Principal's Welcome Letter

  As the final weeks of summer slip away, I am thrilled to welcome you to the 2025–2026 school year! In less than two weeks, we’ll be kicking off another exciting chapter together, and my staff and I cannot wait to see everyone on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. I hope your summer was filled with joy, laughter, and quality time with family and friends—and if you’re part of the Beyhive, perhaps you even made it to the Cowboy Carter concert!

This year marks my 10th year at William Wirt Middle School, and I am committed to making it our most extraordinary year yet. The partnership between our school, our families, and our community is what makes WWMS exceptional, and I am deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together. I remain humbled and honored to serve as your principal.

Our Building Services team has been working tirelessly to ensure that every classroom, learning space, and common area is clean, welcoming, and ready for our staff and students. While we have bid farewell to some valued team members due to resignations, retirements, and promotions, we have also welcomed incredible new educators and staff who bring fresh energy, experience, and a shared commitment to helping our students excel. This year’s team is equipped with the expertise, dedication, and heart to support your child’s academic growth and social-emotional well-being.

Parents play a key role in the academic success of our students; therefore, school/parent communication is crucial. All we need is your active participation. Please inquire with the main office about how you can get involved. Families must remain connected with the school through their grade-level administrators, professional school counselors, student advocates, and classroom teachers, using various platforms. We will post regular updates to our school website, Class Dojo app, and ParentVUE. Please click on the links to sign up.  At your earliest convenience, please ensure that your phone number, email address, and mailing address are updated with the school and correct in Synergy.  If you have an X account, please follow William Wirt Middle School at @wwmsjags_pgcps. You can also follow us on Instagram @wwmsjags_pgcps for school-related updates. We take great pride in showcasing the great work of our students and staff. Please continue to check our school’s website frequently for more information. 

 To prepare for the new school year, below you will find all the information you need to begin the school year successfully.   

Arrival & Dismissal:

• We are still under construction, so our traffic pattern will remain the same as last school year until phase 4 is completed.  All staff should use Kenilworth Ave, regardless of whether you're traveling northbound or southbound. Then, turn onto Sarvis Ave—left if you're heading north, right if you're heading south. From there, turn right onto 61st Place and then left onto Norman Ave.  You will see parking spots on the right side of the building along the fence line.  All cars will exit the building on 63rd Place only!  We will not have 2-way access once the students arrive, so start preparing now. 
• The instructional day for students will be 8:30 am to 3:10 pm. There is no adult supervision on school property before 8:00 am, so students should arrive no earlier than 8:15 am. School doors will NOT open until 8:15 a.m., so please do not drop students off prior to that or they will be outside unsupervised. 
• Through our Universal Breakfast Program, all students are eligible to eat breakfast for free.  Breakfast will be served until 8:25 am.
• Afternoon Dismissal begins at 3:10 pm; therefore, students will not be released for early dismissal after 2:45 pm.   All students must be picked up from school no later than 4:00 pm.
• Visitors to the building are encouraged to make an appointment before visiting. Appointments can be made by contacting the front office at 301-985-1720. At the time of visit, please adhere to the following guidelines:
• Bring a government-issued photo ID. 

Uniforms:

• William Wirt is a uniform school, so students are required to wear uniforms daily. 
• Please click on the link to see the colors worn for grades 6-8 and the allowable colors. 
• Students will wear khaki or navy blue bottoms (pants, knee-length skirts, or knee-length shorts) and a solid polo-style/collared shirt in the following colors that correlate with their grade level.
• 6th Grade: light blue 
• 7th Grade: goldenrod/gold
• 8th Grade: black 
• Shoes can be any color or style of tennis shoes; no open-toe shoes are allowed. For safety reasons, students will not be allowed to wear Crocs and any other open-back shoes throughout the building. 
• Students can wear solid cardigans, sweaters, and crew neck sweatshirts. Students will not be allowed to wear hooded sweatshirts throughout the building. 

School Supplies:

• All WWMS students will be given a clear backpack with school supplies.  Supply pick-up will take place on Tuesday, August 19th, during our New Student Welcome Party from 11 am to 2 pm. 
• During the Welcome Party, school uniform sweaters will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. 

