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September 2017
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year. We are off to a great start. This past
month we have been getting to know our scholars both academically and as
individuals. We have implemented a new rotating schedule that allows us to have
more instructional time. Teachers are able to implement more student-centered,
active learning strategies which we know will drive student achievement to
higher levels. We are committed to raising the achievement of all scholars.
As we begin our third year of Wilson PRIDE, scholars are responding well to our
advisory periods and our built in music rehearsal time. Wilson PRIDE will ensure
that we address the social and emotional needs of our students.
In addition to this newsletter I will be sending out “PowerSchool Messengers” in
an attempt to increase communication with families. Also, you can follow me on
twitter @MsGonzalezWWMS or follow our PTO on Facebook-Woodrow Wilson
Middle School PTO- to keep up with school happenings.
Cheryl D. Gonzalez, Principal
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Helpful Tips and Reminders
If your child is absent from
school, you must call the main
office before 8:00 a.m. and send in
a note when your child returns to
school.
If your child is arriving late to school, you must walk him/her into the building upon arrival.
If your child will be dismissed
from school early, please send in
a note in the morning so we can
give him/her an early dismissal
pass. You must come in to the
main office to sign him out.
Please be prepared to show I.D.
Please try to refrain from
calling or texting your child during
the school day.
It is suggested that you
do not bring your child
lunch from an outside
restaurant.
The Woodrow Wilson Main Office is open from
7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
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WORLD LANGUAGES
French-Ms. Love – [email protected]
In 8th grade French II, students are reviewing some of the concepts from last year, and have been getting used to
hearing more French in class during instruction. It has definitely been an intimidating transition for many
students, but most of them are starting to get more comfortable with this. As more time passes, they will get more
comfortable with hearing me speak more and more French- and in the process they will learn a lot of new
vocabulary. For any students looking for practice with conjugating verbs I would recommend:
www.conjuguemos.com as a great tool. If your child wants help practicing vocabulary, I have suggested they go
to the website quizlet.com and join the appropriate class by searching “taylorlovea”. Once they join a class they
can compete against each other and share flashcard sets. Our next chapter will focus on homes in France and we
will learn about what the typical teenage French bedroom looks like (imagine not having a TV in your bedroom
OR your own phone!! Gasp!!)
In 7th and 8th grade French I, students have started speaking, reading, writing, and listening to French in class.
So many of my students in these classes are very enthusiastic and I am so excited to be teaching them! Soon we
will be learning about conjugating verbs and more complex things that I just know they have been dying to learn.
They are doing a wonderful job so far, stay motivated!
IN BOTH CLASSES, I will soon be announcing the French pumpkin contest! All students have the option (it is
just for fun!) to create (carve or paint,) their very own French-themed pumpkin. In past years I have had people
carve French words into their pumpkins, the Eiffel Tower, or even the French skunk Pepe Le Pew. I encourage
the kids to have fun with it and take some great pictures! All submissions are photos (they need one of them
holding their pumpkin and one of a close up of the pumpkin which should be emailed to me. Some these pictures
will also show up in the yearbook!) On Halloween we will vote in my classes as to who has the best one and the
winner gets a prize. All pictures must be submitted by 9:00 a.m. on 10/30 so that I have time to create a slideshow
with all the pictures. Here are some of last year’s submissions:
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WORLD LANGUAGES
Spanish I & II—Mrs. Vosper
It was great to see so many parents during our Open House last week. I really enjoyed meeting all of you. Please feel
free to contact me at any time at [email protected] or call at (860) 347-8594.
Spanish I students are off to a great start. They began the class learning about all of the countries/areas where Spanish
is the dominant language. Students can now greet classmates, engage in brief conversations, which include asking
others their names and ages, giving their own names and ages, exchanging information on how they feel, and where
they are from. Students have participated in numerous classroom activities including dialogues with classmates and
learning station activities.
Spanish II students have been working hard, starting the year off with a unit on expressing likes and dislikes. Last year,
students learned how to discuss things they liked or did not like; this year they are learning to describe activities they
like including sports and leisure activities. The unit expands from activities students like/dislike to activities they love,
strongly dislike, and activities that fascinate them. This week, students will start a review of last year’s verb
conjugations and expressions before moving on to reflexive verbs which feature getting ready for school and social
events. Students are also doing a wonderful job on our daily entry activity which is class conversation.
Spanish I & II—Mrs. Esposito ([email protected])
¡Bienvenido! Welcome to Spanish. I am very excited to begin my seventeenth year here at Woodrow Wilson Middle
School. If your child is in Spanish class with me, there are a few important items I would like to share with you about
our class!
Remind.com/The Remind App This is a program that I use to send information about upcoming assessments we are going to have in class. It is a
great opportunity to help your child stay on task and study for their quizzes and tests. Please think about signing up for
Remind messages. IF you would like your child to also sign up for these messages, please send a note to me giving
your child permission to participate in Remind messages, as they do not meet the minimum age requirement of consent.
Spanish 1 classroom code: @d855e
Spanish 2 classroom code: @5c039
Duolingo Duolingo is a language practice program that we use for homework practice. Duolingo helps students practice similar
grammatical concepts and vocabulary that we learn in the classroom. The app teaches students using all modes of
learning, reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is also a fun way to learn, incorporating technology! Most
students signed up for this in class on September 14, 2017. If your child was not in class on that day, they may not
have signed up and should to do so at home or after school with me.
Homework in Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 is on Duolingo. Students are required to complete 50 XP of Duolingo
by Friday each week. XP are the points students are awarded on the app for completing a lesson.
Directions: *Create a Profile>YOUR NAME top of page>SETTINGS>PROGRESS SHARING> enter classroom code below:
Classroom Codes: Period 1: YVAQCQ
Period 3: CQZDQB
Period 5: XTZWGQ
Period 6: JTFMVX
Period 7: UVCDZN
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WORLD LANGUAGES
Spanish I & II – Ms. Brooks
¡Hola! Our Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 language learners have had an awesome start to the year! Please take a look at
what has been happening in our classes!
