Frequently Asked Questions

To ride a different school bus, students must bring a written note to the Attendance Office before school or no later than the end of lunch the day they want to ride. The note mustd contain
all of the following information:

1. Student’s full name
2. Bus number the student will be riding
3. Bus street stop
4. Date
5. Parent / guardian signature

Students pick up their temporary green card in the Attendance Office at 2:20. A bus driver will not allow students on the bus without a “ Green Card “ 

We have had students attend other schools or countries for a semester, and the return to our school. The student has to unenroll from Seattle Public Schools on departure, then re-enroll on the return. If the student is in the Advanced Learning Program (APP or Spectrum), that District office should be contacted well in advance of the leave, so that the return to the same program will be a smooth one.

School dances are held three times a year during the day. The school is shortened to the equivalent of a 2-hour early dismissal, with the last two hours for the dance. Students are escorted to the dance in grade order with the 8th graders going first and leaving last. The dance is held in the gym and is heavily supervised. Refreshments are available, and students can have their pictures taken. Dances cost two dollars, and student who show kindness and other acts of generosity to students can be awarded WMS bucks to help defray the costs.

There are alternate activities for those students who don’t wish to participate in the dance. Students can watch a movie in the movie room, or they can participate in quiet activities such as board games, video games, chatting, or reading in the quiet room.

Primarily the school store sells general school supplies. Examples are mechanical pencils, pens, notebooks, binders calculators and other miscellaneous items that the teachers have recommended. There are some items like locker mirrors, frames, pom-poms and WMS string backpacks & that are also part of the inventory. Right now we don’t have too many WMS clothing items.  We are putting together a design that we are to use for sweatshirts and T-Shirts but I don’t think she has gotten to that yet, but it should be coming.

The store is generally open every day during all three lunches. Ms. Penner also has her door open (next to the Attendance Office) most days after school.

Students in grades 1-8 are required by the state of Washington to participate in PE classes an average of at least 100 instructional minutes per school week for the entire school year, or 200 minutes per school week for one semester. (The latter option is not shown on the District form). At WMS, the students are required to take PE one semester each school year. The only exception to this requirement is if such participation is waived. PE Waivers may be requested for any of the following reasons:

1. Physical Disability
2. Religious Belief
3. Directed athletics: participation in Seattle Public School or community-based athletic program.*

In order to get the waiver your student must:

1. Go to their grade level counselor’s office.
2. Pick up a District PE Waiver form (you can also download one here)
3. Get a letter with verification written on letterhead by either your student’s
   1. doctor / health care professional;
   2. religious leader;
   3. head coach / instructor.
4. Return both the District waiver (signed by the parent/guardian) and the verification letter to their grade level counselor.

The two papers must be returned by Monday, December 1, 2012. If both papers are not received by December 1, 2012, the student will be scheduled for a PE class 2nd semester in place of either World Language or Music.

*In addition to athletics, we are also accepting activities such as dance, martial arts, participation in a workout program, etc. If you have questions, please contact your student’s counselor.