MindSET STEM Program

I am so excited!! We are partnering with UAH's school of engineering for a unique math and science program called MindSET.  On next Saturday, December 10th from 9am to 12noon (in the Williams Middle lecture hall)our students will have the opportunity to work with engineering students of Tau Beta Pi(Engineering Honor Society).  

Student teams will build a 12 inch bridge and have an awesome learning experience.  This free workshop is open to all WMS students but only the first 50 will be accepted.  Applications are available from math and science teachers or email me and I will send it to you. Applications should be turned in by next Wednesday.  What a great opportunity for our students to "Link learning to life"!

iNow Parent Portal

Huntsville City Schools is pleased to announce the rollout of the iNow Parent Portal at Columbia High and its feeder schools.  We will host the kiosks on December 5th and 6th at Columbia High from 4 to 9 PM.  Parents/legal guardians will have the opportunity to validate student and guardian data and have their account activated.  Upon doing so, you will receive a login/password and instructions on how to access the parent portal.

To protect the security of the data and give students' privacy, we ask that you bring valid photo ID to the school kiosk.  Only legal guardians will be able to access the student's data at this time.  If you are unable to come to Columbia High School you may also complete the process at Lee, Johnson or the Seldon Center on the the same days/times.  If you are not able to attend on those dates, please stay tuned for future dates/times to be announced. The address  Columia High School is 300 Explorer Blvd,35806.  If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to call 256-428-6900.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation in this process!

Happy Veterans Day

Thank you to all the men and women in uniform who serve, and have served, our great nation.  Mere words could not begin to express our gratitude for your selfless and courageous efforts.  I wish you all a safe and wonderful Veterans Day!

Christmas Charities Year Round Can Food Drive

It's that time of year again!  It's time to help our friends and neighbors who are in need.  Our Can Food Drive began this week and will continue until November 18th.  Students should bring canned items to school and drop them off in the many colorful boxes that are posted throughout the building.  Christmas Charities Year Round has been serving Madison County since 1949.  They provide food and many other items for families in need 365 day of the year.  The holiday season, however, is an excellent time for us to get involved and show our spirit of giving.  Our students in SOAR and JS2S and heading up this effort but we need YOU!  Thanks in advance for your support!

Veterans Day Program

I am so excited that we will have our Veterans Day Program on Wednesday November 9th.  We will have have a program at 9am for 7/8th graders and 10am for 6th graders.  Both programs will take place in our school lecture hall and parents and guests are welcomed to attend either program.  The program will feature participation from students and faculty as well as our guest speaker, Col. John Oxford.  I hope you can join us as we celebrate and thank our men and women in uniform who serve our nation. They make our nation and our world a safer place.   Hope to see there!

Parenting Day

We are so excited! Next Monday, October 24, 2011 is our annual Statewide Parenting Day. Please join us! We will begin the morning with a light breakfast at 8am followed by several interesting and informative seminars. The first, beginning at 8:30, is Gang Prevention and Intervention. This session will be presented by two HPD officers who are our local experts on gang activity. Their knowledge is very impressive and the information is a must for every middle school parent. This session will be followed by a presentation by our SWAT Team entitled Stop Bullying Now. The SWAT Team is serious about ending bullying in our school. You must tune in to hear these young people support and encourage each other! We will wrap up with a special session by our guidance counselor, Dr. Grimaud titled Have You Hugged Your Kid Today? Please plan to visit with us on Monday from 8:00-10:30. We hope to see you then and thanks so much for your support. Go Hawks!!

Williams Idol

Congratulations to all our 2011 Williams Idol participants!  It was a fantastic display of talent and for a great cause.  We raised over $1,000 for HEALS!  HEALS is Health Establishments at Local Schools and the HEALS clinincs provide free medical and dental care for children who could not otherwise afford it.  I firmly believe that children cannot learn if they are not healthy and HEALS makes such a fabulous contribution to the lives of hundreds of students in Madison County.

