Williams Middle School - Principal's Corner

3rd Annual Williams Middle School Community Blood Drive

2012-02-09T10:32:00.000-06:00

I am so excited! The 3rd Annual Williams Middle School Blood Drive is Tuesday, February 14th from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m inside the middle school gym.

Donating blood with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers serves our local community. Blood donated with LifeSouth stays in North Alabama; helping patients in our local hospitals. Approximately 1,000 people are needed each week for local patient care. Please join us on Tuesday, February 14th and make a lifesaving difference.
• All blood donors will be entered into a drawing for an iPad2.

• Each student that recruits at least two donors will receive a homework pass (donors that fill out the pledge card and donate blood).

All blood types are needed! Join us and give the gift of life!

The Cinnamon Challenge

2012-02-02T13:25:00.001-06:00

Please be aware that we had several 8th grade students participate in the Cinnamon Challenge at school.

The Cinnamon challenge is a competition (a game) in which a person attempts to eat or swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon without drinking anything. While the challenge appears to be very simple and easy, it is actually very difficult because the cinnamon quickly dries out the mouth, making it very prohibitive to swallow.

Officer Lehman reported to me that this behavior can be dangerous and even deadly. If you know of any students who are doing this please let me know and thanks so much for help with this!

January PTSA Meeting

2012-01-24T11:57:00.000-06:00

Please join us on Thursday, January 26th for our PTSA Meeting. As always, we welcome your support and input. This year is moving quickly! Already we are looking toward next year to include considering our PTSA goals and leadership for the 2012-2013 school year. I would love for YOU to be a part of the excitement as we plan for the future! Bring your ideas and we will see you Thursday at 5:30pm in our school Lecture Hall. Go Hawks!

New Year - Continued Focus!

2012-01-17T12:43:00.002-06:00

I hope everyone had an excellent Holiday Season filled with fun, family and relaxation! As we move into our 2nd Semester of the school year, we will continue our focus on increasing student achievement and giving our students opportunities to "Link Learning to Life". Beginning next month, we will shift our focus for Hawk Time to include a more engaging intervention period for students needing additional help. Teachers are work diligently right now to determine where our needs lie. We ask that you continue to encourage your student to do their best! Whether it's homework, tests or Star Enterprise assessments, we need them to show us what they know. This will greatly assist our Curriculum Team in determining how to best meet the academic needs of all students.

Please check our school website and look for more information in the coming weeks about:
1. Black History Program
2. 3rd Annual Williams Middle School Community Blood Drive
3. PTSA General Meeting
4. Track team tryouts

Thanks for your continued support and Go Hawks!!

MindSET STEM Program

2011-12-01T21:25:00.003-06:00

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

2011-11-29T10:58:00.001-06:00

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

2011-11-10T13:56:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-02T17:00:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-31T11:34:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-18T20:18:00.001-05:00

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

2011-10-11T08:46:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-23T15:31:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-09-20T12:42:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-08T06:35:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-24T21:39:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-21T15:41:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-08-12T21:09:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-09T19:59:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-08-08T20:14:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-08-01T17:27:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-07-28T14:52:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-07-26T14:12:00.006-05:00

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

2011-07-22T15:58:00.001-05:00

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

2011-07-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-19T18:34:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-07-18T11:06:00.002-05:00

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!!

2011-07-04T12:05:00.000-05:00

"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

2011-06-21T15:39:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-06-21T07:16:00.002-05:00

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

2011-06-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

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

2011-06-05T18:25:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-05-31T14:23:00.000-05:00

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

2011-05-18T09:31:00.000-05:00

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

2011-05-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

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

2011-05-05T09:49:00.001-05:00

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

2011-04-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

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

2011-04-19T16:15:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-04-12T10:40:00.000-05:00

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

2011-04-11T10:21:00.007-05:00

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!

2011-04-08T14:52:00.003-05:00

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!

2011-04-06T16:22:00.004-05:00

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

2011-04-04T09:35:00.003-05:00

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

2011-04-04T09:07:00.004-05:00

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!

