The Week Ahead
January 8th, 2026
Artwork by Parker Smith
The Week Ahead
October 26- October 30, 2026
Happy Friday, Middle School Families!
Halloween, still really fun for middle school students, is occurring next week. Students are welcome to wear a costume to school on Friday, October 30th. If they choose to do so, please make sure your child adheres to the following guidelines:
- Student dress must be appropriate and in line with our Student and Parent Handbook .
- Students are NOT permitted to wear masks or other face coverings during class.
- Students are NOT permitted to have weapons (or simulated weapons) as part of their costume.
- Students are NOT permitted to have any additional hand held props to go along with their costume.
- Student costumes should NOT be overly graphic, suggestive, depict violence, blood or gore.
- Costumes should NOT restrict movement or vision, or participation in normal activities.
- Students wishing to participate by wearing a costume must arrive at school dressed in their costume. Students are not allowed to put on their costumes or apply face paint/hair products at school. This must be applied before arriving at school.
If student costumes compromise their safety or the safety of others, they will be asked to contact home for a change of clothes.
We are excited for our upcoming Veteran's Day celebration. As part of this important day, we are also asking for your support with the Disabled American Veterans Field of Flags. DAV's Field of Flags empowers our community to set up fields of American flags, all to honor local veterans and raise critical funds to support our ill and injured heroes. For every $250 raised, we will receive 24 flags - which we would like to display for Veteran's Day on November 11th. We have already reached our goal of $250 as a school - although we would love to raise more for this important cause. Our next goal would be $500. (We are close.) The link below takes you to our school page. https://support.dav.org/participants/31148
Finally, Weston Heritage Month will be celebrated across all schools in the month of March, offering families a chance to share their traditions and customs with the broader school community. We are forming a committee to plan engaging activities specifically for WMS during the week of March 15th. If you would like to lend your ideas and help coordinate these events, please join us. RSVP to Library Media Specialist Kari Yacawych at KariYacawych@Westonps.org
Here’s what’s ahead…
Jason and Dru
Important Upcoming Dates
October 26 - United Nations Day Assembly - Grade 7
October 28 - Coffee with the Counselors 9:00–10:00 AM, Think Tank, LLC
November 3 - Election Day - No School
November 4 - Quarter 1 Ends
November 4 - Picture Retake Day (Rescheduled)
November 11 - Veteran's Day Ceremony
November 12 - Report Cards Available to Families
November 12 - PTO Meetings (Executive Board 8:30; General Meeting 9:45)
November 15 - Harlem Wizards Event (Save the Date)
Notes from the LLC
Upgrades to the LLC
We are excited to share some wonderful updates coming to our library thanks to district funding! We are refreshing the space to create comfortable, flexible work areas that cater to every student’s learning style.
Study time is getting a major upgrade with new soft seating, including cozy couches and side tables perfect for casual reading and collaborative projects. We are also enhancing our Library Learning Commons innovation space with heavy-duty workbenches designed for hands-on learning. Plus, our new tables feature adjustable heights, giving students who focus best on their feet the option to stand while doing their work!
We know our middle schoolers are going to love these new options! Whether they are curling up on a couch with a great book, standing at a high table to work through a group assignment, or rolling up their sleeves at a workbench to build something incredible, these refreshed spaces will give every student a place where they feel energized, comfortable, and ready to learn.
Digital Citizenship Lessons
Throughout the school year, our students will engage in digital citizenship lessons designed to teach them critical thinking, digital ethics, and media literacy skills essential for navigating today’s online world safely and responsibly.
Grade 6: Sixth graders build foundational habits in digital ethics by learning how to give proper credit to creators, navigate fair use, and safely use emerging tools like AI.
Grade 7: Seventh graders sharpen their research skills by evaluating source credibility, practicing lateral reading to verify facts, and learning how to step outside online filter bubbles.
Grade 8: Eighth graders prepare for high school by mastering strategies to manage information overload, understanding how AI recommendation algorithms influence their feeds, and learning how to spot and stop the spread of misinformation.
Help Choose the Next Nutmeg Nominees!
The Nutmeg Selection Committees are seeking students to help select the 2029 Nutmeg Book Award Nominees. Committee members will begin meeting in early 2027 and work together throughout the calendar year to create a diverse and engaging list of books for young readers across Connecticut to enjoy during the 2028–2029 school year before voting for their favorites in April 2029.
Applications are open October 15–November 15.
2029 Intermediate 3-5 Nutmeg Book Award Student Reader Application Open to students currently in Grade 6 or Grade 7.
2029 Middle School 6-8 Nutmeg Book Award Student Reader Application Open to students currently in Grade 7 or Grade 8.
Resources
The Harlem Wizards are Coming to Weston!
