WDMS JANUARY News
JANUARY 2022
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
1/3-School re-opens
1/4-Boys Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/4-Girls Basketball @ Haddon Hts, 4:00 pm
1/4-WDMS HSO meeting, library, 6:30 pm
1/5-Wrestling @ Riverwinds, 4:00 pm
1/6-Boys Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/6-Girls Basketball @ Haddon Township, 4:00 pm
1/7-Wrestling @ Riverwinds, 4:00 pm
1/10-Boys Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/10-Girls Basketball @ Sterling, 4:00 pm
1/11-Session 2 after school clubs begin
1/11-Wrestling @ Sterling HS, 4:00
1/12-Boys Basketball @ WDMS, 4;00 pm
1/13-Girls Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/13-Wrestling @ Collingswood, 4:00 pm
1/14-School OPEN-Make up day for students due to missed day, 9/8/2021
1/14-Boys Basketball @ Paulsboro, 4:00 pm
1/14-Girls Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/17-Martin Luther King day-SCHOOL CLOSED
1/18-Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation Bandana sale begins
1/19-Wrestling@Riverwinds, 4:00 pm
1/19-Drama Club performance, WDMS Cafe, 6:00 pm
1/20-Boys Basketball @ Gloucester City, 4:00 pm
1/20-Girls Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/20-MusicDept Pats Pizza fundraiser, National Park location
1/21-Wrestling@Gloucester City
1/21-ARV Bandana Day-Wear your favorite bandana!
1/24-2nd marking period ends
1/24-Wrestling@ Riverwinds, 4:00 pm
1/25-Midterm-7th & 8th gr Algebra, Pd. 1 & 2
1/25-Boys Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/25-Girls Basketball @ Gateway, 4:00 pm
1/26-Midterm-Geometry, Pd. 7 & 8
1/26-Lost & Found donated to a local charity
1/26-Wrestling @Haddon Township, 4:00 pm
1/26-5th grade Winter Concert@ WD High School, 7:00 pm
1/27-Midterm-Spanish 1, Pd. 1 & 2
1/27-Boys Basketball @ Audubon, 4:00 pm
1/27-Girls Basketball @ WDMS, 4:00 pm
1/28-Midterm-MAKEUPS, Pd. 1 & 2
1/28-Wrestling @ Riverwinds, 4:00 pm
1/31-Wrestling @ Lindenwold MS, 4:00 pm
WELCOME TO OUR NEW WDMS PRINCIPAL!
RECESS WILL CONTINUE TO BE OUTDOORS-STUDENTS SHOULD DRESS APPROPRIATELY
ALICIA ROSE VICTORIOUS FOUNDATION-BANDANA DAY
On January 21, 2022 WDMS Student Council will once again participate in “Bandana Day” to help raise awareness about the ongoing struggles of teen cancer patients. The Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation provides funding for the specific purpose of creating a new, non-existing Teen Lounge, or enhancing/renovating an existing Teen Lounge in local area hospitals. It is all about enhancing the quality of life for teens with cancer during their many visits and stays at the hospital.
Alicia Rose was a teen who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 17. "Even though I would wear bandanas and hats to cover my dome, not everyone was well informed of my condition and I was humiliated and intimidated when I was asked to take off my hat because of school policy." – Alicia, 2002. After Alicia lost her battle with cancer, her friends felt as though students needed to raise awareness about the struggles that teen cancer patients face. “Bandana Day” is just one of many opportunities students have to help raise awareness for teens battling life-threatening illnesses.
Bandanas will be available to purchase in homeroom beginning January 18 through January 21, 2022. On Friday, January 21, 2022, staff and students will wear their Victorious Bandanas to school to show support for teens battling cancer. Bandanas are $3 each and will be available in a variety of colors.
Thanks to the dedication and support of our students and staff, last year we were able to donate $4,150 to the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation!
For more information on the ARVF, please visit their website at https://www.victoriousfoundation.org
DRAMA CLUB TO PERFORM "BROADWAY BEAT"!
WDMS YEARBOOKS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER-DEADLINE IS JANUARY 28,2022!
