Happy Monday, Tiger Shark Families,
The 8th grade Winter Dance is scheduled for Friday, February 14th. We need your help to make this event a success. The event will be held at Wilde Lake Middle on 2/14 from 6:30-8:30 pm. Please consider volunteering for this fun evening.
The 6th and 7th grade Socials are being rescheduled. Information will be sent to families as soon as we have the new date scheduled.
Policy updates-takes effect March 3rd.
On Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, the Howard County Board of Education approved adjustments to Policy 8080 – Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media, and the Student Code of Conduct that is intended to reduce the use of personal devices by students during the student day. The policy changes will take effect on Monday, March 3, 2025.
Check out the exciting activities happening at WLMS this month!
New Tardy Procedures:
On February 4th, WLMS began our new tardy procedures.
There are two ways for students to sign in when they arrive late.
- Student barcodes (based on student ID#, unique to each student) have been generated and will be at our tardy table. When a student is tardy, their barcode will be scanned; this timestamp will be captured directly into Synergy. It will generate a pass for class admittance.
- Students, with parental/guardian permission, can use the StudentVUE app. This free app is an HCPSS app that will have a unique QR code the students will scan themselves (with staff assistance) and have a pass generated for class admittance.
If the app is the method being used, please note that the cell phone is used as the student enters and must immediately be put away for the remainder of the school day.
Parents can view the time of arrival via HCPSS Connect by navigating to the Attendance tab>clicking on the day of concern in the calendar display>reviewing the timestamp under Attendance detail.
As a reminder, if your student is going to be absent, please send an email to wlmsabsence@hcpss.org Include the following information:
- Student First and Last Name
- Date
- Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation).
Summer School Programs:
https://www.hcpss.org/summer-programs/
Upcoming dates: HCPSS Calendar WLMS Calendar
2/10-2/14- ELA MAP Testing
2/11- Spirit Day: Rep Your Fave Athlete!
2/12- 11am-12pm Shake Shack @the Mall in Columbia. Mention Donation Day at the register or use promo code DONATE on the Shack App, web, or kiosk at checkout and they will donate 25% of your total meal purchase to WLMS Boosters! The Flyer is available here.
2/14- 8th Grade Winter Dance
2/17- Schools and Offices Closed for President’s Day
2/18-2/21- Math MAP Testing
2/19-2/20- Blax in Wax Museum
2/21- Spirit Day African American Idol (rep your fave Singer/Actor)
2/25 and 2/27- Lunchtime-Tiger Shark Soul Train
2/28- Spirit Day: Sneaker Ball- Dress to Impress and wear your favorite sneakers
2/28- Jazz Soul Cafe - Music performances during lunchtimes
2/28- PTSA Sponsored Trivia Night and BSAP Sponsored Black History Month Celebration- Details to come.
Student Services and Administration: Our Counselors and Administration are actively involved in classroom lessons and taking care of the needs of our students and staff during the school day. Should a need arise and you need to speak with your student's counselor, please contact Nakia_Hill@hcpss.org (Student Services Secretary) or call 410-313-6960 to make an appointment. Student services staff and administration may not be available for pop-up visits. Please keep this in mind when visiting the school. To schedule an appointment with the Administration, please contact Heather_Godwin@hcpss.org.
UPDATE THE FAMILY FILE TODAY!
As field trips are quickly approaching, please make sure that you have submitted your Family File. We currently have 63 students without a completed family file.. All families must update their emergency contact information annually. While we recognize that many of you may not have any changes, you must transition through each screen and click submit at the end for this task to be completed. The completion of the Family File is essential to your students' participation in field trips, dances, and other fun activities throughout the year. Please visit HCPSS Connect today and click submit on the final screen! If you need assistance, please call Student Services at 410-313-6960.
Family File Directions
FAMILY FILE USER GUIDE (ENGLISH)
FAMILY FILE USER GUIDE (SPANISH)
Thank you to all of the families who have completed their Family File!
Spiritwear is available year-round!
WLMS will have a year-round fundraiser with Spiritwear Direct. Orders will be delivered directly to your home. https://www.wildelakespiritwear.com/
Happy Cart is Back this year!
With your help, we plan to treat our staff with a special treat each month this winter. See the sign-up genius below to see what you can bring! Please drop off donations to Mrs. Godwin; we’ll do the rest!!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050D4AA4A728A2F58-53486530-happy
PTSA:
Hello Tiger Shark Families!! Please see below for this month's updates:
We are currently accepting donations for the next Shark Bite Store, which will take place before spring break. There are several ways to donate: 1. You can donate money on the PTSA Website 2. You can purchase items on the Amazon Wishlist (Please feel free to share the Amazon Wishlist with family and friends.) or 3. You can purchase items off of the suggested list below and turn them into the main office (Labeled “Shark Bite Store”). Any amount helps!
