MPMS Families,

Thank you for your continued support of your child as we continue our Standards of Learning (SOLs) tests through the next two weeks of school. It is crucial for students to put forth their best efforts on these key assessments, as they are a valuable measure of their academic progress and help guide future instruction. Please make sure your child comes to school each day with their fully charged Chromebook and charging cord. This will make sure they are ready for testing as well as daily instruction.

May at MPMS has been full of joy and celebration. Please enjoy the pictures/articles from our Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, Band and Choir Concerts, the MPCS Art Show, and some very exciting news about special awards MPMS has recently received!

As we approach the final days of the school year, please take a few moments to review the calendar of events. You'll see that we continue SOL testing over the next two weeks and have special events planned for the last week of school.

Thank you for your continued support!

With Cougar PRIDE,

MPMS Staff

In this edition of MPMS Cougar PRIDE News, please check out:

• SOL testing - Special Attendance Information Included
• Important Dates - so many exciting events coming up!,
• Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week,
• Science at MPMS wins big!,
• Pictures from our Band and Choir Concerts and the MPCS Art Show,
• Athletics for the week of May 22,
• Athletics pre-view for the fall,
• Important News from the Nurse's Desk - special attention for parents of 6th graders, and
• So much more

May 20 – Band/Choir Trip

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May 22 – Reading SOL makeups

May 23 – Math 8, Algebra, and Geometry SOL testing

May 23 – 6th and 7th graders - Asynchronous learning at home

May 24 – Math 6 and Math 7 SOL testing

May 24 –8th graders - Asynchronous learning at home

May 25 – Makeup SOL testing

May 25 – MPMS Perfect Attendance Celebration, 7:45AM

May 26 – Reading SOL retake testing

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May 29 – No School, Memorial Day

May 30 – Makeup SOL testing

May 31 – 8th grade Civics & Science SOL testing

May 31 – 6th and 7th graders report to school at 10:30 for 3rd block

June 1 – Math SOL retake testing

June 2 – 8th grade Civics & Science retake testing

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June 5 – 8th grade Field Trip

June 5 – National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Induction Ceremony, 5PM

June 6 – 6th grade Awards Ceremony, 7:59AM

June 7 – 7th grade Awards Ceremony, 7:59AM

June 8 – 8th grade Awards Ceremony, 8:29AM

June 8 – Last Day of School, 10:30AM Dismissal

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has developed the Virginia Assessment Program to help measure students' academic progress in the Standards of Learning (SOLs). All students at Manassas Park Middle School (MPMS) participate in SOL testing or alternative assessments at some point throughout the school year to indicate what students know in the subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. We will soon have opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning this spring.

Please review the SOL Testing schedule below:

May 23th

8th Grade and some 7th Grade Students & Adaptive Special Education Students

• Students taking the following courses: Math 8 Geometry, and Algebra
• Normal 7:00 a.m. Arrival to School

6th and most 7th graders - Asynchronous learning at home

May 24th

6th and most 7th Grade Students & Adaptive Special Education Students

• Students taking the following courses: Math 6 and Math 7
• Normal 7:00 a.m. Arrival to School

8th graders and some 7th graders - Asynchronous learning at home

May 31st

8th Grade Students & Adaptive Special Education Students

• Normal 7:00 a.m. Arrival to School

• 8th grades students will take their Civics/Science SOL Test

6th Grade Students & 7th Grade Students

• Delayed 10:35 a.m. Arrival to School

• 6th & 7th graders complete virtual learning activities remotely prior to 10:35 a.m. arrival to school

• Students will report directly to 3rd Block

SOL for Middle School

Wednesday, May 31, 2023 pickup from Neighborhood bus stops. Student the route number is displayed in the black box on the bus.

All students should be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to estimated bus times.

Route 2 Mrs. O. Anderson

10:10 – Jessica & Wilcoxen (circle)

10:13 – Andrew & Scotty

10:15 – Andrew & Christopher

Route 3 Mr. Hodge

10:10 – Cabbel & Kirby

10:13 – Cabbel & Polk

Route 4 Mrs. Romero

10:10 – Cabbel & Forrest

10:15 – Manassas & Courtney (E)

Route 5 Mrs. Chavez-Saravia

10:15 – Cabbel & Moseby

10:18 – Manassas & Kent (on Kent)

Route 7 Mrs. Salmeron

10:10 – W. Carondelet & Digital (PS)

10:12 – Digital & Creek View

10:14 – Digital & Elm

10:15 – Digital & Palisades (Students from the gated community walk to this stop.)

