WEMS Raider Newsletter

Good Afternoon Raider Families

We begin this week's newsletter with a more thoughtful tone. Though we have had a truly great week at WEMS, I want to take a moment to address the recent concerns over safety that we have experienced in our district, our community, and beyond into other states.

When we began our school year, we began by emphasizing our RAIDER Values and the expectations we have of each and every person inside Warren East Middle. Earlier this month we met with all of our students in their grade-level teams and re-emphasized many of these same principles. Our goal is for all students and faculty to be unified on school-wide expectations as they pertain to general behavior. One important point for us was to ensure a clear understanding of the seriousness of how we communicate with other people and what we say to other people. Across our entire building and campus, we want to ensure that each and every space in our building is a safe place for our students to learn and grow. This is something we will never compromise on.

As recent events have shown, WE must all be prepared for a range of issues and situations. We as a school have taken many steps to ensure the safety of your children/our students each and every day. If you are ever concerned or have a question, we ask that you help us in these efforts by coming to us and speaking to us directly. This helps model the appropriate problem-solving approach children need to learn.

We also want to ask your help in another way and that is to help monitor the volume of screentime and online activity of your child. Many of the issues children face today come from internet-based activity, whether through social media platforms or through, searching the internet, and even online gaming. Whether parents/guardians realize this or not, these issues are often carried by the students into the school building resulting in negative impacts on students' academic progress, behavior, and social-emotional well-being. We are here for each and every one of our nearly 500 students and we are seeking your partnership in ensuring the overall success of for each of our Warren East Raiders.

In conjunction with these recent issues and the request we are making of each of our parents/guardians, we want to share our district's newly revised approach to communicating with parents and guardians any time our school might go into a 'Lockdown' or 'Lockout' position. Immediately after WEMS goes into either a 'Lockdown' or 'Lockout' position as a school, we will issue one of the two messages shown below to inform our parent community of our status. This initial message will be followed-up with additional information, as available, explaining the reason for the lockout or lockdown, as well as correspondence indicating the time the lockdown/lockout was lifted. I am confident we all agree that we not only want our students safe, but we want our students and our parents to feel like our school is genuinely looking out for the safety of each person.

Once again, if you or your child ever have a question or concern, please feel free to reach out to me here at Warren East Middle School.

Jonathan Vaughn

Principal

Despite the abundance of outside factors that have made this week difficult for so many, our students and staff have shown immense resiliency and strength each and every day. This week our students have continued to come every morning, eat breakfast, go to all of their classes, complete assignments, participate in a wide array of learning activities inside the classroom as well as within the halls, eat lunch with their friends, enjoyed the variety of dress-up days as part of Homecoming 2024, and participated in Warren East Middle School's FIRST EVER Club Rush. Last year, WEMS had only 3 clubs. This year, WEMS students are looking at 12 clubs to choose from!!! That is absolutely amazing for our students and to help them be involved in our school. These are the things during the school day that don't even include the after-school practices and games so many of our students participated in or attended.

I share all of these things to hopefully impress upon each and every person that Warren East Middle School, despite the abundance of outside factors, had a very normal amazing week and our students have overwhelmingly handled every bit of these distractions with positivity, thoughtfulness, and class. Our school couldn't be prouder of our students right now in how they have navigated this last week.

We have two weeks left before Fall Break which also means we have two weeks left in the first quarter of the 24-25 school year. We want 100% of our students to have 100% of their work done and submitted to help ensure they are in the best position to succeed. As we close down the first quarter of the year, we encourage you to talk to your children to ensure they are doing all of their work and working hard to finish this quarter on the best note possible.

As always, if we can ever be of help for one of our students and their family, please reach out and let us know.

Jonathan Vaughn

We have had a great week of dress up days as we gear up for WEHS Homecoming on Friday night. Below are just a few pictures of our students and staff this week!

WE held our first ever Club Rush with 12 clubs/student organizations being represented for students to test their interest and sign up for!

Any changes a parent needs to make to their child's transportation need to be called into the front office by 1:00pm on the day of the change. Feel free to call us at (270) 843-0151 to let us know if you child is changing their afternoon mode of getting home.

Jonathan Vaughn, Principal

Mike Hoots, Assistant Principal

Michelle Harris, Guidance Counselor

Brett Kreilein, Warren County Sheriff's Office SRO

Contact us:

Warren East Middle School

270-843-0181