WMS Community Bulletin 02-09-20
EXCELLENCE*EQUITY*COMMUNITY
Watertown Middle School 2019-2020
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the sunny weather!
Report card envelopes did go home on Friday, so please be sure and ask your child/ren about them if you have not seen them yet.
I hope that next week you all have a relaxing vacation week, whether in Watertown or traveling out of town!
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For Drop Off / Pick Up - Please be sure and use the Bemis Street entrance (NOT Waverley) before 8:30 am. The buses and vans use the Waverly entrance until 8:30 am and it is a safety issue to also have cars use that entrance.
Here are some important upcoming dates:
February 10-14 - Spirit Week
Monday - Pajama Day - School appropriate and no slippers, please. Nice and cozy for a cold February day! :)
Tuesday - Twin Day/Multiple Day - Let's please encourage inclusiveness on this day! Include as many as possible for dressing alike on this day!
Wednesday - America/Wear Red, White and Blue Day - Please no camo or political clothing. No hats should be worn at all. Looking forward to seeing spirited red, white and blue attire!
Thursday: Jersey Day - Wear the jersey of your favorite sports team/player. Or wear one of your own sports jerseys! Ask around and see if anyone needs to borrow from each other.
Friday: Watertown Spirit Day - 6th grade wears red, 7th grade wears white, and 8th grade wears black. Same on this day - please see if anyone needs to borrow a shirt from each other.
February 12 - PTO Meeting 7:00 pm
February 12 - EL PAC meeting (see info below)
February 14 - PTO Cookbook (see info below)
February 14 - Faculty/Student basketball game
February 17 - February 21 - NO SCHOOL - February vacation
February 25 - Anti-Bias meeting 5:30-7:00 pm
February 28 - Pennies for Patients (P4P) kickoff during Advisory
February 28-March 1 - Chicago Musical at WHS
March 2 - School Committee meeting 7:00 pm
March 4 - School Site Council meeting 6:30 pm
March 7 - Daylight savings "spring forward"
March 11 - PTO meeting 7:00 pm
March 11 - Bandarama at WHS
March 13 - WHS Guidance and students panel for 8th-grade students (in school)
March 13 - P4P Skate Night
March 14 - P4P Rummage Sale
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*** In the event there is a snow day at some point, the "A" and "B" days stay the same as currently assigned ***
Monday, Feb 10 - A day
Tuesday, Feb 11 - B day
Wednesday, Feb 12 - A day
Thursday, Feb 13 - B day
Friday, Feb 14 - A day
Monday, Feb 17 - Friday, Feb 21 - NO SCHOOL - February Vacation
Monday, Feb 24 - B day
Tuesday, Feb 25 - A day
Wednesday, Feb 26 - B day
Thursday, Feb 27 - A day
Friday, Feb 28 - B day
Monday, March 2 - A day
Tuesday, March 3 - B day
Wednesday, March 4 - A day
Thursday, March 5 - B day
Friday, March 6 - A day
Monday, March 9 - B day
Tuesday, March 10 - A day
Wednesday, March 11 - B day
Thursday, March 12 - A day
Friday, March 13 - B day
Monday, March 16 - A day
Tuesday, March 17 - B day
Wednesday, March 18 - A day
Thursday, March 19 - B day
Friday, March 20 - A day
Black History Month in the WMS Library
Here is the link to this month's Library book collection for Black History Month.
Math over Vacation?
Looking for an educational, mathematical vacation activity? Look no further - here is link to some challenging math problems - fun for the whole family!
Thought-Provoking Math Problems
“I’ve come to realize that when we ask superficial questions, we get superficial information back from what students know,” says Robert Kaplinsky in this Edutopia article. Encouraging teachers to promote deeper thinking, he includes a link to The Open Middle website https://www.openmiddle.com, which has a plethora of open-ended math problems from kindergarten through calculus, including counting, geometry, measurement and data, numbers and operations, algebraic thinking, statistics and probability, functions and vectors, linear models, and more. Here’s a sample fourth-grade question: You have $1.00 in change in your pocket. You have 15 coins. What coins do you have? (source: Andrew Gael).
“Getting to the Heart of What Students Know in Math” by Robert Kaplinsky in Edutopia, December 26, 2019, https://www.edutopia.org/article/getting-heart-what-students-know-math
Happenings at WMS
From the PTO - WMS International Cookbook!
English Learner Parent Advisory Council meeting 2-12-20
Here is the LINK to the event.
7:00-8:00 p.m.
Room 301 Phillips Building
30 Common Street*
Watertown ELPAC is a group organized by parent volunteers with the purpose of advocating for current and former English Learners.
It is an open meeting for parents to learn how to read report cards and discuss any concerns that they have.
We are looking for parents and community members to join.
Light snacks, interpreters and babysitting available!
To learn more, please contact the ESL Coordinator Kate Phillipson -- Español kathryn.phillipson@watertown.k12.ma.us 617-972-4297
*Parking is accessible through the Marshall Street entrance.
From the Nurse's Office - FLU ADVISORY:
Sick Child Protocol
With flu season upon us, here is a reminder of the district's sick child protocol
1. 24-Hour Rule:
A child must stay home for at least 24 hours to rest if the following symptoms are present the morning of school or the previous night:
· Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A child should not come back to school until the temperature is normal for 24 hours without medication
· Excessive coughing or sneezing
· Ear pain and/or eye drainage
· Vomiting and/or Diarrhea
· An unusual rash
2. Antibiotic has been prescribed: If an antibiotic medication is prescribed to your child for any illness, they should also stay home until they have been on the antibiotics for a full 24 hours.
FLU ADVISORY: Flu is most contagious the first 3-4 days after becoming sick. It takes 1-2 days after exposure to a flu virus before the illness becomes evident, and it may be contagious up to 7 days after becoming sick. The best two practices to prevent flu from spreading are proper and frequent handwashing and appropriate quarantine (e.g. coughing etiquette, wearing a mask, staying away when sick). If you have a fever, please stay at home for at least 24 hours since your last elevated temperature. If diagnosed with flu, please stay at home for a minimum of 3-4 days since the illness started.
**Also please note, that students are not to "self-dismiss" by texting home as cell phone use is not allowed during the school day. Please encourage your student to go see Nurse Michelle in the health office where she can assess and call home or have them use the phone in the main office.**
Community Service - Get Involved! :)
The link will also be posted on the WMS website.
A Reminder from Student Council!
- For plastic recycling, families can turn in plastic film and bags, especially after opening their holiday gifts. We are collecting plastic until April.