Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter
September 1st, 2023
Dear Muskego Lakes Families,
At Muskego Lakes, we are dedicated to fostering an environment of growth, learning, and reflection for all students. To achieve this, our staff provides specific and actionable feedback to students during class and on their assigned work/tasks. The goal is that students can use the feedback to know exactly how they are doing compared to grade-level standards and understand their next steps as learners.
We realize that your partnership and understanding of how your child is doing in classes is also crucial to their success. That said, we want to share with you more about how you will regularly receive feedback on how well your child is learning. Here at Muskego Lakes, we have a variety of feedback channels to ensure you, as families, have a strong understanding of your child's progress, too! Here is a list of ways that students get feedback that you can review with them:
- Infinite Campus - see scores, missing work, types of activities completed, etc. Remember, you have to hover over scores to see comments.
- Standard of Focus trackers - Students track their progress goal-set and reflect on their progress on key grade-level standards for math and literacy.
- Rubrics- review the criteria students are working towards to master grade-level skills.
- Grade-level Newsletters- Learn about what's going on in your student's core classes each month.
- Report Cards/Comments- Learn how students have shown their understanding of grade level skills during the quarter in addition to the feedback and next step for them as learners from the classroom teachers' observations and review of their work.
- Parent-Teacher Conferences- Connect with classroom teachers to answer questions, address concerns, and learn more about your student and their skills.
- Student Reflection- Ask your child about their day, the learning they did in class, upcoming deadlines, etc., or review their assessments, homework, etc.
Our staff is here to help support your child, so please do not hesitate to contact your child's classroom teacher if you have questions or concerns during the year. They are here to partner with you so your child can achieve their goals. Also, if your child is struggling or needs extra support, you can contact our Student Service team or one of us to problem-solve and come together.
Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. We look forward to a year of learning, growth, and meaningful feedback. We can't wait to celebrate the growth we know our students will make this year!
In partnership,
Rachel and Nancy
Muskego Lakes Principals
Important Dates Ahead
- September 4: No School - Labor Day
- September 5-7: Math iReady Testing
- September 11-15: Spirit Week
- September 13: MLMS PTO Meeting 6:30pm
- September 14: School Picture Day
- September 15: PTO Pastries with Parents
- September 25: No School
- October 3: Make-Up Picture Day
Superintendent Focus Groups & Survey
The Muskego-Norway School Board invites your participation in developing a desired Profile to inform the search and selection of our next Superintendent of Schools to begin on July 1, 2024.
The New Superintendent Profile will be based on both survey and focus group participation and responses. The online survey, linked below, will be on our district website through September 29 and the focus groups with various stakeholder groups will be scheduled at convenient times during the month of September. Parent and community member focus group dates, times, and locations are listed below. Based on the survey and focus group results, the New Superintendent Profile will be presented to the School Board for approval on October 9, 2023.
Responses to the survey and focus group questions will help to inform the “greatest strengths” of the district to sustain and continue to grow, and the “greatest challenges” of the district to prioritize and address. Your responses will also seek input on the projected initial priorities/goals of the new superintendent and the “most important characteristics/skills” needed to make the connections to address the priorities/goals together.
So, your participation in the online survey, linked below, and the in-person focus groups during the month of September is essential to informing the search - both as an encouragement for qualified candidates to apply and as an encouragement for the school board in their vetting process to discern the most qualified candidate to continue to lead the continuous improvement steps of our sought after Muskego-Norway Schools.
SURVEY LINK HERE - available through September 29, 2023
Parent and Community Member focus group meetings will be held at the Educational Services Center, S87 W18763 Woods Road, Muskego, WI at the following dates and times:
Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 9:00 AM at the ESC
Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at 10:30 AM at the ESC
Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 6:30 PM at the ESC
Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at 6:30 PM at the ESC
Return to Normal Drop-Off & Parent Pick-up
With road work being complete and North Cape reopening, the service drive to Hi-view drive is no longer in service. We will be moving back to the following starting on Tuesday, September 5th:
Morning Drop-Off:
- All students need to be dropped-off in the front of the building before the start to the school day.
- If you drive your child to school in the morning, please plan on always heading straight toward the main entrance (rather than turning at the fork to drive behind the building) and then exiting out the main entrance of the school.
- The lane for morning drop-off extends to Door 14 (by the band room) for all students.
- We ask that all cars pull forward to fill in all of the available space before breaking to let students out. We know it is tempting to want to drop your child off right at the main entrance, but drop off will go smoothly for everyone if you pull forward to fill the entire drop off lane before students exit vehicles.This will allow more cars to move through the drop off route in a shorter period of time.
- We do not permit a double lane of moving traffic in the morning. So, thank you for your patience so all students arrive safely to school.
Afternoon Pick-Up we will continue the following:
- 5th & 6th grade students will be picked up and dropped off using the lane in front of the building
- 7th & 8th grade students will be picked up and dropped off using the lane behind the building until 3:15pm. At that time, students will be asked to make their way to the front of the building to be picked up.
