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Williamsburg Middle School PTA Newsletter
November 25, 2024
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From the Williamsburg Middle School PTA
Greetings Williamsburg Families,
We received several submissions to Reflections Art Program this month and we will share updates in the coming weeks. Best of luck to our WMS artists!
Last week, the WMS PTA and Mr. Boykin approved 100% of the submitted classroom grants. One of grants submitted will be used to provide additional reading materials to enhance the structured literacy program across all grades within the English Department.
I'd like to thank everyone who supported the PTA with your time, donations and thoughtful feedback during this event-filled month. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving!
As always, please feel free to contact me at president@wmspta.org.
Jill Gaspar
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WMS PTA Volunteer Open Positions
- 6th Grade Parent Activity Coordinator(s)
- Book Fair Co-Coordinator (1 more volunteer needed)
- Restaurant Night Fundraiser Coordinator
- Teacher Appreciation Week Co-Chair(s)
- Website Coordinator
- Volunteer Coordinator
If you would like to volunteer please email president@wmspta.org.
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It's almost holiday time!
Make your holiday card & gift purchases count this year by shopping at Minted.com when you use the code
FUNDRAISEWMSPTA at checkout.
Please share this with friends and family. The more people shop, the more WMS PTA earns!
You’ll get a 20% discount and
Minted will donate 15% of your purchase back to us!
Minted.com link
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White House Ornament Fundraiser - Order through Dec. 1
Since 1981, The White House Historical Association, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, has proudly created the Official White House Christmas Ornament. This year's ornament honors President Jimmy Carter and is made from solid brass, finished in 24-karat gold, and screen printed with exquisite color.
The cost of the ornament is $24.95 with a portion of proceeds benefiting Williamsburg Middle School PTA (when designated on the order form). These ornaments make excellent holiday gifts for family, friends and colleagues. Orders are not limited to the WMS community, please feel free to share with friends and colleagues. Ornaments will require pick-up from the Milans home close to Jamestown Elementary School, and will be ready by Monday, December 9.
Click here to order your 2024 White House Holiday Ornaments by no later than Sunday, December 1.
Thank you for your support of Williamsburg Middle School PTA! Questions? Contact Liz Milans at pehickam@yahoo.com.
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"Paying for College" - Free Workshop for Yorktown Parents - Dec. 5
Yorktown High School is hosting The College Funding Coach on December 5th @ 7 pm. This event is for any family wanting to learn how to pay for college (Preschool through High School).
"Tuition Now Costs a Whopping $90,000 a Year or More at Some Universities" (https://www.msn.com/en-ph/money).
Planning for these expenses has become essential. Some families have children attending college next year, and others have years to prepare, but the fears of tackling these monumental and rising costs are the same. The earlier you begin, the more time you have to build a solid financial foundation for your child's education. Figuring out where to start can be overwhelming!
The College Funding Coach® is here to help families figure out HOW to pay for it and still retire one day. You'll discover strategies that may enable you to qualify for financial aid, sources for scholarships, and strategies for maximizing your wealth and minimizing your tax exposure, giving you greater cash flow for funding a college education.
This interactive workshop, Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College, teaches parents the rules of the game when it comes to paying for their child’s education. Please join Yorktown High School on December 5th @ 7 PM. This is information you can't afford to miss! Please take a look around our website, The College Funding Coach®, for helpful resources and information.
Reserve your seat HERE or by using the flyer located here.
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WMS Book Fair - Dec. 10-16
The WMS Book Fair will take place from Tuesday Dec. 10 at 7:15 am until Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 11:00 am.
It will also be open on the evening of the choir concert (Tues, Dec 10).
Please consider signing up to volunteer for a shift!
WMS: WMS Book Fair 2024
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A message from the Arlington Outdoor Lab
Have your students recently participated in an Outdoor Lab field trip and returned raving about their adventures? Or maybe they’re already looking forward to their spring overnight trip.
Did you know that the Outdoor Lab is supported by a non-profit, the Arlington Outdoor Education Association (AOEA)? The AOEA owns and stewards the 226 acres of land students visit during 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades. We also build and maintain the buildings – including the Animal Lab. We are thrilled that generations of Arlington students have benefitted from this strong partnership.
