Warhawk Wise
Summer 2020
A Message from the Principal
Picture Day
Please remember that this is a school function and students are expected to wear school appropriate clothing. Students who are not dress appropriately will not be allowed to have their pictures taken. Harmann Studios suggests long sleeves and bright solid colors. Package prices for student portraits are included with this newsletter. Additional portrait package order forms will be available at Wilson on August 19th. Please call Harmann Studios at 800-236-8910 with questions about photo packages.
Wednesday, Aug 19, 2020, 09:00 AM
Wilson Middle School, 11th Street, Manitowoc, WI, USA
Calling All Parent Volunteers
We will be looking for assistance with a number of school activities throughout the school year. If you are able to assist with any of these, we would love to have you join us! The first one is:
- Wilson Picture Day--August 19th: We need 3 parents from 9:00-12:00 pm and again from 12:00-3:30 pm to assist with forms for the photographer.
If you would like to help out with Picture Day, please sign up at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904044BACAD2CA1FD0-picture
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School Supplies
Below you will find the recommended school supply lists for each grade level.
Back to School Night
Wilson Parent Engagement Group
Mr. Erlandson and Mrs.Beatty will again be facilitating a parent group this fall. Our goal is to expand the Wilson Learning Community beyond its walls by building relationships that actively engage parents in our mission of student growth.
Our first brief meeting of the year will be Thursday, Sept. 10 at 6:00pm (immediately after our Back to School Night event) in the Wilson Library. We will use the time to get to know you a bit and to discuss what to expect at Wilson Middle School. Please contact Mr. Erlandson or Mrs. Beatty if you have any questions.
Student Fees
- Wilson School Fee (Required) $25
- Chromebook $25
- Yearbook $25
- Co-curricular Activities Fee $30
- Co-curricular Athletic Fee $50
A payment of the co-curricular activities and athletic fees allows a child to participate in all activities and/or athletics throughout the school year.
New Student Orientation: WEB
6th Grade Camp
- A permission slip,
- A medical history sheet,
- A medications listing (must be signed by a physician)
Below are the dates for Wilson Middle School Students:
- Maedke & Yurk House: Sept. 30-Oct. 2nd
- Wuensch & Koch House: Oct. 14-16th
- Ausprung & Davis House: Oct. 19-21st
Drop Off & Pick Up Locations
Students may be dropped off and picked up in Circle Drive off 11th Street or on 9th Street. Parents should NOT enter the parking lot for drop off or pick up as this causes unnecessary traffic congestion.
SUGGESTED PICK UP & DROP-OFF LOCATIONS:
- Anywhere along School Street
- The Circle Drive off N. 11th
For security purposes, we use a single student entrance in the morning, which is the main entrance facing Waldo Blvd. The doors to the building open for all students at 7:30 am. Students who are dropped off before 7:30 will wait outside until the doors open, with the exception of students eating breakfast in the cafeteria. They will be allowed in at 7:15 am. Additionally, In the case of inclement weather, all students may enter the building at 7:15 am and proceed directly to the cafeteria until the 7:30 bell rings.
Please remember that once our day has begun, all Wilson exterior doors will be locked. Parents bringing students to school after our day begins or picking up students during the day will need to use the main office entrance. These office doors will also be locked during the school day, so students and parents must use our buzzer to be admitted. This will help to ensure a safe building for all.
Please make arrangements for students to be picked up before 3:15 pm unless involved in supervised school activities.
Bikes & Skateboards
Cellphones at WMS
Cell phones are not allowed in Wilson classrooms or hallways during the school day. Students may bring them to school for after-school communication, but they must remain in lockers all day. The cafeteria will be a device free zone which means no cell phones, Chromebooks, or other technology will be allowed in this space. If a parent needs to get a message to a child during the day, please call the office at (920) 663-9580. A few reasons why we came to this decision a two years ago include:
Distraction: Students’ devices are constantly “notifying” them of new messages, sports scores, or a friend’s Candy Crush accomplishments. During class, when students are trying to read or talk with friends, or at bedtime, it becomes nearly impossible for them to ignore and the struggle to maintain their focus.
