What's new with Watkins Middle?

A weekly reflection and preview of all things WMS

WMS updates and reminders

Parent Teacher Conference sign ups are now live. You can sign up to meet individually with each of your child's teachers either September 12th or 26th. Sign up here.
This Tuesday, September 3rd WMS students will be taking the Math portion of the MAP test for our fall benchmarking. WMS will be operating on an alternative schedule as a result.
This week students will be transitioned to their individual FOCUS block groups. For sixth grade families, or new families to WMS, FOCUS stands for Follow One Course Until Successful, and takes place daily for 27 minutes in between 2nd and 3rd period. These organized groups provide tailored intervention or enrichment opportunities specific to each students need. Students with reading, writing, executive functioning, or social emotional needs will be placed in intervention groups, while others will be provided enrichment opportunities. Each family will be notified of their child's grouping, if the groups are intervention assignments.
We will also begin conducting our September class meetings this week. Administration meets with each class monthly to recognize student success, and discuss course corrections for the next month.
The building has conducted both fire and tornado drills so far this year. Our first of three safety drills will be upcoming.
The WMS PBIS Kick-off Kick-ball tournament has been rescheduled for this Friday. Kona Ice will be making a return trip in case your student missed the opportunity the first go around.
Is your child interested in joining the robotics club? Interested students should sign up here.

Court yard updates

The WMS Ag program has continued to expand learning opportunities for students through grant opportunities and donations. Our sustainability classes have received plant donations from area organizations, and began a grant funded learning opportunity utilizing some of our Angora rabbits. Stay tuned to see our pumpkins develop as seen in the background of this photo.

Expanded STEM spaces

WMS is excited to provide a permanent residence for the foreseeable future to our district robotics program. With increasing enrollment educational spaces are increasingly sparse. The middle school has been fortunate to redevelop an existing locker room area to maintain a permanent practice space for our highly successful robotics program!

Thanks to Kona Ice

The hot temperatures didn't dissuade students from enjoying some ice cones as a part of our positive behavior incentives on Friday. Kona ice will make a return trip to the middle school this Friday during our Kickball event.

Team building

Students in Ms. Prater's classes worked on some team building exercises this past week. Additionally, students were able to work towards their first book tasting of the year.

Buddy reading

Mrs. Hayes' Humanities class made use of our flexible seating spaces in our library this past week.

Mystery stories

Students in Mrs. Davis' ELA class worked on their inferencing skills this week as they read several mystery stories.

Plot diagrams

Ms. Rizzo's 7th grade students are working on plot diagrams and reviewing story elements after reading their first short story.

Literary elements

Mrs. Bentley's ELA class worked collaboratively on diagramming short stories to review important literary elements.

Respectful, Responsible, Resourceful

Students in Mrs. Windt's classroom collaborated to define classroom expectations regarding PBIS building expectations.

Ms. Brandon and Ms. Lundberg's classes are headlong into their greek and latin root words this eek!

Progress Book Set up assistance

Complete this form to have a staff member reach out to you regarding parent access to progress book.

Athletics

Please click the link below for all of your athletic ticketing and scheduling needs.

Hometown Ticketing

Varsity Ticket events are $7 up to 1 hour before the event. At the gate tickets are $8 (use of a card includes a fee at the gate). Middle School tickets are $5.

All athletes should enter and exit the building through the 600 hall (Door 7) entrance before and after practice each day.

Upcoming Events

9/2 No school-labor day
9/12-9/26 Fall Parent Teacher Conferences
9/16-9/20 Start with hello week
9/25 1st quarter interims

Watkins Middle School Google Calendar

Stay up to date with all our building happenings!

Contact us

Get in touch with WMS!

Email: jball@laca.org
Website: https://wms.swl.k12.oh.us/
Location: 8868 Watkins Road Southwest, Pataskala, OH, USA
Phone: (740)927-5767
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gowatkinsmiddleschool
Twitter: @WatkinsMiddle