Today the 8th Grade had our annual MLK Day/Day of Service in honor of our house mentor Dr. King. 8th Graders participated in a variety of activities honoring the vision and spirit of Dr. King, as well as looking at our house theme of creating a just society for all. Below is a brief summary, along with some pictures, of our day!
In the morning we started with our MLK Day Assembly where students, through art, spoken word, and music paid tribute to individuals who have embodied King's vision of how our society should be.
In the morning we started with our MLK Day Assembly where students, through art, spoken word, and music paid tribute to individuals who have embodied King's vision of how our society should be.
Each 8th grade homeroom also prepared a meal today, bringing in items and cooking them to donate to Parmenter, which will distribute them to families in need in the area.
Many of our students also spent much of the day at one of the three elementary schools. Helping out younger kids with their schoolwork and offering their assistance to former teachers.
On Friday November 17th the Wayland Middle School's annual fundraiser calendar drive begins. This drive is our annual trip fundraiser with all money raised going to providing financial assistance for families of students for our middle school trips (especially for the 8th grade Washington DC trip). As many of you know we can only provide an experience like the Washington DC trip if every student is given the opportunity to go, even if they cannot afford the cost of the trip. This fundraiser is vital to being able to continue this culminating middle school experience in our Wayland community.
The calendar drive will run from November 17th through December 4th On Friday November 17th your child will be coming home with a packet of 5 calendars and are encouraged to help support students who may be in need of financial assistance for our DC trip by selling calendars. More fundraiser calendars are available through each child's homeroom teacher.
For every 10 Calendars Sold $10.00 will be deducted of that child's cost of the DC trip. This will be applied to your account at the end of the fundraiser to Worldstrides.
Calendars are a suggested donation of $10.00 each. The calendar enters the buyer of the calendar into 31 chances to win a different gift card seen on the calendar. Entrants can win multiple times throughout the month. The gift card selection will occur each day in January. Calendar sales and selling tips will be explained to students on Friday through their homeroom teachers.
Here is a short intro video to our calendar drive created by Ms. Williams
Thank you in advance for any support you can give to your child with this fundraiser.
Below are some safe selling tips for children
Calendar: Selling and Safety Tips
Please post on your refrigerator at home
You are responsible for your calendars. Keep them in a safe place and do not lose them. Bring in your returns daily.
Selling tips
·Be polite, cheerful, and have some fun. Say thank you to all of your customers, even if they don’t buy a calendar.
·Tell them the sale is a Wayland Middle School Fundraiser for student trips.
·The cost is a suggested donation of $10.00 per calendar; customers may purchase as many calendars as they wish.
·Donations are accepted. Encourage customers to write checks to Wayland Middle School.
Safety Tips
·Go around with a friend.
· Tell your parents where you are going, or ask them to take you around on your selling route.
·Sell in your neighborhood and go to houses where you know the people.
· Sell calendars at your parents’ work place (when possible)
·Cross streets cautiously; use intersections and crosswalks
·Never enter anyone’s house.
Do not give your phone number. Use the WMS number 508-655-6670
My apologies to anybody having difficulty registering for the trip. If prompted to enter the TRIP ID # please enter the following number (it is also on the registration for in the right hand corner) TRIP ID # 151780
Below is the email I had sent out last week regarding the optional trip insurance with Worldstrides for the DC Trip. I am posting it here if you need to reference it during your registration/payment process for the 8th Grade DC Trip.
Hi all,
As you register your child for the DC trip you may notice that you are automatically enrolled in the full refund program with Worldstrides ($135.00 additional charge). This is why the overall trip cost is not $1099 but shows up as $1234.
This is an optional program that we offer with all the DC trips as an option for families. In the past many have chosen to opt in to the program and some do not.
If you would like to opt out of the optional program you simply can email Worldstrides with your child's name and DC ID # and be asked to remove this additional charge. The balance would then indicate once processed $1099. You would then be under the standard cancellation policy.
