WHITTHORNE

PARENT NEWSLETTEROur Vision:

WMS exists to embrace the community of Columbia to provide rigorous instruction with a compassionate model

where hope meets opportunity.

WEEK of APRIL 19thGood Evening TIGERS!

TIGERS, WE MISS YOU! Check out this special message from US to YOU!https://animoto.com/play/vwoVaHNqN1o1WRe6QUfz9g

PARENTS:We need to update our understanding of Wi-Fi across the county for students and families. THIS coming Tuesday at 4pm, parents will be getting a phone call for a phone survey. We appreciate parents taking this survey and helping us out with this information. The survey will be:

Press 1 if you have reliable home internet.

Press 2 if your home internet is unreliable and sometimes goes out.

Press 3 if you have no internet of any kind in your home.

HAPPY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS DAY

- April 22nd is Administrative Assistants Day

- WMS has the absolute BEST!

- We LOVE and APPRECIATE YOU!

-THANK YOU for all that YOU do for WMS!

NEWS TO KNOW: Students who are going into 7th/8th grades next year who want

to take honors courses had a deadline of March 20 to turn in applications. Obviously, many students were unable to do so due to the cancellation of school. Several students and parents have emailed to ask what to do. If possible, please scan and email your application to Mrs. Brewer at bhbrewer@mauryk12.org . However, if you do not have access to a scanner, students, please email me the names of the classes you want to take and why (this can be copied from your application). If you did not already have both your recommendations, I will contact your teachers for those.

Be sure to check your student email! Your teachers are sending you messages and information!

During the school closure, the best way to reach teachers and staff is through email. A staff email directory can be found on the WMS website.

o http://whitthornemiddlemauryk12.ss9.sharpschool.com Maury County Public Schools is happy to announce that

student packets for grades K-8 are ready for distribution. If you would like to pick up an additional work packet for your children, packets will be available for pickup during the schools normal meal distributions and locations between 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. while supplies last.

Need to connect with your teachers, need to know what assignments and activities your students can be working on? Be sure to utilize the Remind app or other mass communication apps.

o Check out the WMS website, social media sites, and below for a one stop document with WMS teachers’ communication app information. (If you don’t see the teachers you need, email them directly)

FOLLOW WMS FOR UPDATES & INFO:

fb.me/wmssuccess

@wmstigers

whitthornetigers

*WMS Website- http://whitthornemiddlemauryk12.ss9.sharpschool.com/

HAPPY QUARANTINE BIRTHDAY

MARCHMarch 17

Duffano, Madeline

Reese, Makayla

Simon Morales, Franklin

Watson, Hailey E.

March 18

Brown, Peyton

Fisher, Brady

Watson, Logan A.

