MIDDLE MATTERS
Everything in the Middle School that matters
Volume 7
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
Welcome back students and staff for the final 47 days of the school year. We are kicking off fourth quarter with our STAND UP WEEK.
In this edition...
- Stand Up Week
- Pennies for Patients Celebration
- April Calendar
- MCA Testing Dates
- Helping Kids Conquer Worry
- Students of the Month
- And Much More
Stand Up Week
April 1-5 2019
When Students and staff return to school after spring break, we will have our annual building wide Stand Up Week at MMS.
This will be our 12th year where we take a week of focus on how students treat each other, emphasizing bully prevention and how to stand up for ourselves and others. This year our theme is “Power of Words”. Each day in M&M, advisory groups will participate in activities considering how our words impact others.
Special programming on Thursday will bring Climb Theatre presentations entitled “Unfiltered” to our 6th/7th graders in the morning. 8th graders will have a presentation called “Just Kidding, Just Fine, and Other Lies” by a group from Ramsey Northern Stars Children’s Theatre.
More information will be sent to parents/guardians with email blasts each day. Specific details about the grade level presentations can be found at www.climb.org and www.northernstars.org.
At Monticello Middle School, we do our best to encourage positive connections between students every day through our advisory curriculum and monthly themes. We believe our Stand Up Program is one more way to emphasize the importance of respecting and caring for others. Please take time at home to reinforce these important life-long skills with your middle schooler.
As always, continue to communicate with staff any concerns or questions you may have.
The MMS Stand Up Committee
Monticello Middle School Raises Over $8,000 to Support Blood Cancers (and has a lot of fun, too!)
Thanks to the overwhelming support received from community members, parents, staff, and students, our 2019 Pennies for Patients campaign was a huge success raising $8,248.17 to support those suffering from blood cancers. Students saw first hand how a large group of people can collectively work together toward supporting those in need. Thanks to the efforts of Monticello Middle School’s staff, they had a lot of fun doing it, too!
Our annual Pennies for Patients celebration assembly before Spring Break was a hootenanny of student and staff participation, antics, and fun. With their donations, students nominated a staff member to be a contestant on Family Feud - MMS Style. Twelve of the most nominated staff members took part in the assembly that featured our MC for the show, eighth-grade teacher Mr. Reeves.
Using survey questions that were previously created and answered by all of our students, Mr. Reeves led the staff members through the game. The two most popular questions were “What band or musician do MMS students listen to the most?” and “If Mr. Scherber had a spirit animal, what would it be?” Family Feud was interrupted by seventh-grade teacher Mr. Bigelow, donned in a matador costume, who transitioned the show into an obstacle course aptly named Monti Mayhem.
Parent Information
I's & F's on report card must be made up by April 12th.
MMS DRESS CODE POLICY (Warm Weather Dress Code Reminder)
- No Sagging or Low Slung Pants
- No Clothing That Exposes Cleavage
- No Exposed Midriffs
- No Visible Underwear
- No Holes in Jeans With Exposed Skin Above The Knee
- No Exposed Shoulders (No Tank Tops, Tube Tops, or Bra Straps Showing)
- All Shorts and Skirts Must BE No Shorter Than A 3" Post-it-Note Above The Knee
MCA TESTING DATES
Math MCA - Grades 6-8: April 24, 25, 26
Science MCA - 8th-Grade: May 7, 8, & 9
ATTENDANCE LINE - 763-272-2110
Thank you!
April Calendar
Monday, April 1st
First day of 4th Quarter
Monday, April 8th
MS Parent Involvement Mtg 6 p.m.
Tuesday, April 9th
6th Grade Registration at MMS
LME Students 7 p.m.
Friday, April 12th
All I's & F's on report card must be made up
Friday, April 19th
No School
Monday, April 22
Full Day - Snow Day Makeup
Thursday, April 25th
6th Grade Choir & Cantar @ MMS 7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30th
7th/8th Grade Choir & Cantar @ MMS 7 p.m.
STUDENT FOCUS
Painting Art Club
Do you like to paint or draw or collage? In this art club, you get to do one or all of these creative
activities. Eighth graders will be provided the opportunity to paint a ceiling tile as a farewell gift to leave at the middle school to be enjoyed for years to come! Painting club is open to 6th, 7th and 8th graders.
