Middle School Matters
Whatcom Middle School Newsletter, February 2021
From the Wildcat's Den...
Dear Whatcom Families,
There is a great deal going on in our district that impacts middle level students and their families. We’re really packing the information into tight time frames. We have 6th grade students (last names L-Z) returning to a hybrid environment next Thursday, Feb. 18, with the next group (last names A-K) starting on Monday, Feb. 22. 7th and 8th grade students will return in the following weeks.
Staff are in the building setting up classrooms. We’re learning, implementing, and following District safety protocols and thinking through every aspect of a students’ day from the moment they arrive to the time they leave. There is a ton of information that we’re attempting to manage, including keeping track of students who would like to stay remote, switch groups, stay home for now but enter hybrid at a later date, etc. etc. etc.
In addition, we are also following the timeline established by the Attendance and Boundary Change Committee from last year. If you know your home address is going to be impacted by the new boundary area attendance changes that will be enacted at the beginning of the 21-22 school year, I encourage you to attend the informational meetings being held via Zoom next Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7:00pm (English) and the following day, Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7:00pm (Spanish). Look for email invitations from your receiving school.
I hope you and yours are safe, maintaining your own physical and emotional well-being. I encourage you all to seek out those experiences and people that ground you, help center you, and provide you the impetus to keep moving toward that future day and time when this is all behind us.
I wish you well,
Jeff
Mark your calendar!
Feb 15 - No School - President's day
Feb 18 - 6th grade in-person Hybrid instruction begins
Feb. 25 - 7th grade in-person Hybrid instruction begins
Mar 3 - 8th graders attend High School Webinars (info below)
Mar 4 - 8th grade in-person Hybrid instruction begins
Mar 5 - 6th rotation begins
Mar 9 - 8th gr. Parent/Student - High School Virtual Mtg.
Mar 10 - High School course requests deadline for 8th graders
WMS Return to school dates
We are excited to announce our return to school dates:
- Grade 6 return:
- Thursday, Feb. 18 for last names L-Z.
- Monday, Feb. 22, for last names A-K.
- Grade 7 return
- Thursday, Feb. 25 for last names L-Z.
- Monday, March 1 for last names A-K.
- Grade 8 return:
- Thursday, March 4 for last names L-Z.
- Monday, March 8 last names A-K.
We encourage you to watch this video to help you imagine what school will look like with our new safety protocols.
Return to school plans
Bus Stop Information for Middle Schools will be available on February 17, on InfofinderI.
Reminders for students returning to the building...
- Symptoms check before leaving home - if you're feeling sick, stay home
- Sanitize hands upon entry to building
- Wash hands upon entry to classrooms
- Wear a mask & bring a spare (no bandanas or gators)
- Bring computer and power cord
- Bring a water bottle (make sure it's secure if carried next to computer/books)
- No lockers - students will take backpacks to classroom
- Free grab-and-go lunches will be available for all students
- No food or drink (except water bottles) will be allowed in classrooms or halls
- Dress warmly and in layers
- Doors open at 9:00 am
- Arriving before 9:00 - wait on paw print outside designated door
For 6th graders returning on Thursday, 2/18 (L-Z) and Monday, 2/22 (A-K):
- Puma's entrance/exit doors are into the commons
- Edventure's entrance/exit doors are on the F Street end of building
Attendance notes for in-person hybrid learning...
- Students that need to leave early for an appointment must bring a note to the attendance window before school starts, or have an email sent to Beth.Pelto-Fishbeck@bellinghamschools.org signed by a parent or guardian to excuse them from class. Families will not be able to enter the building. Students will be sent outside at the appropriate time for pick up. Alternatively, students are welcome to remain at home and engage in remote learning on days they have appointments.
- Students arriving to school late must come to the attendance window with a signed note from a parent or guardian.
Reminder: the health attestation is an important safety step for in-person instruction
Middle School Schedule
Click on the image for the new middle school hybrid schedule. This works both for remote learning, as well as for in-person classes. Our Wednesday schedule will remain the same throughout the school year. Click on this video link to watch the Administrator's webinar for more information.
