Bruin Bulletin
October 2022
The Principal's Den
Hello Bruin Families!
Thank you for helping us have such a wonderful start to the 22-23 school year. The students have settled in and are working hard and having fun in their classes.
I want to encourage you to ask your scholar about their day. I know--when you ask, "How was your day?" you are likely to get an uninspiring, "Fine." Don't let that stop you, though! Try some of these open-ended questions to get the conversation started:
- What was something you heard that surprised you today?
- What was the best thing that happened today?
- Tell me something you learned today.
- Teach me something you learned.
- Rate your day 1-10. Why?
- Did you help anyone today?
- What are looking forward to tomorrow?
I hope you are pleasantly surprised and proud about what they share with you about WBM.
We are excited to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and World Bullying Prevention Month in October. We also have some other special events in October, including Homecoming, Spirit Week, a Costume Dance, and the Fall Craft Show. Please follow us on social media and through parent emails for more information on these events.
Happy October!
Beth Pallister
Principal
Help Us Raise Money for WBM
Bruin Choirs Serving the Community
At the beginning of every school year, all families must complete the student online verification process. Families must log on to their account to verify their student’s information. The verification process allows our families to confirm or update information for all children in a household at one time.
COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES
Set your communication preferences to include how you receive general information from your student’s school and the district. In order to receive text message notifications, you must select a mobile number as your primary contact.
The deadline for the student verification process is Friday, September 30, 2022. To complete the process, please log onto your ParentVUE account. The verification process can be completed in a web browser or in the ParentVUE mobile app. Once logged in, select ONLINE REGISTRATION & VERIFICATION and follow the prompts to verify your student’s information.
Visit this page to learn more about ParentVUE in our district. If you have not activated your ParentVUE account or have lost access, please contact your child’s school.
Video Link https://cpschools.com/student-online-verification-process/
ROAR
October is World Bullying Prevention Month
Monday, October 3 is the day we celebrate bullying prevention month by wearing ALL BLUE. Please encourage your child to #BLUE UP!
In October, students will watch an Anti-Bullying Video and will have an opportunity to speak with their grade level counselor with any questions or concerns.
CLUB FAIR
Absences
Directions for reporting absences via ParentVue can be found on this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSg7J0yy1uI
SPIRIT WEEK IS COMING!
TECH Know
Chromebook Cleaning and Care Tips
Electronic Devices Policy
Cell phones can be a distraction and disruption to the learning environment.
Students may not possess, or carry on their person, cell phones, smart watches, or ear buds/headsets. Students must turn off and secure their cell phones and electronic devices in their lockers during the school day. If a student is found with or using an electronic device during the school day, the student is subject to a disciplinary consequence. Please see the Student Handbook for additional information.STAY in the KNOW
We are proud to show-off all the great things happening at our school!
The Western Branch Middle website is updated several times each week. Register for update notifications by visiting cpschools.com/wbm/subscribe. Also, please consider joining
our WBMS social media accounts (Twitter: @BranchMiddle and Instagram: wbm_bruins). We will use these accounts to showcase our students, teachers, and programs.
Another resource to help stay informed is our PTSA. We have a supportive and active PTSA, so
whether you want to lead a committee or support your child through membership, we hope you connect with the PTSA. You can also follow them on Facebook by joining https://cpschools.com/wbm/wbms=ptsa
Finally, we network with parents through our Parent Advisory Council. This group of parents is the first to hear about the latest news in Bruin Country. To participate, please contact Mrs. Kasper in the main office at 638-7920.
The Counselor's Corner
Progress reports will be visible in ParentVue and StudentVue on October 14th.
School stress impacts students of all ages and backgrounds, and now that we are getting back into the routine of school, and extracurricular activities are starting, students may be experiencing stress. Stress for students can come from a variety of sources including doing well in school, making and sustaining friendships, or managing expectations .
How do you teach students to deal with stress ? What strategies work? How do I support my students' stress management plan? Here are some tips that may be helpful.
Teach what stress is
Help identify feelings and emotions
Establish and develop healthy coping skills
Set a calm morning and night routine
Get organized
Eliminate stressors
Focus on social supports
Teach conflict resolutions and communication skills
Limit screen usage
Teach gratitude practices
School counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. School Counselors can help students by providing:
- individual student academic planning and goal setting
- school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
- short-term counseling to students
- referrals for long-term support
- collaboration with families/teachers/administrators/community for student success
- advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
- data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges
Your School Counselors
Mrs. Tonya Edmonds--7th grade counselor and Guidance Director tonya.edmonds@cpschools.com
Mrs. Vicki Moore--6th grade counselor vicki.moore@cpschools.com
Mr. Ray Hines--8th grade counselor ray.hines@cpschools.com
Bruin Athletics
Football season is underway!! Let’s support our Bruin football players this season and ROAR the Bruin way!
Softball season is also here! Our Lady Bruins are ready to knock this season out the park! Let’s support them and show them some Bruin love!
Visit our school calendar for game dates.
We encourage the purchase of season passes since it's very cost effective.
Annual Athletic Passes are available for purchase online only using the GoFan website. Passes available for purchase include:
Student Annual Pass – $20
The Student Annual Athletic Pass provides admittance to any VHSL or CMSL regular season games in Chesapeake, including CMSL tournament games. The $20.00 price includes the service fee for GoFan. Students will redeem their passes using their smartphones at each eligible athletic contest.
