Word on the Wirt

Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed their extended holiday break and feels renewed in the new year! Thank you to all the families that donated to our Toy Drive; we were able to give toys to so many deserving families. As we kick off 2025, there are so many things to celebrate, the first being our first-ever Winter Dance Concert, where over 90 students performed dance pieces in front of a packed-out audience. Although they didn’t place, our Jaguar Cheerleading team gave an incredible performance at the Middle School Competition on January 24th at Wise High School. Great job, Jaguars! Next Month, PBIS will host a Gains for Gaming Incentive at Dave & Buster for students who meet the academic, attendance, & behavior criteria. This fantastic opportunity is fully paid for by Community School funding.

This school year, we’ve made tremendous progress in reducing chronic absenteeism—let’s keep the momentum going! Please ensure students attend school daily and provide a note if they must be absent. This ensures their absence is marked as excused and allows them to complete any missed assignments. Thank you for your continued support!

Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) has had several school closings due to unsafe weather and road conditions affecting school transportation. For the latest updates when inclement weather occurs, visit PGCPS website (www.pgcps.org)

Lastly, parents must provide updated and/or correct emergency contact information to ensure we can contact families when emergencies arise. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via Rhonda.simley@pgcps.org or (301)985-1720.

Access to our building has changed. You will now need to approach from Kenilworth Avenue, as the entrances from 62nd Street and 63rd Avenue are no longer available.

To get WWMS:

1. Turn right onto Kenilworth Avenue from Riverdale Road.
2. From Kenilworth, take another right onto Sarvis Avenue.
3. Then, make the first right onto 60th Avenue, which will lead you directly to William Wirt.

Please note: the road around the building is one-way. You must enter from the Kenilworth Avenue side.

January 30, 2025 - Family Literacy Night and Food Box Distribution (Use this link to register)

February 11, 2025 - Report Cards Released Online

February 14, 2025 - Make-Up Snow Day - School Open for Students

February 17, 2025 - Presidents' Day; Schools Closed for Students

February 28, 2025 - 3-Hour Early Dismissal for Students

March 5, 2025 - 2-Hour Delayed Opening for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Coaching Salud Holistica leverages the power of community health workers to deliver tailored and culturally relevant wellness support to Latino and immigrant communities. These dedicated individuals serve as trusted liaisons, bridging the gap between community members and healthcare services. If you'd like more information about Coaching Salud Holistica, please visit their website.

Please be mindful of these dates when scheduling appointments for your scholar:

iReady - January 8 - January 31

Benchmarks - January 28 - February 7

WIDA - January 21 - March 4

WIDA testing is an important opportunity for multilingual learners to demonstrate their language growth in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This year, testing will take place from January 21 to March 4. Please be mindful that these are 4 separate tests that will be completed on different days throughout the testing period. Attendance is critical for testing success.

WIDA results help us better support students in their academic journey and tailor instruction to their needs. Remember, a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast can make all the difference—let’s work together to help students shine!

In Mr. Gervacio's Digital Studio class, creativity and technology collide as students design, innovate, and bring ideas to life. Whether crafting digital artwork or collaborating on multimedia projects, Digital Studio students are turning sparks of inspiration into impactful creations. Take a look at their incredible work. Remember, this was all created digitally. Jaguars are talented!

Did you know that a healthy smile is the key to a healthy body? Taking care of your teeth not only boosts your confidence but also helps prevent problems like cavities and gum disease, which can affect your overall health. That’s why we’re excited to host a Teeth Cleaning Event right here at WWMS! Don’t miss this chance to keep your smile sparkling and your body strong—mark your calendar and join us!

Parent volunteers are the heartbeat of our school’s success. If you can spare some time, we encourage you to complete the volunteer application. Even it's only an hour or two a month, your contribution helps create a stronger, thriving school community! Here is the application link.

1. Complete consent
2. Create an account

3. Request therapy for your child by calling Hazel Health at

   800-764-2935

   or submit a referral through your account by selecting “request teletherapy.”

4. After submitting the referral, you can schedule the intake visit right from your account. A therapist will give you a call back at the selected date and time.

Through your account you can reschedule visits, send a message to Hazel, view upcoming appointments, and join scheduled therapy visits.

Here are a few important reminders about attendance from our Mr. Diamante Calloway, our School Secretary in charge of attendance:

• Send a note with the reason for the absence upon returning to school. This will change the absence from Unexcused to Excused.
• Use this calendar as you make appointments and plan family trips.
• Perfect Attendance is honored with quarterly Chick-fil-a celebrations.

All too often parents tell school professionals that their scholars don't read because they don't like to read. It is our belief that they don't like to read because they haven't found the right book(s). Our Jaguars are very forturnate because William Wirt's library has a rich, vast collection with something for everyone.

Why is it impotant that our scholars read daily? Reading stimulates the imagination, increases empathy, and reduces stress. Research from the University of Sussex found that reading for just six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%, making it more effective than other relaxation methods like listening to music. Furthermore, daily reading improves vocabulary and language skills, which in turn can boost academic performance. By making reading a habit, scholars nurture their mental well-being while sharpening their intellect and creativity.

Encourage your scholar to make reading a daily habit. Make it a family expectation to always have a library book at home—this small commitment will pay off in big ways!

Congratulations to our top library patrons for the month of December:

• Cristian Duran Hernandez, 6th grade, with 19 checkouts
• Maryam Ramaki, 8th grade, with 16 checkouts
• Tamanna Hasani, 6th grade, with 13 checkouts

The top titles for December were:

• Claudia and the New Girl (Baby-sitters Club) by Gabriela Epstein; checked out 9 times
• The Scarlet Shedder (Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey; checked out 9 times
• The Ugly Truth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) by Jeff Kinney; checked out 9 times