The Fix: All of these notifications can be turned off from the settings screen. Help your child turn off, insist that they leave them off, and their attention to the world around them will improve. There is also a “Do Not Disturb” setting that will completely silence a phone (except for calls/texts from numbers you choose) during certain hours of the day.
Separation Anxiety: There are times when students just need to put their phones away, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for many to do so. Some of the most disturbing meltdowns I have seen are reactions to having a phone taken away.
The Fix: Students need regular chunks of time each day to practice being completely detached from their phones. I suggest starting with bedtime and adding a few key times from there, including meal time, public outings, and family gatherings. I love my phone too, but if I can’t put it down without freaking out a little, then I might have a problem.
Harassment, Bullying & Sexting: Whether you realize it or not, many students engage in highly inappropriate activities on their devices due to the combination of perceived privacy and lack of an observable reaction from the other person. They say things in texts, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, etc. that they would never say in real life. They take a shocking number of nude photos of themselves to share with others (who routinely violate their trust and share the pics widely) in an attempt to be liked and noticed. They contact uninterested peers dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of times each day.
The Fix: As a parent, you need to know what is on the phone and how it is being used. That means getting in your kids’ business from time to time. A simple family policy that says, “Mom/Dad can check your texts, photos, and social media use anytime they want,” could have a dramatic impact on students’ thought-process before using their device. If your child is bullying with their phone, they are subject to the same consequences as those bullying in person. If they are creating, sending, or receiving nude photos of themselves or others, they are dealing in child pornography, which is a felony offense. And don’t forget to check the photo-hiding vault apps.
The big, tough, scary (and necessary) question: Is my child developmentally ready for something as powerful as a smartphone? Do I know and understand what they are doing with it? Do they need the device at school?
At Wilson, we are working to create a safe and realistic 21st Century model of good digital citizenship. Through our research, we have determined that all students will be able to learn at higher levels without the distraction of the cell phones in the classroom. If you answered yes to the above questions, then please partner with us by setting and enforcing clear limits and monitoring the child’s activity on the device. For more information, check out the Family Online Safety Institute’s Good Digital Parenting Website
Community Flyers
Manitowoc Public School District has added a ‘quick link’ onto our district website titled “Community Flyers” where we will post flyers from non-profit organizations. We encourage you to access our MPSD site for MPSD related news and to open the flyers you are interested in viewing.
If you are a non-profit organization and would like your flyer approved for posting, please send a PDF of the flyer to Tiffany Gates at gatest@mpsd.k12.wi.us.
Middle School Sports
Chartwells Lunch Program
MPSD’s lunch program is run in cooperation with Chartwells. This lunch program complies with all guidelines for the National School lunch program. Each day your child(ren) may select from several items offered to make up the school lunch; at least two and up to five different components daily. The components include protein, fruit, vegetable, bread/grain, and milk.
Wilson students have many choices, including four entree choices for hot lunch daily. They may also select from two fruit choices with one fresh fruit offered daily, vegetable, bread, and milk. In addition there will be some a la carte items to supplement the students’ meals or for those students who may wish to bring their own lunch.
We will continue to use the debit account system utilized for the past few years. Under this system, parents and guardians can deposit money directly into an account established for their family. Students then enter a pin number when paying for their lunch and the money is debited from the account. Under this system, parents and guardians may request print-outs detailing the items their child has purchased for lunch. The system is not a charge account and payment must be received prior to the purchase of a meal. Please note that students will still be able to purchase menu items with cash.
Chartwells will have a representative on hand August 19th to answer questions, help parents and guardians make deposits into lunch accounts, and to provide menus for the first month. Checks for lunch accounts must be a separate check from other fees.
Please call (920) 686-4771 with any questions or concerns regarding Chartwells School Lunch.
Free & Reduced Lunch
Families may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. A new application must be completed each year. You can obtain an application online on our district website at https://manitowocpublicschools.org/services/food_service/free_reduced. Application instructions and other information will also be available on August 19. Applications can be returned to Wilson or the Administration Building at 2902 Lindbergh Drive. Only one application needs to be filled out per household. Should you have a question while completing the application, please contact Chartwells at (920)686-4771.