Tickets are officially ON SALE! Don’t miss the Harlem Wizards taking on our very own Weston teachers and staff in the most fun basketball game you’ll ever see! This exciting community-wide event is also a major fundraiser for the WMS PTO. Your ticket purchase helps support the programs, activities, and experiences the PTO provides for our middle school students and staff throughout the year. Come cheer on your teachers, enjoy an unforgettable afternoon with friends and neighbors, and support the WMS PTO at the same time!
Sunday, November 15
Doors open at 3:00 PM | Game starts at 4:00 PM
Weston High School Gym
Bring the whole family and come cheer on Team Weston!
Field of Flags - Supporting American Veterans
Counselor's Corner
Coffee with the Counselors: Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 9:00–10:00 AM, Think Tank, LLC
Executive Functioning & Getting Organized
Please join us for a parent/counselor coffee as we talk about helping our children get organized, manage their responsibilities, and become more independent over time. We’ll share simple, practical strategies around routines, planners, and reminders, and talk about how we can support our kids without doing everything for them. We know this can be a challenge for both kids and parents, so come have coffee with us, connect, and share ideas!
If you want to learn a little more before we meet…
Please check out Ask Lisa: How Do I Help My Disorganized Teen?, where clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour, talks with Dr. Tori Cordiano, a psychologist specializing in executive functioning, ADHD, and learning disorders. Their conversation focuses on three helpful reminders for parents: keep expectations realistic, build routines, and use planners and reminders instead of relying on memory. It’s a great introduction to some of the ideas we’ll be discussing over coffee.
Watch the episode on YouTube | Listen to the podcast
Save the Dates!
Future Coffee with the Counselors:
December 9, 2026
February 24, 2027
May 12, 2027
The 20th Annual HRRA Recycling Billboard Contest is HERE!
Calling all student artists! The Housatonic Resources Recovery Authority (HRRA) is hosting its Annual Billboard Recycling Contest with this year’s theme: “I RECYCLE! DO YOU?” Students are invited to create artwork that inspires our community to take action, protect our environment, and practice proper recycling. Winning designs earn cash prizes and will be featured on regional billboards, giving local students a chance to see their artwork displayed for thousands to see! Official templates HERE and contest guidelines are available through this HRRA link. All entries must be completed on the official template and returned to your teacher or school main office by Monday, November 16, 2026. Let’s show our community how our school recycles right!
Students may ask their teachers for the proper template or click this link and print a copy of the HRRA template. We are looking forward to some great art! If you have any questions please contact Michael Aitkenhead (contest district coordinator) at michaelaitkenhead@westonps.org.
Eighth Grade Career Day
Calling all 8th grade parents in the Professional Community! We need Career Day presenters!
Our planning for our annual Career Day on March 19, 2027 is well underway. We are looking for professionals from the Weston community to be presenters in order to provide our 8th graders with insights and real-life experiences. We want to continue to make this a meaningful experience for our 8th grade students and would be honored to welcome any new or returning parent interested in sharing information about their career path and current profession. Our Career Day will run from roughly 8:15-12:00pm.
If you are able to join us, please contact the 8th grade School Counselor, Jen Doyle, at jenniferdoyle@westonps.org and if you have any questions about being a presenter, please don’t hesitate to call (203)221-6371.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Club Information
Looking for reminders about when and where clubs at WMS meet? Need the Google code to learn more information? See the link below for information.
WMS PTO
Tickets are now available for the PTO’s 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Fall Social Events!
6th Grade Halloween Party Registration
CONNECT at WMS
CONNECT is Weston Middle School's advisory program. It meets twice a month on a Wednesday for 30 minutes. Every teacher (and administrator) at our school serves as a CONNECT advisor. The purpose of CONNECT is embedded in the name. It's an opportunity to foster connections between adults and students as well as students and students. The goal of this week's meeting was just that. Students in varying grade levels came together to play games and spend time together. It was a great opportunity for eighth graders to mentor sixth graders and for seventh graders to get to know each other more as people.
Weston Sports and Recreation
Hoops and Homework
Hoops and Homework is returning for its second year at WMS!
Hoops and Homework is a high school student-led, teacher-chaperoned club where high school volunteers come to WMS to have fun playing basketball with middle school students and then facilitate a quiet, focused time for homework and tutoring as needed. During our first year, many middle school students participated and formed genuine connections with our high school volunteers. The club is completely free and is a ton of fun for students of all basketball skill levels, whether they play competitively or are just looking to shoot around and have fun.
Hoops and Homework will meet every Thursday from 2:45–4:00 p.m. in the WMS Library.
If you have any questions, please contact student leader darrenspencer@students.westonps.org or teacher advisor erichorton@westonps.org.
Interested in participating? Please consider filling out this form:
