Knightly News

Dear Wilson Families,

Thank you to all the parents and guardians who attended and engaged in meaningful dialogue during our in-person PTA meeting last Tuesday. Your input and involvement are invaluable as we celebrate the successes at Wilson and explore ways to strengthen our community.

To those who couldn’t attend, you missed a very informative meeting about your school. We discussed the programs and events that make Wilson special, along with the areas where we can grow as a school community. As your principal, I have to say I was very disappointed to see fewer parents than hoped, but I completely understand the demands of work and family life.

To better accommodate everyone, I ask you to please complete this survey to help us determine the most convenient time and day for future PTA meetings. Your feedback will help ensure more families can join us in these important discussions. Our last meeting was on a Tuesday at 7:00 PM. I figured by 7:00 PM most of our families would already be back from work and available to meet.

In addition, I’d like to ask for your direct contributions and support to help fund critical programs and events for our students and staff. Even if you are unable to attend meetings in person, there are other ways to contribute. Specifically, we need funding for the following:

• Student recognition lunches and awards (every month)

• 8th-grade awards night event and reception (new this year/will be an annual event every May)

• Games and supplies for school and lunchtime activities, events, and dances (daily)

• Teacher and staff appreciation weeks (coming up in a few months)

• Veterans Day event decorations and reception (annually)

• Wilson Way raffle prizes for students (every month)

Thank you to all the families who have already generously contributed through monetary or item donations. Your love and support for Wilson shine through, and we are so grateful for you. A special thank you to the Jhangiryan Family, the Kokozian Family, and the Mnatsakanian Family for their extremely generous donations to Wilson Middle School. Their combined three donations have helped support our programs for the first few months of school. Their donations have helped our entire Wilson community but we need more support.

If you are able to help, you can donate by writing a check to Wilson Middle School - Glendale Unified School District and noting "activities and events for students and staff." Every bit helps us provide the best experience possible for our students and staff.

We truly need your support to keep our programs thriving and make our school amazing. Thank you for being an integral part of the Wilson family. I look forward to meeting more of you and getting your support.

Warm regards,

Dr. Alen Akhverdyan
Principal
Wilson Middle School

Successful education is the SHARED responsibility

of the parents, students, educators, and the community.

Dear Wilson Families,

In the coming days, our students will receive important instruction on lockdown drills, active shooter protocols, and emergency procedures at school. These lessons are designed to ensure that all students understand how to respond effectively and stay safe during emergency situations.

Students will learn:

• What to do when a lockdown is called at school.
• The differences between a lockdown and a shelter-in-place.
• Where to report and what actions to take—and avoid—during a lockdown.

We want you to be aware of this instruction so that you can discuss it with your child if they bring it up at home. Our goal is to provide them with the knowledge and confidence to respond calmly and appropriately in any emergency situation.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school community safe.

The Elks (Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks) nationwide has an American Essay contest each year for 4 divisions – 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th graders.

This year’s Americanism Essay contest theme is, “What Does Patriotism Mean To Me?"

Click on the link below to read more about it and to access the application packet.

Essays should be submitted to local Elks Lodge on/before December 15, 2024.

Congratulations to our Students of the Month!

Our students of the month received a beautiful certificate, medal, bumper sticker for the car, candy, and other goodies. They are invited to participate in a long snack event where they will have a special lunch with the principal. We also took pictures of our students which we will include in our Wilson yearbook and community newsletter.

We are thrilled to share that two of our incredible Wilson students, Karen Avetisyan and Theo Mirzakhanian, have been recognized for their outstanding work in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge! Theo and Karen developed an innovative app designed to help people confront and overcome their phobias through interactive games and progressive levels.

Their hard work has earned them an invitation from Congressmember Judy Chu to attend a special ceremony at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on Monday, December 2nd.

Please join us in celebrating Karen and Theo for this amazing achievement! Remember, any success or win from any single student at Wilson is a time for celebration and a win for all of us at Wilson and Glendale. Excellent job Karen and Theo! We’ll share more updates after the ceremony. Stay tuned!

• Teachers will be available to help support you with homework.
• No cell phones are allowed.
• Morning Homework Club is not a hangout spot; it is intended for students who need assistance with their homework or who need a quiet place to start their homework.
• Students joining us for morning Homework Club must stay in the library until at least 8:10am at which time they can be released to go on campus with everyone else.

