Hello MMS Families -
Happy New Year! We hope that you had a wonderful break with your children.
Thanks to everyone who helped make 2018 such a wonderful year for our kids and the staff at MMS. We are looking forward to a terrific 2019!
As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you have anything you’d like to share or want to know about MMS - we are always happy to help!
A Few Key Dates:
YouthNet - Registration Ends Soon!
YouthNet registration for Winter 2019 has opened and students can register through Jan 4, 2019. Most classes begin Jan 7th, unless noted. Forms should have come home with your student, but you can also get detailed information online here. http://www.somayouthnet.org/middle-school-clubs.html
Musical Updates
Directors gave out info about the January & February calendars, playbill ads, and costumes. For most info visit the musical webpage,https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical/
MMS Musical tickets are now on sale! You can purchase your tickets online at https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical/ or fill out a paper order form that will be sent home with your students on Tuesday 12/18 and return to the main office.
Yearbooks!
Hard to believe, but it’s time to order yearbooks! The Yearbook Club advisors no longer accept paper order forms, checks, or cash for pre ordered yearbooks. Please mail this form with payment to the address highlighted on the order form. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please see the attached forms with information on ordering the 2018-2019 yearbook.
Yearbook Order Form
Well Wishers Info
Special Ed Update
Faster Than Normal: The Gift of ADHD, January 10, 7:30 PM at Tuscan School, 25 Harvard
Using Effective Behavior Strategies with Our Kids to Help Them Create Peace & Harmony at Home & at School, January 15, 7:00 p.m. in the District Meeting Room
SEPAC presents Renay Zamloot, Education Advocate January 16, 7:00 pm in the MMS Auditorium.
Tissues are always in demand! Please consider sending your sniffling child back to school in the new year with a new box for their homeroom. Also, The student council also runs a school store and accepts donations, please make sure to send in food allergy compliant snacks. They even have an Amazon Wishlist if getting to the store is too hectic. Click Here for MMS School Store’s Amazon Wishlist
Teacher Requests
From Ms. Laing: Can you please mention to HSA that Hair Care is a YouthNet Club that will be launching Thursday, January 10th.
From Ms. Amaral: I want to make sure my students have the materials and experiences they need to succeed, so I just created a request for my classroom at DonorsChoose.org: Flex Our Brains With Flexible Seating. If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks. Thanks so much, Aggie Amaral, 6th Grade Mathematics
https://www.donorschoose.org/project/flex-our-brains-with-flexible-seating/3745687/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=directlink&utm_campaign=teacherhub&utm_term=teacher_257624&rf=directlink-dc-2018-12-teacherhub-teacher_257624&challengeid=70047
Achieve - Calling all Hosts!
It's not too early to think about hosting a party in March for the Achieve Foundation's largest annual fundraiser, Nights of 100 Dinners. You create the guest list, and Achieve sends invitations on your behalf. Instead of bringing a hostess gift or bottle of wine, guests make a donation to the organization. Since its inception in 2005, the Nights of 100 Dinners has raised more than $500,000 to fund Achieve’s programs and benefit all ten schools in the district. Register as a host at tinyurl.com/nhd2019 or email100dinners@achievefoundation.org to learn more.
No Frills and Fundraising - Still Time to Donate!
MMS HSA raises funds through an ongoing No Frills fundraiser, Money Maker (Host your own, seed your own) initiatives, Adults only Trivia Night, and other grade specific events during the school year. Without the support of families, we would not be able to provide the supplemental support to the students and staff. To donate now Click Here.
Visiting Mentor Program
Thanks to everyone who has been in touch with Rachel Fisher! The MMS HSA is compiling a list of Visiting Mentors: individuals who will talk to middle school students about their work and/or how they apply math, science, language arts and fine arts skills in their professions. We are creating a list that will be available to MMS teachers so they can invite community members into their classrooms to share their stories and expertise. If your work involves math, science, language arts skills and/or the arts – or an interesting combination of these areas - and you can imagine turning that work into a lesson or speaking with middle schoolers about it, please contact us at MMSHSAinfo@gmail.com!
Let us know your name, profession or skill, what classes you see yourself working with (math, science, social studies, music, etc), cell phone number and email. We will add you to the spreadsheet and then you may hear from an MMS teacher! This is a first-time effort, so let’s make ourselves available to our community’s kids and see what happens! Thank you MMS Families.