Yearbook orders will be accepted now through January 28th. No exceptions can be made to this deadline as our dates are locked into a production schedule. You can place your order in school or online. To order online go to the “For Students” tab on the WDMS website or click HERE. Orders will be accepted in school every Friday during homeroom in Mrs. Ward's room E12. In school orders must be placed in person, not in staff mailboxes. Yearbooks cost $42 and can be purchased with cash or check. Please make checks payable to WDMS.
AFTER-SCHOOL CLUBS-SESSION II
Session II of our afterschool club program will begin on January 11, 2022. An email with the signup link was sent to all families on December 10, 2021. All students must be registered for a club prior to attending. Session II clubs run Jan. 11 – April 7, 2022. Clubs run Tuesday – Thursday from 2:30 pm – 3:15 pm. Every club (except Homework Club) is offered one day a week. Homework Club is offered every Tuesday - Thursday. Bus transportation is provided for bus-riding students involved in any of our after-school programs (buses depart at 3:15 pm). Students must report directly to their club immediately after retrieving their belongings from their lockers at school dismissal. After-school clubs are a privilege. Students must be engaged in the club and respectful to those around them. Students that are distracting or disrespectful will receive no more than two warnings from the club advisor, after which time they will no longer be able to attend that club. Multiple removals from clubs will result in the student being excluded from clubs for the remainder of the club session.
Vets in Training Club
Our Vets in Training Program will return for session 2 with 8 new topics for our animal enthusiasts! VIT sessions will run for 8 weeks beginning on Wednesdays, February 2 through March 30, 2022. Please see this FLYER for details and the registration link. NOTE: All students must pre-register and pre-pay through VIT before they can attend the first session.
WDMS ANIMAL THERAPY ROOM
The Animal Therapy Room will be supported solely by donations. Your support will help to jump-start the program for our students and cover the cost of feeding our community of animals who will be adopted/re-homed and cared for by our students. There are many ways to donate. Please click HERE to check out their Amazon Wish List. Gift cards to local grocery stores are also appreciated as the animals require fresh produce in their daily diet.
For questions or if you would like to make a donation, please contact Dr. Alexis Walsh at awalsh@wdeptford.k12.nj.us.
WDMS Home and School Organization News
Your WDMS Home & School Organization is excited to keep our families apprised of EVERYTHING that is going on!
Please visit our website to get updates on:
community service,
current fundraising efforts, and
new upcoming events.
Masks
Student Drop off/Pick up
The school day for students officially begins at 7:45 am. Students must be in homeroom by 7:45 am or they will be marked late. For your convenience, the doors will be open at 7:35 am for students that wish to arrive early. These students will report directly to their homeroom. No student should be dropped off prior to 7:35 am. Any student arriving before 7:35 am will be left unsupervised and outside (in possible inclement weather) until 7:35 am.
Although we realize emergencies do occur, if you know in advance that you will need to pick your child up early, we ask that a note be sent in with your child the morning of the day he/she will be leaving early. Your child will then be given a pass to show his/her teacher at the indicated dismissal time. Without the parent note informing us of an early pick-up, no students will be called out of class until the parent arrives in the main office and proof of identification has been given. A parent phone call requesting for the student to meet them in the main office for a pick-up is not an option.
WDMS ATHLETICS
Individual sports schedules and coach contact information are available on the WDMS website under the Athletic tab. Students may not stay after school without teacher supervision. If attending a sporting event as a spectator, students must leave and return at the beginning of the event. In the event an athletic event is postponed or canceled at the last minute, a “Remind” message will be sent from our Athletic Director and a message will be posted in red at the top of the WDMS website. If interested in receiving Remind texts regarding the WDMS Athletics, please text @wdmsath to 81010 to sign up for Remind Text from our Athletic Director.
REMINDERS FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICE
Below are some helpful tips for keeping your child healthy during the school year.
- Frequent handwashing is one of the simplest most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. The Mayo Clinic suggests soaping up for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday “song twice.