In collaboration with Amico, on November 19th at 5:30pm, GUSD will be offering a virtual parent workshop on the impact of social media and screen time on mental health.

Students: Read at least 10 pages a day! Remember, if you read 10+ pages a day, that’s over 70+ pages a week, which adds up to 280+ pages a month. That means, you’re reading one novel a month, which is pretty amazing if you think about it.

Remember, great things and big things all have small and humble beginnings. Big achievements always start with small steps. Keep on reading your 10 plus pages a day!

Parents: Consider reading the same book as your child and then come together during dinner time to discuss the book. It's a great way to encourage reading and to spend some quality time with the family.

For Students:

• Teachers will be available to help support you with homework.
• No cell phones are allowed, even after school hours.
• After school Homework Club, Morning Homework Club, and ELL Scholars Circle are not hangout spots; they are intended for students who need assistance with their homework or who need a quiet place to start their homework.
• Please arrange for timely pickup by 4:00 PM if you choose to stay for after school Homework Club.
• Students joining us for morning Homework Club must stay in the library until at least 8:10am at which time they can be released to go on campus with everyone else.

For Parents/Guardians:

• Please check with your child to determine how long they plan to stay in Homework Club or ELL Scholars Circle. While help is available until 4:00 PM, most students typically stay for about 25-30 minutes. Confirm with your child when they plan to leave so you can arrange for timely pickup.

In order to participate in the school’s eighth grade Promotion Ceremony AND eighth grade activities which include awards ceremonies, theme park trips, and other activities, a student must:

1. Earn a minimum of 100 credits in grades 7 and 8 combined.

2. Receive NO more than two (2) Fs in the second semester of the eighth grade year on the semester report card.

3. Receive NO more than four (4) Unsatisfactory (U) citizenship grades during the eighth grade year on the semester report cards. NO more than two (2) Unsatisfactory (U) citizenship grades can be received in the second semester of the eighth grade year.

4. Receive NO more than two (2) suspensions in eighth grade and no more than one (1) suspension during second semester of eighth grade.

Please take some time to review these expectations with your child so that everyone is clear about our promotion policy. I will not be making any exceptions for anyone. We have also reviewed these expectations with all students during our Rules and Expectations Assembly. Counselors will continue to remind students about these expectations throughout the school year and this post will remain in this newsletter all school year under REPEAT NEWS.

Knights, we’re introducing a new way to recognize students and staff who demonstrate “The Wilson Way” virtues. Starting this month, we’ll replace PBIS points with Wilson Way Cards. Teachers and staff members will have a limited number of these cards to give out to students who exemplify our core values: Being Responsible, Reflective, and Kind.

How It Works

• Monthly Opportunity Drawing: Each month, Dr. Akhverdyan will hold a raffle where 25 students will be selected to choose a prize from the office, along with 5 staff members.

• Prizes Include:

• A bag of candy

• Gift cards

• Homework passes

• Treasure box items

• Drop-Off Locations: You can submit your Wilson Way Cards at various locations around the school:

• Library

• Four Corners blue box

• Main Office

• Directly to the principal or assistant principals, who will place them in the box for you.

Each month, the raffle starts fresh. If you aren’t picked, keep showing those Wilson Way virtues, and submit new cards to increase your chances in the next drawing!

Teacher Appreciation - Students Giving Back!

Students, teachers, and parents can also recognize teachers and staff by giving them Wilson Way Cards when they see our adults demonstrating "The Wilson Way." Write a comment on the back, and your teacher will be entered in a separate staff raffle box for their chance to win a reward. We’ll provide KORT time if you’d like to write a card for a teacher.

With these cards, we’re celebrating the positive contributions of everyone in our school community. Let's have fun with this and recognize all the amazing things that are happening at Wilson! Go Knights!

Cell phones must be in a backpack, deactivated (turned off - vibrate/silence is not considered off) and their use is strictly prohibited on campus. Any device that is on, activated, in use, or openly displayed, will be confiscated and held in the office. Guardians are urged not to telephone or send text messages to students and students are not to use the phone during the school day for any reason. Cell phones are not to be used for video/photo purposes on school grounds at any time.