Interactive Notebooks
Your language learner will be the author of an interactive notebook that he or she will create over the course of the
year. This interactive notebook is used in our class for organizing notes, classroom practice assignments, and
assessments, and will serve as a reference and organizational tool. Students must be prepared for class with interactive
notebooks, scissors, glue, and markers or colored pencils every day. Please ask your child to share the contents of
his or her interactive notebook with you on a regular basis.
Duolingo
Duolingo is an online language program that we use for homework practice. Duolingo helps students practice similar
grammatical concepts and vocabulary that we learn in the classroom. All modes of language learning –reading, writing,
listening and speaking – can be learned by students by using the program online or through the mobile app.
Homework assignments are posted in Duolingo every Monday and must be completed by Sunday each week. XPs are
the points students are awarded on the app for completing a lesson. XP assignments on Duolingo can be accessed at
www.duolingo.com. You could also learn and compete with your child in Spanish by setting up your own profile by
clicking on the above link.
Please ensure that your child has set up a profile through our Duolingo classroom so that I can track his or her progress.
The Duolingo classroom links are as follows:
Period 1 https://www.duolingo.com/o/ucdxsy
Period 3 https://www.duolingo.com/o/ftxqyx
Period 5 https://www.duolingo.com/o/wuwbgz
Period 6 https://www.duolingo.com/o/durxkv
Period 7 https://www.duolingo.com/o/nkcybm
If your child does not have access to computer, mobile device, or Wi-Fi, please contact me at [email protected].
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WORLD LANGUAGES
French I & French II –Mr. Ly MBA – [email protected]
French I: 7th
grade
The French I students are making steady progress in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. After finishing our
weather unit, students are now doing the weather announcement in French as part of our school morning
announcements. This is a big achievement. In addition to the resources I already posted on classroom google
(quizlet.com, dualingo.com, conjuguemos.com), I added new resources (useful links) which will help students to
discover authentic French resources. Students will also experience the French culture through videos from many
French speaking countries. They are doing a phenomenal job by role-playing some activities in class. This is very
appealing to see them acting with enthusiasm and motivation. I'm very proud of them.
French II: 8th grade
My 8th grade students are discovering a new level of French which will help them to speak French while emphasizing
on the pronunciation. Classroom daily conversation will be conducted entirely in French. Students are doing a great
job. They will be learning many topics including how to check in for airports, train stations, hotels, doctor’s
appointments, and ordering and paying for food in a French speaking country. I’m very happy to work with them daily.
Note: Google classroom can now be accessed from everywhere via my site on the Middletown Public Schools website.
Click on Woodrow Wilson Middle School, then staff directory, enter my last name (Ly) in the search box and finally
click on the globe to view my site.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Mr. Angeli, Mrs. Byrd, Mr. Oszurek, Mrs. Quinn & Mr. Rosek
The start to the school year has been exciting! We are all learning and adjusting to our new schedule which
brings many opportunities in Physical Education. Our focus will remain on the physical health of our
students. We have started the year by participating in some cooperative activities to allow us to get to know
our students. Starting the last week of September and October we will be focusing on our fitness unit which
includes the mandated Connecticut State Physical Fitness Assessment. Every student will be tested on the
PACER, Push-up, Curl-up and Sit & Reach test. These tests are mandated by the state and are testing
students’ cardio-respiratory endurance, upper body strength, core endurance and flexibility. A description of
all tests can be found on the State of Connecticut Department of Education website by searching for
Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment.
All classes have discussed our student contract which explains our expectations and rules.
Some points of concern are that PE clothes cannot be carried in a backpack. They should be in a plastic bag
or a cinch bag. All students are required to bring a change of clothes and sneakers for class. Students should
bring a lock to class to lock their belongings up during class time. They must take the lock with them when
they leave class.
At Woodrow Wilson Middle School this year all Physical Education classes have a google classroom. You
can find our contract with rules and expectations on the classroom. On the google classroom students will be
able to access all of their assignments/assessments for class. Assignments/assessments are going to be
assigned at the beginning of every unit and will be due by the end of the unit.
Students will have two options:
1. To print their assignment and turn in a hard copy to the teacher.
2. Do a paperless assignment right on the classroom. With the paperless assignment they will complete
it right on google and click “Done/Submit” when they want to turn the assignment in.
Students have been given the opportunity to log-in to our classrooms in school. Please ask them to show you
what our online classroom looks like. If your child has not joined the classroom, please contact their teacher
to get the class code required for joining. Parents can also have access to view the classroom so they are
aware of the assignments/assessments that are required. If you would like to have access please e-mail your
child’s teacher and we will invite you to view our classroom.
Please feel free to contact your PE teacher with any questions or concerns.
Our annual FUN RUN is on Saturday, October 28th from 8:30-11:30 at the Middletown High School
track!! Looking forward to seeing you there!
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ART
What will your child be doing in Art this year?
7th Grade 2-D ART
In Art, students will analyze artwork according to stylistic characteristics and explore the work of various artists
throughout history. They will gain experience in perspective and composition while focusing on the elements and
principles of art and design. The students will explore creativity using various materials & techniques. Some of our
projects include drawing & painting, self-portraits and computer graphics. They will concentrate on using the creative
process to express who they are in the world around them.
So far this quarter students have created Non-Objective pieces using the 7 elements of art and oil pastel. Currently
students are finishing up a drawing project which focuses on paying attention to details while doing observational
drawing. Students are using Pen and Ink as well as Watercolors to add details to his/her pieces.
8th Grade SCULPTURE:
In Sculpture, students will analyze artwork according to stylistic characteristics and explore the work of various artists
and cultures throughout history. Students will work 3 dimensionally to create a variety of sculptures while focusing on
the elements and principles of art & design. Students will explore creativity using various materials and techniques
including clay, paper, cardboard, wire, plaster and paper mache. They will concentrate on using the creative process to
express who they are in the world around them.
STEM
This year in STEM we will be exploring the EDP, engineering design process, through different activities that require
students to work through problems by trying new ideas and then testing them out. We will also be exploring different
career based lessons offered at MHS to expose students to different elective classes they can take in high school. These
include video design with stop motion videos, robotics with the Levi Mindstorm and computer animated drafting with
our 3D printers. Our goal is to allow students the opportunity to try new things and work through problems on their
own to build confidence in their problem solving abilities. Then finally, to expose students to some of the amazing
elective classes offered next year in high school.
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STUDENT SUCCESS PLAN (SSP)
SSP is off to a great start. Students have been doing activities to become more aware of their self-awareness,
self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. We will apply
these five competencies to each unit we cover for students to be successful in and outside of school. I have
shared my perfect recipe for our students' success in my classes:
1 cup of educators, students, families, and community members blended to support the healthy development
of all students.
2 tbsp of all students engaged, active learners who are self-aware, caring and respectful, responsible decision
makers, and academic achievers.
⅓ cup of student’s positive energy and work ethic.
Just like baking a cake, a student’s success is made up of several small yet equally important components. If
something is left out, the whole product will be affected. Let's work together to lead our students to their
success!
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE
Students in FACS started the quarter reviewing kitchen equipment use, food and kitchen safety and
sanitation, measuring, and lab procedures. Food labs included Fruit Slushies and Snickerdoodles. Students
then learned about the 6 key nutrients our bodies need and discussed how to read food labels in order to
make healthy choices when eating. We made Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits, French Toast, and Chewy Granola
Bars. Students are now working on our cooking techniques section and will learn the difference between
yeast breads and make Pizza and quick breads and make Muffins. We will also make tacos on the stove
top and fried rice in our skillets.
After our foods unit, we will move on to sewing. Students will be reviewing basic hand stitches as well as
learning how to use the sewing machines. They will be completing a pillow project in class. Information will
be coming home soon about the *option* to bring in their own fabric (please note, pillow kits in a selection
of fabrics will be provided for students, but some students may choose to bring in their own cotton quilting
weight fabric from home). I look forward to the next several weeks in FACS!
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BAND
This year in band at Woodrow Wilson, we’re beginning by learning some new scales, then jumping right into
some holiday music. The kids are learning a lot by working on fun and recognizable pieces like The
Chipmunk Song and The Polar Express. 7th
Graders are working on fundamentals—posture, hand position,
breath support and tuning—while 8th
Graders are honing their skills for more advanced music—dynamics,
articulation and appropriate musical phrasing. Both groups are doing a great job and we’re already excited
to show off at our holiday concert in December!
MUSIC
General Music students have completed their pre-assessments and are off to a fast start! This
month students will be improving their listening skills with rhythmic dictation, exploring the world
of music production- creating their own tracks and projects online via Soundtrap.com, as well as
beginning to learn how to play piano. Students will work toward learning a class song and the
responsibilities of being a member of an ensemble. Please check out my website for helpful links,
student shout outs, and updated information on what we are doing in class! My website can be
found through the Middletown Public Schools page through staff directory. Search: Gatti, and click
on the globe icon! https://sites.google.com/mpsct.org/gatti-music/home
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CHORUS
The WWMS 7th and 8th Grade Choruses are off to a fantastic start! All classes are learning rhythm patterns
with quarter rests as well as starting their first songs for the year. Be on the lookout for information coming
out soon regarding our winter concert dates.
Each grade has their own Google Classroom. Parents, I encourage you to join! The codes are:
7th Grade: 6qm3t0c
8th Grade: s1l74b
7th Grade Parents: You must order a music shirt for your child. They are $15 and the order forms are on
Google Classroom. The orders must be in by October 6, 2017.
8th Grade Parents: Your child can wear the same shirt they wore last year unless it doesn’t fit. New ones can
be bought for $7.50 if you bring back the other shirt in excellent condition (no rips, stains, frays, etc.). New
8th grade chorus students must order a new shirt (unless they have theirs from band/strings last year).
Our music adjudication trip will be in May 2018. More information about this will be available starting in a
few weeks.
Select Choir Auditions are October 3 after school. Select Choir is for both 7th and 8th graders whether they
are in chorus or not. All are encouraged to audition!
If you ever have any questions about the choral program at WWMS, please email [email protected]
~Ali Sinicrope
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TEAM 7R
Thank you to all of the families who attended our Open House in September! We look forward to seeing you families again in
November for our fall conferences! More information in the upcoming weeks.
Homework Update: All students on Team 7R have joined our Google Classroom Homework Site. Notifications are sent daily to all
students with descriptions of homework assignments. Unfortunately parents cannot join the site, but please ask your child for their
login information if you would like to see the assignments.
Field Trip Update: Our team building experience at Camp Ingersoll will occur on October 26 and 27th. Your child will be
assigned one of those days. Permission slips were handed out on September 21st. Please encourage your child to bring it in ((by
October 13th) It is a day of fun! If you are interested in chaperoning, please Email Ms. Cianci; you must be an approved volunteer
for the school system.
Weekly Newsletter: Ms. Cianci has been e-mailing weekly newsletters Sunday night/Monday mornings with information
about team news and class happenings. E-mail Ms. Cianci if you haven’t received any of our weekly newsletters.
Hall Passes: Students are given a small paper hall pass at the beginning of our 6-day school cycle. Students are expected to
hold onto this pass for two cycles (12 school days). Please encourage your child to be responsible with this pass and leave it in their
binder at the end of the day. The pass must be signed to leave classrooms.
