8th Grade End of Year Activities

Hi all,

The following is some updates regarding step-over day to the high school and the 8th grade end of the year trip to Kimball Farm in Westford:

Tuesday June 20th Step Over Day: We will be traveling to the high school after lunch to meet the administrators and the student peer mentors.  While at the high school, 8th graders will be given a tour of the high school and will have the opportunity to ask students some questions. This will take place during the school day and students will arrive back to the middle school at 2:00 PM.

After school Tuesday June 20th Kimball Farm Trip: Students who turned in permission slips and payments will be leaving WMS after school on Tuesday and will head to Kimball Farm in Westford.  As you know, students will enjoy a cook-out and will be able to play mini-golf, hit golf balls at the driving range, play volleyball, ride the bumper boats and of course, eat ice cream!  All buses will return to WMS by 8:00PM.  Please be ready to pick-up your child promptly at 8:00PM. If your student carries an epipen or inhaler please make sure that they bring this with them on Tuesday.

School supplies, binders, backpacks, etc: All students should empty out their lockers at the end of the day on Tuesday. They will bring their backpacks with them on the bus to Kimball Farm. All textbooks must be returned by this point.

Last Day Activities Wednesday June 19th

On Wednesday 21st students will have a special schedule with no classes. This includes the following:

1. Breakfast provided by the PTO
2. 8th grade mini graduation and house awards
3. Viewing of DC and Cape Cod Slideshows
4. Yearbook Signing and Homeroom Time
5. Lunch
6. End of the year assembly

8th Grade Washington DC Night Information for this Wednesday June 7th

Hi all,

  Here are some updates and info for this Wednesday's DC Night on June 7th. We look forward to seeing everybody that evening as we reflect on our experience in DC through pictures, projects, poetry and stories!

Schedule of events:

-DC Night begins at 7:00PM

-KING Cluster families Proceed to theater first for DC Slideshow at 7:00PM (after which proceed to cafeteria for poetry and DC Projects)

   -MARTIN Cluster families Proceed to cafeteria first for poetry and DC Projects at 7:00 PM (after which proceed to theater for the DC Slideshow)

-Social Studies Memorial Projects and World Language Postcards on display in hallways

-DC Night Bake Sale Fundraiser in the Main Lobby for the Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation on behalf of the 8th grade class

Thank you to those who have volunteered to bring in baked items for our DC Night Fundraiser for the Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation! We have many students who have volunteered to assist with the bake sale that evening.

The bake sale will be "Donate What you Can, Take what you would like". There will be no price tags on any items. We will have ziploc bags of various sizes for you to pick and choose from our bake sale tables. We will also be selling "BlackBeard" t-shirts for $10.00 made by Matthew's sisters for the memorial foundation.

8th Grade DC Night - HELP NEEDED!!!

Hi all,

 I will have a more detailed reminder to send out for our DC Night which I will send out to you early next week. I did want to let you know about the DC Night Bake Sale Fundraiser that will be held on DC Night Wednesday June 7th starting at 7PM

  Over the past 7 years we have held a bake sale fundraiser for the Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation. As many of you may know from your child's DC Trip, Matthew was a soldier from Plymouth, MA who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. The 8th grade house has formed a close bond with the Pucino family since his death and we pay our respects to Matthew at Arlington National Cemetery while on the trip.

Through Matthew's family's willingness to share their fallen hero's story with our students we have been able to teach them the importance of honoring and remembering the sacrifices that our men and women in uniform make as they serve our country. We have also been able to share with them the importance of paying respect to our nation's fallen soldiers as well. While in D.C. we were all honored to visit Matthew at Arlington National Cemetery.

 The bake sale fundraiser we hold at DC Night is the last service piece that the 8th grade class will be doing here at the middle school. All of the proceeds we raise from the fundraiser at DC Night will got to Matthew's foundation and be presented to the family when they come to visit in May.


   The Matthew Pucino Memorial Foundation was created by Matthew's two sisters. The purpose of the foundation is to raise money to provide for the needs of wounded soldiers and veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.Over the past six years the 8th grade house has been able to raise through our fundraiser more than $6000.00 and we hope to continue this support this year as well. More information about the Foundation can be found by clicking on the link at the start of the paragraph. 

