Center Stage

WCS Mission Statement:

The Windham Center School is a supportive community dedicated to student achievement, personal growth and empowering students to take ownership of their learning while showcasing their qualities that make them unique.

WCS Vision Statement:

The vision of the Windham Center School is to strive to foster confidence, curiosity, and resilience in our students' educational journey while inspiring lifelong learners guided by our core values of Responsibility, Opportunity, Achievement, and Respect.

Dear Parents & Guardians,

We hope you had a great week and an even better weekend!

Today, your child’s progress reports are available. Next week, we will be holding our Parent-Teacher Conferences. Although you are able to schedule a conference with only one academic teacher, if you have questions about other content areas, please feel free to reach out directly to your child’s teachers. It is important that we work collaboratively and stay on the same page when it comes to supporting your child.

Our Book Fair is open and will have extended hours on conference nights. Please take some time to stop by and check it out while you are here! There are many great choices and getting physical books in our kids hands is important!

Next week is also our Red Ribbon Spirit Week! Please see the complete list of theme days further down in the newsletter. We will kick off Monday by wearing red and end the week with Halloween costumes. A reminder about Halloween costumes: Students may not wear blow-up costumes, face masks, or bring costume weapons to school. Please make sure all costumes are school-appropriate and allow students to participate safely and comfortably throughout the school day.

Recently, we have received some questions about grading expectations. Teachers are expected to grade formative assessments within one week and summative assessments within two weeks. School holidays do not count toward these timelines. Additionally, assignment due dates may occasionally shift. Teachers may adjust dates based on their interactions with students, instructional needs, and where students are in their learning. If you ever have questions about an assignment, grade, or due date, please reach out directly to your child’s teacher.

This month is AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Device Month. AAC is a tool that helps individuals communicate when speaking is difficult, limited, or not possible. We have multiple students in our building who use AAC devices, and our students who use AAC have been helping with our morning announcements using their devices. It has been a wonderful week of celebrating communication and teaching our students that communication looks different for everyone! We are so proud of our students for helping us create a more inclusive and supportive school community.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

B.J. Martin

Principal-B.J. Martin bmartin@windhamsd.org

Assistant Principal/504 Coordinator-Nadine Herard nherard@windhamsd.org

Director of Special Education-Kaite Carmody kcarmody@windhamsd.org

The bus company has notified us that there are now bus passes available for some buses, but not all. Please see below:

Bus passes available: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14

Bus passes not available due to capacity: 1, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16

Although some buses are allowing for bus passes, there is always a capacity so at any point in time we may need to deny a pass.

On Tuesday (10/20), the Windham School Board held a public hearing to address House Bill 1300, Chapter 324, which was adopted by the New Hampshire State Legislature and signed by Governor Kelly Ayotte in 2026, and adds a new subsection to RSA 32 titled “School District Local Tax Cap and School Administrative Fixed Cap on Central Office Administrative Budgets”. In November 2026 and November 2028, voters will be asked about the following two items during the State’s general election:

• Adoption of a school district-only tax cap

• 6% cap on SAU central office spending

If you have any questions, the Windham School Board can be reached at wsb@windhamsd.org. For more information, the School Board has provided this informational flyer.

Just a reminder, per WSD Policy EEAG, parents are not allowed to transport another student who is not their child unless they are an authorized emergency contact in PowerSchool.

This week's tech tip is on setting your MyPowerHub and Parent Portal Communication Preferences.

The following linked instructions go into detail with screenshots on how to set your preferences in either a web browser or using the mobile app.

Check your settings today to make sure you are getting the messages you are looking for.

We've heard the frustrations with making fee payments and wanted to let you know we're listening. We've added a new button/link that makes paying outstanding fees easier from both the web version and mobile app version of MyPowerHub! This new link bypasses the Fee Balance page and takes you directly to your RevTrak login.

Directions differ depending on whether you are using the mobile app or the browser version so PLEASE review the updated instructions for IMPORTANT details that will make this process easier for you.

5th Grade STEAM classes will be heading outside for nature walks from October 19-November 24. Please have your child dress appropriately: jackets as needed, and wear closed-toe shoes (sneakers, crocs, or hiking boots are fine, but no sandals or slippers) .

WMS is looking to fill the following coaching positions:

Girls' Basketball, Boys' Basketball, Wrestling, Softball, and Track and Field.

If you are interested, please apply on the district website. If you are interested and would like to discuss before applying, please email Kevin Moyer kmoyer@windhamsd.org

To help our parents and guardians feel more comfortable navigating the various PowerSchool products the district uses, the tech department will regularly share support and learning tools in the newsletters. We hope these tech tips, which will include a variety of videos, PDF instructions, deep dives, and quick tips, will help our community become more comfortable using our primary resources: MyPowerHub (The Hub), the PowerSchool Parent Portal, and the PowerSchool Mobile App. Additionally, these resources will be added to our website's Parent Technology Resource Center so you can revisit them at any time.

We are starting with a video overview of MyPowerHub. Click here to launch the video.