Route 8 Mrs. Taylor

10:10 – Colburn & Luxor

10:13 – Colburn & Walden

Route 9 Ms. Farrell

10:05 – Holden & Luxor

10:09 – 2095 OCR

10:10 – 2081 OCR

10:11 – OCR & Runyon

10:12 – OCR & Yost

10:14 – 187 Old Centreville Rd.

10:15 – 161 (OCR & Polk)

Route 12 Mrs. Berry

10:10 – Manassas & Zachary

10:12 – Matthew & Nancy

10:13 – Matthew & S. Whitt

10:14 – S. Whitt & Jan

10:15 – Brandon & S. Whitt

10:16 – Matthew & Brandon

Route 14 Mrs. Williams

10:15 – Euclid & Lapaz

10:17 – Conner & Hamilton

10:18 – Conner & General Way

10:21 – Sandstone & Cartwright

Route 15 Mr. Sandfilippo

10:20 – Overhill & White Pine

10:22 – White Pine & Sandstone

10:24 – Manassas & Overhill (E)

Route 16 Mrs. Reyes

10:10 – Franklin & Market (Students from Artena Apts walk here.)

10:15 – W. Carondelet & Silver Meteor

10:16 – W. Carondelet & Black Hawk

10:17 – W. Carondelet & Primrose

Route 17 Mr. Pollard

10:10 – Matthew & Michael

10:12 – Matthew & William

10:13 – William & Stephanie

10:15 – Stephanie & Laurie

10:17 – Manassas & Greenshire

Route 18 Mr. Granados

10:10 – Lambert & Holden

10:13 – Denver & Holden (on Holden)

10:15 – Holden & Colburn

Route 19 Mrs. Newman

10:15 – Manassas & Mace (W)

10:18 – Sheldon & Baker

Route 22 Mrs. Brathwaite

10:10 – Manassas & Cabbel (W)

10:13 – Cabbel & Scott

Route 23 Mrs. Pantoja

10:10 – Manassas & Martin (W)

10:13 – Lambert & Yost

10:17 – Denver & Lambert

Route 25 Mrs. Moncada

10:10 – Manassas & Colfax W

10:12 – Colfax & Meeker

10:15 – Travis & Kent

Route 32 Mrs. Sandoval-Carrillo

10:15 – Manassas & 1st Evans (W)

10:17 – Manassas & 2nd Evans (W)

Route 36 Mrs. Rivera

10:10 – Manassas & Denver

10:13 – Travis & Alpine

10:17 – Manassas & Price (E)

Route 38 Mrs. Lucero

10:15 – Manassas & Cynthia

10:18 – Manassas & Golf

10:20 – Manassas & Arnie

#MPMSCougarPRIDE

Parents of returning students must access the PowerSchool Enrollment online forms through the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://mpark.powerschool.com/public . The online forms contain the demographic and emergency information you entered last year. During this process, you will verify the information is accurate or update any information that has changed.

Parents will also electronically sign annual agreement forms for school district policies.

At least one parent is required to create a PowerSchool Parent Portal account. If you have multiple children in Manassas Park City Schools, you must verify the information for each student; however, only one parent account is necessary.

• If you have created a PowerSchool Parent Portal account in a previous school year, please use that account to log in. Please do not create a new account.
• If you have not created a PowerSchool parent account, directions can be found at http://www.mpark.net/parents/directions-for-parent-portal.

If you have questions about your account, please contact your child’s school for assistance.

In preparation for the opening of registration this summer and to make the process as smooth as possible, please login to verify your existing PowerSchool Parent Portal account or create a new PowerSchool Parent Portal account if not already created prior to the end of the 2022-2023 school year.

Congratulations to Science Teacher Ms. Reardon who is the recipient of the WUSA9 / Washington Gas ECO Challenge!

Check it out!

MPMS $5,000 ECO Challenge Winner | Manassas Park Middle School | wusa9.com

Ms. Reardon's winning submission focuses on our school garden and the goal to create a greener future! For years, Ms. Reardon has served as the dedicated curator of the MPMS garden, providing students with a valuable platform to explore the wonders of gardening and nature. In addition to the incredible prize of $5,000, both Ms. Reardon and our school have been granted the invaluable opportunity of mentorship through from the prestigious Smithsonian’s Science Center! This well-deserved recognition and award will allow Ms. Reardon and her students to expand the garden’s impact on our school community and beyond.

Congratulations and THANK YOU to Ms. Reardon!

The Course Selection Window has “officially” ended. MPMS Counselors will be supporting students who have not yet completed their course requests in the coming weeks! Please be sure to bring laptops/chargers every day to school!

