World Language Middle School

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Atención: traduce este boletín haciendo clic en el icono de la "Translate".

Attention : traduisez cette newsletter en cliquant sur l'icône "Translate".

يرجى ملاحظة ما يلي: قم بترجمة هذا البيان الإخباري من خلال النقر على أيقونة "ترجمة".

Makini: tafsiri jarida hili kwa kubofya ikoni ya "Translate".

December 6: Picture Retakes

December 9: Pathway to WLMS Open House for 5th Grade Families

December 12: Winter Concert

December 23-January 3 :Winter Break No School

If you drop off or pick up your student, please use the lot on Sharon Road on the side of the building, across from Colerain Elementary School, instead of the main parking lot. We have staff present there to supervise students in the morning, from 7:00 until 7:30am and at dismissal. This helps us to keep our students safe and allows our bus drivers to safely navigate the parking lot. If students are arriving to school late, you may use the main parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation.

Reminder: WLMS is transitioning to Talking Points. An app is available through Talking Points that will allow you to easily connect with your student's teachers. Click on the "WLMS Resource S'more" button below to find instructions for downloading the app in multiple languages. If you download the app, you will be prompted to enter a 5-digit verification code that is sent to your phone. After this, you do not need a school or a class code. Once you access the app, your student's teachers should populate within two days. If you still don't have access to your student's teachers after this period, please reach out. If no caregiver in your household has been able to successfully connect to Talking Points, please send the name of your student and the phone number you are using with the app to Ms. Bock at lbock@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Thank you for your patience as we have continued to troubleshoot some initial issues that are beyond our control regarding limited contact information that was provided to Talking Points for each student. School-wide information is available in our bi-weekly s'mores and also on our school website, including our full staff directory, found here: https://www.ccsoh.us/domain/4044

In Ms. Ottobre’s 8th grade classes (and soon in Ms. Howenstine’s 7th grade classes and more to come) we are sorting our students in to houses, like you might see in Harry Potter, after learning about and visiting the Ron Clark Academy with Ms. Santos. The house system is used to promote, enhance, maintain, and encourage excellent climate and culture in our school. There are four houses in our WLMS system: Amistad, the house of friendship; Altruismo, the house of giving; Isibindi, the house of courage,; and Rêveur, the house of dreamers. Participating students are randomly sorted into houses during their ELA. Each student receives a lanyard in their house color and crest. My ultimate goal is to sort all students into houses and create a family and support for each other within their houses.

We will have our first house meetings THIIS WEEK, November 18-21. At that time we will nominate and vote for Heads of House!

We are also working on getting order forms set up for buying house merchandise.

Thanks,

Erin Ottobre

See the video below for more information about the Ron Clark Academy and the house system model:

Because one of the goals of Ron Clark Academy model is improving school climate and culture, WLMS would like to use one of their approaches to this by adding a number of photographs of our students to our classrooms and hallways, but we need your help. WE ARE LOOKING FOR DONATIONS OF PICTURE FRAMES! If you have frames you would like to donate, please send them in to Ms. Ottobre-- all sizes are acceptable! If you have question, email Ms. Ottobre at eottobre@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Attention 8th Grade Families! Our pathway high school Columbus International High School is offering tours for students and caregivers starting November 20th. Sign up for a school tour for you and your student here. If your student wishes to shadow either the AP French or AP Spanish class after the tour, please sign up for the tours starting at 1:10 and 1:15. (You will need to provide transportation for your student.) A field trip to CIHS will also be offered to 8th grade students soon!

Families interested in Columbus Alternative High School, please save these dates for CAHS's open house events. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN. There are no individual tours being offered this year. To complete the interest form, click here.

If you have a 8th grader, high school is right around the corner. Do you know where your student will be going to high school? Please complete the survey below so that we can understand where you're at in the process and help you navigate this next step! Please let us know if you need this survey in another language and we can send it to you directly!

It is important for families to know their "home school", especially 8th grade families as high school decisions approach. Because World Language MS is a lottery school, all 8th grade families will receive a 'reservation" at our pathway high school, International HS. Students are not required to accept this reservation and can choose to apply for lottery into another CCS school or they can return to their home school by address. This is why students need to know what their home school actually is! On the district website, the School Locator tool allows you to find your assigned schools by address. Type your address into the box then zoom out to see your assigned school.

Having trouble? Call the CCS Factline at 614-221-3228 and ask what high school your child would be assigned based on your address.

