MP Middle Messenger
Week 28 - 3/20/2020
Week 28 - School Sure Looks at Lot Different This Week!
As Dr. McDade has sent out earlier this week, a reminder that the work completed during the governor's closure (March 13-27) will not be graded. This will not be part of the formal instructional program, however teachers are reviewing previously taught material as well as providing enrichment activities that can be completed at home. Keep the learning going at home, and take advantage of teacher availability through office hours! (These are listed below the photos of some of our teachers working hard from home!)
Have a wonderful weekend, we next week we will continue to experiment and practice/play with independent online learning. Be in touch with myself or teachers if you have any questions - we will all learn together!
Keep updated while we are out!
-http://www.mpark.net will always be the most up to date source for all MPCS information.
-On twitter, follow @MPCSmcdade, @MPCSVA, @MPMiddle, and @MattSieloff
-Follow Manassas Park City Schools on Facebook
-Directly email teachers or Mr. Sieloff or Ms. Tickle (you can also email through Canvas!)
MPCS Food Services Continue!
Pop Up Family Market will be held this Saturday, March 21, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in front of MPHS. Food will be distributed in drive up lines. All families are welcome to attend.
Reminder: The MPCS School Nutrition Program is providing prepackaged grab-and-go meals at no charge to all children ages 18 and under on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the main entrance of Manassas Park High School between 4 and 6 pm. Please note this is a location change from in front of the Middle School to the High School.
In order to minimize the number of times parents must bring their children to the distribution site, sets of two prepackaged breakfasts and lunches will be provided on Tuesdays and three sets of prepackaged meals will be provided on Thursdays. Please note that all children must be present in order to receive the meals. All meals will be the same regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.
Safe social distancing practices will be in effect. As the meal distributions will be set up as a grab-and-go, attendees should follow volunteer direction to ensure safe vehicle traffic and open vehicle trunks for expedited delivery.
Reminder of Expectations from Monday's Special Edition Newsletter
Parents: Your role is to establish a daily routine for your children. At school, we are HUGE believers and practitioners in routines and procedures for the entire school process, from everything that starts with getting onto the bus to every routine established in a classroom. If you are working from home, these routines will also help you set structured "work time" where both you and your child can be quiet and focused on work. If you are still leaving to go to work, you can set goals for your child to achieve while you are out that can then be checked through video phone calls or when you get home.
Internet Access will be important! If your child can access the internet, they can do their schoolwork. This includes any/all forms of web browsing, from their MPCS issued device to a smart phone with data access (the Canvas app is on the Apple and Android stores and is excellent) and could even include using the web browser function in their video game systems, like Xbox or PlayStation. Be sure to monitor their work and working habits, as Canvas is extremely accessible through any internet connection. If you do not have internet, use this week as an opportunity to go through course work with your child in a public internet location before they shut down. Email your child's teachers right away and they will work to develop an offline solution for you to complete.
Finally: This is a completely unprecedented situation in our lifetimes. As a community we will be able to work through this - together. Please be patient, supportive, and creative in your efforts to help your kids get their work done and continue to develop as learners and readers. And if it comes to it, take care of health and family first, we can figure out school work after. Also please be understanding of a teacher's need to care for their families, just as we promise to be understanding of your families' needs.
As your principal, I promise do my best to communicate what's going on, and to be flexible and supportive. I hope that everyone can do the same in return.
Let's see what independent middle school online learning can be!
Matt Sieloff, Principal
Email: matt.sieloff@mpark.net
Website: mpark.net
Location: 8202 Euclid Avenue, Manassas Park, VA, USA
Phone: 703-361-1510
Twitter: @MattSieloff