- The service drive exit will no longer be available. We will change that cars using the lane behind the school will loop around the building and merge with the 5th & 6th grade lane.
How can you help drop-off & pick-up go quickly, safely, and smoothly?
As you pull into the drop-off/pick-up zone, pull all the way forward. Fill in all available space.
Have your student(s) ready to exit the car as soon as it comes to a stop. To keep students out of traffic, we ask that students only exit cars on the sidewalk side of the car.
The curb of the drop-off & pick-up zone has been painted red. Cars should fill all available space before letting students out. It is critical that the lead car pulls up to the end of the painted curb to maximize the number of students who can get out at one time and help everyone get through the line sooner.
Please look to our staff members for direction when pulling into the drop-off/pick-up zone. Their goal is to get everyone through the line quickly and safely.
Math iReady Next Week
Next week, students will be taking the Math iReady test starting on September 5. The iReady Assessment is designed to provide a clear picture of students' current knowledge and areas they can focus on for improvement.
Please have a conversation with your child about giving their best effort and not becoming stressed by any incorrect answers. We ask that you please help students to ensure that their Chromebook is fully charged and that they have a pair of wired headphones ready. A good night's sleep and a nutritious breakfast on test days will also contribute to their success.
Thank you for your support in helping our students excel during this assessment period. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out.
Does your 7th or 8th grader start their day at Muskego High School?
Please be advised that your middle school child will NOT attend Muskego High School on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 due to the 9th & 10th grade PreACT testing & 11th grade Practice ACT testing.
The bus company is aware of the schedule change. Your child should report directly to Muskego Lakes in the morning.
Consistent Expectations at MLMS- what it looks like and why it’s important to your student’s success
Consistent teacher expectations play a pivotal role in fostering a learning environment for middle school students that promotes acceptance, empowerment, and achievement. When teachers maintain a steady set of expectations and responses for when they are not met, students are better equipped to understand what is required of them academically and behaviorally. This predictability helps create a sense of structure and security, enabling students to focus more on their learning and personal growth, rather than constantly adapting to varying demands from classroom to classroom. Consistency also promotes fairness and strengthens relationships, as students perceive that everyone is held to the same standards.
So, how does consistency show up in our spaces at MLMS?
We begin by teaching students the behavior expectations for all settings in our building- library, hallway, locker, bathroom, playground, and cafeteria, to name a few. In classrooms, teachers spend time explaining and practicing their routines and procedures for everyday class operations.
We acknowledge students for demonstrating positive behaviors. That can look many different ways- quarterly character awards based, grade level behavior goals and celebrations, principal shoutouts, and more.
We respond in a predictable manner when behavior expectations are not met. Because a classroom isn’t the same without everyone’s voice in it, our goal is to give students the opportunity to adjust their behavior in such a way that they are able to remain in class. For minor behaviors (those that do not result in an immediate office referral), we have a step-by-step process for redirecting and refocusing a student so that teaching and learning for all may continue. First, we remind them of the positive behavior we need them to demonstrate. Then, if the behavior continues, we check in with the student to determine what they need in order to meet that unmet expectation. If still not working, the student will take an 8-minute break in the library to self-regulate and reflect, and then return to class. In addition, families will receive a phone call home to inform them of the situation.
As you can see, we do our best to work alongside a student to determine a solution to the unsolved problem that is getting in the way of their learning. They are worth it, and we want them to know it.
Authorization to Obtain and Disclose Information
We often have requests from families to communicate with outside providers and/or family members that are not biological parents (i.e. step-parent/grandparent). However, we are unable to do that without permission. To grant that permission, you will need to complete and submit to Student Services the Release of Information document.
Once this document is filled out, it allows us to learn or share information with those individuals. In addition, our student services team can work with your outside provider (pediatrician, counselor, therapist, psychiatrist, etc.) to ensure that strategies or plans can stay consistent between home and school. Teachers also need the release form emailed or sent to Student Services with the rating scale and teachers’ names to complete any assessment tools doctors give.
Adding Money to Lunch Account
- Student Name
- Student Account Number
- Grade
Thank you for help!