School Appropriate Attire
As you begin your back-to-school shopping, please keep in mind appropriate school attire. Students are in school to learn and we strive to develop students who are compassionate to both themselves and others. While we encourage individuality, our priority is to foster a positive and healthy learning environment. With this in mind, please follow the guidelines listed below:
- Students should dress neatly, casually, and comfortably for school, while wearing clothing that is suited for the school environment.
- Student clothing will cover the torso and all undergarments.
- Student clothing and accessories that display or promote negative messages are not permitted. These could include drug, gang, weapon, alcohol or tobacco-related information, obscenities, put-downs, stereotypes, sexual innuendo, offensive words or graphics.
- Student heads and faces will remain uncovered in all areas of the building at all times. Appropriate headgear may be worn for warmth and protection outdoors, and inside for religious reasons or special circumstances.
- Jackets are to be kept in lockers. They may be worn for warmth and protection outdoors.
We realize that choosing appropriate clothing for school is sometimes a difficult process for both students and parents. If you are not sure if clothing is school appropriate, please ask a Wilson staff member. If Wilson staff determines clothing to be inappropriate, students will discreetly be asked to change their clothes. We can provide Wilson clothing or students may call home.
Attendance Matters
Daily attendance is the key to academic success! We ask that you limit student absence as much as possible. An absence may be excused with a phone call or note from a parent or guardian.
To report a student absence, please call the Wilson attendance line at (920) 663-9729. Wilson Middle School uses an automated calling machine to report unexcused student absence any time a student is marked absent unexcused for all or part of a day. If you receive a phone message from our automated caller, please call the Wilson office at (920) 663-9580.
Students with perfect attendance are honored at our spring Wilson Awards ceremony. To qualify for perfect attendance, students must be present for all school days and may not miss more than four hours due to appointments (doctor, dentist, etc.) School-related absences (field trips) do not affect a student’s attendance status, provided they are present for the school activity. Questions? Please call the office.
Bringing Medicine to School
It is the policy of the MPSD that “school personnel will give medication to students only when it is under a doctor’s order and when the proper form has been completed and signed by the parent or legal guardian, physician, and school principal.” If your child is in need of medication during the school day, please pick up a Consent to Administer Medication to be Given at School form in the office. This form will ask for written instruction from the prescribing physician for administration of the medication to be given, a written statement from the physician indicating willingness to communicate with the school employee administering the medication, and a written authorization from the child’s parent.
Medication must be given to the school in the original drugstore container imprinted with the following information:
- The child’s name
- The name of drug
- The dosage
- The time to be given
- The physician’s name
Medication will be administered to the child at the designated times by the school. School personnel will keep an accurate, confidential record for each pupil receiving medication. Students who need to use asthmatic inhalers during the course of the school day should contact Mr. Erlandson or Mrs. Beatty.
School Directory Data
- Student name
- School
- Grade level
- Age
- Participation in school activities
- Height and weight (Athletes only)
- Photograph
- Diplomas or awards received
- Name of previous school(s)
To deny the release of some or all of the items listed above, a parent must submit a written request to the child’s principal by September 11th, 2020 (or within two weeks if the child enters the MPSD after the school year has begun).
Military Recruiters & Institutes of High Learning
If you want us to deny the release of your child’s name, address, and phone number to military recruiters and institutes of higher education, please notify the school in writing before September 11th, 2020.
Canine Drug Searches
School Immunization Law- Fact Sheet
The Wisconsin Student Immunization Law requires:
- 1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) for students entering 6th, 9th, and 12th grades.
- 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine for students entering Kindergarten, 6th, and 12th grades.`
Under the law, parents are required to have their children vaccinated or claim a waiver by indicating their choice on the Student Immunization Record and returning it to their child’s school. The following fact sheet should help answer your questions about the new requirements.
