WMS Weekly Warrior

January 27, 2025

Good Afternoon, Woodbury Middle School Community,

The last week of January is here, and we have officially passed the midpoint of the school year. As we move forward, we want to remind everyone that NWEA testing will continue this week. Please encourage students to charge their Chromebooks and get a good night's rest. Testing will conclude on Thursday.

Congratulations to our boys' basketball team for winning the WMS basketball tournament and the Swift Tournament this weekend. Our girls also participated in the Swift tournament, splitting their games, and also winning Friday against Sherman.

Our Super Bowl Pancake Breakfast is just around the corner, and we need supplies! This event serves as a major fundraiser for our Alliance leadership team and helps cover the costs of the activities they sponsor. Please take a moment to review the supplies list below. If you are able, we kindly ask that you send the items to school with your student. Alliance students will be at the front door to collect supplies daily. Thank you for your support!

The next Parent in the Middle meeting will be on February 25th at 6:30 in the WMS LMC. For parents who cannot attend in person, a Google Meet link will be sent prior to the meeting. Also, please see a letter from our PIM linked here.

On Friday, the counseling department from Nonnewaug High School will visit our 8th-grade students to present the Nonnewaug Program of Studies. Counselors will discuss the various classes available and review the new graduation requirements for the Class of 2029. Students will have the opportunity to meet individually with counselors to choose their courses at a later date. More information regarding course registration will be provided soon.

Our Drama Club has successfully completed its first week of rehearsals for their production of Frozen Jr. The director, Ms. Manogue, reports that the students are dedicated, professional, and sound fantastic. The students will continue to rehearse and prepare for opening night, which is scheduled for April 8th.

Have a great week,

WMS Admin

Bill Nemec, Principal

Aimee Shuhart, Interim Assistant Principal

Please make sure to review the Woodbury Middle School Student Handbook with your student regarding cell phones. Some of you may be aware that the state has issued recommendations on cell phone usage in schools. I have included the proposed language from the state below. Click the picture to access the entire document from the state.

• Middle School − The policy for middle school students should also focus on removing cell phones from the school day or classroom. Developmentally, this age group is particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of excessive personal technology use and has a difficult time controlling their impulses. Concurrently, middle school students experience increased autonomy and independence during the school day, which can lead to increased opportunity for cell phone misuse. − Possession of cell phones in this age group is likely to be viewed as a rite of passage into adulthood, so communication and application of policies that restrict use must be developed in consideration of the specific challenges of middle school students.