2011-03-31T11:01:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-03-29T09:07:00.002-05:00

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

2011-03-27T16:45:00.008-05:00

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?

2011-02-28T19:34:00.003-06:00

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!

2011-02-21T21:08:00.003-06:00

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

2011-01-26T14:08:00.002-06:00

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!

2011-01-05T20:08:00.003-06:00

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!!!!

'Tis the Season!

2010-11-22T11:36:00.004-06:00

As we begin this busy and often stressful holiday season, I want to let each of you know how very thankful I am to have the opportunity to work with your children! This year has brought some new challenges and I am extremely proud of the team work and positive attitudes that have been displayed by our teachers, students, parents and community. I am a true believer that we choose our attitude. One of my favorite Chinese Proverbs states: “To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind.”

How do you do that? Prayer works for me. I also believe in acknowledging and managing my stress. Many people see the holiday season as one of the most stressful periods of the year. Although, that is not my perception, I can certainly see how others could view it as such. Crowded shopping centers, parties, cold weather, shorter days…the list could go on!

In the words of our own, Kysha Garrett, “I’m about solutions!” I shop online and only party with people I like! I drink coffee or hot chocolate and have a true appreciation for a beautiful 5pm sunset. What about you?

During the holiday season, I hope that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy the company of close friends and family. As you are doing so, please remember those who are less fortunate and our men and women of the Armed Forces who are serving overseas. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you!

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

2010-11-10T21:20:00.002-06:00

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Veterans Day. Thank you to all those who serve and who have fought and stood for the freedoms that we so often take for granted. Many blessings to all our veterans and their families! We honor you and salute you for your courage and for the selfless sacrifices you have made for the sake of "liberty and justice for all!"

1st Annual Rummage Sale

2010-11-01T09:54:00.002-05:00

Donations are now being accepted for the Williams Middle School PTSA 1st Annual Rummage Sale. It will be held at the school on Saturday November 6th from 7am to 1pm. All proceeds will go to our PTSA so with every purchase, you are helping our kids and teachers! Please bring your donations to the school this week. Call our office for more details or to volunteer to work. We thank you for your continued support!

Congrats to our Athletes!!!

2010-10-27T19:47:00.002-05:00

We won our Homecoming game!! Go Hawks! This was a great game and our team excelled by defeating Providence Middle School. Congratulations to our outstanding athletes and a big thanks to Coach Petty, Coach Friend, Coach Hampton and their staff members. As a new program, we have plenty to be proud of and certainly lots to be excited about for the future. Check the school website for the basketball schedule and be ready to support those teams as well. The season starts November 2nd!

Homecoming - Go Hawks!!

2010-10-23T17:59:00.002-05:00

Please come out and support our athletes and coaches at our final football game on Tuesday October 26th at 4:30 (Milton Frank Stadium). The Williams Middle School Hawks will take on Providence Middle School in our game designated as our Homecoming. In conjunction with this, our Football Booster Club is sponsoring our Homecoming Dance right after school on Monday and we will have a Pep Rally on Tuesday. This has been such an exciting year! Let's end our football season on a high note. Come out and show the team how proud we are of them. Go Hawks!!!

Fall Break!

2010-09-30T21:05:00.002-05:00

I hope and pray that everyone has a safe and happy Fall Break! It's difficult to conceive that the first quarter of the school year is nearly over, yet here we are! The grading period ends on October 15th, after we return from the break. Report cards go home on the 25th.

Enjoy the break but check in with this blog for updates and announcements!

Autumn Chase Fun Run

2010-09-22T16:38:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, September 28th all students are invited to participate in the Annual Autumn Chase Fun Run! Any child, preschool through eigth grade, may run and receive a T-shirt. The one-mile fun run course is located at the Jaycees Building on the north end of the runway of the Old Huntsville Airport. Participants should enter the area via Airport Road on South Memorial Parkway and exit using Johnson Road and Leeman Ferry Road. There is no registration fee! Middle school boys will run at 6:20pm and girls at 6:30pm. Each runner will receive a T-shirt! On Wednesday, the day following the Fun Run, students may wear their T-shirt to school (with proper uniform bottoms). Students will receive registration forms in their PE classes and the forms should be turned in at the race. Hope to see lots of runners on the 28th! Go Hawks!