Why are these requirements being made? From 1986 through 2004, Wisconsin had the 5th highest rate of pertussis (whooping cough) in the nation with almost 5,000 cases being reported in 2004 alone. Pertussis outbreaks occur because protection declines 5-10 years after completion of childhood DTP/DTaP vaccinations. Tdap is a new vaccine that is recommended for adolescents and is anticipated to help prevent pertussis from occurring including pertussis outbreaks in schools. Pertussis can place a significant burden on children and parents as a person with pertussis must be isolated for a minimum of 5 days of antibiotic treatment.
Two doses of varicella vaccine have been shown to be more effective than one dose in preventing “breakthrough disease” cases of chickenpox in children of all age groups.
Recommendations for both Tdap and varicella vaccines are made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
What do parents need to do? Have your child vaccinated with Tdap and/or varicella vaccine if he or she has not already received the vaccine(s). Record the date(s) of the immunization(s) and return this information to the school office or report them to the school nurse, Kellea Ewen at (920) 663-9876.
Also, be sure to add the Tdap and varicella vaccine dates to the permanent immunization record you keep for your child at home. In the future, s/he may need to give these dates to other schools, colleges, and/or employers.
Are there exceptions to the Tdap and varicella vaccine requirements? Yes, the first is with the Tdap vaccine. If your child will be entering 6th, 9th, or 12th grade and already received a tetanus-containing vaccine (eg. Td vaccine) within the last five years, your child is compliant and Tdap vaccine is not required. Check the box marked ‘Td’, enter the date it was received on the Student Immunization Record, and return it to school.
The second exception is for the varicella vaccine. If your child had chickenpox disease, even after the 1st dose of varicella vaccine, further doses of the vaccine are required. Check the ‘Yes” box to the chickenpox disease question on the Student Immunization Record and return it to school.
If my child already had pertussis disease, should he or she still get the Tdap vaccine? Children who have had pertussis disease should receive Tdap according to the routine recommendations because the length of protection provided by disease is unknown and because the diagnosis can be difficult to confirm. This is not an exception to the Tdap requirement.
Where can I get Tdap and/or varicella vaccine for my child? These vaccines are available from your child’s doctor or local health department. Please have your child immunized well in advance of school opening to avoid the late summer rush at doctor’s offices and immunization clinics.
MPSD Bullying Policies
The MPSD Board of Education and Wilson Middle School are committed to providing a safe, positive, productive, and nurturing educational environment for all of its students. The Board of Education and Wilson Middle School encourage the promotion of positive interpersonal relations between members of the school community. Bullying toward a student, whether by other students, staff, or third parties is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This prohibition includes physical, verbal, and psychological abuse. The Board of Education and Wilson Middle School will not tolerate any gestures, comments, threats, or actions which cause or threaten to cause bodily harm or personal degradation. This policy applies to all activities in the District, including activities on school property used exclusively or in part, whether leased or owned by the District, for the purpose of school-related functions or events; or while traveling to or from school or to and from school-sponsored functions or events; in transporting vehicles arranged for by School District officials. The policy applies as well during activities that occur off school property if the student or employee is at any school-sponsored, school-approved, or school-related activity or function, such as field trips or athletic events where students are under the supervision of school authorities, or where any employee is engaged in school business.
Bullying is deliberate or intentional behavior using word or actions, intended to cause fear, intimidation, or harm. Bullying may be a repeated behavior and involves an imbalance of power. Furthermore, it may be serious enough to negatively impact a student’s educational, physical, or emotional well-being. The behavior may be motivated by an actual or perceived distinguishing characteristic, such as, but not limited to: age, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, and social, economic, or family status; however this type of bullying behavior need not be based on any of the legally protected characteristics. It includes, but is not necessarily limited to such behavior as stalking, cyber bullying, intimidating, menacing, coercing, name-calling, taunting, making threats, and hazing.
Any student that believes s/he has been or is the victim of bullying should immediately report the situation to the building principal or associate principal, or the District Administrator. The student may also report concerns to a teacher or counselor who will be responsible for notifying the appropriate administrator or Board official. Complaints against the building principals should be filed with the District Administrator. Complaints against the District Administrator should be filed with the Board President.
