The Ram Review

Dear Wilson Middle School Parents,

I am delighted to welcome you (or welcome you back) to the Wilson Rams community!

Throughout the year, our newsletter will serve as a valuable resource to keep you informed about upcoming events, extracurricular opportunities, and important announcements. It will also showcase the remarkable achievements of our Rams, highlighting their accomplishments and celebrating their milestones.

In our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and security of our students, we have made an important change to food delivery at Wilson. Effective for the 2024-2025 school year, Wilson will no longer accept third-party deliveries or food deliveries from services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, etc.

We understand that sometimes students may need a meal or forgotten item brought to school. Parents and guardians are still welcome to personally bring food and drop it off for their students at the designated drop-off area. Please note that any third-party deliveries that arrive at the school will be turned away, and the person who placed the order will be responsible for any associated fees or costs. This change is driven by our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students.

We encourage you to actively engage with our school community, attend parent-teacher conferences, join our PTA, and participate in various school activities. Your support and involvement make a significant difference in creating a positive and enriching experience for our students.

We look forward to working together, building lasting connections, and creating an exceptional educational journey for our Rams. Should you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of our dedicated staff. Together, we will ensure that your child's time at Wilson Middle School is rewarding, memorable, and full of opportunities for growth.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. Here's to a fantastic year ahead!

Warm regards,

Natalie Bauerkemper

Principal

Wilson is currently still undergoing construction for a complete HVAC replacement and the installation of a new track and football field. As a result, the Wilson administration has temporarily relocated to Clark High School for the summer. If you need to contact us, please call our Wilson phone number below and leave a voicemail. We will return your call as soon as possible.

Natalie Bauerkemper, Principal

469-752-6710

Keith Evetts, Assistant Principal

469-752-6711

TaGwunda Martin, Assistant Principal

469-752-6714

Kim Senteney, Office Manager

469-752-6703

Our current Parent Portal is being replaced with Skyward Family Access starting in the 2024-2025 school year. Skyward is the leading student and business software solution for K-12 educational institutions and current Plano ISD families will be able to access this new system beginning July 22.

• Online registration for new students to Plano ISD is NOW OPEN.
• For more information about creating a Skyward Family Access account visit Family Access Help.

Monday, July 22nd: 2024-2025 Annual Registration

• July 22, 2024, at 9 AM for families with returning students.
• Families can sign up for a new Family Access account and start their annual registration.
• Students with finalized schedules can view them in Family Access starting August 5.

For more information, please visit the annual registration webpage.

Monday, July 22nd: 2024-2025 Annual Registration in Skyward

• July 22, 2024, at 9 AM for families with returning students.
• Families can sign up for a new Family Access account and start their annual registration.
• Students with finalized schedules can view them in Family Access starting August 5.

For more information, please visit the annual registration webpage.

Monday, August 5th: Student schedules will be released in Skyward (accessible to those who have completed the annual registration forms).

Wednesday, August 7th – Wilson Walkabout

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

• Wilson will be open for our families to preview the campus and get familiar with students’ schedules (come and go).
• PTA will have the school store open selling school supply packs (while supplies last) and spirit wear. You will also be able to pick-up pre-purchased school supply packs.
• Teachers and counselors will be off campus at professional development.
• If you do not have access to a printer and would like a hard copy of your student’s schedule, Chromebooks and printing will be available in the library for you to sign into your Skyward Portal account and print your student’s schedule. Wilson will not provide pre-printed schedules this year.

Friday, August 9th - "Ram Roundup"

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

• Wilson teachers and staff will be here to meet students and families (come and go).
• PTA will have the school store open selling school supply packs (while supplies last) and spirit wear. You will also be able to pick-up pre-purchased school supply packs.
• The Credit Union of Texas Food Truck will be here serving free food (while supplies last).

Tuesday, August 13th – First Day of School

• Our doors open at 7:50 am and 1st period starts at 8:25 am.
• The school day ends at 3:45 pm.
• Please be aware that parents are not allowed to walk students into the building on the first day of school, but the Wilson staff will be ready to greet our students and take great care of them.

Beginning in fall 2024, new school hours will be:

• Early Childhood Schools: Beaty, Isaacs & Pearson (full day): 7:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Head Start (full day): 7:55 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Pre-K (full day) at Elementary School Campuses: 7:40 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Elementary Schools: 7:40 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Middle Schools: 8:25 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• High/Senior High Schools: 9:05 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (note later start and end times)
• Plano ISD Academy High School: 9:20 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

In our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and security of our students, we have made an important change to food delivery at Wilson. Effective immediately, Wilson will no longer accept third-party deliveries or food deliveries from services such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, or Grubhub.