We are looking for parents and kids to volunteer to bake items to contribute to our bake sale fundraiser. If you are able to contribute a baked good for the bake sale it is greatly appreciated by the 8th grade house and also Matthew's family. Baked items can be brought to school to Mr. Battaglia or the main office the day of DC Night or be brought that night to the bake sale tables which will be set up in the main lobby. We ask that you avoid bringing in any baked goods with nuts in them.

If you and your child are willing to help with this fundraiser by bringing in a baked item please email me at:

At the bake sale we will also be selling "Blackbeard" t-shirts from the foundation for $10 each.

richard_battaglia@wayland.k12.ma.us

Many thanks in advance for your time and generosity!

8th Grade Washington D.C. Portfolio Projects

Hi all,

  I wanted to send out some information about your child's DC Portfolio Projects which they will be working on at times both at school and also at home over the next several days:

DC Portfolios: Their are two main objectives for the DC portfolios. The first is to demonstrate through their learning log and photos with captions what they have learned about justice through the sites visited on the DC trip. The second major objective is to document and reflect on their own personal experience on the trip through poetry written in English classes in the coming weeks. In homeroom this week students will receive a checklist of requirements for creating their DC Projects.

  Here is a Sample Portfolio checklist/requirement page. Please note that requirements differ slightly from homeroom to homeroom.



Due Date: The portfolio project is due to their homeroom teacher in Homeroom on Friday June 2nd at the start of the day.

Work time in school:  Students will be given time in TAG this week, a special House Block this Thursday May 25th, as well as TAG on May 31st to work on the portfolio projects in homeroom.

Types of Projects: Students have the option of creating a hardcover DC portfolio, a Google Slideshow, or a MixBook to demonstrate their DC trip experience. Please remember if students are doing a Mixbook they must complete the release form and return to the homeroom teacher.

Photos: Part of the portfolio project involves students selecting both learning and social photos from their homeroom's trip and creating captions for each of the photos. If students need photos from the trip they should check in with their homeroom teacher. Please note for students creating a hardcover portfolio there is no color printing allowed of DC trip photos in the library.

DC Night: We will have much more information early next week regarding DC Night which is Wednesday June 7th beginning at 7pm. We have many great things planned for this night and look forward to seeing you there!

8th Grade DC Trip FINAL Updates

DC Trip Final Updates

Hi all,

  Here are the final updates for our DC Trip on Monday. Thank you for taking the time to prepare your child for the trip!

1. Packing List and Trip Information Sheet: Please remember that if you no longer have hard copies of either of these forms you can view them online by clicking on the links below. Please remember that the trip information sheet has hotel address and phone numbers, information on departure and arrival times on Amtrak.

TRIP FORMS

1. Copy of Packing List and Trip information sheet

2. Behavior Contract and Cell Phone Contract

Trip Itineraries for Homerooms (subject to change)

• Homerooms 130 and 132
• Homerooms 128 and 114
• Homerooms 120 and 126
• Homerooms 121 and 122
• Homerooms 115 and 123

2. Drop off times Monday May 15th: 

Please remember for Wayland Resident Students that drop off at 5:45 AM at the University Ave (Route 128) Station at Exit 13 (Westwood) off of Route 128 South. Please carpool if possible. 

For Boston Resident students only who are boarding at South Station drop off time is at 5:30AM in front of the Au Bon Pain in the middle of the lobby area. We are taking train #95 Northeast Regional to D.C.

3. Return/Pickup Time Thursday May 18th: 

We are returning on train #176. The scheduled arrival time back is 7:50PM at the University Ave/Route 128 Station and 8:00 PM at South Station. Please make sure your child is picked up on time.

4. Luggage Tags: 

On Friday May 12th your child will be coming home with two luggage tags with their names on them. One luggage tag is for their suitcase and the other luggage tag is for their backpack. Please ensure that your child puts both luggage tags on their two bags so that in the event they are lost they can be returned to them in a timely fashion.

5. Black clipboards and DC trip Learning Logs: 

Also on Friday your child will be coming home with a black school plastic clipboard. Inside the clipboard is their DC Learning Log, Trip itineraries and a few other items. Please ensure that your child packs this clipboard in their backpack and brings it with them on the trip. They can also keep their pencils inside the clipboard as well. Each clipboard has been labeled with a sticker with their name on it. They can return these to their homeroom teacher the Friday after the trip.

