Wangenheim Middle School where we develop the next generation of innovators, collaborative problem solvers and positive agents of change with a global worldview.

I hope you all are able to take some time this summer and have fun with your students. The school is currently closed but a few of us are still hard at work preparing for the start of the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. We will send this information again, but for anyone who likes to get a jump on things, we wanted to share some information with you now.

Cell phones restricted - You may have seen in the news the last couple of months, increased reporting on cell phones in schools and the steps being taken to reduce the negative impact of cellphones on student’s academic learning and their mental health (Los Angeles Unified, State of CA, NY City Schools, etc.). Wangenheim is also changing our cell phone policy. Students can have cell phones on campus but may only use them before and after school.

We have worked very hard to try and build habits of responsible use with our students and many have been able to exercise this self control, but the majority of students (at the middle school age) are either not developmentally ready for this difficult challenge, or are unable to resist the addictive nature of social media and constant messaging of friends/acquaintances.

In a recent teacher survey at Wangenheim,

• 70% of teachers reported that inappropriate cell phone use interrupted their teaching one or more times each class period.

• The survey also showed that 79% of teachers reported that cell phones interrupted students' own focus and learning several times each class.

• Even more troubling is that 64% of teachers shared that when inappropriate cell phone use was addressed, students lied about the reason for using the phone “frequently to nearly every time” with claims that they were responding to a parent.

The updated Wangenheim Cell Phone Policy will make the expectations clearer and align with the existing Cell Phone Policy of the San Diego Unified School District.This policy change was shared with students at the end of the school year and I ask that you review it with your child before the school year begins. We will also review all our school rules and expectations during the first week of school.

Appropriate clothing for warm school days - The warm summer weather will still be in full force as August arrives and the new school year starts on August 12th. If you are doing any back to school shopping, please keep in mind the school dress code. Our dress code clearly outlines our expectations that clothing should be school appropriate to help students focus on their own learning. This means that students should not be dressed as if they are going to the beach, or headed to the gym for a workout - those outfits are great for those settings but not for the academic focus of a school. Here is a link to our Dress Code Policy.

School hours and minimum days - Many families are also looking ahead and making transportation and childcare plans for next school year. Since all secondary schools must now have a weekly minimum day, we wanted to share our Bell/Minimum Day Schedule with you for 24-25. You will also notice that we are moving to 1 lunch period per day. This change will benefit students since it will allow for more clubs to meet during lunch, teachers will be able to better offer lunch time tutoring, and students can be with all their friends each day.

All this information will be available on the school website and in the student handbook. During the first week of school we review all the most important expectations and policies with students during their Advisory class. The information is then reviewed a second time during our PAWS assemblies.

Enjoy your summer and we look forward to seeing you on campus!

Thank you again.

Dr. Matt Fallon

Principal, Wangenheim Middle School

Please go to your Parent Portal and complete today.

.School Pantries & Distribution Sites

• Families can also access fresh produce and pantry items through the Feeding San Diego School Pantry Program, including distributions at Lincoln High School, Pendleton Elementary School, Porter Elementary School and Rosa Parks Elementary School.
  To find food distributions hosted by Feeding San Diego, visit feedingsandiego.org/find-food.

SUN Bucks

• Combined with the traditional summer meals, the new California SUN Bucks program is helping families buy food during the summer break. Families will receive $40 for each eligible child to buy groceries for June, July and August ($120 total).
  
  Eligible families will receive SUN Bucks on a card mailed to their home. Families can use SUN Bucks just like a debit card to buy fruits, vegetables, meat, whole grains, and dairy at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other places that accept CalFresh EBT benefits. SUN Bucks does not affect immigration status.

Together, these efforts aim to help ease the burden of rising food prices during the summer months and ensure kids have access to healthy food when school’s out.

Students sixth- through eighth-grade have the opportunity to take part in organized team sports this fall. In Middle School Athletics, teams represent their school in organized competition against other schools within the district, building camaraderie and new friendships while providing young athletes a structured sports experience with qualified coaching.

The teams also play at San Diego Unified high school athletic facilities, giving middle schoolers a chance to establish a connection and familiarity with their future school campuses.

Yearbooks: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A00789460

Only $45.00

Student pictures will be taken during PE classes on August 20. All students will receive an ID card. They will be needed for lunches, to check out library books, and general identification. If a student has a phone, it is suggested they take a picture of their ID. Students will be charged $5.00 for replacement IDs.

Please join us as we support the Wangenheim students and community. Our first Unit Meeting will be held August 29 prior to Fall Open House.

