Hello MMS!
Congratulations and thank you to the students and staff of MMS for the thoughtful and moving Silent March through Maplewood Village in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It was truly an exceptional experience to behold. Thanks also to the MMS Select Chorus for their incredibly moving and inspiring performance of “We Shall Overcome.” It was an amazing day for students and staff alike.
A reminder that if you plan to drive your students, please remember the traffic flow patterns around the school have changed. There are also a few reminders below to hopefully help you ease back into all things MMS.
As always, your financial support of the MMS HSA is also appreciated. We are just half way to our $12k No Frills Fundraising Goal, there is still time to contribute to MMS. Click here to donate or send a check (made out to MMS HSA) or cash via your child’s backpack to: MMS HSA Treasurer Mary Ellen Dawkins.
Thanks to the entire MMS community for your continued and valuable support!!
Dates to Remember
1/15 No School – MLK Day – District Closed
1/22 Board of Education Meeting
1/23 Orchestra Concert 7pm at MMS
1/24 Band Concert 7pm at MMS
2/1 MMS 8th grade mixer with SOMS at CHS
2/2 Trivia Night
ORDER NOW! SPIRIT-WEAR Online Store OPEN for 2018!
You asked and we listened! The Maplewood Spirit Wear Store reopens for 2018, now through January 19! All orders are custom, click here for details. (https://kixnstix.com/spirit/maplewood_middle_school_2018/)
TRIVIA NIGHT!!
SAVE THE DATE! Over half of our tickets are sold so please order your tickets if you’d like to join in the fun!
Please mark your calendars and plan to join in the fun for our biggest fundraiser of the year! Do you know which country allowed women to vote first? How about which finger nail grows the fastest?
If you know the answers, or even if you don't, COME HAVE FUN at trivia night. Donate your dollars to MMS and show off your most trivial assets. Teams of ten compete for tacky statues and bragging rights. No team? No problem! We will find a team for you.
The Woodland
60 Woodland Rd., Maplewood
7pm-10pm
Appetizers/light snacks will be provided
Click HERE to purchase tickets! Have questions? Contact melrosenj@gmail.com
MMS/SOMS Mixer AT CHS
8th grade families: Save the Date Thursday, February 1st from 7pm-9pm for the MMS/SOMS 8th GRADE MIXER held in the CHS cafeteria. There will be a DJ, dancing & games, a photo booth, snacks & desserts, prizes & giveaways. Be on the lookout next week for a permission slip. Your kids will tell you they don't want to go, but EVERYONE ends up going. So just mark the date, send them to school with the signed slip & $5 cash, and tell them it'll be fun. And if not, it's just 2 hours! We'll need help to make this event a success, including chaperones, collecting permission slips during 8th grade lunch, and donations of snacks. Thank you in advance! Any questions? Contact Kathleen Bailie at kbailie1@gmail.com
2018 MMS MUSICAL – Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Please Save the Dates for the 2018 MMS Musical, it is not to be missed. Show dates are 2/23, 2/24, 2/25
*Advanced ticket sales are currently open to cast, crew and staff members.
Want to help? See below for a list of current needs;
1) Volunteers for Building & Construction on Saturday's in January and February (9am - 3pm)
2) Volunteers to feed our Saturday Volunteers & Crews on Saturdays in January and February (noon) - pizza and cases of water are greatly appreciated!
**Interested volunteers for #1 or #2 can contact Mr. Palmgren (rpalmgre@somsd.k12.nj.us)!
3) Donations of prom dresses, ball gowns, artificial Christmas trees.
**Donations can be dropped off any Saturday in January (9am - 3pm)
Musical Website for families involved click here (https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical)
IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THE MUSICAL:
1) Questions about remaining January rehearsals?
Please find on the MMS Musical Website to review the rehearsal calendar.
2) We hope you took advantage of your opportunity to pre-order tickets and add ons!
If not, please visit the MMS Musical Website for both electronic versions and paper copies.
