What's new with Watkins Middle?

As we wrap up the first quarter and look ahead to the second, our upcoming week off provides a great opportunity for students and families to reset, recharge, and refocus. The first nine weeks have been filled with learning, growth, new experiences, and challenges, and we are proud of the foundation our students have started to build. Throughout the quarter, we have emphasized Attend. Engage. Persist. and the importance of developing consistent habits that lead to long-term success. This break is an opportunity to step away from the daily routine, enjoy time with family and friends, and reflect on what has gone well and where there is room to grow. When we return, we want students to come back refreshed, ready to set new goals, take ownership of their learning, and continue building on the progress they have made. Success is not about being perfect every day, but about consistently showing up, putting forth effort, and continuing to improve. Enjoy the well-deserved break, and let's return ready to make the second quarter even better!

Please do not drop off or pick up students in the neighborhood next to Watkins Middle School. Crossing Warrior Way creates a safety risk for students, and neighborhood traffic causes inconvenience for residents. Please use only the school’s designated drop-off and pick-up areas. Thank you for helping keep our students safe and respecting our neighbors!

Middle school students are learning to navigate increasingly complex social situations, responsibilities, and decisions. Response inhibition is the ability to pause, think, and consider the consequences before acting or speaking. This skill helps students make thoughtful decisions, resist distractions, follow directions, and manage impulses. Whether it is waiting their turn to speak, thinking before posting something on social media, or choosing to complete homework before playing video games, response inhibition plays an important role in developing independence and responsibility. Families can support this skill by establishing clear expectations, modeling thoughtful decision-making, and helping students recognize how their choices impact themselves and others.

This Week’s Tip: Practice the "Pause, Think, Choose" Strategy. Encourage your child to pause before reacting to a frustrating situation or making an impulsive decision. Have them ask themselves three simple questions: What am I about to do? What could happen next? Is this the best choice? Practicing this strategy during everyday situations helps students develop greater self-control and make more thoughtful decisions. Remember, the goal is not perfect decision-making but helping students learn to slow down, reflect, and make better choices over time.

Watkins Middle School invites parents and caregivers to complete the ODOT Safe Routes to School Parent/Caregiver Survey to share their thoughts about children walking and biking to school. Your feedback will help us better understand families’ experiences and concerns. The survey takes approximately 5–10 minutes, and we ask each family to complete one survey per school their children attend. Responses are confidential, and neither your name nor your child’s name will be associated with the results. Thank you for sharing your input!

ODOT Safe Routes to School Parent/Caregiver Survey

Please make sure students are dropped off and picked up only in the designated areas. Students walking or running through the parking lot during arrival and dismissal creates a significant safety concern due to the amount of traffic. Thank you for helping us keep all of our students safe by following the designated drop-off and pick-up procedures.

Please click the link below for all of your athletic ticketing and scheduling needs.

Hometown Ticketing

• Varsity Ticket events are $7 up to 1 hour before the event. At the gate tickets are $8 (use of a card includes a fee at the gate). Middle School tickets are $5.

• All athletes should enter and exit the building through the 600 hall (Door 7) entrance before and after practice each day.

Open Gyms:

Students must sign-up to participate in Mr. Harrison's room, room 401, before or during school. Only the first 48 boys to sign up will be permitted to attend. Sign up starts Thursday 10/15. Students can sign-up before or after school.

Monday 10/19 3:00-4:30

Monday 10/26 3:00-4:30

Tryouts:

7th grade boys basketball tryouts will be held November 2nd, November 4th and November 5th 3:00-4:30 p.m.

8th grade boys basketball tryouts will be held November 2nd, November 4th and November 5th 4:30-6:00 p.m.

Students must have a current physical on file in Final Forms in order to participate.

Bus concerns:

We ask that you please contact the Transportation Department directly at 740-927-5901 with any concerns about your student’s bus (late arrival or other issues). Their phones are manned 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, and they have direct contact with all buses.

Attendance:

Please call the 24 hour WMS attendance line at (740) 927-6807 to report student absences. This voicemail box is available 24/7 and messages are retrieved on school days between the hours of 7:00am through 3:00pm.

If your student will miss school due to a pre-planned absence, please complete this Trip/Vacation Authorization Form.

Get in touch with WMS!

Website: https://wms.swl.k12.oh.us/

Joel Baker, Principal

jrbaker@swls.us

Steve Hare, Assistant Principal (Students A-K)

share@swls.us

Katie Piacquadio, Assistant Principal (Students L-Z)

kpiacquadio@swls.us

Vicki Kalina, Dean of Students

vkalina@swls.us