http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/index/ en david.bilides@wmscounseling.org Copyright 2012 2012-01-07T00:18:23+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/college-and-career-coaches-help-students-focus-on-future/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/college-and-career-coaches-help-students-focus-on-future/#When:23:18:23Z The College Success Foundation has funded a full-time college awareness and career coach at Washington for the second straight year. Additionally, we have received half-time funding for a HERO advisor. This year, we are lucky to have Sydney Williams and Andre Benjamin working with our students. Ms. Williams works with Middle School staff to provide college readiness programming with the overall goal of creating a college oriented culture within Washington Middle School. She works with the 8th grade general education classes once a week delivering college preparation curriculum. Her overall goal is to get students to make thoughtful decisions about their future. Ms. Williams also co-facilitates an 8th grade girls group.  The purpose of this group is to discuss the transition from middle school to high school, explore the obstacles that may arise in middle and high school, share and learn from their experiences, and develop academic and leadership skills. Finally, Ms. Williams will be coordinating this year’s Career Fair, for all students. When students have a positive vision for the future, it helps them to focus on their work and be more successful. We at WMS are lucky to have Ms. Williams aboard this year helping our students toward those long-term goals. With a vast history in Education Andre Benjamin has a passion to see all students succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Currently serving at both Garfield HS and WMS, Andre specializes in serving students with Academic Coaching from 7-10th grade. He Is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University. Welcome Sydney and Andre, and thank you! Careers, College 2012-01-06T23:18:23+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/school-tour-dates-set/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/school-tour-dates-set/#When:14:36:24Z Here are the tour dates for families and incoming students for the 2012-2013 school year: • Thursday, 2/2,  8- 10 AM • Thursday, 2/9,  8-10 AM • Thursday, 2/16,  8-10 AM • Thursday, 3/1,  8-10 AM • Open House for incoming families will be held on Monday, January 30th, from 7-8:30 PM No reservations required for any of these events. News—School 2011-11-21T14:36:24+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/first-quarter-ends-parent-conferences-coming-up/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/first-quarter-ends-parent-conferences-coming-up/#When:22:21:58Z With the first quarter of the school year now over, parents and students have a chance to see where things are going well, and what needs to improve. Thanks to our PTSA, teachers and parents will have two opportunities to briefly discuss students’ performance. On Wednesday, November 16, from 3:30 to 5:30pm, and Thursday, November 17, from 6:00 to 8:00pm the gym will be open and teachers will be lining the walls, waiting for parents to visit for a 5-minute chat. Longer consultations will be available by appointment. This is the only open conference time of the year, so don’t miss it! Conferences 2011-11-05T22:21:58+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/bite-of-washington-is-tomorrow/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/bite-of-washington-is-tomorrow/#When:22:47:42Z Don’t miss this school-wide, all students and families event. Besides a wide variety of inexpensive foods from different countries available for purchase, there will also be tables of community organizations working with WMS present with staff and literature to answer your questions. Families will be able to meet and greet their student’s teachers, administrators, and support staff. And of course, there is the WMS Olympics, where each grade competes in fun and unusual events with an eye to taking charge of the BIte trophy for the upcoming year. It’s all in good fun, and quite a scene. News—School 2011-09-21T22:47:42+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/counseling-staff-to-continue-in-2011-2012/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/counseling-staff-to-continue-in-2011-2012/#When:18:15:11Z We’re happy to announce that all three grade level counselors will return to WMS this coming school year. This is no small feat, given the number of layoffs occurring in the District, and we had some anxious moments right through the end of the school year. Mr. Bilides will become the 6th grade counselor, and Ms. Jackson and Mr. Goldstein will move up to 7th and 8th grades respectively. News—Department 2011-06-24T18:15:11+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/tutoring-program-wrap-up-2010-2011/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/tutoring-program-wrap-up-2010-2011/#When:22:24:35Z Washington Middle School’s Tutoring Program is now three years old, and it remains one of the most visible and sought-after academic student intervention programs in the school. The program as a whole has been quite successful, thanks again to the efforts of the Tutor Coordinator, Susan Huntley. Her report for this school year follows. My fourth year of coordinating the tutoring program at Washington has come to an end.  Once again this year, at least 70 volunteers worked for thousands of hours with our students individually and in classrooms.  