Wayland Middle School
Monday Morning Minute
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Important Dates
10/14 Virtual Back to School Night
10/19 Hybrid Classes Begin
10/12 No School - Indigenous Peoples' Day
10/27 Picture Day
10/29 Picture Day
11/11 No School- Veterans' Day
11/28 Thanksgiving Recess Begins - Early Release 12:20
REPORTING ATTENDANCE EVENTS:
If your child will be Absent, Arriving Late, or Leaving Early on a school day, please be sure to either email us at ms_attendance@waylandps.org or call the attendance line at 508- 358-3801/Select Option 1. Provide your child’s name and grade with the date(s) they will be absent or the approximate time they will be arriving late / leaving early. Precise attendance reporting is a challenge when students are remote, but your efforts to make the office aware of exceptions will help us to maintain accurate records. Thank you!
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Dear WMS Families,
I hope you and your family enjoyed the three day weekend and those observing Yom Kippur engaged in fruitful contemplation and reflection. Over the first two weeks of school, I have had the pleasure of attending math classes, and it has been wonderful to see students diving into content and taking risks to learn. Classroom communities are starting to come together, and I've enjoyed hearing students sharing problem solving strategies in breakout rooms.
Chromebooks
This week we pushed out a Zoom update to student Chromebooks, and we are finding some small improvements to audio quality. Ms. Monahan put together a slideshow of more strategies for students to try to adjust settings to maximize Chromebook efficiency. We will review it with students this week. We appreciate your patience when we encounter technical difficulties.
Office Hours
It was wonderful to see a number of parents and guardians during my office hour this past Thursday. I will offer the opportunity to meet with Mr. Benzie and me again this coming Thursday at 9:30 (link will be sent that morning). One of the most frequent questions I have received recently revolves around the upcoming transition to hybrid. While I will be sending out a more comprehensive overview next week, I wanted to clarify a few basics of the model:
Hybrid Model - Beginning October 19th - AAXBB
- 2 days a week we will offer in person instruction. Classes are spread over two rooms (~10-12 students in each).
- The teacher circulates back and forth between the two rooms to offer instruction and opportunities for practice.
- A second adult will supervise students working when the teacher is with students in the other room.
- 2 days a week we will offer synchronous, remote instruction (like the classes students have been having during the all remote period).
- Wednesday remains a day for independent work, independent reading, and scheduled intervention classes. Study hall, the library, math center and the writing center have scheduled hours for support.
- The basic schedule will stay the same -- except lunch times will shift. During In-person and remote days the hybrid lunch schedule will be:
- 6th grade lunch 10:45 - 11:15
- 1st block - lunch - 2nd block - break & FLEX - 3rd block
- 7th grade lunch - 11:30 - 12:00
- 1st block - break - 1st half of 2nd block - lunch - 2nd half of 2nd block - break & FLEX - 3rd block
- 8th grade lunch - 12:15 - 12:45
- 1st block - break - 2nd block - lunch - break & FLEX - 3rd block
Again, more details will come next week.
Virtual Back To School Night - WMS' Virtual Back to School Night is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14th. Your student's teachers will prepare videos for their classes and send them to you on the afternoon of October 14th. These videos will be available to watch until October 28th. You can watch them all at once, following your child's schedule, or you can spread the viewing out over time -- whatever works for your family.
Clubs and Activities:
Some clubs and after school activities are starting up. Students can try out a club (without commitment) to see if it is a good fit. Students can find the link to clubs and affiliated google classrooms through daily announcements. We will be posting offerings on our website too, so families know what is scheduled when. We will update the list as new clubs launch. Many offerings will start up when we begin hybrid.
Holiday Schedule Reminder:
Today - Tuesdays classes meet - green, purple, FLEX, black - (Mondays classes are not meeting this week)
Tuesday, October 13 - We will run a Monday schedule - red, orange, FLEX, yellow. (Tuesday classes will not meet that week).
As we head into the week, please know how much we appreciate your ongoing partnership. Parenting through a pandemic takes everything you’ve got - and then some. We appreciate you and all you are doing to support your learner(s) as they navigate this more rigorous, online learning environment. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if we can support you or your middle schooler. Thank you.
