Wilson Wildcats

Hello Wilson Families,

We are settling into our school routines, and it has been wonderful to see our students becoming more comfortable in their classrooms, connecting with teachers and classmates, and getting involved in the many opportunities Wilson has to offer. There has been a lot of positive energy in the building as we continue to build our school community.

This week, we were excited to welcome Ed Gerety to Wilson for a series of student assemblies focused on leadership, relationships, kindness, and making a positive impact on others. We appreciate the opportunity for our students to hear his message and reflect on how they can contribute to our school community. Click here to access his website for more information if you are interested.

Looking ahead, we have several exciting events coming up, including our Community and Curriculum Nights. These evenings will provide families with an opportunity to learn more about our school goals, connect with staff, and better understand what students will be learning and experiencing this year. Please review the information and schedule below, and we hope to see many of you at these upcoming events.

Grade 5 & 6 Community & Curriculum Night: 6:00-8:00 pm (Start in the Auditoirum)

Grade 7 & 8 Community and Curriculum Night: 6:00-8:00 pm (Start in the Auditorium)

* Reminder that we do NOT have school on Monday, September 21. Enjoy the long weekend.

Best,

Teresa Carney

Principal

A Few Important Reminders

Chromebooks: Students in all grades should bring their Chromebooks to school in their protective cases each day. Students in Grades 7 and 8 should make it a routine to charge their Chromebooks overnight so they arrive at school ready to learn. Please help your child develop this habit at home.

Community & Curriculum Nights

We are looking forward to our upcoming Community Night and Curriculum Nights! These evenings are a wonderful opportunity for families to connect with educators and learn more about the academic and social-emotional experiences their children will have this year. Please review the schedule above and make plans to join us.

For each evening, the first 30 minutes will be spent with the administration, where we will share information about our school goals, priorities for the year, and other important updates. Following the opening session, families will have an opportunity to connect with teachers and learn more about their child's experience at Wilson.

Being On Time & Being Here: Regular attendance and arriving to school on time are important to student success. We encourage families to make every effort to have students in school each day and on time. Of course, students should stay home when they are sick, particularly with symptoms such as a fever, vomiting, or a stomach bug. When students are healthy, however, being present and on time helps them stay connected to their teachers, classmates, and learning.

After-School Clubs & Sports

We are excited to have our after-school clubs and sports up and running! There are many great opportunities for students to get involved, try something new, spend time with friends, and build connections beyond the classroom. Please be sure to review the current club offerings here, as well as the late bus schedule. Most of our clubs are drop-in, so students can attend on the days that work for them unless otherwise noted.

A few important reminders for families: Students must have an active bus pass in order to ride a late bus. Students who remain after school must also be participating in a supervised activity and must be with an adult. Students should not be wandering the building or staying after school without adult supervision. Additionally, our school phone expectations remain in place during after-school activities. Cell phones and smart watches should not be used during clubs, sports, or other after-school activities. We have landlines available in the main office for students who need to contact a parent or caregiver, so students can always call home when needed.

We're pleased to announce that we will be offering Intramural Flag Football for all (grades 5-8) Wilson student-athletes this fall. In order to participate all student-athletes MUST have a signed Consent Release Form emailed to Coach Ellis (jbrierly@natickps.org) before participation. 5th & 6th graders will have Intramural Flag Football on 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15 & 10/22 from 2:15-3:00. 7th & 8th graders will have Intramural Flag Football on 9/29, 10/6, 10/13 & 10/20 from 2:15-3:00. There will be a late bus for any student-athletes that need it. Intramural 5th Grade Basketball and Intramural Unified Bocce will start in early November. More information about Intramural 5th Grade Basketball and Intramural Unified Bocce will be posted in the next Wilson Newsletter. Here is a link to the Wilson Athletic Website for more information on all sports at Wilson. Feel free to reach out to Mr Shute or a Wilson Coach if you have any questions.