Join PTSA!

2010-09-12T16:34:00.002-05:00

Earlier this month, we had our PTSA Membership Drive Kickoff meeting! In addition to promoting PTSA membership, we also highlighted our student athletes and coaches. What an exciting time to be a Williams Middle School Hawk! Our first football team went on to win our first game against Davis Hills Middle School! Please be sure to support our student athletes and of course join PTSA. Membership is $6 per person and students are encouraged to join as well. Membership forms are available in our front office.

In other PTSA news, we will begin our fall fundraiser this week. Student and parents are asked to participate as we sell $10 discount cards that may be used at a variety of local restaurants and stores. The PTSA will receive 50% profit! Please look for more information this week. Our goal is to wrap up the fundraiser by Fall Break. Top sellers will be eligible for $200 cash and a variety of other prizes. We appreciate your support! Go Hawks!!

Hawk Time

2010-08-19T06:10:00.004-05:00

I believe that learning should be fun and engaging! This is especially true for middle school kids. Last year, we decided that we wanted to find time in our daily schedule for an activity period that would not interfere with instructional time but would allow our students to participate in learning activities/clubs during the school day. Hence, the creation of Hawk Time!

Beginning at 7:55 each morning, all students have to the opportunity for enrichment. Hawk Time classes include Chess Club, Debate Team and Book Club to name a few. Mondays and Wednesdays are reserved for the Hawk Time activity. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we Drop Everything and Read (DEAR Time) and Fridays are reserved for character education.

We look forward to hearing feedback about Hawk Time! Our Hawk Time is intended to provide enrichment activities while also allowing our students and teachers to develop positive relationships. Just another way that we want to "Link Learning to Life!!"

New Team Members

2010-08-11T14:36:00.002-05:00

We are off to wonderful start of the New School Year and I am pleased to introduce to you our new WMS Team Members! Dr. Hambrick is our assistant principal and he has enjoyed meeting and greeting many our students this week. Ms. Garrett is our new English teacher and yearbook advisor. She is already actively involved in our school and as a military wife she looks forward to working closely with our children who are military connected. Officer Lehman is our new School Resource Officer. He is a welcomed addition to the WMS team and his top priority is to ensure that our students are safe. Mr. Pierce is our new 8th grade science teacher. He has an interest in forensic science and will certainly do a great job of challenging our students. Ms. Robinson teaches 6th grade science and she too looks forward to working together with the 6th grade team to include Ms. Bock our new 6th grade reading teacher. Our 6th graders are in store for a year of exploring exciting new learning oportunities! Ms. Jerkins is our wonderful new 7th grade math teacher and Ms. Williams is our new choir director. Both are excited to work with the students of Williams Middle School. Finally, Ms. Anderson is an excellent addition to our special education department. She and her team of assistants round our listing of new team members.

We welcome all of our new families as well and look forward to making this school year a success for all. Life's good @ WMS! We're Linking Learning to Life! Go Hawks!!

Welcome Back to School!

2010-08-08T11:08:00.004-05:00

Ready or not, the First Day of School is here!! I am so excited about the possibilities that the 2010-2011 school year holds. Last week, we had our Open House and I believe that it was a great start to the year. Thank you to all who attended and we certainly look forward to working with you in the future. On that note, I invite any parent who is interested in serving in our PTSA to please email me your area(s) of interest and I will pass it along to our PTSA officers.

At our Open House, several parents had questions about bus routes. We were able to get some route information. Bus stops are usually at the nearest corner and the bus numbers should be the same as last year. If you are new to us, please let our office know if there is a problem after the first school day.

Students, get plenty of rest and we will see you tomorrow!

Go Hawks!

2010-07-20T11:42:00.005-05:00

Greetings! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break. I certainly enjoyed mine! However, it is now time to prepare for a new year. Our summer office hours are 8:30 to 2:30 pm. We have our PTSA Open House scheduled for August 5th beginning at 5pm for New Student Orientation (in the Lecture Hall) and Open House at 5:30 in the gymnasium. You will have an opportunity to join PTSA and meet our teachers, staff and administrators. Also, as a special treat we will have a performance by our Williams Middle School Lady Hawks Cheerleaders!

As a reminder, all students must be in school uniforms beginning August 9th. Please check our school website for the complete listing of our School Uniform Policy. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer and Go Hawks!!

School-Wide Attention to Tolerance Kick-off

2010-05-24T08:32:00.002-05:00

On Friday May 21st, we had our SWAT assembly to introduce this student-led program. It was a fabulous assembly that consisted of skits, a PowerPoint presentation on cyber-bullying and an awesome video titled "The Middle". A special thanks goes out to Mrs. Peterson and her 2nd period Keyboarding class for their work, research and dedication to making Williams Middle a safe, bully-freee and tolerant environment. This statement in the brochure sums it all up: "Our goal at Williams Middle School is to help kids get ready to live, learn, and work in a diverse world where everyone is treated with respect. We want to live in a world where our differences are appreciated and even celebrated."

I look forward to working with our SWAT Team and our Peer Mediators next year. Go Hawks!

First Annual Science Fair

2010-05-12T10:42:00.002-05:00

This week Williams Middle School will have its First Annual Science Fair. Please come out and take a look at our students' excellent work! All classes and grade levels participated and I am excited about seeing their final products. Judging will take place on Thursday May 12th from 9am to 12noon. After that time the winning projects along with several honorable mentions will be on display in the library. What a wonderful way to wrap up our school year! Celebrating student successes and continuing to encourage excellence is what Williams Middle School is all about. Go Hawks!!

Teacher Appreciation Week

2010-04-29T14:38:00.002-05:00

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Let's show our teachers how much we value them by providing Duty Free Lunch on Thursday. Please call our office if you can help out. You may come from 11:45 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 1:15 or you are also welcomed to come for the entire period! We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you next Thursday. Our office number is 428-7330. Thank you!!

Administrative Professionals Day

2010-04-19T21:34:00.002-05:00

Wednesday April 21, 2010 is designated as Administrative Professionals Day! Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring administrative professionals week. To date, it is one of the largest workplace observances other than employee birthdays and major holidays. On this special day, I want to recognize our fabulous office staff. Mrs. Cook, our clerical assistant, greets visitors with a smile and is always welcoming and helpful to our guests. Mr. Friend, our systems operator, takes the time to get to know our students and is dedicated to working closely with the teachers to ensure smooth daily operations. Mrs. Hampton, our secretary/bookkeeper is always proficient and professional and is extremely knowledgeable and innovative. Each of them makes coming to work a joy! So please join me in wishing them all a Happy Administrative Professionals Day!!

ACTE Technology Fair

2010-04-12T11:29:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to our students who participated and placed in this year's ACTE Technology Fair! I am so proud of how well they represented Williams Middle School. Jennifer Jones and Stephanie Duncan received Honorable Mention for their Multimedia Group Project. Dustin Acreman and Franklin Ramirez also placed with Honorable Mention for their Web-Page Creation Group Project. Mae Aida and Adrian Hudson placed 2nd and 3rd place respectively in Individual Programming. John Butler and Jordan Kearns placed 1st in the Level 2 Programming Group Project. We swept the Level 3 Group Progamming division! Jonique Robinson and Katelyn Matthews placed 3rd, Adrian Hudson and Mae Aida placed 2nd and Jennifer Jones and Vivian Tran placed 1st! I am so proud of all our students and we are all very excited that the students who placed 1st and 2nd now qualify for the Regional Competition in Montgomery next month. Go Hawks!

