MGMS Family Mustang Memo
Parent/Guardian Newsletter January 16-31
In This Issue....
- Calendar of Upcoming Events
- e-Learning/Asynchronous Day Student Expectations
- 8th Grade High School Registration
- Spring Musical Information
- Parent/Teacher Conferences
- Donations Needed
- Baby Pictures Needed for 8th Grade Students
- Volunteer Information
- Bus Safety Poster Contest
- Absences & Appointments - What To Do
- Moving or Attending Another School
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UPCOMING DATES
- UPCOMING
- January 13 - Student Asynchronous REMOTE LEARNING DAY
- January 16 - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- January 17 - 6th Grade Band Concerts 6 & 7:15 PM
- January 18 - Orchestra Fiddle Fest - Concert is at OSH 7 PM
- January 19 - Park Center Counselors Discuss High School Registration with 8th Grade Students
- January 19 - Parent/Teacher Parent Conferences IN PERSON 3:30-7 PM
- January 20 - Osseo and Maple Grove Counselors Discuss High School Registration with 8th Grade Students
- January 23-27 - Book Fair
- January 23 - PACT Meeting 7-8:30
- January 24 - Parent/Teacher Parent Conferences VIRTUAL 3:30-7 PM
- A LOOK AHEAD
- February 6 - NO SCHOOL for Students - Licensed Staff Workshop
- February 7-10 - School Spirit Week
- February 9 - 6th Grade Choir Concerts 6:00 & 7:30 PM
- February 14 - 7th Grade Choir Concert 7:00 PM
- February 20 - NO SCHOOL for Students - Presidents' Day
- February 23 - District Orchestra Festival Concert is at OMS 7:00 PM
- February 27 - PACT Meeting 7-8:30 PM
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e-Learning/Asynchronous Day Student Expectations
- Attendance: Each class will have an attendance quiz posted in Schoology. Students must complete this quiz for EACH CLASS (this is how you “attend” class)
- Each class should have a digital assignment, discussion, or task for students to complete. Students can access these materials in Schoology by 9:00 a.m. on Asynchronous days and within 2 hours of the start of the school day for eLearning days.
- Students check in to all classes through schoology, take attendance quiz in each class, and engage with posted activities by 6:00pm
- Teachers will have “office hours” from 9:00-11:00 a.m. for both Asynchronous and eLearning days via Google Meet. The Google Meet link is posted in each class’s Schoology folder. This is an opportunity for students to access their teachers live if they have any questions regarding the class materials for that day.
Patrick Smith
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High School Registration - Attention 8th Grade Parents
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Beauty and the Beast
The Spring Musical has been announced! Encourage your students to consider auditioning for our production of Beauty and the Beast JR.
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Parent/Teacher Conferences
On Tuesday, January 24 we will have virtual conferences from 3:30-7:00pm. You will sign up for these conferences in ParentVue. Sign up will be available the week of January 16. Please watch your email for more information.
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Donations Needed
Good morning MGMS parents,
At MGMS we practice the Positive Behavior Intervention Systems (PBIS) to support the teaching and learning of positive school behavior. Students have the opportunity to earn Mustang Pride Tickets. Beginning Jan. 30, we will have weekly drawings of these tickets where students can come and pick out a treat if their name is drawn. This is where we are asking for parent support by way of donations. If you feel so inclined to donate non-perishable items (think variety box of chips, box of candy bars, box of cool pens) or anything you can think of that a middle schooler would be excited about, we would appreciate your generosity. Donations can be brought to the front office and we will stock for our "store". Thank you so much for considering to support our efforts to reward our students for being amazing humans!
Best,
Jennifer Hinker, Assistant Principal
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8th Grade Baby Pictures Needed
We need baby pictures of our current 8th grade students for the 2022-23 yearbook. Please take a picture of your favorite photo and upload it by clicking the button below.
Submission deadline is Friday, February 3, 2023.
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Notes from Volunteer Coordinator, Andrea Dorn
The school year is under way and we couldn’t be happier to have the students back in person!!! With school being back in session, so are the volunteer opportunities for you to check out at MGMS! The weekly “Friday Emails” will give you a glimpse into what parent volunteer needs we have for the upcoming week. “NEW” sign-ups will be indicated NEW in Mustang Blue. If you don’t see something that interests you, let me know and I will make sure to find something that works for you!
NEW-MGMS BOOK FAIR We are looking forward to having a book fair during the week Tuesday, Jan.24-Friday, Jan. 27. The book fair is a PACT sponsored event so for the Book Fair to be open for our students, we will need volunteers. Please check out the schedule, find a friend and sign up for a slot or two to give our students something to look forward to.
NEW- 8th Grade Escape Room 8th Grade Teachers Julie Spanier and Mike Herdan are putting together an Escape Room for their Social Studies classes. They are looking for parent volunteers to assist with the activity and hope you can help in one of their available time slots.
NEW- Valentine Candy Grams Supervisor Student Council is fundraising Gratitude Grams for students to purchase to show gratitude towards other students. Please click on the link, bring a friend, and sign up for time slot that works best for you. Volunteers would be supervisors to the student council students and assist with money transactions as needed.