MMS Library Volunteers needed!
I know you all are wondering what goes not over in the mysterious land of MMS...well here is your chance to get a little sneak peek into middle school. You will not be working in your child's class like in the elementary schools but just helping out in the library in general. Mr. Degnan needs the most help during his MMS investigates class (highlighted in blue on the schedule). This is a cool class that he teaches and would love a parent to be there to do some projects, filing, man the desk and just be an extra set of eyes and hands. He would love whatever time whenever you can give it but if you can make the MMS Investigates class time that would even be better! Just type in your name in the spot that you can volunteer. Please do not delete anyone's name that is already there. Library signup https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/170PmsHyDvQG9S2c0e0YJB1y4IMTWJmWplKnPRzvcSV8/edit#gid=1195897959
Gratefully yours,
Deb Holt & Sara Knutsen
MMS HSA Co-Presidents 2018-2019
mmshsainfo@gmail.com
debcatholt@gmail.com
szknutsen@gmail.com
Happy New Year! We hope that you had a wonderful break with your children.
Thanks to everyone who helped make 2018 such a wonderful year for our kids and the staff at MMS. We are looking forward to a terrific 2019!
As always, please feel free to reach out to us if you have anything you’d like to share or want to know about MMS - we are always happy to help!
A Few Key Dates:
- December 10 - Jan 4 - Youthnet signups, Classes begin Jan 7, 2019
- January 2 - School resumes
- January 21 - Schools Closed in observance of MLK Jr. Day
- January 22- Orchestra Concert 7pm
- January 23 - Band Concert 7pm
- February 1 - Trivia Night - save the date!
- February 5 - 4-hour day
YouthNet - Registration Ends Soon!
YouthNet registration for Winter 2019 has opened and students can register through Jan 4, 2019. Most classes begin Jan 7th, unless noted. Forms should have come home with your student, but you can also get detailed information online here. http://www.somayouthnet.org/middle-school-clubs.html
Musical Updates
Directors gave out info about the January & February calendars, playbill ads, and costumes. For most info visit the musical webpage,https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical/
MMS Musical tickets are now on sale! You can purchase your tickets online at https://sites.google.com/site/mmsmusical/ or fill out a paper order form that will be sent home with your students on Tuesday 12/18 and return to the main office.
Yearbooks!
Hard to believe, but it’s time to order yearbooks! The Yearbook Club advisors no longer accept paper order forms, checks, or cash for pre ordered yearbooks. Please mail this form with payment to the address highlighted on the order form. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please see the attached forms with information on ordering the 2018-2019 yearbook.
Yearbook Order Form
Well Wishers Info
Special Ed Update
Faster Than Normal: The Gift of ADHD, January 10, 7:30 PM at Tuscan School, 25 Harvard
- A workshop for Parents of children with ADD/ADHD with Peter Shankman, Author, Entrepreneur & TED Talk Lecturer
- Turbocharge Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain
- Presented by The Parenting Center & Elementary School PTAs
Using Effective Behavior Strategies with Our Kids to Help Them Create Peace & Harmony at Home & at School, January 15, 7:00 p.m. in the District Meeting Room
- Join this one-time group and… Learn common behavioral triggers and how to identify behavioral triggers. Learn techniques to improve and enhance communication with your children, adolescents, and young adults. Learn valuable strategies to maximize the attention you are giving to on task behavior. Learn ways to establish effective limits and boundary setting. Led by Dr. Penny Petcher, School Psychologist and District Behavior Management Specialist Questions? Contact Dr. Penny Petcher,ppetcher@somsd.k12.nj.us.
SEPAC presents Renay Zamloot, Education Advocate January 16, 7:00 pm in the MMS Auditorium.
- Renay Zamloot, Education Advocate will share with everyone HOW TO BECOME YOUR CHILD'S BEST ADVOCATE. Ms. Zamloot’s hands-on, practical approach to parent empowerment, based on her 20+ years of experience in the field, will equip you with tools and strategies to be used at your child’s next IEP meeting. Her unique perspective on the IEP process and unconventional communication style will change the way you view your role as an IEP team member. Ms. Zamloot is not an attorney and her ideas should not be construed as legal advice.
