Greetings from the Assistant Principal,

As 2022 draws to a close, we begin to plan for 2023! One upcoming event that is very dear to our hearts is Global School Play Day. Global School Play Day is Friday, February 3rd. The entire day will be dedicated to play! The Middle School recognizes the importance of free play for our young people. In recent years, we have made a commitment to playground time for our students. We even offer playground time to our eighth grade students. Free play is a time for students to exercise, release stored energy, use imagination as they create their own games, and develop social skills when interacting with their peers. When students work together in unstructured groups, it allows them to problem solve and negotiate without adult intervention.

Global School Play Day is playground on a grand scale. That day will be dedicated to free play without electronics. Students will engage in a menu of activities which they choose. While we have not finalized the choices, board games as well as outdoor activities will be on option. There is a possibility that some of our students will be able to cross country ski! We are all looking forward to this day, and we will provide further information when it becomes available.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email or call at (315) 589-9665.

Kathryn Taylor

Middle School Assistant Principal

Flu Season is here. The flu is a serious contagious disease that can lead to hospitalization and even death. You have the power to protect yourself and your family this season with these three actions to fight flu.

1. Get a flu vaccine. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine by the end of October, if possible, but it can be given anytime during flu season. A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against the flu. As long as flu viruses are circulating, it is not too late to get vaccinated!

2. Take everyday actions to stop the spread of germs. Wash your hands often with soap and water and cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you become sick, limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.

3. Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them. If you get the flu, medicine, called antiviral drugs, can be used to treat flu illness. Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications.

Learn more at: www.nfid.org/flu

A few things are different for the 2022-2023 influenza (flu) season, including:

• The composition of flu vaccines has been updated.
• All flu vaccines will be quadrivalent (four component), meaning designed to protect against four different flu viruses. For more information: Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine | CDC.
• Licensure on one flu vaccine has changed. Flucelvax Quadrivalent is now approved for people 6 months and older.
• Flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time.
• More detailed guidance about the recommended timing of flu vaccination for some groups of people is available.
• Guidance concerning contraindications and precautions for the use of two flu vaccines – Flucevax Quadrivalent and Flublok Quadrivalent – were updated.
• There were some changes to CDC’s flu surveillance systems.

Learn more at: www.cdc.gov

Please contact the Middle School Health Office at 315-589-9665 x 3520 if you have any questions or concerns.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year!

Visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WilliamsonCSDPTSA OR click “PTSA” in the left-hand column at www.williamsoncentral.org

NEXT MEETING

Attend our next meeting on Tuesday, January 17th 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in the Elementary School Library.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

If you are interested in keeping up on PTSA happenings and volunteer opportunities but can’t always attend meetings, please get in touch with us on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/WilliamsonCSDPTSA) or by e-mailing any of our officers (contact info below). Join us in continuing the tradition of commitment and service our PTSA has provided to our district’s students!

MEMBERSHIP

We are collecting PTSA membership renewals and new memberships! Stop at a meeting to submit your family’s membership form, turn it in to any officer, or drop it in the mail. Becoming a member is a very simple and quick way to support programming for our students! Download the Membership Brochure form from the PTSA page on the district website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 2 - Holiday Recess - No School!

January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School!

January 30 - Second Semester Begins

BOX TOPS

Box Tops is changing to fit today's families. The new and improved Box Tops mobile app uses

state-of-the-art technology to scan your store receipt, find participating products and instantly add Box Tops to your school's earnings online. To get started, download the Box Tops for Education app onto your mobile device. It’s a free app! Create a new account or sign into your existing account. The app will guide through each step from there. Just scan your receipts!

The Box Tops for Education app is now equipped to manage digital receipts such as Instacart with ease! Follow simple instructions for submission to give your schools credit for purchases and enter sweepstakes!

DISTRICT APPROVAL for VOLUNTEERING

Interested in helping with an event during the school year? Just complete an application to become a district-approved volunteer (unless you have been approved during a previous school year - then you’re all set!). There is a notary at the District Office who can assist you with finalizing your application - just call ahead (315-589-9661) to make sure the notary will be on-site when you plan to stop in! And don’t forget to bring your ID!

DID YOU KNOW?

Amazon.com now helps raise money for our schools? Tens of millions of products on AmazonSmile are eligible for donations. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. To get started, sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser. From your desktop, go to Your Account from the navigation at the top of any page, and then select the option to Change your Charity. Or, from your mobile browser, select Change your Charity from the options at the bottom of the page. Select a new charitable organization to support. Type in PTA New York Congress. Enter the code 07-217 and select WSPTSA. .5% of your purchase will automatically go towards the Williamson PTSA. It’s that easy!

REACH OUT TO US

President: Anna Judd

Vice President: Nina St.John

Treasurer: Stephen Adams

Secretary: Patty Kimerly

Williamsoncsd.ptsa@gmail.com

To apply for the Free and Reduced Lunches, please go to our website - www.williamsoncentral.org. Go to the Department tab and click on Food and Nutrition Services. Then click the Free and Reduced Lunch Application tab to the left. You will see the image below to start your application.

Williamson Central School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its education program or activities, including employment, as is required by Title IX. Furthermore, Williamson Central School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or disability in admissions, participation or employment. Inquiries regarding the application of Title IX may be directed to the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights of the Department of Education or to the District’s Title IX Coordinator, Kathryn Avery, who can be reached at Williamson Central School District, 5891 Route 21, P.O. Box 900, Williamson, NY 14589, via email at kavery@williamsoncentral.org, or via telephone at (315) 589-9661.