3) Interested in an advertisement for the playbill? The due date is this Tuesday, 1/16!
Visit the MMS Musical Website and print out AD JOURNAL FORM and send with attention to Ms. Bradshaw.
4) During February we rehearse ALL week, including Tuesdays!
This year with an incredibly shortened tech week is it more important than ever that cast members plan to attend every rehearsal in February.
5) In order to make full cast rehearsals more comfortable, we move students into classrooms and ask that parents chaperone during those times. Can you help chaperone?
Please visit the Sign Up Genius and help make our February rehearsals comfortable and productive.
6) Volunteers are need to deliver posters this week (1/16 - 1/19) to stores and businesses in the following locations:
- Three (3) Maplewood/South Orange local libraries
- Springfield Avenue stores and businesses
- South Orange Avenue stores and businesses (including South Orange train station)
- Millburn Avenue stores and businesses
- YMCA
- Winchester Gardens
- Other community groups
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) for more information.
7) Dessert Party Coordinators (2 - 5 people needed):
On Friday and Saturday night, following the performances, cast/crew and friends and family are invited to the cafeteria to celebrate the success of the show.
Each cast/crew member is required to donate at least one dessert on Friday night to contribute towards feeding the cast/crew and their families some snacks.
Each year dessert party coordinators organize the decoration and cleanup of the cafeteria both pre and post show, purchasing cups and napkins to accompany the post-show snacks, organizing the large jugs of water and/or juice, and adding any special touches that generally blow everyone away!
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) with your interest in Dessert Party Coordinating.
8) Concessions Coordinators (1 -2 people needed):
For all three performances concessions are sold during intermission.
The concessions coordinators organize the purchase and transportation/delivery of bulk candy, snacks and water as well as price and organize the sale of concessions for all three performances.
Concessions Coordinators also work with the Ms. O'Sullivan to organize and craft the CandyGrams that are delivered during each performance.
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) with your interest in Concession Coordinating.
Thanks for your continued patience and support,
MMS Musical Directors
ACHIEVE GRANTS
The Achieve Foundation awarded more than $64,000 to teachers for grants this year! Click here to read about a special project featured at MMS!
Because Achieve receives so many extraordinary proposals, some grants are partially funded. Now you can contribute to these eligible projects through Achieve’s Direct Grant Funding campaign. Please consider donating DIRECTLY to one or more of these MMS projects of your choice…
Aggie Amaral Flexible Seating Helps Flex Brain Muscles ($2629)
Michael Berezny Creators of YouTube ($3124), 2018 Poetry Grammys! ($2200), Bored in Class? Need Help in Math? There's a Flocab for That! ($500)
Kelli Dios Saturday Academy Adventures ($1060)
John Faherty iPads for Inquiry ($10,471), Audio Out ($140)
Meredith Hansen Model UN ($3520)
Anna Herstatt Principal’s Breakfast ($1445)
Debra Hwang MM Science Fair ($925)
Maureen O’Sullivan Current Events in the Classroom ($250), Aesthetics Abound ($2472), Let’s Wake Up Waffles! ($2290)
Melissa Parks IPads & Digital Books for ELL ($2184)
Michele Reisman Expression Through Woodworking ($6961)
Elizabeth Schwartz Shared Technology Solution ($834)
Samantha Selikoff Everyone Can Invent ($1872), Middle Schoolers Rock ($3900)
Debra Silva “We Rock!” ($979)
Lorraine Sudol Inspire Us ($722)
Melissa Tavares Flexible Seating Project ($557)
Ryann Varney MMS Moves Minds ($900)
Heather Vorona Let’s Take A Seat ($2290)
(Please note: The amounts represent the total needed to fully fund the grant proposals. Staff members can begin implementing their programs with partial funding. Any and all donations will be appreciated and are fully tax-deductible)!
Please click HERE for more information about each grant and to donate online today! For a list of all of the Achieve grants awarded this year, please click HERE. Thank you!
