WMS Weekly Warrior

January 21, 2025

Good Afternoon Woodbury Middle School,

We hope you had an enjoyable and busy extended weekend. Many exciting events took place, including a thrilling football weekend with the NFL playoffs and the NCAA National Championship. We also celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day; for some, it was a chance to enjoy the first meaningful snow day of the season. There was certainly plenty to keep us occupied!

This week, extremely cold temperatures in the single digits are forecasted. We have noticed many students walking through the front door without coats or appropriate clothing to keep warm. While we understand that many students may go directly from the building to their cars or onto the bus without needing a coat, it is important to remember that emergencies can arise unexpectedly. For instance, if the bus has a problem or we must evacuate the building for any reason, students may have to spend time outside in the cold.

Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately and prepared to go outside in case of an emergency. Thank you for your cooperation.

On Thursday, January 23, students will begin our NWEA Map testing period. The results of these tests are used to determine your child’s instructional level and to measure academic growth throughout the school year and from one year to the next. These scores are also used to determine enrichment and intervention and Advanced Math at WMS and high school courses for our 8th graders. Also, in 8th grade, there will be opportunities to receive academic achievement awards at graduation. NWEA scores may help our 8th-grade students avoid taking additional high school prerequisite courses based on their performance on the NWEA.

Teachers will discuss the assessment with each class this week, emphasizing the importance of performing at their best. Please support your child by encouraging them to take the test seriously and to put in their best effort. We also ask for your support by ensuring that your child eats a nutritious breakfast, is well-rested, and has a charged Chromebook with wired earbuds for the day of testing.

The Woodbury Middle School Alliance Leadership Group is excited to host a Super Bowl Pancake Breakfast in the WMS cafeteria on Sunday, February 9. The event will run from 9 AM to 11 AM. We are asking our WMS community to donate various supplies and items to help make this event a success. Please send any items you can contribute with your child from Tuesday, January 14, through Tuesday, February 4. Thank you for your support!

Students can drop off donated items at the Pancake Breakfast drop-off table in the mornings as they arrive at school. Alternatively, items can be sent to the office during or after the school day. For more details, you can find the full letter from Alliance here.

Please review the yearbook flyer below for ordering information about the WMS yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year.

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.