CLASS UPDATES
Science – Mr. Sevey
Students have started the year off learning about
Earth's atmosphere and weather. We covered many
basic topics during September (such as density, air
pressure, and heat transfer) and will build upon that
foundation as we take a detailed look at weather. We
are just now finishing the first lab experiment of the
year to investigate the relative rate of heat exchange
between different materials, and will soon complete
our second experiment to determine the relative
humidity within WWMS! The unit will culminate in a
weather report near the end of the month, giving
students an opportunity to apply their newfound
knowledge.
Math – Ms. Cianci
The first month of school flew by! Students in the 7th
grade course completed a unit on previously taught
skills in 6th grade. Students then transitioned to our
first 7th grade unit on addition and subtraction of
negative and positive numbers. Parents/guardians are
reminded that there is NO math homework in the
general course this year. However, students are
encouraged to use online resources like Prodigy and
Khan Academy when they have difficulty with
topics.
Students in the accelerated course are moving through
their first unit of operations with all rational
numbers. This was a rigorous learning unit with a
strong emphasis on working with fractions.
CLASS UPDATES
Language Arts - Mr. Proulx
Students have been hard at work in Language Arts
thus far this year. After reading several short stories,
including works from Langston Hughes and Gary
Soto, students will connect these stories to a common
theme in a short essay. This theme exploration will
set the stage for both reading and student-created
narrative writing throughout the year.
Starting next month, we will be analyzing the
important literary elements during our month-long
“Boo-Fest.” We will use the classic horror story to
explore elements such as conflict, mood, suspense,
character, and plot structure.
Social Studies – Mr. Pattavina
7R Social Studies classes have been working on the
exploration of cultures. So far we have discussed the
Five Themes of Geography, practiced reading and
using maps, and created Cultural Shields for our
families. We have homework three nights a week and
quizzes every Friday on 7R. I look forward to a fun
and exciting year.
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TEAM 7A
We’ve had a great beginning of the school year so far! It was wonderful to meet so many parents at Open House.
We have sent out the permission slip for our annual fall trip to Camp Ingersoll in Portland. The Camp Ingersoll program is designed to
help students focus on team building, improving communication and developing trust. It’s always a wonderful trip, so be sure to send
your permission slip and payment back as soon as you can!
Hopefully, your child has all the supplies needed to be successful in school this year. Coming to school prepared is essential! We
encourage parents to access our Team Instagram Page for homework assignments. We take a picture of the homework board each
Monday. The page is named: Team7AHomework
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. Call us at 860-347-8594 or email:
CLASS UPDATES
Language Arts - Mrs. Brandi, Mr. Stevenson and Ms.
Scianna
We spent much of September on our “Knowing Who We Are”
unit. This unit connected both our introductory lessons of
getting to know each other and some great short stories!
Students have read stories by Gary Soto, Langston Hughes and
Chaim Potok. They have analyzed the literary elements and
how the elements interact to make a story exciting!
Students will write response to literature papers in which they
develop common themes among the stories. We expect to be
very impressed with their writing skills, based on the work
we’ve seen so far!
We have also begun our independent reading program.
Students are expected to have an independent reading book
with them every day! We will read for about 20 minutes twice
a six-day cycle. Parents should look for the independent
reading homework assignments!
Students have also begun to utilize the membean.com
vocabulary program. Currently we are practicing in class as a
warm up twice a week. Please encourage your son or daughter
to try it at home too! The program is very user friendly, with
videos and audio for the reading passages.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns.
A strong parent/teacher connection ensures student success!
Science - Mr. Sweeney 7A science students are currently beginning their investigations
into the earth’s atmosphere and weather patterns. This unit will
carry over until the end of the first marking quarter.
We are also in the beginning stage of picking our students who
will attend project “O” during this, 2017-2018 school year.
Seventeen lucky students will attend a series of 5-6 field trips
that are based around the Connecticut River Basin and Long
Island Sound. One of these field trips will have the students
spend the day out on the Connecticut River and Long Island
Sound on projects O’s boat, the Envirolab 2.
CLASS UPDATES
Math –Ms. Carluccio
Students in general classes just completed Number Sense
Unit. They were working on place value, rounding and
performing operations with fractions and decimals.
In our current unit students are learning how to add, subtract,
multiply and divide positive and negative numbers using
number lines and manipulatives.
Students in accelerated classes completed a review unit on
absolute value, comparing and ordering rational numbers as
well as operations with rational numbers. We are currently
learning how to find the sum, difference, product and quotient
of rational numbers.
Social Studies – Mrs. Golia
Mrs. Golia’s students have been reviewing culture and
geography.
We have covered the five themes of geography, which
include location, place, region, movement, and human-
environment interaction. Students have reviewed culture and
the key aspects that are a part of someone’s culture. They have
interviewed their peers and created a Culture Crest in class that
represents their own culture. We will also study latitude and
longitude and examine thematic maps.
This year we will focus on several themes as we discuss the
Eastern Hemisphere – Culture, Government, World Religions,
Geographic Impact, and Human Rights. I encourage parents to
discuss current events with their children and watch the news
or read the newspaper with them so they can bring ideas and
information to class.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.
Sarah Brandi [email protected] Jane [email protected]
Nicole Golia - [email protected] Lisbeth Scianna - [email protected]
Zach Stevenson - [email protected] Aaron Sweeney - [email protected]
14
TEAM 7M
The teachers of 7M have been very impressed with the attitude, enthusiasm, and respect shown to us by most of our
students during the opening month of the school year. Students have come prepared for class, and have been ready to
participate and learn. As team leader I want to help any student or parent who is unsure about team or school expectations,
as well as make sure that team activities have been clearly explained. Please do not hesitate to call or send an e-mail. Thank
you. Mr. Albrecht ([email protected])
FIELD TRIP – We are excited to be going to Camp Ingersoll on Thursday, October 26th and Friday, October 27
th. The
focus for these days (half of the team goes each day) will be team building. All forms were passed out period 4 on Friday,
September 15. Please make sure to fill out the form completely and return it along with the cost of the trip. All forms/$ are
due on Friday, October 6th. As a reminder, scholarships are available for those families in need.