Our next FRIDAY FOCUS session will be on Friday, April 5th from 2:30—5:00 p.m. The Friday Focus session will be supervised by teachers and administration.
We at the middle school see this as a great opportunity to give extra help to those students who have fallen behind. It also gives students help who need to complete work in order to be promoted to the next grade and avoid retention. We will be contacting the parents of students who need the extra time to get caught up. We expect those students with failing grades from any of our first three quarters to attend the Friday Focus session. If you receive an email or call from the administration or staff members, we strongly suggest that your student attends.
You must RSVP to Ms. Bekius, Targeted Services Coordinator @ 763-272-2208 by Wednesday, April 3th. Teachers need time to prepare lists and resources for missing work.
All students who RSVP will be expected to be at the Friday Focus School on April 5th.
Choir News!!!
MMS Cantar Spring Fundraiser delivery will be April 11th. Thank you to all who helped support our Show Choirs with your purchases!
Saturday, April 13th: MMEA CYM (Celebration of Young Musicians) Festival at Rockford HS. Congratulations to 6th graders Aurorah Kimble, Deb Williams, Hannah Samuelson, Sydney Phillips, Brookelynn Brown and Nayomee Budhoo for being chosen to represent our school at this wonderful event! Concert for the public is free in the RHS Auditorium at 2:30 pm.
Upcoming Concerts:
6th Grade Choir & Cantar: Thursday, April 25th @ MMS; 7 pm
7th/8th Grade Choir & Cantar: Tuesday, April 30th @ MMS; 7 pm
Honor Bands
Congratulations are also in order for the following students who were selected to participate in the CMBDA Second Year Band Festival: Dallas Christensen, Sophie Rosh, and Tyson Visness. These students will be participating in this terrific event on Saturday, May 4th.
The 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade Spring Orchestra Concert
Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 at 7 p.m. in the Monticello High School Auditorium. Please make sure your calendars are marked!
Students need to arrive at 6 p.m. sharp to begin turning and warm-ups so that everyone’s instrument is ready to go in time for the start of the concert.
Concert Attire:
· ALL BLACK
· Nice black dress pants, black dress shirt, black socks, black dress shoes
· No dresses/skirts
· Please let Mrs. Schettler-Stein know ASAP if you need to borrow clothing.
OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS: *Cello/Bass players will need to bring their own instruments from home.
*Parent volunteers needed & appreciated! Let Mrs. Schettler-Stein know if you are willing & able!
**Please do your best to schedule family trips and other appointments around this special date to avoid a conflict. Each person plays an important part and we need 100% participation.**
DO YOU HAVE PHOTOS from school sports, activities, or student involvement that we can use in the yearbook?
Students of the Month
6th-Grade
“Always put your best foot forward in everything you do in life.”
6-2: Sawyer Ylitalo
“The more effort you put into something, the more of a chance you will succeed.“
7th-Grade
“Make good friends and try your best!“
7-2: Ozzie Allen
“Even if you lose, you still learned something.“
8th-Grade
“Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not to fit in.“
8-2 Briana Brenteson
“A smile may not change the world, but it could change someone’s day.“
Photo Use Authorization
NOTES FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
Dear Parents/Guardians of Sixth Grade Students,
Upon entry into 7th grade, the following immunizations are required by law:
- An adult dose of Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap) after age 11
- A second dose of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Three doses of Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Two doses of Varicella,
- Meningococcal (THIS REQUIREMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH went into effect in 2014)
*If your child has already had these immunizations, they do not need to repeat them.
*If you wish to declare a conscientious objection (CO), the immunization form may be printed from the Middle School website. A CO must be signed by a parent/guardian & notarized.
*If your child has a medical exemption, the form is on the Middle School website & must be signed by a physician.
Please provide the Health Office with an updated copy of your student's immunizations (if you have not already done so). THANK YOU!
Please call the health office with any questions or concerns.
Middle School Health Office Phone: (763) 272-2120 or Fax (763)272-2109
If your child is going to be absent, please call our 24/7 MS Attendance Line: (763) 272-2110. Thank you, Monica Schwickerath, Licensed School Nurse
STUDENT CENTER SPOTLIGHT
Helping Kids Conquer Worry
One of the most common concerns students and parents contact us in the MMS Student Center about is anxiety. Here are a few tips and resources to consider when worries or anxiety overwhelm anyone you know.
