WMS Weekly Warrior

January 27, 2025

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Did you know Saint Patrick is traditionally credited with using the shamrock as a teaching tool? According to legend, he used its three leaves to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity. Over time, the shamrock symbolized Irish pride and became a key icon in celebrating St. Patrick's Day. This is a fascinating example of how a simple classroom analogy can become a significant part of a nation's cultural heritage. Whether true or not, we always look for ways to make educational connections.

Thank you to everyone who took the opportunity to discuss our school's expectations for dress. Individual students who do not follow the code will be given a warning and may have school consequences if the behavior is repeated.

Please remember there is no school on Friday March 21st. Teachers will be participating in Professional Learning.

Our Parents in the Middle (PIM) requests your support for this year's March Madness activity night. They are seeking food donations for the evening events scheduled on March 27th from 5-7 pm. Please click here to help with donations. PIM and the WMS Alliance team thank you for your support.

March Madness tickets are available for purchase this week and next week, leading up to the event on Thursday, March 27th. Students must buy their tickets in advance during cafeteria waves, costing $10. Please note that no tickets will be sold on the day of the event, and a ticket is required for entry. This ticket includes access to all fun activities, food, and other expenses. Thank you to Alliance for organizing this exciting event. As we approach the event date, more information will be sent home next week.

We are currently down to six families competing for our Attendance Championships, with the finals to be determined on March 27. We will also recognize this trimester's World Class Warriors and our perfect attendance students.

Please see the flyer below for information about our food drive, which will occur from March 11th to March 27th. For each item of food donated, students will receive one raffle ticket. The winning Raffle ticket will be drawn during March Madness for a chance to win a prize valued at $100.

Reminder, Thursday, March 20th, there is a mandatory AgriScience Accepted Students Night at Nonnewaug. The evening begins at 5:00 pm in the auditorium and will proceed with the meeting and tour. There will also be an open house for ALL rising 9th-grade students (presently in 8th grade). Between 6:00 and 8:00 pm, 8th-grade students may take self-guided tours of the building. All clubs and sports will have a table in the gymnasium so students can get information and see what Nonnewaug offers. Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend events. We hope to see everyone on March 20th.

As part of our commitment to supporting all members of our learning community and addressing potential challenges, we are organizing a Parent Forum (Date to be determined). This event will feature experts who will share valuable information and tips. Additionally, a Question and Answer session will allow parents to interact directly with our experts.

Dinner will be provided for all attendees, and each participant will receive a student IXL "skip" pass to take home to their child. We want to make this forum as beneficial as possible for our parents and guardians; please take this brief survey to determine the forum topics.

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.