Student council elections were held in September for team representatives. Here are those students voted in by their peers,
and the alternates: Pilar Brooks, Francesca Congelosi, Ella Drew, Sophia Engels, and Finn Russell. The alternates for
7M are: Will Higgs and Liam Tobin. Congratulations!
CLASS UPDATES
Science – Mrs. Matzek-Cook
Welcome to Team 7M and 7th
grade science. We are off to a
great start!!! Students have been hard at work learning about
Earth’s atmosphere and how the sun’s energy drives weather
patterns. This unit is a lot of fun and really gets the kids
thinking about the weather. It's been great to see them
discuss and think about the phenomena we are investigating
and how inquisitive they are. We are really starting to put all
the pieces together in understanding what drives changing
weather patterns. So far we have investigated the layers of
the atmosphere, temperature, air pressure, the 3 types of
heating, winds and how they are all related. We just
completed a lab investigating how radiation energy from the
sun unevenly heats various surfaces on earth.
It was great to see so many parents at our open house this
year. Don’t forget you can check your child’s grades by
accessing PowerSchool. If you ever need to contact me, I
can be reached at [email protected]
Math- Mrs. Ballachino
Students in general classes just completed Number Sense
Unit. They were working on place value, rounding and
performing operations with fractions and decimals.
In our current unit students are learning how to add, subtract,
multiply and divide positive and negative numbers using
number lines and manipulatives.
Students in accelerated classes completed a review unit on
absolute value, comparing and ordering rational numbers as
well as operations with rational numbers. We are currently
learning how to find the sum, difference, product and
quotient of rational numbers.
CLASS UPDATES
Language Arts - Mr. Albrecht and Ms. Murphy
The 2017-2018 school year has started off great! Team 7M has
two language arts teachers, Mr. Albrecht and Ms. Murphy. Your
child has one of them! We both collaborate on lessons and
instructional strategies in order to provide our students with a
quality instructional program that is based on good practice and
consistency!
We are happy to begin the year with a focus on theme, journal
writing skills, and grammar skills using edit and revise
paragraphs and Membean for learning new vocabulary skills.
So far we have provided direct instruction using our literature
anthology, which has a collection of short stories including one
by Langston Hughes. Another component of our balanced
literacy program is independent reading. Students have visited
the school library to check out independent reading books. They
are required to read at home and at school.
We are looking forward to providing a balanced English
language arts program for all students so that they achieve to the
best of their ability (and beyond)! So far our students have
proven to be engaged and responsible. They also seem to be
very well-behaved and polite! Kudos to all parents!
Social Studies/Geography - Mr. Munoz
In Social Studies 7-Marvelous, 🌏🌏🌏
Students are reviewing the 5 Themes of Geography while
practicing how to take and organize their notes. We are learning
how to use Latitude and Longitude to locate places in the globe
and on maps. Students are using "Ram-notes" to read and take
notes for homework, while we review in class using Power-
Point presentations. Soon we will organize our notebooks (into 3
sections: 1. Skills and Note taking, 2. Class Notes and
homework, and 3. Vocabulary Trifolds) and will begin learning
about the geography and history of the Middle East.
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TEAM 8R
CLASS UPDATES
Science – Mrs. DeLaurentis
In 8R science we have been exploring the relationship
between the earth and sun—exploring what causes our
day and night cycles, yearly cycles, seasons, and different
climate zones. Students have presented, conducted labs,
written reflections, and worked on reading nonfiction
text. We will expand our learning to the moon and next,
our solar system. It has been a fantastic start to the year!
Social Studies - Ms. Gallo
We are off to a great start in social studies in Ms.
Gallo's class! We have been learning how to "Read
Like a Historian" and are applying those skills to
discover what happened at Jamestown. Through the
analysis of primary source documents, secondary
source documents, and documentaries, students are
beginning to discover that "history" is not a bunch of
facts and dates memorized from a text book! History
is a series of events seen from multiple perspectives
and it is up to the reader to be a critical "consumer"
of history.
Math – Mr. Bautista
The Accelerated Math students have been reviewing
order of operations and various properties and axioms in
preparation for Solving Multi-Step Equations. The
students are working hard and rising to the challenge.
The College Prep students are currently diving deep into
exponents. Students did well with becoming acquainted
with various types of numbers and their specific
characteristics. Knowing the different types of numbers
allows for the students to be more comfortable working
with them in the future.
CLASS UPDATES
Language Arts - Mrs. DeConti and Mrs. Sherman
8R students are off to a great start! Students have
been exploring the theme of “Community” by
identifying the aspects of a learning community,
their role in it, and how the learning community can
support their learning goals. We have done various
activities to explore the idea of what makes a good
learning environment and have discussed how our
classroom expectations create a place where
students can feel supported to explore their ideas,
create, and grow as readers and writers.
As part of the Independent Reading program,
students are reviewing how to choose JUST FIT
books. Students are expected to read at least 20
minutes a night and to respond to their reading.
Please consider ordering books from Scholastic
book orders, which go home with students one time
per month. The books are heavily discounted and
we can use points to keep our classroom library
dynamic.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George
Speare is the first novel we will be reading in class.
Students will participate in a field trip on October
2nd to Old Wethersfield to support the learning and
setting of the novel.
Welcome back, Team 8R students and parents!
Be sure to have your child join the Team 8R Google Classroom (wxl8asr)! Once your
child has joined the classroom the teachers will add your email address to receive updates
on homework assignments.
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TEAM 8A
Welcome
To
Team 8A!