Spring Updates

2010-03-29T12:16:00.002-05:00

Spring has sprung! We are now in our last quarter of the 2009-2010 school year! During these final weeks there will be many awards programs and celebrations of student success. With that in mind, it is a great time to remind our students that while school is ALMOST over, it is currently still in session! We have begun to see more student dress code violations and also horse-playing. Please help us by reminding your students about proper school attire and respecting all school rules.

Recently, we sent home a School Uniform Questionnaire to the parents of current 6th and 7th grade students. Although we received less than 30% back, most responders (69%) answered favorably about uniforms at Williams Middle School. An updated School Uniform Policy will be sent home and posted online later this month and parents will have a final opportunity to receive vouchers to purchase uniforms.

We need parent volunteers for our next Duty Free Lunch for teachers. It is scheduled for Thursday, April 8th. You may come from 11:45 to 12:30 or from 12:30 to 1:15. Of course you may also stay the entire period if you wish! Please call the office at 428-7330 to volunteer and we thank you for your support!

Welcome Back!

2010-03-22T09:57:00.003-05:00

Welcome Back! I hope everyone enjoyed their Spring Break and is coming back refreshed and recharged for our last quarter of the school year!

Beginning on Wednesday March 24th, all students will participate in our Spring Testing. This includes the Alabama Reading and Math Test and the SAT10. We know that our students are smart and more than capable so we ask that they get plenty of rest at night and eat a healthy breakfast each morning. Test scores are often used to determine class placements as well as future leadership opportunities and even more importantly, they will help prepare our students for college entrance exams.

On another note, we hope to see you all at our PTSA meeting this Thursday at 6pm in the middle school library. We will vote on officers for our 2010-2011 PTSA!

And finally before Spring Break, each student was given a Safe Schools Hotline card that includes a phone number and email address. This hotline is set up so that students or parents can anonymously report incidents that create safety concerns. Creating and maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment is our primary goal! The Safe Schools Hotline phone number is 428-7233 and the email is safe-schools@hsv.k12.al.us

See you all Thursday at 6 for our PTSA meeting!

Happy Spring Break!

2010-03-13T13:43:00.002-06:00

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful and safe Spring Break! It's hard to believe that there is only one more quarter of school remaining. During our last quarter we will continue on with our winning Boys and Girls Track Season - Go Hawks!!! We will also have our spring testing and numerous award programs and celebrations. Don't miss out on the excitement! In the meantime, Happy Spring Break to all!!

Let's Thank our Teachers!

2010-03-03T22:51:00.002-06:00

Beginning on Thursday March 11th and continuing on the 2nd Thursday of each month, the Parent Advisory Council will sponsor Duty-Free Lunch for our teachers. Additionally, I am working with our business partners to provide lunch for everyone on those days. Our teachers work hard and are dedicated to providing a quality education to all children! Show your appreciation by volunteering to monitor students in the cafeteria so that teachers may relax a bit and have a Duty-Free lunch period. Your presence is needed at the school and this is one way to get involved! Please call the office and let us know what time you are able to help (11:45 to 12:30 or 12:30 to 1:15). Thank you in advance for your support!! Our office number is 428-7330.

Morning Quiet Time

2010-02-20T12:27:00.004-06:00

In an effort to provide options for our students as they arrive to school each morning, we will now offer Quiet Time in our Lecture Hall. Instead of going into the gym, students who are not eating breakfast may bring a book to read or material to study and take advantage of Quiet Time. We hope that this will encourage students to not only read more but also to better prepare for their academic day. A teacher will be available in the Lecture Hall and will serve as a monitor. We must emphasize that this is Quiet Time so disruptive students will not be allowed to remain. We hope that many of our students will take advantage of this special time and use it to ease into their day! Our wonderful new library is now open for student use, so please encourage your child to check out a book and join other readers for Morning Quiet Time.

Williams Middle School PTSA

2010-02-16T13:44:00.002-06:00

I hope to see everyone on Thursday for our PTSA meeting! We will meet at 6:00 pm in the middle school library. The meeting will feature "Math Night" where our math teachers will share some of the engaging activities from their classes. They will also address math skills needed for various classes and answer any questions that you may have.