8th Grade Registration Process for High School 2021-22
During the last week of February, Ms. Schille-O’Connor will speak in 8th grade homerooms about transitioning to high school, then:
March 3 During Homeroom-
- Students will attend HS webinars with their future High School Counselors to learn how to choose and enter course requests online through Skyward Student Access and where to find high school course lists.
- Students are expected to enter their course requests into Skyward Student Access before March 10.
March 9 – All High Schools Virtual Parent/Student Information Meetings
- 8th grader families will receive a link to the meeting from their specific high school.
March 10 – Throughout the day
- Students will be scheduled to meet individually with a high school counselor via Zoom to ask questions and make sure all courses are entered correctly.
Yearbook Cover Art Contest!
Are you a developing artist looking for an opportunity to get your work published? Enter the Yearbook Cover Art Contest! The winner will have their art on the cover of the yearbook, win a free yearbook, and be part of Whatcom Middle School History. The Yearbook Club also wants your photos and art to include in various parts of this year’s book. Categories include “Staying Active”, “Staying Creative”, “The Remote Classroom”, “Clubs”, and “Bloopers”.
From the Counseling Office
Hello Wildcats! As you know, we’ll be welcoming some of our students back into the building, starting next week with the 6th grade. I know there are a lot of mixed feelings and wonderings about how this will go. Your teachers will walk you through all of the protocols, whether you’re remote or in-person, and help you get familiar with the new model. We’ve put together a video to show how those who are in the building will navigate safety protocols; we will send that out soon. In the meantime, you can review the videos we created last Spring on our website (https://whatcom.bellinghamschools.org/our-school/welcome-to-whatcom/); they provide a lot of information about Whatcom, plus they’re fun! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out via email or phone; we’re here to help support you with this transition and anything else you might need.
Beth Schille-O’Connor: (360) 739-6186, elizabeth.schille-oconnor@bellinghamschools.org
Molly J. Foote: (360) 739-4555, mollyj.foote@bellinghamschools.org
PAWS Awards recipients exemplify our Pillars: Tenacity, Compassion, Excellence, Stewardship.
Skyward Emergency Contact Information
Sometimes emergency contacts change phone numbers or the contact in Skyward is no longer available. We would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to log into Skyward Family Access and make sure your emergency contact information is up to date. If you need help or have questions, you can contact our registrar, Nancy Howell. Thank you!
Promise Tomorrow Learning Opportunity Grades 3-12
Here’s a great opportunity for students looking for academic enrichment in a group setting with peers:
District Meal Distribution
Food Recovery Program
Tech Support
Do you need a headset? You may request one using the district form. You will receive an email instructing you when and where you pick it up.
Whatcom Middle School PTSA
During this unprecedented time, PTSA is more important than ever. PTSA’s framework of unifying voices for impactful changes for children and youth provides the tools to empower parents and teachers to advocate and speak up for the health, safety, and education of every child.
Whatcom Middle School PTSA is committed to providing teachers and students with the same level of excellent service this year. We are asking you to join PTSA by following the link below. Thank you for your help and please support your PTSA.
www.memberplanet.com/s/whatcommiddleptsa/whatcommiddleschoolptsaforms
PTSA meetings will be on Zoom, unless otherwise posted.
- February 16
- March 16
- April 20
- May 18
- June 15
Update your contact information on Skylert
Skylert enables you to receive notifications concerning your children, including messages from Bellingham Public Schools and your child’s school. You have control over which notifications to receive and how you would like to receive them. Skylert is accessed via Skyward Family Access, so it is no longer necessary to login to a separate portal for SchoolMessenger to manage contact preferences.
Whatcom Middle School
Principal: Jeff Coulter
Assistant Principal: Tina Allsop
Administrative Assistant: Aileen Walton
(360) 676-6460
- Attendance, option 1
- Athletics, option 2
- Registrar/Counseling, option 3
- Main office, option 4
Email: aileen.walton@bellinghamschools.org
Website: whatcom.bellinghamschools.org
Location: 810 Halleck Street, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 676-6460