Hi all, Here is a second update with important information regarding next week's science trips for the 8th grade. I would also encourage you to scroll down to previous posts on the blog for information about the cave and preparing your child for this experience if they so choose to go into the cave(optional for kids and staff!). Click Here for the Packing List and Trip Itinerary 1. Trash Bags brought to school on Monday September 25th: Prior to homeroom students will go to their science rooms and drop off their trash bags with their change of clothes and cave helmets in them. Please make sure your child's trash bag is clearly labelled with their name on it (duct tape works great). Inside the trash bag will be the following:
Change of pants
Changes of socks
Change of shirt (both short sleeve and long sleeved as we are outside the rest of the day)
Towel to wipe off any mud and dry up
Change of shoes
Cave helmets.
After the cave students will be putting their muddy clothes and shoes into the trash bags along with their cave helmets and putting them back under the bus to be washed when they get home. This is standard caving procedure to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome among the bat population in upstate New York. For more information about White Nose Syndrome click here.
2. Drop off is at 5:45 AM at WMS:When you drop off your child in the morning please park in the teacher parking lot. DO NOT drive up the bus driveway. Students will be loading onto the bus and we do not want any traffic coming up the driveway at this time. The science room doors will be open, the main door will be locked. 3. Snacks and Food: Please remember as you are packing your child's food for the day to not pack any foods with peanuts or any kind of nuts as well as any shellfish. We have children on the bus with food allergies and would like to avoid any emergencies due to food allergies. Thank you for your cooperation with this. Please also remember that your child must bring with them their food for breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Students must also bring their own drinks and a water bottle. No Caffeinated beverages allowed. Please make sure all beverages are screw-top bottles. Lunches are stored underneath the bus in a large cooler. Please pack lunches separate from snacks and drinks. 4. Epipens and inhalers: If your child has an epipen and/or inhaler please ensure that this is packed with them in their backpack for the trip. Students are responsible for bringing these with them both on the bus and when we exit the bus at learning sites, lunch, and dinner. 5. Cave clothing requirements for Clarksville Cave: Please remember that if your child is planning on entering the cave they must be wearing long pants, a long sleeve shirt, a warm jacket and sneakers or boots. There are no exceptions to this rule - it is the policy of WMS and the NE Cave Conservancy. Students must also have a helmet with a light source attached to it as well. Students will be coming to school in their "Cave clothes" with gym shorts underneath and change after the cave is done for the rest of the day.
Sample Cave Helmets
6. Dinner: Dinner is at the Lee rest area on the Mass. Pike. Students may bring their own dinner or no more than $20.00 for fast food at the rest area. Fast food options include Fresh City, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and D'Angelos Subs. Students are welcome to bring their own dinner as well, we will keep it in the cooler underneath the bus until we arrive at the rest area. 7. Phone chain: I will activate the phone chain upon leaving dinner at the Lee Rest Area on the Mass Pike- we will be approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes away at this point. 8. Cell Phones and Electronics: Students are allowed to bring their cell phone or personal listening device for music only on this trip. Cell phones and electronics will be left on the bus at learning sites as students will NOT need photos from the trip for the science projects (note: this is a change from the original information on the packing list). 9. Pick up at the end of the trip at WMS:Our expected arrival time is around 8:00PM, however we may come back earlier (closer to 7:00PM) or later (closer to 8:30PM) depending on weather, access to sites, and traffic). When you pick up your child please again park your car in the teacher lot and do not drive up the bus driveway. Same as the morning kids will be going around both sides of the bus when they return. 10. School Issued Clipboards: On the day of your child's trip they will enter the science room to pick up their trash bag and their school issued black plastic school clipboard with field guide to use on the New York Trip. Please have them pack this in their backpack and return to their science teacher the day after their trip. Thanks for your support from home, trips like this cannot happen without parent support
Hi all, As part of the required gear for the cave students must be wearing a helmet with an attached light source. They cannot carry their own light as they will need both hands in order to navigate into, out of, and through the cave. Many students and staff use bicycle helmets with a light source such as a headlamp, mini-flashlight, or a regular sized flashlight attached. The light source can be attached with duct tape, zip ties, or velcro straps in order to secure it on your child's helmet. If your child needs any help or you are in need of a used helmet please have them reach out to their science teacher for assistance. Below are some examples of cave helmet setups that students have done in the past:
This will be a longer post as it pertains to our science geology trip coming up shortly - thanks for taking the time to read this important information about our 8th grade science trip.