- Use hand sanitizer
- Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
- Keep hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Stay current on all childhood vaccines including the flu shot
Students should stay home from school for at least 24 hours if they have:
- A fever of 100 degrees or more
- Chills
- Sore throat or cough
- Diarrhea or vomiting
Please contact our nurse, Kim Lee with any health-related questions pertaining to your child. klee@wdeptford.k12.nj.us
Bus Transportation
WDMS BUS ROUTES CAN BE FOUND HERE
WDMS LATE BUE ROUTES CAN BE FOUND HERE
No child will be permitted to ride on other buses for any reason. Each student can only ride the bus they are assigned to ride. If you have a one-day childcare issue, the person watching your child should pick them up at the school. No students will be permitted to switch between buses.
Students will NOT be given permission by the WDMS administration to walk to any other location except home. (i.e. ice cream stand, pizza place, or to a friend's house).
For additional transportation information, please visit our district website at:
http://www.wdeptford.k12.nj.us/district_info/transportationWDMS LATE BUSES
Late buses are every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning Tuesday, September 14th. Late buses depart between 3:15 - 3:25 pm. Late bus runs are typically longer as there are only five late buses covering a larger area. Students may not stay after school unless they are supervised by a teacher. If attending a sporting event as a spectator, students must leave and return at the beginning of the event.
Lost and Found
The Lost and Found items are located in the cafeteria to allow students to check for their missing items daily. Any found eyeglasses, purses/wallets, cell phones, or other electronics are kept in the main office until they are claimed. Once a month we notify students and parents that the lost and found is full and all unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity. The donation to a local charity will typically take place on the last Wednesday of each month. All scheduled donation days are listed on the WDMS calendar. Our next donation day will be on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
CELL PHONE & CHROMEBOOK USAGE DURING SCHOOL
Cell Phones:
Though students are permitted to bring cell phones and other electronic equipment to school, their use during school hours is prohibited. All electronics, with the exception of school-issued Chromebooks, must be away and/or in student lockers and turned off during school hours. A student in possession of a cellular phone or other electronic devices will be disciplined. Such equipment may be confiscated from a student. In emergency situations, students may use the main office phones to contact parents or guardians. This rule may be revised with prior classroom teacher’s approval.
Chromebooks:
Students should keep in mind that Chromebooks are provided by the school and loaned to him/her for the length of time that he/she attends West Deptford Middle School. While an insurance fee may cover the cost of a lost or stolen Chromebook, gross negligence and/or multiple damages incurred will result in a fine commensurate to the replacement item (examples: cracked screen/charger). Students are required to use their school-issued Chromebook case, be mindful of their Chromebook in their book bags and come to school each day with the device fully charged. More information can be found in our 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines found HERE
BREAKFAST/LUNCH
WDMS will continue to offer “Breakfast-on-a-Cart” stocked with our traditional nut-free breakfast items and stationed in each wing during Homeroom. Please note: students are not permitted to bring breakfast in from home. WDMS offers hot and cold lunch options each day. Please refer to the district webpage for more information concerning the lunch menu.
In an effort to minimize contacts and assist with possible contact tracing, students will have assigned seats in cafeteria during lunch. There may be no more than 3 students on a bench and students will seated on one side of the table facing the stage.
Item Drop Off for Students
Please understand that the WDMS Main Office is a busy location as it is the hub of our school. In the event your child left an item at home and a parent brings it to school, you will be asked to sign the item in on the drop-off log and leave the item on the cart located in the front of the building. One of our staff will bring the items into the building. We will do our best to notify your student that the item has been dropped off.
STAYING CONNECTED AT WDMS
The majority of WDMS correspondence will be done through the School Messenger Notification System. Please make every effort to alert our main office immediately with any email or phone number changes OR if you are not receiving our School Messenger text and email notifications as incorrect information will delay you receiving important information from the WDMS staff.
If you have not already done so, please register for a Power Parent account. Power Parent is a great tool for parents to stay on top of their child's grades, assignments, attendance, daily school bulletin, and much more. Contact our main office should you have questions regarding Power Parent access.
Any student who is having an issue with their school-issued Chromebook should click the link below to complete a technology help request form.
West Deptford Middle School
Email: ctrampe@wdeptford.k12.nj.us
Website: https://ms.wdeptford.k12.nj.us/
Location: 675 Grove Road, West Deptford, NJ, USA
Phone: (856)848-1200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wdeptfordms
Twitter: @wdeptfordms