The Idols winners were:

3rd Place – Kyra Davis
2nd Place – Sardey Stallings
Judges Choice – Matthew Drolet
1st Place and the next Williams Idol – Cleopha Par

Great job everyone and Go Hawks!!!

Picture Day

Picture Day is Monday!  Students do not have to wear school uniforms but are required to follow the HCS Student Dress Code Guidelines found on page 14 of the HCS Official Student-Parent Handbook.  We look forward to seeing all of our students on Monday but please be sure that they are dressed appropriately. Thank you so very much and have a wonderful weekend.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

We have had an AWESOME school year thus far!  It has been extremely busy but I am not complaining because I have so enjoyed getting to know our new families.  Many of you have had an opportunity to visit with us for lunch with your child or for conferences with teachers.  This is great and it goes a long way in demonstrating the partnership that the school has with parents.  I know you all are busy with work obligations, school, family and many other concerns; but please know that your time spent here matters.  It is also appreciated!  Let's not ever get so busy that we forget what is important.  If you would like to schedule a conference please just call the office at 256-428-7330 and we will get you taken care of.  Thank you for your time and I hope to see you at a football game or other school event soon.  Goooo Hawks!!

PTSA Membership Drive

Have you joined the Williams Middle School PTSA yet?  If not come out this evening at 6pm and get on board!  This is our first General Meeting for the school year so please make plans to attend.  Meet our officers and find out how you can get involved.  We have some exciting plans for the future and we need you to be a part of it.  Let's work together and make our school THE BEST!!  See you this evening and GO HAWKS!!

School-Wide Attention to Tolerance

I am ready to re-organize and meet with our SWAT Team for the 11-12 school year!  Last year, I worked with a team of about 15 students to analyze and address issues related to bullying.  We will continue that work this year and of course invite new students to join us.  Our first meeting will take place on Friday during Hawk Time.

It is unfortunate that we have students who participate in bullying behavior.  Through SWAT, I want our students to understand that it is wrong to tease, make fun of others, spread rumors, and horse-play.  We also want our students to have the courage to not become the silent bystander.  The SWAT Team will help me determine the best way to address these problems.  They will also encourage their peers to show a true Hawk Attitude by treating others with respect and demonstrating tolerance for the differences that we all possess!

We currently have an online reporting form on our website.  If you know of an instance where a student is being bullied or harrassed, click on the SWAT Report Form on our school website and tell us about.  We want every student to feel safe and to know that Williams Middle School is a Center of Academic Excellence where differences are celebrated.  Go Hawks!

Hawk Time Highlights

I hope by now, your child has told you a little about Hawk Time.  This is our school-wide enrichment program that takes place daily from 7:55-8:20.  We began last Wednesday and I want to highlight one of our new classes.  Our Toastmasters Junior Leadership program is one of our exciting new Hawk Time offerings.  We have over 20 students who will complete this 8-week program.  The class has already elected officers and met with Jesse Barber, our Toastmasters mentor.  Mr. Barber is from a Toastmasters club on Redstone Arsenal and he is thrilled about working with our students.  This program is the only one of its kind in our area so look to hear more soon as the members develop the competency they need to become effective communicators and inspired leaders.  Being an effective public speaker is such a valued skill so we are extremely pleased to have Toasmasters as one of our enrichment options.  I will highlight other Hawk Time classes in the future.  In the meantime, if you have any questions about your child's class, just contact the teacher!

Awesome Week!

What a week! I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed this week. We have the BEST kids and it was such a pleasure seeing their smiling faces and getting to know them this week. I conducted grade-level assemblies with each group and it was quite enlightening. Students asked some insightful questions and the time was indeed well-spent and mutually beneficial. Hawk Time classes were also selected and we will begin those classes on Wednesday. I hope your kids enjoyed this week as much as I did! Have a wonderful, restful weekend and Go Hawks!!

Day Two!

