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Wayland Middle School
October Newsletter
October 15, 2018
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
All Grades:
10/12 to 10/18 Progress Reports Viewable on HAC
10/23 - MS/HS Masquerade Concert (Orchestra - at WHS)
10/31 - Picture Retake Day
11/12 - No School, Veteran's Day
11/21 - Early Release for Thanksgiving
(
11:15 AM
/ No Lunch)
6th Grade:
10/18 - Walden Bike Trip, Henry (Rescheduled from 10/11)
10/19 - Walden Bike Trip, Thoreau (Rescheduled from 10/12)
11/8 - Math Night
7th Grade:
10/25 - Days of Wonder / Treetop Adventures Trip (Rachel)
10/26 - Days or Wonder / Treetop Adventures Trip (Carson)
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Message from Principal Gavron
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Not only does October bring cooler temperatures and the beauty of changing leaves, it has the honor of being named both
National Bullying Prevention Month
and
National Cyber Security Month
, thereby providing me a perfect opportunity to explore the question - How can school and home partner together to help keep our young adolescents emotionally safe in person and online? In an ever-changing world it is an important issue that educators and parents must collaborate together to work on in order to make sure that students have the knowledge and skills to effectively and safely navigate the world.
Emotional Safety at WMS and Bullying Prevention
First and foremost we are committed to creating an emotionally safe environment in our learning community, grounded in the tenets of
B
elonging,
E
mpathy,
R
espect, and
T
rust - BERT. Through both teacher advisory groups (TAG) and curricular connections we look to build relationships and a sense of belonging so our students feel that WMS is a place where they can take positive risks in order to learn. The activities we engage in and the trips we embark on are explicitly linked to BERT and ways in which students can grow these capacities. This work can be difficult at times as we know all too well the developmental challenges of early adolescence. Students brains are changing incredibly rapidly as they explore the many facets of their identity and ways in which they have and use social power. It is developmentally expected for students to misstep (frequently), and we take advantage of opportunities to build skills to repair relationships injured in this process.
We also try to be very clear about state laws and district protocols that are designed to protect students from emotional harm. This month Mr. Benzie and have been meeting with each grade to hold our annual anti-bullying trainings. We break down the language of the 2010 bullying legislation so students can understand the standard to which they are being held and become aware of the possible consequence of engaging in repeated mean behavior. Through our assemblies we also alert students to our anonymous reporting form on our website (under the “For Students” tab) in case they are not yet comfortable coming forward to share concerning information about classmates.
Additionally, all WMS educators engage in a series of mandated trainings to ensure we are up to date and knowledgeable of the requirements we must follow in order to keep students safe. Teachers annually review areas such as the bullying law, harassment regulations, and sexual harassment/Title IX requirements. We are clear on reporting procedures, and staff know that all reports will be taken seriously and fully investigated. We work to educate and discipline as appropriate. Our educators know that without emotional safety learning can’t flourish. To this end we rely on you and your children to alert us when your child’s emotional safety has been compromised, so we can develop a plan to improve the situation and restore that critical sense of safety.
Safety In cyberspace - LARK is our Guide
WMS’ Technology Integration Specialist Bethann Monahan often uses the analogy of the Internet being like a large, unfamiliar city. The city has wonderful, exciting places to visit and explore, but it is important to know how to navigate it in order to stay safe. For example, we would want our students to know they should avoid wandering into dark alleys alone. Parents would not let children go into an unfamiliar city by themselves until they felt they had the skills and maturity to stay safe there. Navigating the Internet is no different. There are tremendous opportunities to learn and explore online, but teachers and parents still need to be actively present to guide their tweens, letting them gain independence as they demonstrate increasing maturity. At school a protective firewall and clear expectations aid us as we focus on working to build students’ capacity to navigate the internet purposefully and develop a respectful online presence.
One tool we have found helpful is our companion acronym for BERT → LARK. LARK taps into the “R” capacity of BERT – Respect. LARK reminds our students that it is our expectation that all students engage in
L
egal,
A
ppropriate,
R
esponsible and
K
ind behavior through their online presence. In wellness classes during the opening weeks of school, teachers offer an overview of the basics of internet safety and LARK. As the year progresses we expand on these introductory lessons at every grade throughout the curriculum. Resounding messages are
think before you post
and
never post when you are angry
. We also advocate for students to tell a trusted adult if something online makes them uncomfortable. Retaliation to meanness can further muddy a situation. We know students can be lulled into a false sense of privacy and security when they are operating digitally. In the office when we confront students with printouts of inappropriate text they have written online, they are consistently shocked by our access. I remind them that once something is posted in cyberspace it can be forwarded and printed for anyone to see, and as administrators we have legal and ethical responsibilities to address it.