6. Healthy Snacks and Food allergies: 

When packing snacks for your child please keep in mind that we have several children with severe food allergies. Common spaces we will be sharing include the train, bus, and also the hotel rooms. As you pack snacks for your child please avoid snacks which contain nuts in them as this is our most common food allergy. Thank you for this in advance. Also please remember students should not be packing with them energy drinks or caffeinated beverages on the trip. 

Please also ensure that your child packs lunch, drinks and snacks for the train ride to D.C. as there is no access to buying food on the train.

7. Labeling items: 

Please make sure all of your child's items are labeled. This includes electronic devices, bags, cameras, etc. In the event something is lost it is much easier and a higher probability of locating a missing item if their is a name on that particular item.

8. Calling your child on the trip: 

If you would like to call your child while they are in D.C. we ask that you please do this in the morning only and not during the daytime when we are visiting the monuments, memorials, and hearing from speakers. It can be quite distracting to your child and the rest of the group if they receive a call from home while they are working and reflecting at the sites during the day. Homeroom teachers will allow students to call home or receive calls usually at breakfast time in the morning and at other specific times that bus leaders may designate.

Medication Drop Off Day Friday May 12th.

Hi all,


   Here is some additional information regarding the Washington D.C. Trip Medication Drop Off Day Friday May 12th.

• Medication Drop off for the Washington D.C. Trip will run from 7:30-2:20 on Friday May 12th in the main lobby. Your child's homeroom teacher will have contacted you regarding the instructions for administering medications while on the trip next week.

• Please be sure to drop off within the designated drop off times 7:30-2:20PM.

• ALL medications must be in the original packages/bottles with the child's name and medication clearly marked on the package.

• Please provide only the medication needed just for the trip.

• Medications are best brought to drop off in a clear, labelled Ziplock bag, so as to keep your child's medications organized and separate from other medications.

• Medications include prescription medication, over the counter medication, extra inhalers, and extra Epipens. These will have been coordinated with your child's homeroom teacher.

8th Grade Washington DC Projects Upon Return

Hello all,


              Our trip to Washington D.C. is fast approaching! In TAG and Homeroom time we are preparing our students for the experience. One piece of this preparation involves the Project/Portfolio students complete when they return from the trip. Students will be working on assembling their DC projects to share and display at our Washington D.C. Night at the middle school (more details to come about this evening after the trip!).


🔍    For those students who wish to use Mixbook to create an digital portfolio as they may have done for last year's Cape Cod project they will have to have parents and guardians fill out the release form to allow them to have a Mixbook account. These will be going home with students this week and can also be printed up from the link below. These can be turned in directly to homeroom teachers for those students who wish to use Mixbook to create a digital Washington D.C. Project.

Thanks for your cooperation in this matter if it applies to your child!

🔍  I have also included a link to a SAMPLE Washington DC Project Checklist/Rubric. All homerooms will have a similar rubric that will be distributed to students upon return from the trip.


MIXBOOK RELEASE FORM

SAMPLE DC PROJECT GUIDE SHEET/RUBRIC

8th GRADE DC TRIP UPDATES #1: May 1st

Hi all,

Here are some DC Trip reminders and updates. I will be posting additional updates as we continue to near the trip date!

MEDICATION CHECK INS
Your child's homeroom teacher(s) will be contacting you if they have any questions regarding medications that may be administered while on the D.C. trip. This includes anything pertaining to Epipens, inhalers, food allergies, OTC medications and prescription medications.

MEDICATION DROP OFF DAY NEXT FRIDAY
  Just a quick reminder that any medications which will be administered by Wayland Middle School staff to your child while on the D.C. trip must be dropped off on Friday May 12th, between 7:30 and 2:20. Your child's homeroom teacher will have coordinated with you this information but I wanted to send one more reminder about it on the 8th grade blog.


  🔍 Please remember that all medications should be in their original bottle, just the medication needed for the trip, your child's name on the bottle, and sealed in a ziploc bag. Your child's homeroom teacher will collect these medications at 2:20 and bring on the DC trip.


PACKING LIST AND TRIP INFORMATION SHEET

 Your child will also be bringing home another copy of both the trip packing list and trip information sheet this week. I have posted these below to view and print if your child does not bring these home to you by the end of the week. Please read over both carefully when helping pack for your child this coming weekend.

A few important notes from both the packing list and trip information sheet:

• We ask that when packing snacks for your child to please avoid snacks and food with nuts in it as we have several students with allergies to various nuts. Thank you.

