Eagles' Notes
September 9, 2019, Principal Lorraine Johnson
Madras Middle School
Email: MadrasNews@cowetaschools.org
Website: http://www.cowetaschools.net/mms
Location: 240 Edgeworth Road, Newnan, GA, United States
Phone: 770-254-2744
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MadrasEagles
Twitter: @MadrasEagles
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Mid-Term Progress Reports
Pajama Bottom Day is Friday, September 13th
Ferst Foundation Literacy Coin Drive
Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy (FFCL) is a public 501 (c) 3 nonprofit with the mission to "provide books for local communities to prepare preschool children for reading and learning success." FFCL strives to improve early learning opportunities for every child regardless of income, race, religion or gender with the philosophy that any child who cannot read is at-risk.
This will be the eleventh year that the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy has been approved to have a coin drive with the Coweta County School System. Our school system will maintain this partnership and are asking for your continued support. Each year, students and staff have helped to strengthen preschool literacy in Coweta County. Last year $12,978.61was donated by our school system. This generous donation provided over 4,879 age appropriate books and literacy information opportunities to preschool children and their parents throughout Coweta County.
Madras Middle School will be participating in the drive beginning this week through September 25th. A coin jug is set up in the cafeteria for students to donate during lunch, and Friday, September 13th is PJ Bottoms Day. For a $1.00 donation or more, students can wear pajama bottoms to school in support of childhood literacy. You can read more about the Ferst Foundation below.
Ferst Foundation’s Mission
- To provide age-appropriate books for every child under the age of five in Coweta County
Did You Know?
- Sixty-one percent of low-income families do not have a single piece of age-appropriate reading material in their home?
- One-third of Georgia’s children start school unprepared to learn?
- Seventy-five percent of Georgia’s students who are poor readers in the third grade will remain poor readers in high school?
How Do Books Help?
- The more words a child hears, the larger the child’s vocabulary and the larger the child’s vocabulary, the more likely the child will be a proficient reader. However, in order to read with a child, books must be in the home.
20% Off at O'Charley's Restaurant!
Inclement weather procedures for Coweta Schools
The Coweta County School System wants to remind parents and the community of the procedures that schools and the school system follow in the event of severe weather conditions throughout the school year.
During severe weather watches or warnings, the school system works with local authorities to monitor conditions and proceeds with arrival and dismissal based upon known conditions. Weather conditions change rapidly, and adjustments are made as needed.
In the event that schools are delayed, closed or released early, there are a variety of ways that the school system notifies parents, including:
Automated phone call (OneCallNow)
Media outlets (television, radio and media websites)
District website (www.cowetaschools.net)
Twitter (@CowetaSchools)
Parents are urged to make sure that their child’s school has their latest contact information, including new phone numbers, so that they can be contacted during such events.
In the event of severe weather, a determination will be made each day on whether to continue the closure or delay school, based on anticipated travel conditions and other factors. Once a determination is made, the school system will notify parents and the community about the next day’s status.
The school system tries to make such determinations as quickly as possible, but storm severity, weather arrival and anticipated travel conditions can be difficult to assess. If the school system cannot make a final determination on the evening before a school day, a determination early the following morning is necessary. Notices are typically placed on the system’s website (cowetaschools.net) that the school system is continuing to evaluate conditions. The school system will notify parents immediately once a determination to close or delay school is made.
In the event of a school delay, the system will notify parents of the length of the delay. For a delay of two hours, for example, parents and students should assume that all normal school procedures are delayed two hours. Bus pick-up is two hours from usual times (at 9:00 or 9:30 a.m., for example, though parents should anticipate the possibility of some delay). School classes will also start two hours later (at 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. for example), though school dismissal times would remain the same (2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.).
Other weather-related contingencies or tips include:
In the case of tornado warnings, buses are re-routed to the nearest school sites and shelter in place. Buses may also utilize fire stations, if needed. Once a tornado warning has been lifted, and conditions are safe, bus service will resume.
Parents of bus riders should also be aware that extremely cold morning temperatures can cause delays on morning routes. A severe storm watch may also cause delays. Our transportation department works to pick up students as quickly as possible during these conditions.