Our 8th grade science trip (New York Geology Trip) is scheduled for Tuesday September 26 or Thursday September 28 depending on your child's science class color. For the past 20 years we have taken the science classroom into the field to learn about the geologic history of western Massachusetts and eastern New York (Albany area). We are excited to bring this year's class into the field to see the geologic features they are currently learning about in our current science unit. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the trip please note that this is an extended day trip due to the driving distances involved. Students arrive at WMS at 5:45 AM on the day of their trip for a 6:00 AM departure on coach buses. We return to the middle school between 8:00 and 9:00 PM (exact arrival time is confirmed using a phone tree). On Friday September 15 your child will be coming home with the trip information/permission slip packet for this trip. The forms should be filled out completely and returned through your child directly to their science class by Wednesday September 20th. If your child's permission slip is BLUE they will be going on Tuesday September 26th. If your child's permission slip is BLUE, they will be going on Thursday September 28th.
Your child's safety is of the utmost importance to the staff on this trip. For that reason we ask that you complete each form carefully and completely so we have the most up to date contact information/medical history as possible. Thank you in advance for filling these forms out. The cost of the trip is $65.00Please make the check payable to Wayland Middle School and return along with the forms through your child to me during science class. We are not able to accept cash payments for the cost of the trip.
Cover Sheet - The cover sheet has an overview of the trip and summarizes all of the forms in the packet. Please read and detach and leave at home this cover sheet.
"Permission Slip for NY Geology Trip" - Please fill out the permission slip completely and sign on the line giving permission for your child to attend. Please also include your name and a phone number to be included in the phone chain so that we may notify you the exact time of our arrival back to WMS in the evening. If your are willing to be a Phone Tree Captain I would greatly appreciate this - you will be asked to call 5-8 other parents on the evening of the trip and let them know when the bus will be returning to the middle school.
"Emergency Contact Information" - Please fill this form out completely, including up to date health insurance information at the bottom of this sheet. In the event of an emergency and we need to reach you we will use the numbers/people on this form to contact you.
"Medical Information Form" - This 2-sided form that asks you to fill out the most recent health information about your child. Please fill this form completely out so that we can deal with any medical issues that may arise with your child in a timely manner and with the most information possible. The back of this page also includes information about the administration of tylenol and ibuprofen by WMS staff. Please note you should also sign this sheet at the bottom of the back of the page.
"Field Trip Medication Consent Form" - If your child takes any prescription medication that must be administered during the hours of our geology trip then this form must be filled out by your child's pediatrician and returned to school. This form also applies to inhalers and epipens as well. Please note that if any prescription medication can be administered prior to drop off and upon return to Wayland that would be preferable. If needed however WMS staff will be able to administer prescription medication in a discreet manner during the trip itself. Also on this side please indicate whether or not staff can administer Tylenol or Motrin to your child if the need arises.
"Electronics Policy" - Please read over and sign the electronics policy that we have for this trip. Students and parents must sign the policy at the bottom of this sheet.
"Clarkesville Cave Waiver Form" - This waiver will allow your child to enter the Clarkesville cave with the group. The cave is owned by the Northeastern Cave Conservancy. This form must be signed by student, a parent/guardian, and two other witnesses. Please ensure it is fully completed as the cave is private property and we must abide by their policies.
6th Page "Trip packing form and Trip Itinerary" - The last page is the packing list and itinerary for the trip. You can remove this sheet and keep at home along with the cover sheet of the trip packet.
Hello all, This year as part of the 8th grade science trip we will be heading back to Clarksville Cave in upstate New York after going to Howe Caverns the past few years due to closures of caves in the area. We are excited to bring students back to a natural cave in the area and looking forward to this experience along with our students. Some notes about preparations and the cave itself are below: CAVE PREP
Cave Waiver Form - This must be filled out completely at home and returned as part of the permission slip packet. The Northeastern Cave Conservancy requires a student signature, a parent/guardian signature and two witnesses to sign this as well. This can be another adult or an older sibling as well. We cannot let students into the cave who have not returned the waiver. Please see my other post pertaining to the field trip forms if you need another copy.
CLOTHING BROUGHT TO SCHOOL: As stated in the packing list students will be bringing to school on Monday September 25th a COMPLETE change of clothes, including shoes, in a trash bag with their cave helmets. After the cave they will be changing into these clothes and putting their wet and muddy clothes into the trash bag to be stored under the bus.