CLASS UPDATES
Language Arts- Mrs. Moura Davis & Mr. Prince
We are well on our way to a great school year! For
our first unit, we are reading The Witch of Blackbird
Pond where students will focus on metacognition
through close reading. Students will be challenged to
learn new vocabulary and to think critically about a
text. The story takes place in colonial Connecticut, so
students will be exposed local history as well as life
during colonial times. To support our unit and connect
with our Social Studies department, the 8th grade
class will be going on a field trip to Wethersfield
Historical Society to participate in hands-on activities
that will allow the students to engage in Connecticut’s
history and connect to what we are learning in class.
We are looking forward to every student getting to be
a part of this wonderful learning experience!
Science- Mr. Parafati
Students on 8A are exploring the relationship between
the Earth, Sun, and Moon and how it relates to several
different phenomena, such as: time, day, seasons,
lunar phases, tides, and eclipses. They are using
graphs and real scientific data, computer simulations
and animations, demonstrations and lab activities to
help understand all of these processes. More
importantly, they use what they learn to help lead
student discussions to address any misconceptions,
areas of confusion, or drive further questions that need
to be investigated.
CLASS UPDATES
Math– Mr. Sharpe
College Prep students are about half way through
our first unit, Real Numbers. This unit is proving
to be a good challenge for the students as they
must rely on their Math fact knowledge rather than
what they can type into a calculator. With good
effort and perseverance, the students should find
success in this unit.
Accelerated students spent the first couple weeks
bridging the gap between what they've learned last
year about Solving Algebraic Equations and this
year's higher expectations of understanding with
the same topic. Many students have met the
challenge head on and others are really starting to
understand the challenge that some of their 7th
grade teachers were telling them about last year. I
have confidence that they will find their success
with this level of Math.
Social Studies—Mr. Murdock
In U.S. History, students are studying the collision
of Native and European cultures in the New
World. We are focusing on finding the central idea
of primary and secondary sources.
DATES TO REMEMBER
10/04 Trip to Old Wethersfield
10/09 Columbus Day-NO School
10/10 & 10/11: Picture Days
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CONGRATULATIONS to the following 8M students:
TEAM 8M
CLASS UPDATES
Social Studies—Mr. Geary ([email protected])
Students in Mr. Geary’s 8M American History Classes
have been examining Primary and Secondary sources. As
we build the foundation of thinking LIKE a HISTORIAN,
students are examining author perspective and credibility.
The settlement of Jamestown is on the horizon
determining whether or not John Smith is a true Hero or
merely a legend.
As October unfolds, we are beginning to work on this
year’s Local Election, following the campaign for BOE,
commissioners and of course the referendum question to
build a new Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Finally,
students will be able to cast their vote in the Woodrow
Wilson Annual Straw Poll using the optical scan voting
machine early in November.
Math—Ms. Glorioso
The Accelerated Math students have been using order of
operations and various properties and to solve multi-step
equations. Students are working hard and rising to the
challenge of this new material. Students can expect a Unit
Test for this unit in October.
The 8th Grade Math students are currently in the Real
Numbers Unit. All students are becoming acquainted with
various types of numbers and their specific characteristics.
Knowing the different types of numbers allows for
students to be more comfortable working with them. This
unit has also focused on estimating imperfect squares,
power rules, and rational and irrational numbers. We are
about to begin scientific notation. The students can expect
a Unit Test in late September.
CLASS UPDATES
Science—Mr. McKeever
In science we studying the Earth's rotation on its axis
and the revolution of the Earth around the sun. We have
been collecting daily data regarding sun rise and sun set
times as well as tracking the phases of the moon. We
will use this data to discuss the lunar phases and the
orbit of the moon around the Earth.
Language Arts—Ms. Daley ([email protected])
We have completed our All About Me Power Points and
will be sharing in our classes with the idea of building a
classroom climate that is positive and friendly.
The Common Core Standards for our first unit,
Metacognition, will cover text citations with purpose -
deeper analysis of dialogue and character development,
vocabulary and figurative language.
Independent reading is required each night for all
students. This reading is intended for pleasure, however
Smarter Balance inquiry based responses will be
required for homework.
In October 8M will visit Wethersfield on a class field
trip which parallels our unit one book "The Witch at
Blackbird Pond".
All students are required to have in class: a red pen, a
notebook and an independent reading book.
Thank you to all those parents that attended Open
House. Please be sure you and your child are checking
Power School on a regular basis.
Boys Soccer: Ethan Mounts, Ian Mounts, Timothy Vaughters, Ke’Andre Rattigan, Manager Isabella Gioco,
Manager Mackenzie Martin.
Girls Soccer: Aislinn Carroll, Isabella Gonzalez, Madison Mounts, Jenaya Salafia
X-Country: Natalie Ciarlegio, Brady Cowles, Samantha Crowley, Julia Kawka, Colin Latronica, Patrick
Rumburger, Anthony Serrano, Josh Sullo, Josh Wentzell, Symion Walden, Manager Jordan Collyer, Manager
Jacob Sergi
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STUDENT COUNCIL
Wilson Student Government: Students have begun the process of putting our Student
Council in place for the 2017-18 school year. Student Council representatives have been
elected and alternates are being selected.
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES
We now prepare for our Student Council Presidential Elections.
Six teams of candidates have entered into the campaign –
Candidates assemblies are scheduled for Friday, October 20th
TEAM 7R
Arianah Amato
Alivia Bastine
Julia Green
Keziah Gyimah-Padmore
Hannah Kolosky
TEAM 7A
Chelsea Campos
Jaylen Taylor
Gregory Powell Jr.