Additionally, we will be accepting nominations for our 2010-2011 PTSA officers. Please be present if you are interested in holding an office next year. Elections will take place in March. Hope to see you all on Thursday!

School Safety

2010-02-08T22:10:00.002-06:00

Today I met with all students in grade-level assemblies to review our safety procedures and to address the issue of bullying. The students were quite receptive. I appreciate that several parents attended the meetings as well.

It is unfortuate that we have a number of students who engage in bullying and harassing behaviors. This was addressed during the assemblies. Our guidance counselor, Dr. Grimaud advised students of their options if when they feel uncomfortable with the way other students treated them. We encouraged students to treat others as they would like to be treated and to not take matters into their own hands.

Keeping our school safe requires all of us working together. Soon, students will begin working with teachers and myself in our School-Wide Attention to Tolerance program. Look for more information about this in the coming weeks and months. As always, please let me know if you have any concerns about safety or other issues.

Business and Community Partnerships

2010-01-31T10:36:00.002-06:00

We are so pleased at the number of businesses and organizations that have chosen to support Williams Middle School in various capacities. I am particularly excited about the math tutors joining our team from Lockheed Martin. Their suppport will allow us to address student needs and work towards meeting our goals sited on our Continous Improvement Plan. We are also working with members of the U.S. Army Educational Outreach to form science clubs and ultimately teams to compete in the eCybermission program next year. These wonderful volunteers have also agreed to work with us in an effort to have our first Science Fair this Spring.

As we continue through this semester, please let me know if there are any programs that you would like to see in place for next school year. We are currently in the preliminary stages of planning and scheduling for next year and your ideas are welcome!

Blood and Marrow Drive

2010-01-26T22:01:00.003-06:00

We need your support! On Wednesday 3 Feb, Williams Middle School is partnering with Leadership Huntsville/Madison County, Connect Class 10, HEALS, and Life South in hosting a blood and marrow drive. The event will take place from noon to 7pm in the Middle School gym. Students are learning about the local needs as it relates to blood and marrow donating. They are encouraging their parents and other adults to participate. This is such an exciting time in our community as we form partnerships and work to make a difference. Please join us!!

Help for Haiti

2010-01-18T11:31:00.002-06:00

In light of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti, we would like to help. During this week, please send non-perishable food items to school to be collected in homeroom. Items may include cases of bottled water. All donations should be sent by Monday January 25th. We thank you in advance for your assistance in providing aide in the aftermath of this tragedy. We can make a difference!

The Global Achievement Gap

2010-01-11T19:46:00.002-06:00

I invite all parents and friends to join our teachers as we study the book, The Global Achievement Gap, by Tony Wagner. Please purchase the book at a local bookstore or online and join us beginning Wednesday January 20th at 3:15. We want to explore ways to ensure that our students are prepared to be successful in high school, college and in the 21st century workforce. Come share with us! Call me or email me if you have any questions and I hope to see you next week. Please join us even if you have not yet purchased or read the book! We value your input and want to hear your thoughts!

Arrival and Dismissal at the NEW Williams Middle School

2009-12-23T10:28:00.001-06:00

Effective January 6, 2010 upon arriving in the mornings, buses and cars will drop off students in front of the new middle school gym at the cross walk before the bridge (not at the bridge). Students will enter the building and either go to the gym or to the lunchroom for breakfast. A Security Officer will be in place to direct traffic. Students should not arrive before 7:30am. All students will be dismissed from the front of the building. Cars and buses will pick up from the front of the main middle school building. Bus riders will be dismissed at 2:55 and walkers and car riders at 3:05.

Our school office hours are 7:30-3:30. All visitors must sign in at the reception desk upon arrival. The office phone number is 256-428-7330.

Happy Holidays!!!

Go Hawks!!

2009-12-17T15:20:00.002-06:00

Our Open House and Gym Dedication were wonderful! Thank you so much to all who attended. Mayor Battle, Councilman Culver, Dr. Moore, several school board members and business partners joined the celebration. Our student-led tours were made available to all. The choir performance was certainly a highlight as well! Thank you all so much to all who attended and those who supported in other ways.

