Maple Avenue Middle School
Back to School Newsletter August 2019
Welcome Back!
We are so pleased that the school year is underway; we look forward to a great year! As always, we value the relationships and connections that are forged between families and school. This is established through a partnership built on communication and a shared desire to see your student succeed. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student's teacher with any questions you may have.
Introducing Mr. Gnall!
My name is Ed Gnall. I will be serving as one of our two secondary assistant principals stationed here at MAMS. I am looking forward to meeting everyone at Open House! If you see me around, please come talk to me. I am excited to get to know our families and become part of the Littlestown team. Go Bolts!
Student Handbook Acknowledgement
If you have not already done so, please print and submit the last page of the Student Handbook ASAP. Paper copies are available in the front office.
Side Note: This is a separate acknowledgement from the Acceptable Use Policy that you signed in conjunction with the Technology Handbook. This is regarding our Maple Avenue Student Handbook.
Follow this link for access to the Student Handbook.
It's Heating Up @ MAMS
The start (and end) of each school year always presents a challenge in an older building such as MAMS. It is often quite warm. We encourage our teachers to utilize the air conditioned areas as much as possible, as well as encouraging water breaks. Please send your student to school with a refillable water bottle. (Water only)
Cell Phone Expectations
All secondary classrooms will experience a tightening of the "Red Zone" expectations. All teachers will be given a cell phone "parking lot" that students will be required to utilize during class to house their phones. As always, teachers have the authority to turn the classroom into a Green Zone for educational purposes. Although, it is our experience that in the land of 1:1 devices, cell phones are rarely needed in the classroom.
We hope that this will limit the cell phone as a distraction, and help the students to focus on the business at hand.
Sapphire Portal
If you do not already have a Sapphire Parent account, please enroll now. The portal will allow parents/guardians to access attendance, grades (6-12), discipline, and student demographic information. Each parent or guardian may apply for a single account which will allow you to view information on each student in your family enrolled in the Littlestown Area School District.
Instructions to apply for a parent account are available on our website. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for accounts to be processed. Once the parent account has been approved, you will receive an email with a PIN to log into the Sapphire Community Portal.
Questions should be forwarded to sapphirehelp@lasd.k12.pa.us
Instructions to apply for a parent account are available on our website. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for accounts to be processed. Once the parent account has been approved, you will receive an email with a PIN to log into the Sapphire Community Portal.
Questions should be forwarded to sapphirehelp@lasd.k12.pa.us
PAC (Parent Advisory Council)
Please contact the school office if you would like to be a part of the Parent Advisory Council at Maple Avenue. This is a great way to stay involved at school! The PAC helps to provide meals for teachers during parent teacher conferences, organize fundraisers, supports school functions like Grandparent's Day, and plans and hosts the 8th Grade Farewell. Please let us know if you are interested in joining!
Vaping in Pennsylvania
Check out the great new resource and information from the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs! (Below)