Sunday Message from Mr. Burns
September 17, 2023
Early Release Day on Friday- Students dismissed at 1:05 p.m.
Message from Mr. Burns
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! My family was able to take a quick day trip to the Eastern Shore to celebrate my daughter's 18th birthday. We had our first visit to Assateague Island and it was beautiful. We even saw some wild horses:)
Our focus this week will be on our school safety plan and executing some of the drills so students can be familiar with them. We walk the students through each drill in a kid-friendly manner over the PA system. Below is more information about our safety week at Wims.
-Mr. Burns
Wilson Wims Safety Week
The week of September 18th – 22nd is School Safety Week at Wilson Wims Elementary School! The purpose of School Safety Week is to prepare students and staff for different emergency situations by practicing emergency drills. Each day of the week will focus on a different emergency drill that students and staff will practice during the school day. Below is the drill schedule:
Fire Drill Evacuation- Monday, 9/18
Shelter & Lockdown- Tuesday, 9/19
Severe Weather & Earthquake- Wednesday, 9/20
Reverse Evacuation (During Recess)- Thursday, 9/21
Make Up Day- Friday, 9/22
If you are interested in learning more about the different emergency drills, you can learn more through the following resources:
- MCPS Emergency Preparedness Videos
- An elementary school student friendly video is available.
- A video explaining the different emergency drills is available.
- Directions for Receiving MCPS Emergency Information
P.R.I.D.E at Wims
We kicked off our PRIDE assemblies with all grade-levels this past Thursday. At the end of each making period, we will celebrate students with a PRIDE assembly. Each assembly will focus on one or two of the PRIDE tenants.
For students who are receiving an award, parents/guardians will be invited to attend the assembly. A letter will be sent home a few days prior regarding the assembly time and what your child is being recognized for at the assembly.
P: Positive
R- Responsible
I- Inclusive
D- Determined
E- Empathy
Required Chaperone and Volunteer Training
Per MCPS Regulation IRB-RA, (available on the MCPS website using this
link: Volunteers in Schools chaperones and volunteers must complete the
"Preventing, Recognizing, and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect" online
training module available on the MCPS website using this link Child Abuse
and Neglect before attending a field trip.
■ Chaperones and volunteers who may need accommodations/access
to complete the online training should seek support from school-based
staff. See Volunteer. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) #8 for details
(Attachment B).
■ Chaperones and volunteers who have completed this online training
module will have a 100% course grade. They must share a copy of
the course grade with the field trip sponsor prior to the field trip to
confirm the completion of this course.
■ The Volunteer Child Abuse and Neglect (VCAN) training is required
every three years. Any volunteer who completed the training in the
2020-2021 school year or prior, will need to renew their training
certification in 2023-2024.
Completed 2020-2021 renew in 2023-2024
Completed 2021-2022 renew in 2024-2025
Completed 2022-2023 renew in 2025-2026
MCPS Covid- 19 Information
Possible Symptoms of COVID-19 at School or Work
Students with possible symptoms of COVID-19 at school will no longer be routinely tested in health rooms. Health room staff may distribute home test kits at their discretion. Staff or students with mild symptoms may be asked to mask for the rest of the school day. Individuals with fever or more severe symptoms who will be leaving school or work will be asked to wear a mask until they leave the building.
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Students or Staff
If a student or MCPS staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, they should follow isolation and masking precautions as recommended by the CDC, which currently includes at least 5 days of home isolation. They should follow local procedures for reporting a school or work absence and specify that the absence is due to COVID-19. Staff and students no longer need to self-report cases online to MCPS.
Possible Exposure to COVID-19
Quarantine is no longer recommended for individuals with close contact exposure to COVID-19 if they have no symptoms and can follow other CDC recommendations for exposed persons. Staff and students’ families will be notified if they are at increased risk of COVID-19 due to an outbreak in their classroom or school. This notification will include any temporary measures required to prevent further local spread of infection, like masking, testing, or modification of activities.
Student Meals
Purchasing Student Meals Information click here.
MySchoolBucks is an optional service for parents to view recent purchases and make prepayments to your child's cafeteria account for breakfast, lunch and a la carte meals via the Internet with a credit/debit card. This service is offered as a convenience for interested families. By creating a secure online account, parents can manage their child's account.
Payments to student accounts through My School Bucks is an option and not a requirement. Checks can be made payable to the school cafeteria and submitted to the cafeteria manager. The check funds will be placed on student accounts for immediate use and the checks will be deposited in the bank the same day.
Send refund and balance transfer requests via email to DFNSHelpDesk@mcpsmd.org
We will return to using FARMS forms and require students to either scan a card with a barcode on it or enter their pin number to access their lunch account. Rather than a unique pin number, students will use their student ID number. The student ID number is also the students log in to access their Chromebook.
Free and Reduced-price Meals System (FARMS) Eligibility Data and Application Process: The FARMS application has been updated. Interested families must reapply each school year. Online applications are the preferred application method and schools should strongly encourage families to apply online at www.MySchoolApps.com. Families can apply now.
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
The school must be notified any day your child will be absent. You may call the school office at 240-406-1670 or email the classroom teacher and the Attendance secretary Mrs. Norton; christine_e_norton@mcpsmd.org
When reporting the absence please include the following:
Child’s first and last name
Grade Level
Teacher’s name
The reason for the absence
If we do not receive a call from a parent, the absence or tardiness will be considered unexcused. A written explanation of each absence is required from the parent/guardian within three days of the student’s return to school (email is acceptable).
Notes for the Health Room
How Do I Activate My ParentVue Account?
Wilson Wims Facebook Page
Community Fliers
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From the PTA Board
We hope you had a wonderful weekend!
See below for information on our upcoming events as we kick-off the new school year!
Please save the date for our first PTA Meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 3rd. Our goal is to ensure that every parent has a voice on our PTA. We strive to promote collaboration amongst parents, staff, and the school administration in enriching the educational opportunities of all students at our school. Free childcare will be available! Registration is not required. Just bring along your child if needed and they can have a great time with Global while you attend the meeting.
Please see below for more details on upcoming events and opportunities.
We look forward to an exciting Wildcat year and meeting you soon!
~ PTA Executive Board and Officers
PTA BOARD VACANCY: DELEGATE 2
Delegates serve as the link between our school community and the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA). Duties include attending the monthly Delegate Assembly Meetings during the school year to listen, discuss, and determine countywide PTA positions on key issues. Delegates should also plan to attend the Wilson Wims PTA monthly meeting to report to the membership on important issues brought forth at the Delegate Assembly Meetings.
If advocacy is important to you and you think you would be a good fit for this role, please reach out to Ashley Zuraf at president@wwespta.org.
First PTA Meeting
Movie Night
Spirit Night
Wildcat Fun Run
EARN FOR WIMS AT HARRIS TEETER!
Community Corner
CONNECT WITH US
We want to hear from you! If you have any questions regarding the PTA or our supported activities, please reach out to us at pta@wwespta.org and you are also welcome to contact Ashley Zuraf at president@wwespta.org.
Please “like us” on Facebook for the most updated information on our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities: https://www.facebook.com/wilsonwimspta