Dear Wayland Middle School Caregivers,

As I shared in my first weekly newsletter, our school community is grounded in the values of BERT, belonging, empathy, respect, and trust.

As we moved into October and November, we shifted our focus from the “B”, belonging, to the “R”, respect, of BERT. We dedicated time to explore the vital theme of respect—an essential value that shapes our relationships and communities. We will continue to focus on the “R”, respect, of BERT in November with an emphasis on the importance of respecting the identities that each of us bring to our school community. Please see below (BERT with a Focus on “R” - Super Wednesday , November 13th) for details about related programming for students during our upcoming Super Wednesday.

Parents and caregivers have mentioned that it is helpful for the school to provide strategies to support student success. To that end, we offer “Practices for Supporting Strong School Attendance”. Students need to be in homeroom at 8:50 (on-time arrival).

The practices shared below support student attendance, relieve early morning stress, and foster independence and improved executive functioning for students.

• Create a checklist/schedule with your student that reflects morning routines including a realistic allocation of time given your student’s individual needs. The list should include:

• setting an alarm (not on their phone)
• brushing teeth
• getting dressed
• having breakfast
• grabbing their resources (see staging area below)

• Discuss the importance of school attendance with your student.

• Establish a bedtime that allows for a good night’s sleep. To the extent possible, maintain this routine on weekends as well.

• Limit screen time in the evening, especially close to bedtime.

• Be sure that the checklist allows for 1) time to get to the bus stop and/or 2) ample time for drop off including at least a 10 minute window in case there is a wait in the drop off line.

• Please note, breakfast is available free of charge to all students in the cafeteria in the morning. Students need to be finished in the cafeteria by the start of homeroom at 8:50.

The following was shared in the October 7th weekly update: It is helpful to have a designated “staging area” at home for your students where your students prepare their school resources the afternoon/evening before a school day. This staging area should include:

• their backpack (filled with planner, binders, folders, pens, pencils, etc)

• their chromebook (charging until it’s time to leave for school)

• a sweatshirt/sweater to allow for layering either indoors or outdoors

• sports equipment, if needed

• musical instruments, if needed

I, along with the entire middle school staff, are committed to building positive relationships with your student(s) as a means to solidify their excitement about and attendance at school. Please reach out if you are facing challenges at home related to your student’s attendance at school. Please know that my door is always open. Whether you have questions, concerns, or simply want to share in the excitement of the school year, I encourage you to reach out.

Deborah

• Wednesday, November 13: SUPER Wednesday Early Release, School dismisses at 12:20 PM.
  Grab & Go Lunch available
• Wednesday, November 27: Thanksgiving Early Release. School dismisses at 12:20 PM. Grab and Go Lunch available 🦃
• Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29: Thanksgiving Recess - NO SCHOOL
• Wednesday, December 4: SUPER Wednesday Early Release, School dismisses at 12:20 PM. Grab & Go Lunch available
• Thursday, December 12: WMS Choral Concert 7:00 -8:00 PM. 🎤
• Tuesday, December 17: WMS Band Concert 7:00 -8:00 PM. 🎺

We are excited to host Rehearsal for Life, which will perform interactive programs for each grade on our next Super Wednesday, November 13. Rehearsal for Life’s mission is to “strengthen young people’s social and emotional skills for every stage of life through dialogue, creativity, and performance”. This program is funded by Governor Healey's Hate Crime Prevention Grant awarded to eight districts statewide.

Why This Matters: We’re seeing a troubling rise in bias and hate incidents, both in and out of classrooms. As former WHS principal, now Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler explained: “These Hate Crime Prevention grants will allow our schools to tackle the difficult concepts of bias and hate crimes to create safe and nurturing school environments that allow every student to feel supported" (source). With this goal in mind, Wayland's grant proposal, written by Caroline Han, funded several interactive programs for the MS, including the 8th graders' visit to the Auschwitz Exhibition last May and these assemblies on November 13.

During the day, students will also be asked to jot and talk about the following questions:

• What rang true to you from the Rehearsal for Life skits and discussions? What is one take away for you?

• What could you commit to doing to contribute to a community in which everyone’s identities are respected?

• What makes me “me”? What am I most proud of? What do I think about most often when I’m at school? What do teachers or classmates misunderstand or make assumptions about?

Thank you for supporting our efforts to create a learning community that is joyous, purposeful, welcoming, and emotionally safe for every student.

Have a story To tell? Grades 6-8

Thursday, November 14: 4:00 - 5:00 PM

Need somewhere to put all those thoughts? A place to have a creative outlet? Join Author and Youth Services Librarian Haley Neil for a monthly writing group.

