WMS Weekly Newsletter

Dear Wayland Middle School Caregivers,

While last week brought many challenges, it also brought meaningful and memorable Bright Sides. Rejoining the WMS community in person and in good health was my personal bright side. Thank you again for all of your support during my absence and for the warmth extended to me upon my return.

The week started with a beautiful display of musical talents at the Wayland Sings! event. Thank you to Ms. Vanaria and our students for a lovely evening of song. The Wayland choral directors’ skilled instruction and expert execution culminated in a standing-room-only event that highlighted the virtues of effort, achievement and teamwork. Students were proud and excited to share their accomplishments with other students from each of the Wayland schools. In an environment where hope is so important, the culminating selection, Music Changes the World, was inspirational, aspirational and moving.

The MLK Commemoration & Celebration 2025 created a sense of unity and shared purpose when it was most needed for our school community. We were uplifted by the musical selections and talents of the students in the Ellington Jazz Band, the Honors Chamber Orchestra, and our Select Chorus. We honor the courage of our Candlelight Speakers: Saara Topi, Ameerat Ayende, Mohana Samvidha Kantamaneni, Liam Parks, Clara Kemp and Claire Wade who through their speeches, taught us about a person who struggled to make the United States and the world a place that provides justice for all. We thank Ella West and Shaylee O’Neil whose curated slide show, MLK’s Words, commemorated the passion, the vision, and the leadership of the 8th grade house mentor. This program motivated us to recommit to our own work related to justice.

While this Commemoration and Celebration literally takes every staff member’s efforts, we want to acknowledge the following staff for their direct support of our student participants: Ms. Ravid, Ms. Dirmeikis, Ms. Peirce, Ms. Anderson, Ms. Lopez, Mr. Harris, Ms. Tandon, and Ms. Vanaria. We also thank our Superintendent, David Fleishman, for attending the Commemoration and Celebration.

Every step we take, whether it's standing up for fairness, supporting those in need, or challenging systems of inequality, becomes a part of a greater journey. It’s through these small, consistent acts that we build a path toward a more just society. The trail may be hard to find at times, but it's always there, waiting for us to walk it.

I hope to see in the upcoming weeks whether it be at caregiver conferences or at one of the many performing arts opportunities that will take place in the month of March. As always, my door is open. Whether you have questions, concerns, or simply want to share in the excitement of the school year, I encourage you to reach out.

Deborah

• Monday, March 10 - Friday, March 14: World Language Week (details below)

• Tuesday, March 11: String Jam Concert 7:00 PM Wayland High School Field House

• Wednesday, March 12: Band Fest Concert 7:00 PM Wayland High School Field House

• Thursday, March 13: 8th Grade Caregivers' Night 7:00 PM-8:15 PM
  Wayland High School Theatre

• Friday, March 14: WMS Spring Sports Registration ends.

• Wednesday, March 19: Caregiver Conferences (details below)

• Wednesday, March 26: Caregiver Conferences

• Tuesday, April 8: ELA MCAS Grades 6-8

• Thursday, April 10: ELA MCAS Grades 6-8

• Friday, April 18: Good Friday - NO SCHOOL

• Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25: Spring Break - NO SCHOOL

Every year in the month of March, Wayland Middle School celebrates World Language Week, a week dedicated to exposing students to the linguistic and cultural diversity of our community and the world. The kickoff of World Language Week took place on Friday, March 7th with the Bilingual Luncheon. What a joy it was to hear students introduce themselves in their first language and introduce their language to every other participant in the luncheon. We had a total of 46 participants in 6th grade (including, of course, our students in the Spanish Immersion Program), 27 participants in 7th grade, and 29 participants in 8th grade.

Each day of World Language Week will be dedicated as follows:

Monday, March 10: French Day Wear BLUE to show your spirit.

Tuesday, March 11: Latin Day Wear PURPLE to show your spirit.

Wednesday, March 12: Chinese Day Wear RED to show your spirit.

Thursday, March 13: Spanish Day Wear YELLOW to show your spirit.

Friday, March 14: “Where you’re from, where you’ve been, and where you’d like to go” Day. Wear something that shows where your family comes from, a place you’ve visited, or somewhere you’d like to go one day.

We thank all of our world language teachers for their hard work, creativity, and leadership in this celebratory and educational experience for our staff and students. Please find linked here the program for each day of World Languages Week World Languages Week Program 2025

We appreciate your support as partners in ensuring that our school is a device-free learning environment. Electronic devices are a concern as they impact students’ learning and social/emotional health. At the middle school, students are expected to turn off devices such as cell phones, SMART watches, Fitbits, airpods, and headphones and put them in their backpacks before entering the school each day.

