Walnut Creek Middle School
Principal Newsletter - 1/17/20
Our Mission
We believe in the value of a diverse educational community; in a safe and caring environment where all children can learn.
Staff Highlight - Todd Dickinson- Science Teacher
Currently, Mr. Dickinson is our coach for Cross Country, 7th grade Boys Basketball, and Track. We are so lucky to have Mr. Dickinson on our team, he is truly an inspirational teacher and has made a positive difference in the lives of countless kids.
Thank you, Mr. Dickinson!
Reminder! No school on Monday, January 20th - MLK Day
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Event
Please join us on Monday, January 20th at Walled Lake Northern High School for our Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. It is a wonderful family event that celebrates our children, staff and school communities.
Please click below to view the Walled Lake Schools Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Promotional Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0M2SfoY-_E&feature=youtu.be
Second Semester begins Tuesday, January 21st
New Semester - Establish Goals
As you develop goals with your children, consider the following:
- How will your actions as a student change to ensure that you achieve this goal?
- What bumps in the road can you see coming (like a vacation, or sports team) that may create a challenge? How do you plan to get through it?
- Who will hold you accountable to reaching this goal?
- How will you monitor your progress along the way?
Walnut Creek P.A.L.S Program
All Creek students are encouraged to participate in the PALS program during the 3rd marking period. PALS stands for Purpose, Achievement, Leadership and Service. To qualify for the PALS celebration students must meet 3 goals:
- Grade point average for the 3rd marking period must be 3.0 or higher, OR you can improve your grade point average by at least .5 from the 2nd marking period OR you can improve your grade in a chosen focus core class by one full letter grade
- You must receive all 1s and 2s in citizenship on your 3rd marking period report card
- Service Hours: 6th graders must complete 6 hours, 7th graders must complete 7 hours, and 8th graders must complete 8 hours. Community service must be done outside of school and you cannot get paid for the work. All service hours must be recorded on the PALS record log, which can be found on the Creek Counseling Website or in the attendance office.
Any student who accomplishes all three goals and turns in their service log by Friday, April 3, will be invited to our PALS celebration in May. This year we are planning a surprise field trip that will be announced at a later date. If you have any questions about PALS, please contact your counselor.
Oakland Schools Career Readiness Presents: Dream Big, Dream Together!
Upcoming Events: 1/20 - 1/24
- Wrestling Home vs. TBD @ 4 PM
- Basketball Home vs Centennial @ 4PM
2020 Career Night - Oakland Schools Technical Campus
Chess Club - Next date 2/6 - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Our next Chess Club meeting date will be 2/6.
Future dates will be: 2/27, 3/12 and 3/26.
All are welcome and there is no fee to participate. Chess club meets in the commons after school, hope to see you there!
Alternate Realities Gaming Club
Students will play strategy board games, trading card games, and fantasy role playing games.
All students are welcome to participate at no cost. Students are encouraged to bring their own games to play!
In previous years, we have had over 40 students participate in this club weekly, and we hope to have a great turn out again this year.
Ski and Snowboarding club
Hello ski and snowboarding families!
I will run the club on Wednesday's starting January 8th. This email will contain a lot of information and Alpine program changes. Alpine requires everyone who would like to participate in the after school ski/snowboard club with the discounts to purchase a one-time club card. The club card includes 2 free ski lessons and 1 free snowboard lesson plus 5/$5 off coupons to be used for lift tickets any other day. Additional lessons are $10. The good news is the lift ticket price for our club day is lowered to $20. We must have at least 20 kids signed up each week to participate week. Please see attached for details!
NOTE: In the Alpine Valley info sheet there is a correction. It should read "2 free ski lessons and 1 free snowboard lesson". Adults must purchase a club card to get the discounted lift ticket rate for the season on Wednesday's but cannot use the lessons. Also, adults cannot buy discounted lessons.
Please contact me for questions: Carrie Murphy 248-943-5691 carrielm123@gmail.com
Hawk Nest for Home Games - PRE-ORDER PIZZA
All students are still welcome to attend Hawks Nest for FREE for all home athletic events. This opportunity provides students time to complete their homework prior to attending home athletic events. Moving forward, we will sell tickets to students that would like to purchase pizza and pop as a snack during Hawks Nest. Students will purchase tickets for $5 which will buy 2 slices of pizza and a pop. Tickets will be sold at lunch on home game days. Pizza and pop will not be sold during Hawks Nest. We are implementing this change so that we can ensure that we purchase enough/not too much pizza for our students that are attending Hawks Nest.
Students that do not attend the Hawk Nest will not be permitted into an athletic contest unless they are accompanied by their parent/guardian. Parents/Guardians will be required to stay at the event with their child if they did not attend Hawk Nest. Thank you for your cooperation.
PTSA - Volunteers Needed
Our PTSA is still looking for two new parent volunteers to lead the committees for Spirit Wear and Fundraising.
We are also looking for a new volunteer to help co-chair the Reflections group for next school year.
If you are interested in helping, please contact the PTSA at walnutcreekptsaWB@gmail.com
Academic Interventions
Free Math Tutoring:
6th Grade Students are invited to attend free math tutoring on Wednesdays from 3:00 - 3:30 each week in room 117.
7th Grade Students are invited to attend free math tutoring on Thursdays from 3:00 - 3:30 each week in room 117. Occasionally, the 7th grade will meet in the morning due to conflicts with the staff meeting calendar. I will communicate changes to dates/times.
8th Grade Students are invited to attend free math tutoring on Tuesdays from 3:00 - 3:30 each week in room 117.
Peer Tutoring:
Peer Tutoring is an academic intervention which provides students the opportunity to receive academic help from their peers. Peer tutoring will meet each Tuesday in the media center from 3:00 - 4:00.
Walnut Creek Middle School
Email: sethtaboh@wlcsd.org
Website: https://wlcsd.org/schools/middle-school-/walnut-creek/
Location: 7601 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, USA
Phone: 248-956-2400
Twitter: @tabohs