Maplewood E-News
"Success For Every Student"
October 3, 2021
News and Notes From the Principal
Dear, Mustang Families -
Happy October! I hope the message finds everyone well. We had another great week at Maplewood Middle School. Here are some items I want to make sure you are aware of as we begin a new week.
Morning Bus Route Time Change: Here is another friendly reminder that All secondary school bus routes will begin picking students up five minutes earlier starting this Monday and continuing through the rest of the year.
Home Covid Tests Available: Starting Monday, we will be able to send BinaxNOW antigen tests home with symptomatic students. We are happy that will make testing much easier for families.
October Conferences: Conferences are coming up on October 26th and 28th from 3:00 to 7:00. The first night of conferences will be arena-style in the gym; the second night will be via Zoom. We had a lot of success with our Zoom conferences last year. Providing an in-person and Zoom option will hopefully make conferences more accessible for more of our families. Look for more information in the coming weeks about how to sign-up for Zoom conferences if that’s your preference.
Levy Vote: On November 2, 2021, School District 622 residents will be able to vote on whether to renew the existing operating levy. In addition, residents will consider a capital project levy, something District 622 has never had before.
Question 1 is a no-tax-increase renewal of our existing levy. It was first approved by voters in 2011 and expires next year.
Question 2 will provide digital curriculum and classroom tools, establish a replacement cycle for more than 10,000 district-owned devices, provide technology staffing and support the technology infrastructure needed.
If voters approve both the no-tax-increase renewal of our existing operating levy, as well as the new capital projects levy, the average homeowner ($250,000 home) would see a tax increase of $5.75 per month.
This short video (less than two minutes) provides a helpful overview. Levy 2021 Informational Video
We are here to help. Please reach out to the school at 651-748-6500 if you have any questions or need help with something.
Thanks,
Eric Mjolsness
Principal
Knowledge Bowl
Do you enjoy trivia? Do you like learning and sharing fun facts? Then you should join Knowledge Bowl! Knowledge Bowl is a fun, trivia style quiz game working in teams to compete against others. Questions come from all types of subjects and teams work together to come up with answers. Knowledge Bowl will meet on Thursdays after school in Ms. McCarthy's room, 308. Teams compete in four meets between November and February. Meets occur after school and last until early evening. Families and friends are always welcome at meets!
We will start our first practice on Thursday, November 4. It is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Grab a friend and show up for some trivia fun!
Debate Club
Do you like to argue?
Do you always need to be right?
DEBATE CLUB may be for you!!
New to the entire District this year is DEBATE: We are creating a program with Augsburg College that will continue through high school.
Come see what it is all about! An informational meeting in room 319 with Ms Murphy will be held on October 5th at 2:05 pm OR October 6th 7:15 am. If you are interested and cannot attend please feel free to email Ms Murphy at jmurphy@isd622.org or stop in 319.
Girls Basketball and Boys and Girls Wrestling
7th and 8th grade girls basketball and 6th-8th grade boys and girls wrestling will begin on Friday, October 29th. If your student is interested they must have a current sports physical turned into Maplewood and then register online. Please email Katie Wirth (kwirth@isd622.org) with any questions.
Athletics Schedule For This Week
Monday, October 4th
6th-8th Flag Football - No Practice
7th-8th Boys Soccer @ Skyview Middle 3:00 start
7th-8th Girls Soccer @ Skyview Middle 3:00 start
8th Volleyball @ Mahtomedi Middle 3:30 start
7th Volleyball @ Maplewood vs. Mahtomedi 3:30 start
6th-8th Girls Tennis @ Hastings Middle 3:30 start
Tuesday, October 5th
6th-8th Flag Football - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th-8th Boys Soccer - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th-8th Girls Soccer - Practice 2:15-3:50
8th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
6th-8th Girls Tennis - Practice 2:15-3:50
Wednesday, October 6th
No Athletics
Thursday, October 7th
6th-8th Flag Football - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th-8th Boys Soccer @ Richfield Middle 4:00 start
7th-8th Girls Soccer @ Richfield Middle 4:00 start
8th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
6th-8th Girls Tennis - Practice 2:15-3:50
Friday, October 8th
6th-8th Flag Football @ Skyview Middle 3:00 start
7th-8th Boys Soccer - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th-8th Girls Soccer - Practice 2:15-3:50
8th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
7th Girls Volleyball - Practice 2:15-3:50
6th-8th Girls Tennis - Practice 2:15-3:50
Travel Opportunity
Dear Parents and Guardians,
You and your student are invited to join us on an upcoming educational tour. I’m pleased to announce that we will be traveling to London, Paris, Rome, Pompeii, and Capri in June of 2022.
While I fully recognize that we are still in the midst of very uncertain times, I am a firm believer in maintaining hope and excitement for the future and all the adventures yet to come when our world opens up again. I want to provide students with this same hope, which is why I can’t wait to tell you more.
There is incredible growth that comes with seeing the world, exploring new places and experiencing new cultures - and I’m excited to bring that opportunity to your family and our community.
This trip will fill up fast, so please join my informational webinar to learn:
How this opportunity will benefit your child
What we’ll see and do on this trip
Everything that’s included in this experience
How we’re keeping the trip safe and as affordable
as possible for a big investment
How to enroll on the trip
Our virtual meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 28th at 6pm - there are limited spots available so don’t miss your opportunity to reserve your seat. One parent must be in attendance.
WHEN: Tuesday, September 28th, 2021
WHERE: Zoom Link when RSVPd
TIME: 6pm
Please let me know if you can come by RSVPing to the meeting directly via our link below by September 27th: https://bit.ly/3E0bufd
Can’t make the meeting but want more information? RSVP and select “I can’t make it.”
Warm regards,
Amber Gardner
AVID Coordinator & Advanced Academics/SAIL & Young Scholars Coordinator & Teacher
Math Team
The Maplewood math team will begin its practices September 13th in room 108. If you like math, being challenged , and making new friends, please join us to check it out! We will meet each Monday from 2-3:45 from September until January!
Scheduled Non-School Days 2021-2022
Thursday, October 21st-Friday, October 22nd: MEA Break
Monday, November 1st: Staff Development Day
Tuesday, November 2nd: Election Day
Wednesday, November 24th: Staff Development Day
Thursday, November 25th-Friday, November 26th: Thankgiving
Friday, December 3rd: Staff Development
December 23rd-31st: Winter Break
Monday, January 17th: Martin Luther King Day
Monday, February 21st: Presidents' Day
Friday, February 25th: Staff Development Day
Friday, March 4th: Staff Development Day
March 7th - 11th: Spring Break
Friday, April 15th: Contract Holiday
Friday, May 27th: Staff Work Day
Monday, May 30: Memorial Day