Wangenheim Middle School PTSA connects families, schools and communities by providing programs and services at your child's school. PTA is the nation's largest volunteer-led child-advocacy association working to drive improvements in the education, health and well-being of all children and families. When you are a member of PTA, you are an advocate for your child and for all children. Please contact Wangenheim PTSA to see how you can get involved.

Please check out these resources to build on your reading skills over the summer.

Reading Plus

Students login through CLEVER, find the Reading Plus icon, and start reading. Because Reading Plus allows students to choose from both fiction and/or nonfiction passages based on their interest and places students in passages at their own reading levels, the program strengthens comprehension and vocabulary skills of all levels of readers. All students are familiar with Reading Plus, and it is a great way to maintain and build skills throughout the summer.

The Student EXCEL Card program is a collaborative effort between San Diego Public Library and San Diego Unified School District with the goal to get a library card in the hands of every student in the district by 2025.

To read the letter from Misty Jones, San Diego Public Library Director, introducing the initiative click here:

English Spanish Tagalog Somali Vietnamese

At the start of the 2023-2024 all TK- 12th grade students enrolled in a non-charter San Diego Unified School District school will be registered for a Student EXCEL Library Card account.

With the Student EXCEL Library Card, students can:

• Borrow up to 3 books or audiobooks from any San Diego Public Library location.
• Borrow up to 5 eBooks from our eLibrary
• Receive free online, one-on-one homework tutoring in English or Spanish in all major subjects.
• Receive access to databases and resources through our Distance Learning Center, using the Student Excel Library Card number or Student ID number.
• Use public library computers at any of the library locations.

And there are no fines or fees!

Looking for resources to encourage reading for fun over summer break? Open eBooks contains a rotating catalog of thousands of popular, award-winning eBook titles that students and families can access for FREE!

Open eBooks can be used for reading at home or on-the-go through a free app (available on Apple or Android devices) or the web browser version on their computer, Chromebook, or other device with an internet connection. Get started by emailing Mrs. Minezaki (pminezaki@sandi.net) to get the code. Please let me know if you want access to Elementary, Middle School, or All Ages content.

The following items are requested donations for the upcoming school year:

• General Use
• Kleenex tissue
• Hand sanitizer
• Yellow highlighters
• Plastic pocket folders
• Composition Books
• 1-subject notebook
• 1 ½” 3-ring binder
• #2 pencils
• Colored pencils
• Math Classes
• Quad ruled composition book
• Graph paper - all math classes
• PE Classes
• Hair ties

Applications now being accepted for PRIMETIME, the extended day program, for the 2024-25 School Year.

We believe families, teachers, schools, and community members are valued and trusted partners who share in the commitment and responsibility of educating our children.

• Wangenheim Newsletter - usually posted monthly, Sunday nights at 6:00 pm
• Principal's Coffee - held monthly on Tuesday mornings in person and Zoom
• Wangenheim Website - updated on an ongoing basis
• District Website

Each month, the Principal hosts an informal discussion meeting with parents and community members. This is an open meeting where the Principal shares information on topical issues. Parents and community members are invited to provide positive feedback and to express questions and concerns.

Handouts from these meetings will be posted on this page for parents and community members who could not attend.

The hybrid meetings begin at 8:30 am in person in the library and on Google Meet and run for approximately one hour. The same meeting information will be used for each meeting:

San Diego Unified School District uses multiple methods of sharing important information with families throughout the school year. Make sure you don’t miss any messages by keeping your contact information updated with your school and opting in to texting.

Once the school year begins, check the PowerSchool Parent Portal to ensure your current cell phone number is on file and then text the word “YES” to 67587 to opt in to receiving text messages from San Diego Unified.

More information on the PowerSchool Parent Portal can be found here. Please note that the Parent Portal cannot be accessed until the start of the school year. More information on SchoolMessenger – the system used to send emails, phone calls and text messages to families – can be found here.

Please take a few minutes to verify your eMail address, phone number(s), and mailing address are correct through the Parent Portal. You can also eMail Mrs. Stevens, 619.605.2250 x2022.

7th graders, it is already time to start thinking about the East Coast Trip for next year. On this trip we take participants to Washington DC and New York City! We see and do everything we can possibly fit into the 5 days and 4 nights. There is one teacher chaperone for every 10-12 students and nighttime security guards hired for each floor of the hotels where there are students. This is an all inclusive trip, so once you pay for it, you don't need money for anything else except souvenirs. This is a trip of a lifetime- don't miss out!

Signups are first come first served and we can take 50 kids before we have to start a waitlist.

If you have questions or would like to sign up, contact Ms. Chambless jchambless@sandi.net or Ms. Coppola lcoppola@sandi.net