MS Leadership

Aug. 24, 2018

To all WMA Middle School Families,

As I mentioned in a previous communication, there will be a few significant shifts in Middle School student technology access and use, and perhaps the most significant shift relates to smartphones.

Beginning this year, MS students will no longer have access to their phones during the school day.

While we understand the pervasive role digital technology now plays in our lives, there is clear evidence that smartphones should not be in the possession of elementary or middle school students during school, and that digital technology without a clear and thoughtful approach to usage lends itself to distraction. With this in mind, we have built into the WMA technology curriculum a graduated approach to technology access and usage, starting in the Middle School. The goal of the curriculum is to help students create a sense of discipline around their use of technology while teaching them how to thoughtfully engage with this powerful tool.

From this point forward, students may not be in possession of their phones between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. If a Middle School student brings their phone to school, they must leave it in an individually-labeled storage area (in a locked closet) provided by the Academy for the entirety of the academic day. This means they will not have access to their phones until 3:05 p.m. when they leave for sports/activities/study hall. This also means they will not be able to “just check, super fast” their messages, Instagram, etc., during the academic day. This includes looking for messages from a parent or grandparent.

As always, families will have access to students through the MS Office as well as the Reception Desk. This has always been the expected and appreciated method of communication between home and student during the school day as it avoids student distraction in the classroom, and ensures the school communicates with the student in a timely manner. Students will also have access to the landline phone in the MS Office, should they need to call home. If you need to connect with your child, please call either:

MS Office - 413.596.9167

WMA Reception Desk - 413.596.6811

Students will be assigned a hallway hook for their gym bag and backpack - the number for their hook will also be the number for their phone pocket in the technology closet. Students may not keep a phone in their bags or on their person during the academic day, and if they have multiple phones, each phone will need to be kept in their phone pocket in the technology closet. Following the spirit of this shift, the same is true for iPods and personal gaming devices.

FAQs

Invariably there will be many questions relating to this shift in phone access and usage, and I look forward to responding to each of them - but for now here are a few I anticipate hearing.

• Why are you making this shift now? Our students are social and engaged, but we are seeing fewer points of connection outside the hand-held world of social media and online gaming. For the healthy social and emotional development of Middle School students, we must continue to encourage unstructured interactions and challenge them to engage one another. By removing phones from the equation we remove a significant impediment to success in this area.
• What if we have a family emergency? Call WMA and we will locate your child and connect them to you immediately.
  • Add Staci’s office to your speed dial -- 413.596.9167
  • Add Stuart’s office to your speed dial -- 413.596.9168
  • Add the main WMA number to your speed dial -- 413.596.6811
• What if there is an on-campus emergency? First, faculty will still have their phones and will take charge of the students in the building. Second, the campus is equipped with an all-school intercom through the phone system allowing all classrooms, offices and community spaces to hear the alert. As soon as is appropriate, students will receive their phones for immediate use.
• Are the phones in a safe place? Yes, they will be in a locked closet dedicated for that purpose, and only used by faculty.
• What happens if we arrive late? Before heading off to class, just bring the phone to Staci’s desk in the MS Office and she will put it away.
• What happens if we depart early? Let Staci know your pick-up time so she can have the phone ready when you depart.
• My child is diabetic and uses the phone to help track and monitor sugar levels - can the phone be in their possession? Yes, in an instance where there is no other medical device to take the place of the phone, the phone may be used with significant restrictions.
• Can we bring the phone to off-campus appointments during the academic day? Yes. Again, let Staci know your plans so she is ready at your departure time. Do not forget to bring it back to Staci first thing, if you return to school.
• Are phones allowed at sports and activities? Students will have access to their phones at 3:05 p.m., but should not use them after during sports or activities, as per the coach or proctor.
• What about downtime usage? Students will be able to use their phones before and after school, but in between the phones will remain out of reach. Downtime will be spent playing or hanging out, and the new blacktop behind the MS building will provide a perfect space.
• What is the penalty for having a phone during school hours? We will publish the new consequences in the coming weeks. The consequences will build, based on the number of infractions and the time between infractions, similar to the consequence ladder for dress code. Remember, the expectation is 100 percent compliance from the start - this is not a difficult rule to understand but for some it may prove a challenging rule to follow. Any time the student is found in possession of a phone during the times listed, the phone will be taken from the student and placed in the technology closet.

WMA Middle School is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school with an expectation that every student will arrive each day with a fully-charged tablet or computer, and a charging cord in their backpack. WMA moved last year to a Google platform for most academic subjects. While we also require digital versions of textbooks for subjects like Math or World Languages, Google Suite provides word processing, spreadsheets, research tools, cloud space and email. Google Suite also provides us access to Google Classroom, where teachers post assignments and students submit homework and assessments, and can check in with their teachers outside of class. Our link to Google Suite means that while an iPad or MacBook are useful tools, a ChromeBook will also suffice. The standard benefit of the ChromeBook is that you can pick one up for $200 - $300 with a warranty and service plan, and it is a good starter computer for students who are prone to dropping things, or leaving them under a sweatshirt in the middle of the hallway. Hey, it happens. Again, this is not a plug for the ChromeBook - if you have a spare Apple product or Dell laptop in your home, go for it. If not, let this serve as a good starting place when considering a new device. If you have additional questions, I would encourage you to send me an email or simply call me Monday to Thursday.

Our Dress Code specifies items that may and may not be worn and guidelines for the purchase of new clothing.

WMA-crested blazers are no longer required on Thursdays in the Middle School, but a WMA-crested top is expected. Through the Lands' End website, crested sweaters and sweater vests are available (and preferred by many students), but blazers and other options are also available.

The key to dress code in the Middle School is students are to look "dressy" and "sharp." If an outfit leads one to question if it fits the dress code, it should be left at home until you can confirm one way or the other. The No. 1 complaint I get from parents is "I cannot find anything in the dress code when I go shopping - it is just not the trend right now." My response is generally some version of, "Our dress code tends to lean to the conservative end of the spectrum and rarely matches up with fashion trends. Aim for similarly conservative vendors for the best luck, and utilize your online options such as Lands' End." Also remember that students grow at an alarming rate during the MS years - for example a dress that reaches the knees in August may be mid-thigh (and therefore out of dress code) by November. It is suggested aunts, uncles and grandparents be made aware of the dress code as well - that way items purchased as a gift for school-use will actually make it to school.

As for PE, students will need to bring a separate bag (a simple drawstring bag works) containing deodorant, sunscreen, athletic shoes, a pair of socks, a T-shirt and athletic shorts. Shorts should fit comfortably and should be appropriately sized. While students will use the locker rooms to change before and after PE, students generally do not shower after and towels are not provided.

At this point in your career as parents we assume you have a pretty good grasp on the kinds of school supplies a student will need. You will need to provide your student a computer or tablet. Highlighters, colored pens, No. 2 pencils, erasers, a deck of sticky notes and a five-subject notebook are all handy items, and can always be purchased at the campus bookstore in a pinch. Calculators may be needed in some Math classes, but classroom sets are available to students in Grade 6 and 7. Calculators may also be purchased in our Campus Store. Beyond that, if specific items are needed your student's teacher will let you know.