COSI visited WLMS on Friday! Students were invited during their recess to learn about COSI's exciting new STEAM program called the Platform, which provides STEAM exposure and mentorship to public and charter school students from Franklin County. The commitment for the middle school program is one Saturday a month. Students who participate in this program in middle school receive an automatic spot in their high school program. AND-- Students who participate in their high school program receive tuition assistance for college! Students are exposed to a variety of different things, such as research labs at OSU, sneak peeks at COSI exhibits, html coding classes, participating in the COSI spring science fair, among others. For more information, check out the flier below.

Mr. Carter and Mr. Mobley are the two school counselors at WLMS. In October, the school counselors went into the classroom to talk to students about what the School Counseling department offers. To view their presentation and see what students learned, open the pdf below!

If you have any questions, talk to your student or send one of the school counselors an email:

Mr. Carter - wcarter@columbus.k12.oh.us (Spanish)

Mr. Mobley - cmobley@columbus.k12.oh.us

See our basketball schedules below!

World Language Middle School has partnered with The City of Columbus Recreation and Parks to host their Center Without Walls program on site at WLMS and spots are still available for your student! Our students have been enjoying awesome programs like Jazz Lab, virtual reality fun in partnership with COSI, and marbling art! This program is on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-5:00p, offering homework help, group activities, healthy snacks and more. See the flier below for more information. A downloadable form is also attached.

Note: Transportation home after the program is not provided.

Questions? Reach out to Ms. Geistfeld at jgeistfeld@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Please complete the Google Form for Musical Caregivers if you have not already! (Links and QRs are below!) and please sign up to contribute to after-school snacks as well using the Sign-up Genius link. Click on the pdf link below to see the rehearsal/after-school schedule.

Please reach out if you have any questions!

https://forms.gle/36974sbW7eiE435aA

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848A4AB23A4FDCE9-53188252-snack#/

December will be here before we know it! More information about WLMS Music Concert will be coming soon! If you have any questions please reach out to:

Kevin Baum, Choir Director kbaum1@columbus.k12.oh.us

Ryan Swartz, Band and Orchestra Director rswartz@columbus.k12. oh.us

We had a wonderful day with award-winning author and illustrator Bryan Collier on Wednesday, November 6th. Collier spent time in art classes, presented to all students in the auditorium and also met in small groups with students. Over 100 of our WLMS Leopards received one of Collier's books and had the opportunity to have it signed! We are so thankful for Mr. Leopold's hard work to make this such a special day for our students!

If you missed it, the virtual library for Bryan Collier was shared in the previous s'more. You can access that s'more by clicking the link at the end of this newsletter!

If you have been down to the library recently, you might have noticed our new book vending machine. This vending machine uses tokens that our school librarian, Ms. Yates, can give to students to "buy" a book.

There will be two ways students get a token. One, at the end of each quarter the top three students with the most checkouts will get a token. The second way will be PBIS Postcards.

These postcards are to recognize when a student is exemplifying one or more of the 3 R's.

Teachers will submit postcards to the librarian. She will pull a card out of the box weekly and those students will get a token for a book.

Follow the library on Instagram at @wlms_reads

Mr. Leopold invites all students to participate in the 2024-2025 Caldecott Challenge. Follow this link to access weekly challenges throughout the school year:

https://clinton-es-young.my.canva.site/studentcaldecott-24-25

Directions: Each week, listen to the 2-3 books linked on the site. (Start with Week One and work at your own pace.) Then use the Google form to vote for ​your favorite! Remember that the Caldecott Medal is about the ILLUSTRATIONS! Enjoy!

Spiritwear sales and restaurant fundraisers are coming soon!

Keep an eye out for updates!

Next PTO Meeting: Tuesday, December 10th 6:30-7:30p (via Zoom):

• Zoom Meeting Link:
  https://us05web.zoom.us/j/6145806094?pwd=bQTd7F17jpO2O0NnsOskaR01qnECen.1&omn=89437218130
• (Meeting ID: 614 580 6094 Passcode: WLMS2425)

• Can't make the meeting but want to be involved? Join our email list!
• Email worldlanguagepto@gmail.com

We are looking for PTO caregivers who would be interested in connecting with our prospective 5th grade families during our Pathway to WLMS Open House on Monday, December 9th. If you are interested and available, please reach out to Ms. Bock for more details asap.

(Email lbock@columbus.k12.oh.us or call 614.407.6102)

Do you want to participate but have limited time?

Committees are a perfect option! Help when you can and how you can!

Below is a list of committees; committees in BOLD need members most, but if another committee interests you, please let us know!

Email worldlanguagepto@gmail.com to sign up!

