The Eye of the Tiger
Updates for the week of 2/16/2021
Welcome
Hi Tigers and Tiger Families. Happy Kindness Week! We are so excited to spend this week calling out kindness (and we plan to continue!). If you want to call out kindness you experience with teachers or students this week, please share on our Facebook and use our hashtag #KindnessCallOut. We will also be posting a form so that our WGMS community can nominate Kindness Ambassadors in our building, so please be on the look out! We will also be posting our staff Black History Month video late this week. We can't wait to teach you about some of our heroes!
Reminder: if school is closed , teachers will NOT hold synchronous classes; therefore, new assignments will NOT be posted. The Orange/White Week Calendar will not change due to school closure. We encourage students to use days off for some fun, family, and maybe spend a little time catching up on work (if desired). Stay warm, be safe, and mask up in public.
A/B Calendar
Orange Week Schedule
White Week Schedule
Weekly Update from Mrs. Hinrichs
Tuesday, January 16th begins an Orange Week with A-day even classes; Wednesday is asynchronous, Thursday is B-day odd classes, and Friday is B-day even classes.
Attendance
Students are asked to log-in to TSA between 9:00-9:15 for attendance even on asynchronous Wednesdays to be counted as Distance Learning Present.
ARDT Testing Window
The Algebra Readiness Diagnostic Test (ARDT) will be administered to all Walker-Grant students enrolled in a middle school math class. The testing window for ARDT will open on Tuesday, Feb. 16th and end on Friday, 26th. This test will be completed during their regularly scheduled math class.
Kindness Week
Virginia has recognized VA Kindness Week as February 14th-20th, 2021.
Walker-Grant MS has formed a "Kindness Krew" who will be responsible for promoting kindness and kind acts during the week of February 14-February 19 and beyond.
The purpose of Kindness Week is to recognize that simple day-to-day acts of kindness enable our schools, communities, and state to be a kinder, safer, healthier, and more inclusive place to live, work, learn, and play. “Teaching and recognizing kindness in schools and communities fosters empathy, builds community, reduces bullying, and nurtures a safe and welcoming environment” (Currie, 2015). By promoting kindness, we are promoting inclusivity by extending an opportunity for grace, empathy, dignity, and acceptance across Virginia.
Please look out for ways your students can participate in Kindness Week at WG.
PTA Officers Needed for 2021-2022
The Walker-Grant Parent Teacher Association is in need of new officers for the upcoming school year. If you are interested in running for the offices of President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer, please attend the next virtual PTA meeting on March 9, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. Please contact Mrs. Hinrichs for membership information and the meeting link.
Summer Instructional Program Survey
Are you interested in having your child participate in a FCPS 2021 Summer Instructional Program? As we consider plans for this summer, we would like your feedback on what will work best for your family. Please respond to the online survey for each of your children for their respective schools. Check out the survey here, or on any FCPS school webpage.
Have a Tigeriffic Week,
Mrs. Hinrichs
Instruction: The True Eye of the Tiger
Our school-wide instructional focus this year is on metacognition.
What is metacognition? Metacognition is a higher-level thinking skill that promotes student engagement in their own learning. Metacognitive strategies teach students to think about how they process (or think about) information.
Why are we focusing on metacognitive skills? Metacognitive skills benefit students in their academic learning, but they're also important in developing self-awareness and the regulation of emotions. Metacognitive skills allow students to "dig deeper" and to think critically to solve problems.
PARENTS: How can parents and guardians promote metacognitive growth this week?:
- Give your child purposeful opportunities to reflect on his or her thinking. Ask second questions:"Can you tell me why you think that?" "What led you to that conclusion?" "Why did you choose that?
- Help your child be solution focused. Remind them to think about how they can make decisions that will lead to the best outcomes: "What could you do to reach your desired outcome?" "What do you need to change to reach your goal?"
- Talk about the process: "What is your plan when starting this task?" "How will you know when you've accomplished it?" "How did you this decision?"
STUDENTS: How can you improve your own metacogitive skills?
- Ask yourself WHY you approached a problem the way you did and how you might approach it differently next time.
- Consider the EFFECT of a decision before you make it. "If I do this then ___________will happen."
- Pay attention to your emotions around certain people and places, ask yourself WHY you feel the way you do.
Computer Maintenance Tips
There's nothing worse than a slow computer (except no computer!). We feel for our 7th graders. 7th graders have the oldest laptops in the division right now, but that will change soon! We'll let you know a date as soon as we have one. Our 6th and 8th graders should be in good shape. If not, use the tips below before submitting a tech ticket.
Here are some tips below to keep the school computers running as fast as possible:
- Be sure to check for updates (if you type "updates" in the search bar, necessary updates will open). Run any update as soon as it pops up.
- Turn your computer off to charge overnight.
- Only a few tabs should be open at a time.
- DO NOT DOWNLOAD GAMES. Students are able to download games, but they slow processing down. Parents: if your child complains of slow processing, check for games. If they have games, delete them.
- If the computer has been off our FCPS network since last March, it may help to ride to a school parking lot and log on to our network.
Students at Work and at Play
Gym Workouts with Mr. Turner
Freestyling Fun in Band
CTE Students Focused on their Lesson
A Tiger Tidbit
Walker Grant Middle School
Website: https://wgms.fxbgschools.us/
Location: 1 Learning Lane
Phone: 540-372-1145
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkerGrantMS