JMS Update

Dear Families,

Being present and on time for school is an important part of being successful in school. When students are absent or tardy, they miss important academic and social-emotional instruction that takes place in the classroom and disrupt the learning environment of the classroom. During the school day, our faculty and staff work hard to create classroom experiences that support and enhance student learning through collaborative work with others, brainstorming sessions, and other discussions which are extremely difficult to replicate when students are absent. Over time, multiple absences or repeated tardiness can equate to a considerable loss of learning for your child whereas consistently attending school on time helps develop positive habits that can impact future academic and professional success.

I would like to kindly request that you schedule trips and vacations during designated school breaks and vacation days. Planning trips outside of these periods can result in students missing valuable instruction time, which may impact their overall progress.

We understand the importance of family time and vacations, and we appreciate your efforts to balance these with your child’s educational commitments. By aligning travel plans with school breaks, we collectively contribute to a positive and uninterrupted learning environment. For reference, I have attached the link to the school calendar for this school year.

Please click HERE for the 2023-2024 WPS calendar.

Best regard,

Carrie Ruggiero

Principal

Hello Johnson Families!!!

We are so excited to have our Second Annual Blingo Bingo event!!!

Hosted by the Bird and Johnson Middle School PACs, it will be held at the Norwood Elks on Friday, March 15th starting at 6:00 P.M. Grab a friend and sign up below! Have a whole table's worth? You can take a whole table!

BLINGO BINGO: Walpole Middle School PACS (signupgenius.com)

Any questions can be directed to Nancy at nilesnj@yahoo.com

Thank you!
Johnson PAC

Johnson Middle School is pleased to offer academic and enrichment courses for our students. Each activity is coordinated and supervised by a teacher or staff member. All activities run from 2:45 – 3:45.

• All activities will meet for 6 sessions.

• All participating students and parents should have transportation plans made before school on the day of the activity. Bus students will be able to take the late bus on Tuesday – Thursday (with a bus pass).

• There will be no refunds or make-up classes if a student is absent. Classes will be adjusted for cancellations if necessary.

• The cost for all activities is $35. There may be an additional supply cost, depending on the class. Checks should be made payable to Town of Walpole.

• Individual student registration for the activity will not occur until the completed enrollment form and fee have been submitted. Please bring payment to Mr. Colchamiro (rm 112) or the main office.

• Please include separate payment for each course. Your payment will be returned if the activity is oversubscribed or does not run.

• Enrollment for activities is done on a first come, first served basis, as some classes are limited in size. Students should assume they are registered for a course unless they hear otherwise.

• There are funds available for students who might not otherwise be able to register for a class due to the cost. Please include a separate note along with the registration form or contact Mr. Colchamiro directly.

To enroll, please complete and submit this form and bring in payments to Mr. Colchamiro (room 112) or the main office. Enrollment may be cancelled if payment (or note from parent/guardian) is not received.

On occasion, staff members are asked to complete recommendation forms for students applying to private school(s). We recognize the importance of such requests, but ask that parents and students consider the following when making their request:

• Many of the applications are completed through an online application system. If this is the case for your child, the system will send an email request for recommendations from the counselor and teachers; however, we strongly encourage you to have your child speak to the school counselor and teacher(s) directly, as well, in order to personally request the completion of the forms.

• If your child is in 6th or 8th grade, please send the School Report forms to Sarah Giunta (sgiunta@walpole.k12.ma.us)

• If your child is currently in 7th grade, please send the School Report forms to Leah Cayer (lcayer@walpole.k12.ma.us).

• Give teachers and School Counselors at least a two week notice when requesting recommendations.

• You must still sign the ‘Transcript Release Form’ and have your child bring it to the School Counselor in order for transcripts to be released and forms to be completed.

• If the school that your child is applying to only accepts applications by mail, please have your child bring the Transcript Release Form to school along with $2.00 to cover the cost of postage.

Vocational School Application Process

If your child is applying to either Tri-County or Norfolk Agricultural High School, their applications will be sent directly to the school counselor to be completed. For more information about Norfolk Aggie please visit http://www.norfolkaggie.org/.

Priority deadline for applications to Tri-County was December 31, 2023. Tri-County will accept applications after that, but they cannot guarantee applicants will be considered in their first round of decisions. Interviews will be at Bird Middle School on February 14, 2024. For more information about Tri-County please visit https://www.tri-county.us/.

During the week of January 29, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

(DESE), Office of Language Acquisition (OLA), will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring

Review of Walpole Public Schools. The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each district’s

and charter school’s ELE program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state

English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English learners’

student assessments, identification of English learners, what programs English learners are

placed in, parent and community involvement, curriculum and instruction, student support

services, licensure requirements for faculty, staff and administration, program plans, and

evaluation and recordkeeping.

In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The

district will send a survey to the parents of students whose records the review team examines.

The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s English language education program. Survey

results will be reviewed by OLA and they will contribute to the monitoring report.

Parents and other individuals may call Andy McDonie, Office of Language Acquisition Review

Chairperson, at (781) 338- 3541 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an

accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, DESE will make the

necessary arrangements.

Within approximately 60 business days of the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide

the Walpole Public Schools with a report with information about areas in which the Walpole

Public Schools meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the Walpole Public

Schools requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The report will be available to the

public at https://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/.

Please ensure students arrive at school with Chrombooks fully charged each day so that learning is not disrupted.

It's never too late to purchase Chromebook insurance!