Respectfully,
Betsy Gavron
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Welcome to the Monday Morning Minute. Check here every Monday morning for district and MS news, important dates, art work, club news, happenings and much more.
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Chromebook and Zoom tips from the WPS technology department
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Save the Date: “Reaching Beyond the Post”
Tuesday, 10/6, 7:00 - 8:00PM
Over the past several weeks, many of us have shared concerns regarding a series of Instagram posts found on an account created to be a safe space to anonymously discuss experiences of sexual harassment and assault in Wayland. From 7-8 PM on October 6th, Jessica Teperow from REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, will be facilitating a workshop for WMS caregivers to help address these concerns. The workshop will provide insight into the ways that trauma can impact brain development and behavior, common barriers young people face to disclosing trauma to caring adults, and strategies to engage your child(ren) in proactive and responsive conversations about these important and difficult issues. We will send out the Zoom link directly to families the day of the workshop.
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WMS Fall Athletic Offerings:
The question of fall middle school sports came up at office hours with Ms. Gavron on Thursday. Athletic Director Heath Rollins is working to put together a plan and a schedule for "Sports Activities" that comply with health protocols. We will begin these activities once we begin hybrid 10/19. Watch for more information about how these offerings will work in next week's MMM.
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HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD
SELECT CHORUS will be holding auditions for new members. 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade students who are members of school-day Band, Chorus, or Orchestra are eligible to audition for this after school group.
This year, auditions will be done a little differently. Students will submit a recording of themselves singing a section of the song, "I Have a Dream". Information and audition materials are being placed in a special Google Classroom just for the auditions.
Audition materials are now available to students through this Google Classroom. It is hoped that Zoom rehearsals can begin for this group in October on Thursdays at 3:30. Anyone with questions can contact Dr. Murray at stephen_murray@waylandps.org.
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WMS Jazz Program Information
There will be a meeting after school TODAY Tuesday, September 29th, for all students interested in playing jazz at WMS. The meeting will go from 3:20-4 pm here: A ZOOM link will be sent out in the morning announcements.
We have traditionally had 2 bands, Jazz Band (auditioned, advanced) and Jazz Lab.
If there is enough interest, we will still have an advanced band and a beginner band.
Jazz Band will be after school on Tuesdays, from about 3:20 - 4pm, and Jazz Lab will be Thursdays after school 3:20-4pm.
All instruments are welcome, and we need bass (guitar or upright), drum set, piano, and guitar players!
Jazz students learn to improvise and play blues, swing, Latin, and rock styles of music.
Jazz students must be enrolled in their grade level band (or orchestra) unless they play an instrument we don't have in concert band, such as guitar or piano or bass.
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National Library Card Sign-Up Month
Help your student apply for a digital public library card -- it just takes minutes! WPL library cards are available to all WPS students. All public library cards can be linked to Sora, our digital reading platform, offering students additional copies of even more digital books, limited to those that are grade-appropriate. While you're on the public library's site, you may also want to explore Libby, Sora's "sibling app" for public library digital books.
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Weekly Wednesday Welcome Library Zoom Meet.
WELCOME TO ALL STUDENTS
1:00-1:30pm.
The link to Our WMS Library Zoom can be found on each cluster's list of links.
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Do you love to sketch? It's not too late!
Coming Soon! INKTOBER 2020
Starting October 1st, students and artists from around the world will embark on this annual 31-day drawing challenge. The event is free and open to any WMS student, no matter their age or experience. Interested students should fill out an interest form by visiting bit.ly/inktober_signup. More information can be found by visiting bit.ly/inktober_wms.
Plus, thanks to the generous support of our WMS PTO, our 8th Graders have an added opportunity to combine their Inktober challenge with The Sketchbook Project. View this video for details: https://youtu.be/wUYKnqXNk8U
Please contact Mr. Curran if you have any questions.