• When packing please only bring what is shown on the packing list. Students are responsible for carrying their own baggage onto and off the train, bus and into and out of the hotel.

• A reminder that for WAYLAND Residents and those BOSTON Residents boarding the train at the 128/Westwood Station that check in is at 5:45 AM. Please carpool if possible. DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL FIRST

• BOSTON Resident students only have the option to board at South Station if coordinated with Ms. Valdes. Check in at South Station for Boston Resident student boarding here is at 5:30 in front of the Au Bon Pain in the main lobby.

• Pickup on Thursday evening is scheduled at 7:50 at the 128/Westwood Station(Wayland and Boston Students) and 8:00 at South Station(Boston Students only). 

 Copy of Packing List and Trip information sheet

Behavior Contract and Cell Phone Contract

8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip Forms - PLEASE READ

 Please read the following important update regarding the DC trip forms for your child. The trip is fast approaching and more news will be following in the coming weeks - Thanks!


DC TRIP FORMS: The DC trip packet will be coming home with your child on Friday March 4th Please look/ask for it when your child comes home Friday and begin reviewing and filling out the information required for your child to attend the trip as soon as possible. I will include a brief summary of the forms here for you to refer to.

CLICK HERE FOR ELECTRONIC VERSION OF FORMS IF YOUR CHILD DID NOT BRING THESE HOME WITH THEM ON FRIDAY

DUE DATES (also on the cover letter)

FRIDAY April 7th: Formal Agreement, Emergency Contact Info,Medical Form, Behavior Contract, and Cell Phone Contract due back to your child's homeroom teacher

FRIDAY May 12th by 2:20PM: Medication Drop Off Day(more details to come)


Cover Letter: The cover letter can be removed from the packet and kept for you to refer back to. It includes all of the different dates forms are due back to your child's homeroom teacher. It also includes dates for drop offs of any medications that will need to be administered to your child while they are on the trip.

Legal Form: This form is required by Wayland Public Schools for your child to attend the trip. Please read and sign the form.

Emergency Contact Information: Please fill this form out completely. In the event of an emergency staff members may need to contact you regarding your child and will refer to this form. Please note at the bottom you should also include your child's health insurance information (or include a copy of their health insurance card stapled to this form)

Medical Information form (2-sided): Please fill out this form completely so we have the most up to date medical information and health status of your child. Staff will not administer any prescription or over-the-counter medication, epipen, or inhaler unless the medical consent form has been filled out. If your child will be taking an allergy medication for seasonal allergies while in D.C. please make sure to indicate the type of medication and amount to be administered as well on the medical form. Your child's homeroom teacher may contact you regarding any information on this form/questions they may have during the weeks leading up to the trip. This sheet must also be signed.

Behavior Contract and Cell Phone Agreement: This is a double-sided form in the packet. Please read over the behavior and rules regulations along with the cell phone usage agreement with your child. Students must abide by the policies set forth by Wayland Middle School regarding behavior and the appropriate use of technology at all times during the trip. These forms must be signed by both students and parents/guardians.

Packing List and Trip Information Sheet: Please REMOVE THIS SHEET from the packet and keep at home. This sheet has what needs to be packed for your child and also all the important information regarding the trip.

For prescription medications administered on the trip you may want to contact your child's physician about PillPacks. If your child will be administered any prescription medication on the trip these are individually packaged by the pharmacist. This is the website with information about the PillPacks. PillPacks CLICK HERE. Otherwise any medications to be dropped off for administration must be in their original container/package with your child's name on it.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to fill out all of these forms and return them back to your child's homeroom teacher so promptly. The safety of the kids is the top priority while on the trip and we want to ensure that staff are prepared to keep all the kids safe and healthy while in D.C.

9th Grade Course Recommendation/Registration Forms PLEASE READ

Hello parents and guardians,

  Today your child will be receiving their course recommendation/registration form for their 9th grade classes. This is a yellow two-sided form with their course selection choices on one side and important information and dates on the other side.

  These forms are due back to your child's homeroom teacher by Wednesday March 29th regardless of whether or not you will be pursuing an override for any of your child's prospective 9th grade classes. 

   Please also be sure to include the total number of credits as well as a parent/guardian signature on the registration form when returning it to the school.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COURSE FORM INFORMATION

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE WAYLAND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM OF STUDIES