NEW-The CLOSET MGMS has what is called “The CLOSET” which offers school supplies, hygiene items, snacks and clothing to our students in need. It is accessed by students through the counselors and social workers often by referrals from teachers and staff. Items for the CLOSET are donated on a regular basis so housekeeping is always appreciated to keep the CLOSET organized and accessible for kids to find what they need. We have received a lot of donations right now and need help with the following:
- Organize the shelving /rods by folding and straightening clothing.
- Removing empty hangers.
- Any clothes volunteers find on shelves or hanging that volunteers think there is no way a student would ever want that item; the item can be put in the beige canvas bag.
- The piles of clothes in the entry way, under the steps and between the hanging clothes on the floor has been sorted and needs to be put away (except for the box of grey shirts-they can stay where they are).
PACT (Parents and Community Together) What is PACT? Parents/guardians & Staff who are working to ensure that MGMS is a great place for students and their families!! Please join us for the first PACT meeting on Monday, January 23, 7- 8:30pm in the Media Center to learn how you can become involved. Check out MGMS Facebook Page for the virtual link to the meeting.
Thanks for volunteering…..have a wonderful weekend and be on the lookout for next week’s “Friday email.”
If you know of other parents who would like to receive these emails and be included on the happenings in the hallways of MGMS, please have them email me dorna@district279.org to be added to next week’s emails.
**Please reply to me if you wish to be removed and/or do not have students at MGMs.
Thank you,
Andrea Dorn
Volunteer Coordinator
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Bus Safety Poster Contest
Parents, please share this with your student.
Here is your chance to show your artistic ability and your knowledge of school bus safety. Create a colorful and informational poster and include the slogan “Safely Rolling To My Destination.” It is important to read the attached rules before you begin.
Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each grade level, PreK-12 and special education students. The winners will then advance to the state competition where there is opportunity to win additional prizes including tickets to the St. Paul Saints baseball game. State winners will then advance to the national competition for a chance to win $500.
Poster Details: Click the button below for all the specific details. Posters must be on 11”x17” or 12”x18” tagboard and feature the theme “Safely Rolling to My Destination” must be included in the poster design.
Please read the details carefully as not following directions could result in disqualifications.
Submissions: Please send all submissions to Debbie Schmoyer in the transportation department at the Educational Service Center - 11200 93rd Ave N - Maple Grove 55369.
Deadline: Friday, February 10th. We will then forward onto the state committee in time for their deadline of March 6th, 2023.
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Order Your 2022-23 Yearbook Today
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Weekend Food
Maple Grove Middle School partners with Every Meal to provide weekend meal bags for families. Families may choose from three options structured around the USDA MyPlate standards. All bag types contain 4-5 pounds of nutritious, non-perishable food, including a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and soups/entrees. Click here to enroll your student.
MGMS Counseling Department
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Student Pick Up and Drop Off
Student drop-off and pick-up reminders
- Please only drop off and pick up students at the curb.
- No students are allowed to walk through the parking lot for safety reasons
- Please watch carefully as you pull away from the curb as staff are crossing the parking lot
- Please do not drop off or pick up students in the second lane nearest the parking lot. That is only for cars passing through.
Thank you for keeping everyone safe.
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WHAT TO DO...
ABSENCES
If your child is going to be late or absent from school, please call the school with the reason for the absence. The telephone call eliminates the need to send a note with your student when he/she returns to school. Excused absences consist of illness, medical appointments, and family emergency situations such as a funeral. Oversleeping, missing the bus, or skipping school are not excused and are considered truancy.
MGMS 24 Hour Attendance Line: 763-315-7603.
ATTENDANCE -
If you received a call saying your child was absent one or more periods, please check your ParentVue account for the period your student was absent. Have your child talk to the teacher for the class that they were marked absent. The teacher will then communicate with our attendance person.
APPOINTMENTS/EARLY RELEASE - HERE IS WHAT YOU DO
1. Send a note with your student in the morning
2. When the student gets to school they go to Student Services to get a white pass
3. At the stated time on the pass, your student leaves class and comes to the office with the white pass and signs out in the main office
4. The person picking up can wait in the car (very helpful on cold winter days)
If you didn't send a note, you will need to come in with your driver's license and we will call your student down when you arrive.
This procedure is in place to ensure student safety.
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The Closet
Thank you.
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Moving or Going to Another School
Thank you.
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WHO TO CONTACT
School Phone: 763-315-7600...............................Website: https://mgms.district279.org/
Attendance: 763-315-7603………………………………..Transportation: 763-391-7244
6th Grade
Jason Olson, Assistant Principal……..Email: Olsonj@district279.org
Katie Gerdts, Counselor 6th Grade......Email: GerdtsK@district279.org
7th Grade
Patrick Smith, Principal………………….Email: SmithPatrick@district279.org
Megan Woods, Counselor 7th Grade...Email: :WoodsM@district279.org
8th Grade
Jennifer Hinker, Assistant Principal.....Email: HinkerJ@district279.org
Kaia Paquin, Counselor 8th Grade.......Email: PaquinK@district279.org
Student Management Specialists Assist With All Grades
Nathanial Davies (Grade 7 & 8 A-L) – Email: DaviesN@district279.org
Levy Jones (Grade 6 & 8 M-Z) - Email: JonesL@district279.org
District Tip Line.........763-391-8660