MMS Newsletter
“Enter to Learn, Strive to Achieve!”
The MISSION of Middletown Middle School is to engage students as 21st century learners who strive to achieve their goals. We support students through rigor and active participation within a culture of cooperation, organization, determination and excellence to prepare our students for college and careers.
“The Vision of Middletown Middle School is to challenge students of all abilities to achieve excellence in a wide range of academic and cultural pursuits. Students are equipped to meet the demands and opportunities of the 21st century by receiving a differentiated, effective, and rigorous curriculum. Staff believe and demonstrate that all students can master the essential 21st century skills. The culture of Middletown Middle will include high expectations for all, frequent monitoring of student progress, multiple opportunities for student learning, high levels of engagement, exceptional communication, and daily purposeful integration of technology. We will make it a priority to recognize the academic and extracurricular achievements of our school community. Middletown Middle School will have highly-motivated professional staff and authentic partnerships between the school and home.”
Value Statements
Teachers actively engage students by interacting, moving around the classroom, and allowing them to own their learning.
Staff will have knowledge of the whole student so that lessons provide challenge and rigor for all abilities.
Teachers facilitate lessons where students are engaged, not merely compliant.
Teachers facilitate lessons that allow for students to lead and take risks.
Staff will make authentic learning opportunities a priority in the classroom.
Staff collaborates to promote 21st century student learning.
A Message from Mr. Fer
As always, I hope this message finds you and your family well. Since March 13th we have been on a journey together that has been unlike anything we have experienced before. There certainly were bumps in the road, which collectively we had the opportunity to work through and develop the best possible solution. Despite the challenge, I am grateful for the experience as it has opened the door to new instructional opportunities and paved the way for new methods in which we help students learn and grow on a daily basis. The last few months have presented the opportunity for our staff to connect with students in different ways and, in many respects, enhance and strengthen the relationships that had been formed previously in the school year. Additionally, I am grateful for the greater appreciation I now have for the people that make up our community. There is no greater joy than being able to fulfill a vocation where the pursuit is to positively impact those around is easily achievable every day. Since it has not been easy the last few months, as I said, the deep appreciation and admiration I have for the students, staff and families has grown by leaps and bounds. Middletown Middle School will always have a special place in my heart as it is where I began the new chapter in my career as a principal. Now, having experienced unforeseen challenges of distance learning with all of you at Middletown Middle School, I will never forget and always cherish this time spent in Happy Valley!
Well, now that we have officially posted and graded the last assignment, we can all move on to enjoying the joy that summer vacation brings. That is, after we all take time to participate in the exceptional distance learning opportunities that Frederick County has designed for Friday, June 12th through Wednesday, June 17th. I have included the link below but a brief outline of what to expect in the coming days is also below.
Friday, June 12: FCPS Unplugged
Students unplug from their technology and unleash their energy as they engage in a range of physical and off-line activities.
Monday, June 15: Virtual Field Trips
Students explore the world and its wonders via virtual field trips.
Tuesday, June 16: Summer Reading
Students experience the joy of reading as they navigate adventures, solve mysteries, journey into the unknown and enjoy all the magic of stories and books.
Wednesday, June 17: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)
Students embrace the power of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics as they learn how these areas have dramatically influenced the world in which they live.
This will not be the final message of the year from all of us at Middletown Middle School, so until then, have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather!
Cafeteria News
Counseling Dept
Counseling Office Secretary/Registrar: Karen Willard (240-236-4206)
6th grade School Counselor: Liz Bohan (240-236-4256)
7th grade School Counselor: Rachel Butts (240-236-4220)
8th grade School Counselor: Ashley Frushour (240-236-4205)
The counseling office will be open sporadically throughout the summer. If you are in need of a counselor please call 240-236-4205 to leave a message and Mrs. Frushour will direct your call to the appropriate counselor. Please remember that if any of your student's information changes over the summer to please let us know. Have a great summer.
Frederick Community Action Agency
Frederick Community Action Agency Hours
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Soup Kitchen Hours
Monday through Sunday
5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Foodbank Hours
- Monday, 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, 2 to 4 p.m.
- Wednesday 7 to 9 p.m.
- Thursday, 2 to 4 p.m.
- Friday, 2 to 4 p.m.
FCPS Information
PBIS
Middletown Knights adhere to the CODE in school and at home! Check out our new CODE for DIstance Learning. Need support? Reach out. We are here for YOU!
Check this blog from a parent and school support specialist sharing her experience working from home and parenting during this pandemic. Her conclusion: “Working, parenting, and teaching are three different jobs that cannot be done at the same time. It's not hard because you are doing it wrong. It's hard because it's too much. Do the best you can. When you have to pick, because at some point you will, choose connection.” If you need help, please reach out to us.
Advanced Academics
Be sure to check out the MiMS Enrichment Website:
https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/middletownmiddleschool-distanc/home
I will be updating resources weekly for some fun & interest-based enrichment.
There's also an option to give feedback - share your interests & what you want to see!
Thanks.