We are well on our way to a fantastic week!  Today progressed quite smoothly and I think we are all getting back into the swing of things.  With that said, we still have some glitches that we are working through with our student information system.  This system, called iNow, is used to create student schedules.  Ms. Jones, our systems operator is working diligently in an effort to meet the needs of all teachers and students.  She is phenomenal so worry not!  We will get it done!

I met with all 7th grade students this morning.  What a great group of young people!  I know our parents must be extremely proud and for good reason.  Also, today our numbers approached 500 students!  The growth we have experienced is very exciting.  Our teachers and I are truly looking forward to fantastic year!  Football and volleyball seasons are right around the corner so get geared up to support our athletes and coaches!  Go Hawks!

Day One!

Today was a good day overall! We welcomed over 120 new students and we are so excited about the 2011-2012 school year. The morning was pretty smooth with just a couple of late buses but I feel certain that the rest of the week will improve. Students began their day in Homeroom and most received their schedules. Remaining schedules will be given tomorrow. Students also received paperwork to go home for parent completion. Please complete and return the paperwork with your child tomorrow. We appreciate your promptness!

We had our Grade-Level Assembly for 8th graders after homeroom. We look forward to adding a Student Leadership Team this year and believe that our 8th graders are ready to step up to the plate! We certainly have many bright and talented students in this group so I'm sure establishing leaders will not be difficult.

Lunch and the remainder of the school day progressed nicely. Then, it happened. At 3:00pm the bottom fell out and we experienced quite a storm. I apologize for the bus delays and any confusion that the weather and late buses may have caused. Overall today was truly a good day...Tomorrow will be even better! Thank you so much for your support and patience as we work through the challenges of this first week. We appreciate you!!

We Made AYP!

Congratulations to all our teachers, staff, students and parents for making Adequate Yearly Progress!  As we continue to set our goals high, we can take a moment to celebrate along the way.  Many of you know that the AYP standards are more difficult to achieve each year so we will not rest on our laurels.  AYP is our minimum standard and we certainly want to excel well beyond.  More information will be displayed here and on our school website soon.

We are busy preparing for our opening!  I hope to see you this week.  We have our 6th Grade Meet and Greet on Tuesday August 2nd from 5-6pm in our lecture hall and our Open House on Thursday August 4th from 4:30-6:30pm.  We hope to have student schedules available for pick up on Thursday.  There will be a New Student Orientation in the lecture hall Thursday beginning at 4:30.  Other students should report to the gym beginning at 5pm.  See you soon and Go Hawks!!

The Top Three Reasons Why Your Kids Will LOVE Willams Middle School!

Williams Middle School is a fantastic Center of Academic Excellence!  We offer something for every student and your kids will LOVE our school because:

Reason #3 - We have one of the most diverse student bodies in North Alabama.  This means that your kids will have plenty of options for social groups as well as a variety of learning opportunities.  Whether they aspire to be a chemist or a musician, they will find their place here!  Whether they enjoy hip hop or country music, they will meet and enjoy other students with similar taste while also expanding their horizons.

Reason #2 - We offer a wide variety of educational as well as extra-curricular activities.  Hawk Time is our daily school-wide enrichment which includes Chess Club, Service Learning, Debate Team and our latest offering, Jr. Toastmasters.  Students may also apply for our Technology Magnet Program, join our Team America Rocketry Challenge, Math Team, SWAT Team, and of course one of our award-winning sports teams.  Our girls basketball team is the reigning City Champs as is our boys track team.  Go Hawks!!

Reason #1 - The Number One reason your kids will LOVE our school is because "We're Linking Learning to Life!".  So many times, students ask "why do I need to know this?"  That's a great question!  By linking learning to real life, students will see that Williams Middle School is preparing them for a successful future.  We expose our students to learning opportunities that will prepare them to succeed in high school, college, the workforce and beyond.  Even if your kids do not always appreciate or understand this, we know that as concerned and involved parents, you understand it and expect nothing less!