Every student is encouraged to report any situation that they believe to be bullying behavior directed toward a student. Reports may be made to those identified above.
All school staff members and school officials who observe or become aware of acts of bullying are required to report these acts to the building principal or associate principal, or the District Administrator. Reports of bullying may be made verbally or in writing and may be made confidentially. All such reports, whether verbal or in writing, will be taken seriously and a clear account of the incident is to be documented. A written record of the report, including all pertinent details, will be made by the recipient of the report.
All complaints about behavior that may violate this policy shall be investigated promptly by the building principal. The staff member who is investigating the report of bullying shall interview the victim(s) of the alleged bullying and collect whatever other information is necessary to determine the facts and the seriousness of the report.
Parents and/or guardians of each student involved in the bullying report will be notified prior to the conclusion of the investigation. The District shall maintain the confidentiality of the report and any related student records to the extent required by law.
If the investigation finds that bullying has occurred, it will result in the prompt and immediate remedial and/or disciplinary action. This may include student discipline, including, but not limited to reprimand, suspension, or possible expulsion. Further, the result of an investigation that finds that bullying has occurred may result in discharge for employees, exclusion for parents, guests, volunteers, and contractors, and removal from any official position and/or request to resign for Board members. Individuals may also be referred to law enforcement officials.
The complainant shall be notified of the findings of the investigation, and as appropriate, that remedial action has been taken.
This policy shall not be interpreted to infringe upon the First Amendment rights of students (i.e., to prohibit a reasoned and civil exchange of opinions, or debate, that is conducted at appropriate times and places during the school day and is protected by State or Federal law).
Retaliation against any person who reports, is thought to have reported, files a complaint, or otherwise participates in an investigation or inquiry concerning allegations of bullying is prohibited and will not be tolerated. Such retaliation shall be considered a serious violation of Board policy and independent of whether a complaint is substantiated. Suspected retaliation should be reported in the same manner as bullying. Making intentionally false reports about bullying for the purpose of getting someone in trouble is similarly prohibited and will not be tolerated. Retaliation and intentionally making a false report may result in disciplinary action as indicated above.
The following definitions are provided for guidance only. If a student or other individual believes there has been bullying, regardless of whether it fits a particular definition, s/he should report it and allow the administration to determine the appropriate course of action.
“Bullying” is defined on page one. Some examples of bullying are:
- Physical--hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing, pulling, taking and/or damaging personal belongings or extorting money, blocking or impeding student movement, unwelcome physical contact
- Verbal--taunting, malicious teasing, insulting, name calling, making threats
- Psychological--spreading rumors, manipulating social relationships, coercion, or engaging in social exclusion/shunning, extortion, or intimidation
- Cyberbullying--the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal websites, and defamatory online personal polling websites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.
- Cyberbullies more easily hide behind the anonymity that the Internet provides
- Cyberbullies spread their hurtful messages to a very wide audience with remarkable speed
- Cyberbullies do not have to own their own actions as it is usually very difficult to identify cyberbullies because of screen names, so they do not fear being punished for their actions
- The reflection time that once existed between the planning of a prank-or a serious stunt- and its commission has all but been erased when it comes to cyberbulling activity
Cyberbullying includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Posting slurs or rumors or other disparaging remarks about a student on a web site or on a blog
- Sending e-mail or instant messages that are mean or threatening, or so numerous as to drive-up the victim’s cell phone bill
- Using a camera phone to take and send embarrassing photographs of students
- Posting misleading or fake photographs of students on websites
“Harassment” includes, but is not limited to, any act which subjects an individual or group to unwanted, abusive behavior of a nonverbal, verbal, written or physical nature on the basis of age, race, religion, color, national origin, marital status or disability (sexual orientation, physical characteristic, cultural background, socioeconomic status, or geographic location).
“Intimidation” includes, but is not limited to, any threat or act intended to tamper, substantially damage or interfere with another’s property, cause substantial inconvenience, subject another to offensive physical contact or inflict serious physical injury on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
“Menacing” includes, but is not limited to, any act intended to place a school employee, student, or third party in fear of imminent serious physical injury.
