WMS Summer Newsletter

Dear WMS Families,

Walpole Middle School, recognized as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School®, has received National Banner Recognition for its efforts to provide inclusive sports and activities. This distinguished status was achieved by meeting 10 national standards of excellence in inclusion, advocacy, and respect, developed by a national panel of leaders from Special Olympics and the education community. WMS is one of only 19 schools in Massachusetts and 202 schools nationwide to earn this recognition for the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations and thank you to the dedicated staff, with special recognition to Ms. Crawford, Ms. Bodenrader, and Mr. Abate, whose hard work and commitment made this opportunity possible for our students. We will continue to celebrate this recognition with a Banner Ceremony at WMS in early November.

Best,

Carrie Ruggiero

Principal

- Classes begin this week, Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

- All registrations are closed.

An email went out to all registered families confirming dates and times for the classes

Please click on the brochure below for more information. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Dan Santangelo at dsantangelo@walpole.k12.ma.us

This week, our eighth-grade students participated in a ropes course at the YMCA in Hopkinton as part of a team-building and connection exercise. This experience provided students with opportunities to develop trust, communication, and collaboration with their peers in a challenging yet supportive environment. The ropes course activities encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience, all of which are essential skills for personal growth and success both inside and outside the classroom. These exercises are crucial for fostering a sense of community and strengthening relationships among students as they prepare for the year ahead.

Please click on the Team Update Button below to view the latest curriculum updates by team!

On October 22nd, during extensions, Tri-County representatives are coming to WMS to present different career opportunities and to discuss the application process for Tri-County to interested 8th graders. If your child is interested, please have them sign up using the Google Form in the Grade 8 Google Classroom.

We are excited to announce that we have partnered up with Linewize by Family Zone, a leading education technology company, to provide our school communities with the highest quality of online safety and digital wellness education. Linewize's global team of experts work together to empower families to navigate the online world with greater ease and confidence. This partnership provides our district with tools, resources, and expert advice on all the latest online safety issues you and your family may be encountering. As members of our school community, you have direct access to our custom-designed Online Safety Hub, where you can access a wide array of research-backed tools and educational materials that will help you implement online safety measures at home.

What’s included?

Parent Advice Guides

● Expert advice on how to identify the biggest online safety issues your child might be experiencing, from online bullying to screen time, online predators and social media usage

● Step-by-step recommendations to guide you through addressing these issues with your child

App & Game Review

● Extensive reviews of the latest trending apps and games including a full assessment of their functions and risks

● Our online safety experts provide step-by-step instructions on how to make each app and game safer for your child

Online Safety Quiz & Additional Resources

● Complete the online safety parenting quiz to receive a safety rating for your family

● Get useful hints and tips on the actions you can immediately take to keep your family safe online - even if you are not tech-savvy yourself

● Guides on how to implement safety initiatives in your home

We have been enjoying welcoming your students to Walpole Middle School, meeting new students, and working to build a connected community! These Counselors' Corner Newsletters will be brought to you at the end of each month. They will include helpful articles, images, links to webinars, and a monthly social-emotional learning calendar.

Click here for the latest newsletter!

https://www.ixl.com/resources/IXL-parent-handout

We are excited to be using IXL at Walpole Middle School this year in ELA and Math! The data will be instrumental in providing students with support and enrichment on targeted skills to meet their individual needs. Students will be using this platform during ELA, Math, and X block. They will be expected to spend some time at home completing skill practice too. Students will access IXL through Clever on their school devices. If they plan to use another device, they should ask their ELA or Math teacher for their username and password. Please email Jill Masterson or Jodi O'Rourke with any questions.

As fall comes upon us, we have accumulated many items of outdoor clothing, jackets, sweatshirts and even a few shirts. The table with lunch boxes, books and water bottles is also becoming crowded. Please encourage your student to stop by lost and found in the cafeteria during their lunch period.

This Math site for parents is designed specifically for parents and families. It offers a breakdown of the topics in each of the 8 units covered throughout the course of the year. Most of the topics have a video link built in that will offer support for students and/or parents/families when working on math at home. There is a section for each grade level course, as well as math connections. In addition, there is a section that breaks down the prerequisite skills that play the biggest role for each grade level. We hope this serves as a valuable resource for parents and families throughout the year.

We are pleased to announce the formation of a WMS Mathcounts Club. Mathcounts is a national organization founded by engineers and scientists to promote mathematical excellence. In Mathcounts, students work cooperatively to solve challenging math problems requiring creative thinking. Participants will develop a repertoire of effective problem-solving strategies, sharpen their math skills, explore topics which may not be part of the regular math curriculum, and refine their ability to communicate mathematical reasoning.

Mathcounts will meet twice a week after school, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 2:45 to 3:45 in room 209. Our first session will be Tuesday, October 15, and our last session of the year will be Wednesday, May 7. Mr. Ross, a WMS social studies teacher, will be the “coach” (he was the 8th grade math teacher at Bird for ten years and ran the Mathcounts Club there for many years).

Mathcounts is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who like math and want to take their mathematical game to the next level. Our top eight students will represent WMS at the Mathcounts regional competition in February, where dozens of middle schools from Eastern Mass. will be represented. We are looking for students who are willing to make a real commitment to Mathcounts: attending all of the after-school sessions and working diligently during each session.

The cost to join the Mathcounts Club will be $275 per student for the full year. To sign up for Mathcounts, simply fill out this form by Friday, October 18th.

Email Mr. Ross at: rross@walpole.k12.ma.us (you can also contact Mr. Ross with any questions that you might have) and then bring a check payable to “Town of Walpole” for the above amount to the office.

Parents are asked to send a note to the office if their child is going to be dismissed during the school day for an appointment. If a student does not have a note to bring to school, parents should complete this Google Form in order to alert the office of their upcoming departure. In addition, we ask that you complete this form at least two hours prior to dismissal, so our staff can be prepared. If you are dismissing multiple students at the same time, please complete the form once for each student. Thank you for your help with this.

We are excited for families to have the opportunity not only to tour our new state-of-the-art facilities but also to meet our incredible staff and hear about all the amazing curriculum and exciting happenings at our school. We are especially eager to share how our new, cutting-edge environment is enhancing student learning and engagement every day. Due to parking constraints as we finalize the second phase of construction on the parking lot, we have adjusted our Back-to-School Night schedule to better accommodate everyone. The 6th Grade Back-to-School Night will now take place on Monday, October 28, and we will hold a combined 7th and 8th Grade Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, October 29 , both from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Please note that these events are for parents and guardians only. More details about the format will be shared as the dates approach. Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

Did you know that the Walpole Middle School has a new account on Instagram? You can find us at walpolemiddleschool. Be sure to follow our account to see announcements, information, and scenes from WMS.

October

14 - NO SCHOOL - Columbus Day

23 - MLPAC Family Meet & Greet Dinner

28 - Back-to-School Night - 6th grade parents

29 - Back-to-School Night - 7th & 8th grade parents

Please be sure to visit the Virtual Backpack for upcoming events such as:

Principal

Website: https://www.walpole.k12.ma.us/o/wms
Location: 625 Washington Street, Walpole, MA 02081
Phone: (508) 660-7226