Mrs. Thompson
Art News
We have had an amazing year in both visual and creative arts. We are in awe of all the talent our Middletown students have to offer and are so proud students continued using their creativity through the challenges of distant learning.
We are holding on to artwork until the next school year. Current 6th and 7th graders will be able to pick up their artwork once the building is open again for learning. Current 8th graders can schedule a time with Mrs. Pilarcik or stop by after school next year to pick up artwork once the building is open again for learning.
Thank you to all of our students. Keep being creative and have a wonderful summer!
Band & Orchestra During CoL:
Career & Technology Education
Mr. Seiler
I just want to let you all know how happy I am with each of you. I know that it must have been difficult for you, as it was for me, having to switch gears from a hands on class to a on-line class. This would not have been my first choice for teaching you the skills and information I wanted you to get from the course, but this is what we had to work with. I hope each of you have a wonderful summer, stay safe and will see some of you next fall.
Mrs. Decker
Invention and Innovation: Have a fantastic summer!
Mrs. Ledford
Food Science: Food Science remote learning has included kitchen utensil scavenger hunts, recipe reading, trash and composting lessons and MyPlate nutrition activities. It has also been a time for me, as the teacher, to learn new technology things! I did try to add some videos and do have to learn more about that and how to refine them a bit! It is my hope that our time together on the computer was fun and interesting! I think we all deserve to have a relaxing summer, which we know will go by quickly! Thank you to my students and their parents/guardians for all of your hard work, positive attitudes and patience throughout this past school year! See you in the fall!!
Mrs Stuart
Life Skills: Life Skills have been working on their child care unit. Students have been learning about child development, safety when working with children, (particularly when babysitting), games/activities to play with kids, crafts that could be completed with small children, and fun snacks that could be made when watching kids.
Mrs. Duvall
Lab 21: "Students finished up Lab 21 by presenting their Wonder Projects in a digital format! Their ideas for their projects were so unique and fascinating, ranging in creative possibilities! Some project ideas included designing custom video games, building computers, making movies, photography exploration, building doghouses and small scaled houses, various cooking and baking projects, graphic design and art projects, and so much more! I am very proud of students' hard work and adaptability in such a unique time. Have a great summer, everyone!"
Language Arts
6th Grade: Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Cregar want to commend 6th graders and their families for all the hard work they have put in into Term 4. Students engaged in fiction, non fiction and class discussions online. We encourage you to continue reading over the summer, diving deep into all genres with family discussions about what you are reading. We are both available through the summer to answer any questions or help with reading suggestions. Please do not hesitate to email either one of us.
7th Grade: Mrs. Shupp and I (Mrs. Karajeh) would like to thank students and families for being so dedicated and diligent in getting work completed during our distance learning chapter. We know how demanding it can be doing it ALL! Huge thanks! Please stay safe and have a wonderful summer!
8th Grade: Students are wrapping up the year by writing Shakespearean Sonnets and analyzing Romeo and Juliet. With parent permission, viewing the 1996 Romeo and Juliet movie would be suggested at the conclusion of the term. Gnomeo and Juliet is a great family option, too! Ask your student to make connections to the play and the movie!
8th Grade Sonnets
Our 8th grade students had the opportunity to write their own Shakespearean Sonnet over the past couple weeks. We were overwhelmed by how beautiful their sonnets were and how it provided an outlet to write about their feelings right now.
We couldn't send you all 250 sonnets, but we did choose a few to share. Click here to view these sonnets.
Literacy Specialist
Frederick County Public Library Updates
Have you heard about the FCPL Student Success Card program? This program enables all FCPS students to get their own FCPL library card. Here are some of the highlights of this new program:
Every single student in FCPS has a FCPL library card and can check out three print materials with no fines!
Go to fcpl.org/learn or fcpl.org/download
Students add 119829 and then their student ID number to get the card
Has all the same privileges as a regular library card, including digital resources like Hoopla, Freegal (free downloadable music), and Flipster (online magazines)
FCPL Summer Reading Program
If you are looking for some engaging activities for your child this summer, check out the FCPL summer reading program! The program began on June 1 and concludes on August 31. This year’s theme is “Transform Your Story.” The program includes cool activities for all ages at library branches throughout the county. As students earn points for reading, they are entered into drawings for a variety of prizes.
Click here for more information:
Some highlights of this summer’s reading challenge are:
It is not based on how many books students read, but how many minutes they spend reading
There’s an app that allows you to complete the whole challenge digitally
It is for all age groups!
In addition, check out this fantastic resource:
Collaborative Reading Lists - The Frederick County Public Library staff along with FCPS teachers create collaborative reading lists highlighting both new and popular texts for students at all grade levels. This list is updated yearly and shared with students in the spring. The middle school and high school lists are below:
Math Department
~ Summer Math Practice ~
Take a few minutes each day this summer to exercise your brain!!
Practicing skills and engaging in problem-solving will help you get ready for your next adventure in math.
To practice specific math skills, visit these sites . . . . .
