UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
3/1-Gertrude Hawk candy sale ends
3/4- Geography Bee-grade 6
3/1-WDMS HSO meeting, 6:30 PM, Library
3/7- Interims distributed via email
3/7-Geography Bee-grade 7
3/10- 5th grade Root Rally
3/10-Geography Bee-grade 5
3/11- FULL day for staff and students- Make up snow day
3/11-Geography Bee-grade 8
3/11-Staff VS Students Basketball game @ Riverwinds, 6:00 pm
3/14-WDMS Student Council Sock Drives ends
3/17-Music Dept fundraiser, National Park location
3/18-Spring athletic physicals due to the health office
3/22- 8th-grade weight training begins, 2:45 @ WDHS
3/28-Spring Track & Field season begins
3/28-Gertrude Hawk Candy delivery-TENTATIVE
3/30- Lost & Found donated to a local charity
4/1-Q3 ends
Masks-UPDATED PROTOCOLS
Please note, at this time lifting the mask mandate does not apply to school busses. Masking on transportation is mandated by the Federal government, therefore masking on school busses should remain, unless the Federal mandate is lifted.
STAFF VS STUDENTS BASKETBALL GAME- IS BACK!!
After 2 long years, our Staff vs. Students Basketball Game is back! On March 11, 2022, in the big gym at Riverwinds Community Center, WDMS will host its 6th Annual Staff vs Students Basketball Game. This year’s event will help support our Middle School student activity funds.
Student activity funds help to provide school-wide enrichment programs and grade-level trips. With the current state of the pandemic and schools returning to a more normal atmosphere, we are excited to be bringing back all of our grade-level trips this spring. Rising transportation costs will be the largest component in determining what each trip will cost per student. Student activity funds can help offset that expense. Later this spring WDMS will welcome Tim Shoemaker as he provides our staff and students with 4 separate assemblies on Vaping.
Don’t miss out on a great event! The doors open at 6:30 pm, tip-off will be at 7:00 pm. There is a $5 donation to participate or to attend. Tickets are available for purchase in advance in the WDMS Main Office or at the door before the game. Concessions will be available during the game. Please contact our main office with any questions, 848-1200.
SOCK DRIVE FOR THE HOMELESS
WDMS Student Council is once again collaborating with the WDHS Key Club for its annual Sock Drive. Collected socks will be given to the Rowan University Street Medicine Organization to aid in their dedication to promoting the health and well-being of people living on the streets in Camden. Beginning Feb 14 through March 13, Student Council Reps will visit each homeroom to collect unopened socks. The wing that collects the most socks will win free soft pretzels! At the time of publication the current standings are:
1st place-5th grade
2nd place- 7th grade
tied for 3rd place- 6th & 8th grades
There is still plenty of time for the standings to change so bring in those socks!!
GERTRUDE HAWK CANDY SALE
WING COLOR WEDNESDAY'S ARE BACK!
WDMS ANIMAL THERAPY ROOM
The Animal Therapy Room will be supported solely by donations. Your support will help to jump-start the program for our students and cover the cost of feeding our community of animals who will be adopted/re-homed and cared for by our students. There are many ways to donate. Please click HERE to check out their Amazon Wish List. Gift cards to local grocery stores are also appreciated as the animals require fresh produce in their daily diet.
For questions or if you would like to make a donation, please contact Dr. Alexis Walsh at awalsh@wdeptford.k12.nj.us.
Student Drop off/Pick up
Last month we were able to reinstate our "Early In" program for students. The front doors will open at 7:20 AM to allow walkers and students being dropped off by their parents/guardians to enter the building earlier. Students will then be supervised by staff in the cafeteria prior to going to homeroom. Our hope is that more parents will drop their WDMS students off during this timeframe to decrease the vehicle congestion out front. Students will have the opportunity to eat free breakfast provided by the school in the cafeteria from 7:20 AM - 7:35 AM. Please remember that students are not allowed to bring breakfast, coffee, or any drink aside from their refillable water bottle into the building. Although our "Early In" program seems to have helped with the traffic issues, please see below for some additional reminders when dropping off or picking up your child:
Front Horseshoe Drop Off and Pick Up:
If you are dropping off your child in the morning, please remember:
- Pull up all the way to the end of the awning (Mr. Malone or Mr. Podolski are usually there to direct you) and then proceed behind the car in front of you.
- Students should be ready and prepared to get out of the car.
- It is strongly recommended that the child sits in the rear of the vehicle on the driver’s side (if possible) so they can easily get out of the car and not cross in front of cars. This also allows for a speedier drop-off line!
