WMS Weekly Wauna Connect
02/02/2023
What's Happening Next Week
Monday 02/06/2023 - Day A3
Girls Basketball vs. Patrick Marsh Middle @ Sun Prairie Patrick Marsh @ 4:15 pm
Tuesday 02/07/2023 - Day B4
Skills USA - 7:30 am - 8:15 am
Creative Coders - 3:35 pm HS
Girls Basketball vs. Central Heights Middle @ Waunakee Heritage and MS @ 4:15 pm
Wednesday 02/08/2023 - Day A4
Year Book - 7:35 am
Art Club - 3:35 pm
Thursday 02/09/2023 - Day B5
Girls Basketball vs. Sun Prairie Cardinal Heights @ SP Cardinal Heights @ 4:15 pm
Friday 02/10/2023 - Day A6
A Message to Familes
The Student Services team have noticed that some of our students are having challenges
academically, socially and emotionally. We remain diligent in our efforts to help students
navigate these challenges of lagging skills. Developmentally adolescence is a period of time
where there are many changes occurring within the students as they mature physiologically and psychologically. Navigating these changes is no easy task and oftentimes requires support from us here at school and at home. In addition to these changes many students have been negatively impacted by the global pandemic (COVID-19) in various domains of their daily life.
One aspect of school life that has been increasingly concerning to us as educators is a dramatic increase in the number of students that are being negatively impacted by the words and actions of their peers. Our general school climate is shifting to feel more exclusive rather than inclusive, negative in nature and dehumanizing to individuals (staff and students) or groups of students. Some charged language and degrading actions being used are making marginalized individuals and groups of students feel very uncomfortable and at times unsafe. Some examples of what we are seeing and hearing include words and actions that are sexually or racially charged, anti-LGBTQ+, ability based and in general prejudicial. These types of words and actions not only have a negative impact on the individuals they are directed at, they also have a negative social, emotional and academic impact on the individuals behaving in this way and bystanders as well.
We are strongly encouraging you to partner with us to help foster a school and community
climate that is inclusive by taking time out of your day intermittently to have discussions or
experiences with your students centering around positivity and inclusivity. We recognize that
the beliefs and cultural norms vary from one family to another. We believe this is one of
the greatest strengths that we have as a community. By partnering with us in this effort it is our hope that we can ground ourselves in our humanity to start shifting our school and community climate to be more inclusive. Thank you for partnering with us to make a positive impact on the adolescents that we see every day to help them become independent adults that will usher us into the next generation as leaders in our community.
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7th and 8th Singers and 8th grade Orchestra to perform at the Capitol
Waunakee Optimist Middle School Ski Trip
- Date: 02/23/2023
- Time: 3:45 - 10:00 pm
- Bus provided by Lamers
- Food Voucher provided by The Optimist Club
- Cost: $40 lift ticket and $20 Equipment rental if needed
- Deadline 02/10/2023
Please click here for more information and forms to be returned. You can also stop in the school office for a copy of information.
Juneteenth Flag
The Waunakee Community School District Board of Education (BOE) approved a resolution to commemorate Black History Month in February.
In 1926, Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson organized National Negro History Week to promote and celebrate the achievements of Black Americans, which has grown into today's "Black History Month."
It was a move designed, then and now, to counter negative and racist stereotypes ingrained in American culture by having school history classes be more factual and accurate. Where in the past minority contributions and history were left out or marginalized, Black History Month increases all students' knowledge of America's history.
The Waunakee Community School District strives to create welcoming, safe, secure, and inclusive environments for all students, and recognizing Black History Month is an important part of realizing that goal.
Additionally, to accompany this resolution, a donation of Juneteenth flags was made to the school district in 2021 to be flown at each school building during the month of February in honor of Black History Month. While the Juneteenth flags are typically flown during June, this flag was chosen to be flown during Black History Month since school is not in full session in June.
Juneteenth is honored and celebrated on June 19th, commemorating the day the last group of enslaved Black Americans was made aware of their liberation in Galveston, Texas in 1865 - more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
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Haga clic aquí para españolGot Pencils?
Expectations After Hours/K-8 Limited Attendance at Sporting Events
Dear Students and Families:
We are writing today to ask for your help. Over the course of the last few months, we have seen an increase in students attending after-school events/practices/programs. While we are thrilled with the participation, the increase in unsupervised students after hours is making it difficult for staff to manage and supervise, especially at the high school. Our custodians are also finding it difficult to perform their nightly cleaning duties in school buildings as their time is consumed monitoring, redirecting, and picking up after the students.
We kindly ask that you DO NOT drop off your students to attend an athletic event unattended or unsupervised. Please remind your child/ren when dropping them off for a practice/program that they go directly to the practice/program, and are not in locations where they are unsupervised.
Our event expectations are listed on our district website, under the Arts/Activities/Athletics website. Please review with your child/ren and help us to enforce the following event expectations.
For our high school students, it’s important to follow the rules, pick up after themselves in our school buildings, and be respectful of those individuals and things around them. Continue to be good examples for our younger learners in our buildings.
If you have questions or concerns, we look forward to hearing from you. By partnering together, we can maintain a safe and orderly environment at our Warrior home events and in our school buildings after the school day has ended.
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Order Your Yearbook Today! - Time is ALMOST UP!
Please click here for instructions on ordering a yearbook.
WMS Mission Moments
Committed to Children. Committed to Community. Committed to Excellence.
Take a Great Picture? We'd love to use it in our Yearbook!
If you are attending school events and take a great picture, please use this QR Code to submit them to us for review and possibly use in our yearbook! We'd greatly appreciate it!
Community Events
Community Education
The Waunakee Community Cares Coalition (WCCC) is dedicated to keeping Waunakee healthy and resilient. To receive updates of all of the trends, resources available, and community initiatives in the spaces of alcohol/drug prevention and mental health, please sign up for their monthly newsletter.
Link to sign up to receive newsletter: https://www.waunakeecares.org/contact
Link to our resource pages: https://www.waunakeecares.org/resources-1
Clubs and Co-Curricular Activities
Important Dates at a Glance
March 20 - March 24 - Spring Break
May 17th (5pm) - 8th Grade Honor Roll Ceremony
June 7th - Last Day of school for 7th Grade
June 8th - Last Day of school for 8th Grade and 8th Grade Recognition (9 am)
Planning an extended Absence?
wms_attendance@waunakee.k12.wi.us
attendance line at (608)849-2060 ext. 1
School Lunch Menu
Click HERE to see the school lunch menu.
Attendance
For your convenience, our attendance line has a 24/7 voicemail and an email address that you may use anytime. You may call the attendance line at (608)849-2060 ext. 1 or email at wms_attendance@waunakee.k12.wi.us to leave a message with your child's name, reason for absence and your name & phone number in case we need to reach you..
If you'll be seeing a medical provider, please obtain a note and forward it to the attendance email and we'll be happy to code the absence as medically excused.
School Transportation Information
WMS Contact Information
Jeffrey Kenas, Principal,
jeffreykenas@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Michael Zibell, Associate Principal,
michaelzibell@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Patricia Coffren, Administrative Assistant,
patriciacoffren@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Melanie Hass, Administrative Assistant Attendance,
melaniehass@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Attendance 608-849-2060, Select language, then press1 for wms_attendance@waunakee.k12.wi.us
Tammy Willborn, Health Assistant, tammywillborn@waunakee.k12.wi.us