Wilson Wildcats
Your Weekly Update from Wilson Middle School
Principal's Message
Hello Wilson families,
It sure is cold out! In case you didn't know, we hit the halfway point of the year last week. It is going by so quickly. Below are some reminders and announcements:
iDecide Survey: As notified earlier, the iDecide survey will be administered next week. We will only survey the grade 8 ONLY this year. Details about the program are in the "SEVEN things you need to know" section below.
Massachusetts Music Educators Eastern Junior District Festival:
Last week a handful of our band and chorus students auditioned for the Massachusetts Music Educators Eastern Junior District Festival. This festival brings together students from different communities to create a band, chorus, jazz band and orchestra that performs a concert after just two days of rehearsals with conductors from around the world. It is a wonderful educational experience for all who are accepted.
We are proud of the students dedication and hard work.. The following students were accepted into the 2023 Junior District Ensemble:
Ben Avitzur- Oboe- Orchestra Chair 2-2
Colin Black- Trumpet- Concert Band Chair 2-4
Finn Braunhill- Trombone- Concert Band Chair 1-1
Nick Chan-Smutko- Trumpet- Jazz Band Chair 2
Chris Green- French Horn- Concert Band Chair 3-1
Justine Lai- Clarinet- Concert Band Chair 2-4
Taylor Lin- Oboe- Concert Band Chair 3-1
Kenneth Wu- Oboe- Concert Band Chair 3-2
Reminder about student cell phone use in school:
Cell phones are not allowed in school. We understand that many students have cell phones and bring them to school. If this is the case, the cell phones must be turned off upon entering school and put away in students' backpacks. Please do not text your child during the school day and remind your child that phones need to be off during the school day. We've had some cases of students using their phones during school which is a disruption. Some times, students report that it is their parent/caretaker texting them during the school day. Lastly, if your child texts or calls you from school and asks you to pick them up, please contact the school. We do not want students dismissing themselves. If they do not feel well, they should report to the clinic (nurses office) and the nurse will contact you if your child is sick.
Traffic Patterns:
Please be aware if you are driving your child to school in the morning, you cannot pull around any school buses or vans. You can only turn into the front loop after the buses and vans have left. Drop off in the morning is 7:30 am.
Response to Intervention
Our second round of Response to Intervention (RTI) started this week. The team teachers have been engaged in data meetings to assign their students into intervention and enrichment classes during our What I Need (WIN) block. Staff will send out an email to families to communicate each student's RTI group by February 3.
From the Nurses Health Clinic:
If your student tests positive for Covid-19, they must stay home for 5 days. The day they started symptoms is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, then Day 2, etc. They may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. A headache, scratchy throat, congestion/runny nose, cough, and/or fever are some of the more common symptoms of Covid-19.
Siblings and close contacts do not need to quarantine and can come to school as long as they are not having symptoms of illness. However, they must wear a mask for 10 days when around others following exposure.
Click for more information from the Massachusetts DPH: Covid-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Respectfully,
Teresa Carney
Twitter: @wmsnatick
Instagram: wmsnatick
Point of Pride
Mentoring Event
Students who auditioned for Junior Districts
Upcoming SPARK Event
Natick 180 Trainings
Seven Things You Need to Know This Week
1. IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Saturday, February 4, (7:00 pm): Band Jam High School Gymnasium
Monday, February 6: Staff meeting
Wednesday, February 8: Early Release Day: Dismissal at 11:30am
Saturday, February 11, (7:00 pm): Choral Kaleidoscope, High School Gymnasium
Monday, February 20 - Friday, February 24: February Break
Friday, March 17: Trimester 2 ends
Monday, March 20: Trimester 3 begins
Wednesday, February 8: Early Release 11:30 am
Monday, February 20-Friday, February 24: No School (February Break)
2. Differently Wired: SOS for Parents in the Trenches
Tuesday, February 7 at 7pm via Zoom -- For parents, caregivers, educators, and community members
Behind every child who is differently wired is likely one or more frustrated, isolated, perhaps even burnt out adult. In this practical and actionable talk, author and parenting activist Debbie Reber, MA, shares ten powerful “tilts,” a.k.a. practical ideas to help parents shift their thinking and give their extraordinary children what they need to thrive.
ASL interpretation will be provided at this event. Register and learn more about this FREE online program and all our upcoming events at www.SPARKKindness.org
3. iDecide Survey Notification - Week of 2/6/2023
iDECIDE (Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment), is a drug education curriculum developed to provide behavioral support and psycho-education for middle and high school students. The program is designed to serve as a secondary prevention effort for youth (grades 6 -12) at risk for escalation to problematic substance use and as an alternative to suspension, expulsion, and other exclusionary practices for school-based substance use infractions. iDecide provides schools and communities the resources to empower students to engage in healthy decision making. iDecide is not a cessation program, and is not meant to be used in lieu of treatment. Natick Public Schools was chosen to work in partnership with iDecide, a program produced by Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
For more information about the iDecide program and its brief survey for students, USE THIS LINK.
To opt-out your student of postural screenings, please fill out this POSTURAL OPT OUT FORM. Please make sure to include each child’s full name and grade in your response. Responses must be submitted by 1/16/23.
Click here for more information about the flu clinic.
4. YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE: The yearbook is a great way to record your student's school year. It features students from all grades, clubs, sports teams, etc. It is for everyone!
To order: Please go to www.yearbookforever.com and search for "Wilson Middle School." Please include your student's full name and homeroom number. "Be sure to select the location in Natick, MA.
Pricing: Order early to lock in the lowest price. Prices increase as the year goes on (please see the pricing schedule below):
November 1-January 31= $30
February 1-March 31=$35
April 1= $40 until they sell out*Please Note*: Yearbooks are expected to sell out. Books are not guaranteed. Any questions, please contact Allyson O'Connor at aoconnor@natickps.org.
5. POSITIVITY PROJECT THEME THIS WEEK: Forgiveness. Forgiveness means you forgive those who have done wrong and you accept that people make mistakes. Click here for the letter.
6. WILSON ATHLETICS
Please click here: Wilson Athletics for important information.
7. LIBRARY NEWS
Please click here: Library News for important information. There is A LOT of new information, so please click on the link to read it.
Paper - On-Demand Tutoring
Natick Public Schools is excited to announce our partnership with Paper for on-demand tutoring for NHS students. Paper is a secure, online tutoring service that provides students with unlimited, 24/7 academic support. Whether they’re stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions to their essays, there will always be experts available online to assist students in over 200 subjects and more than 4 languages.
Paper tutors have been specially trained to conduct expert, academic support in a secure, chat-based platform. With a commitment to helping students learn, they’ll never give students answers, but rather interact with them in an encouraging tone to lead them forward.
This is a free service that we’re providing, so students are encouraged to use it as much as they need, whenever they need. Our teachers also have accounts and will be able to review all student activity to see what they’re working on and provide more targeted instruction as needed.
If you’d like to learn more about Paper you can sign up for a Paper hosted Parent Info Session, available in both English and Spanish.
To see Paper and the help it offers firsthand, we encourage you to login with your students. To get started, simply visit PAPER’s student login page, type your school’s name, and log in via Google using your school credentials
We’re thrilled to offer our students the unlimited, 24/7 support that Paper provides and we can’t wait to see what we’re able to accomplish together.
Email Blast
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If you have any questions, please contact the Wilson PTO at wilsonmspto@gmail.com.
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- Title I: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title II
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title VI
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Title IX
- Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
- MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5