This overview highlights the version you access via a web browser. Just as a reminder, our Hub login URL is: https://windhamsd.guardian.powerschool.com/

Regards,

Victoria A. Provost

District Data Coordinator/PowerSchool System Admin

Please use the Book Fair Volunteer Signup Genius to help staff the Scholastic Book Fair. We need volunteers to sign up for 1 or more shifts from October 26-30 to run a register, help students shop, and help with setup/breakdown. Volunteers get a 10% discount and help make our Scholastic Book Fair library fundraiser happen. Contact Joel Burdette with questions, or if you’d like to help on the Book Fair committee.

The PTA is a Parent/Teacher Association, which has been formed for the purpose of increasing and improving communication between home and school. The PTA meets once per month, runs book fairs during parent/teacher conferences, and runs many other important school events. Each fall, the PTA has its annual membership drive for new members and the election of officers. It is hoped that the parents of all of our students will become members and support our school projects.

Visit our PTA website at: http://www.windhampta.org/ for the most current PTA officers and Information.

Destination Imagination (DI) is an open-ended STEAM after-school activity that inspires students to imagine and innovate today, so they can become the creative leaders of tomorrow. Students take on the entire creative process from imagination to innovation. They learn vital life and career skills—creative thinking, critical thinking, public speaking, and collaborative problem-solving—that help them to feel empowered and set them up for future success. Fifth graders are considered to be at the elementary level for DI, while 6th graders compete at the middle school level. DI requires participation from a few parents (as team coach, competition appraiser, and competition volunteers). Center School teams will be competing in the NH Regionals in March 2027 (based on performances, teams may continue to compete through May 2027).

Please have your child watch the challenge videos found at this link to express which challenges he/she would be most interested in. Link: https://www.destinationimagination.org/challenge-experience/challenge-previews/

If you are interested in joining a team this year, please fill out the Google Form here. The form will close on October 9, 2026.

Please note that completing this form does not guarantee a spot on a DI team. We have limited parent volunteers who have agreed to be a team coach so far. We will also try to align students who are interested in the same challenge. The availability of your child on a day when a coach and the advisor are available will also be a factor.

Questions: Please email Katy Parsons at kparsons@windhamsd.org

Hello WCS Families,

We are happy to announce that Ski Club will occur again this year! We will be going to Pat’s Peak on Thursday nights in January for five fun-filled nights of skiing and snowboarding (January 7, 14, 21, 28 & Feb. 4). Students of all levels are welcome to sign up, as there are lessons at the mountain.

This year, sign-ups will be emailed out on October 25th at 9:00 AM (Sunday) to allow for early bird pricing and for all families to have an option to sign up. (To receive early pricing, registration must be paid in FULL on or before 11/15/26!) Sign-ups will be first-come, first-served and can be very competitive. When you go to sign up, you will need the names and numbers of TWO emergency contacts ready to be entered. If your child does not make the cut-off for the club, there will be a Google Form in the notes asking you to sign up for the waitlist. The waitlist will be timestamped from when the form is submitted to ensure a fair process for all 5th- and 6th-grade students.

If you are new to Ski Club, here is some overview information:

- Please be advised that participation in this club entails additional expenses, including bus transportation fees and a Pats Peak ski pass. Families may select from a variety of pass types, depending on their preferences and budget.

- All students must pay for their spot on the bus and get their pass from Pat’s Peak.

- Videos of how to purchase tickets and detailed information can be found on the Ski Club Page for students who join the Ski Club. You will not be entered early; only students who make it into the club will be on the page, so no one gets confused.

- This year, you can pay for the Ski Club bus digitally (PowerSchool) or by check payable to Windham Center School.

- Pat’s Peak passes must be purchased directly through Pat’s Peak. Please see the video and/or PDF directions for 2026/2027 ski club members on the Ski Club page (only available for those who get into the club).

- Students leave WCS at 1:45 pm and will be responsible for gathering information and work from their missed classes.

- Students will have lessons (if purchased) from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM and free skiing from 4:00 PM to 6:45 PM.

- Students who miss their check-in time (5:00 PM - 5:30 PM) cannot come the following week.

- Rental gear is available for anyone who needs it and can be purchased with their pass.

- Mrs. Schuurman and Mrs. Cronin will email chaperones to alert them if they can be chaperones for their chosen night. You will then get a pass from Mrs. Schuurman to ski/snowboard for the night.

-Mandatory Parent Meeting: If your child is in Ski Club for the first time and is accepted into the club, at least one parent/guardian must attend a required meeting on December 2nd at 5:30 PM. This meeting will cover all expectations, procedures, and important information for the club.

As always, if you have any questions, please email us at jschuurman@windhamsd.org and scronin@windhamsd.org.

Tutor.com: We are thrilled to continue offering Tutor.com services to grades 4-12! This partnership with the New Hampshire Department of Education and Tutor.com provides unlimited access to the tutoring service – anytime, anywhere, from any internet-connected device. This means your child can get the academic support they need, even from the comfort of home. Our students can access Tutor.com through their Schoology course pages. Please click here for more information.

The following events are not sponsored by the Windham School District.