Although we realize emergencies do occur, if you know in advance that you will need to pick your child up early, we ask that a note be sent in with your child the morning of the day he/she will be leaving early. Your child will then be given a pass to show his/her teacher at the indicated dismissal time. Without the parent note informing us of an early pick-up, no students will be called out of class until the parent arrives in the main office and proof of identification has been given. A parent phone call requesting for the student to meet them in the main office for a pick-up is not an option.
REMINDERS FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICE
Please click HERE to view the list of REQUIRED 6th grade Student Immunization requirements.
Below are some helpful tips for keeping your child healthy during the school year.
- Frequent handwashing is one of the simplest most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. The Mayo Clinic suggests soaping up for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday “song twice.
- Use hand sanitizer
- Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough
- Keep hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth
- Stay current on all childhood vaccines including the flu shot
Students should stay home from school for at least 24 hours if they have:
- A fever of 100 degrees or more
- Chills
- Sore throat or cough
- Diarrhea or vomiting
Please contact our nurse, Kim Lee with any health-related questions pertaining to your child. klee@wdeptford.k12.nj.us
WDMS ATHLETICS
Individual sports schedules and coach contact information are available on the WDMS website under the Athletic tab. Students may not stay after school without teacher supervision. If attending a sporting event as a spectator, students must leave and return at the beginning of the event. In the event an athletic event is postponed or canceled at the last minute, a “Remind” message will be sent from our Athletic Director and a message will be posted in red at the top of the WDMS website. If interested in receiving Remind texts regarding the WDMS Athletics, please text @wdmsath to 81010 to sign up for Remind Text from our Athletic Director.
WDMS Home and School Organization News
Your WDMS Home & School Organization is excited to keep our families apprised of EVERYTHING that is going on!
Please visit our website to get updates on:
community service,
current fundraising efforts, and
new upcoming events.
Bus Transportation
WDMS BUS ROUTES CAN BE FOUND HERE
WDMS LATE BUE ROUTES CAN BE FOUND HERE
No child will be permitted to ride on other buses for any reason. Each student can only ride the bus they are assigned to ride. If you have a one-day childcare issue, the person watching your child should pick them up at the school. No students will be permitted to switch between buses.
Students will NOT be given permission by the WDMS administration to walk to any other location except home. (i.e. ice cream stand, pizza place, or to a friend's house).
For additional transportation information, please visit our district website at:
http://www.wdeptford.k12.nj.us/district_info/transportationWDMS LATE BUSES
Late buses are every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday beginning Tuesday, September 14th. Late buses depart between 3:15 - 3:25 pm. Late bus runs are typically longer as there are only five late buses covering a larger area. Students may not stay after school unless they are supervised by a teacher. If attending a sporting event as a spectator, students must leave and return at the beginning of the event.
Lost and Found
The Lost and Found items are located in the cafeteria to allow students to check for their missing items daily. Any found eyeglasses, purses/wallets, cell phones, or other electronics are kept in the main office until they are claimed. Once a month we notify students and parents that the lost and found is full and all unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity. The donation to a local charity will typically take place on the last Wednesday of each month. All scheduled donation days are listed on the WDMS calendar. Our next donation day will be on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
CELL PHONE & CHROMEBOOK USAGE DURING SCHOOL
Cell Phones:
Though students are permitted to bring cell phones and other electronic equipment to school, their use during school hours is prohibited. All electronics, with the exception of school-issued Chromebooks, must be away and/or in student lockers and turned off during school hours. A student in possession of a cellular phone or other electronic devices will be disciplined. Such equipment may be confiscated from a student. In emergency situations, students may use the main office phones to contact parents or guardians. This rule may be revised with prior classroom teacher’s approval.
Chromebooks:
Students should keep in mind that Chromebooks are provided by the school and loaned to him/her for the length of time that he/she attends West Deptford Middle School. While an insurance fee may cover the cost of a lost or stolen Chromebook, gross negligence and/or multiple damages incurred will result in a fine commensurate to the replacement item (examples: cracked screen/charger). Students are required to use their school-issued Chromebook case, be mindful of their Chromebook in their book bags and come to school each day with the device fully charged. More information can be found in our 1:1 Chromebook Guidelines found HERE
Item Drop Off for Students
Please understand that the WDMS Main Office is a busy location as it is the hub of our school. In the event your child left an item at home and a parent brings it to school, you will be asked to sign the item in on the drop-off log and leave the item on the cart located in the front of the building. One of our staff will bring the items into the building. We will do our best to notify your student that the item has been dropped off.
West Deptford Middle School