Empowerment in Action: A Community Conversation with WaylandCAN

WaylandCAN is a newly formed non-profit led by a number of Wayland residents in town who are dedicated to fostering social justice through proactive education and inclusive dialogue. Join us for a discussion aimed at inspiring individuals to take meaningful action in Wayland. Share your experiences, learn from others, and discover ways to create positive change in town. We empower our community to amplify diverse voices, challenge systemic inequalities, and drive meaningful change towards a more equitable Wayland.

When: Tuesday, 11/19 from 7:00 -9:00 PM

Where: The Loker School Cafeteria

Register here by 11/15!

Follow WaylandCAN on Facebook and Instagram

Audition Info Meetings: All Grades at Lunch

Tuesday, November 12 - Chorus Room

Thirteen-year-old problem solver, Edwina, dishes out advice with the help of her friends and a little song and dance!

AUDITIONS:

Friday, November 15: 3:15 - 5:00 PM

Monday, November 18: 3:15 - 5:00 PM

Tuesday, November 19: 3:15 - 5:00 PM

CALLBACKS:

Thursday, November 21: 3:15 - 5:00 PM

Friday, November 22: 3:15 - 5:00 PM

SHOWS:

Thursday, February 6: 7:00 PM

Friday, February 7: 7:00 PM

Have your child join the google classroom for all the info!

https://classroom.google.com/u/0/c/NzI5NDk3MzA0MDE3

A Message From: Laurie Hojlo laurie_hojlo@waylandps.org

We are beginning to plan for all the state mandated health screening that will be happening later this fall. These will include Vision and Hearing (7th grade only), Heights and Weights (7th grade only) and Postural screening (all grades). Most physicians’ offices include these screenings as part of an annual physical exam. This is something you can look for on your childs’ annual physical exam report provided to you.

The Postural screenings will take place at a later date after Vision, Hearing, Heights and Weights. We will announce the dates. Students can wear whatever they feel comfortable in, provided we can view their back. Screening will be done in the locker rooms in a private area or in the health room by a school nurse. Any student who requests a more private setting for their screening will be accommodated. If your child has an abnormal screening result, you will be notified by mail. Letters are not mailed for normal results.

In order for all these screenings to be completed, we will need to pull the students from Wellness, Org Skills and Study Halls. We will make every effort to minimize the time they are away from class. The screenings may not all happen in the same week. If you would like to “opt out” or decline any or all screenings here at the Middle School, please send an email to the school nurse stating any or all screenings you would like to opt out of. A handwritten note will also suffice, but a phone call will NOT - we must have written documentation that you are declining the screening. If interested in opting out, please notify us as soon as possible, or by 11/15/2024 at the latest.

Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

AM Wellness is a school club during which students can enjoy exercise and activity first thing in the morning. This year the club will be supervised by Ms. Mait and Mr. Williams. Activities typically include basketball and indoor soccer so only students who are interested in participating in these activities should attend. AM Wellness takes place Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 8:00 - 8:30 a.m. The doors to AM Wellness close at 8:20 a.m.

Registration is open for basketball! WMS Girls and Boys Basketball is open to 7th and 8th graders. Basketball players should be prepared to commit to practices/games Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays beginning in early December through the week before February vacation.

Coach Hip and Coach Pinzone will be holding informational meetings in the coming weeks and will provide additional information regarding tryout dates, schedules etc. Interested student athletes must be registered via ArbiterSports (formerly FamilyID) and must have a current physical on file with the nurse in order to participate in tryouts. Registration will close on December 6, 2024.

The cost of Middle School athletic programs is $125 with payment due upon the completion of tryouts. For additional information, please reach out to the appropriate coach.

🏀 Boys Basketball: Thomas Pinzone - thomas_pinzone@waylandps.org

🧺 Girls Basketball: Hip Rivera - hipolito_rivera@waylandps.org

Artists: Max Martin

Grade: 8

Medium: Mixed Media

Thank You to everyone who has donated to our Gift Your Child fundraising campaign this year!

Here are some examples of how we support your student and our amazing staff.

• Student enrichment

• Field trip support

• Classroom materials that support collaborative learning

• School clubs

• Social emotional learning

• Field day & school dance

• Recreational supplies for recess and the gym

• Books for every English classroom

• Teacher appreciation events

Please see more examples of what we can support with your help.

Many companies will match an employee's gift to a charity one-to-one or even more in donations! This means that your gift to a charity can be worth two to four times as much as you donate. Ask your employer if they offer a charitable match!

The WMS PTO adds weekly updates in the WMS Weekly Newsletter, but further details, reminders, photos and videos are shared on the WMS PTO Facebook Group. Stay in the loop!

Communications/Social Media PTO Chair

We are looking for someone that can create engaging content for the WMS Facebook Group and future Instagram account. The PTO uses canva.com to create fun videos, social media posts and more.

Other opportunities to volunteer

To see some of the descriptions, click on the volunteer opportunities below.

We have many ways to get involved! Please fill out our survey below or send an email to: Waylandmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com