities are encouraged to participate and submit entries and student entry forms online by Friday, November 22, 2024.
Quick Links
Questions? Please contact Amy Weinberg, WMS Reflections Chair, at ReflectionsWMSPTA@gmail.com or 443-927-6638.
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Williamsburg MS - Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) Food Bus Program
WMS's AFAC Food Bus program is back, and we need lots of student and parent help! Each school day, students are asked to place unopened and/or unused food in a dedicated AFAC fridge or bins in the cafeteria, which is transported to AFAC (by parent volunteers - sign up here!) 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. Last school year, we donated more than 1,500 lbs of food to AFAC that would have otherwise been thrown away!
We need parents to help by transporting the food from WMS to AFAC (2708 S Nelson St, Arlington, VA 22206) at the end of the school week (usually Friday afternoons). In case you missed the Sign Up Genius above, here is the link again! It is SUPER easy, a great lesson for our children, and it feels good to help our community!
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APS Volunteer/Chaperone Application
Welcome back to school, WMS parents! We look forward to partnering with you this year to support and enhance your student’s learning experience. If you are interested in Volunteering or Chaperoning this year, please see the information below.
Volunteers:
- help enrich education programs by mentoring students or assisting with activities that enhance instruction and promote learning.
-are unpaid individuals who donate time on an ongoing basis.
-are required to complete APS online application and Safe Schools training.
Chaperones:
-are parents or family members who provide support for field trips at their child’s school but aren’t looking for longer-term volunteer opportunities.
-are required to complete APS online application and Safe Schools training.
One-Time Visitors:
-Participate once in school activities and events such as Career Day, Science Fair, Voter Registration, Guest Speaker, etc.
-are not required to complete application or Safe Schools training.
ALL Volunteers and Chaperones MUST complete online Raptor APS Volunteer Application:
English Application
Spanish Application
You will receive a link to online training after the volunteer application is submitted.
Approval is valid in Raptor for 3 years. Be sure to sign in at WMS Front Office during school hours prior to Visiting, Volunteering or Chaperoning.
Any questions, contact Ms. Daisy Portillo Garcia
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School Picture Day is Coming!
Date: Tuesday October 15 & Wednesday October 16
- Pictures will be taken during your student’s PE class
- Stay Tuned for a makeup date
Pictures Available: Approximately two weeks after photo day
Pre-order Online: https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001136425#login
A portion of all picture sales goes to the PTA, so thanks for supporting WMS.
Questions about Ordering? Email us at underclass@vosphoto.com
Other Questions? Email Penne Kirkpatrick at pennekirkpatrick@gmail.com
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Social Networking, Organized by 6th Grade Parents
Sixth grade parents have been coordinating get togethers for the sixth graders and their parents and would love to connect with any additional parents of sixth graders. If you have a sixth grader but are not currently on the google spreadsheet directory, please reach out to Liz Milans at pehickam@yahoo.com to be added. The spreadsheet is used to send the communications about upcoming gatherings.
This Friday, September 27 sixth grade has private ice time reserved at Medstar Iceplex in Ballston Quarter for skating from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Please contact Liz Milans for more information and to register.
Last Tuesday, a group of sixth grade moms met at Lebanese Taverna for lunch in support of the WMS fundraiser and to get to know each other more. Thank you to Nicole Hobbs for coordinating and we look forward to more restaurant gatherings.
On August 22 a group of sixth graders met up at Ocean Dunes to kick off the school year and meet new classmates.
We look forward to connecting with you!
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APS & Community Announcements and Events | |
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Upcoming APS Community Engagement Opportunities:
School Board Accepting Applications for Advisory Councils for the 2024-25 School Year
The School Board Advisory Councils and Committees provide input and feedback on APS instructional and support programs, facilities, and operations. We value input from parents and community members as part of the APS decision-making process. Click here to learn more.
Tue, Sep. 24 School Board Work Sessions on Planning Factors, Instructional Technology, Career Center Programming, and Partnerships
9 am – 4:15 pm Watch Work Sessions online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204
Thu, Oct. 17 School Board Meeting: Recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month Latino Student Leaders; Student Services Update on Chronic Absenteeism; Information on School Board FY 2026 Budget Direction and School Board Legislative Package
7:00 pm Watch School Board meeting online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204
Arlington Community Events:
Sun, Sep. 22 VACOLAO 2024 Latino Summit. Join Latino activists and leaders from around the state for networking, workshops, and more.
8:30am-6pm Register here. George Mason University, Fairfax campus
Fri, Sep. 27 Festival Latinoamericano, hosted by Arlington Parks & Recreation
5-9:00 pm Info & Registration | Arlington Mill Community Center, 909 S Dinwiddie St, 22204
Sat, Sep. 28 2024 STEAM PLUS 2-Day Seminar for 6th-12th grade students from Arlington & Alexandria, hosted by The Links, Inc.
11 am – 2 pm Register here. Nannie Lee Rec Center, 1108 Jefferson Street Alexandria
Arlington’s VA250 events can be found on the Arlington Historical Society home page.
COVID-19 Vaccines
Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments link for more information on locations and scheduling
Note: APS Community Engagement Opportunities can be found online with translations into: Español Монгол አማርኛ العربية (Other languages)
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