Teachers and administrators have important roles in helping students navigate the online world, but we need your help. You are on the front line each and every day and we find that many parents frequently seek advice on how they too can support their middle schoolers. I advocate for engaging in ongoing conversation with your middle schooler and having clear family rules about use (and as you always hear me say, please keep the tech out of the bedrooms - a place where so many missteps occur). The National Cyber and Security Alliance offers some useful tips about what parents should communicate to their children
http://www.staysafeonline.org/
. The site explores key lessons on information sharing, ethical use, security tools, and responding to things that make one uncomfortable. There is an emphasis on teaching students that they should never agree to meet with someone they have met online, an essential safety principle. The “Parents Need to Know” section of the Common Sense Media website -
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
also provides incredibly valuable information and resources around parenting in the digital age. I highly recommend it.
As a fellow parent I know the trust you place in us to care for your children each and every day. Please know that we take that charge seriously, and we will do all we can to keep them safe emotionally in person (IRL) and online.
Yours, ever in pursuit of BERT and LARK,
Betsy Gavron
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Current News & Announcements
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School Picture Re-takes
Wednesday, October 31st
School pictures will be coming home this week. If your child was absent or would like a re-take, Hayward photography will be offering these Wednesday, October 31st.
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Town Meeting Club (Now Offered for BOTH 7th &8th Graders)
This club meets TODAY, Monday October 15th, in room 128
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In this new and unusual club you will:
- select an issue, challenge or opportunity
- craft, propose & defend an Article
- at the Fall Town Meeting, ask Wayland voters to vote on it
- learn about government & how the Town is run, law making, activism & empowerment
- have the opportunity to make real changes in your town & to make daily life better for you, your family and neighbors
Ask your Social Studies Teacher for more information, or contact the Club coordinators:
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WPS
&
SEL
a 2018 district-wide initiative
what exactly is
S
ocial
E
motional
L
earning?
S
ocial &
E
motional
L
earning
(
SEL
)
is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to:
understand & manage emotions
set & achieve positive goals
feel & show empathy for others
establish & maintain positive relationships
make responsible decisions.
the Wayland Public Schools is committed to developing a coordinated framework for how educators, families, and community partners promote and support students’ social, emotional, and academic learning.
we need
you
to get involved in the
SEL
initiative
we are forming an
SEL
initiative committee comprised of
educators, parents & community members
the committee will assess district capacity & resources; review evidence based research & develop a strategic implementation plan for
SEL
in Wayland
if you are interested in participating please contact
the office of student services on
a kick-off meeting is planned for Wednesday, November 7th 2018
from 4-5pm in the school committee meeting room at central office
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Contact:
WaylandMiddleSchoolPTO@gmail.com
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Gift Your Child: Donate Today - Only Three Weeks Left!
We shared our aspirational goal to have 100% participation in the PTO’s
only
fundraiser, Gift Your Child. A great aspiration, but we also set a reachable target for this year of 300 donations. We are
71%
of the way there! Please make you donations today! Our grant process kicks off in November. Last year, we turned down $23,000 in requests because of insufficient funding. Let’s not let that happen again!
Heading Here
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Just some friendly competition….6th grade is leading the pack contributing 42% of donations, with 8th Grade not far behind with 35% and 7th Grade with 23%. Which class will be the leader?
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WMS PTO Donations in Action: Student Trips
The 6th grade is brimming with excitement now that the Walden Pond bike trip days are here! The PTO helps organize volunteers, meals and snacks for this trip, as well as the 7th Grade Cape Cod trip and 8th Grade DC trip. There is no greater joy as parents than seeing our children engaged and excited in their learning experiences! Our parent volunteers hold front row seats to the magic.
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Other Parent Checklist Reminders
Like our Facebook Page
.
We will include weekly updates here, but additional details, photos and videos are shared on Facebook. Stay in the loop!
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Middle & More Coffee: Parent Seminars
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Wellness and Well-being Among Our Students
Speakers: Guidance Counselors of WMS
October 17, 9:00 - 10:00 am
Please join the PTO for o
ur first Middle and More Coffee of the school year! Our guidance counselors will discuss wellness and well-being among our students. What are the needs? What does WMS offer? What can you do? Get all the information you need to know and get your unanswered questions addressed!
SAVE THE DATES:
6th Grade Parent Check-In with Cluster Leaders
Nov. 29, 8:45 – 9:45 am
7th & 8th Grade Parent Check-In with Cluster Leaders
Dec. 11, 8:45 – 9:45 am
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New to Wayland?
Welcome to Wayland and to the WMS community. The PTO looks forward to getting to know you. If you missed our welcome breakfast, please contact Meredith Tobe, our New Family Welcome Coordinator, to learn more about us and how you can engage!
meredith.tobe@gmail.com
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PTO Thanks….
6th Grade Parent Reps Michelle Coppola and Erin Gibbons and all the parent volunteers for the upcoming bike trips to Walden Pond.
It truly takes a village! Thank you for biking with our kids, ensuring their safety, providing snacks and drink and photographing this most memorable trip!
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Artist: Emma Gargano
Grade: 6
Medium: Wire, board & glue
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Information from Last Week's eBlast...
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Private School Application Process
While we hope you are enjoying your experiences with Wayland Public Schools, we also know that some families will choose to apply to private schools as an alternative educational option. Please be sure to carefully follow the process outlined
HERE
to ensure a timely, quality processing of your child’s application to private school.
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