WMMS Tiger Times

Welcome to a new school year at William Matthew Middle School! I hope your summer was filled with rest, fun, and special memories with family and friends. As we gear up for the start of another exciting year, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Our team has been working hard to prepare a safe, engaging, and welcoming environment for all students. This year, we are especially focused on our expectations of being respectful, responsible and safe, building strong relationships, supporting academic growth, and fostering a positive school culture where every student feels seen, heard, and valued.

Communication between school and home is key to student success, so please keep an eye on our newsletters, website, and social media for important updates and events. We encourage you to reach out with any questions or ideas — together, we can make this school year one of the best yet.

We can’t wait to welcome our students back to the halls of WMMS. Let’s make it a great year and GO TIGERS!

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandi VanDelft

WMMS Principal

WMMS Expectations: Respectful, Responsible, Safe

Click here to see our expectations matrix.

Here at WMMS each student is placed into a "House" to build community and school pride. Students are placed into a house during a sorting assembly their 6th grade year and remain in that house throughout middle school. Students receive house points for positive behavior related to our expectations of being respectful, responsible and safe and academic achievements in the classroom. We carefully keep track of house points and reward our quarterly house champions!

Arrival Information

Student arrival will be the same as we ended the year with our student drop off/pick up lanes in the new parking lot. All students will enter through the main (west) doors starting at 7:10 AM.

Students eating breakfast at school should do so as soon as they arrive in the morning. If your student will be eating breakfast at school, please have them here by 7:30 AM to give them plenty of time to eat before the 7:43 AM bell. Those students riding buses that arrive later than 7:30 AM will be given time to eat breakfast.

After eating breakfast (or as soon as arriving if not eating), students will report to their assigned seating area. Students are separated by grade level. Cell phones and personal electronic devices must be kept out of sight once entering the building. Students are released to their lockers beginning at 7:43 AM. First hour begins at 7:48 AM.

Dismissal Information

School ends at 2:45 PM

Bus:

Students riding a bus will leave the building using the main (west) doors and report directly to their bus. R1 and R2 bus riders will wait in the commons for their bus to arrive.

Parent pick up: Students will leave the building using the main (west) doors.

Walkers/Bike Riders:

All walkers/bike riders will exit through the south doors and use our new sidewalk connected to the walking trail.

Thanks to MA Bank and B&H Graphics we have a supply of new Kirksville T-shirts to give away! You can reserve T-shirts for incoming K-12 Kirksville R-3 students in your household and get a jumpstart on the 2025-26 school year by filling out an application for the Federal Free and Reduced School Meal Program.

We encourage all families to apply for the Federal Free and Reduced School Meal Program—even if you think you may not qualify or if your children usually bring lunch from home. Submitting an application can help Kirksville Schools receive vital funding that supports not only school meals but also a range of valuable educational programs.

First, complete your household's Free and Reduced Meal Program application: https://www.myschoolapps.com/

Next, submit this form to reserve T-shirts: https://forms.gle/zLcr1cA2jmVwn9FN8

Then, we’ll contact you at the email address provided once your application has been processed to let you know when and where to pick up your T-shirts--while supplies last!

Missouri requires all students entering the 8th grade to have one MCV (Meningococcal Vaccine) and one Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) prior to school starting.

Please drop off your 8th grader's updated immunization record before the start of the school year.

Student medications can be dropped off starting August 18th.

Please contact our school nurse, Kristi Zentz, with any questions you may have kzentz@kirksville.k12.mo.us

Fall 2025 Season Information

Get your online PRIVIT account updated/created here:

https://kirksvilletigers-mo.e-ppe.com/index.jspa

Call the HS office at 660.665.4631 with any questions.

Link to the 2025-2026 School Calendar

PTC

The Parent Teacher Committee "PTC" is the parent organization at William Matthew Middle School. The PTC will assist with several school-sponsored social activities throughout the year and provide minor funding for "extras" at the school.

There is no cost to join! Simply fill out the form included in your student's folder you'll pick up on August 14th and return it to the school office so we can notify you of meetings or volunteer opportunities. Most communication is by email or phone.

If you would be interested in becoming a PTC leader, have any suggestions, ideas, or concerns please contact William Matthew Middle School at (660) 665-3793 or the PTC at Matthewsmiddleschoolptc@gmail.com

CARES Center

Did you know that the Kirksville R-III School District has its very own school-based health center? The CARES Center is located at the northwest entrance of the Kirksville Area Technical Center.

The CARES Center offers Urgent/Walk-in care, preventative care, wellness visits, immunizations (free for Medicaid eligible and uninsured students through VFC and billed as normal for commercial), flu vaccine, sports physicals, point-of-care testing (COVID-19, Rapid Strep and Influenza testing), allergy shots, blood work.

The CARES Center is open 7:30 am - 4:30 pm. If your child is sick during school hours, the school nurse in each building will triage the student's illness (just like always) and then can help coordinate with you to get the student taken care of at the CARES Center. Students must have parental/guardian consent to be seen at the CARES Center.

I Think I Can Foundation

The I Think I Can Foundation was formed in 2009 with the mission to provide basic necessities and opportunities to the Kirksville R-III students who otherwise cannot provide for themselves. What started as a way to make sure that no student has to deal with hunger has grown into an awareness that no student should have to deal with low self-esteem.

Please click here to learn more about the I Think I Can Foundation.

And click here if you think your student could benefit from the assistance of the I Think I Can Foundation.

Attendance: We look forward to seeing your child every day! If your child must miss school, please contact the main office (660) 665-3793 before 8:00 to let us know. If we haven't heard from anyone regarding an absence, we will call home to make sure your child is safe. Please turn in any doctors excuses to our secretaries asap.

Scheduling/Student Concerns: Our school counselors are here to help!

Mr. Justin Moeller (Last Names A-K)

Mrs. Michele Yoder (Last Names L-Z)

Extension 4

Medical Concerns: Nurse Kristi Zentz can help if your child has medical needs or if you have questions about your child's health.

Extension 5

Classroom Questions: The easiest way to reach your child's teacher is via email. Click here for a list of emails.

Transportation: If you have a question about your child's bus or about signing your child up to ride the bus, please contact Ecco Ride at (636) 204-5441.

General Questions: If you are not sure who to contact for your specific question, our amazing office secretaries, Mrs. Pletz and Mrs. Reed, can help answer your question or connect you to the right person.

Important Dates

September 1: NO SCHOOL - LABOR DAY
September 9: WMMS School Picture Day
September 22: NO SCHOOL - TEACHER PD DAY
October 3: Fun Night 5:00 - 7:00 PM
October 16: End of 1st Quarter
October 20: NO SCHOOL - TEACHER PD DAY
October 22 & 23: Parent Teacher Conferences
October 23: Early Out - WMMS @ 12:45 PM
October 24: NO SCHOOL
November 26-28: NO SCHOOL
December 5: NO SCHOOL - TEACHER PD DAY
December 19: End of 2nd Quarter
December 22 - January 5: NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK

William Matthew Middle School

1515 South Cottage Grove

Kirksville, MO 63501

660-665-3793

WMMS Tiger Times