Murphy Middle School ENews
October 25, 2018
ATTENTION 8TH GRADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES- PLANO ISD ACADEMY PROGRAMS
Parent and student information meetings for the Academy Programs of Plano will be hosted during the month of November for incoming ninth graders (and their parents) considering attending one of the Academy Programs of Plano. Each academy program will host three information nights between November 5 and November 15 (follow the link below). All meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. Online applications will open on November 16 and close December 14. Students will receive notice of placement on January 11 and student commitments must be received by January 18, 2019.
Learn more at www.pisd.edu/academies.
Watch an overview video for each program at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVcNW-DvhSHX64qUL4meOnpqtY4PTpwxH
Carpool, Drop-off, and Pick-up Reminders
Arrival and pickup at Murphy Middle School is a busy time. Because of the number of buses, parent vehicles, and students, we have procedures to help the flow of traffic with student safety as the priority.
· We provide crossing guards between our building and the inner carpool parking lot and between the MMS property and the Kimbrough Stadium parking lot. You may want to consider dropping off at these locations in the morning or making arrangements with your child to meet you at one of these locations in the afternoon.
· Entering into our circular carpool area from 8:00 - 8:30 and from 3:20 – 3:40 can be a time-consuming endeavor; please be ready to spend time waiting if you enter the carpool loop. Please be courteous and patient.
· Please do not stop in the crosswalks. Students need a clear and safe path to cross through traffic.
· The bus lane is located on the East and South side of the building. Please do not drop off or pick up students in the bus lanes.
7TH AND 8TH GRADE MURPHY MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE FAIR AND ENGINEERING FAIR
Mark your calendar! November 28th is the Annual Murphy Middle School 7th and 8th grade Science Fair and Engineering Fair in the Murphy Middle School Library from 8:30-12:30pm (judges only).
Parents and students are invited to view the fair on Thursday, November 29, 2018 from 7:45 am to 4:30 pm
If you have a science background, and consider yourself a professional in your field of science and should you like to assist with judging, please visit https://goo.gl/forms/Ezs0KCI6TEDY4OOM2 with your preferred area of judging. Your time and expertise is essential to assisting our students to achieve in the next round of judging at the district and regional level! Thank you in advance for your dedication to helping our future scientists!
After signing up, please look for an email as time gets closer. Thank you!!! Should you have additional questions, please email Elizabeth.Jones@pisd.edu or Mary.Lysell@pisd.edu.
Thanksgiving Feast
Basketball Tryouts- 7th & 8th Grade Girls- NEXT WEEK!
Basketball tryouts for 7th and 8th grade girls will start Monday, October 29th and go thru Wednesday, October 31st. Tryouts will be after school in the gym. You must have a physical, medical history, Rank One forms, and tryout acknowledgement paperwork all turned in before Monday, October 29th, or you will not be allowed to tryout.
Boys Basketball Tryouts- NEXT WEEK!
Tryouts will be in the gym. You must have a physical, medical history, Rank One forms, and tryout acknowledgement paperwork all turned in.
7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryout:
Wednesday-Friday
October 31, November 1, November 2
6:30-8:15AM
8th Grade Boys Basketball Tryout:
Thursday, Friday, Monday
November 1, 2, & 5
6:30-8:15AM
Yearbook Orders
Yearbooks are on sale Monday 10/22 to Friday 11/2. This is the LAST CHANCE to purchase your MMS Yearbook AT the CURRENT
PRICE of $35. The price of the yearbook will go up at midnight on Friday 11-2!!!
Order online at http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01068334
or at school with check or exact cash ($35). Please makes checks payable to Plano ISD and include student id# on memo line. Please turn in order form and payment to the front office or bring to Mrs. Flabiano in Room F102. Remember: It’s Scary not having a yearbook.
Food Drive- November 5th-16th
MMS Theater Performance
Spring PACE Testing
Spring PACE Testing will be here soon. Is your student interested in participating in PACE next year? Testing for consideration to be admitted into the Plano Academic and Creative Education (PACE) program for next school year will take place next spring. Referral packets can be submitted online or on paper by Wednesday, Jan. 16 to Ms. McAnderson in E105.
If you have any questions about the process please contact her at melissa.mcanderson@pisd.edu. The online version will automatically send an email to her.
7th Grade Golden Maverick Award Winners
UT Southwestern Science Saturday!
UT Southwestern Science Saturday!
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Budding scientists of all ages welcome!
Join us on our South Campus Plaza for a fun afternoon of science highlighting biomedical discoveries at UT Southwestern. To ensure that everyone who attends the event can fully enjoy the experience, please choose an entry time when you register. When asked how you heard of the event, please choose “other” and type in “STARS Program”.
In the days leading up to the event, registered participants will receive an email with parking information and other event details.
MMS Soccer Club
Do you want to play soccer with other students in Murphy MS? Start talking to your friends and begin forming your teams! Electronic copies are available in the Soccer Club Google Classroom (code to join 45747p) or you can find a soccer club sponsor (Mrs. Rooke, Mrs. Metzger, Mrs. Isbell, Mr. Murtaugh, Ms. Jo) for hard copies of the forms. Also keep an eye for the Soccer Club bulletin board across the library for updates. Games do not start until January but time flies so get started!
Discount Cards for Sale
Boys and Girls Athletics are selling discount cards. See an MMS athlete by October 26th so you don't miss out on this great deal!
PTA News and Updates
Reflections Entries Due November 9th
Reflections is a National PTA sponsored arts recognition program that encourages artistic expression. The Reflections theme for 2018 – 2019 is “Heroes Around Me”. Use your imagination to create a film, song, artwork, photograph, poem, short story or dance routine. You may enter as many times as you like in as many categories. Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form. Be sure to reflect the theme in your work.
Murphy Middle School won the award for the most student participation in Reflections among all the middle schools in Plano ISD, for the last two years! We had 12 Council Award winners last year!! So lets keep the tradition going!
All entries will be due Friday, November 9, 2018.
Entries can be turned in to the front office starting in mid October. There is no limit to the number of entries a student can turn in, but each entry must be accompanied by an entry form.
Hygiene Kit Drive
Restaurant Spirit Nights
Spirit Nights are a partnership between MMS PTA and local businesses. We advertise their business and in turn they give back a portion of their proceeds from that night to MMS PTA.
Don't forget to tell these restaurants you are supporting MMS PTA before you pay.
* Monday, October 29, 5-9 p.m., Chipotle
* Wednesday, November 14 - Friday, November 16, all day, Jersey Mike's
* Monday, December 3, 5-8 p.m., Chick-fil-A
* Monday, December 10 - Friday, December 14, all day, Nothing Bundt Cake
Spirit Wear Deadline - October 30th
Order deadline for all MMS Spirit Wear is October 30, 2018. It's the LAST ORDER of the school year. ORDER NOW at mmspta.org/spiritwear.