Suggested Donations: (from Five Below or similar store) Room decor, stuffed animals, blankets, tech stuff, art/craft supplies, basketballs, footballs, and beauty items. Donated items must be new or unused.
What is the Shark Bite Store? We’ve noticed a little bit of confusion now that the School Store is back in action (yay!). Students have opportunities to use the Shark Bites they earn to shop for goodies at both the School Store and the Shark Bite Store. Unlike the School Store which takes place weekly, the Shark Bite Store is a major event that happens three times a year during lunch periods. The Shark Bite Store is the brainchild of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team (PBIS); the PTSA supports this effort by stocking the store and providing volunteers to staff each Shark Bite Store. While the School Store is stocked with fun school supplies and small gift items, the Shark Bite Store is intended to feel like an exciting, BIG, shopping opportunity for students to celebrate their hard work and excellent behavior. The Shark Bite Store has items available for purchase at different price points ranging from a few Shark Bites for a cute pencil eraser to 100 Shark Bites for a full sized basketball or LED room lights. Other popular items available at the Shark Bite Store include artist sketch pads, board games, fidgets, lip gloss, and fun seasonal items like cozy blankets or beach towels.
The more support we get for the Shark Bite Store, the more fantastic it will be for your students.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!
PTSA seeks sponsors and offers various opportunities to promote your business. See the attached flyer for details and please help spread the word!
Performing Arts Boosters:
Please mark your calendar to support WLMS Performing Arts! These fundraisers help Boosters make sure that every student has an instrument, the classrooms have all the supplies they need, kids can go to events, and the after school theatre program is a success! The more we raise, the more resources we can provide our teachers and students!
- February 12th 11am-12pm Shake Shack @the Mall in Columbia. Mention Donation Day at the register or use promo code DONATE on the Shack App, web, or kiosk at checkout and they will donate 25% of your total meal purchase to WLMS Boosters! The Flyer is available here.
- April 16th 5pm-9pm Chipotle @ 9851 Broken Land Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21046. Order Online pickup using code 66VXLQH or Show the flyer in the restaurant and they will donate 20% of your total meal purchase to the WLMS Boosters! The flyer is available in English. and in Spanish.
One of the things that makes WLMS such a great place for our kids is the amazing performing arts program. Whether your kiddo is enrolled in Band, Orchestra, Theatre, Chorus or Dance, the Boosters make sure they have what they need and get those extra resources that make the programs thrive. The Boosters help arrange and pay for everything from the WLMS afterschool theatre program to purchasing dance shoes, costumes, and instruments, to bringing in actors and musicians to work with the students. But to do this, we need your support! Not a member yet? Just go to our sign-up page at this link (https://form.jotform.com/242294952012150).
New Partnership Alert!
Wilde Lake Middle School has partnered with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc Lambda Gamma Zeta Chapter.
Zeta Phi Beta hosted a fall drive to provide coats and hoodie sweatshirts for WLMS Students. We received over 50 coats and sweatshirts. If your student needs a coat, please send a message to Mrs. Godwin at Heather_Godwin@hcpss.org. While supplies last.
This month Zeta Phi Beta organized a school supply drive. The supplies are available to all students at WLMS. If your student needs any school supplies please have them ask the student services office for supplies.
Club Wilde Lake
MakingChange is partnering with the Wilde Lake Community Association to deliver financial education to youth as part of their after-school curriculum for the 2024 - 2025 school year.
This partnership will expand our engagement with youth to educate, inform, and empower them on how to manage their finances as they head towards adulthood.
Club Wilde Lake Weekly Schedule
Anchors Up! - Mon & Wed, 3-5pm @ Slayton House
YMCA - Tues & Thurs, 3-5pm @ Slayton House
The YMCA Afterschool Program in Maryland provides a safe and supportive environment for children after school hours.
iCode - Tues (Web Development), Wed (Game Development), & Thurs (Drone Programming), 3-5 pm @ Slayton House
Making Change - Fridays, 3/7 (SMART Goals) @ Slayton House
If you have a student interested in participating in this program, please contact Sharon Cooper-Kerr at scooperkerr@wildelake.org or email us at info@makingchangecenter.org.
Spring Break 2026
Are you interested in traveling to Spain for Spring Break 2026? All WLMS students and their families are invited on this amazing trip. Join some Wilde Lake teachers and your friends as you visit Madrid, Granada, Seville, Toledo, and Barcelona. If you missed the informational meeting, don't worry. Here is the presentation I shared. Review it and email me with questions at cheryl_gwynn-haymes@hcpss.org.
Explorica is the party organizer and is responsible for this trip. This trip is NOT a Howard County Public School System, Wilde Lake Middle School, or PTSA-sponsored trip, and the individuals chaperoning the trip are not acting as agents for the Howard County Public School System.