We are in store for a fantastic 2nd semester! Look for information soon about our Military Family Night, our Community Engagement Book Study and boys and girls track season this spring! Have a safe and blessed Holiday Season! Go Hawks!!!

Open House and Gym Dedication

2009-12-15T14:16:00.002-06:00

Please join us Thursday 17 December for our new building Open House. It will begin at 9:00am in our new gym. The morning will include performances by our wonderful Williams Middle School Choir and a ceremony where we dedicate our gym to our beloved Coach David Hughey. Tours of the new building will follow and light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you Thursday! This is such an exciting time for our community and we are so glad that you are a part of it! Go Hawks!

Ident-A-Kid Program

2009-12-07T15:44:00.003-06:00

On Thursday 10 December, Williams Middle School students will have the opportunity to get an Ident-A-Kid Pre-Drivers ID Card. The cards feature a full color photograph along with important identification information including their finger print. Your student should have brought home a yellow sheet that included payment information and an envelope. This program is great way to identify our kids in the event of a school or medical emergency and can also be used to receive student discounts. I hope that you will take advantage of this program! Please return the envelope with your student on or before Thursday.

Heavenly Hats Day!

2009-11-19T14:59:00.000-06:00

On Friday, December 11th, the middle school student organization S.O.A.R (Serving Our Area Responsibly) will sponsor "Heavenly Hats Day". The Heavenly Hats Foundation raises funds to sponsor hats for patients that have lost their hair to chemotherapy. Heavenly Hats has donated over 325,000 new hats to patients and hospitals in need.

The J.E. Williams Elementary and Middle School administration, teachers, faculty, students, and staff will be participating in this event. Persons who donate $1.00 can wear a hat for the day. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative, the most spirited, and the craziest hat in both the elementary and middle school grades. All the proceeds will be given to the Heavenly Hats Foundation. Last year we raised almost $500.00 for this cause. All proceeds will be used to cover the costs that are involved with shipping new headwear to all of the patients around the United States. For more information visit www.Heavenlyhats.com.

Happy Veterans Day

2009-11-09T14:55:00.000-06:00

On this Veterans Day, we honor all Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Airmen who unselfishly serve our country. November 11th is set aside as a day of reflection for the many sacrifices made by the men and women of the Armed Forces. On behalf of the teachers, staff and administrators of Williams Middle School, we wish you all a safe and blessed Veterans Day.

Trikke for a Cure

2009-10-28T20:51:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all who supported our Breast Cancer Awareness fundraiser, Trikke for a Cure! It was a great learning experience for our kids and plenty of fun for all. Our teachers and students did a fantastic job of organizing and planning this event. ETV will air a story about it next week and Channel 48 WAFF even came out to cover the event!! As always, thank you for your continued support. Go Hawks!!!

Parenting Day Success!

2009-10-27T08:58:00.002-05:00

Thank you to the many parents who came out for our Parenting Day activities! I heard many positive remarks and it was refreshing to see the excitement about school from teachers, students and parents. The Student-Led Conferences were a big hit and we have had quite a few requests to do them again after the next grading period. We will! These conferences allow students to take ownership of their grades and behavior while encouraging them to set goals and ask for assistance when needed. Look for more activities like this in the future!

A quick building update: We are on schedule! The office has begun to transition and PE, band and choir are next. Teachers will be assigned room numbers very soon and more furniture will be delivered as the month progresses. We will have a Ribbon Cutting and Open House on December 17th. More information will be given soon! Thank you for your continued support! Go Hawks!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2009-09-30T22:23:00.002-05:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please see this month's PTA Newsletter to learn about our upcoming Trikke for the Cure event! We will also have a poster contest and several other events throughout the month. If you have any ideas to support awareness of breast cancer, please share! If there are any runners who are interested in doing Liz Hurley's Annual Breast Cancer Awareness 5K on the 17th, let me know.

