Bruin Bulletin
February 2023
The Principal's Den
Hello Bruin Families!
Black History Month is observed in February to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Black Americans. Black stories are crucial to our nation's story because Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture, and Black stories are integral to both. This month provides a chance to educate ourselves about and commemorate all the incredible individuals who have earned their places in the chronicles of Black History. Please encourage your child to participate in the events we have planned.
We are excited to welcome a new member to our student support team. Ms. Ewa, a Military and Family Life Counselor, is now available to work with our military connected students. Please read more about Ms. Ewa and her services in the Purple Star section of this newsletter.
Speaking of counselors, please take a few minutes next week to send a kind word to your student's school counselor in honor of National School Counseling Week. We rely on our school counselors daily to help our students and staff. They are an integral part of your child's success in school. (Their emails are below in The Counseling Corner)
The grade-level assistant principals visited classrooms in January to review our ROAR behavior expectations with our students. We stressed the importance of completing school work, paying attention in class, and respecting the learning environment for themselves and others. We also reminded students that cell phones should be stored in lockers and that we follow the CPS dress code. We appreciate parental support with these rules. We all want the students to be able to learn in a welcoming and orderly environment.Thank you!
Beth Pallister
Principal
Western Branch Middle Study Hall
We offer study hall for students! Please encourage your child to take advantage of this time for one-on-one help with our amazing teachers.
Scan the QR to sign up for Study Hall
Tuesdays-Virtual 4-5pm
(link will be emailed to you via the tutor)
Wednesdays- In Person 3-4 pm
(must have a ride to pick you up or walk home)
Attendance Matters
We are seeing an increase in student absences. We understand that during this time of year there are lots of illnesses and viruses going around. Please be sure that when your child is out sick you submit a note within (4) days of them returning. You also have the ability to submit a note in Parentvue especially if you know of an appointment ahead of time. Please encourage your child to make up any missed assignments. Excessive unexcused absences can cause students' grades to fall or even result in truancy proceedings.
As long as your child is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session.
Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as to connect to their peers and teachers.
If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to our school counselors for help.
Western Branch Students Learn About Coding and Computer Programing
We are excited to announce that Mr. Rogers' technology classes received some new equipment to help students learn more about coding and computer programing.
The STEMbot Collaborative Research Project is an evidence-based project introducing middle school technology education students to agriscience and STEM. Through this collaborative partnership between Virginia Tech, Old Dominion, and Hampton University, students will introduce to STEMbot T/E Design-Based Biotechnical Learning (DBBL). Students will interact with STEM design and data collection in a real-world design application.
The purpose of piloting STEMbot Collaborative Research at Western Branch Middle School is to engage students with STEM design and data collection in a real-world design application.
Electronic Devices Policy
Parents, we need your help. Please remind your child about the WBM cell phone 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.Help Us Thank Our Amazing School Counselors!
The Counselor's Corner
What's happening in Guidance During the month of February?
The theme for February is RESPECT. Counselors will provide activities relating to respectful relationships in the age of social media. Parents, we need your support with this. No longer are students writing messages on bathroom walls, slam books, or passing notes. Students are now using their cell phones to send hurtful messages to other students. Although these messages are taking place at home it is impacting the learning environment. Please monitor your child's social media accounts and text messages. Please discuss with your child how to handle conflicts, ways to show respect and tolerance, proper cell phone use, and social media etiquette. We want all students to feel safe and thrive in an environment that is conducive to learning.
Counselors will be meeting with students about their elective choices for the 2023-2024. Please speak with your child about the importance of selecting the electives they really would like to have to avoid schedule changes in September. Please be advised that all students are given the opportunity to select the electives of their choice; however, if they do not take advantage of this opportunity in a timely manner, counselors will select on their behalf. Also, students may have a reading or math enrichment course in place of their elective depending upon how well they perform on the SOL tests administered at the end of the year.
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
Triniti Skipper is our school's spelling bee champion and will represent us at the WHRO Bee this month.
SCA NEWS
Fleet Reserve Association Essay Contest
The results for the Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) Americanism Essay Contest are in, and our school had a clean sweep of the first, second, and third places in the middle school seventh-grade level. Congratulations to these students!
1st Place: Colin Clemente
2nd Place: Clayton Hamilton
3rd Place: Adrian Hansen
Bruin Athletics
Come out and support our winter sports teams!!
Spring Tryouts start on Feb 27th.
Students must have a 2.0 GPA and must have a CMSL Sports Physical on file.
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.