Welcome to Williams Middle School! Where We're Linking Learning to Life!  Go Hawks!!

PTSA Needs YOU!

The Williams Middle School Parent, Teacher, Student Association is in the process of getting organized and we need you! We have some exciting plans for the new year and your involvement will make all the difference. Please plan to attend our 6th Grade Meet and Greet (if you have a 6th grade student) on Tuesday August 2nd from 5-6pm and/or our Open House from 4:30-6:30pm on Thursday August 4th. Email me for more information at abwilliams@hsv.k12.al.us. We will be accepting PTSA memberships at both meetings. Membership is $6.00 per person. See you soon and GOOOOO Hawks!!

Frequently Asked Questions

We have had a very busy week!  I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and speaking with new parents and I hope that we were able to assist you and ease some or your concerns.  As previously stated, this blog is one of my primary sources for updates.  With that being said, my office staff and I created a list of FAQs.  Just click on the link below to access it.  Have a great weekend and see you soon!

FAQs

6th Grade Meet and Greet

We want to welcome all of our incoming 6th grades students!  We will have a Meet and Greet on Tuesday August 2nd from 5-6pm in our lecture hall.  We hope you can attend.  Barbara Williams, Redstone's School Liaison Officer for Child, Youth and School Services, will join us and provide some valuable information about after school care and other services offered on the Arsenal.  This will also be an opportunity to meet administrators, teachers and staff and for our new students to connect with one another.  We look forward to seeing you!

Student/Parent Handbook

Please take a look at our Student/Parent Handbook when you get a moment.  This includes our bell schedule, basic rules, our Uniform Policy and other pertinent information.  Students will receive a copy of this at the beginning of the school year.  Thanks for taking the time to review it and we hope it is helpful!
Student/Parent Handbook 2011-2012

Using 21st Century Technology - My Vision for Williams Middle

The start of a new school year is an ideal time to reflect upon what has taken place in the previous year(s) and of course to devise a vision for the new year. This summer, I had the pleasure of participating in an online course, Using Google to become a 21st Century Administrator. As a result, I am more empowered than ever to employ innovative technologies at Williams!

With that being said, I offer the following:

School-wide Technology Goal: Using 21st Century technology, Williams Middle School will reduce the use of paper copies by 50%, thereby saving money and time while eliminating wastes.

Purpose: This goal will allow students to be exposed to 21st Century Technologies that will prepare them for high school, college, the workforce and beyond.

Action Plan:

1. Teachers will use Moodle to complete lessons plans, post assignments, communicate with parents and students and to give additional online resources.
2. Google Calendar will be used to post important dates and reminders. Google Calendar will be accessed by a link on the school website.
3. Google Blogger will be used for school-wide announcements and to give details that are too lengthy for the calendar feature. The blog, Principal's Corner, will be the primary source for this action.
4. Google Docs will be used for teacher, staff and parent communication and collaboration. This tool will also be used (along with Moodle) for vertical teaming by middle school and elementary teachers.
5. School technology leaders will set up a Global Studio to be used for distance learning. Students will use Skype and podcasting as part of this innovative and interactive learning environment.

Time Frame: Implementation will begin immediately with quarterly benchmarks used to monitor progress. All items listed in the Action Plan will be implemented by February 2012.

Side Note - Character education will focus on tolerance and being good digital citizens.

These are lofty goals and actions and they will certainly require collaboration with students, parents and teachers. I'm excited and looking forward to this challenge!

Welcome New Families!