To help kids manage what’s worrying them:
Find out what's on their minds.
Show you care and understand.
Guide kids to solutions.
Keep things in perspective.
Make a difference.
Offer reassurance and comfort.
Highlight the positive.
Be a good role model.
These tips are taken from the website www.kidshealth.org from Nemours. The parent site has advice on children’s health, behavior, and growth from birth through the teen years. To learn more about helping your child with worry and anxiety, read the full article under “Emotions and behavior”. Sections ‘for Kids’ and ‘or Teens’ on this website are helpful for young people to read or listen to ways to combat worry and anxiety.
Another website students can access themselves is www.changetochill.org. This site has excellent calming techniques and videos for “Chill Breaks” to help understand and cope with difficult situations.
Other helpful parent resources if your child’s worries have heightened to the point of anxiety:
https://adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children/tips-parents-and-caregivers
https://www.anxietybc.com/anxiety-PDF-documents
If anxiety gets in the way of your student coming to school, please communicate with one of our MMS social workers or counselor to assist with this challenge. (Submitted by Therese Olson, MMS Counselor)
ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES
Calling all Middle School athletes...there is still time to participate in a spring sport!
Practices began on Monday, April 8th and we are still registering students who want to play. Monticello Middle School practices run Monday through Thursday from 2:45-4:30. Look on the middle school website under Activities/Athletics tab for registration information.
As the season gets underway, the http://www.mississippi8.org website provides valuable information such as: schedules and game times, bus departure times, and locations of events or fields.
Spring weather can be unpredictable in MN. This may result in postponed or cancelled events for MS spring sports. Did you know Mississippi 8 website has a feature that will NOTIFY REGISTERED MEMBERS of schedule changes to events immediately?
Go to www.mississippi8.org
Select Monticello High School
Click on Notify Me from the Menu on the right side of the home page (under the calendar)
Complete Step 1 - enter Mississippi 8 login or create a login
Complete Step 2: Choose Activities - select school and events you wish to be notified of schedule changes and Continue to Next Step
Complete Step 3: Set Up Notifications Preferences - select Reminders and or Schedule Change Notifications and Save My Settings
In addition, MS will post up-to-date information regarding schedule changes to our Middle School website under the MS Sports Update section.
As always if you have questions related to athletics or activities, please contact the middle school office and talk with Lori Hanson, Activities Director or Lori Pippert, Activities Secretary at 763.272.2111.
GO MAGIC!
Viewing the Middle School Sports Schedules
Have you accessed the Mississippi8 website yet? There is a lot of valuable information on this website. You will find up-to-date schedules for Middle School and High School sports and activities.
Up-to-date information on this website includes game times, which team plays first, and bus departure times. You can also sign-up to receive emails regarding any schedule changes, which become a common occurrence in the spring.
Go to www.mississippi8.org
Select Monticello High School on the right.
Find the section titled, View Schedules under the calendar. Click on the sport of your choice and click on view.
To receive emails for any schedule changes or event reminders, follow these directions:
Go to www.mississippi8.org
Select Monticello High School on the right.
Find the section titled, Notify Me under the calendar. Follow the instructions provided.
Make sure that your computer does not have a SPAM blocker or you will not be able to receive the email.
Parent Involvement
MMS Parent Involvement Committee Needs Your Help!
Coming up in May, Parent Involvements hosts and staffs the middle schools biggest yearly event: The 6th and 7th grade carnival and the 8th grade BBQ.
Please join us for our next meeting on Monday, April 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the MS Office Conference Room. We will be discussing these 2 important events. If you cannot attend on April 8th but would like to volunteer your time for either of these events, please email Kara Thornton (mmspivolunteer@gmail.com). She will get you added to the Sign Up Genius group that receives emails about the volunteer opportunities for these 2 events.
Parent Involvement Meeting
Monday, Apr 8, 2019, 06:00 PM
Monticello Middle School, Broadway Street East, Monticello, MN, USA
Transportation Changes
Please remember Hoglund transportation needs any transportation changes submitted 24 hours before any anticipated changes. This will help ensure all students have a seat on the bus. Last minute requests to have your child ride a different bus home cannot be honored.
Monticello Middle School
Website: https://www.monticello.k12.mn.us/Domain/9
Location: 800 Broadway Street East, Monticello, MN, USA
Phone: 763-272-2000
Twitter: @MMS_Leader