Students violating this policy will receive consequences including before/after school detention, parent-administrator conferences, phone confiscation (parent will need to sign phone out), and for repeat offenders, the students cell phone will be kept in the principal's office during school hours.

We want time spent in school to be about real life social interactions, conversations, and play!

Wilson Parents: I need your help and support on this.

Parents, your partnership is crucial in fostering responsible social media use and managing screen time at home. At Wilson, we instill in our students the importance of the THINK acronym before engaging online.

THINK prompts reflection, which is one of our Wilson Way virtues: Is what they're posting TRUE? Is it HELPFUL? INSPIRING? NECESSARY? KIND? If not, it's best left unshared, sparing them from potential scrutiny and negativity.

In an era dominated by technology, finding balance between screen time and real-life engagement is paramount. Excessive social media and phone usage can exacerbate anxiety, cyberbullying, and academic challenges.

You, as parents, wield significant influence in guiding your children toward a healthy balance. Foster open dialogue about technology, establish boundaries that prioritize face-to-face interactions, physical activity, and quality family time. Together, we can nurture mindful digital citizenship and well-being among our students.

Let us please recommit to safe driving practices in and around our schools. Drop-off and pick-up at schools is never fun, can oftentimes be stressful, and traffic is usually an issue, but we really must slow it down to keep our students safe. Give yourself extra time in the morning, and drive safely.

Students will enter/exit through three locations: front of the school, auditorium gate, and Verdugo gate (behind the school).

Drive through lane: Students may be dropped off using the drive-through lane on Monterey Road. Do not drop off students in front of the auditorium, which will cause traffic to build up. Drive forward and use the drop off lane.

Do NOT enter the staff parking lot. Do NOT drop off students in the parking lot.

Attention Wilson Parents and Students: If students want to park and lock their bike or scooter in our designated bicycle racks on campus, they must register it with Dr. Akhverdyan and wear a helmet at all times while riding. Make sure your helmet is properly fitted, and wear it according to manufacturer directions. Helmets provide protection from potentially life-threatening head injuries.

We’ve noticed an alarming increase in unsafe riding behaviors among students using electric bikes and scooters, including excessive speeds, dangerous maneuvers, and riding without helmets. This is absolutely unacceptable and dangerous. I don’t ever want to call a parent to tell them their child has been involved in an accident.

Safety is our top priority. While we will contact parents directly when specific students are identified, we want to address this as a broader concern affecting many students.

Please ensure that all riders are adhering to safety guidelines, including wearing helmets at all times and following safe riding practices. Your cooperation is essential to keep our school community safe.

If you have a child who is riding their bike to school, please also talk to them about bicycle safety. Refer to the DMV page to learn more about bicycle safety by CLICKING HERE.

Students: Fill out the registration form below and turn it in to the main office.

• The cafeteria offers breakfast and lunch daily. All students can receive one FREE breakfast (before school or at snack) and one FREE lunch daily.
• No outside food deliveries.
• Students can bring their own snack/lunch to school.

Zero Tolerance for Hate Speech: Hate speech, defined as abusive or threatening language targeting individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, religion, disability, gender, or sexuality, is strictly prohibited. This includes any behavior that disrupts the educational environment or causes psychological harm.

Disruption to the Learning Environment: Hate speech disrupts the educational experience by fostering a climate of fear and division. This not only affects the targeted individuals but also negatively impacts the overall sense of community and safety in the school for all students and staff.

Consequences and Intervention: Students found engaging in hate speech will receive counseling and education. Persistent or severe violations will lead to disciplinary actions, including suspension. Parents will be notified of such incidents.

Fostering a Supportive Community: Building a sense of community and togetherness is crucial for creating a safe and inclusive school environment. We will achieve this through classroom education, cultural celebrations, and providing information and education to all community members, ensuring that every student feels valued and supported.

Join the PTSA today to partner with Wilson teachers and staff in creating engaging and exciting opportunities for our students—your children!

This year, I need PTSA support to plan a formal 8th grade awards ceremony, student recognition lunches, lunch time activities, school dances, and more!

Wilson Middle School provides a supportive environment that fosters academic success, social responsibility, creativity, and reflective thinking in all students.