Adult Annual Pass – $40
The Adult Annual Athletic Pass provides admittance to any VHSL or CMSL regular season games in Chesapeake, including CMSL tournament games. The $40.00 price includes the service fee for GoFan. Guests will redeem their passes using their smartphones at each eligible athletic contest.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our athletic director: Ray Hines.
SCA
Join the SCA in Congratulating our "Just Because Award" recipient this week, Mrs. Walters. Mrs. Walters is new to our Bruin Family this year and has already won over the Hearts and minds of our students! Way to go Mrs. Walters!
Harris Teeter Together in Education
Link your Harris Teeter card!
Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands.
Harris Teeter has donated over $32.4 million to Together In Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to.
There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn!
Any customer with a VIC card can link their card to a school.
Please use this link:
Yearbook
UPDATE: Orders placed for new WBM Spirit Wear have arrived. Students can pick-up their orders Monday, October 10 at lunch in time to wear them for Blue and Gold Day on Tuesday! Check out the new spirit wear items we have through this link.
PTSA Reflections Contest: The theme this year is SHOW YOUR VOICE. Please see this link for specific information. The deadline to submit an entry to WBMS PTSA is October 31.
Library Media Center News
All WBM English classes are participating in Library Orientation lessons this month. Students can log into their Destiny accounts from home and view a wide variety of ebooks.
Check out Destiny: Go to WBM Homepage
Click “About Us”
Click “Library”
Scroll down to the “Follett Destiny Icon”
Click “Western Branch Middle School”
“Log In” in the upper right hand corner.
Enter your ID number, password Log In
User name is your assigned 7 digit number
Students passwords: Birthday (2 digit day/3 letters month/2 digit year)!
Example: 05feb06!
Click “Catalog”
Click “Destiny Discover” to search for books, check out ebooks, place books on hold, view account history and much more.
Happy Reading!
World of Works (WOW) is an interactive career exploration event for all 8th-grade students
designed to create awareness about exciting career options and address workforce needs in our
region. The event, featuring regional business and industry’s top employers and professionals,
is designed to attract youth to the high-demand, high-wage, high-skill careers available in our
region.
Eighth graders from all of our middle schools will be participating. Eighth grade is such a critical
year for students as they are deciding on coursework pathways for their high school years and
beyond.
During the event, students move through 10 different “Worlds of Work,” and participate in brief,
hands-on activities.
Worlds will include careers in
● Manufacturing
● PT/Sports Medicine
● Public Safety
● Human Services
● Distribution and Logistics
● Energy
● Healthcare
● Skilled Trades
● Maritime
● Computer/Information Technology
WOW is designed to create awareness about exciting career options among students and
educators while addressing workforce needs in the region.
Pre and Post Lessons will be done by the school counselors through Career Exploration during
HPE classes.
This is a partnership between Chesapeake Schools, the Chamber of Commerce, the City of
Chesapeake, and local colleges and universities.
Western Branch Middle students will attend WOW October 27, in the morning.
We are a Purple Star School
New Chesapeake Public Schools Dress Code
Clothing must cover all undergarments; straps are okay
Length of shirts must at least meet the top of pants; no crop tops
Sleeveless tops must be connected by straps
Bottom lengths must be at least mid-thigh high
Ripped clothing must not have exposed skin above mid-thigh
Headwear generally not permitted; exceptions have been added (approved by principal)
Open toed shoes, sandals, slides and Crocs are now permitted; designated spaces require appropriate footwear (i.e., PE, science labs, Tech Ed classes, or wherever necessary)
Parent Alert System
School Lunch Plans
While meals at no cost for all students were a welcome relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funding for this program ended in June 2022.
School Breakfast is $1.40
School Lunch is $2.90
The good news is your students may still qualify for Free or Reduced Price meals in one of several ways:
- Your children receive other benefits like SNAP, TANF, or MEDICAID and you received a letter stating your children qualify for free or reduced-price meals (no application needed)
- You fill out and have an approved meal application on file for this school year (completed after July 2022)
The cost of reduced-price meals is being waived; therefore, students who qualify for reduced-price meals this year will also receive meals at no cost. Families are encouraged to apply for free or reduced-price meals before the start of the school year so there is no gap in benefits. A new application must be submitted each year. You can find links to the online and paper applications on our website. The online application can be translated into multiple languages, is easy to complete, and is processed quickly. An approved application may also qualify students for additional benefits. Only one application is needed per household.
Families that do not qualify for Free or Reduced Meal Benefits should make sure you can access your (MyPaymentsPlus.com) account. Keep in mind that you can use this tool to add funds when your child needs them and even set up automatic deposits! Your child will need to carry a positive balance in their school meal account to ensure that they have a form of payment available for breakfast and lunch. Funds can also be added for students to purchase snacks, drinks, or extra food.
Lockers
We encourage you to review the student handbooks with your child.
Thank you to these businesses and community partners who contribute to our school!
We'd love to have additional community partners. Please contact the school for more information.
Western Branch Bruins
Website: https://cpschools.com/wbm/
Location: 4201 Hawksley Drive, Chesapeake
Phone: 757-638-7920
Twitter: @BranchMiddle