March 20

Logan, Jaden

March 22

Stewart, Trenton

March 23

Brickner, Carley

Grissom, Danielle

McCoy, Inez

March 24

Childress, Amaya

Crawford, Kayla

March 25

Hatton, Vonte

Perez, Alexandra

Woolworth, Adaleigh

March 26

Miller, Madison

March 28

Ascencio, Victor

Crandall, Devin

Davis, Kavari

Massie, Damien

Nehlig, Emily

Xala, Amely

March 29

Blackburn, Garry

Hollis, Emma

March 30

Blankenship, Trinity

Davis, Alexia

Harasimik, Kaylee

Malave, Alaila

Price, Lillian

March 31

Lowe, Seth

Reyes, Christian

Robledo, Aleeya D

APRIL April 1

Booker, Ashley

Elliott, Xavier

Hooten, Summer

McCoy, Charles

McCoy, Shya

Mendoza, Keyton

April 2

Corley, Alyssa

April 3

Bennett, Landyn

April 4

Davis, Geonna

Osmon, Summer

Simpson, Faith

April 5

Capley, Lillian

Crawford, Kayci

Dawson, Ki'marion

April 6

Verge, Victoria

April 7

Crowley, Trinity

Gray, Alyssa

Huckaby, Tyler

Johnson, Javion

Martin, Kylee

Moulder, Owen

Pearson, Javon

April 8

Jones, Nelci

Livermore, Craig

Venson, Jakeein

April 9

Brown, Jackson

Dale, Alayna

Mohundro, Carter

Ojeda, Kevin

April 10

Nance, Jordan

Thomas, Elijah

April 12

Castillo, Jennifer

Deckard, Samantha

Johnson Jourmylin

April 13

Gurley, Clinton

Hogue, Adalyn

April 14

Crowe, Averyl

Liddell, Nicholas

April 15

Glass, Alyssa

Mulloy, Patrick

Patel, Hetvi

Sanchez-Dale, Julian

Vaughn, Jeremiah

April 16

Armstrong, Elijah

Dawkins, Xavier

Patel, Zeel

April 17

Collins, Daimeyon

Naddy, Gabriel

Risner, Sarah

Ubaldo Gonzalez, Alan

April 18

Booker, Zakiyah

Davis, Hayden

Ortiz, Anibal

April 19

Milby, Brody

April 20

Booker, A'Jayveon

Eastep, Hannah

Maurer, Addison

April 21

Bennett, Lazari

Cannon, Corbin

Newcomb, Alex

Stein, Melanie

April 22

Gardenhire, Amiya

Harmon, Abigail

April 23

Rosen, Mackenzie

Snow, Morgan

April 24

Williams, Dylan

April 25

Bell, Nivayah

Green, Joshua

Griggs, Branden

Moss, Marianna

TIGERS, STAY ACTIVE:

Check out the daily challenges for activity & health below.

Enjoy the beautiful spring weather while quarantined at home and get outside for these challenges! Post and share your pictures! #WMSsuccess

NEWS FROM WMS COUNSELING:

But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.― Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I wake up every morning believing today is going to be better than yesterday.” – Will Smith

“Be kind whenever possible; it is always possible” -Dhali LamaThis past week has brought some additional strange times into our already strange new world. “Stay at home” has been extended, I wear a mask if I go ANYWHERE (and that’s rare) and many days, email and text are the only modes of communication until my husband comes home. For someone who loves to work with students and talk to them daily, this is hard!

So just in case anyone else is struggling with the new normal (which I keep hoping will not last much longer), I brought you a few quotes of cheer today. From Dr. King, it is a dark time for us right now—as a nation, as a global community. But I am hopeful that this time will allow us to see the stars of hope that are glimmering in the worldwide cooperation and sharing of information about this virus, in the messages of hope and compassion from all corners of the globe to others, and in the many acts of kindness, large and small. Will Smith’s words of optimism reminded me that in order to make it, my mindset needs to say “today is going to be better than yesterday and the day after will be even better”. Otherwise, it is easy to just feel that this is not going to pass. And the quote about being kind struck home because being kind is one of my favorite things ever and I loved this quote from the Dhali Lama and I plan to practice it more faithfully in the months to come. People need our kindness right now more than ever because it is a lonely and scary time and there is never a time when kindness is impossible or when you will regret a word or action of kindness. I hope that each of you find things that bring joy and cheer into your lives to be the stars in this time of “darkness” that will shine hope into this situation.

I am sure that many of you have lots of questions in your minds about various academic questions. I have thought of several things that I will try to address but I am sure that there are more that will come up. Please feel free to email your student’s teachers, counselor, or administrator with your concern. If you send it to the wrong person, we will redirect it to the correct one. If your child’s grades were not where you would like them to be, have them continue to work on the things that are continuing to be available; these can help grades. If your student had credit recovery for previous quarters, these credit recovery activities need to be completed. If you see that is not going to happen by May 15, we will extend the time to give all students the best chance of promotion.

Many students did not have the opportunity to turn in their applications for Honors classes for 7th

and 8th grades. If that is the case, please email me asap (bhbrewer@mauryk12.org ) and we will set up a plan. Of course, our visit to CCHS and parent night for the 8th graders moving into 9th was canceled due to the quarantine. I believe that they are planning to contact parents and students via email or mail to begin the process. One thing that I am sure of is that patience at all grade levels will probably be required in the fall since we are operating on less information than usual. It will be a great learning experience for everyone😊

Also, parents and students, as you spend more time online with classes online and communication with peers, remember to exercise internet safety. The FBI sent a warning to several different organizations that work with students about the increased risks of internet dangers due to the increased usage of computers during this time. Parents, please monitor and be aware of what your student is accessing, who they are talking to, etc. Students, please remember that people that you only know from an online association are not necessarily what and who they say they are.

And last but not least students, this isn’t a 9-week longer summer break. Stay home, social distance, and stay safe so that the world can return to normal sooner; the more movement that continues, the slower the process. Also, never take a break from learning. Right now, you still have schoolwork and all of life is an educational process. If you let your brain take this time off, you will suffer for it in the fall so keep working on your subjects!