Steps parents can take include ensuring children are dressed as warmly as possible during the winter months and remaining with children until they are picked up when extreme weather conditions exist.
In the event of school closure, schools often employ a number of resources through which parents or students can stay abreast of school work and assignments, including Remind texts from teachers, Google Classroom, class websites, or online quizzes assigned by teachers.
It is important that parents update their emergency contact information with their child’s school, including home and work phone numbers for our calling system.
Madras Welcomes Guest Speaker, Shaun Golden (Weds)
Media Notes
Karen Pitts, Media Specialist
Coweta County School System Letter to Parents Regarding E-Cigarettes
Dear Parents,
Coweta County School System administrators have continued to see an increasing number of incidents involving the use of e-cigarettes by middle and high school students. This follows a rise in student use of the devices in recent years. Our school system wants to alert parents to this trend, and to share information regarding e-cigarettes and their detrimental effects on teens and young adults.
Several health organizations have provided guidance to help to combat this growing issue in our schools. These include information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/tobacco/features/back-to-school/e-cigarettes-talk-to-youth-about-risks/index.html), which notes that “since 2014, e-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among US middle and high school students.” The U.S. Surgeon General (e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov) warns that “many e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive,” as well as other harmful substances. Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched its first tobacco prevention campaign “The Real Cost” in 2014, to educate at-risk teens on the harmful effects of cigarette smoking, and expanded it to educate teens on the dangers of e-cigarette use in 2018. A full list of educational resources like these can be found on the school system’s website (www.cowetaschools.net).
According to the CDC, e-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air. E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. In fact, some e-cigarettes are so small that they are very difficult to detect, and may even resemble pens or USB drives to casual observers. E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping” or “JUULing.” The CDC also reports that the use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for children, teens, and young adults. These devices often contain extremely high levels of nicotine, or can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine such as THC.
It is against Georgia law for a minor to buy or possess vaping products. Additionally, the use or possession of e-cigarettes in our schools is a serious violation of the Coweta County School System code of conduct. School administrators have been advised to treat it as such. Students who use e-cigarettes at school may be subjected to severe disciplinary consequences, including suspension from school or possible placement in alternative school.
Please talk with your child about the health risks and other consequences that are associated with the use of e-cigarettes. Feel free to contact your child’s school or our school system offices if you have any questions. And please refer to our school system’s website for resources that may help you talk with your child at home. Your child’s safety, and the maintenance of a healthy and safe school environment, are our school system’s top priorities. We appreciate parents’ support in this mission.
Resources about e-cigarettes and young people:
- Facts About Vaping (for Parents) from Cancer Treatment Centers of America
- Facts About Vaping (for Students) from Cancer Treatment Centers of America
- FDA Information on E-Cigarettes
- CDC Quick Facts on the Use of E-Cigarettes
- CDC E-Cigarettes and Young People
- Georgia Department of Public Health Information
- US Surgeon General’s warning about E-Cigarettes use among Young People
- Georgia Department of Education Substance Abuse and Prevention Information
- Coweta County Student Code of Conduct (see page 1-3 for relevant sections)
New Chromebooks Will Be Issued September 16th
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Coweta County Board of Education has purchased replacement Chromebooks for middle school students, and we wanted to make you aware of the process for issuing new devices.
New Chromebooks will be issued to students Monday, September 16th.
The new Chromebook is a Lenovo and has a tempered glass touch screen.
The 360 degree keyboard folds back, so the device can be used as a tablet.
The charger is a universal USB C that can easily be replaced.
Students will need to bring their chargers and current Dell Chromebooks on September 16th. These will be collected and repurposed.
Students who do not have their Chromebook and charger or whose Chromebook is irreparably damaged will be assessed a fee which parents will be able to see in Parent Portal. A parent letter will also be sent home.
We encourage parents to consider protection for new Chromebooks such as a case or sleeve. Covers for the current Chromebooks are not compatible with the new ones; however, there are two options from Amazon that work well.
Amazon Basics Laptop Sleeve Case ($8.49) LInk: http://url.ie/14np1
HESTECH Chromebook case Neoprene Sleeve Case Bag Handle ($11.90) LInk: http://url.ie/14np2
All rules stated in the Chromebook Agreement that were signed by students and parents will apply to the new Chromebooks.