At the Outdoor Lab, students engage in hands-on STEM applications by applying what they learn in the traditional classroom to real life situations. The Outdoor Lab welcomes all APS families to visit and experience the Lab at our twice-yearly Open Houses.
To find out about our Spring 2025 Open House, and stay informed on other happenings and ways to support the Lab, please join our Lab Notes email list or visit www.OutdoorLab.org. See our calendar here: Calendar - Arlington Outdoor Lab.
You can also find us on Facebook (Outdoor.Lab) and Instagram (@arlingtonoutdoorlab).
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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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Welcome Ms. Susan Russo, Director of Counseling Services.
Ms. Russo has been a professional school counselor for over 22 years with a B.A. from St. Norbert College in PK-6 Education, a M.S. in Counseling-Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an Educational Leadership certificate from George Mason University.
She began her career as a school counselor in Stoughton, Wisconsin and became the first Developmental Counseling Coordinator for the district. As a counselor in Alexandria, Virginia, she successfully supported Jefferson-Houston, a PK-8 school, to reach Recognized American School Counselor Association Model Program status (RAMP). After joining Thomas Jefferson Middle School in APS, she was a part of the counseling team that achieved RAMP status as one of three “Schools of Distinction” in the United States.
Ms. Russo has been an active member of the district’s Student Well-Being steering committee, as well as at the school level, and has started serving this year as the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Lead at Thomas Jefferson Middle School as well. Her intent in these roles is to foster an environment in which staff and students feel supported to grow and make a positive impact on their world. She is excited to work in the Williamsburg Middle School community to continue providing support for students, build on its current success, and expand opportunities to unlock their full potential.
Outside of school, Ms. Russo loves spending time with her family, biking, hiking or settling in front of a show with a giant bowl of popcorn. And as she prepares to be an empty nester soon, she has started picking up the guitar again, learning the mandolin, and even getting some vocal jazz lessons. She is looking forward to meeting and working with all the staff, students and families at Williamsburg!
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Social Networking Opportunities
Sixth Grade Families
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.
So far the group has enjoyed a meet up at Ocean Dunes, moms lunch at Lebanese Taverna, ice skating, and this past Monday a mother/daughter dinner and a movie at Arlington Drafthouse (picture above)! We look forward to another meet up soon!
Foreign Service Families
Are you a State Department Foreign Service family? Recently moved into the Williamsburg School District! I would love to meet other families and children like us who have settled in Arlington for a time.
I would love to host a gathering at our house to get acquainted this fall.
Please contact Michael Newbill, WMS 6th Grade Parent at m_newbill@hotmail.com for more information.
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APS & Community Announcements and Events | |
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A reminder that APS Community Engagement Opportunities are available online with automatic translation into: Español Монгол አማርኛ العربية (Other languages)
Events are updated online throughout the month so check our website for the most updated information.
Upcoming APS Community Engagement Opportunities:
Thu, Nov. 25 Monthly Youth Mental Health Training for staff, families and community members to recognize and respond to mental health needs or help a young person who is experiencing distress. Learn more and register.
Thu, Dec. 12 School Board Meeting: Recognition of VSBA Awards and Farewell for Outgoing Board Members; Appointments to School Board Advisory Committees; Revisions to Schools Board Policy B-6 School Board Policy Process and D-10.30 Purchasing-School Board Approval Required on Construction and Non-Construction Contracts; School and Community Relations and Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Update; Action on New School Board Policy J-30 Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices; and Middle and High School Program of Studies; Information on Final Fiscal Close-Out Status Report and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Quarterly Report
7:00 pm Watch School Board meeting online, on Comcast Ch. 70, Verizon Ch. 41 or at Syphax Education Center, 2110 Washington Blvd. 22204
Additional events can be found online at: Community Engagement Opportunities with automatic translation into: Español Монгол አማርኛ العربية (Other languages)
Arlington Community Events:
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.
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Have content for a future PTA Newsletter? Send it to our Communications VP by Thursday and it will appear in the following week's newsletter. | | | | |
