WGO - MS Archive: Sep 10

WGO

Issue #5: September 10, 2026

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From the Principal

Mr. Chris McBride

Settling Into Focused Learning & Important Reminders

Now that we have successfully navigated the start of the school year and welcomed back many of our Embassy families, we are excited to settle into a period of focused learning across all grades! I invite you to explore the unit outlines found in the "Learning in Middle School" section at the bottom of this site, and I encourage you to talk with your child about what they are exploring, creating, and discovering in their classes.

After-School Campus Policy & Supervision

As we establish our daily routines, I would like to gently remind all families of our school policy regarding after-school hours, as outlined in the MS Family Handbook:

"Students are not allowed on campus after school unless they are under an adult’s supervision. Students may not leave campus and return later to ride the late bus."

We recognize that managing pickup schedules can sometimes be a challenge, especially when waiting for siblings to finish after-school activities. If your family is finding after-school coverage or supervision difficult, please reach out to us directly so we can work together to find a supportive solution for your child.

Bringing Treats To School

We are all aware that two of the top priorities for middle schoolers are food and their social connections! Over the last week, some students have combined these two passions by bringing treats to share with friends. While we completely understand the good intentions behind this, we kindly ask that students do not bring shared treats to school for the following reasons:

Inclusion: Spontaneous treat-sharing can unintentionally leave out peers. At an age where social acceptance is paramount, feeling excluded can be particularly hurtful.
Focus & Learning: Added sugar rushes between classes can disrupt student focus and classroom learning.
Health & Safety: We have students with severe allergies and specific dietary needs. Unmonitored treats can pose safety risks or lead to further exclusion.

Recognizing how food builds community across many cultures, we offer structured opportunities for students to share food safely:

Birthday Treats: Students may bring a treat to share only with their specific Advisory group (approx. 10 students) on their birthday, if they wish. Please ensure all items are strictly NUT-FREE.
End-of-Semester Celebrations: Each advisory hosts a planned celebration at the end of each semester where students are invited to bring food to share.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership in keeping our Middle School community safe, inclusive, and focused on learning!

MS Celebrations

This week in 6th-grade Social Studies, students learned to use map scale to measure distances and coordinates to locate countries on a world map.

MS Updates

ADVENTURE JORDAN

Over the next several weeks, advisory groups will start preparing our students for our annual experiential learning trips, Adventure Jordan.

We recognize that these trips can feel like a big step for some families, and we are committed to making sure you have all the necessary information and support well before the children travel.

To help you plan ahead, please mark your calendars with these key upcoming dates:

Sept 21: Adventure Jordan Parent Evening
Sept 22: Consent forms handed out to students
Sept 28: Consent forms due back
Oct 6–8: Adventure Jordan Trips!

Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks as our advisors and students begin their preparations!

CAMPUS HOURS

For the safety and security of our students, please remember that adult supervision is only provided during regular school hours.

Unless students are participating in a school-sponsored, adult-supervised activity, they should not be on campus outside of these times:

Mornings: Campus opens at 7:40 a.m. (and 8:40 a.m. on Tuesdays). Please do not drop students off earlier, as there is no supervision.
Afternoons: All students must depart campus promptly at 3:00 p.m dismissal unless enrolled in an official after-school program. Note - Students should not return to campus once they have left unless they have adult supervision with them.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe and our campus secure!

LOST STUDENT ID CARDS

If your child should lose their ACS ID card, please follow these two steps to secure their account and request a replacement:

Freeze the ACS Wallet Immediately: Open the ACS App and temporarily freeze your child's wallet. This prevents anyone else from using the lost card to purchase food or items on campus.
Request a Replacement Card: Parents can apply for a new ID card directly through the ACS App. Please note that there is a 5 JD replacement fee.

Thank you for helping us keep student accounts secure!

ATTENDANCE

Consistent school attendance is vital to the long-term academic learning and personal success of each student - nothing can make up for time missed from a classroom environment involving discussions, lectures, experiments, and other collaborative experiences.

To better understand our expectations around attendance please read through ACS Middle School Family Handbook.

Should your child be absent:

Please inform the school through the PowerSchool parent portal.
This video shows you how to report a student's absence.
Should you have any issues regarding PowerSchool, please contact powerschool@acsamman.edu.jo.

From the Athletics Office

AFTER-SCHOOL EXPLORATION PROGRAMS (AEP)

AEP Registration (Fall 2026)

Please read through the details below before registering.

Afterschool Exploration Program Description:

The Exploration Program (former ASA program) runs for 8 sessions, about an hour each week. Students get a chance to try new experiences in a fun, low-commitment setting. Unlike the Deep Dive Afterschool Activities, Exploration does not include multiple weekly practices or a culminating event.

Key dates:

Registration opens: August 30 - 3PM
Registration closes: September 6 - 4PM
Placements shared: September 9
Program begins: week of September 13
Program ends: November 12

Before you register:

Full list of offerings: Click HERE (a PowerSchool sign-up link is included at the top of the doc)
Sign up directly on PowerSchool: https://psforms.acsamman.edu.jo/aep
AEP calendar: https://activities.acsamman.edu.jo/aeps-clubs

How placement works:
Please select three activity choices when registering, in all divisions. Placement counts differ by division: ES students are placed in up to two activities, while MS and HS students are guaranteed at least one, to leave room for sports and Deep Dive commitments. If your child only wants one activity, list it as all three choices.

A note on the new platform:
The sign-up platform only shows what's available for your child's grade level, not the full list of offerings. For MS and HS, if your child is already signed up for sports or other activities, please cross-check their schedule before registering to avoid conflicts.

Bus riders during activities:

ES buses depart at 4:15 pm sharp.
MS/HS buses depart at 4:45 pm sharp.
Students will not be on their regular morning/afternoon bus. Assignments change daily based on how many students ride the AEP buses.

Changing placements:
You can change placements yourself up until the September 6 deadline, after which they lock. If you need a change after that, email us and we'll accommodate it if space is available.

Spots are limited and some activities fill quickly, so we recommend registering early. Placements are confirmed once registration closes, and you'll receive your child's schedule on September 9.

From the Learning Commons (MS/HS)

GREETINGS

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the start of the 2026–2027 school year! My name is Ms. Lori Black, and I am excited to serve as your child’s Middle & High School Librarian this year alongside Ms. Kelli Harris in the Learning Commons.

Our goal in the Learning Commons is to foster a vibrant, welcoming space where students can cultivate a love of reading, develop strong research and information literacy skills, and find the academic support they need to succeed.

Throughout the year, we will be working closely with teachers and students to:

Guide students in finding independent reading books that ignite their interests.
Teach effective research strategies, source evaluation, and database navigation.
Provide quiet study areas, collaborative workspaces, and access to key digital resources, including Sora, The New York Times, and The Economist.

We encourage you to ask your child about their visits to the Learning Commons and what they are currently reading. If you ever have questions about our library collection, digital subscriptions, or research tools, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

We look forward to a wonderful year of learning and discovery with your students!

Warmly,

Ms. Lori Black & Ms. Kelli Harris

From the Tech Office

MS ARTICLES OF THE MONTH

Parents & Guardians, you may use these Family Tech Planners to help your kids think through important questions around tech use: What will I do? How much time will I spend? Am I making thoughtful choices?