“Harassment, intimidation, or bullying” means any act that substantially interferes with a student’s educational benefits, opportunities, or performance, that takes place on or immediately adjacent to school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided transportation or at any official school bus stop, and that has the effect of:
- Physically harming a student or damaging a student’s property
- Knowingly placing a student in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student or damage to the student’s property
- Creating a hostile educational environment
“Staff” includes all school employees and Board members.
“Third parties” include, but are not limited to, coaches, school volunteers, parents, school visitors, service contractors, vendors, or others engaged in District business, and others not directly subject to school control at inter-district or intra-district athletic competitions or other school events. For a definition of and instances that could possibly be construed as hazing, consult Policy 5516.
Privacy/Confidentiality
The School District will respect the privacy of the complainant, the individual(s) against whom the complaint is filed, and the witnesses as much as possible, consistent with the Board’s legal obligations to investigate, to take appropriate action, and to conform to any discovery or disclosure obligations. All records generated under this policy and its related administrative guidelines shall be maintained as confidential to the extent permitted by law.
To the extent appropriate in conducting a thorough investigation and/or as legally permitted, confidentiality will be maintained during the investigation process.
Notification
Notice of this policy will be annually distributed to all students enrolled in the School District, their parents and/or guardians, and employees. The policy will also be distributed to organizations in the community having cooperative agreements with the schools. Additionally, the policy will be posted in conspicuous locations in all school buildings and departments within the District and discussed with students, as well as incorporated into the teacher, student, and parent/guardian handbooks. State and Federal rights posters on discrimination and harassment shall also be posted at each building. All new hires will be required to review and sign off on this policy and the related complaint procedure.
The School District will also provide a copy of the policy to any person who requests it.
Records and Reports
Records will be maintained on the number and types of reports made, and sanctions imposed for incidents found to be in violation of the bullying policy. An annual summary report shall be prepared and presented to the School Board, which includes trends in bullying behavior and recommendations on how to further reduce bullying behavior. The annual report will be available to the public.
Education and Training
In support of this policy, the Board promotes preventative educational measures to create greater awareness of bullying behavior. The District Administrator or designee shall provide appropriate training to all members of the School District community related to the implementation of this policy and it’s accompanying administrative guidelines. All training regarding the Board’s policy and administrative guidelines on bullying will be age and content appropriate.
The complaint procedure established by the District Administrator as set forth in AG 5517.01 shall be followed.
To Report Bullying:
- Cory Erlandson, Principal 920-663-9582
- Anna Beatty, Associate Principal 920-663-9585
School Resource Officer:
School Counselors:
- Mike Zupek (Last Name A-L) 920-663-9877
- Terri Augustine (Last Name M-Z) 920-663-9852
Who Do I Call?
Sometimes it is hard to know who to call when you need information from Wilson. The main number for Wilson’s Switchboard is 663-9580. Below are your contacts for some of the reasons you may be calling school:
Administrative Questions
- Mr. Cory Erlandson, Principal 663-9582
- Mrs. Anna Beatty, Associate Principal 663-9585
Attendance/Absences
- Mrs. Debbie Rhein 663-9729
School Nurse/Health Information
- Mrs. Jennifer Monte-Last 323-7592
Lunch Accounts/Free and Reduced Lunches
- Chartwells 686-4771
Police Matters
- School Resource Officer 663-9895
Schedules/Classes
- Mr. Mike Zupek (last names A-L) 663-9877
- Mrs. Terri Augustine (last names M-Z) 663-9852
Sports Schedules
- Please check out the school's website.
Transportation/Buses
- Brandt Buses (920)682-8823
For questions about individual classes or your child’s performance in a particular class, please contact your child’s teacher, either via telephone or email. Grades may also be checked via the Infinite Campus Portal.
Do You Need a Translator?
If you need this information translated in Hmong, please call. . . Yog koj xav kom peb txhais cov ntawv no ua lus Hmoob, thov hu 663-9373