These included parents and grandparents of current and former students.  We also had many volunteers from Seattle University’s Children’s Literacy Project, as well as a cohort of six SU sophomores in a special program for those considering a teaching career.  In addition, there were volunteers from University of Washington’s Pipeline Project, and Seattle Central Community College service learning program.  Finally, there were several candidates for Masters in Teaching programs who totaled many required hours working in classrooms and observing experienced teachers. Between 60 and 70 Washington students received one on one tutoring from these volunteers for at least part of the school year.  These students are referred by their grade level counselors, who may be asked by parents, teachers or the students themselves for more academic support.  Once a week, tutors meet them in the library during their elective (non-core) class time.  They may work on missing homework or classwork assignments, binder organization, research projects, or reading practice.  Tutors are encouraged to stay in touch with the student’s teachers and to keep up with the student’s current grades on Source from the Tutor Coordinator’s office.  Tutoring 2011-06-23T22:24:35+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/state-of-the-career-at-washington-middle-school/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/state-of-the-career-at-washington-middle-school/#When:22:53:04Z Catherine Basl is a College Success Foundation and AmeriCorps volunteer working full-time for us this year. She’s been focusing on college and career awareness, helping with the College Bound applications, working on goal-setting in classrooms, consulting with teachers, and coordinating our first career fair in a decade. Here’s her report on where things are at the moment. As Washington Middle School’s AmeriCorps College and Career Coach this year I have had over two hundred conversations with students about jobs and post-secondary education—and many discussions about what it means to be educated or have a career. I am excited to continue exploring future possibilities with Washington students this spring. Career Fair! Washington Middle School students began exploring career opportunities through a February career interest survey. In mid March students received the Washington Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board’s Where Are You Going? guide). (Also check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Students website.) As a class, students reviewed the guide’s career interest surveys and career cluster descriptions of occupations. Then, on March 22nd Washington students heard from forty-seven community members including engineers, scientific writers, journalists, and the director of the Seattle Center. Speakers presented on their jobs, career experience, and… Careers, College 2011-04-12T22:53:04+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/open-enrollment-begins-today/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/open-enrollment-begins-today/#When:18:56:10Z Open Enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year takes place from March 15-April 15, 2011. Open Enrollment is the best time for students and families to exercise their ability to choose a specific school they would like to attend. For complete information on this process, please go to the District Open Enrollment web page. Enrollment 2011-03-15T18:56:10+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/parent-teacher-conferences-on-november-17th-and-18th/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/parent-teacher-conferences-on-november-17th-and-18th/#When:01:02:02Z Here are the dates and times: Wednesday, November 17th, from 3:30 to 5:30, and Thursday, November 18th, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Don’t miss this chance to talk with all your student’s teachers. You can pick up her or his report card at the gym and then find the teacher(s) you want to talk with. While you will only have 5 minutes per teacher, you will get a good idea of how your student is doing. If you want a more in-depth conference after this conversation, we’ll help you arrange one. Your WMS PTPSA makes these conferences possible. Conferences, Report Cards 2010-11-13T01:02:02+00:00 http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/here-we-go/ http://www.wmscounseling.org/index.php/site/here-we-go/#When:02:31:46Z Tomorrow’s the first day of the 2010-2011 school year. It’d be a great night for students to get a good rest, but somehow, we think that’s unlikely to happen. Some food in the morning, a warm goodbye from at least one adult caretaker at home, and our middle school students start another school year. For 6th graders, it’s an even bigger adventure, as they leave the cocoon of elementary school. Seventh graders know this is the transition year, and eighth graders are already looking forward to June promotion and high school. This is the first year of the new school assignment plan and the new transportation plan. We expect there will be many glitches and not a few surprises as old expectations are dashed against the rocks of fiscal tightening. Definitely contact your counselor with questions (check the FAQ area of this site first), and we’ll do our best to answer your concerns or direct you to someone who can. Even with all this, we are looking forward to another great year, and we can’t wait to see your children! Orientation 2010-09-08T02:31:46+00:00