- Jan 7 Navigating the Middle School Years- Cliques, Squads , Bullying & More with Mr. Stoudemire & Nurse Porter 7:30-9PM
- Jan 14 Special Siblings 4:00-5:30 (Grades 5-8, drop off with snacks, for siblings of people with special needs)
- Jan 14 (PM) Screen Smart Kids 7:00-8:30 PM
- Jan 16 ADD/ADHD Support Group 7:30-9:00 PM
- Jan 15 Selective Mutism Support Group 7:00-8:30 PM
- More information for all of these can be found here: https://www.theparentingcenter.info/resources/2018-19-Parent-Groups.pdf
- Restorative Practices – Building Relationships & Resolving Conflicts at Home & at School With: Tanya Lewis, SOMSD Restorative Practices Professional Development Consultant 7:30pm, Clinton School
Tissues are always in demand! Please consider sending your sniffling child back to school in the new year with a new box for their homeroom. Also, The student council also runs a school store and accepts donations, please make sure to send in food allergy compliant snacks. They even have an Amazon Wishlist if getting to the store is too hectic. Click Here for MMS School Store’s Amazon Wishlist
Teacher Requests
From Ms. Laing: Can you please mention to HSA that Hair Care is a YouthNet Club that will be launching Thursday, January 10th.
From Ms. Amaral: I want to make sure my students have the materials and experiences they need to succeed, so I just created a request for my classroom at DonorsChoose.org: Flex Our Brains With Flexible Seating. If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks. Thanks so much, Aggie Amaral, 6th Grade Mathematics
https://www.donorschoose.org/project/flex-our-brains-with-flexible-seating/3745687/?utm_source=dc&utm_medium=directlink&utm_campaign=teacherhub&utm_term=teacher_257624&rf=directlink-dc-2018-12-teacherhub-teacher_257624&challengeid=70047
Achieve - Calling all Hosts!
It's not too early to think about hosting a party in March for the Achieve Foundation's largest annual fundraiser, Nights of 100 Dinners. You create the guest list, and Achieve sends invitations on your behalf. Instead of bringing a hostess gift or bottle of wine, guests make a donation to the organization. Since its inception in 2005, the Nights of 100 Dinners has raised more than $500,000 to fund Achieve’s programs and benefit all ten schools in the district. Register as a host at tinyurl.com/nhd2019 or email100dinners@achievefoundation.org to learn more.
No Frills and Fundraising - Still Time to Donate!
MMS HSA raises funds through an ongoing No Frills fundraiser, Money Maker (Host your own, seed your own) initiatives, Adults only Trivia Night, and other grade specific events during the school year. Without the support of families, we would not be able to provide the supplemental support to the students and staff. To donate now Click Here.
Visiting Mentor Program
Thanks to everyone who has been in touch with Rachel Fisher! The MMS HSA is compiling a list of Visiting Mentors: individuals who will talk to middle school students about their work and/or how they apply math, science, language arts and fine arts skills in their professions. We are creating a list that will be available to MMS teachers so they can invite community members into their classrooms to share their stories and expertise. If your work involves math, science, language arts skills and/or the arts – or an interesting combination of these areas - and you can imagine turning that work into a lesson or speaking with middle schoolers about it, please contact us at MMSHSAinfo@gmail.com!
Let us know your name, profession or skill, what classes you see yourself working with (math, science, social studies, music, etc), cell phone number and email. We will add you to the spreadsheet and then you may hear from an MMS teacher! This is a first-time effort, so let’s make ourselves available to our community’s kids and see what happens! Thank you MMS Families.
MMS Library Volunteers needed!
I know you all are wondering what goes not over in the mysterious land of MMS...well here is your chance to get a little sneak peek into middle school. You will not be working in your child's class like in the elementary schools but just helping out in the library in general. Mr. Degnan needs the most help during his MMS investigates class (highlighted in blue on the schedule). This is a cool class that he teaches and would love a parent to be there to do some projects, filing, man the desk and just be an extra set of eyes and hands. He would love whatever time whenever you can give it but if you can make the MMS Investigates class time that would even be better! Just type in your name in the spot that you can volunteer. Please do not delete anyone's name that is already there. Library signup https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/170PmsHyDvQG9S2c0e0YJB1y4IMTWJmWplKnPRzvcSV8/edit#gid=1195897959
Gratefully yours,
Deb Holt & Sara Knutsen
MMS HSA Co-Presidents 2018-2019
mmshsainfo@gmail.com
debcatholt@gmail.com
szknutsen@gmail.com
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