Courtney Rowley, Interim Principal
Rachel Scott, Interim Assistant Principal
Rebecca Speicher, Assistant Principal of Student Services
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"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in." - Rachel Carson
7th Grade "Sense of Wonder" Days
Inspired by Rachel Carson’s call to preserve a lifelong curiosity, our 7th graders recently completed a memorable series of "Sense of Wonder" activities. The experience included an outdoor trip to Hale Education in Westwood, where students connected with nature. Back on campus, students expanded their learning through live animal encounters and hands-on activities designed to spark environmental stewardship and scientific inquiry. We extend our sincere thanks to our 7th Grade House Leaders for their organization and planning. We are also immensely grateful to all of our chaperones—their time, energy, and supervision made these days possible.
WMS Masquerade Orchestra Concert
Our WMS Masquerade Orchestra concert was a fantastic success, filled with creative costumes and wonderful music! Attendees enjoyed impressive performances from our 6th, 7th, 8th grade, and Wayland High School orchestras, with each group showcasing remarkable growth and precision. A special highlight of the evening was watching our 8th graders join forces on stage with the high school orchestra. Experiences like these highlight how the Wayland string program builds skills well beyond music—fostering collaboration, leadership, self-expression, and confidence. Thank you to Whitney Tandon for her outstanding leadership and passionate instruction in guiding our young musicians to new heights.
Caregiver Conferences
Thank you to all the families who joined us for caregiver conferences last Wednesday, and we look forward to welcoming more of you to school for our second session tomorrow, Wednesday 10/28. Our teachers truly valued the opportunity to connect with you and gain deeper insights into your children through your shared perspectives. It was wonderful seeing so many faces in the building, reinforcing the strong partnership between home and school that helps our students thrive.
Caregiver/Parent Coffee - Finding Joy Together
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Caregiver Coffee last week. Sitting together in a Restorative Community Circle, we centered our time on joy—finding it in school, nurturing it in our relationships, and honoring it in our everyday lives. Caregivers and admin shared heartfelt, humorous, and inspiring stories about raising middle schoolers, while brainstorming ways home and school can partner to protect and cultivate joy for our students. It was a wonderful morning of connection, listening, and shared perspective. Moving forward, we are excited to partner with our PTO to offer monthly caregiver enrichment events throughout the school year. More information about our upcoming November 16th event on peer relationships and social dynamics below.
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Friday, October 30th: End of Quarter 1
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Wednesday, November 11th: Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
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Wednesday, November 25th: Super Early Release at 12:20 PM
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Thursday, November 26th - Friday November 27th: Thanksgiving Break
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Wednesday, December 23, 2026 - Sunday, January 3, 2027- Winter Break
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All Grades:
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Caregiver Conferences - Wednesday, October 28th - by appointment
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Yearbook pre-order deadline - Friday, October 30th
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Picture pre-order deadline - Saturday, October 31st
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Cultural Enrichment - Friday, November 6th
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WMS Presents - Alice in Wonderland (ticket purchase) - Thursday, November 5th and Friday, November 6th
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WPSF Trivia Night - Tuesday, November 10th
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Caregiver Talk - Monday, November 16th
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Reminder Regarding Treats and School Attire - Friday, October 30th to end of school
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Trick or Treat @ Paine Estate - Thursday, October 29th
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Artist of the Week; Kaiya Pogorelc and Kinverlie Boval
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Buddy Dog Donation Campaign - until November 21st
6th Grade:
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Math Night - Wednesday, November 4th
7th Grade:
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Health Screening OPT-OUT - up to November 13th
PTO -
- Gift Your Child Fundraiser
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Thank You: Parent/Caregiver Enrichment and Picture Day
- Staff Appreciation
- 6th Grade Social
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Our second day of caregiver conferences will be held on October 28. If you need to make any changes, you will need to contact your child's homeroom teacher as only they have access to their calendar. During these conferences, Homeroom teachers will share information about your child’s hopes for the year and gather insights from you about your child’s strengths, areas of growth, and your perspective on this middle school year. |
Ahoy, mathematicians! Get ready to set sail on a math-filled adventure! On Wednesday, November 4, our middle school will transform into a pirate’s treasure map, where sixth-grade students and their caregivers can embark on an exciting quest filled with fun math challenges, games, puzzles, and prizes!
We're charting two different voyages, so choose the one that works best for your crew:
- 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
- 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
After a successful treasure hunt, drop anchor at our PTO-sponsored ice cream sundae bar for a sweet treat. To make sure we have enough scoopers, the PTO is looking for some volunteers and contributions to help the ice cream sundae bar be successful. Please sign-up here if you can help.
Invitations were sent home through your student’s math class. Please have your student return the RSVP to their math teacher. We can’t wait to see you there, mateys!
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Join us for a supportive conversation about peer relationships and social dynamics in Middle School. Join a session with our WMS Counseling Team to discuss how friendships, peer influence and social environments impact your child’s experience and well-being and share practical strategies to support them at home and at school.
