MERMS Weekly Newsletter
January 12, 2015
Manchester-Essex Regional Middle School
Email: gudituss@mersd.org
Website: http://www.merms.mersd.org
Location: 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, United States
Phone: 978 526 2022
Twitter: @MERMS_01944
Theatre Club Begins in February
Start Date: Thursday, February 26, 2015
Meeting Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30-4:30pm
Showcase Performances: Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2, 2015
Cost: $150/$175
To view the full flyer, please go to: MERMS/YMCA Theatre Co - Spring Theatre Club
For more information, please contact Nicole Leotsakos, Performing Arts Director: leotsakosn@northshoreymca.org, 781-990-7065
Band and Chorus Concert Reminders
Band Student Details:
- Report to the Band Room at 7:00pm.
- Boys' Attire: dress pants, buttoned shirt and tie, dress or boat shoes - sneakers are not acceptable.
- Girls' Attire: dresses, skirts, or dress pants. Sneakers are not acceptable.
Chorus Student Details:
- Report to the Dining Hall at 6:30pm.
- Boys' Attire: Black dress pants, white shirt, tie, dark shoes (no jacket).
- Girls' Attire: Black dress pants or skirt (appropriate length for school), white blouse or sweater (must have sleeves), dark shoes (no heels over 1.5").
The concert begins at 7:30pm.
Parenting and Technology Workshop: 1/21/15 @ 6:30-8:30pm
For more information about the presentation, please click on this link. This event is for parents and guardians only; students will participate in an event with Mr. Fodeman during the school day.
This event is free of charge, thanks to sponsorship by our PTO, Parents of Manchester-Essex Middle School (PMEMS). You can support PMEMS by going here.
H Block: One Word
If you would like to view the lesson, entitled "The Lion Tamer and One Word," click on this link.
Students did an outstanding job! We made a word cloud of 6th and 7th graders' collective one words, which you can see below. It was a great, collaborative, reflective activity. I encourage you to try it yourself and discuss what your one word is with your child!
Nominate an MERMS Teacher to be MA Teacher of the Year!
To nominate an MERMS Teacher as Massachusetts Teacher of the Year, please click here: MA Teacher of the Year Nomination Form.
Next week (1/20-1/23), the middle school will run Days 2, 3, 4 and 5 during HS Midterm Week.
Donations Needed for Indoor Recess
Do you have a set of Uno cards, chess, board game, or something else you are not longer using? Why not donate it! We welcome any and all donations (used is fine). Please drop off any donations in the middle school main office with labeled with "Middle School Recess." Thank you for your consideration!
From Food Services
Staying Hydrated This Winter: Try Soup!
By Jane Reimer, Simmons College Dietetic Intern with MERSD Food Services
January is National Soup Month! A healthy bowl of soup is not only packed with nutrition, but is also comforting on cold winter days. An added bonus is that soup at meals can increase your overall daily fluid intake and keep you from becoming dehydrated. Even though most people only associate dehydration with hot weather, it occurs just as frequently in cold weather. Signs of dehydration include trouble focusing, headaches, fatigue, and dry skin.
Use the following tips to help identify soups that will nourish and hydrate you:
- Look for soups that have broth as their base. Creamy soups and bisques are higher in calories and saturated fat, but pureed cooked cauliflower or mashed potatoes added to broth soups have a creamy effect.
- Soups that contain vegetables and beans, like minestrone, provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
- When comparing canned soups, check the serving size and the sodium. Soups with less than 300mg of sodium per serving are ideal. These usually say “low sodium” or “reduced sodium” on the front of the label.
- When making soup at home, use only 1/8 of a tsp of regular salt per cup of soup in the recipe. Try other herbs and spices for flavor.
- Use fresh ingredients whenever possible since the sodium in individual canned ingredients (tomatoes, peas, corn, etc.) can add up.
- When adding grains to homemade soups, choose whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
If you have any questions on this or other nutrition topics, contact Jane in the Foodservice Department at jane.reimer@simmons.edu.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program
For more information, please contact our School Nurse, Cyndi Aldrich, RN or go to: http://nsmc.partners.org/pediatrics/family_resource_center.
Free Weight Training Program Begins
Cardiovascular exercise and agility training will be the focus on Tuesdays and Thursdays; weight training will be the focus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” program will be utilized, which enables training to be individualized based on a student’s current fitness level and goals.
In order for a student to participate they must be registered at Family ID and a valid physical (within the last 13 months) must be on file with the Athletic Department. Please contact the Athletic Department with any questions.
Manchester-Essex Apparel Sale
We have teamed up with a local company, Living the Team, to put together a MERSD apparel sale. Clothing and accessories are high quality, and the sale of the products benefits our PTO, Parents of Manchester-Essex Middle School (PMEMS). Items ship directly to your home. To order, you can go directly to: http://livingtheteam.com/ME_STORE
Websites of Interest
- 5 Books about Volunteering that Parents Must Read with their Children via Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/blogs/scholastic-parents-raise-reader/5-must-read-books-about-power-volunteering
- The Risk of 'Material Parenting' via New York Times: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/the-risk-of-material-parenting/
- Scholastic/YouGov 2014 Kids and Family Reading Report: http://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/key-findings.htm
- 12 Scientific Benefits to Play: http://micheleborba.com/blog/michele-borba-blog-studies-find-play-helps-kids-focus-11-other-surprising-benefits-of-letting-kids-get-messy/
Upcoming Events
Middle School Council Meeting
Thursday, Jan 15, 2015, 02:45 PM
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School, Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, United States
Math Meet
Thursday, Jan 15, 2015, 02:30 PM
Rockport Middle School, Jerdens Lane, Rockport, MA, United States
Middle School Concert
Please support our bake sale, which will support our 8th Grade Washington Trip Scholarship Fund.
Thursday, Jan 15, 2015, 07:00 PM
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School, Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, United States
MLK Day - No School
Monday, Jan 19, 2015, 12:00 AM
Manchester Essex Regional Middle School, Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, United States
Parenting and Technology Workshop
Parenting and Technology: Understanding the issues, establishing safe & appropriate practices, with Doug Fodeman. This is free and open to the public.
For more information about the presentation, please click on this link.