WBM Music Programs
ROAR
The PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
The PTSA is a volunteer committee made up of parents, teachers, students, and community members. This year committee board is made up of all parents who strive to make an impact in the academic school year by providing financial and physical assistance through sponsorship, volunteering and fundraising. All funds that are generated go directly to helping the staff and students at Western Branch Middle School.
1. Who: Britani Martinez (President), Vacant (Vice President), Latasha Jenkins (Treasurer), Kashena Ogburn (Secretary)
2. What: We come together to assist the staff and students in a multitude of ways. For instance, we can help provide resources, supplies, and chaperones or volunteer helpers when necessary.
3. When: During the academic school year.
4. Where: In, on, and outside of school grounds usually at School or PTSA sponsored events.
5. Why: We understand the importance of coming together for a common goal.
6. How: Through fundraising (hosting functions such as Bruin Bash, selling spirit wear, selling membership etc) sponsorship and volunteering. The PTSA's main objective is to help the students, teachers and the WBMS staff have a successful year and whether it is volunteering in the classroom, providing ideas to help improve the school, establishing workshops, assisting in school activities, purchasing new equipment, helping obtain edible supplies for science experiments or helping obtain classroom supplies, we are ready to assist.
In closing, team work makes the dream work, or as Mrs. Pallister says, “Together, Everyone, Achieves, More."
Please also follow us on Facebook on the Western Branch Middle School PTSA page.
Library Media Center News
We have 10 amazing students who have read 10 books in the last 5 weeks! Wow! Names will be on Morning Announcement Feb. 1, and students will be rewarded with "free" time in the library every day in February. This reward includes riding exercise bikes, lounging on the comfy couches doing homework, coloring, reading or just relaxing in the library to decompress. Who will be in our Top 10 next month?
Did you know that all Chesapeake Public School students have access to Chesapeake Public Library electronic resources?
Click the link: https://chesapeakelibrary.org/cps-student-tools
Scroll Down and Select: Middle School Students
Click: Libby by Overdrive
Enter: CPS Student ID number
Enter 4 numbers for the Password: birthday 2 digit month and 2 digit day (example for birthday June 3: 0603)
Students can search all Chesapeake Public Library ebooks and check out up to 6 per month. Happy Reading! Please e-mail Mrs. Waggoner if you have any questions on Chesapeake Public Library access. michele.waggoner@cpschools.com
Happy Reading!
We are a Purple Star School
Military Appreciation NIght
Welcome Our Military and Family Life Counselor!
Hello,
My name is Natasha Ewa, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW, LCSW-c) and I am a Military & Family Life Counselor (MFLC) at Western Branch Middle School. First, I would like to thank you sincerely for your service.
My role at Western Branch Middle School is to support active-duty children and families (and parents) by providing non-medical, short term, solution-focused counseling services. This type of short-term counseling is intended to address issues that your child and family may experience across your military lifestyle. This includes but is not limited to helping the family cope with normal reactions to the stressful situations that deployment, reintegration and other military life challenges can create.
With parental consent, I can provide support to your youth in both individual and group settings. The service is free and confidential except for State and Department of Defense duty to warn and mandated reporting mandates.
I also invite you to visit the Military Onesource website for additional information on the program at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/confidential-help/non-medical-counseling/military-and-family-life-counseling/child-and-youth-behavioral-military-and-family-life-counselors/.
Also, feel free to contact me at the number provided below if you have further questions about the program and how I can assist you and your family.
I look forward to the opportunity to work with your child.
Natasha Ewa, MSW, LCSW, LCSW-c
Military and Family Life Counselor
757 - 759 - 2802
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)
TECH Know
From social emotional learning to blended learning, 2022 brought many significant technology trends: Schoology, Kami, Edpuzzle, Nearpod, and Newsela – just to name some of the digital media teachers used. The start of this new year has brought about another exciting technology change as Chesapeake Public Schools welcomes a new learning management system, Canvas. Canvas, like Schoology, supports online learning and teaching. It is being used by schools all over Virginia. We will continue to use Schoology for the rest of this school year and then transition to Canvas this summer. Our teachers are already hard at work learning Canvas so they are prepared to teach the students how to use it next school year. For a quick overview of Canvas for parents, click this linhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-5sWZODhY8&t=2sk!
We encourage you to review the student handbooks with your child.
See Something, Say Something
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:
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.
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.
Western Branch Bruins
Website: https://cpschools.com/wbm/
Location: 4201 Hawksley Drive, Chesapeake
Phone: 757-638-7920
Twitter: @BranchMiddle