As our Summer Break comes to close I want to welcome all of our new families to Williams Middle School!  We are so excited to have the opportunity to serve you and look forward to getting to know you in the coming months.  I know that you may have many questions and concerns and if you are joining us from Providence Middle School I want to reassure you and provide answers to you in a timely manner.  To that end, I will use this Blog and our school website for frequent updates.  Right now, I want to give you some important dates.  We will have Open Registration Monday-Thursday of next week (July 25-28) from 8:30-2pm.  Our New Student Orientation and PTSA Open House will take place on the evening of Thursday August 4th.  More information about the specific times and location will be provided during registration.  Our Uniform Policy is posted on our website and we will have a Uniform Consignment sale during our Open House.  Also, keep in mind that there will be a tax-holiday again this year during the weekend of August 5th.  Educational Outfitters in Madison is our preferred vendor and I encourage you to visit them soon!

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at abwilliams@hsv.k12.al.us.  I will get back to you within 24 hours.  Our office phone number is 256-428-7330.  I apologize in advance if your call is not answered immediately, as we do have limited summer staffing.  Again welcome and Go Hawks!

Happy Independence Day!!

"Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday!  God bless you and your families and a special blessing to our men and women in uniform and their families.  Take some time to enjoy yourself on this great day but remember that freedom is not free!

Football Summer Conditioning

We are currently having summer conditioning and it’s not too late if you want to join in. It takes place from 8:30-10:30am on Tue, Wed and Thur for the remainder of this month and then picking up again after the 4th of July. Contact Coach Winston for more information at 256-520-0048. We hope to see you out and have a great summer! Go Hawks!!!

Williams Middle is Going Paperless!

Yes, you read that correctly but please do not be alarmed.  This will happen in phases and we will certainly keep you involved and informed in the process.  I think most of you would agree that sending paperwork home with middle schools is one of the LEAST effective methods of communicating with parents.  Therefore, we will use Moodle, Google Calendar, Google Docs and of course email and our school website rather than paper copies home for many of our reminders and notices.  We will also continue to use School Cast and I encourage parents to access the Parent Portal that School Cast offers.  Now if all of this is Greek to you, please do not worry!  Details will be given at our Open House on August 4th and of course throughout the school year.  In the meantime you can go online and find out more information about any of the above mentioned tools (just Google or Bing them!).  Let me know your thoughts.  Continue to have a safe and productive summer!

Marbury Technology Innovation Award

Great news! I was selected for the Alabama 2011 Marbury Technology Innovation Award in the School Administrator category! I am very excited and honored to have been nominated by my assistant principal and would be extremely honored if you are able to attend the awards presentation on Wednesday June 15th at 8am at the BJCC in Birmingham during the Alabama Educational Technology Conference.

Each year one state award is presented in each of the following categories:

• Elementary School Teacher
• Middle School Teacher
• High School Teacher
• School Administrator
• System Technology Coordinator
• Central Office

Nominees are judged based upon the following five criteria: Innovation and Creativity, Impact on Teaching and Learning, Leadership, Teamwork, and Scholarship. The award panel rated my attribute scores at the highest level of excellence in each criteria area.  I am honored and humbled by this and it also inspires me to continue to seek innovative ideas to challenge our students!  They deserve it and will need it in order to be prepared for the 21st Century Workforce.  Go Hawks!!

Summer Registration

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer thus far. Please be safe in this summer heat!

If you were unable to take advantage of our Early Registration, then please join us for Summer Registration on June 7th and 8th from 9am to 2pm. If you are new to us then please be sure to bring the required documents for registration: proof of residence, SS card, and your child's Alabama blue immunization card. Late registration will begin on July 21st. If your child has applied for our Technology Magnet Program and you have not received an acceptance letter, please email our guidance counselor, Dr. Grimaud, at ggrimaud@hsv.k12.al.us. If you have any questions call the office or email me at abwilliams@hsv.k12.al.us. Hope to see you soon and stay cool!

Summer Bliss!

I just want to take a moment to wish everyone a safe, happy and productive summer.  To our students, be smart, be safe and remember to complete your summer reading.  To our parents, keep your kids active and enjoy some quality time with them.  To our teachers and staff, REST!  I am already geared up and excited about next year and look forward to making great things happen at Williams Middle School.  To all, the school is open until mid-June and reopen in mid-July.  Please call or email me if I may assist you in anyway. Enjoy your summer and have blissful time! 