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Superintendent Search
The School Committee has started the Superintendent Search process. Parent and community input is incredibly important to the process and we hope many of you will take part. There are three ways you can be involved:
Focus Group (via Zoom)
- Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00 pm - Middle School Parent
These one hour groups will be run by Future Management Systems (FMS), the search firm assisting the School Committee with the Superintendent Search, and are designed to obtain participant input about the attributes, experience and knowledge that the new superintendent should possess. The groups also provide an opportunity for participants to identify immediate tasks that the new superintendent should address. All of this information will greatly assist the School Committee and the Screening Committee as they interview candidates.
Online Survey
Superintendent Search Screening Committee
We will be putting together a Superintendent Search Screening Committee that will be meeting throughout the month of November. More details to come on how you can be involved in the Screening Committee.
We look forward to your participation in the Superintendent Search process.
Wayland School Committee
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WaylandCares formed a Middle School Youth Leadership program to offer students the opportunity to celebrate making healthy decisions to abstain from alcohol, tobacco and other drug use as minors. The group is also focused on community service, community awareness and providing opportunities for youth to be a leader within the community. The WMS Youth Leadership group will be meeting virtually this academic school year. The days and times of these club meetings is to be determined.
Please contact either Kelsey Sanclemente or Jason Verhoosky at the following emails:
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New to Wayland?
PTO New Family Welcome
Thank you to those families that attended the PTO’s New Family Welcome zoom on Friday, September 25th! It was very nice to meet you and answer any questions that you had about Wayland Middle School and our community.
Missed the meeting? Here is a link to the meeting slides, which contain key contacts within the PTO, WMS and Wayland Public Schools. Additional resources that may be helpful to introducing you to the town and connecting you to groups can be found in this document: Pointers and Links for Families New to Wayland
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WMS Staff Appreciation
Help us Welcome Back WMS Teachers and Staff!
Monday, October 5 Our fantastic Wayland Middle School teachers and staff will soon be returning to the WMS building and the PTO Staff Appreciation team would like to welcome them back with plenty of “grab & go” snacks to keep them energized throughout the day!
Please use this sign up link to provide prepackaged snacks, drinks and sweets and welcome our teachers and staff back to Wayland Middle School!
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Artist: Daniel Barnes
Grade: 7
Medium: Acrylic & Ink
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Get to know WMS STAFF SPOTLIGHT
New Staff Edition
(20 Questions give or take)
Name: Danuta Bujak- Czubarow
Your Position at WMS: I am a French and Spanish teacher
Where do you come to us from: Previously I taught in Weston, Spanish to 4th and 5th graders and French in Middle School.
Where did you earn your degree: I have my masters in Education from Poland and another master in Slavic Languages from Boston College.
Your first job: When I was in elementary school I was picking mushrooms and selling them to my cousin. With this money I always bought books.
Have any animals: I grew up on a farm, so we had all kinds of animals. Now we have a Yorkshire terrier named Nelly.
Favorite guilty snack during this time at home: Cherry Garcia ice cream.
Favorite thing to do on a summer day: Swimming at Morse's pond.
Favorite vacation spot: My home town in Poland.
Favorite TV show: I don't watch TV :(
Favorite book: "Lost in Translation" by Eva Hoffman
One thing you splurge on: BOOKS
Movie you could watch over and over without getting tired of: Anne of Green Gables
The spiciest thing you’ve ever eaten: Habanero Peppers
Your cure for the hiccups: Scaring me
Goal you think humanity is not focused enough on achieving: Acquiring a new language and learning something new from that culture.
Outdoor activity that you haven't tried, but would like to: Rock climbing
Your go to restaurant: California Pizza Kitchen
Why did you want to work in a school: Because I love to inspire my students and see them blossoming.
Do you speak any other languages: Polish, Russian, French, Spanish and English
A word you always misspell, or have to constantly check: Sophisticated
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Reminders from Previous Weeks |
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The Orange and Black - Our Student Run Newspaper
Be sure to check out our student run newspaper featuring news, stories, poems and other work! The Orange and Black
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Wayland Middle School
Phone: 508.358.3801 Fax: 508.358.3802
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