back to newsletters

Originally delivered on 4/7/2024 7:01 am

SUBJECT: Happening This Week at WMS: Week of 4/8

WMS PTO NEWSLETTER

Week of 4/8 - 4/12

Monday afternoon from 2:00-4:30pm the Solar Eclipse will be taking place. Information can be found on the link below about what is safe (and not safe) for your eyes. For instance, it’s unsafe to look at the eclipse through a camera lens, even the one on our cell phones. Click here for Eclipse Safety Information from the town.

Grade 8 Chorus: Have a great trip to the State House on Wednesday!

Next week is April Break and we hope all of the students going on the Southwest National Parks school trip have a wonderful time. The next PTO newsletter will be sent on April 21st. Enjoy the break everyone!

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

WMS THIS WEEK

Monday 4/8: Day 6
Tuesday 4/9: Day 1
Wednesday 4/10: Day 2
Fiorella's Fundraiser
Thursday 4/11: Day 3
Friday 4/12: Day 4

**No School Monday 4/15 - Friday 4/19 for April Break

WMS is providing an alternative spot during lunch for students who are fasting during Ramadan and do not want to be in the cafeteria. The following spaces are available:

Grade 6 - Room 309
Grade 7 - Room 226
Grade 8 - Room 207

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

Wednesday: Fiorella’s Fundraiser

Please mark your calendars for Fiorella’s Italian restaurant THIS WEDNESDAY for a delicious lunch or family dinner to help raise funds for our PTO efforts. Don't forget to mention the WMS PTO when you order take out or dine-in so they can track everything back to us.

Click here to see the details. Thank you for your support on Wednesday! Spaghetti & Meatballs or a Caprese Salad anyone?

WMS SAVE THE DATES

UPDATE: 8th Grade Planning Meeting - POSTPONED

We are still awaiting information on confirmed dates for some of our planned 8th grade end of year activities, so we have decided to postpone our 8th Grade Planning Meeting from this Monday, April 8th to after Spring Break week on Wednesday, April 24th @ 7:30 p.m.

In the meantime, if you would like to volunteer, please email 8th Grade Co-Chair, Sharon Clarke-Levin at sharon@perfectcurve.com. Please indicate what you are interested in helping with: Community Service Day, 8th Grade Dance, Luncheon, Ice Cream Social, or the Moving Up Ceremony.

To make all these events possible and to fund our class gift to WMS, please make your student’s 8th grade donation of $75 to the WMS PTO PayPal account or mail a check to:

WMS PTO
P.O. Box 81426
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the effort so far! We are nearing 50% class participation!

Parent Social: April 24th @7:00pm

Attention 6th Grade Parents and Families New to WMS - You are cordially invited to a special social gathering on Wednesday, April 24th from 7:00-9:00pm at Lockheart Restaurant (102 Central Street). This event will be an evening filled with fun, laughter, and the opportunity to connect with other parents/guardians who are new to our community. Cash bar, come as you are. Please RSVP here.

Mini Marathon: April 25th

The 17th Annual WMS Mini Marathon is on Thursday, April 25th from 9:15-11:15am (rain date - Friday, April 26th). The course is 1.64 miles on the sidewalks surrounding the school and there will be 6 heats, 2 per grade level. View the mini marathon route here.

WMS students will participate in this free and fun springtime event run by the Health & Fitness Department, and coordinated by our Co-Chairs, Jennifer Shea and Marissa Rosenbaum. Thank you Jen and Marissa!

Click here to volunteer and cheer our students on!

****************************************

PTO REMINDERS

From Kate Mahoney, Department Head of School Counseling

Parents/Guardians: If you know that your student will not be returning to WMS in the fall due to a move or private school acceptance, please follow these instructions for the Online Withdrawal Form. We will miss you at WMS!

Follow this link here: https://wellesleyps.org/students-families/student-registration/withdrawing-your-student/

Grade 6: Reading Rally PARTY

The Grade 6 Reading Rally is officially over on Monday and we are grateful for your participation! Please tally up your donations on your blue sponsor sheet and submit your total collected amount by April 24th online (or via check) to Off the Rocks Rescue.

The Reading Rally Pizza Party will be after April Break for all participants to celebrate all of their hard work. Ms. Kenerson will share more details, coming soon!