Go Hawks!!

School Uniform Consignment Sale

Make extra summer cash from school uniforms that no longer fit or are not needed!  Perform your own "Clean Sweep" of school uniforms and create the space you need!  There is no need to advertise, set up tables, or sit all day during a garage sale.  You will earn 75% of the selling price (minus a $4.00 participation fee).  Please email Donna Stevens as WMSconsignmentsale@gmail.com to sign up.  She will give you a consignor number and schedule a drop off appointment.  Drop off dates are this Sunday from 1-4pm and Monday from 8-9am. 

The sale will take place on Monday and Tuesday.  New families are encouraged to attend!  Get involved and see you soon!

ACTE State Results

John Butler, Kyra Davis, and Kelsie Jones took first place in Group Computer Programming Level 3 at the ACTE State Competition!  This is the third year in a row that Mrs. Nye’s Computer Programming students have placed first in the state with their Computer Programming projects.  Although seven of her students qualified to attend the state competition, John Butler was the only one who was able to get to the Montgomery event held on April 30, 2011.  He made the presentation and secured the win for his programming group.  The tornadoes and power outages kept Kyra Davis, Kelsie Jones, Robert Shehan, Tramaine Snodgrass, Jordan Kearns, and Germani Abram from attending the Montgomery competition, but they all deserve congratulations for qualifying to attend.  Great job!

Surviving the Storm

Welcome back and I hope and pray that all is well with you and your families.  Unfortunately, many people in our state and beyond lost everything, including their lives.  We are so blessed to live in a community that comes to together and supports those in need.  It warmed my heart to see the outpouring of support to those who were suffering because of their losses.  Williams Middle School wants to be a part of the community support.  In partnership with Life South, we will have our Community Blood Drive on Tuesday May 10th from 7:30-4:30.  During this time, we will also collect blankets, linens, and toiletry items to be donated to others.  We need your support!  There is currently a shortage of all blood types so please spread the word  to others and see you Tuesday!

A Message from our Child Nutrition Program

Dear Valued Parent,


The end of the school year is fast approaching and Huntsville City Schools-Child Nutrition Program would like to send a friendly reminder to you that all negative cafeteria charges must be paid off by May 25, 2011. No students will be allowed to charge meals after April 29, 2011.

Please contact the cafeteria Manager 256-428-7544 if you have questions or call 256-428-6955 CNP Central Office.

Please check your student’s account balance and make a payment, if necessary, by logging into your MealpayPlus account at www.MealpayPlus.com.

Any balances left on your student’s account at the end of the year, will carry over to next year. If your student is graduating or leaving the district, please contact your school for a refund.

Best Regards,


Huntsville City Schools-Child Nutrition Program

Student Art Work

Our Art students have been working hard all year and you can view some of their best work online!  The Artsonia site is an awesome way for our students to receive recogntion and also for their work to be published for others to enjoy.  To view our new artwork, visit our school gallery at:


http://www.artsonia.com/schools/williams3

Kudos to our Art instructor, Mrs. Abston, and to her students!

Star Students!

The Williams Middle School TARC Team will be featured on WAFF 48 on Friday April 15th as the Star Students of the Week!!!!!!!!! 


So proud of this team and their sponsors, Mrs. Nye and Mr. and Mrs. Hunt!! I know we will be on Spring Break but be sure to watch it online if you are not in town.  Just go to waff.com and click on the Star Students link.  Have a safe and happy Spring Break and GOOOO HAWKS!!!!!!!!

