Thanksgiving Break is almost here. We hope to see your student on Wednesday at the 27th Annual Turkey Promenade, one of the best WMS events of the year! The food donation list is below if you didn’t happen to see the November 9th email from Mark Ito. Hopefully your middle schooler is starting to get their themed-outfit for Wednesday’s advisory ready!

For the first time ever, we are excited to welcome a performer, Bryson Lang, to the Turkey Promenade this year. He will bring the fun with a juggling show for the kids as they promenade through Gym A and have their advisory pictures taken. All of your generous donations make this event possible and we are SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU! Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate!

All the best,
Your 2023-2024 PTO Presidents
Katie Sullivan & Annie Oh

Links for information on dates and events that are further out: 

LINK to Wellesley Middle School Events Calendar

LINK to Wellesley Public School Events Calendar  

All student athletes are required to have a current physical examination on file in the WMS Nurses Office before a student can try-out, practice, or participate in a sport (as required by the MIAA guidelines).

The Athletic Office and individual coaches will not accept physical examination reports handed or emailed to them directly. To check your student’s physical examination status, please sign into the SNAP Health Portal in PowerSchool, and click on the “Screening” tab. If your student has a current physical examination on file (within the past 13 months) and it is NOT due to expire, you do not need to provide another copy. Physical exams are valid for 13 months.

If your student’s physical exam expires during the winter sports season, your student will no longer be able to participate in the sport until a new physical exam has been obtained and is on file. Updated physical exams can be uploaded through the SNAP Health Portal.

PLEASE NOTE: Late submission of physicals delays the student from any athletic activity until all the registration requirements are completed. The nursing staff is not available to receive physicals from 11/22 through 11/27 please be sure to have physicals in TOMORROW.

Kris Gusmini, RN
WMS Nurses Office
Tel: 781-446-6210 x 3612
Fax: 781-304-8101
Email: gusminik@wellesleyps.org

We are excited to hold our 27th Annual Turkey Promenade on Wednesday, a fun WMS Tradition! Sign up here to volunteer for shifts and help pack food donations into boxes in Gym B. Please note that you can sign up for any shift: 6th, 7th or 8th. If the list is full and you would still like to come help out (or just stop by briefly to see the festivities) please email Katie Sullivan by Tuesday morning at wmsptoinfo@gmail.com so the school can double check your CORI form. 

Students should bring their food donations to their advisory classroom and the goal is for each student to bring 5 things. The food donation list can be found here: WMS Turkey Promenade 2023: Food Donations List

Each advisory votes on a "theme" to dress up for the event and there will be a contest for Best Costume. We are excited to bring performer, Bryson Lang, to Gym A for a festive juggling show for the kids this year to really bring the fun! Thank you again for your donations that make this event possible for our kids. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU!

Are you running or walking the Wellesley Turkey Trot 5K at 8:00am on Thanksgiving morning? Please join the WMS team! Just click "Join a Team" on the registration page, and select "WMS" from the list. A prize will be awarded for the largest school team - we can totally win!

Click here to register for the town turkey trot.

The WMS team will meet at the M&T bank birdhouses in Linden Square afterwards to say a quick “hello”. If anyone would like to bring some treats to share, please let us know at wmsptoinfo@gmail.com.

There is no school on Thursday (11/23), Friday (11/24) and Monday, (11/27).

Please join us for a special evening All Parent PTO meeting in Boston with the WHS PTSO and Stephanie Holland, our new K-12 METCO Director. We have reserved the Shelburne Community Center at 2730 Washington Street in Roxbury. The meeting time is 6:30-8:30pm and you are welcome to arrive when you can, and stay for as long as your schedule allows. All WMS parents are welcome to join us. This is the second of four all parent PTO meetings this year.

• 12/12 from 7-8pm: Winter Band Concert
• 12/19 from 7-8pm: Winter Orchestra Concert
• 12/21 during the day: Grade 8 Winter Concert for students/staff
• 12/22 during the day: Grade 6/7 Winter Concert for students/staff

Please join us in the WMS Auditorium the evening of December 5th to hear nationally-known guest speaker, Katie Greer, talk to parents about how to help their children use technology in a healthy and safe way. This special event is made possible by your contributions to the PTO Creative Arts budget. Get to know Katie Greer here or follow her on Instagram @katielgreer.

Katie will present to 7th & 8th graders during the day, to WMS teachers right after school, and to parents in the evening. She will be back in two years to speak to our 6th graders when they are in 8th grade. This 3-pronged approach provides an impactful, cohesive message between students, teachers, and parents. 

If you know any 5th grade elementary parents who would like to attend, please feel free to pass along the news. Just let them know that the content will focus solely on the middle school years.

Our third PTO meeting for all parents will be a webinar on Executive Function skills and how to foster good study habits and organization skills for our students. Please mark your calendars for Monday, January 29th at 7pm for this special online presentation by “Engaging Minds” in Newton. This is the third of four all parent PTO meetings this year. Click here to read more details and register for the Executive Function Skills webinar. Note: All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar afterwards and the link will remain active for one week.

Donate to the PTO between now and the end of November to be entered into a drawing to win a gift certificate to the Spirit Wear Store. All you have to do is click the red button below to donate and we’ll do all the rest! We will announce the winner in the December 3rd newsletter. 

The suggested donation is $125 per student. Any amount is truly appreciated to help us continue our efforts of school & parent support, such as bringing Katie Greer for 3 presentations on 12/5 (PTO Cost: $4500).

All Performances at WMS Auditorium:

Thursday, December 7th @4:30pm
Friday, December 8th @7:00pm
Saturday, December 9th @2:00pm & @7:00pm

Click here to purchase your Anastasia tickets today!

Each cast is listed by performance on the ticket link above.

The WMS Drama Department has determined that they can have no more than 100 students cast in a production due to safety reasons and space limitations. In the event that more than 100 students audition for our production of "Newsies", they will prioritize casting 8th grade students in an effort that all will be able to participate. After 8th grade casting is completed, they will then cast 7th and 6th grade students. Casting will be based on the drama skills needed for the production, availability for rehearsals, as well as student focus and effort. It may mean cuts in either grade.

Before auditioning, the following items need to happen:

• Every caregiver must fill out this Newsies Contract.  
• Every student must join this google classroom (please give this code to your child): bl43qpo
• Every student must choose an audition date via this signup genius.  

50 Kingsbury Street
Wellesley, MA 02482