Bruin Bulletin
December 2022
The Principal's Den
Hello Bruin Families!
The holiday season is upon us, and the Bruins are busy! Join us for the Musical Aladdin; one of our many musical concerts, or movie night. The Bruins are also service-minded with a Toys for Tots and coat drive.
We start our 13 day holiday themed spirit week on Monday. The Spirit Stick is up for grabs, so we hope all students will participate.
The Principal's School Community Council is a group dedicated to making Western Branch Middle the best it can be. This group will meet virtually several times during the year to discuss ideas, issues, and plans for WBM. We need the voices of parents/guardians, teachers, students, and vested community members to ensure this group is inclusive and effective. If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please complete the form below.
Principal's School Community Council Form
Western Branch Middle School wishes all of our families lots of health and happiness this holiday season.
Beth Pallister
Principal
ACADEMY APPLICATIONS DUE DECEMBER 16
High School Academy Applications are Open. Chesapeake Public Schools is proud to offer three high school academy programs to students throughout the district: 1) International Baccalaureate program at Oscar Smith High School, 2) Governor’s STEM Academy at Grassfield High School, and 3) Science and Medicine Academy at Deep Creek High School.
The application window for all three academies opens Thursday, December 1, 2022, and closes Friday, December 16, 2022. Applications will be available on our district academy webpage.
All 8th grade students who are interested in attending an academy, should talk to their counselor, Mrs. Clifford, Mrs. Pallister, or a teacher so we can make sure they complete all the components of the application. We encourage all who are interested to apply!
Holiday Fun
During the winter break from school, we are grateful to everyone for helping to restore a routine for showing up to school.
We appreciate everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra time off during the winter break. As long as your child is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session.
Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as to connect to their peers and teachers.
We thank:
● Our students and their families who do their best to show up daily even when it isn’t easy.
● Our teachers who go above and beyond to make school a welcoming and safe place for all students to learn.
● Our administrators who help us work together to ensure we create a physically and emotionally safe and engaging learning environment.
● Our many, many healers and helpers - the support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.
We appreciate each one of you. May these days off be restful and healing.
● If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to our school counselors for help.
● We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on January 3, 2023
Absences
Directions for reporting absences via ParentVue can be found on this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSg7J0yy1uI
Electronic Devices Policy
Parents, we need your help. Please remind your child about the WBM cell phone policy.
Cell phones can be a distraction and disruption to the learning environment.
Students may not possess, or carry on their person, cell phones, smart watches, or ear buds/headsets. Students must turn off and secure their cell phones and electronic devices in their lockers during the school day. If a student is found with or using an electronic device during the school day, the student is subject to a disciplinary consequence. Please see the Student Handbook for additional information.The Counselor's Corner
During the month of December counselors are continuing lessons on career exploration.
The school counseling department wishes you and yours a safe and happy holiday season!
Don't forget that books and school supplies make excellent stocking stuffers.
We encourage students to approach learning from a growth mindset; her are some parenting tips that align with it.
School counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. School Counselors can help students by providing:
- individual student academic planning and goal setting
- school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
- short-term counseling to students
- referrals for long-term support
- collaboration with families/teachers/administrators/community for student success
- advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
- data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges
Your School Counselors
Mrs. Tonya Edmonds--7th grade counselor and Guidance Director tonya.edmonds@cpschools.com
Mrs. Vicki Moore--6th grade counselor vicki.moore@cpschools.com
Mr. Ray Hines--8th grade counselor ray.hines@cpschools.com
Follow us on our new Facebook Page
Bruin Athletics
Visit our school calendar for game dates.
We encourage the purchase of season passes since it's very cost effective.
Annual Athletic Passes are available for purchase online only using the GoFan website. Passes available for purchase include:
Student Annual Pass – $20
The Student Annual Athletic Pass provides admittance to any VHSL or CMSL regular season games in Chesapeake, including CMSL tournament games. The $20.00 price includes the service fee for GoFan. Students will redeem their passes using their smartphones at each eligible athletic contest.