Also here are additional resources for mental health needs for adults and students:

Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line—text HOME to 741741

In case of immediate danger or life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately

BEST BUDDIES: Have you social distanced checked in with your buddy lately?

FOLLOW WMS BEST BUDDIES Facebook: Whitthorne Best Buddies

Instagram: WhitthorneBB

Twitter: @WhitthorneBB

HELPFUL COVID-19 LINKS & INFO: www.cdc.gov

www.whitehouse.gov

www.facebook.com/andyogles Live updates at 2:10pm every day.

https://www.mauryk12.org/covid-19/resources_for_parents

https://www.maurycounty-tn.gov/233/Emergency-Management

STUDENTS CONNECTING TO MCPS WIFI:While on a MCPS campus, the preferred method for the students to connect to Wi-Fi will be by using MauryStudent.

Most students have already used this method and should continue to do so.

1. They connect to it with their computer logon, usually First Name.Last Name (not their full email)

2. They will use their computer password (same as their email)

Connecting to an Android Phone :

1. EAP Method : PEAP

2. CA Certificate : Don't validate

3. Identity : Computer user name

4. Password : Computer password

Connecting to and iPhone

1. Settings

2. click on Wi-Fi

3. username : Computer user name

4. password : Computer password

5. when the option to trust the certificate comes up, click trust

PLEASE NOTE

Students can utilize the CLEVER single sign on at https://clever.com/

o Choose Whitthorne Middle School o Username: Firstname.Lastname o Password: Date of Birth (M/D/YYYY)

EXAMPLES: 4/30/2006 10/15/2009 3/5/2010 Our hope is that you and your families remain well

throughout this time of uncertainty. We will continue to pass along any pertinent information as we receive it. As always, we appreciate your continued support.

WMS On-Line Learning Platforms

ELA Math Science S. Studies

Edgenuity Edgenuity Edgenuity Edgenuity

Reading Plus iReady Reading Plus Reading Plus

Read Works Prodigy USA Test Prep USA Test Prep

Algebra I

h ttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCON_5dU-3QxANkRPL3danPg?view_as=subscriber

http://mrsbrantleymath.weebly.com/

Additional On-Line Learning Resources o COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF SITES: http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com/

o VIRTUALMUSEUMS:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SvIdgTx9djKO6SjyvPDsoGlkgE3iExmi3qh2KRRku_w/mobilebasic

o SPED RESOURCES: http://www.breezyspecialed.com/2020/03/distance-home-learning-packets-and.html?m=1

o KHAN ACADEMY: https://www.khanacademy.org/o ON-LINE LITERACY: https://growingbookbybook.com/online-literacy-resources/

# WMSSuccess Shout Outs:

Thank YOU to the WMS Family for your resiliency and dedication during this time!

THANK YOU for making #WMSsuccess

We are Motivated by Success

TN STATE LAW - CYBERBULLYINGWe are seeing an increase in the use of social media and devices to harass, intimidate, and bully one another. This not only is a violation of MCPS policies and causes a disruption to the learning environment but is against the law.

Tennessee Code Title 49 - Education Chapter 6 - Elementary and Secondary Education Part 45 - Harassment, Intimidation, Bullying and Cyber-Bullying. § 49-6-4502 - Part definitions. Universal Citation: TN Code § 49-6-4502 (2014)

(a) As used in this part:

(1) "Cyber-bullying" means bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices;

(2) "Electronic devices" include, but are not limited to, telephones, cellular phones or other wireless telecommunication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, and web sites;

(3) "Harassment, intimidation or bullying" means any act that substantially interferes with a student's educational benefits, opportunities or performance; and:

(A) If the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation or at any official school bus stop, the act has the effect of:

(i) Physically harming a student or damaging a student's property;

(ii) Knowingly placing a student or students in reasonable fear of physical harm to the student or damage to the student's property;

(iii) Causing emotional distress to a student or students; or

(iv) Creating a hostile educational environment; or

(B) If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, it is directed specifically at a student or students and has the effect of creating a hostile educational environment or otherwise creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process.

STOPIT is an app MCPS and WMS uses for students to report bullying or other items to the school counselors, dean, and administration. Just download the app on your device and use the login code: nobullyWMS.

Students can find this information on the posters near each restroom.

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Year at a GlanceMay-

Learning Supports and Meal Distribution Available until May 19th

June-

3-4 TIGER Camp 8:30-1:30