Posted Date: 04/28/2025
April 27, 2025 Dear Weston Middle School Families: Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA) begin this week. A separate email was sent out last Friday with all of the details. This Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm our annual Rising Freshman Forum program will be held in the Weston High School Auditorium. All current 8th graders who plan to attend Weston High School in the fall should attend with at least one parent/guardian. On Friday our eighth grade students will be on their field trip to Philadelphia. Students need to arrive at school at 6 a.m. Course selection for current 5th, 6th and 7th grade students is now live through PowerSchool. Mr. Walters sent a separate email with instructions last week. The deadline to complete course selection for the 2025-26 school year is this Friday, May 2. The Wait Until 8th pledge—in which families commit to delay giving smartphones to kids until the end of 8th grade—is active in Weston. Over the last year, families at HES and WIS have signed the pledge, including about 30% of the current 5th grade class. Parent-organizers would love to continue the effort as we head to WMS. More information has surfaced about the impact of smartphones and social media on children's mental health and development—Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation" has presented findings on depression, anxiety, bullying and suicide rates. The benefits of delaying smartphones can be especially powerful for our rising middle schoolers as they face the emotional rollercoaster of puberty, social pressures, etc. This is, of course, a personal choice for each family, but organizers are sharing information to make parents aware and to build solidarity. BOOK JOY is coming to WMS with the PTO's Scholastic Book Fair! May 13-15, including during the Art Jam! ONLY E-Wallet and credit /debit cards will be accepted. A sign-up for parent volunteers will be forthcoming. Please set up an E-Wallet for your child here: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/ Support West Fest and the Weston Middle School PTO! Be part of the fun and help make West Fest Music Festival a success! Your sponsorship helps fund the festival and supports important programs for our students at Weston Middle School. Choose your sponsorship level and make a difference today! EcoFest @ Lachat Town Farm Join us at Lachat Town Farm for a fun-filled day celebrating sustainability at EcoFest 2025, a partnership between WPS Green Teams, Weston Sustainability Committee and Lachat Farm! Enjoy activities for the whole family, including: Communication Protocol As a reminder, please refer to this communication protocol when you have a question or concern that needs to be addressed. We always try to resolve issues with the staff member who is closest to the situation. If you need to report a student absence, please call our absence line: 203-221-6361 Important Upcoming DatesApril 28, 29: SBA Math Assessment Sincerely, Daniel Doak |