Manitou Springs Middle School
Friday, April 1st, 2022
Dear Families,
On The Horizon
- April 6th - Late Start Wednesday, 10:05 school start
- Apr 11th - 15th: CMAS testing
- Apr 21st - STEAM Night at MSMS, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
- Apr 22nd - Teacher Work Day, no school
- April 27th - Late Start Wednesday, 10:05 school start
- May 4th - Late Start Wednesday, 10:05 school start
Congratulations to our own Mrs. Vi Gaunce - Winner of the 2022 Education Manni Award!
Mrs. Gaunce Biography
Vi Gaunce's vision, dedication, and hard work have shaped Manitou Springs Middle School throughout her 33 year career. We wish to honor her lifetime achievement of inspiring students and creating a wonderful space for us to learn, work, and play. Mrs. Gaunce has always stepped forward to take on leadership roles and to support students and staff which enhance our school’s culture and community.
Mrs. Gaunce began her career working in the office as the school’s secretary in 1988. Later, she transitioned to the role of Librarian and brought in the school’s first five computers. While working, she completed her student teaching and earned her degree so she could become a certified science teacher. She has been a science teacher at Manitou Springs Middle School since 1996. She also taught for many years at Regis College, specializing in the area of differentiation in the classroom.
Mrs. Gaunce was also instrumental in piloting the District's 1:1 IPAD initiative. Her innovation in applying new technology to science learning was inspirational. She was also a key influencer as other districts came to Manitou to learn about our program.
As a teacher, Mrs. Gaunce is known for creating an engaging, interactive science curriculum. She has served on countless leadership teams at the school and district level. Currently, she serves on the school’s Building Leadership Team and District Accountability Committee. She mentors new teachers and creates a welcoming environment for staff and students. Mrs. Gaunce's positive legacy will continue to impact our community in for years to come.
School Incident
Dear Families,
We recently had an unfortunate incident occur at school that I wanted to make you aware of. A student brought an airsoft gun to campus and showed it to their classmates. Although we learned that the student did not have an intent to harm anyone, we take these situations extremely seriously. Multiple students did the right thing and made a report. Students utilized Safe2Tell.org, which is a website where anybody can report something of concern and remain anonymous. Upon receiving this tip, school administrators were able to react immediately and confiscate the airsoft gun.
Our school resource officer and I are going to speak about this incident with the student body on Monday morning. We will talk about the consequences of bringing a weapon or simulated weapon to school, including airsoft guns. The consequences can be significant from both a law enforcement and school perspective. Additionally, we will emphasize the importance of reporting anything of concern to school officials or a trusted adult, which our students did a great job of in this instance.
Thank you for also reading the communication that was sent out today titled, “New TikTok Challenge Update.” This communication contains important information about social media trends and the impact they are having on school communities.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns regarding this incident.
Sincerely,
Dustin Cady
Principal
2022-2023 Returning Student Registration Process
Current 2021-2022 MSSD14 students who will be returning, both resident and non-resident, will be rolled over to the 2022-2023 school year and will receive an email notification to complete the registration/renewal process in early June.
Here is the first step for you to complete:
Please help us with this process by completing the 2022-2023 Intent to Return Survey using the link below. We ask that all parents and guardians complete this survey regardless of whether they will be attending MSSD14 in the fall for the 2021-2022 school year.
You do not need to complete this if your student is a graduating senior.
If you have already completed this survey, thank you for your time.
Intent to Return Survey:
Click HERE or scan the QR code below.
Timeline for Parents/Guardians
- March - Parents/Guardians complete Intent to Return Survey.
- June – Online Registration/Renewal Snapcodes and instructions will be sent to Parents/Guardians
- June, July, August – Information about the new school year is sent to Parents/Guardians from each school.
In the Classroom
Mr. Bethke's Careers in Construction Class:
This week Mr. Bethke’s classes are learning Computer Automated Design (CAD). Each student first explored the functions of the program by making a fun character and then progressed to more advanced, mechanical designs.
Mrs. McCune's Class:
Mrs. McCune's class took a break outside to enjoy the lingering winter weather.
Yearbooks
8th Grade Parents:
The deadline for yearbook ads has been extended! Order yours before it's too late. The pages are filling up fast, so get your order in now to reserve a spot. The deadline for ordering is tomorrow, APRIL 2nd, 2022. Click Here to see what options are available.
Activities and Athletics
Save the date! The 9th annual MSSD14 World Language and Culture Night will take place on May 5, 2022, at 5:00 pm at MSHS. World Language students from across the district will perform and present. This event is free and open to the community. We'll see you there!
S.T.E.A.M. Night:
Virtual Statewide Career Fair for Youth:
The 2nd annual Virtual Statewide Career Fair for Youth is a great opportunity for all students to explore career options.
- Every grade level is welcome - K-12
- No-Cost!
- April 18th -21st
- 4pm-6pm each night with Keynote the first night and special topic sessions until 7pm too.
- ASL interpretation, Closed Captioning and Translation Transcription is available.
- Industry representatives from the 17 Career Cluster areas and 'hot' job areas in Colorado will be panelists
Get locally connected! Get Inspired! Learn more about career paths and opportunities! Have Meaningful Career Conversations!
Community
Tech Corner
Canvas Issues:
- If you are unable to log in to Canvas: feel free to e-mail our Media Tech, Kolt Woofter, at kwoofter@mssd14.org, and he can check to make sure you have the correct login or reset the password if needed.
- If you are unable to submit an assignment on canvas: if you are on an iPad, first try using the Canvas web clip. If that doesn't work, delete and re-download the Canvas app. If you are having issues on a laptop, close and reopen the browser. If that doesn't work, check your computer for updates.
Contact Us
Email: dcady@mssd14.org
Website: https://msm.mssd14.org/
Location: 415 El Monte Place, Manitou Springs, CO, USA
Phone: (719) 685-2127
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manitouspringsmiddleschool