Justin Rogers
Quintin Zakarian
TEAM 7M
Pilar Brooks
Francesca Congelosi
Ella Drew
Sophia Engels
Finn Russell
TEAM 8R
Ryan Doherty
Dalya Hernandez
Dylan Reynolds
Kylee Salafia
Brady Stevenson
TEAM 8A
Gabriel Boily
Audrey McDonald
Drew Ngo
Bennett Pancoast
Josh Segal
TEAM 8M
Aislinn Carroll
Keisha Collins
Nick Connelly
Colin Latronica
Talia Turro
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RAM PRIDE PATROL
RAM PRIDE Patrol Woodrow Wilson Middle School
Anti-bullying training sessions for all students attending Woodrow Wilson
were held in the beginning of September. Students interested in being part of this year’s Pride Patrol are signing up and
are eagerly waiting for their lanyards and badges identifying them as UPSTANDERS. Our goal is to eliminate meanness wherever it occurs.
“If it’s mean, INTERVENE”
108 8th graders have signed up to date.
Signups continue to roll in.
7th Grade Pride Patrol GLOW Stik Assembly Friday, September 29th
Signups begin OCTOBER 2nd for 7th grade to pledge to be UPSTANDERS
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ATHLETICS
The fall season has begun. The soccer teams have been chosen, parent meetings have been held and
practices/meets have started. This week, the soccer and cross country teams will be in full swing. The
schedules and directions can be found on the Woodrow Wilson webpage on the Athletics page. Be sure you
check it out!
It is wonderful to see all the students who were interested in playing on a Wilson team! It is a challenging
year with our fields being redone, but the practices are going well with adaptations. Our soccer practices and
games are at Long Hill Fields and home cross country meets are at Vet’s Park. Our fall coaches are: Boys
Soccer – Mike Angeli, Girls’ Soccer – Shawn Murdock, Boys’ Cross Country – Joe Prince, Girls’ Cross
Country – Justine Durr, our new coach. Please check out a contest this fall! The cross country team could use
help during meets. Start time for the meets are 3:45p.m. and for soccer, 3:30p.m.
The participation policy for sports has changed. Make sure you and your student-athlete understand that
grades are important and come first! A failing grade can prohibit an athlete from full participation on a sport
team. Parents: please attend parent-coach meetings and read the sport contracts that you sign and if you have
questions, please contact the coach.
A special fundraiser is being held this December. This will be the 4th annual Craft Fair and Cookie Sale. The
high school Project Graduation used to have a great cookie sale and had it at our fair last year. This year,
they are not going to have the sale, but it was so good, we are going to take it and add it the fair again. We
are looking for bakers – think of it as practice for your holiday cookie baking! Several parents/staff signed up
to bake this year – many thanks to you! If you would like to bake for us to show off those special holiday
cookies or bars, please call me and let me know! A minimum of 2 dozen is the request and the school
number is (860) 347-8594. Ask for Deb Petruzzello. Any homemade baked cookies/bars would be
appreciated!
21
FROM THE NURSE
Message from Nurse Nancy and Nurse Melissa:
If your child needs medication in school, please have the doctor write an order and bring in
the medication as soon as possible. Field trips are starting soon and medications need to be
provided to be available for a safe trip. A new medication order needs to be provided for each
school year. Please remember, if your child has a physical, please submit a copy of the
physical to the nurse’s office. This will be very helpful with sports clearance and state
mandated screenings. We are looking forward to a happy and healthy school year.
Mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress and anxiety and can help to increase
focus and learning. It is an effective skill to learn for living peacefully and
mindfully in the moment. Nancy Kowalski RN will be offering an introduction to
meditation on Thursdays after school from 2:45 until 3:55 pm for interested
students, staff, and faculty. The late bus will be available at 4pm. Those attending
can participate in guided meditations, readings, and experiential forms of relaxation
in a small group setting. If you have any questions please call Nancy in the nurses'
office.
22
RAMS IN ACTION
For more info, contact Ms. Felicia [email protected]
RAMS In Action, is a peer leadership program meeting every Tuesday and Thursday after school. Ms.
Felicia, Coordinator of Prevention and Wellness for Rushford is the advisor for the program. RAMS In
Action has been an after-school program at WWMS for 12 years. Students involved in this program work
together and participate in fun activities, team building, and discussions focusing on building peer leadership
skills, peer pressure, decision making, advocacy, prevention awareness, healthy choices, and many
others. Students also organize school wide events such as Unity Day, Red Ribbon Week, Who I Am Makes
A Difference Day, No Name Calling Week, Kick Butts Day (tobacco free campaign), Chain Reaction of
Kindness Day, and National Prevention Awareness Week; as well as working together on community
projects with students from Middletown High School participating in SADD (Students Against Destructive
Decisions).
Rams In Action will be planning two school wide events for the month of October. Unity Day is October 25.
The theme for the day is "Together against bullying, united for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion."
Everyone is asked to wear orange on that day to unite together and support students being bullied
everywhere and to show them that they are not alone and that someone cares by wearing orange. The event is
sponsored by Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center. (PACER.org/Bullying)
Red Ribbon Week is October 23-31. This week is the largest drug prevention campaign across America,
reaching millions of young people. The red ribbon is a symbol of educating youth and encouraging them to
participate in prevention activities. Throughout the week students and staff are encouraged to participate in
our themed days. There will also be morning announcements, posters, and information.
Rams In Action is open to all students. Permission slips are available outside of Ms. Felicia’s office.
23
GOLD AND BLACK SHACK
The Woodrow Wilson School Store is open for business during all lunch waves. Hours have been spent
planning, ordering, organizing and preparing for our opening. Our “Spirit Cart” is taking our store to the
students in the café.
School supplies as well Wilson spirit items will be sold at reasonable prices. This is a great opportunity to
promote Wilson spirit and school pride. Store managers are putting in place the volunteers to man our store
during Café Periods.
