The Stampede
Dates to Remember...
10/16 - NO School
10/19 - 2nd Quarter begins
10/21 - Early Release - 1:45 Dismissal
10/26 - Celebrity's Dine Out Fundraiser 4-8pm
10/28 - Early Release - 1:45 Dismissal
10/30 - WPTO Family Bingo Night 6-8pm
WMS Tier
At Wheatridge Middle School, we provide reading and math tier instruction in six-week cycles to support students’ individual learning needs. These groups are flexible and may change from cycle to cycle based on student progress and areas of need. All students participate in reading and math learning opportunities during our designated tier times. Our goal at WMS is to provide timely support so students can strengthen needed skills.
Title I Parent & Family Engagement Overview
Wheatridge Middle School l is committed to partnering with families to support student success. Families will have opportunities to:
Learn about Title I services, funding, and their rights.
Provide input on Title I programs, policies, and the School-Parent Compact.
Access resources and information to support learning at home.
Receive clear, timely communication and language support when needed.
Participate in meetings and activities with barriers to participation addressed.
Work with the school to support student achievement and improve family engagement.
If you would like to see a complete copy of Wheatridge Middle School Title 1 Parent & Family Engagement plan, please contact Jennifer Toman. Tomanj@usd231.com
Book Club
WMS Book Club begins next week on Tuesday, October 20th. This club is open to 5th-8th grade students who have turned in a permission slip. (Permission slips are located in the library and counseling office. ) We will read three books from our district-approved list within the six months we meet. Students are required to read outside of our meetings so they're ready for our book discussions. Each meeting is from 3:15-4:00pm in the WMS Library. The late bus is available to students needing transportation. We are so excited to meet this year's Book Club members!
A Note from the Nurse
Wheatridge PTO
Connect with us on Facebook
Athletics
7th and 8th grade students will need a Pre-Participation Physical before attending any athletic tryout or practice. You can find a copy of the Physical packet (including USD 231 specific forms) required by the district
2026-2027 Pre-Participation Physical
Physicals can be emailed to schesserb@usd231.com
NEW THIS YEAR....Tickets for all athletic events will be CASHLESS.
Tickets will need to be pre-purchased or you can use a debit/credit card at the gate.
Concessions at middle school events will now accept cash or card.
TAXES & FEES WILL BE ADDED TO ALL PURCHASES
Family Resource Night
Yearbook
Math Help
2026-2027 Fees
Box Tops for Education
FROM PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE STAMPEDE...
WMS School Hours
7:50 a.m. - Doors open
8:00 a.m. - Students allowed in hallways/lockers
8:10 a.m. - Tardy bell rings (Students must be in class and ready to learn!)
3:15 p.m. - Dismissal
Drop off/ Pick up Procedures
5th and 6th Grade Parents:
We encourage you to drop off and pick up your student in the back of the school (East Side) loop (by the playground). Students will enter through the back doors. Doors will not open until 7:50 am. At this point, 5th and 6th grade students will report to the commons and auditorium until the 8:00 am bell.
7th and 8th Grade Parents:
We encourage you to drop off and pick up your student in the front of the school (West Side) loop (by the flagpole). Students will enter through the gym doors. Doors will not open until 7:50 am. Usually, at this point 7th and 8th grade students will report to the gym until the 8:00 am bell.
Students can only be dropped off and picked up at the curb through the car loop line. Students are not to enter the parking lot to get picked up or dropped off. Thank you for helping us keep students safe.
Headphones
School Lunch
Managing Your Students' Meal Accounts
How to Add Payments to Lunch Account
Ever wonder what your student is eating for lunch? Review their meal purchases in your MySchoolBucks account to stay in the know! This option is available for ALL families even if you pay with cash or check.
Log in through your PowerSchool parent portal or create your FREE account today: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain.action
Questions about your student's account? Email us at nutrition@usd231.com. We're here to help!
Parents are welcome to visit during lunch.
You must check in at the office with a valid photo ID.
Attendance
Inclement Weather
In the event USD 231 closes school due to inclement weather or other school-related closures, the information is communicated as soon as the decision is made in the following ways:
- Posted on our website - www.usd231.com
- Posted to social media ( https://www.facebook.com/gardneredgerton and https://twitter.com/gardneredgerton.
- Local television stations (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC)* Please know we are at the mercy of these stations as to whether or not they relay the information. There have been instances when the district has provided information, and the news station did not get it posted.
- Thrillshare App ( Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptegy.gardner&hl=en_US OR Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/usd-231-gardner-edgerton/id1446800227)
Our inclement weather procedures can be found here: https://www.usd231.com/o/district/page/inclement-weather-procedures
Addressing Concerns in USD 231
Behavior Resources
Parenting doesn’t come with a manual—but Behavior Checker can help.
Behavior Checker is a free online resource from Johnson County Mental Health Center with practical strategies for common childhood behaviors. Simply choose a behavior or browse by category to find teaching strategies you can try at home.
From bedtime struggles and sibling conflict to tantrums, lying and more, Behavior Checker gives parents and caregivers another tool for navigating the everyday challenges of raising kids.
Explore Behavior Checker: jcmhc.behaviorchecker.org
Resources are also available in Spanish.
Community Resources
If you or someone you know is in need of any type of assistance, please take look at these community resources.
Wheatridge Middle School
Website: https://www.usd231.com/o/wheatridge
Location: 318 East Washington Street, Gardner, KS, USA
Phone: 9138562900
Twitter: @WMSMustangs231