Muskego Lakes Student Council
Save the Date Co-Curricular Fair at Muskego Lakes
At Muskego Lakes, we pride ourselves on having a variety of co-curricular activities for our students to participate in! On Friday, September 15th, your child will have an opportunity at lunch to explore and learn more about the following co-curricular options available to them:
Boys Basketball (7-8th grade)
- Girls Basketball (7-8th grade)
- Volleyball (7-8th grade)
- Track (7-8th grade)
- Cross Country (5-8th grade)
- Wrestling (5-8th grade)
- Cheerleading (5-8th grade)
- School Musical (5-8th grade)
- Student Council (6-8th grade)
- Ski & Snowboard (5-8th grade)
- Skateboarding (5-8th grade)
- NJHS (National Junior Honor Society) (8th Grade)
- Bike (5-8th grade)
- PHab Lab (6-8th grade)
- Robotics (5-8th grade)
- Chamber Choir (6-8th grade)
- Doo Wop Dudes (Choir) (6-8th grade)
- Soul Sisters (Choir) (6-8th grade)
- Science (5-8th grade)
- Open Gym (5-8th grade)
- Art (5-8th grade)
- Generations Club (5-8th grade)
- Creative Writing (5-8th grade)
- Jazz Band (7-8th grade)
- Dungeons and Dragons (5-8th grade)
- Wellness (5th grade)
- Mindfulness (5-8th grade)
- Best Buddies (5-8th grade)
- SPLASH/Homework (5-8th grade)
- Yearbook (5-8th grade)
- Jewelry (5-8th grade)
- Chess (5-8th grade)
Pastries with Parents
On Friday, September 15th we will be holding our annual Pastries with Parents. Please join us from 7am to 8am for delish pastries, coffee and milk. This is a great way to meet new families, the PTO Board and start off the new year.
The event will be held in the middle school cafe. This is the PTO's first fundraiser of the year. Everything will be sold for $1.00 and this is a cash only event. So please bring your dollar bills to the event.In order to make sure that we have enough goodies, we ask that you sign up for this event. Please include how many will be attending and what you will be buying.
When you arrive, please park in the parking lot to the right and make sure you do not park in any of the bus spots. Thank you for supporting your PTO and we hope to see you there.
If you are interested in signing up, do so by clicking HERE.
Reporting Student Absences
Parents and Guardians can put their student's absence in IC rather than calling into the school! We ask that you please report student absences from school daily before 9:00 am. In addition, we thank you for trying your best to make appointments outside of the school day whenever possible.
- Report absences by logging into Infinite Campus, either through the Campus Parent App or from a computer.
- Once logged in, click More, then Absence Requests.
- Select your student(s).
- Select the reason from the drop down.
- Select the absence type.
- Select the date(s).
- Add Comments.
- Click Submit
Failure to notify the school of a student’s absence within 24 hours shall be considered as unexcused and handled accordingly. We want to partner with you to support your child's attendance, so don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have concerns or wish to partner to create a plan to support your student's attendance.
Students shall be allowed one day for each consecutive day of absence to complete and submit pre-assigned work. Students do not receive an extra day to complete work due to an approved field trip or pre-arranged absence. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm arrangements with all teachers prior to a field trip or pre-arranged absence.
Student Photo Day & Ordering Information
Students will get their photo taken for their ID cards and the yearbook on September 14th during the school day. Please be aware that students may leave classes for a short period of time on this date to have their photo taken.
If your child is sick that day, we will have a photo retake day later on in the school year.
Ordering Student Photos
If you'd like to order pictures, they can be ordered online using the following link:
https://orders.schoolandsportpics.com/ordering
When ordering, you will need to use the access key 5ZXRCJS2 or use the drop-down menu to type and search for Muskego Lakes Middle School to start your order.
School Lunch Updates
In an effort to ensure students can move through the lunch lines efficiently, we ask that you remind your student to ensure that they bring their school ID card with them to lunch daily or ensure that they have gotten your finger scanned.
For you ease, we have linked the August menu below with other helpful resources. You can always find the link to updated lunch menus, at the end of this newsletter.
2023-24 Lunch Prices:
- Elementary Lunch: $2.55
- MS Lunch 1: $2.95
- MS Lunch 2: $3.50
- MS Creation Station: $3.90
- Milk Carton: $.50
- MHS Ala carte meal rates as noted on the monthly menu will apply.
Questions related to the food service program can be directed to Benny D’Epiro, Food Service Director at 262-971-1790 x4522.
Get Involved By Joining The Muskego Lakes PTO!
Please consider joining the Muskego Lakes PTO. We meet monthly in the MLMS library at 6:30pm. We always welcome new faces and would love to hear your ideas in how we can make this an amazing school year ahead!!
Meeting Dates for the 23-24 School Year:
- September 13
- October 11
- November 8
- January 10
- February 14
- March 13
- April 10
- May 8
Annual Calendar
Please make note of days off and important events on the 23-24 calendar. It is ideal to make dentist and doctor appointments on days we do not have school whenever possible.
Thank you!
Clinical Psychology Associates Services
We are proud to continue to partner with Clinical Psychology Associates (CPA) to offer on-site counseling services through the summer months for students enrolled in Lakeview Elementary, Mill Valley Elementary, Bay Lane Elementary, Lake Denoon Middle, Muskego Lakes Middle, and Muskego High School. For information about CPA’s services and therapists or to get started with an appointment, please visit our website. Therapeutic services will continue into the 2023-24 school year as well.
Muskego Lakes Middle School
Website: https://www.muskegonorway.org/schools/muskegolakes/
Location: W124 S8009 North Cape Rd.
Phone: 262-971-1860
Twitter: @MLMSmuskies