MPMS Program of Studies

6th Grade Course Selection

7th Grade Course Selection

8th Grade Course Selection

Questions about your child's course selections? Please contact:

Ms. Bumbara for current 6th graders;

Ms. Brickey for current 7th graders;

Ms. Osborne for current 8th graders and next year's 6th graders; or

Ms. Roach, Lead Counselor

At MPMS, we are fortunate to be able to offer high school credit-bearing course Algebra I, Geometry, and Spanish I to our Middle Schoolers. Below is important information about these credits and student transcripts. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's school counselor.

High School Credit-Bearing Courses Taken in Middle School

Greetings from Athletics!

We hope that everyone has enjoyed the spring season. Our teams have been working extremely hard against some very strong opponents. As the teams enter the last couple weeks of the regular season, Boys Track looks forward to the Regional Track Meet that will take place on May 25 at Manassas Park.

It is time to start preparing for the 2023-24 School Year. You must have a current Student Athlete Physical on file with the Athletic Department that is dated after May 1, 2023. The physical and other required forms along with any information about MS Athletics can be found on the Athletic Website Under Athletics. You can submit your paperwork to the main office or Ms. Bush (Assistant Athletic Director) in PE. If you use insurance for an annual athletic physical, we highly encourage you to use this opportunity to make appointments between May 1 and August 1 so your physicals are good for the entire school year.

Season Dates for 2023-24:

Fall: August 28 – November 3

Winter 1: November 13 – January 19

Winter 2: January 22 – March 16

Spring: March 18 – May 24

Additional Information:

Tickets prices for MS:

• $1 for Middle School and Elementary Students
• $3 for High School Students and Adults
• Kids under 6 and Adults over 60 are free.
• Staff Members with ID Badges are free.

GAME DAY POLICY: Prince William County Schools has implemented a NO BAG policy for spectators. Please leave your bags in your vehicles when attending away events at their schools.

Ticket Prices For HS:

• MPHS game tickets are purchased online through the athletic website or the HomeTown ticket app ($6.00 plus fees).
• The HS will also accept cash at the gate, $7.00.
• Kids under 6 and adults over 60 are free.
• Staff members with ID Badges are free.

GAME DAY POLICY: Prince William County Schools has implemented a NO BAG policy for spectators. Please leave your bags in your vehicles when attending away events at their schools.

Please use our website (www.mparkathletics.com) to keep up to date with Cougar Athletics. This site provides information about tryouts, schedules, scores, coaches and more for both our Middle School and High School Teams. In addition to the website, we have a new Athletic Department App which is free to download for both Apple and Android. Finally, you will want to follow us on Twitter @MPCougars. Game day updates or changes will come through Twitter. We also use Instagram (mpcougars).

If your child will be absent from school for a doctor's appointment or an illness, please email MS Attendance at MPMSattendance@mpark.net and include the reason for their absence in your email. If you have a document associated with the absence, you can attach it to the email. As always, you can also call us at 703.361.1510 or our Attendance Line at 571.428.2831.

The Virginia Department of Education is now accepting applications from parents for tutoring microgrants for their children through Governor Glenn Youngkin’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants program. Youngkin created the program to help Virginia families address the impact of the pandemic on student learning.

The $30 million program provides $1,500 grants to parents of school-age children for tutoring in English, mathematics, science and history, as well as foreign languages required to meet diploma requirements. Children from homes with family incomes at 300% or less of the federal poverty level may qualify for $3,000 grants. Grants may also be used for support services such as speech language pathology and reading interventions.

“We are excited to open the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants application window just as school divisions are providing parents with Student Assessment Summary Reports detailing their students’ academic strengths and the areas they need support to be on track with their peers,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons said. “It is essential that parents have both the information and the support that the report and the grants provide. I encourage every parent to take advantage of free tutoring to support their child.”

Available services include in-person, online and hybrid tutoring provided one-on-one and in small group or large-group settings. Parents of students with disabilities may also use up to $750 of their awards for the purchase of assistive technologies specified in their child’s Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan.

The grant program is open to parents of any public, private, parochial or home-school student in grades K-12 residing in Virginia. The first step in the process is to visit VDOE’s K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants page and create an application account for either a $1,500 or $3,000 grant.

Once parents are notified that their application has been accepted and approved, they will be able to log into the K-12 Learning Acceleration Grants “digital wallet” to select from a variety of vetted, pre-approved tutors.

All grant payments will be issued directly by VDOE to selected tutors and service providers with no out-of-pocket expenses to families. At least $750 of each grant must be spent by August 15; otherwise, the remaining funds will be reallocated to other applicants.