CAVE CLOTHING REQUIREMENTS: Students will come to school in their cave clothes and shoes - this includes a long sleeve shirt, jacket, pants and gym shorts underneath their pants so they can change outside after the cave. NO SHORTS ALLOWED ON THIS TRIP as it is an outdoor trip. SHORTS are not allowed in the cave either.
FOOTWEAR: Students can wear old sneakers, hiking boots, or rain boots in the cave. Their is water and mud in the cave so shoes and socks will be wet.
Cave helmets: Students can use a bicycle helmet with a flashlight taped to it or wear a headlamp underneath their bike helmet. Either option is fine but students are required to have both a helmet and an attached light source.
Clarksville Cave:
The cave is an optional experience for students. Students, as long as they are adequately prepared and have filled out the form, can decide up to the point of being at the entrance as to whether or not they want to go in. There will be staff remaining outside for any students who do not wish to enter the cave or who are not adequately prepared as stated in the points above.
Time: Students will be in the cave for approximately 30-45 minutes with their science teacher and WMS staff. We go into the cave in small groups of 10 students and 2 staff.
After the Cave: Upon exiting the cave students will be escorted back to the bus to retrieve their trash bags from the bays underneath. They will then clean up, store away all wet clothes and helmets and bring these home when we arrive back to WMS.
Hi all, As we are getting back into the swing of the new school year I wanted to send out a few updates for 8th grade students and families:
1. Reminder from the Nurse RE: Fall Trips
With the 8th Grade science trips scheduled for Tuesday September 26th and Thursday September 28th we are hoping to get out permission slips and medical forms to you at some point next week. At that time we will also have which of the two days your child will be going on the trip. Because this is an extended day trip you will have to fill out medical and emergency contact information as part of the field trip packet. If your child does carry an epipen or inhaler please make sure this information is updated. WMS Staff cannot administer an epipen or inhaler if we do not have updated and verified medical consent and will be forced to call and wait for 911 to respond.
The school nurse wanted to remind you of the following:
Hello 8th grade families,
For the safety of you child/children during the 8th grade science field trip, if your child has an EpiPen or an Albuterol Inhaler please be sure that our School Nurse, Marcia Nims, RN, BSN has received the required medication order forms as soon as possible. Please also be sure that any medication is submitted with the physician's order and, when possible, not expire before 06/18.
The required medication forms are linked below for your convenience. Please be sure that all medications and medication order forms are submitted to the Nurse no later than 09/18/17.
8th Grade Homework Club begins on Tuesday 9/12 after school. Homework club runs from 2:30 until 3:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Homework club for 8th grade on Tuesday will be with Ms. Netcoh in Room 131 and on Thursday with Ms. Williams in room 136. Homework club is a quiet, focused location where students can come to complete their homework and also check in with teachers if need be for extra help or assistance.
On behalf of all of the 8th grader teachers and staff we would like to welcome you to the 8th Grade at Wayland Middle School. We are very excited to welcome a new group of 8th graders and families to the Martin Luther King Jr. House. There are a wide variety of activities and trips throughout the school year. We will be using this blog to keep families updated with the latest information. We strongly suggest you subscribe to this blog using your primary email address by clicking entering your information in the "follow by email" box in the right hand column of this blog which will notify you when the blog is updated. I will also send out an email to parent/guardian accounts letting you know when a new post has been put up for reading.
YOU CAN SEE THIS BOX IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN OF THIS PAGETO ENTER YOUR EMAIL AND CLICK SUBMIT
September will be a busy month for the 8th grade with the highlight being the 8th grade geology trip to western Massachusetts and upstate New York. We will be taking what we have learned in our first unit on geology and applying to field studies at various locations that give us evidence and clues about past events. I will have more information regarding the trip in a post early next week, including permission slips, itineraries, and payment information. Please note the dates of the trip as they are different than previous years. This is an extended day trip. Students arrive at the middle school at 5:45 AM and return to the school around 8:00PM. Students will be going on one of two trip days, depending on their science class: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 26 OR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28
Again, on behalf of the entire 8th grade staff we would like to welcome all of you to a new school year. We are looking forward to working with all the children and helping them have a successful year. Thanks Melissa McDonald, Rich Battaglia, Rob Reddington, and Kevin Farley 8th Grade House Leaders
