On Friday, August 4, WashingtonWilkes Middle School will swing open its doors to throngs of energetic middle schoolers. Administrators, teachers, and staff members have worked diligently all summer to prepare for the arrival of 387 students and to welcome them back this week, according to Deleki Lee, assistant principal.

All students and parents are invited to visitation today, Thursday, August 3, from 2-4 p.m. During this time, students and parents will have an opportunity to meet their teachers and see their room assignments. Visitation also gives students the opportunity to greet friends that they have not seen since the last day of school.

Prior to school opening, parents are busy shopping for school clothes and supplies. W-WMS has provided the following tips to prepare students for their return to school and to assist parents in their shopping:

Students are expected to be neat, clean, and dressed in a manner that is conducive to learning.

Students should wear a belt with pants. The waistband of pants should fall no lower than two inches below the waist. Seats of pants drooping at or below the knees are not allowed at W-WMS.

Skirts, shorts, dresses, etc. must reach fingertips when the wearer is standing up straight with hands extended by the side.

Shirts, blouses, etc., that expose the stomach, chest, etc. are too short and should not be worn at school. Sleeveless shirts must have at least a two-inch strap at the top and no undergarments should be visible with the arms extended.

Hats, baseball caps, etc., and clothes with cuts, slits, and holes or see through clothing are not allowed.

Haircuts, clothes or other apparel advertising drugs or alcohol, or that bear vulgar language will not be allowed. The entire dress code is outlined in the handbook that students receive the first day of school. Parents and students are encouraged to read the dress code in its entirety.

For school supplies, the list may vary by grade level, but a generic list that applies to all grade levels includes: 2-inch 3-ring notebooks, wide-rule notebook paper, folders with pockets, No. 2 pencils, blue/ black pens, 5-packs of dividers, highlighters, composition books, and a neck strap designed to hold the ID card. Detailed school supply lists are available at local stores.

All students will be given IDs and agendas. Students are required to have these items at school every day. The agendas will help students organize their studies and keep up with daily assignments. Parents are encouraged to view and sign their child's agenda daily.

Again, W-WMS will operate with an active school council. The school council is an advisory board to the school. 2006-2007 members of the council are M.V. Booker, Robin Spradlin, Ronnie Huffman, Ruby Fanning, Sara Jaudon, and Bill Pendrey. The community is invited to attend monthly meetings at WWMS on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5:15 p.m.

"This year's theme for the middle school is 'Georgia Performance Standards: The Journey Continues.' W-WMS teachers are continuing to train and implement Georgia's new curriculum," Lee said.

"Hats off to the administrators, teachers, parents, and students of WWMS as they celebrate another successful year of making annual yearly progress, AYP," she continued. "Our teachers and students worked hard in preparation for the CRCT. The hard work paid off because our school successfully succeeded the state's expectations for students in Georgia."