Wayland High School Principal Allyson Mizoguchi is inviting Caregivers of the 8th grade class to an evening at the High School on Thursday, March 13. The plan is to give Caregivers, "...a holistic picture of the high school, as well as an opportunity to ask specific questions about our curriculum, supports, expectations, and student activities."

The 8th Grade Caregivers' Night Memo 2025 has all the information regarding the evening and additional information about what will be covered as well a a tour of the high school. Please open and read the memo for complete information.

The purpose of spring conferences this year is to discuss student skills across content areas and to celebrate student learning. Conferences will be driven by a reflection completed by each student related to specific student skills as well as the sharing of a “memorable piece of work”.

Student skills are critical to the development of successful and increasingly independent learners and as such, students benefit when educators and caregivers discuss students’ strengths and areas for growth in these skill areas. Student choice of and reflection on a “memorable piece of work” creates a window into what motivates a student and what makes a student feel successful at school in an authentic way. It is important to note that “work” is broadly defined as a performance (in PE, drama, chorus, band, or orchestra) or a piece of work (an artistic creation, an assessment, a piece of writing, a project, etc) in order to honor all student learning at school.

Conferences for parents and caregivers will occur after school on March 19th and March 26th with conference time slots beginning at 2:30 and ending at 5:00 on both days.

On March 13th, caregivers will receive a link to their student’s homeroom appointment calendar to sign up for one, ten-minute conference with their student’s homeroom partners on either March 19th or March 26th. Parents and caregivers will also have the option to have the conference in-person or virtually. All appointments and any changes must be done before 12pm on March 18th.

If you are dropping off/picking up your child, please review the attached traffic map and the description of the Middle School Drop-Off and Pick-Up Traffic Flow. WMS Traffic Procedures Safety is the number one priority in the drop-off/pick-up circle. Please be patient and stay in your place in line. In the morning drop off, students should be prepared to exit the car as soon as the car is stopped safely beside the sidewalk; please do not park in the drop off area in the morning. If there is any confusion, our wonderful crossing guards will help you.

🌷 Spring is upon us. That means it's time for WMS Spring Sports!

Registration is now open!

Sports offered this spring are as follows:

• 6-8th grade - Track and Field
• 7-8th grade - Baseball and Softball
• 7-8th grade - Volleyball

Students wishing to participate in spring sports must be registered by 2pm Friday March 14, 2025. Information regarding tryouts will be forthcoming from respective coaches but will not start until Monday March 17th (or later).

The Wayland Community Action Network invites you to join us for an important evening of learning, reflection, and connection. We will host a special screening and discussion of ORIGIN, a film by Ava DuVernay.

Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/zZeyo9QNcrno6vtY9 to ensure we have enough pizza!

Let’s keep the conversations going! WPS will be hosting a community read of “Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives it Changed.”

Artists: Vivi Richardson & Wendy Peltonen

Grade: 7

Medium: Watercolor

The WMS PTO is setting up March Madness-inspired games, trivia and snacks for staff to keep them going between back-to-back parent-teacher conferences on 3/19 and 3/26. Please sign-up here if you can contribute any food or prize items to help.

Nonperishable items can be sent via our Amazon.com wish list or dropped off at the following locations by Tues 3/18: Grimmett House (38 Standish Rd), Baston House (8 Brackett Rd) or WMS front office.

Please drop perishable items off at WMS by 12pm on the designated days (3/19 or 3/26).

Contact: Waylandmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com

Thank you to our WMS community for helping us reach our fundraising goal!

Below are the 2024-2025 school year grants that were awarded by the PTO.

• Large magnetic grids are being used on the whiteboards in 8th grade math classrooms.
• Flexible floor chairs are being enjoyed by a 6th grade social studies class.
• Dry erase markers and erasers are being used by students in 8th grade math classrooms.
• Social pragmatic learning materials for the Autism Spectrum Disorder Program.
• Math Team support was provided to help defray the cost of the annual team dues required for away meets.
• Rocket Club Supplies allow every student to have their own rocket to build and launch.
• World Language Funding will allow students in the 7th grade Chinese class to attend a cultural enrichment field trip to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston.
• Extra large laminated world map will now hang in the library.
• Four New Keyboards that all students will have the opportunity to use in music class.
• New learning materials and games are being added to the Language Based Learning Program.
• New books for all English classrooms to keep content fresh and interesting for our students!
• New diversity, inclusion and belonging books are being purchased and will be used as a learning tool for students.

Please see more examples of what we can support with your help.

We have many ways to get involved! Please fill out our survey below or send an email to: Waylandmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com

Other opportunities to volunteer

To see some of the descriptions, please see here.