Wayland Middle School
Monday Morning Minute
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Dear WMS Families,
I am deeply grateful to the staff and students who made our Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration week so successful. Rather than our typical annual school assembly, each morning this week in homeroom and TAG we offered students different videotaped tributes to Dr. King. We began the week with my remarks that explored an MLK quote, “Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.” On Tuesday we watched the historical slideshow Ms. Ravid created to highlight key aspects of Dr. King’s life’s work. On Wednesday three eighth graders, Caiolinn Donohue, Anishka Trehan and Chloe Chitkara, eloquently delivered their well-written, candle-lighting speeches that honored three historical figures
- Hellen Keller,
- Mahatma Gandhi and
- Frances Perkins
Our students captured the ways in which the spirit and work of Keller, Gandhi and Perkins connected to that of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Thursday, 8th grader, Kira Lei, treated us to a year’s worth of her hard work -- a deeply moving, phenomenally played piano performance of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Minor. Friday, our Honors Chamber Orchestra closed out the week with an evocative Traditional African Spiritual, Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child. It was truly a moving week.
My thank-yous would not be complete, however, without a shout out to the many students and families who, with Ms. Hood’s guidance, put together the cultural slides that we viewed this week and throughout February. Each slide celebrated one student’s family, showcasing the diverse culture and backgrounds of our students.
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Unfortunately, the celebratory spirit of the week was marred by the unease felt following the invasion of Ukraine. WMS is an international enough community that we have members who have family and friends in Ukraine, Russia, and neighboring countries. They have particular worries/strong thoughts and feelings about this situation right now. As students have followed and studied this evolving event in social studies classes, we have emphasized the need to be particularly kind, respectful and thoughtful about what we say and how we say it as we talk together. Our hearts go out to all who are impacted by the attacks. Please let us know if your child has particular worries they would like to process with grade level counselors or other trusted adults. Here are some helpful tips and resources for caregivers (and educators) for processing the invasion.
On a very different note, I am happy to report that our transition back to eating lunch in the cafeteria by grade this week went well. It was great to see students sitting side by side, in a more typical middle school configuration. Remember there remains the option for those who are more comfortable eating six feet apart to do so in the gym. As I mentioned prior to February vacation, today we move into Phase IV of the “Transition to Typical Safety Protocols.” The School Committee approved for masks to become optional in school and on buses beginning today (except for in the nurse’s room where they are required). We previewed this change with students last week, and, in the spirit of BERT, we focused on respecting all personal choices students and staff may make around masking (on, off, or situation dependent). We anticipate the transition to mask optional life will go smoothly as well. Have a terrific week.
Respectfully,
Betsy Gavron
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Upcoming Dates
3/7- 3/8: 8th Grade SBIRT
3/14 - 3/18: World Language Week 2022
3/14: Wayland Sings, 7 p.m.
3/15: Strings Jamboree, 7 p.m.
3/16: Band Fest, 7 p.m.
3/30 - 4/2: WMS Musical, Moana Jr.
MIDDLE SCHOOL MCAS DATES
(We ask that students please arrive on time and not be dismissed on testing days)
- 6th ELA: 4/4 - 4/5
- 7th ELA: 4/7 - 4/8
- 8th ELA: 4/11 - 4/12
- 6th Math: 5/2 - 5/3
- 7th Math: 5/5 - 5/6
- 8th Math: 5/9 - 5/10
- 8th Science: 5/12 - 5/13
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2022-2023 WPS Bus Transportation
is now open!
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Sign Up to Receive FREE at home COVID-19 Test Kits
All families and staff are eligible for a rapid antigen test kit including two tests every other week. The state recommends that students who have had COVID-19 within the last 90 days not receive the test until they are past their 90 days, but that is a recommendation, not a requirement. Wayland is committed to providing test kits to any families that request them.
We are asking all families and staff choosing to receive the at-home kits to test on Mondays, preferably before school when possible. Positive results should be communicated to their school nurses as soon as possible; negative results do not need to be communicated.
Pooled PCR testing will continue on Thursdays. Enrollment is open to all except those with COVID-19 infection in the prior 90 days. Contact Parry Graham to enroll.
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SPRING SPORTS
We have opened registration for Middle School Spring Athletics. We will be offering Baseball, Softball, Track and Field and Girls Volleyball. Registration will close at midnight March 24th. All sports run Mondays. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays immediately after school. Any questions regarding specific sports should be directed to the respective coach. Contact info for each coach is below:
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Middle School Traffic Flow Reminders |
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Middle School Drop-Off and Pick-Up Traffic Flow
Safety is the number one priority in the drop-off/pick-up circle.
- Watch for students in the crosswalk as you enter and exit the traffic circle.
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Students may only exit/enter cars at the sidewalk (anywhere along the west side of the building -- from the gym to the stop sign). Students should be prepared to exit cars as soon as the car is stopped safely beside the sidewalk and not wait to be closer to the door.
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Students may not walk through the traffic circle.
- Proceed through the starred (*) handicapped parking spots if space is available beyond them.
- Do not jump the line when spaces appear. Be patient as drivers in front of you pull forward.
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If the line reaches the parking lot entrance to the old DPW building, parents will form a circular line-up inside the parking lot to get traffic off of Route 27. Students must be picked up on the sidewalk next to the gym, and may not meet rides in the DPW parking lot.
- Once you have dropped-off/picked-up your student, you may cautiously pull out, away from the curb and around waiting cars to exit.
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Stop at the stop sign as you exit the traffic circle. Oncoming traffic (buses, staff members, and others not turning into the traffic circle) does not have a stop sign and you must yield to this traffic.
Drivers – for safety, no cell phone use while moving through the Traffic Circle. Thank you!
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Artist: Eliza Goldman
Grade: 6
Medium: Mixed
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Interested in Joining the 2022-3 PTO Team?
Want to get more involved while your child is at Wayland Middle School? Join us on the PTO!
Several Board and Committee positions will be available for the 2022-23 school year. Please visit the WMS PTO’s Boards and Committees page for more details or email questions or inquiries to the WMS PTO.
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Middle and More Coffees
Please join us as we learn about classroom content and upcoming topics from the WMS Curriculum Leaders and Principal Betsy Gavron.
March 14, 1:30 pm: English Department Curriculum Leader Carrie Dirmeikis & Social Studies Department Curriculum Leader Jake Montwieler.
Please contact Lisa Raftery, Parent Enrichment Chair, with any questions.
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Helpful Links & Important Info |
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Arrivals
REMINDER our doors do not open until 8:25 a.m. (with the exception of students who are signed up for AM wellness who go in at 8:00 a.m.). Please do not drop off students earlier.
If your child is running late - school begins at 8:40 a.m. - and you arrive later than 8:45 a.m., please drop off at the front of the building, so we are sure we get accurate attendance.
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Early Dismissals
If you must dismiss your child early from school, please follow this protocol:
- Send a note into school with your child that day with the time you will pick them up.
- Your child should bring the note to the Front Office upon arrival and will be given a Dismissal Pass to give to the teacher at the beginning of the class they’ll need to be dismissed from.
- At the indicated time, your child will come to the office to check out and wait for you at the entrance.
- If all steps are followed, there is no need for you to call or get out of your vehicle.
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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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