Study Island ~ Students access through FCPS Bookmarks, Clever Portal
Optional assignments will be available in student accounts on June 22
IXL ~ https://www.ixl.com/math/
Select the grade level you just finished to review skills. You get 20 free questions per ILP address each day.
iPractice Math ~ http://www.ipracticemath.com/
Free online math practice. Students and parents can both register for free. You can also choose “Math Practice” or “Learn” from the menu bar. There are also options to do practice by grade-level.
Some great gaming and problem-solving options . . . . .
Polyup Mod with Math ~ https://www.polyup.com/
A free and open computational thinking playground. Modify expressions, functions, and algorithms to discover the beauty of math.
Calculation Nation ~ http://calculationnation.nctm.org/
Log in as a guest and explore all the math-based games. You can compete against others or the computer in many of the games as well.
Refraction ~ http://play.centerforgamescience.org/refraction/site/
This game combines science and math as you bend and redirect lasers to power spaceships!
The Ultimate Puzzle Site ~ http://puzzle.dse.nl/index_us.html
This site provides a variety of puzzles from basic puzzles to logic puzzles to brain teasers and so much more!
SET ~ http://www.setgame.com/set/puzzle
This puzzle challenges you to make sets of cards based on four features: color, number, shadings and shapes
Grade-level specific calendar of daily math problems . . . . .
Entering 6th grade ~ problem set
Answers document (Your Parent will need to request access to the Answers document)
Entering 7th grade ~ problem set
Answers document (Your Parent will need to request access to the Answers document)
Entering 8th grade ~ problem set
Answers document (Your Parent will need to request access to the Answers document)
Entering Algebra ~ problem set
Answers document (Your Parent will need to request access to the Answers document)
Media Specialist
Media Center - Items out??
Please follow the directions here, Identifying Library Items Out, to find out if your child still has any library books checked out. Follow Mr. Fer's instructions for the return of items over the summer.
Looking for something for the children to do this summer?? LOOK NO FURTHER! The Frederick County Public Library is still running their annual Summer Reading Challenge. See below for information released by FCPL.
Frederick County Public Libraries kicked off its annual Summer Challenge June 1. This year’s Summer Challenge is all digital, allowing participants of all ages to read and explore their community through online and at-home experiences. Watch this brief video to learn more.
While the annual Summer Challenge is designed for children, teens, and adults – with prizes for all ages – the Summer Challenge is especially important for school-aged children. Studies show that children who engage in reading and learning over the summer are more likely to return to school at grade level in the fall. Reading also increases vocabulary, improves background knowledge and creates greater reading fluency.
As part of the Summer Challenge, Frederick County Public Libraries will host virtual programming throughout the summer. An event calendar is available at fcpl.org.
Looking for summer reading suggestions? Frederick County Public Libraries and Frederick County Public Schools collaborated to create book suggestions for all ages. Visit fpcl.org/booklist to see the lists. You can also contact Middletown Middle librarian, Mary Poscover.
To learn more about this year’s Summer Challenge and to sign up, visit fcpl.org/Summer. If you have any questions, please contact Robin Goetz, rgoetz@frederickcountymd.gov.
Physical Education
Science
7th Happy June to all 7th grade Science students, parents, family, and MiMS community!
Thank you so very much for an outstanding and remarkable year in Science class!! Thank you for your dedication to giving your best at learning exciting science curriculum, designing models, creating amazing products, and challenging your mind. YOU are each extraordinary and awesome students.
May you enjoy your summer and return next year with an enthusiasm to discover more marvelous Science facts!! Ms. Martz and Ms. Staley are grateful for each of you!! It has been our honor and privilege to teach you this year. May you be motivated and inspired to learn from every opportunity in your amazing future! Thank you for allowing us teachers to assist you in your academic achievements. If you ever have any Science questions or comments, please contact Ms. Martz or Ms. Staley anytime. Happy summer and good luck in all you accomplish next year as eighth graders! Congratulations! Thank you from your Science Teachers= Ms. Martz and Ms. Staley!
8th Science classes are spending the last weeks of school on the interactions between the planets in our solar system. Students will be using this information to create a new solar system. They will name their star, planets, and moons, determine the direction of revolution, mass of each planet, and how many moons a planet should have.
Social Studies
7th Mr. Bittner and Mr. Kim spent the end of Term 4 investigating the colonization of the New World. We considered reasons for the forced immigration of African slaves, addressed the different causes for English settlement, and identified how geography influenced economic differences among the regions of the thirteen British colonies. This is where students will pick up next school year. We are very proud of our students' perseverance and effort during distance learning.
-Thank you all for a wonderful summer!
8th Students finished the year by closing the American West. While we miss our students tremendously, we are extremely proud of how hard they have worked during this time. Next year, in American Studies II, they will begin with a study of Industrialization in the United States and move on to topics like World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Equal Rights and Civil Rights Movements, and much more. We wish you all the best. Remember to think critically, question your sources, write good, complete sentences, work hard, and be kind!
Special Education Department
Theatre Arts
Congratulations Ms. Mace
World Languages
The world language department would like to thank all our French, Spanish and World Language Exploratory students for their hard work this last quarter of the school year and we wish them the best of luck in high school next year. Keep speaking in the language you studied over the summer!