Principal Houston’s Notes
Summary : School information and messages from Principal Houston.
Letters from Principal Houston
Week of August 25, 2025
News From the Whitman PTSA!
Visit the PTSA Newsletters to and access weekly news and catch up on happenings around the school!
6th Grade and New to Whitman Orientation Night August 27, 2025
Join Us! August 27 from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Where: Whitman Middle School
- Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
- Time/Schedule:
- Starting at 5:30 p.m. – class schedules, and general school information will be available outside the building
- Starting at 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. – building open to tour and find your classes!
Details: Come tour the school and find your classes! Maps, class schedules, and school information booths will be outside. We hope to see you there! Check out the PTSA Info Booklet too!
First Day of School Wed, Sept. 3! Grades 7 & 8 Don’t Start until 12:50 p.m.
Special Bell Schedule
Grade 6 Students ONLY
- 8:55 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | 6th Grade Students ONLY for morning activities
- We are excited to welcome our incoming 6th graders and have a great morning of activities set up for you led by our amazing WEB Team!
- 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. | 6th Grade Lunch
Grade 7 & 8 Students Arrive
- 12:30 p.m. – Grade 7 and 8 Students Arrive (Current 7th and 8th grade students will start the day in the lunchroom at 12:30 p.m. with classes starting at 12:50 p.m.)
- 12:50 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | All grades go to Class Periods 1-6
*Please note the first day of school on Wednesday, September 3 is not an early dismissal.
Class schedules for grades 7 & 8 will be available on the Source on Sept. 2, 2025.
Phone (Devices) Away for the Day!
Whitman MS Phone Policy 2025-2026
We’re excited to share a new step we’re taking to help our students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Starting this school year, Whitman Middle School will be implementing a Phone Away for the Day policy.
Why are we doing this?
Research and feedback from our community show that having phones out during the school day can:
- Make it harder for students to focus and learn, even if phones aren’t being used.
- Increase feelings of anxiety, depression, and social isolation.
- Interrupt classrooms and reduce time spent connecting with friends face-to-face.
What does this mean for your child?
- Students will turn off phones and smart devices and keep them out of sight from the moment they enter the building until they leave.
- If a phone is seen in public spaces like hallways or lunchrooms, staff will handle it discreetly.
- Teachers will manage classroom phone use and may send students to the office if needed.
Supporting our students
We know many students use music or other tools to help with stress, and we’ll continue to support healthy ways for them to manage anxiety and build positive social connections.
How discipline will work
We believe in kindness and respect. Following Seattle Public Schools’ guidelines, here’s how we’ll respond to phone use during the day:
- First time: We’ll notify you and return the phone to your child at the end of the day.
- Second time: We’ll notify you again and return the phone to youat the end of the day.
- Third time: We’ll schedule a parent conference and discuss additional steps.
Together, we can create a focused, positive environment that helps every student grow beyond their screens. Thank you for your support and partnership.
WMS Student School Supply Lists & New Supply Fund Contribution Request
2025-26 ASB Fee or Donation
Curriculum Night – Back To School
Tuesday, October 7, 2025. More details to follow!
Student Led Conferences 2025-26
SLC’s are coming back in 2025-26!!! Student-Led Conferences Are Back! We’re excited to announce that SLCs (Student-Led Conferences) will be held on January 15 and 16 2026! These conferences give students the opportunity to lead discussions about their learning and progress.
Please note:
There will be no school on Friday, January 16 to allow teachers time to wrap up conferences and schedules.
More details will be coming soon regarding:
- How to sign up
- What to expect as a parent
- How students will prepare
- The conference format
Last year’s SLCs were a big success! Parents, students, and staff all gave very positive feedback that helped us improve this year’s experience even more. We look forward to your participation in this important event!
Email messages are created with Smore and sent via the district School Messenger to Whitman MS Families. If you are not receiving these messages from School Messenger please check your profile in SchoolMessenger as well as your spam email folder.