Adult Annual Pass – $40
The Adult Annual Athletic Pass provides admittance to any VHSL or CMSL regular season games in Chesapeake, including CMSL tournament games. The $40.00 price includes the service fee for GoFan. Guests will redeem their passes using their smartphones at each eligible athletic contest.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our athletic director: Ray Hines.
Bruin SCA
SCA Fall Summit
The Western Branch Middle School SCA held its Fall All-Member Summit Last month. Students were given multiple opportunities to volunteer with-in our school, community, and beyond. We are so proud of the hard work our SCA puts forth to achieve great things.
SCA Bruin Cannes Movie Night
This month the SCA will be sponsoring the Bruin Cannes Movie Night. Students can pay $5, or donate 5 canned food items to get a ticket to see the Movie Elf in the auditorium on December 9th. Permission forms will be available the week of the movie. Tickets and Snacks can be preordered on our website at https://tinyurl.com/4ppsuw3b. We hope to see everyone at Movie Night on December 9th.
SCA Holly-Days
The WBM SCA is sponsoring the Holly-Days Spirit Month! Each day in December we will have fun and exciting Spirit Days! Grade Levels will compete to earn the Spirit Stick by showing their School Spirit! Will 8th Grade hang on to the Spirit Stick, or will another grade level win the right to call themselves the Spirit Champions?
SCA Door Decorating Contest
Students this month will be decorating Homeroom Classroom Doors. The Winning homeroom will receive a Hot Cocoa and Doughnut Party before Break. We can't wait to see those Holiday Doors come to life for Judging on December 16th.
WBM Music Programs
In November, the WBMS Choir will kick-off their "TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS" raffle. They will also be preparing for their annual holiday concert that will be on Tuesday, December 20th at 6:30 PM and will feature an array of holiday favorites. We hope you are able to join us for this celebration of the holiday season!
ROAR
Greetinsg WBMS PTSA members,
Our SCA is looking for parent volunteers to help supervise a movie night event after school next Friday December 9th from 3-5:30pm. If you are available and would like to help, please sign up at the link below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050845ADAA29A2FA7-12922
Thank you for the continuous support of our students, staff, and school. It is greatly appreciated!
The PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
The PTSA is a volunteer committee made up of parents, teachers, students, and community members. This year committee board is made up of all parents who strive to make an impact in the academic school year by providing financial and physical assistance through sponsorship, volunteering and fundraising. All funds that are generated go directly to helping the staff and students at Western Branch Middle School.
1. Who: Britani Martinez (President), Vacant (Vice President), Latasha Jenkins (Treasurer), Kashena Ogburn (Secretary)
2. What: We come together to assist the staff and students in a multitude of ways. For instance, we can help provide resources, supplies, and chaperones or volunteer helpers when necessary.
3. When: During the academic school year.
4. Where: In, on, and outside of school grounds usually at School or PTSA sponsored events.
5. Why: We understand the importance of coming together for a common goal.
6. How: Through fundraising (hosting functions such as Bruin Bash, selling spirit wear, selling membership etc) sponsorship and volunteering. The PTSA's main objective is to help the students, teachers and the WBMS staff have a successful year and whether it is volunteering in the classroom, providing ideas to help improve the school, establishing workshops, assisting in school activities, purchasing new equipment, helping obtain edible supplies for science experiments or helping obtain classroom supplies, we are ready to assist.
In closing, team work makes the dream work, or as Mrs. Pallister says, “Together, Everyone, Achieves, More."
Please also follow us on Facebook on the Western Branch Middle School PTSA page.
Amazon Smile
Greetings WBMS PTSA Members,
Tis the season for shopping! Just in case you are an avid or an occasional Amazon shopper, we wanted to let you know about Amazon Smile. Amazon Smile is a charitable program in which a portion of the proceeds of certain items are donated to a non-profit organizations of your choice. We are extremely happy to announce that we are now officially on Amazon Smile. What does that mean? It means that you can purchase items to include your holiday gifts and some of the proceeds can go to your WBMS PTSA which in returns go back to helping the school, staff, and students. If you would like to know how to sign up for Amazon Smile, please see instructions below or attachment.
