Millis Middle School
Weekly Community Newsletter
Archived MMS Weekly Newsletter
week ending 12/22/23
A note from our Principal
It is incredible that 2023 is already coming to an end! We are so proud of our students, and how they are flourishing in their classrooms and extracurriculars! Thank you all for your support with our power situation earlier this week. Your children really stepped up and supported each other in an unexpected predicament. Our small school, big family vibe was in full effect! Our eighth graders did a wonderful job on their field trip- we couldn't be more proud of their maturity and cooperation. A big thank you to Mrs. Sharon Monaghan for coordinating an exciting experience for our students and to Shawn Fallon for treating our eighth graders to a pizza party with his famous chocolate chip cookies when they returned from the play. What's better than hot pizza, cool salad and fruit, and warm cookies? We look forward to what the New Year will bring and the wonderful things our students and staff will do.
Our theme for January is REFLECTION and as we round the corner into the New Year, we thought it a perfect time to work on contemplating the various forms of feedback we receive throughout the day. Self awareness and regulation are important skills to develop during the middle school years. We are very proud of our students for showing kindness and compassion to their peers and also learning to be kind and compassionate to themselves as they grow.
We at Millis Middle School would like to wish you all a nice, relaxing winter break and we hope you get the chance to enjoy some moments doing something you love. Happy Holidays and we will see you in the New Year!
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Grade Eight travels to Providence
On Thursday our eighth graders traveled to Trinity Theater in Providence to see a production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Prior to the trip, our entire eighth grade performed the play broken up by staves and presented to their peers and teachers. They did a great job and their creativity and effort was fabulous!
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Teamwork makes the dream work!
Students have been wonderful at adjusting to Middle School routines and student skills. Now that the first trimester has concluded we have determined that students need some support regarding executive function, organization and time management. We've provided each student with a planner and lessons in PLT to organize assignments, timing and prioritizing and also work completion. Students have been prompted and reminded to charge their devices and to arrive to school on time. Now after a full trimester, students have had their grace period and will have resulting actions for repeating offenses. We need your help to prompt them to charge their devices, wake up with enough time to arrive to school on time and to make sure to complete assignments. Raising middle schoolers definitely takes a village. Thank you all for being so supportive and involved with your students. We appreciate your partnership on this middle school journey with us!
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Erynne S has been selected as our Project 351 Ambassador!!
Congratulations to Erynne!!
Erynne exemplifies an outstanding commitment to her academic pursuits, consistently demonstrating a strong work ethic and unwavering diligence. Not only does she excel in collaborative efforts with her peers, but she also exhibits an impressive ability to thrive independently. Her kindness and respect extend beyond her academic achievements, as she consistently displays courteous and considerate behavior towards both her classmates and the school's teachers and staff. Erynne's exceptional qualities make her the epitome of an ideal candidate to represent Millis Middle School in the prestigious Project 351, embodying the values of leadership, teamwork, and community engagement that the initiative seeks to promote.
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Important Dates Coming Up
January 2024
2 - Back to School - Classes resume
15 - Martin Luther King Day - No School
26 - Early Release Day, dismissal @ 10:55
29 - Talent Show Auditions 2:20 p.m. - for Millis Middle School students only
February 2024
15 - Talent Show
19 - 23 - February School Break, no school
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Millis Middle School Talent Show Auditions coming up!
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All School Assembly
Last week we had our monthly All School Assembly. We had a lovely presentation of the many holidays celebrated by community members by students from Mrs. Lahah's PLT and recognition of several acts of kindness and friendship. Students commended by their teachers are shown below! What a wonderful sentiment to celebrate this season!
Our community also wanted to publicly recognize several of our teachers:
Mrs. Simpson: We appreciate Mrs. Simpson’s kindness and patience, and her willingness to always help all students in every subject!
Mrs. Robinson: A trusted confidante in the school who selflessly gives her time, Mrs. Robinson always offers compassionate support to those in need.
Mrs. Monaghan: With unwavering enthusiasm, Mrs. Monaghan is committed to enriching our students' lives as they grow. Her helpful and nurturing approach creates a supportive environment to all!
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Holiday Concert
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Community Service Opportunities from MHS
Peer Leaders Thrift Shop Donations Needed
Did you get gifted a sweater from your Grandma that you know you will never wear? Donate it to the Peer Leaders thrift shop! How about those clothes in your closet that you are just done with but are still in good shape? Donate them to the thrift shop! The Peer Leaders are accepting new and gently used clothing for their upcoming thrift shop (January 11). Donation boxes are set up in Mrs. Dunn’s office and Mr. Alconada’s room. Please bring in your donations starting next week!
LEOs Club Collection
The Millis LEOS are collecting for their annual "Gift Cards for Millis Teens" drive. You can drop off cash or a check made out to Millis LEOS at Millis High School, c/o the LEOS, or Venmo LEOS President @Lindzey-Murillo, and the LEOS will shop for the cards. You can donate an entire gift card, too. The cards will be given to School Resource Officer, Zach Forsythe, who will work to ensure they are distributed to Millis teens in need.
If you'd rather donate a toy, you can drop off an unwrapped toy at Millis High School c/o The LEOS, or at 96 Cottage Ave, in Millis. The toys will be donated to Project Just Because in Hopkinton.
Both drives will run until Thursday, December 21st.
Environmental Action Collection
On Sunday, January 14th, the Environmental Action Club at Millis High School will be picking up any redeemable bottles and cans from residents in the Town of Millis. This money will go towards supporting the club and future donations that will be made to environmental non-profits, or other activities, to ensure climate education and awareness. Please put your name and address on the form linked to below (or scan the QR code) if you would be willing to donate. You can leave the bottles and cans out the morning of January 14th, by your front door, garage, or in the driveway. Environmental Action volunteers will come by and pick them up for you between 10AM-12PM! If you have any questions, please email: isabri25@millisschools.org. Happy New Year!
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Senior Project: Funding a Service Dog for Millis Middle School
Paige Zarnofsky, a senior at Millis High, is seeking donations for her senior project. She is fundraising for a service dog for the middle school. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a significant rise in students’ mental health issues at the middle school level. We’ve seen the benefits of having our beloved Harry, the service dog, at the high school level. We would love for our middle school students to be able to have the same opportunity. I’m hoping our community can come together and make this happen for our middle school students. Any donations or sharing this senior project is greatly appreciated. If interested in donating or have any questions you can reach Paige through email at paizar24@millisschools.org. Thank you!