Here at MPMS our students have worked very hard to create this memory book that highlights school events and cultures within our community. We hope you will support our students and purchase a yearbook so you can read about their accomplishments and remember this pivotal moment in their lives. The current yearbook price is 35 dollars payable online, cash or check to MPMS. Students must submit all yearbook payments to Ms. Odegbami or to the front office.

Aquí en MPMS, nuestros estudiantes han trabajado muy duro para crear este libro de recuerdos que destaca los eventos escolares y las culturas dentro de nuestra comunidad. Esperamos que apoye a nuestros estudiantes y compre un anuario para que pueda leer sobre sus logros y recordar este momento crucial en sus vidas. El precio actual del anuario es de 35 dólares pagaderos en efectivo o cheque a MPMS. Los estudiantes deben enviar todos los pagos del anuario a la Sra. Odegbami o a la oficina principal.

Online Report Cards - Reviewing and Digitally Signing

Report cards will be available online through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Third quarter report cards were posted on April 12th. Manassas Park City Schools is requesting that parents review their student’s report card and digitally sign that the report card has been reviewed.

Please follow the directions below to review and digitally sign your student’s report card.

• Login to the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://mpark.powerschool.com/public

• If you need assistance logging into your Parent Portal account, please contact your student’s school.

• On the left menu, click on Student Reports.

• Under Archived Reports, click on the linked report card name to view your student’s report card for the most recent quarter.

• Review your student’s report card.

• Click the Submit Digital Signature button to confirm review of your student's report card.

There have been an increased number of meningococcal disease reported in eastern Virginia.

This is a serious bacterial infection that can spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions.

The meningitis vaccine can provide protection against meningococcal disease and students should receive their first dose prior to entering 7th grade. A second booster is required prior to entering 12th grade.

To help our Manassas Park students obtain these required vaccines, plans are underway to host a vaccine clinic on the afternoon of May 3rd.

Parents to Rising 7th graders (current 6th graders):

Please see the important letters from the VDH regarding all three required vaccines: HPV, Tdap, and Meningococcal:

HPV Vaccine Information for Parents of Rising 7th Graders

HPV Vaccine Information for Parents of Rising 7th Graders - Spanish Version

Additional Tdap information can be found on the VDH website

Tdap Information for Parents

Tdap Information for Parents - Spanish Version

More details to follow in the coming weeks!

Nurse Shaw

• Parents - Quick TIP about Absences: If your child will be absent from school, please email Ms. Romero at Cynthia.romero@mpark.net and include the reason for their absence in your email. If you have a document associated with the absence, you can attach it to the email. As always, you can also call us at 703.361.1510.

• Car riders - Safety Tip: Be sure to exit /enter your car at the sidewalk in front MPMS.

• Free Lunches and Grab and Go breakfasts are available to all students.

• Remember - please do not bring or send outside food to students during the school day. We have great lunches here but students are also welcome to being a packed lunch with them each day.

• In the morning, students are welcome to pick up breakfast as early as 7:05AM.

• At 7:05AM, all students should head directly to their homeroom.

• Start the day off right! Be on time. The tardy bell rings at 7:17AM.

• Discuss and practice daily before and after school routines.

• Please make sure your child charges their Chromebook every night and has in their backpack as they head off to school each morning.

• Create a designated study space and time for learning at home.

We want your student to achieve at their maximum potential. To do this, we need to make sure the school day and instructional time are safe, focused, and distractions are limited. Please partner with us and talk with your student about following these important Expectations for Excellence:

• Cell phones are to be off and away during the school day. Students may use their phone during lunch, before school, and after school. As needed, students may utilize the front office phone to communicate with parents. Our front office team is happy to assist.

• Hats and hoods are to not to be worn while in the school building.

Regular Schedule - Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays

PRIDE Block Schedule - Tuesdays

Please make sure your student is in school and in class by 7:17AM so they are on time for learning. Thank you! #CougarPRIDE

Our school issued Chromebooks are a big part of our learning here at MPMS! We would like to partner with you to make sure your child is ready for school each day by having their Chromebook fully charged and their charger in their backpack on standby in case they need to add a boost of charge.

We encourage students to care for their Chromebooks by following the helpful tips in the infographics below!

As students are surfing the Internet and exploring our digital world, let’s remember to be good Digital Citizens and be mindful of our screentime.

A great resource for families is Common Sense Media. They have a wide collection of resources in both English and Spanish to help support our tweens and teens.

Please check out the helpful infographics below regarding the Care of Your Chromebook!

Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands.

Please sign up for the Harris Teeter Together in Education program and select MPMS (school code 6643).

It’s easy – here is the link: https://www.harristeeter.com/together-in-education. When you’re in the store at Harris Teeter, the cashiers and customer service folks can also help you link your VIC card to the school of your choice.

Thank you!