MATH COUNTS CLUB
Ms. Felder is looking for more members of the Math Counts club! The Club has students of all ability levels that have an interest in problem solving. The Math Counts Club will be entering national contests for prizes. Please contact Ms. Felder at: jfelder@somsd.k12.nj.us to join or for more information!
CHOOSE KIND: MMS Cares-Supporting our Maplewood Senior Citizens
MMS has begun a partnership with the township to connect our students to seniors in the community. This might include spending time with them, helping them learn a bit about technology, or helping with tasks around their homes. Parent/guardian permission will be required and students will only be permitted to go in groups of 3-4. More information is forthcoming.
**************************************************************
VOLUNTEER & HELP NEEDED!!
EBLAST HELP
Interested in helping get the MMS word out? MMS HSA is looking for assistance managing the weekly eblast. If interested, please contact Thea at: theacogandrew@gmail.com
MMS LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
The Library Media Center needs parent volunteers to check out, stack books, and help students print out documents through-out the day. Feel free to contact Tracey Clarke (HSA Special Projects) with any questions: tlclarke226@gmail.com or check out the signup
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/170PmsHyDvQG9S2c0e0YJB1y4IMTWJmWplKnPRzvcSV8/edit?usp=sharing
SPRING FAIR Chairpeople Needed!
MMS will host its first-ever Spring Fair this year in conjunction with the South Mountain YMCA. It promises to be a great day of fun for our MMS community!
FUNDRAISING
Go No Frills OR Host an MMS Money Maker! You choose how you want to raise the money and how it will be spent! Please reach out to Fundraising Co Chairs Mel Rose melrosenj@gmail.com or Gabrielle Graziano at gabriellept@aol.com. They can also help you come up with great Fundraising ideas.
Gratefully,
Your MMS HSA Co-Presidents,
Sara Knutsen & Deb Holt
mmshsainfo@gmail.com
szknutsen@gmail.com
debcatholt@gmail.com
Congratulations and thank you to the students and staff of MMS for the thoughtful and moving Silent March through Maplewood Village in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It was truly an exceptional experience to behold. Thanks also to the MMS Select Chorus for their incredibly moving and inspiring performance of “We Shall Overcome.” It was an amazing day for students and staff alike.
A reminder that if you plan to drive your students, please remember the traffic flow patterns around the school have changed. There are also a few reminders below to hopefully help you ease back into all things MMS.
As always, your financial support of the MMS HSA is also appreciated. We are just half way to our $12k No Frills Fundraising Goal, there is still time to contribute to MMS. Click here to donate or send a check (made out to MMS HSA) or cash via your child’s backpack to: MMS HSA Treasurer Mary Ellen Dawkins.
Thanks to the entire MMS community for your continued and valuable support!!
Dates to Remember
1/15 No School – MLK Day – District Closed
1/22 Board of Education Meeting
1/23 Orchestra Concert 7pm at MMS
1/24 Band Concert 7pm at MMS
2/1 MMS 8th grade mixer with SOMS at CHS
2/2 Trivia Night
ORDER NOW! SPIRIT-WEAR Online Store OPEN for 2018!
You asked and we listened! The Maplewood Spirit Wear Store reopens for 2018, now through January 19! All orders are custom, click here for details. (https://kixnstix.com/spirit/maplewood_middle_school_2018/)
TRIVIA NIGHT!!
SAVE THE DATE! Over half of our tickets are sold so please order your tickets if you’d like to join in the fun!
Please mark your calendars and plan to join in the fun for our biggest fundraiser of the year! Do you know which country allowed women to vote first? How about which finger nail grows the fastest?
If you know the answers, or even if you don't, COME HAVE FUN at trivia night. Donate your dollars to MMS and show off your most trivial assets. Teams of ten compete for tacky statues and bragging rights. No team? No problem! We will find a team for you.
The Woodland
60 Woodland Rd., Maplewood
7pm-10pm
Appetizers/light snacks will be provided
Click HERE to purchase tickets! Have questions? Contact melrosenj@gmail.com
MMS/SOMS Mixer AT CHS
8th grade families: Save the Date Thursday, February 1st from 7pm-9pm for the MMS/SOMS 8th GRADE MIXER held in the CHS cafeteria. There will be a DJ, dancing & games, a photo booth, snacks & desserts, prizes & giveaways. Be on the lookout next week for a permission slip. Your kids will tell you they don't want to go, but EVERYONE ends up going. So just mark the date, send them to school with the signed slip & $5 cash, and tell them it'll be fun. And if not, it's just 2 hours! We'll need help to make this event a success, including chaperones, collecting permission slips during 8th grade lunch, and donations of snacks. Thank you in advance! Any questions? Contact Kathleen Bailie at kbailie1@gmail.com
2018 MMS MUSICAL – Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Broadway Version)
Please Save the Dates for the 2018 MMS Musical, it is not to be missed. Show dates are 2/23, 2/24, 2/25
*Advanced ticket sales are currently open to cast, crew and staff members.
Want to help? See below for a list of current needs;
1) Volunteers for Building & Construction on Saturday's in January and February (9am - 3pm)
2) Volunteers to feed our Saturday Volunteers & Crews on Saturdays in January and February (noon) - pizza and cases of water are greatly appreciated!
**Interested volunteers for #1 or #2 can contact Mr. Palmgren (rpalmgre@somsd.k12.nj.us)!
3) Donations of prom dresses, ball gowns, artificial Christmas trees.
**Donations can be dropped off any Saturday in January (9am - 3pm)
Musical Website for families involved click here (https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical)
IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN THE MUSICAL:
1) Questions about remaining January rehearsals?
Please find on the MMS Musical Website to review the rehearsal calendar.
2) We hope you took advantage of your opportunity to pre-order tickets and add ons!
If not, please visit the MMS Musical Website for both electronic versions and paper copies.
3) Interested in an advertisement for the playbill? The due date is this Tuesday, 1/16!
Visit the MMS Musical Website and print out AD JOURNAL FORM and send with attention to Ms. Bradshaw.
4) During February we rehearse ALL week, including Tuesdays!
This year with an incredibly shortened tech week is it more important than ever that cast members plan to attend every rehearsal in February.
5) In order to make full cast rehearsals more comfortable, we move students into classrooms and ask that parents chaperone during those times. Can you help chaperone?
Please visit the Sign Up Genius and help make our February rehearsals comfortable and productive.
6) Volunteers are need to deliver posters this week (1/16 - 1/19) to stores and businesses in the following locations:
- Three (3) Maplewood/South Orange local libraries
- Springfield Avenue stores and businesses
- South Orange Avenue stores and businesses (including South Orange train station)
- Millburn Avenue stores and businesses
- YMCA
- Winchester Gardens
- Other community groups
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) for more information.
7) Dessert Party Coordinators (2 - 5 people needed):
On Friday and Saturday night, following the performances, cast/crew and friends and family are invited to the cafeteria to celebrate the success of the show.
Each cast/crew member is required to donate at least one dessert on Friday night to contribute towards feeding the cast/crew and their families some snacks.
Each year dessert party coordinators organize the decoration and cleanup of the cafeteria both pre and post show, purchasing cups and napkins to accompany the post-show snacks, organizing the large jugs of water and/or juice, and adding any special touches that generally blow everyone away!
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) with your interest in Dessert Party Coordinating.
8) Concessions Coordinators (1 -2 people needed):
For all three performances concessions are sold during intermission.
The concessions coordinators organize the purchase and transportation/delivery of bulk candy, snacks and water as well as price and organize the sale of concessions for all three performances.
Concessions Coordinators also work with the Ms. O'Sullivan to organize and craft the CandyGrams that are delivered during each performance.
Please contact Ms. O'Sullivan (mosulliv@somsd.k12.nj.us) with your interest in Concession Coordinating.
