Happy May, Mustang families! I hope that the rainy April it felt like we had will transition to a sunny and beautify May.

We have been thrilled with the increasing numbers of students engaging in Remote Learning and hope that your student is able to navigate the platforms and submit assignments as well as ask questions and interact with peers. If you are finding that you need technical support, WCPSS has created a tool to support families. The Student Technology Assistance link will allow you to ask for specific support. Additionally, you can visit the Remote Learning Helpdesk FAQ to find answers to common questions.

Students should access DreamBox, their WCPSS email, their teachers’ websites and Google classrooms and Canvas sites every day. The focus of remote learning will continue to be engagement and feedback while providing the flexibility families need. All pre-recorded instruction and the learning tasks are and will continue to be available throughout the rest of the school year in our teachers’ Google classrooms or Canvas sites. Please encourage your child to participate in all learning opportunities. 

WCPSS has increased the number of Big Bus Food sites. You can find updated locations along with information about free and reduced price lunches and Pandemic Electronic Benefits Program here.

This week marks Teacher Appreciation Week. Please consider taking a moment to let your student’s teachers know that you are thinking of them. Tuesday, May 5^th, is Teacher Appreciation Day and you can send a free e-card to your teachers through PunchBowl.com. If you chose to post a thank you or a shout out on social media, tag Martin and use the #WCPSSThankATeacher.

Thank you to everyone who indicated they would be interested in a Virtual Coffee with me. I will plan the event for the week of May 11 and will send the invitation that includes the time and day of the week in the next several days. The invitation will come to the email you used to complete the Google form.

I know many of you have logistical questions now that we know students will not return to the school building this year. How do we return school books and library books? How do I turn in my athletic uniform? How will we receive our yearbooks? Others want to know when they can clean out lockers or how we will celebrate the end of the school year with students. I do not have the answers to those questions yet, but our team at Martin is working diligently to problem solve these items – and others. We will communicate plans with you as they evolve. While we can’t recreate the special memories we would make together if we were in the school building, we want to ensure our students celebrate the end of the school year, and for our 8^th graders, the end of their middle school careers.

Thank you and have a wonderful week!