Feb. 13, 2018
Dear WMA Middle School Parents,
Head of School Brian Easler will join the Middle School faculty and students March 1 for a conversation on the challenges of living in a community. During his years as Head of School and as Dean of Students, Mr. Easler has helped hundreds find a better path through the social, physical and intellectual challenges school presents. He will draw on that hard-earned wisdom when he addresses our entire program.
Temporary changes to Advisory
Mr. Easler's address will kickoff a MS Advisory Program designed to encourage thoughtful conversations about the real, and often completely different, challenges faced by the three grades. Students will meet by grade to discuss how they can be more supportive of one another, and how they can avoid unnecessary tensions.
Friday, Feb. 16 is final day of T2
Grade books close for Trimester 2 on Friday, Feb. 16, so take a moment to check out your student's grades and assignments to ensure nothing falls through the cracks! If you are having trouble gaining access to My BackPack or feel as though you are not accessing all of the information you need, just call Mrs. Kelley (413.596.9167) and she can help you figure it out!
Ski gathering for WMA Families March 19
We have a wonderful opportunity to bring together families with a WMA Family Ski Day at Butternut, a chance to make new friends and build on your connection to WMA. This will happen on the last Monday of Spring Break, just two days before classes resume.
For those of you who know the mountain, there is something for everyone. Enjoy skiing, tubing, good food and a chance to hang out with some of my favorite people. Coffee, hot chocolate and Munchkins will be provided to ensure eyes are open and brains fully engaged.
Atlas Fund
As I was making my contribution to the Atlas Fund, I began thinking about how important it is for our families to support WMA. A high percentage, in terms of parent participation, means so much to our school beyond simply supporting the Atlas Fund - from simple pride in knowing we utterly trounced the Upper School's participation levels (seriously, we need to do this ...) to the traction our grant proposals gain when they know our families are utterly invested in education and the institution. I do not think 100 percent participation is an impossible goal ... but I would like to set our sights on 75 percent.
And of course, any gifts will count towards the February Parent Participation Challenge and get us closer to receiving the $50,000 bonus for reaching 40 percent overall.
Remember, your participation in the Atlas Fund can be used for MS projects. A case in point, we have successfully lobbied for a MS blacktop to be put down behind the Middle School as soon as this summer, ensuring a MS play area and potential alternate site for our PE classes. Opportunities for basketball, futsal (soccer, but on a smaller court), speedball (ask your kids), four square, badminton and Wiffle ball will now be possible.
With the right kind of motivated MS parent support, that blacktop could eventually be given a high roof and lights, increasing its usefulness and ensuring active, technology-free fun for our kids. So please support the Atlas Fund - the positive impact of your giving on programming and student development is undeniable and has never been easier.
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Filmmaker to share documentary
Thursday, Feb. 15
Filmmaker Craig Dudnick will join us in the Middle School to speak and share his 56-minute film "Alice's Ordinary People." The documentary is about a woman who refused to stand still for injustice and brought others together to change what was.
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Off-Campus Parents Event
Friday, Feb. 23
Sally Taylor, daughter of musicians James Taylor and Carly Simon, will be speaking at the next Parents of Independent Schools Network meeting at The Rivers School in Weston, Mass., from 9 - 11 a.m. WMA is a member of PIN and we have the opportunity to attend monthly programs hosted at member schools.
Ms. Taylor will broadly discuss the importance of the arts in our children's education and, more particularly, in how the arts can teach our children curiosity and perspective.
Please contact Jeanine Little at jlittle@wma.us before Feb. 14 if you are interested. When you check in, please tell them you are from WMA. If we have people who are interested in carpooling, that is an option.
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- Parent Information -
Parents Association meeting
Feb. 22, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Morrow House
"Diplomacy: The Why and How in WMA Curriculum"
Faculty presentation from 6 - 6:45 p.m.
Dean of Curriculum Meg Hutcheson, Dean of Faculty Wally Swanson, CEGS Department Chair Dr. Anthony Kandel and WMA faculty member Michael Dziura will be in attendance.
PA meeting immediately following.
Future meetings: March 22, April 26
Academic Support
Does your student need additional help? Our Academic Support page now includes a video for online, peer support for Math.
Password: mightytitans2016!
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Contact information
Stuart Whitcomb, Director of the Middle School
swhitcomb@wma.us; 413.596.9168
Staci Kelley, Administrative Assistant
skelley@wma.us; 413.596.9167
Jeanine Little, Director of Parent Programs
jlittle@wma.us; 413.596.9144
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423 Main Street, Wilbraham, MA 01095
413.596.6811
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