ACTE Results

Last week was a great week to be a Williams Middle School Hawk!! In addition to our success with TARC, our boys and girls track teams placed 1st in a regular city meet and our ACTE participants did an outstanding job. Several students and groups qualified for the state finals! Our results were as follows:

Computer Programming, Level 2 -2nd place (Individual) Matthew Drolet;
Computer Programming, Level 2- Honorable Mention (Individual) Jasmine Savage;
Computer Programming, Level 3-Honorable Mention (Group) Jordan Kearns, Denisse Moreno-Amador;
Computer Programming, Level 3- 1st place (Group) John Butler, Kelsie Jones, Kyra Davis;
Computer Programming, Level 3- 2nd Place (Individual) Germani Abrams, Robert Shehan;
Computer Programming, Level 3- 2nd Place (Group) Germani Abrams, Jordan Kearns, Tramaine Snodgrass;
Video Production, Level 3- Honorable Mention (Group) Malaysia Ford, Jaquala Hammonds.

All 1st and 2nd Place participants now qualify for state in Montgomery. Thank you to our wonderful teachers and parents for supporting this effort. Go Hawks!!

TARC Team Qualifies for Nationals!

For the first time, three teams will be representing the Rocket City at the 2011 TARC Finals in Virginia, May 14. Madison Academy, Covenant Christian Academy and Williams Middle School have been invited to come fly for the money as they have scored national level points with their qualification flights and are ranked in the top one hundred teams. All these schools flew and qualified in 2010 but their scores then were only fair. The only other Alabama team in the finals from the 21 registered in the state is from Trussville. TARC is the Team America Rocketry Challenge and I am so excited! Congratulations to Mrs. Nye and the team. The team needs sponsors to help us get to Nationals. Please email me at abwilliams@hsv.k12.al.us if you or your company would like to sponsor our team. Go Hawks!!!!

Mark Your Calendars!

• Track meet at Milton Frank - Thursday, April 7th (3:30pm)


• ACTE Technology Fair at VBC - Friday, April 8th (8am - 2pm)


• Spring Picture Proofs are due this Friday, April 8th.


• Spring Break is Wednesday - Friday, April 13-15th.


• Progress Reports go home on Wednesday April 20th.


• Technology Magnet Applications are due on Friday April 22nd.

SWAT Team to Present at BOE Meeting

On Thursday of this week, members of our SWAT Team will make a brief presentation to our School Board members during their regular meeting. SWAT stands for School-Wide Attention to Tolerance and team addresses issues related to bullying. The meeting is at 5:30 at the Annie Merts Center. Come out and support the Team or tune in online or on your local ETV channel. The SWAT Team is also planning a school assembly for after Spring Break. This is an awesome group of young people and I am so proud of them! Please be sure to check out our school website and click on the SWAT Reporting Form. Students and parents can now report bullying by using this easy online method. When you submit the form, the report is sent to an administrator. The SWAT Team and I believe that this will make a difference! Check it out!

Military Family Night

First, thanks to everyone who contributed to our very succcessful 1st Annual Spring Fine Arts Festival! It was fun and entertaining and I appreciate the support that you all provided to our teachers and kids. Our next community event is Military Family Night. This special evening will take place at Williams Middle on Thursday 21 April beginning at 5:30. We will welcome the JROTC students and instructors from Columbia High School as we pay tribute to our men and women of the Armed Forces. Go ahead and mark your calendars! More information will be sent home before Spring Break.

Working Together to Keep our Community Clean!

The 6th grade team at Williams Middle School is inviting all members of the community and school to participate in celebrating Earth Day! Throughout the month of April, members of our school will be walking around the neighborhood picking up trash and also recycling! ***Please bring in your old cell phones, with chargers, AND/OR used ink cartridges. Drop them in the recycle box in the front office or bring them to Mrs. Robinson’s room #150. *** Williams Middle School's 6th grade Team thanks you for your support!!

Gearing up for Next Year!

It seems like only a few weeks ago we were recruiting parents for our current year's PTSA! Well, it's that time of year again. We need officers and committee members to serve in our 2011-2012 PTSA. If you are interested, just send me an email at abwilliams@hsv.k12.al.us and I will assist you from there. I look forward to working with you!