The fee charged for intentional damage to the newly issued Chromebooks will be $150 which is substantially less than the price paid by the school system to purchase the device and to prepare it for deployment.
Please review the Chromebook Agreement signed by students and parents previously, and encourage your child to take proper care of his/her new device so it will last for years to come.
Madras Parent Volunteer Training
- September 16, 8:30 or 3:00
- September 30, 8:30 or 3:00
- October 21, 8:30 or 3:00
- November 4 16, 8:30 or 3:00
- December 2, 8:30 or 3:00
- January 13, 8:30 or 3:00
- February 10, 8:30 or 3:00
- March 9, 8:30 or 3:00
- April 13, 8:30 or 3:00
Eagles Host Lee MIddle on September 9th
PTO: Join the Team!
Amy Brandon, PTO President
PTSO: Come Join our Team!
Welcome to Madras! The Mission of the Madras PTSO is to enrich the education of students at MMS by sponsoring and organizing fundraising and school events and by fostering relationships among the school, parents and students.
We have many opportunities to volunteer and get involved at Madras. Here are some examples:
Hospitality Committee - Teachers' Luncheons and Special Events
Box Tops/Coke Rewards/Amazon Smile
School Store - helping in the store 8:00-8:30 AM on a rotational basis
Membership Committee
Snack n Chat (monthly)
Media Center (1-2 hrs per week)
Battle of the Books
Book Fair - Fall and Spring
Scoliosis Screening - one time event
School Pictures
Lamination/Copies for teachers
Special Event Assistance
This year our major focus is purchasing MimioFrame Touch Boards for the classrooms. We are planning for these to be installed during the first half of the school year!
We hope you will consider joining our team! You can join and pay directly online by clicking the ONLINE MEMBERSHIP (Or you can print the FORM and send it and your donation to your child’s homeroom teacher or to the front office. Checks should be made payable to Madras PTSO.)
At MMS, THE MADRAS FUND replaces fundraising. Please consider donating to the MADRAS FUND. MMS PTSO did not need extra fundraising for the last several years thanks to everyone’s support, but every family is needed to participate for continued success!
Suggested donation is $10 per student. Remember, PTSO is doing this so other major forms of fundraising will not be necessary throughout the school year. These donations can be made along with your membership!
If you have any questions, please contact the PTSO Board at madrasmsptso@gmail.com.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Madras Fall Boxtop Competition
Jamie Bowne, PTSO Boxtop Chair
September Contest
- Deadline: Monday, Sept 30
- Reward: Snack-N-Chat Credit
- 50 Box Tops = $1 Snack 'n Chat credit
- 100 Box Tops = $2 Snack 'n Chat credit
All Box Tops need to be turned in by the end of homeroom on Monday, September 31st. Credits may be used at any future Snack-N-Chat.
October Contest
- Deadline: Wednesday Oct 23
- Reward: Homeroom Doughnut Breakfast
All Box Tops need to be turned in by the end of homeroom on Wednesday, October 23rd. The doughnut breakfast will be in homeroom on a date chosen by the teacher. This contest will be a running total of the Box Tops submitted from the beginning of the school year to October 23rd.
Don’t forget to submit receipts on the app.
Box Tops can be submitted by students to homeroom teacher in a plastic bag or taped to a collection sheet.
Be sure to label collection sheet(s) or baggie with student’s name & homeroom teacher to obtain credit.
2019-2020 PTSO Meeting Dates
PTSO Meeting Dates (8:30 am)
Meetings are held at Madras in the front office conference room.
- September 11
- October 9
- November 13
- December 11
- January 8
- February 12
- March 11
- April 1
- May 13
Parent Letter Archives
- (8-5-19) Principal's Letter
- (8-5-19) Allergy Letter
- (8-7-19) Safety Lesson Letter
- (8-7-19) CCSS Safety Information for Parents
- (9-3-19) CCSS Letter to Parents Regarding E-Cigarettes
- (9-4-19) Letter to Parents Regarding Chromebooks
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