Please ensure you are reviewing our daily school lunch menus on Natick Nutrislice to view full ingredient lists and allergen warnings for your child.

• Check Daily: Always review item details on Nutrislice before your child orders lunch.

• Pay Attention to Warnings: If an item displays the note "Incomplete Special Diet Data," full ingredient and allergen information is currently unavailable for that menu item.

• Safety First: Students with food allergies or sensitivities should not consume any menu item marked with "Incomplete Special Diet Data."

Thank you for partnering with us to keep all our students safe during mealtime!

Active Kids and Minds (AK+M) is a 12-week before-school program beginning in the third week of September. Students will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:05–7:35 a.m. for a fun, active start to the day through games, team challenges, and fitness activities. Please print and complete this registration form if you are interested in having your child participate and return to the main office. We will start on Tuesday, September 22.

Click here for important Wilson Health Services Information

One of the best parts of the school day is giving students a chance to step outside, get some fresh air, and connect with friends. Our Laps program provides that opportunity after lunch, and we are looking for parent/guardian volunteers to help make it happen.

Volunteering is a simple way to be part of your child’s school day and support our students. Even a small amount of your time makes a difference!

If you are interested in helping with Laps or would like more information, please sign up here:

Laps Volunteer Sign-Up

You also must have an up to date CORI filled out. If you are unsure of your CORI status, please contact jholihan@natickps.org. For the success of the program and the safety of the students, we need at least 3 volunteers for each lunch. Each volunteer stands at a designated area outside of the school to supervise students as they walk/run around the building for fresh air and a movement break, weather permitting.

As we settle into our school routines, we also want to remind families about a few important arrival and dismissal expectations:

• Please be on time for school. Students should arrive with enough time to enter the building and be ready for the start of the school day. Arriving on time helps students begin their day calmly and avoids missed instruction.
• Drop-off: Please use the designated drop-off area and follow staff directions. Students should exit the car safely and promptly so traffic can continue moving.
• Pick-up: Please use the designated pick-up area and follow the directions of staff supervising dismissal. For everyone’s safety, please do not pick students up in areas that are not designated for dismissal.
• Please drive carefully: There are many students, families, buses, and staff moving through the area at arrival and dismissal. Please slow down, remain patient, and follow all posted signs and staff directions.

Music lessons have begun! If you have not yet signed up and are interested in music lessons, please visit the Natick Music Lesson Program site for more information and registration details. Natick Music Lesson Program

If you have any questions for members of the Board, please contact us!

wilsonmspto@gmail.com

President - Dianne Borneo

Vice President - Melinda Casey-Magelby

Treasurer - Aili Lewis

Communications Director - Amber Rauh

Restaurant Night Coordinator - Christine Adelmann

Staff Appreciation Coordinator - Divya Chekki

Student Events Coordinator - Crissy Fabiano

Spark Kindness is excited to announce our FREE Fall 2026 Events!

Adolescent expert Dr. Lisa Damour is back! Join Spark on Wed 9/23 at 7 pm for a special conversation: Helping Kids Navigate Friendships, Conflict & Bullying. There are two ways to join: watch virtually (log in from anywhere!) or connect with caregivers at the Live Watch Party from 6:30-8:30 pm at Wilson Middle School in Natick. Then Sarah Ward joins us on Mon 10/26 at 7 pm for Building Executive Functioning Skills at Kennedy Middle School in Natick. This interactive program will provide caregivers with practical strategies they can begin using right away to help children and teens become more organized, independent, and prepared for the demands of school and life.

Register for each (or all!) event(s) at www.sparkkindness.org/events.

Monday, September 21:

No School-Yom Kippur

Thursday, September 24:

Grade 5 & 6 Community and Curriculum Night (6:00-8:00 pm)

Thursday, October 1:

Grade 7 & 8 Community and Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00 pm)

Wednesday, October 7:

Early Release Day (Dismissal is 11:30 am)