From Browser:
1) Go to smile.amazon.com and log in using your same Amazon account username and password
2) Join Amazon Smile
3) Select Charitable Organizations (Western Branch Middle PTA)
4) Turn Amazon Smile on
5) Go Shopping and look for items that says “Eligible for Amazon Smile donations" and start shopping
From App
1) Download Amazon Shopping App
2) Join Amazon Smile
3) Select Charitable Organizations (Western Branch Middle PTA)
4) Turn Amazon Smile on
5) Go Shopping and look for items that says “Eligible for Amazon Smile donations" and start shopping
Yearbook
STAY in the KNOW
We are proud to show-off all the great things happening at our school!
The Western Branch Middle website is updated several times each week. Register for update notifications by visiting cpschools.com/wbm/subscribe. Also, please consider joining
our WBMS social media accounts (Twitter: @BranchMiddle and Instagram: wbm_bruins). We will use these accounts to showcase our students, teachers, and programs.
Another resource to help stay informed is our PTSA. We have a supportive and active PTSA, so
whether you want to lead a committee or support your child through membership, we hope you connect with the PTSA. You can also follow them on Facebook by joining https://cpschools.com/wbm/wbms=ptsa
Finally, we network with parents through our Parent Advisory Council. This group of parents is the first to hear about the latest news in Bruin Country. To participate, please contact Mrs. Kasper in the main office at 638-7920.
A book is one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone can give. It not only provides amusement, education and intellectual stimulation, but also takes the reader places they have never been!
According to Goodreads "Listopia 11/21/22," the middle school "must reads" are #1 Harry Potter, #2 The Giver by Lois Lowry, #3 The Hunger Games and #4 is the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1606.Top_100_Middle_School_Must_Reads
Library Media Center News
Did you know that all Chesapeake Public School students have access to Chesapeake Public Library electronic resources?
Click the link: https://chesapeakelibrary.org/cps-student-tools
Scroll Down and Select: Middle School Students
Click: Libby by Overdrive
Enter: CPS Student ID number
Enter 4 numbers for the Password: birthday 2 digit month and 2 digit day (example for birthday June 3: 0603)
Students can search all Chesapeake Public Library ebooks and check out up to 6 per month. Happy Reading! Please e-mail Mrs. Waggoner if you have any questions on Chesapeake Public Library access. michele.waggoner@cpschools.com
Happy Reading!
We are a Purple Star School
New Chesapeake Public Schools Dress Code
Clothing must cover all undergarments; straps are okay
Length of shirts must at least meet the top of pants; no crop tops
Sleeveless tops must be connected by straps
Bottom lengths must be at least mid-thigh high
Ripped clothing must not have exposed skin above mid-thigh
Headwear generally not permitted; exceptions have been added (approved by principal)
Open toed shoes, sandals, slides and Crocs are now permitted; designated spaces require appropriate footwear (i.e., PE, science labs, Tech Ed classes, or wherever necessary)
TECH Know
A Snapshot of Blended Learning in Bruin Country
Not too long ago, blended learning was a whisper within our brick-and-mortar educational walls. Now, it’s a resounding and powerful rallying cry in our classrooms and throughout our halls. The blended learning model is a style of teaching that integrates technology/digital media with what we all recognize as traditional teaching – face-to-face - direct instructor-led teaching. Simply put, blended learning combines active, engaged online learning with active, engaged offline learning. Blended learning shines a spotlight on student centered learning with students working collaboratively and independently on learning objectives. Most importantly, this model provides the opportunity for our students to gain some control over time, place, path, and pace. Of course, blended learning can look differently from classroom to classroom. Still, writing about it doesn’t even give you a sneak peek into an English, math, science, history, or elective class, but clicking this link will. Video of Blended Learning at WBMS. . .
We encourage you to review the student handbooks with your child.
See Something, Say Something
Harris Teeter Together in Education
Link your Harris Teeter card!
Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands.
Harris Teeter has donated over $32.4 million to Together In Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to.
There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn!
Any customer with a VIC card can link their card to a school.
Please use this link:
Thank you to these businesses and community partners who contribute to our school!
We'd love to have additional community partners. Please contact the school for more information.
Western Branch Bruins
Website: https://cpschools.com/wbm/
Location: 4201 Hawksley Drive, Chesapeake
Phone: 757-638-7920
Twitter: @BranchMiddle