Even the most careful students sometimes have accidents with their Chromebooks. That's why Walpole Public Schools offers optional Chromebook insurance for students in Grades 6-12. Without insurance, repairs for accidental damage will be charged for the cost of parts. These costs can add up! Typical costs (subject to change without notice) may be:

• Screen repair/replacement: $45

• Damaged AC Adapter (charger): $35

• Keyboard replacement: $50

• Full replacement cost of Chromebook: $240

• Other types of repairs, or more complex or additional damage found during repair may incur higher repair costs

Please click here Chromebook Insurance for more information.

The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the spring session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually.

Session 2 will run February 5 to June 14. Registration is open Friday, January 12th through Monday, January 29th.

For more information, visit:

https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/wpsmusic/private-lesson-program/overview

To register, visit:

https://students.arbitersports.com/walpole-public-schools/private-music-lessons-2023-2024-session-ii

For questions, email:

Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us

The Walpole Scholarship Foundation is a local foundation that has been awarding scholarships to Walpole students since 1983.

On February 2nd, the Foundation will be hosting Trivia Night at the German Club in Walpole at 7:00 P.M. (doors open at 6:30 P.M.). There will be a Cash Bar, Raffles and prizes! Please join us in supporting our students. See flyer below for more details. Thank you!

JMS and BMS Students take a tour at Roxbury Community College (RCC) followed by a tour and lunch at METCO Headquarters where they were given a presentation on the history of the METCO program.

Be sure to read the latest newsletter from the JMS Counselors:

Counselors' Corner Newsletter

Please click HERE for the 2023-2024 WPS calendar.

January 19 - Wachusett Mountain Ski Trip (at dismissal)

January 22 - Term 2 Ends

February 9 - Early Release Day

Term Ending Dates:

Term 2 - 11/6/23 - 1/22/24

Term 3 - 1/23/24 - 4/2/24

Term 4 - 4/3/24 - 6/12/24

Each term is 45 days long

Congratulations to the following students who will represent JMS in Round 2 of the Spelling Bee held at JMS in the Media Center on Friday, February 2nd:

6th Grade: Ellie B., Adi Y., Bella C.

7th Grade: Karthik G., Anvita M., Madeline S.

8th Grade: Shaurya P., Maggie O., Elaina S.

A big thank you to all the students who participated. We are extremely proud of you!

The winner of the JMS Spelling Bee will participate in the Remote Regional Spelling Bee on February 27th (@ JMS). Should they move forward, they will attend The Final Regional Spelling Bee on March 19, in Lynn, Massachusetts.

Any questions, please see Mrs. Svendsen or contact her by email: csvendsen@walpole.k12.ma.us

Walpole Public Schools are continually committed to developing an atmosphere of trust among our parent community, in our ability to provide not only a positive and enriching educational experience, but a safe place for students to thrive too.

That is why we have partnered with Linewize, a leading global provider of online safety products and education, to create an educational hub for parents and teachers. This hub includes articles, videos, courses and more, to ensure you know how to keep your kids safe online.

Click HERE to access the hub!

Dismissals should only be for medical reasons or family emergencies. If an appointment or family event will require that a student be dismissed early from school, we ask that parents send a note to the main office, or complete the dismissal form (JMS Dismissal Form) on our Website. We will write a pass for your child to come to the office at the designated time. This will help expedite the pick up process, and more importantly, eliminate the need for us to disrupt the learning of other students by calling the classroom and interrupting the teacher. If you happen to forget to send in a note, we ask that you complete this JMS Dismissal Form. Your help and cooperation would be greatly appreciated.

Student use of cell phones in the building is prohibited. Phones and other personal electronic devices should be turned off and secured in the owner's locker during the school day. Phones being used in classrooms or common areas may be confiscated and held until dismissal. This policy also includes smartwatches. Repeat offenses may require a parent pick up from the office.

We encourage all families to review the 2023-2024 JMS Family Handbook. This document includes important information regarding the following: Absence and Tardy Policies, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan, Cell Phone Policy, X2 Attendance & Grade Notifications, Floor Plan / Map, the Daily Schedule, and the Code of Conduct. The JMS Family Handbook is a linked document to make the information easily accessible for anyone.

This Math site for parents is designed specifically for parents and families. It offers a breakdown of the topics in each of the 8 units covered throughout the course of the year. Most of the topics have a video link built in that will offer support for students and/or parents/families when working on math at home. There is a section for each grade level course, as well as math connections. In addition, there is a section that breaks down the prerequisite skills that play the biggest role for each grade level. We hope this serves as a valuable resource for parents and families throughout the year.

Please click here for the latest DEI newsletter. We are thrilled to introduce our Third Edition of the WPS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) newsletter. This platform is dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and equitable School environment and aims to celebrate the rich diversity that exists among our students, staff, and families, while also providing resources, updates, and opportunities for engagement.

All student meals (breakfast and lunch) are free of charge again this year. Breakfast Menu is available in the cafeteria until 7:45 AM each morning. You can see what's being served for lunch by checking out the Lunch Menu. Please note that students were given cards to scan at the register so the cafeteria can keep track of inventory. As an alternative to scanning, students can also punch in the

4-digit code that appears on their card.

The JMS PAC meets a few times a year to discuss updates in the school, upcoming events and ways to keep Johnson Middle School the fun learning environment that it is! You can follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JMSPAC?mibextid=LQQJ4d

SEPAC is a Special Education Parent Advisory Council. All parents of children with disabilities and other interested parties are welcomed to participate. Please note the following contact information for Walpole’s SEPAC. Co-Chairs are Sue Pace and Deborah Mulroy. The SEPAC can be reached by email at walpolesepac@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/walpolespedpac. Notices of future events can be found in our weekly newsletters.

Principal

Johnson Middle School

Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/jms
Location: 111 Robbins Road, Walpole, MA 02081
Phone: (508) 660-7242