Yearbook Committee: 3-4 members

take photos, gather photos, build pages, possibly sell 'ads'/sponsorships, promotion

Parent Volunteer Coordinators: 1-2 members

communicate with parents/FA and create Sign-up Genius sign-ups re: staff needs

Musical Committee: 2-3

members coordinate with parent volunteer coordinator specific to musical volunteer needs, sell ads, organize 'swag' sales, help with editing program

Multicultural Committee: 2-3 members

connect with ELL families, recruit multi-lingual families to promote involvement across school tracks and populations

Fundraiser Committee: 3-4 members

propose/coordinate fundraising opportunities, logistics, promotion

Dance Committee: 1-2 members

point person(s) with Principal Santos and Principal Davis for PTO partnership, coordinate supplies/decor, direct parent volunteers with Parent Volunteer Coordinator

Spiritwear Committee: 1-2 members

Develop spiritwear designs, manage orders

Social Media/Communications Committee: 1-2 members

Develop announcements, reminders, and general communication about PTO/PTO-sponsored events

President: Kyle Ewart

Co-Vice President: Lindsay Capps

Co-Vice President: Susie Troyer

Secretary: Melanie Matthews

Treasurer: Hannah Spiegel

Learn more about your PTO officers by clicking on the pdf below!

When families and teachers work together, children are more likely to be successful, attend school every day, and feel connected to their classmates and teachers. Parents and caregivers who are involved with school feel like they are part of the school community. One important way some families choose to participate in their child’s school is by joining the PTO or a committee. Parents and caregivers are able to meet other families in and work with teachers and administrators to make decisions about the school or district.

Did you know you can earn money for WLMS PTO while you shop? Link your Kroger account to World Language Middle School PTO using the link below; just log into your Kroger account and search for "World Language Parent Teacher Organization" or Organization Number: DQ451. Afterwards, every time you make a grocery purchase at Kroger, they'll donate money to WLMS PTO- at no additional cost to you!

Yearbook sales are officially live! Yearbooks are delivered in May before the end of the school year. Use the QR or the details on the flier below to place your online order.

Registration for School's Out Fall is open and there are still openings!

Do your students need something to do during Wellness Week? Look no further than your local community center! School’s Out Fall opens community centers for extended hours during Columbus City Schools’ Wellness Week, Nov. 25-29 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

These fill up fast-please register soon. Use the link below to register.

November is Native American Heritage Month. Native American Heritage Month first started in 1990 and celebrates the cultures, traditions and contributions of Native people, including American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian and American Samoan communities. This month raises awareness about the vibrant cultures and heritage of Native communities, celebrating the unique traditions and voices of tribes across the nation.

Thanksgiving is about giving back! NBC4, Urban One, and the United Way of Central Ohio are teaming up once again to feed Columbus. CCS will be assisting in distributing FREE turkeys and sides to families as part of the 2024 Turkey Tour.

Date: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024

Time: 11am-2pm

Ft. Hayes Metropolitan Education Center

670 Jack Gibbs BLVD (please use entrance address from Leonard Ave.)

The Christmas season brings hope, joy, and togetherness. For families in need, The Salvation Army in Central Ohio offers support through our annual Christmas Cheer Program, providing toys for children (14 and under) and hearty food boxes to make the season brighter. This service is available to families across Franklin County. Please see details about the program in the flyer, or by visiting the site link below.

Registration Dates:

November 18th 10:00am-1:00pm AND 5:00pm – 7:00pm

November 20th 10:00am-1:00pm AND 5:00pm-7:00pm

November 21st 10:00am-1:00pm

December 2nd 10:00am-1:00pm AND 5:00pm – 7:00pm

December 4th 10:00am-1:00pm AND 5:00pm-7:00pm

December 5th 10:00am-1:00pm Saturday

Locations:

Salvation Army Citadel Worship and Service Center 3662 Karl Road, Columbus, OH 43224 614-262-8450 ext. 205

Salvation Army Hilltop Worship and Service Center 2300 West Mound Street, Columbus, OH 43204 614-274-7600 ext. 201

Salvation Army/Stowe Mission Center 888 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, OH 43206 614-449-8066 Salvation Army East Main Worship and Service Center 966 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43205 614-437-2153

Salvation Army Chapel at Worthington Woods 760 Worthington Woods Blvd., Columbus, OH 43081 614-846-1884 ext. 10

Parents/Guardians will select toys and pick up a food box the week before Christmas. The time and location will be shared at Registration. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (614) 221-6561 x600

Salvation Army Christmas Cheer Information Link - Click Here

The 2nd & 7 Columbus Kids’ Book Bank is hosting its 2024 Fall Giveaway, offering free books for readers of all ages! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stock up on exciting reads for the whole family. These giveaway events are open to the public, and you can grab books from their large inventory on the following dates:

• Tuesday, November 19, 2024, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Visit bookbank.secondandseven.com for more details or call 614.396.8161. Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to encourage reading at home!

