WMS Summer Newsletter

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we kindly ask all families to take some time to review the Student and Parent Handbook with your child. This document includes important information regarding the following: Absence and Tardy Policies, the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan, Cell Phone Policy, X2 Attendance & Grade Notifications, Floor Plan / Map, the Daily Schedule, and the Code of Conduct. Familiarizing yourselves with these guidelines will help ensure a smooth and successful school year for everyone.

Temporary student drop-off / pick-up loop: All passenger vehicle student drop-off and pick-up traffic will enter the school site from Washington Street, take the first right before reaching the new building, and proceed around to the drop-off / pick-up point for students. The drop-off / pick-up point will be a little further down from where students where dropped off during tours. Students will now enter and exit the front entrance. Vehicles will then exit on East Street. We ask that parents/guardians kindly follow the directions given by personnel on-site to guide traffic.

With the volume of traffic and activity at this time, It is important that students are paying close attention during dismissal to quickly and safely locate their cars. Staff will review these temporary procedures with students on Wednesday.

Temporary bus exit road: At the start of the school year, all bus traffic will enter the school site from Washington Street, proceed to the left of the new building, and drop off or pick up students at the paved walkway that leads to the main entrance of the school.

Walkers/bike riders: The pedestrian paths off East St. and Washington St. will be complete for walkers and bike riders for the first day of school.

Consistent attendance is key to your child’s academic success. Each day of school builds upon the last, and repeated absences or tardiness can result in significant learning loss. On the other hand, being present and on time every day helps develop positive habits that extend beyond school and can impact future academic and professional success. We ask that you please schedule trips and vacations during designated school breaks. Planning travel outside of these periods can lead to missed instructional time, which may affect your child’s overall progress. We fully recognize the value of family time and vacations and appreciate your efforts to balance these with educational commitments by aligning your plans with school breaks. By doing so, we all contribute to a positive and uninterrupted learning environment. Please see the school year calendar for reference below.

As we continue to settle into the new school year, I want to remind everyone of the importance of ensuring that your child charges their Chromebook each night. It is essential that students come to school each day with a fully charged Chromebook, ready for their classes and activities. Please note that the Chromebook will go back and forth with students each day, but the charger should remain at home. This routine will help ensure that the device is always ready for use at school and reduce the risk of chargers being misplaced or forgotten. Thank you for your support in helping our students be prepared and successful.

Please complete this form for your 6th grade or any newly enrolled child(ren) in Grades 6 through 12. One form for each child.

Even the most careful students sometimes have accidents with their Chromebooks. That's why Walpole Public Schools offers optional Chromebook insurance for students in Grades 6-12. Without insurance, repairs for accidental damage will be charged for the cost of parts. These costs can add up! Typical costs (subject to change without notice) may be:

• Screen repair/replacement: $45

• Damaged AC Adapter (charger): $35

• Keyboard replacement: $50

• Full replacement cost of Chromebook: $240

• Other types of repairs, or more complex or additional damage found during repair may incur higher repair costs

Did you know that the Walpole Middle School has a new account on Instagram? You can find us at walpolemiddleschool. Be sure to follow our account to see announcements, information, and scenes from WMS.

The Walpole Public Schools Music Department is pleased to announce the fall session for our Private Lesson Program for students in grades 4 - 12. If your child is interested in taking private instrument or voice lessons, here is your chance. Lessons are offered in flute, oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone horn, tuba, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, guitar and voice. All lessons are taught by accomplished performers on their respective instruments. Some lessons are currently being taught virtually.

Session 1 will run September 23 to January 31. Registration is open until Monday, September 16th.

For more information and to register, visit:

https://sites.google.com/walpole.k12.ma.us/wpsmusic/private-lesson-program/overview

For questions, email:

Tim Fleming (K-12 Music Coordinator) at tfleming@walpole.k12.ma.us

Please be sure to visit the Virtual Backpack for upcoming events such as:

Principal

Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/wms
Location: 625 Washington Street, Walpole, MA 02081
Phone: (508) 660-7226