We understand that sometimes students may need a meal or forgotten item brought to school. Parents and guardians are still welcome to personally bring food and drop it off for their students at the designated drop-off area.

Please note that any third-party deliveries that arrive at the school will be turned away, and the person who placed the order will be responsible for any associated fees or costs.

This policy change is driven by our commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

A few parents recently asked about bringing back lockers. Lockers have not been used at Wilson since before COVID-19 in 2019-2020. Staff shared that many students ultimately did not use their lockers and some struggled with the combinations, which led to tears and anxiety. In response to recent parent requests, we have decided to let students run their schedules for the first two weeks of school. If, after this period, students feel they need a locker, they can sign up for one during lunch the week of August 26th.

Dear Wilson Rams,

We are excited to announce that Plano ISD and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Collin County (BGCCC) will continue their partnership and offer an after-school program at Wilson Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year. Through our partnership, your student will receive daily assistance with their homework, participate in fun enriching activities, and have access to test-taking strategies and skills that we are confident will increase their readiness for future college or career plans.

The program, called Club Reach, is only accepting 50 students who are in grades 6,7 or 8. Club Reach will be located at Wilson Middle School and will start immediately after school until 7:00pm daily. Students will receive daily snacks and be supervised and mentored by responsible and trained Boys & Girls Club staff members.

Typical after-school care, including Plano ISD’s PASAR program, cost upwards of $250 per month. However, this partnership allows an affordable rate of only $100/month plus an annual Boys & Girls Club membership fee of $20.00. Your Boys & Girls Club membership provides your student access to all of the programs and activities that the Club offers, including weekend programs, field trips, and special events.

Boys & Girls Clubs have a 160-year tradition of enabling all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Their vision is to “provide a world-class Club Experience that assures success is within reach of every young person who enters our doors, with all members on track to graduate from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle.” Furthermore, the Boys & Girls Club helps kids become their best selves on their paths to great futures. Focusing on six key areas, we: create Safe Places; provide caring Mentorship; meet youth Mental Health needs; bridge the Workforce Readiness gap; champion Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and ensure our Youth Advocacy elevates issues impacting youth.

FAQ:

1. When does this program start? August 19, 2024

2. Is there transportation to bring my student home? No, parents will be responsible to transport students home everyday. Pickup time is 7pm.

3. What is the total cost of this program? Monthly payments of $100 can be made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Collin County ($20 for annual membership fee). Limited scholarships are available.

4. How can I get more information or speak to someone from the Boys & Girls Club? For more information and to apply for membership go to www.bgccc.org/enroll. Or you can call our Plano Branch at 469-752-0001.

The 2024 Plano ISD/City of Plano Back-to-School Fair will be held at the Plano Event Center (2000 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX 75074) on Thursday, August 1 from 4:00-7:00 PM to provide resources, services and information to students and families so they can have the tools necessary to help prepare for a successful new school year. District departments and community agencies will be on-site to share a variety of resources and services. Plano ISD families in need must register using this event registration link to receive a backpack filled with school supplies. For more detailed information, please visit event webpage.

Thursday, August 1st

Plano Event Center

2000 E. Spring Creek Parkway

Plano, Texas 75074

4:00 pm - 7:00 pm (while supplies last)

Plano Families in need will receive:

• Backpacks filled with school supplies **
• A box of shelf-safe food
• Haircut services
• School enrollment and registration available on-site
• Health screenings and immunizations (read more)

*Students must have a TICKET in order to receive a backpack

Register here: https://myforms.pisd.edu/Forms/BackToSchoolFair2024

Parents of Ram Athletes,

Please see the information below and complete the necessary forms in order for your son/daughter to compete in athletics for the upcoming school year:

• A student athlete must have all paperwork signed by a parent/guardian before he or she can participate in any physical activity.
• Medical History: This form now is on Rank One for the parents to complete online.
• Physical - uploaded by the parents. This form also needs to be dated after April 1, 2024.
• Use the following link to complete the required Rank One forms: https://planoisd.rankonesport.com/New/Home.aspx

Counseling assignments for the 2024 – 2025 school year:

6th Grade

469-752-6716

jasmine.hanks@pisd.edu

7th Grade

Drew Obert

469-752-6718

8th Grade

Cynthia Wilcox

469-752-6717

cynthia.wilcox@pisd.edu

Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Hanks to the Wilson counseling team! She comes to us from Princeton ISD. Mrs. Hanks will be taking the first month of school off to spend time with her new baby, Isabelle.

During her absence, a retired Plano ISD counselor will be stepping in to assist with any 6th grade counseling needs. Additionally, Mrs. Wilcox and Mr. Obert are always available to help with any questions you may have.

paula.ward@pisd.edu