Spring Update

On Thursday March 31st we will have our 1st Annual Spring Fine Arts Festival! I am so excited! Come on out Thursday from 3:30 to 6:30. We will have student displays of work to include our ACTE Technology competition submissions and snap shot of what our students have learned this year. We will have fun and games for family members of all ages plus our much anticipated Talent Fest Show featuring some of Williams Middle School's most talented young people! You really do not want to miss this event. Tickets go on sale on Monday March 28th for $5 (children 5 and under get in free). Also, this week we are wrapping up our spring testing season. Please encourage your student to do their very best. Lots of rest and hearty breakfast will help also. We know our students are very capable and this is their time to show what they have learned. As always, thank you so much for your support and please let me know if you are interested in volunteering and especially if you want to be a member or officer in our 2011-2012 PTSA. We need you!

Is Your Child a Bully?

That's a tough question but let's face it for every child that is being bullied, there is at least one child who is the bully. That child could be yours. As a parent, I know this is a tough realization. So what do you do if your child is the bully?

One of the most important things that you can do as a parent is set a positive example. How do you communicate when things do not go your way? Often times, children mirror the behavior that they see in the adults in their lives.

Additionally, get to know your child and his or her friends. It's ok to be a little nosy! You may be surprised to see/hear the information being shared and the language being used on Facebook or while texting. Sometimes the kids call it "playing" or "joking" but you may see that it is clear that what is being said or posted could be hurtful to others. Kids need boundaries and it is up to the adults to set those boundaries and be firm, fair and conisistent about setting rules and even consequences.

Finally, get help. Our school is a valuable resource! You may also have other community support with family, friends or church members. Regardless of the source, get the help needed. When I asked my S.W.A.T. Team members why bullying happens, they say that it is about power and fitting in. Talk about these issues with your child and as always, let me know how we can help!

Spring is in the Air!

After a successful basketball season to include Girls City Championship, we are ready for track! Congratulations Lady Hawks!! Last year our boys and girls track teams brought home the city championship and we look forward to another great season. Check out the school website for meet dates and locations and come cheer our teams to victory!

Also this spring, we begin the process of registering new students for next year. I am super excited about the new course offerings available through our Technology Magnet Program. Williams Middle School is the only school in our district to offer an Advanced Math Program that begins with Pre-Algebra in 6th grade. We now have online registration and you still have time to take advantage of this unique learning opportunity.

As always, I love to hear from you. Drop by anytime and Go Hawks!!

Calendar Updates

As January comes to an end, I wanted to give you a few calendar updates. Due to the recent snow days students will now attend school on February 21st, April 11 & 12th and May 23rd & 24th. Any additional weather days will be added to the end of the school year. Other dates to remember are:

• ThinkLink assessment will take place during the week of February 7th
• Track Tryouts - February 8-10th
• Progress Reports - February 9th
• Cheerleading Tryouts - February 14-18th
• Black History Program February 24th & 25th
• Teacher Duty Free Lunch - February 25th (Volunteers needed)

Of course, you are always invited to visit with us! If you have not volunteered with us this year, it's not too late. Simply call our office and we will take care of you! Also, please spread the word that our 2011-2012 application process for your Technology Magnet Program is online. April 1st is the deadline to apply. Check out our website for details!

Wanted: Parent Volunteers!

Consider this your personal invitation to join the Williams Middle School Family! We are actively seeking volunteers to work with our teachers, staff and students in a variety of capacities. So please call our office if you are interested in the following opportunities:

• Hawk Time Classroom Assistant
• Duty-Free Lunch
• Morning Duty
• Afternoon Duty
• Office Assistant
• Reading Tutor
• Math Tutor

Also, don't be surprised if our office staff propositions you about spending some time with us! By volunteering with us, you will demonstrate to your student that you value their education. When schools and families partner, students achieve at a higher level and schools achieve greatness! Join our team! Just give us a call and we will sign you up...Go Hawks!!!!