October 26th is Parenting Day. After Fall Break, I will post information about our activities for that specail day. I hope you enjoy your Fall Break. Be safe!

Meeting Notice

2009-09-16T21:30:00.002-05:00

Beginning in January, Williams Middle School will join the large number of Alabama public schools that have adopted a School Uniform Policy. This will allow for a significant cost saving for most parents on school clothes, reduce discipline problems, and allow students to express their individuality by their personality and academic achievements rather than by their style of dress. It also puts forward a strong image of Williams Middle School as a Center of Academic Excellence where students from all over Huntsville can receive a top-notch education.

We will have a parent meeting on Thursday October 1st at 6:00 pm to introduce our Uniform Policy and address your questions and concerns. This will be a fun-filled evening and include a fashion show, a building & move-in update and an introduction of our new School-Wide Reward Program to promote good behavior. This is an exciting time for our community! See you on the 1st!

Pupil-Parent Survey

2009-09-04T10:21:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday, your child will bring home a survey that we would like for you to complete. The Huntsville City School System is entitled to certain federal monies if either mother, father or guardian of a student is employed on certain properties, in on active, full-time duty in the Uniformed Services, or if they live in a Federal Housing Project, or any combination of these requirements. Upon receiving the survey, please complete it and have your child return it to their homeroom teacher by Thursday September 10th. Thank you for your support!

See you Tuesday September 8th at 6:30 for our first PTA Meeting!!! Dinner will be served!

A Complaint Free World

2009-08-23T13:54:00.002-05:00

Have you ever monitored how often you complain, gossip or criticize others? If you really stop to think about it, you may be surprised at how much of our every day language and interaction is in the form of a complaint or criticism. A Complaint Free World is an organization that is attempting to address this! At the start of the year, teachers and staff at Williams Middle put on a purple bracelet and made an effort to stop complaining. Each time we notice ourselves complaining, gossiping or criticizing, we are to move the bracelet to the other wrist. If you point out the need for someone else to move their bracelet, then you must move yours first. Research says it takes up to 21 days to form a habit and we are striving to make a habit of being complaint free!

Mrs. Nye, our SPACE teacher, has implemented the curriculum in her classes and other teachers are considering it as well. It is a challenge that I believe we can all learn from! Visit the website for more information: www.acomplaintfreeworld.org

Try it in your family, work place or social group and let us know how it works. We are considering doing this school wide. We may not have a Complaint Free World (yet) but we could certainly start by creating a Complaint Free School. Visit the website and let me know your thoughts!

Opening Week

2009-08-14T10:28:00.002-05:00

Our opening week was wonderful! Your students may be a little tired and so are we! Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed this week and had the opportunity to meet most, if not all, of my students. I conducted student assemblies by grade level where I introduced myself and other staff members. We discussed everything from dress code to athletics, from the new building to bullying. Students gave me their feedback and also asked questions for clarification. All in all, I believe that the tone has been set for us to have a very successful school year.

I hope you have joined the PTA but if not, please do so. I am proud to say that 100% of the middle school teachers have joined and we will receive the coveted Golden Apple Award as a result!

Thank you for joining my blog and please spread the word so that others will follow suit.

Thank you!

2009-08-06T22:12:00.003-05:00

Thanks to everyone who made it to our New Student Orientation and Open House! I had an opportunity to meet so many wonderful people. I am excited about the upcoming school year and I value your input. My goal is for Williams Middle School to be a Center of Excellence! Together we can make this happen. Soon, I will post information about "Principal's Corner Meetings". What time would work for you? What are your topics of interest? Would you be interested in serving on an Advisory Council for our school? Let me know your thoughts!

Welcome!

2009-07-18T12:52:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Williams Middle School, Principal's Corner! I look forward to meeting you and working with you to ensure the success of our students. I will use this Blog to keep you informed of upcoming events, building updates and to enlist feedback from you. I hope to see you all at our Open House on the evening of August 6th. More details will be given soon! In the meantime, the middle school office is located in room 201. Please let us know how we may serve you!