Thanks for your continued patience and support,
MMS Musical Directors
ACHIEVE GRANTS
The Achieve Foundation awarded more than $64,000 to teachers for grants this year! Click here to read about a special project featured at MMS!
Because Achieve receives so many extraordinary proposals, some grants are partially funded. Now you can contribute to these eligible projects through Achieve’s Direct Grant Funding campaign. Please consider donating DIRECTLY to one or more of these MMS projects of your choice…
Aggie Amaral Flexible Seating Helps Flex Brain Muscles ($2629)
Michael Berezny Creators of YouTube ($3124), 2018 Poetry Grammys! ($2200), Bored in Class? Need Help in Math? There's a Flocab for That! ($500)
Kelli Dios Saturday Academy Adventures ($1060)
John Faherty iPads for Inquiry ($10,471), Audio Out ($140)
Meredith Hansen Model UN ($3520)
Anna Herstatt Principal’s Breakfast ($1445)
Debra Hwang MM Science Fair ($925)
Maureen O’Sullivan Current Events in the Classroom ($250), Aesthetics Abound ($2472), Let’s Wake Up Waffles! ($2290)
Melissa Parks IPads & Digital Books for ELL ($2184)
Michele Reisman Expression Through Woodworking ($6961)
Elizabeth Schwartz Shared Technology Solution ($834)
Samantha Selikoff Everyone Can Invent ($1872), Middle Schoolers Rock ($3900)
Debra Silva “We Rock!” ($979)
Lorraine Sudol Inspire Us ($722)
Melissa Tavares Flexible Seating Project ($557)
Ryann Varney MMS Moves Minds ($900)
Heather Vorona Let’s Take A Seat ($2290)
(Please note: The amounts represent the total needed to fully fund the grant proposals. Staff members can begin implementing their programs with partial funding. Any and all donations will be appreciated and are fully tax-deductible)!
Please click HERE for more information about each grant and to donate online today! For a list of all of the Achieve grants awarded this year, please click HERE. Thank you!
MATH COUNTS CLUB
Ms. Felder is looking for more members of the Math Counts club! The Club has students of all ability levels that have an interest in problem solving. The Math Counts Club will be entering national contests for prizes. Please contact Ms. Felder at: jfelder@somsd.k12.nj.us to join or for more information!
CHOOSE KIND: MMS Cares-Supporting our Maplewood Senior Citizens
MMS has begun a partnership with the township to connect our students to seniors in the community. This might include spending time with them, helping them learn a bit about technology, or helping with tasks around their homes. Parent/guardian permission will be required and students will only be permitted to go in groups of 3-4. More information is forthcoming.
**************************************************************
VOLUNTEER & HELP NEEDED!!
EBLAST HELP
Interested in helping get the MMS word out? MMS HSA is looking for assistance managing the weekly eblast. If interested, please contact Thea at: theacogandrew@gmail.com
MMS LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER
The Library Media Center needs parent volunteers to check out, stack books, and help students print out documents through-out the day. Feel free to contact Tracey Clarke (HSA Special Projects) with any questions: tlclarke226@gmail.com or check out the signup
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/170PmsHyDvQG9S2c0e0YJB1y4IMTWJmWplKnPRzvcSV8/edit?usp=sharing
SPRING FAIR Chairpeople Needed!
MMS will host its first-ever Spring Fair this year in conjunction with the South Mountain YMCA. It promises to be a great day of fun for our MMS community!
FUNDRAISING
Go No Frills OR Host an MMS Money Maker! You choose how you want to raise the money and how it will be spent! Please reach out to Fundraising Co Chairs Mel Rose melrosenj@gmail.com or Gabrielle Graziano at gabriellept@aol.com. They can also help you come up with great Fundraising ideas.
Gratefully,
Your MMS HSA Co-Presidents,
Sara Knutsen & Deb Holt
mmshsainfo@gmail.com
szknutsen@gmail.com
debcatholt@gmail.com
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