What is College Credit Plus?

The State of Ohio's College Credit Plus Program can help students earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking college courses from colleges and/or universities. The purpose of this program is to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wide variety of options for college-ready students. Taking a College Credit Plus course from a public college or university is free, which means no cost for tuition, books, or fees. If you choose to attend a private college or university, you may have limited costs.

In place of regular high school classes, students can take college courses and earn credits that can be transferred to colleges and universities after graduation.

CCP Information Sessions

Columbus City Schools invites you and your student (s) to join us for ONE of these mandatory information sessions in order for your students to participate in College Credit Plus (CCP) courses during the 2025-2026 School Year. You can choose to attend ONLY ONE face-to-face, virtually, or watch the video. The session will include a presentation on the College Credit Plus Program and information on next steps. College/university representatives will also be presenting information and available for individual questions about their application process.

This meeting is mandatory for ALL students taking CCP courses, regardless if it's taken on the college campus, online, or in your high school. Attending the informational meeting must be completed yearly along with submitting the Letter of Intent.

For more information visit the CCS Higher Education Partnership link below.

CCS Higher Education Partnership (HEP) Information Link - Click Here

Join Columbus City Schools’ Pathway Express for a day full of exploring STEM and Zoology!

Saturday, December 14, 2024

3 - 6pm

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (4850 W Powell Rd., Powell, OH 43065)

Family Learning Experiences include:

• Free Flu Shots

• Marine Life Exploration with the Watters Aquatic Conservation Center

• Environmental Responsibility Awareness with Keep Columbus Beautiful

• Free Books and Giveaways (While Supplies Last)

• Experience the Magical Zoo Lights!

During December’s Pathway Express event, learning will be centered around Critical Thinking, a key quality in our Portrait of a Graduate. This means helping our students analyze and apply evidence-based reasoning to understand “big picture” challenges and how solutions affect other parts of a system.

Registration for the event opens Monday, November 18 at noon!

Families must register in advance for tickets by going to the link below.

Free transportation is provided! Buses will shuttle families from Northland, Walnut Ridge, South, and West High Schools to the zoo and back. Buses will depart from each school at 3:00 p.m. and will depart the zoo at 8:00 p.m. to drop families back off at the school that evening.

Help your student stay on track this school year. They’ll have access to:

• Reading Buddies, 15 minutes of one-on-one reading practice for K-3 students
• School Help Centers, offering K-12 students free help with their schoolwork plus use of computers, printers, digital research tools and other resources
• HelpNow, connecting them one-on-one with a virtual tutor Monday-Friday, 2:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
• Online school help tools available 24/7
• YouMedia, an open lab space at nine locations where teens can explore technologies
• After-School Snack, offered at 16 locations in partnership with the Children’s Hunger Alliance

Visit columbuslibrary.org to learn more.

In attempt to reduce the amount of information in your bi-weekly s'more, we have compiled resources that are ongoing into a "Special Edition WLMS Resource" S'more. Use the button below to access this s'more for information like:

• Talking Points Instruction Letters (multiple languages)
• High School Choice Information
• Using the WLMS Website
• WLMS Attendance
• WLMS Transportation Details
• WLMS PBIS
• CCS District Resources: Factline & ESL Department
• Community Resources: Columbus Metropolitan Library, Tutoring, Food/Housing/Internet Assistance, etc.
• Socio-Emotional Resources for Middle School Families

As additional resources become available, this s'more will be updated.

Our role as Family Ambassador is to share information, tools and strategies that can further connect your student’s learning experience between their time in the classroom and home, host educational opportunities for families, and connect families to community and district resources. We want to support and help you to engage with the WLMS community, as well as help with navigating CCS. Questions about what you read in this s'more? We can help with that too!

We look forward to meeting your family this year if we haven’t already and are eager to connect with you! We are in the building throughout the week, and are also available to connect during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Please do not hesitate to reach out, we are here FOR you; our contact information is listed below. If the use of an interpreter would aid our communication, we are happy to arrange that as well!

Go Leopards!

Joy Johnson (español): jjohnson15@columbus.k12.oh.us Phone: 614.526.9507

Lynsey Bock (français): lbock@columbus.k12.oh.us Phone: 614.407.6102

Have you ever wondered how to find something on the website? There's a lot of information! See below for some help navigating all our school's homepage.