Wilson Wildcats
Your Weekly Update from Wilson Middle School
Hello Wilson families,
As we enter a new month, we want to thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are getting the students outside again for laps during lunch. Thank you to our volunteers. We'd love to get some more parents volunteers for both laps and composting Tuesdays. Both links are below to sign up if interested. You must have a completed CORI on file to volunteer. You can reach out to our administrative assistants in the office, Trish Williams or Jeanne Holihan if you need help with a CORI.
We had a great week at school with a few Unified Basketball games as well an 8th grade assembly with State Representative David Linsky. Representative David Linsky visited the Wilson Middle School 8th graders to speak about his job as a State Representative. Representative Linsky answered questions about his job and also spoke on how he serves the citizens of Natick (Picture below).
We ask that you review the MCAS schedule below. It is important for students to be in school on the days of their testing.
Announcements and reminders are below:
Growing Up in Public: Navigating Reputation and Social Media in the Digital Age
Thursday, April 13 at 7pm via Zoom -- For parents, caregivers, educators, and community members of all ages
In this talk, author Devorah Heitner, PhD, will share pragmatic, research-based advice on how we can mentor our kids on cultivating a healthy online presence. She will address why character and learning how to navigate relationships are most important and how parents can stop stressing and focus instead on helping young people become responsible digital citizens. ASL interpretation will be provided at this event Register and learn more about this FREE online program and all our upcoming events at www.SPARKKindness.org
Step Up Night for 8th to 9th Grade Transition:
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2023, At 6:30 p.m. In the Natick High School Auditorium
Please join us for this informative program where you will meet various members of the high school community. You will hear about the transition from Middle School to High School, as well as visit an Activity/Club Fair and a Sports Fair. Building tours will be offered throughout the evening program. (See picture below for invitation)
Social Emotional Learning Work: Upcoming mySAEBRS survey information:
As part of our transformative SEL work in Natick, we are committed to supporting every student’s academic growth as well as their social, emotional and behavioral growth.This year, we are piloting the mySAEBRS Social, Academic, Emotional, Behaviors Risk Screener screening tool with students. The use of SAEBRS refines and strengthens our efforts to help all of our students be successful by allowing us to take positive and preventative measures as early as possible. Students will be completing the mySAEBRS screener at both middle schools between the window of Monday, March 20th - Friday, April 7th. Please email your school counselor with any questions about the survey.
Grade 5 counselor, Adam Gray, agray@natickps.org
Grade 6 counselor, Maddie Kinker, mkinker@natickps.org
Grade 7 counselor, Jenn D'Antonio, jedantonio@natickps.org
Grade 8 counselor, Kim Lowell, klowell@natickps.org
Arrival to School:
Please note, the best time for student's to arrive to school is 7:35-7:40 am. We have had a greater number of students arriving LATE each day. We understand that traffic in and out of school is difficult, but the expectation is to arrive on time by leaving your home earlier in the morning. Being on time to school is important. Students eat breakfast, go to lockers to unpack and set ready for the first few classes, check into homeroom to hear the morning announcements get settled for the start of their day. In addition, it is the expectation and teaches them the importance of being on time for their future workplace. Please be mindful of what time you are arriving to school and if they are running into the building after 7:45am, your child will most likely be late. Please make every effort to get your child to school on time each day.
MCAS Schedule:
See the picture below for the dates for each grade level MCAS this spring.
Attendance Reminder for Parents and Caregivers
This is a reminder that all student tardies/absences must be called in to the attendance line (508-647-6671).
Effective Monday, April 3rd, 2023, our absence documentation procedure will be changing in PowerSchool. The changes do not affect our NPS school attendance policy, only the manner in which information is recorded in PowerSchool.
Tardies related to health appointments will be excused when a provider note is submitted listing the date of the visit.
Absences due to illness or medical care will be excused when you submit a written note from a health provider. In the attendance system in PowerSchool parents will see absences listed as “Absent-Guardian Call” (AGC) until a note from a provider is submitted. Absence dates listed on the provider note will be changed to “Absent-Excused” (AE) once we have a note.
Absences due to travel cannot be excused and will be listed as “Absent-Guardian Call” (AGC).
Absences which were not called in by a parent/guardian are listed as “Absent” (A). Caregivers receive an automated call or call from school personnel when they do not call the attendance line. Once contact is made, the absence is recorded as Absence-Guardian Call (AGC).
The exception to this is if your child tests positive for Covid. Currently, you do not need to submit a provider note. However, in your call to the absence line you should indicate that your child has Covid and the expected date of return to school. Please note: If your child tests positive for Covid-19, they must stay home for 5 days. The day they started symptoms is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, then Day 2, etc. They may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. Absences related to Covid will be recorded in PowerSchool as “Absent Excused-Protocol” (AEP).
Traffic Patterns:
Please be aware if you are driving your child to school in the morning, you cannot pull around any school buses or vans. You can only turn into the front loop if there is a staff member outside directing you. If you are entering the school parking lot after 7:40 am, your child is most likely going to be late. Please get to school earlier.
From the Nurses Health Clinic:
Important 7th Grade State Screening Notification:
7th graders will have height and weight measurements taken in PE class starting March 13th. They will be seen privately by a school nurse. It is our practice not to share their height and weight information during the screening.
Please reach out to wilsonnurses@natickps.org before your child's PE class next week if you would like to opt them out of the height and weight data collection.
If your student tests positive for Covid-19, they must stay home for 5 days. The day they started symptoms is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, then Day 2, etc. They may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. A headache, scratchy throat, congestion/runny nose, cough, and/or fever are some of the more common symptoms of Covid-19.
Siblings and close contacts do not need to quarantine and can come to school as long as they are not having symptoms of illness. However, they must wear a mask for 10 days when around others following exposure.
Click for more information from the Massachusetts DPH: Covid-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Respectfully,
Teresa Carney
Twitter: @wmsnatick
Instagram: wmsnatick
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(508) 647-6670 | Absences: (508) 647-6671