Wildcat News
November 2023
Recent Events
Dear Williams Middle School Families,
We hope this newsletter finds you well and that your students are enjoying their academic journey here at Williams. October was a month filled with inspiring events and activities that aimed to foster kindness and community spirit among our students.
Motivational Speaker Event - October 19th
On October 19th, we had the privilege of hosting an incredible motivational speaker at our school. The speaker, Dr. Laymon Hicks, delivered a powerful message centered around the importance of kindness. Through engaging stories and interactive discussions, Dr. Hicks encouraged our students to spread acts of kindness and empathy in their everyday lives. His inspirational words left a lasting impression on both students and staff, reminding us all of the positive impact we can have on those around us.
Harmonious Melodies: Orchestra Performance
Our orchestra students have been hard at work honing their musical talents, and it showed during the recent orchestra performance held at Williams Middle School. This event brought together the musical prowess of Williams, West High, and Monte Vista Middle School's orchestras. The collaborative effort resulted in a breathtaking performance. We are incredibly proud of our talented musicians and Mr. Villa, their dedicated instructor.
Red Ribbon Week Parade and Pledge Signing
As part of our commitment to promoting a drug-free and healthy lifestyle, Williams Middle School actively supported Villalobos Elementary School's Red Ribbon Week parade. Our students cheered for the parade, raising awareness about the importance of living drug-free. In addition to the parade, we organized a pledge signing event where our students vowed to make healthy choices and support one another in staying drug-free.
Coloring Contest: Celebrating a Drug-Free Lifestyle
To further engage our students in the message of Red Ribbon Week, we hosted a coloring contest. Students unleashed their creativity, producing vibrant and inspiring artwork that celebrated the theme of a drug-free lifestyle. The submissions were impressive, showcasing the artistic talent of our student body.
Spelling Bee Champions Announced!
Congratulations to our Williams Middle School spelling bee winners! They will be representing Williams Middle School at the district spelling bee on Wednesday, November 1, 2023.
- 6th Grade – 1st Place – Lia Taing
- 6th Grade – 2nd Place – Gayatri Malladi
- 7th/8th Grade – 1st Place – Isheeta Ratnani
As always, we are looking forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. See below for more updates and announcements regarding upcoming events!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Hoffman
In the Know
Halloween: Students are welcome to dress up for Halloween, but must remain within the Dress Code policies. No masks, violent images or props are allowed. Please refer to the K-8 Student Handbook for details on policies if you have questions. TUSD K-8 Handbook 2022-2023- JH.pdf
Harvest Festival/Dia de los Muertos: WMS is hosting our 2nd annual Harvest Festival/Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday November 2nd from 5-7pm. The event is free to attend, and there will be entertainment, games, hot cocoa, and more. There will be food trucks on site if you'd like to purchase food. This is a family friendly event and we encourage parents and siblings to attend with your students. Parents are also encouraged to volunteer! If interested in helping out please reach out to Mr. Beaken (cbeaken@tusd.net) or Mr. Sato (dsato@tusd.net). Please see the flyer below.
November Breaks: There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday November 10th for Veteran's Day. We will also have THANKSGIVING BREAK November 20-24th. The office will be closed on these days. School will resume on Monday November 27th after Thanksgiving break.
8th Grade Families-- High School Counselors are coming: November 13th all three high schools will meet with students to present about course selection for high school. Students will receive course selection sheets to complete, which will be picked up on November 27th. Please go over course selections with your child, as changes after pick-up may not be possible. Each high school has academies that students can apply to attend. Academy Nights with information are listed on the flyer below. Connect with our school counselors with any questions.
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE): Families interested in learning about our district's GATE program are invited to an information night on Nov 16th at 6:00-7:00 at Monte Vista Middle School. See flyer below.
Parent/Teacher Conferences: Parent/teacher conferences continue until Friday October 27th. Wednesday-Friday will be minimum days, and school will finish at 12:30pm those days and conferences are 1:00-3:15.
Yearbook: Parents can buy WMS yearbooks online at www.yearbookforever.com or students can buy them at the student window. Price is $45.00
Facebook: Join us on Facebook to stay up to date with WMS updates/news. Look up Earle E. Williams Middle School! Or click here: https://www.facebook.com/EarleEWilliamsMiddleSchool
Support Resources for students:
MyPath- Does your child struggle with math? Are they behind in some key concepts? Williams Middle School has a free adaptive tool available to all students called MyPath that they can access from their computers that will allow students to fill in any gaps in their math understanding, and help them to grow their skills until they are fully working at grade level standards. Some teachers may even provide credit for work completed in this program. See your child's math teacher for further details.
After School Homework Help: We have help available for students wanting support or a quiet place to work in our library after school 2:40-4:00 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Please see the flyer below.
Paper Tutoring: Williams students also have access to live online 24-hour 7 day/week free tutoring with a company called Paper. Access to Paper tutorials is through each student's Clever portal.
Hands on Learning for Social Studies
Red Ribbon Week- Pledge to Be Drug Free signing
Orchestra Performance
Clubs and Activities
Haunted Hallway: Leadership will host their annual Haunted Hallway event on Tuesday, October 31st. Teachers will bring classes by for this spooky Halloween event.
Chess Club: The club meets on Fridays after school. For questions, please see Mr. Kerin in room 21. He can also be reached at nkerin@tusd.net
Super Smash Club: This club meets on Wednesdays after school until 3:30 in Room 27 with Mr. Howell. Bring a Wii controller if you have one. If you have questions, please reach out to Mr. Howell at rhowell@tusd.net.
Book Club: If you enjoy reading, the Williams Book Club is for you. It will be every Tuesday from 2:35-3:40 in Room 46. If you'd like to learn more about Book Club contact Mrs. Reszka at creszka@tusd.net.
Girls Basketball: Basketball season is in full swing. Come on out to support our teams! 6th grade plays on most Wednesdays and the 7th/8th team plays on Fridays. Games start at 4:45. For questions regarding the schedule please reach out to Mr. Beaken at cbeaken@tusd.net
Contact Information
Email: jhoffman@tusd.net
Website: https://williams.tracy.k12.ca.us/
Location: 1600 Tennis Lane, Tracy, CA, USA
Phone: 209-830-3345
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EarleEWilliamsMiddleSchool