- When: Monday, November 16th from 8:45 AM – 9:45 AM
- Where: Hybrid - Wayland Middle School & Google Meet
- Video call link: https://meet.google.com/kws-ferr-htw
- Hosted by: WMS Counseling Team | Sponsored by: WMS PTO
If you have specific questions you would like addressed please submit to this survey.
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Please remind your middle schoolers that candy brought to school should be for personal consumption only. When students bring large bags of candy to school, the candy becomes a focus of attention rather than attention being paid to learning. Also, in the process of sharing large quantities of candy, interpersonal conflicts sometimes develop.
Additionally, please remember that costumes, masks, face paint, and costume accessories are not permitted at school. Standard school dress code expectations apply every day so that we can maintain a safe, focused learning environment for all students.
Thank you for speaking with your middle schoolers about these important reminders!
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Originally sent 10/22/26
We are planning to hold the first of the state mandated health screenings the week of November 11th - 16th; with most screenings happening on the 16th, 17th and 18th and only for 7th grade students. These will include Vision and Hearing, and Heights and Weights. Most physicians’ offices include these screenings as part of an annual physical exam. This is something you can look for on your child’s annual physical exam report provided to you.
The Postural screenings (mandated for all grades) will take place at a later date after
Vision and Hearing and Heights and Weights. We will announce the dates 2-3 weeks
ahead of time. Students can wear whatever they feel comfortable in, provided we can view
their back. Screenings will be done in the locker rooms in a private area or in the health
room by a school nurse. Any student who requests a more private setting for their
screening will be accommodated. If your child has an abnormal screening result, you will
be notified by mail. Letters are not mailed for normal results.
In order for all these screenings to be completed, we will need to pull the students from Wellness, Org Skills and Study Halls. We will make every effort to minimize the time they are away from class. If you would like to “opt out” or decline any or all screenings here at the Middle School, please send an email to the school nurse stating any or all screenings you would like to opt out of. A hand written note will also suffice, but a phone call will NOT- we must have written documentation that you are declining the screening. If interested in opting out, please notify us as soon as possible, or by November 13, 2026 at the latest.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter
Laurie Hojlo, RN
laurie_hojlo@waylandps.org
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WMS Picture Day was Monday, October 26th.
The pre-order option (lower pricing) will be available through October 31st at 7:00am.
If you would like to pre-order photos:
- Click the link www.haywardphotography.com then the blue “Prepay for Photo Day” button.
- Enter your school code to place your preorder: WMSF26
We encourage you to order in advance to take advantage of the pre-order pricing and lower shipping and handling fees.
Please note: If you do not order by the pre-order deadline, their child will receive a NO BUY proof card with instructions on how they can order at that point.
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Artist: Kaiya Pogorelc
Grade: 7
Medium: Mixed Media
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Artist: Kinverlie Boval
Grade: 8
Medium: Ink
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The Community Service Club (CSC) is organizing a buddy dog drive. We hope to provide much needed supplies like:
- Martingale collars
- 6 foot leashes
- Durable dog toys
- Non clumping kitty litter
- Bleach
- Paper towels (any brand)
- Clorox spray and wipes
- Laundry detergent
- Rachel Ray soup bones for bedtime treats
Any and all donations will make a difference. Please consider donating. There will be a donation bin in the main lobby.
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We’re at 22% participation in the PTO’s fall fundraiser, Gift Your Child—can we reach 30% by the end of the month?
Donate by October 31 and you’ll also be entered into a drawing for a $100 Terrain gift card!
Can’t donate but still want to be entered in the drawing? Email your name to WaylandMiddleSchoolPTO@gmail.com.
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Parent/Caregiver Enrichment
Last week, the PTO sponsored our first Parent/Caregiver Coffee. Thank you to Principal Courtney Rowley, Assistant Principal Rachel Scott, and Special Education Administrator Rebecca Speicher for facilitating the discussion, and PTO Caregiver Enrichment Chairs Victoria Hargreaves and Nora Sargent for coordinating the event. Stay tuned for monthly parent/caregiver enrichment sessions this year.
Picture Day
Yesterday’s Picture Day would not have been possible without the support of the PTO’s School Pictures lead, Felicia Hyman, and her team of volunteers - Stuti Bhargava, Amanda Harpole, Jen Lux, Meeta Patel, Lynn Pogorelc, Alexandra Ryan, and Elizabeth Wuerz - to help the day go smoothly!
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Thank you to Honey Pot Hill Orchards for donating apples and all of the caregivers who contributed items for the delightful fall snack bars to energize the WMS staff who stay late for caregiver conferences. An extra thank you to the volunteers – Lenna Boatwright, Heather Grimmett, Lindsay Hanson, MJ Li, Theresa Lovejoy, Jen Lux, and Lynn Pogorelc – who help with setup and cleanup. You can sign-up via SignUp Genius to contribute or volunteer for the second round tomorrow. |
The 6th Grade Fall Social last Friday was a fun evening for community time! Students enjoyed inflatables, crafts, games, and music. It wouldn’t have been possible without the Wayland Recreation Department, Wayland Youth & Family Services, PTO Student Social Activities Lead Elizabeth Wuerz, plus a team of parent/caregiver volunteers, our resource officer and Archie. Thank you! |
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