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wellesley Post Office Food Drive - May 11th

Want to help the cause of food insecurity in an easy but impactful way? Take part in the Wellesley Post Office Food Drive on May 11th.

This food drive is partnered with the Wellesley Food Pantry, which means that all proceeds from the food drive in Wellesley will be brought to the food pantry. This is a national event that takes place everywhere in the United States so alert your family and friends across the country so that they can donate to their local organizations as well.

The idea is to leave any donations you have right next to your mailbox. If you do not have a mailbox, there are mailboxes located in areas accessible to anyone that are larger than normal mailboxes. Since all donations in Wellesley go directly to the Wellesley Food Pantry, donating items from their wishlist on their website would be very helpful to them.

Additionally, this is not the only way to help food insecurity. The Wellesley Food Pantry is open for donations and many local religious organizations have opportunities for people to donate food to help the cause. Hunger is a problem that affects many people, so please, don’t wait to take action.

(Posted By: 8th Grade Civics Action Project Participants)

Youth Mental Health Workshop Series: April 11

Parents & caregivers are invited to take part in a three-part workshop series, “Building Resilience: Supporting Youth Mental Health,” held at the Wellesley Free Library’s Wakelin Room starting this Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m.

The series is sponsored by Thrive Wellesley and will feature guest speakers from Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s "The Resilience Project". It is designed to help families - parents, guardians & caregivers - gain a better understanding of the skills, community support, and resources for developing positive mental health and connections within their families. Join for one, two, or all three sessions. Full details here.

April 11 – Supporting Mental Health Through a Lens of Resilience
May 8 – The Continuum of Care from Prevention to Treatment
May 22 – Building Resilience in Kids and Ourselves

Register through the WFL website HERE. Thrive Wellesley is an Initiative of the Kiwanis Club of Wellesley, in partnership with the Wellesley Youth Commision and Wellesley Health Department, and funded by the Community Fund for Wellesley.

Guided Hike of Wellesley Trails: Friday, April 26, 10:30am

Join the Wellesley Trails Committee for a spring trail walk in the North 40. Learn about the vernal pool and pine tree forest while meeting new people. This will be about 45-60 minutes on a relatively flat dirt trail. Meet on Turner Road trailhead entrance to North 40 (before the gate).

No registration required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Meet at the Morses Pond beach parking lot.

Questions: trails@wellesleyma.gov

Idle No More In 2024

As the weather gets warmer, consider turning off your engine while waiting in car line or for a school pick up. Idling is especially dangerous around schools because children are highly susceptible to air pollution from car exhaust. Their developing lungs have a smaller surface area and a higher inhalation rate (can be over 3x that of adults), which means greater exposure and potentially permanent damage to lung function. Idling is also expensive and illegal. So join your school community and make a commitment to "Idle No More In 2024!"

Support Wellesley Marathon Runners!

Marathon Monday is coming soon! Best of luck to the following charity runners who are either members of the Wellesley Public Schools faculty and staff or community members running on behalf of WPS partners. They include:

Carolyn Livingstone, Hunnewell kindergarten teacher, on behalf of Wellesley’s War Memorial Scholarship Fund;Julia MacBlane, Schofield teaching assistant, also on behalf of Wellesley’s War Memorial Scholarship Fund; Glen Magpiong, WHS varsity girls basketball coach, on behalf of Wellesley’s A Better Chance (ABC); Sara Sullivan, Hunnewell psychologist, on behalf of the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation; Nezha Mediouni Bower, on behalf of the Wellesley Community Children's Center; Jayne Kim on behalf of Friends of Wellesley METCO; and Melissa Martin, on behalf of the Wellesley Education Foundation.

PlayRox! 3v3 Hoops @WMS

NO FEE! Fridays 2:30-3:20pm WMS Gym B

Our popular 3v3 Hoops Rocks On! WHS Student DJs & Coaches bring Tunes, Energy & Fun for students to UnPlug & Play after school. Enjoy open gym, free play & relaxed action packed 3v3 games. We are pleased to offer no fee, but space is limited & pre-registration is required.

Offered by Community Investors, a Wellesley-based nonprofit supporting Physical, Social & Emotional Wellness. PlayRox programs are inspired & supported by Terriers Sports to EmPower Happy & Healthy Students ROCKING The Power of Play!

Click to donate: Support Us Here

The last date planned is: Friday, April 12th. Please join us one last time!

WMS/WPS QUICK LINKS