GOLD AND BLACK SHACK
PRICE LIST
School Spirit Items
School Supplies
Sweat Set(Hoodie & pant)… $38.00
Hoodie. . . $20.00
Sweat Pant. . . $20.00
RAM Polo Shirt . . . $12.00
RAM T-Shirts (White or Black) $10.00
Draw String Bag. . . $10.00
Hat . . . $ 8.00
Lanyard .. $ 3.00
Ram Stick-Ons.. (.50 ea. or 3 for $1.25)
Dog Tag. . . $ 2.00
Pennant. . . $ 2.00
Water Bottle. . . $ 2.00
Bracelet. . . $ 1.50
Planner. . . $ 1.00
Selfie Stick … $ 6.00
Zippered Trapper Keeper. . . $ 6.00
Backpack … $ 6.00
Flashdrive… $ 6.00
Spiral Notebooks . . . $ 2.00
Binders 2” (Assorted Colors)... $ 2.00
Filler Paper (200 Sheets). . . $ 1.00
Folder (2 pocket – asst. colors)…$ 1.00
Sticky Notes (Pastel or High 5). $ .75
Calculator. . . $ 2.00
Pens. . . (Mega stick assortment) $ 1.50
Pens. . . (Bracelet) $ 2.00
Flashlight Pen. . . $ 2.00
Pencils. . . (Variety) $ .25
Bendy Pencil. . . $ 1.00
Pencil Case. . . $ 2.00
Sharpies (UltraFine - Assorted
Colors). . . $1.00
Highlighters(Assorted) …. $1.00
Nose Sharpener. . . $ .75
Eraser. . . $ .50
Neon Smiley Erasers. . . $ .25
Pencil Grips (Assorted). . . $ .25
Locker Magnet White Board. . . $2.00
Locker Magnet Circle “Memo”. . $1.00
Locker Mirror (round or square).. $2.00
Combination Lock. . . $1.00
Fan (Hand Held). . . $1.00
Fan (Battery Powered: hand held) $2.00
Fan (Battery Powered: desk top) $2.00
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BAYSTATE TEXTILES RECYCLING OF CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES
This program encourages the reuse of clothing, shoes, and many other items. It was started in 2015. Thanks to donations from many families we have been able to receive hundreds of dollars from the Baystate Textiles Company. All money received goes toward the recycling programs at Woodrow Wilson. It will help replace and purchase containers for recycling paper, cans, bottles, and ( in the future ) food scraps. Any time of the year families may drop off donations in the white bin with the Ram logo and recycling symbol. It is located on Hunting Hill Avenue, near the exit of the driveway in front of the building. Please refer to the list that follows this note for acceptable items. Please put all items in a bag, and make sure they are clean.
ITEMS NEED TO BE CLEAN & DRY
FOOTWEAR
SHOES BOOTS SNEAKERS HEELS
WORK BOOTS CLEATS PUMPS DRESS BOOTS
SLIPPERS SANDALS WINTER BOOTS FLIP FLOPS
CLOTHING
TOPS PANTS UNDERGARMENTS SWEATERS
JEANS SOCKS SWEATSHIRTS SWEATPANTS
T-SHIRTS DRESSES SKIRTS SLIPS
TANK TOPS SHORTS PAJAMAS BLAZERS
SLACKS COATS
ACCESSORIES
HATS GLOVES SCARVES STUFFED ANIMALS
POCKETBOOKS DUFFLE BAGS TOTES BELTS
TIES BATHROBES
LINENS
SHEETS APRONS COMFORTERS BLANKETS
DISH TOWELS THROW RUGS DRAPERIES TABLE LINENS
PLACEMATS
IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE HOW WORN OUT IT IS !
25
YEARBOOK
Don’t Miss Out
On our
Special Back To
School OFFER
Click Here to Purchase
your Yearbook TODAY
*OFFER
EXPIRES
10/27/2017
26
NEWS FROM THE PTO
Hello families,
The WWMS PTO would like to welcome you all back to school. For those of you who are unfamiliar with
us, we are a volunteer organization made up of parents/guardians, teachers, administrators and support staff
dedicated to enhancing and maximizing the education of every child while aiding them in achieving their
highest potential.
We look forward to meeting and working with our families, parents, grandparents, and anyone that would
like to be involved with our PTO this year. We encourage you to not only join the PTO, but to get involved
as well. There are so many wonderful things happening at WWMS!
Our next PTO meeting will be Tuesday, October 17 at 6:00pm in the Media Center, all are invited to attend.
We are currently looking to fill vacant board positions; co-president, vice president and secretary. If you are
interested in a position please let us know! Volunteers are a huge part of what makes our PTO successful.
Thank you to everyone that made it out to our first meeting!
Box tops! If you have them we want them!! We will be collecting all year. Our first
collection deadline is Fri. Oct. 6. There is a bin in the main office for students to drop off their
box tops.
Be on the lookout for information regarding our BJ’s fundraiser. Any new application or renewal is $35 for
13 months with the school receiving $5 for each membership.
Do you have a Stop and Shop or Price Chopper Card? Stop and Shop code is: 09001. Price Chopper code is
49810. These rewards are separate from your gas rewards.
We will send out an email shortly for donations of snacks for the first school dance on Friday, October 27.
Our list of donations includes individually packaged snacks and baked goods.
Tuesday, November 7 is Election Day and the PTO will host their annual bake sale. Funds support the PTO
as well as the WWMS school store. If you are able to donate baked goods and/or volunteer we greatly
appreciate it. There will be more info to follow.
Each year we like to update or PTO distribution list, if you would like to receive emails from the PTO,
please email us at [email protected] so that we can add you to our list.
IMPORTANT OCTOBER DATES
Fri. 10/6: WWMS Family Night with the Huskies, 7pm @ Rentschler Field
Tu. 10/17: PTO Meeting, 6pm in the Media Center
Fri. 10/27: School dance, sponsored by Student Council
Thank you for your continued support!
WWMS PTO Executive Board
President: Felicia Goodwine-Vaughters Treasurer: Lukanya Wilborn
