We are excited to unveil a special project that has been in the works for over a year! Thanks to our parent volunteer team of Alex Baker, Jenn Fallon, Jackie Hoglund, Annie Oh, Jacqui Van Looy, and Brian Allieri/WMS we have a BRAND NEW PTO WEBSITE packed with pictures and easy navigation to all things WMS. The impetus behind the new website was to launch a formal grant process for WMS teachers and staff to request PTO funds for classroom enrichment and professional development. 

Please check out the new grant process and resources on the new and improved PTO website here: https://www.wellesleymspto.org/

We hope everyone enjoyed Katie Greer and the Anastasia Musical performances last week. CONGRATULATIONS to all of the performers, WMS Drama teachers Katie Speed & Leah Fine, POPS representatives Brooke Razzaghi & Madeline Laurano, and all of the supportive parents who made this one of our best performances yet!

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  

Please join us in the WMS Auditorium on Tuesday night for the Winter Band Concert. 

All of the December winter concert dates are below.

• 12/12 (Tuesday) 7-8pm: Winter Band Concert
• 12/19 (Tuesday) 7-8pm: Winter Orchestra Concert
• 12/21 (Thursday) during the day: Grade 8 Winter Concert for students/staff
• 12/22 (Friday) during the day: Grade 6 & 7 Winter Concert for students/staff

The WMS Drama Department is excited to announce auditions for its winter musical, Newsies, Jr.! Auditions are Tuesday, December 12 and Wednesday, December 13 from 2:40-6:00. Students must choose one day to audition and must be prepared to stay for the duration.

Before auditioning, the following needs 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. 

Thank you! 

Wellesley Public Schools, in collaboration with the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grant program, is proud to welcome Dr. Merritt Moore to help us celebrate National Computer Science Education Week.

Dr. Moore, who graduated with Magna Cum Laude Honors in Physics from Harvard and a PhD in Atomic and Laser Physics from the University of Oxford, has also pursued a professional ballet career. She is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU Abu Dhabi teaching “Creative Robotics” that fuses arts and science.

We invite you to join us on the evening of December 13th from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Dr. Moore will talk about how STEAM helped her follow her passions by combining science, coding, and art.

Click here for more information
Click here to register for the zoom

If you are not completely satisfied with your child's student portrait and would like another try, you have the opportunity for a retake on Wednesday, December 20th.

Please return the undamaged portrait package to the photographer on Retake Day.  If you have specific instructions for the photographer, please jot them down so they show through the envelope window and can be easily spotted.

Retake packages will be distributed at the school approximately 3-5 weeks following Retake Day.

Click here for more information

Our third PTO meeting for all parents will be a webinar on Executive Function skills and good study habits for middle schoolers. Please mark your calendars for Monday, January 29th at 7pm for this special online presentation by “Engaging Minds” in Newton. 

Click here to read more details and register in advance. Note: The recording will be emailed to all registrants after the webinar and the link will remain live for one week. If your student struggles with organization skills and effective study habits, this webinar is for you! We are excited to see 35 parents signed up so far! 

6th grade students in Around the World "travelled" to Mali and Senegal in their first unit with teacher, Alexandra Bennett. Part of this unit includes a special dance class with master drummer and dancer, Joh Camara from Mali in Western Africa. Around the World students learn a fun dance with Joh and hear him speak about his experiences growing up in Mali and discuss how African culture compares to growing up in the United States.
(PTO Funded: $500)

Riaan Chaudhuri, Tyler Nardone, Jonathan Stevens, Rhyann Watson, 
Ruby Fagenholz, John Creney, Luigi Santos

The WMS Science Olympiad team (led by Cathy Longley-Cook) will be competing in 2 tournaments funded by the PTO this year: the Harvard University Invitational and the Massachusetts State Tournament. Students work in teams of 2 or 3 to complete science and engineering challenges and face off against teams from other schools. This year we have 40 students participating in the Science Olympiad. They have been working hard and are looking forward to the tournaments this spring! 
(PTO Funded: $645)

Thank you for your donations to the WMS PTO which allow these events to happen.

Does your child walk to school? We have two crossing guards employed through the town who help WMS students cross Route 9 and Kingsbury Street. Please show them a little love this month with a holiday card, handwritten note, or just a simple “Happy Holidays”. Crossing guards have been hard to find recently and a little gratitude goes a long way to keep our kids safe. Please thank thoughtful parent, Rose Nolan, for this wonderful idea!

Have you ever been curious about what happens during lunch? Here is your chance to watch and help kids with our new composting effort. We are looking for 3 parents to join the lunch blocks from 11:20-1:00 and be by the composting stations to help kids dispose of their trash properly. Can't stay for the entire time? We'll take what we can get to keep this initiative running! Custodians and Composting Club members will help show you the ropes when you arrive. Check out the sign up here!

Our winner from the November Annual Appeal drawing is…

Danielle Nixon, mother of William in 8th grade - congratulations!

Don’t forget to order your yearbook at CoffeePond.com. Go to “Order Online” and “Yearbooks”, then enter the password “Raiders”. Yearbooks are $33 and the last day to order is April 5th. Teachers Jacqui Martell and Sarah Steinberg really appreciate the early orders if you’re able!

Click here to donate to WMS PTO

50 Kingsbury Street
Wellesley, MA 02482