Wayland Middle School
Monday Morning Minute
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Dear WMS families,
Next week we will begin our participation in Massachusetts’ annual state mandated MCAS tests. All 6th, 7th and 8th grade students will be taking MCAS for English Language Arts and Mathematics. Our 8th graders will also test in Science Technology and Engineering. Each year we are required by The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to continue to make gains toward the goal of having all students demonstrate proficiency in each subject area of these comprehensive statewide exams.
Teachers have worked hard with students to ensure that they are well-prepared without drumming up undue anxiety. Like a dance recital, a concert, or a big game, MCAS is an opportunity for students to show off what they know and can do. The results help us analyze our program and teach more effectively. That said, we know some students can become overly worried about the exams. Please let your child’s guidance counselor or teacher know if that is the case for your student.
You can best support your middle schooler by ensuring your child arrives at school on time for each of the testing dates (listed below). By making certain that your student is well-rested and has eaten a healthy breakfast, you position your student to be ready to share their best thinking. We ask that you send your student to school with a water bottle and a healthy snack each day of testing. Some students enjoy a few pieces of hard candy as a treat (such as jolly ranchers or life savers). Please do not send large quantities of sweets, however.
It is important to note DESE’s rule on cell phones during MCAS. “Cell phones and other electronic devices are not allowed for any reason during testing, even after you turn in your materials. Results will be invalidated for students with cell phones.” For this reason, we encourage students to leave their cell phones at home during testing. If students do bring them to school, cell phones (and smart watches) will be collected by their teachers and handed back after testing has finished for the day.
Because the guidelines for the testing period must be strictly adhered to, your child’s attendance is crucial during the testing period. Please try to avoid making appointments during the school day for your child; tardiness and dismissals can heighten your child’s anxiety and have a negative impact on his or her performance.
ELA Testing Dates
6th Grade – April 4th & 5th
7th Grade – April 7th & 8th
8th Grade – April 11th & 12th
Math Testing Dates
6th Grade – May 2nd & 3rd
7th Grade – May 5th & 6th
8th Grade – May 9th & 10th
Science Testing Dates
8th (only) - May 12th & 13th
If your child is sick or has an unavoidable absence during the testing dates, please contact Assistant Principal Meghan Maines who will arrange a make up session within the testing window. Thank you for your continued support and please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Respectfully,
Betsy Gavron
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Upcoming Dates
3/30: 8th Grade Parents' Night, 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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COME SEE THE SHOW!
First LIVE Musical in Two Years
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Tickets: $5.00 Students & Seniors / $10.00 Adults
Thursday, March 31st @ 7:30 PM
Friday, April 1st @ 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 2nd @ 12:30 PM Matinee - great for kids!
Tickets online at:
Moana runs for approximately one hour with no intermission
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Wayland Middle School is holding a spring clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons through Project 351!
You may donate shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, pants, shorts, dresses and jackets that you no longer need or use! We prefer new or gently used items. We also collect brand-new pajama sets and socks. Please do not bring any shoes. Before you bring these items to school, check to make sure there are no rips, stains, or holes, etc. There will be a box at the front of the school in the lobby from March 30-April 7 to drop off all items. All donations will be brought to the Cradles to Crayons Giving Factory which will provide your items to kids and families across Massachusetts. If you have any questions please contact chloe_chitkara@student.waylandps.org
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Please donate gently used books to support children in the foster care system, court-involved, homeless, or out of school to the donation box in the lobby. Books will be collected from March 28th to April 22nd, and all books will be donated to the More Than Words nonprofit foundation in Boston. Any levels and types of books are accepted, as long as they aren’t textbooks over 10 years old or encyclopedias. Please email ashley_zhu@student.waylandps.org if you have any questions.
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Congratulations to the Wayland musicians who were selected for the 2022 Eastern District Junior Music Festival.
They participated in rehearsals and a concert recording on Friday and Saturday, March 11-12, 2022 at Noble and Greenough School.
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RISING 9th GRADE FAMILIES
Please review an informative and exciting letter from WHS Principal, Allyson Mizoguchi
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Congratulations to Coach Reddington and the WMS hockey team on winning their division title! |
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Bus Registration for the 2022-2023 School Year
Open Now Through This Thursday, March 31
Bus registration is now open for the 2022-2023 school year. Click the link below to register. Deadline is March 31.
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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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Artist of the Week: Maria Bastos Santos
Grade: 8
Medium: Ink & Acrylic on Board
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Youth Art Month Virtual Exhibit
March is Youth Art Month (YAM) across the nation. Every year, the Massachusetts Art Education Association (MAEA) sponsors a state-wide exhibit as part of its YAM programming. This year, the exhibit is virtual, and several Visual Art students from Wayland Middle School are included in the exhibition.
Please join us in congratulating our WMS student artists:
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We hope you'll take time to view these students' impressive work. The virtual exhibit is on view now through June.
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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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Parent Enrichment
Please join us as we hear from experts within our community on topics that impact the health and safety of our students.
April 11, 7:00 pm: Creating Safe, Healthy and Informed Technology Practices with Jason Verhoosky, Director of Wayland Youth & Family Services and WaylandCares.
Stay tuned for more dates and topics! 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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