School Meals: 

• Meals will continue to be free for all students for school years 25-26.  Breakfast and lunch will be offered in all schools.  For Middle and High (Grades 6 through 12).
• William Wirt Middle School is included in The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program that promotes equity and access to nutritious meals during the school day. CEP is a meal service option that allows schools and school districts in low-income areas to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to enrolled students, without collecting household income applications. 

School Lunch Accounts: 

• Students will receive 6-digit PIN numbers, which will remain with them until they graduate
• Parents and guardians are encouraged to prepay for meals by depositing funds into each student’s account via online payment at Myschoolbucks.com.  Food and Nutrition Services accepts cash, certified checks, or money orders at the registers.  Personal checks are NOT accepted.  
• Information on how to pay for meals can be found here, along with making payments online to your child’s lunch account.  

Immunization: 

• No Shots? No School. Need shots for school? For the health and safety of all, please ensure your child/children are current on all vaccines required by the state before the beginning of this school year!
• 2025-26 Back-to-School Vaccine Clinics
• Be on the lookout for information of free clinics shared through PGCPS email, website, and social media. Clinics are designed to support students and families who are underinsured or uninsured.  

ParentVUE Online Registration & Access:

ParentVUE is the leading platform for checking student grades, attendance, schedules, transportation information, and school communication. If you haven’t already registered, you will need to create an account to access this critical portal.

• Visit the ParentVUE login page: https://md-pgcps-psv.edupoint.com
• For step-by-step instructions, visit: https://www.pgcps.org/parentvue
• If you need assistance accessing or creating your account, please contact the school office.
• If you do not have an email account, you will need to create one. A free email account can be created at gmail.com.
  
  

New School Links & Resources:

We encourage all families to stay informed and connected using the following resources:

• William Wirt School Website: https://www.pgcps.org/schools/william-wirt-middle
  Here you will find our uniform policy, school supply list, contact directory, and calendar.
• Prince George’s County Public Schools Website: https://www.pgcps.org
  This site offers district-wide updates, transportation details, and more.
  

Transportation & Bus Information:

PGCPS continues to work diligently to address the nationwide bus driver shortage. Please be aware of the following:

• Bus route information will be available in late August via https://www.pgcps.org/bus.
• Families are encouraged to check their assigned routes regularly for updates and changes.
• If your child’s bus is delayed or unavailable, please make alternate transportation arrangements as needed.
• To support transportation planning, please ensure your contact information in ParentVUE is accurate and up to date. This must be completed by August 15th, 2025.

Some final reminders:

• School attendance plays a significant part in student academic success. Too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school and hinder their ability to learn how to read and master foundational reading and math skills. Building good habits in school helps children learn early that going to school on time, every day, is essential.
• Daily attendance will be closely monitored.  The County attendance procedure will be fully implemented.  Last school year, over 29% of our students were chronically absent.  Students who miss more than one day per month are at risk of not meeting the State attendance requirement and will be recommended to our Truancy Reduction Program for family support. To ensure students arrive every day on time, encourage them to set a regular bedtime and morning routine. Be sure to lay out uniforms and backpacks the night before. Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments or extended trips during school days. Remember to make backup plans for getting your child to school in case of an emergency.
• All returning students are expected to retrieve their schedules in StudentVUE. Schedules will be available beginning August 18, 2025, through StudentVUE/ParentVUE.  In-person schedule distributions will take place on Orientation Day, August 25, 2025, for all new students only. This is the ONLY way students can receive their schedules in person. NO schedules will be distributed on the first day of school unless there is an emergency. If you have trouble accessing your schedule, please contact the school before the first day of school on August 26th.

Please know that my staff and I will show up every day prepared professionally to meet the ultimate goal of educating and empowering your children. Let’s work together to make this another awesome school year!  I cannot thank you enough for your trust and patience with my leadership, and my team and I  look forward to partnering with you and your child for a successful year ahead! Enjoy the remainder of your summer.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the first day of school, August 26, 2025. 

Sincerely, 

Rhonda Simley

Principal, William Wirt MS

Download Family Welcome Letter