Murphy Middle School eNews
February 11, 2016
Color Run T-Shirt Design Contest - Designs Due Tomorrow!
We have set our school goal at $2016.00. Please click on the title above to make a donation!
Murphy Middle School Events & Information
8th Graders Interested in McMillen Cheerleading - Tryout packets now available in McMillen's front office.
Track & Cross Country Meeting for Students - Friday, February 12 at 8:00 a.m. in the MMS Gym. Everyone trying out must have a physical on file.
No School For Students - Monday, February 15
NEHS Induction Ceremony - Monday, February 22 from 6:00 - 7:00 in the MMS Gym
NJHS Induction Ceremony - Monday, February 22 from 7:30 - 8:30 in the MMS Gym
Spring Open House - Monday, February 29
One Act Play Performance by the MMS Theatre Group - Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 in the MMS Cafeteria
Informational Parent Meeting If Interested In McMillen Cheerleading Next Year - Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the McMillen Cafeteria. Questions - contact Lisa Lambert at lisa.lambert@pisd.edu
SPRING BREAK - Monday, March 7 through Friday, March 11
Athletic Events - February
Admission cost for athletic events is $2 for students and $4 for adults. Please help out our ticket takers by bringing small bills.
7th Grade Girls Basketball (6:00 & 7:00 unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, 2/11, Friday, 2/12, Saturday, 2/13 - "B" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
Thursday, 2/18, Friday, 2/19, Saturday, 2/20 - "A" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
7th Grade Boys Basketball (6:00 & 7:00 unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, 2/11, Friday, 2/12, Saturday, 2/13 - "B" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
Thursday, 2/18, Friday, 2/19, Saturday, 2/20 - "A" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
8th Grade Girls Basketball (6:00 & 7:00 unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, 2/11, Friday, 2/12, Saturday, 2/13 - "B" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
Thursday, 2/18, Friday, 2/19, Saturday, 2/20 - "A" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
8th Grade Boys Basketball (6:00 & 7:00 unless otherwise noted)
Thursday, 2/11, Friday, 2/12, Saturday, 2/13 - "B" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
Thursday, 2/18, Friday, 2/19, Saturday, 2/20 - "A" Team Tournament - Time & Location TBD
MMS Whiz Quiz Takes 1st Place at District Tournament
Tammie Regelean
Congratulations to Soumalya Das, Top 10 Collin County Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the following 6th grade students were named big winners at the 2016 Regional Science and Engineering Fair!
2nd place: “Texting & Stones will break My Bones” by Richard Wille
Honorable Mention: “Shocking Shoes” by Anay Gupta & Harsh Patel
1st place & overall grand prize for 6th grade: “How to Become an Olympic Archer” by Aditi & Rishi Mallela and Siddharth Turaga (Pictured Below)
Geography Bee winner - Anish Dave
Each year since opening, Murphy has participated in the National Geographic’s Geography Bee Challenge. This year our school winner is Anish Dave. His next step is to take the test to qualify for the state competition held in HEB. Congratulations Anish!! And good luck!!”
PACE Testing
All PACE referral packets were due to Mr. Matisoff, Murphy’s PACE Specialist, by January 13th. If your child turned in their packet, testing will take place during school for ALL students on February 29th in the DLR. Due to the large number of students testing, it is very important that students be present the day of their test. Additional information was sent home with your child earlier this week.
Students may only bring the following to the DLR (NO BACKPACKS!):
1.) two sharpened #2 pencils with erasers
2.) a healthy snack to eat during our morning break
4.) bottled water
5.) possibly a sweater or jacket in case it is cold
6.) a sack lunch
7.) a good night’s sleep the evening before
8.) a well-balanced breakfast the morning of testing
Dazzler Dance Clinic - Registration Form Attached To eNews Email
Plano ISD - Parental Engagement Survey - Takes Less Than 5 Minutes To Complete
There are many ways in which parents may be involved in the education of their child. Extensive research has shown that activities such as reading and communicating with the child and setting expectations have the largest effect on student achievement. Other forms of parental involvement, such as attendance and participation in school functions, also contribute positively to achievement in school.
This Parental Engagement Survey will help us understand some of the ways in which parents are engaged in the education of their child. This information will guide us in providing support to the parents in our community.
With the 2015-2016 school year in mind, please take a moment to answer this brief survey.
Here are the links to the online survey:
English: http://formscreator.pisd.edu/formhandler/parentalengagementpisd.aspx
Spanish: http://formscreator.pisd.edu/formhandler/parentalengagementpisdsp.aspx
Thank you for your participation.
8th Graders Interested In Trying Out For McMillen Cheerleader
Any 8th grader interested in trying out for McMillen Cheerleader can pick up a tryout packet in the front office beginning Thursday February 11th. There will be an informational parent meeting on Thursday March 3rd at 7:00PM in the McMillen High School cafeteria. Tryouts will be held April 4-8th. Please direct any questions to Lisa Lambert at lisa.lambert@Pisd.edu
Soccer Club Information
Soccer season has started at Murphy MS. The soccer club has 11 teams and 118 students participating this year! The teams play each other every Friday for the next 3 months ending with semifinals and a championship game on April 22nd.
NJHS students who need volunteer hours: make sure contact
Mrs. Isbell or show up on Fridays to help during an early, a late game, or both!
Homework Hot Spot
Murphy’s Homework Hot Spot is here to serve your student. We created this area because we want students to have a teacher supervised area where they have teacher assistance, peer assistance (provided by Murphy NJHS students), or simply a quiet place to finish up homework before their day begins.
The Homework Hot Spot (HHS) is available every Tuesday and Wednesday morning from 7:50 – 8:20 in Mrs. Feil’s room D 111. We will be limiting the number of students coming in for assistance, so come early. See you there!
Grit and the Power of YET!
In order to demonstrate to students the Power of Yet, to encourage them to try again when they struggle, and to develop their grit, teachers will start adding the phrase “Power of Yet Tutorial (with the date and time of the tutorial)” on graded assignments when students are able to make another attempt at mastery. Teachers will also explain this change in grading communication so that students understand the meaning and purpose of “Power of Yet Tutorials.”
Substance Abuse Prevention
In an attempt to put relevant, current, and important information concerning drugs and alcohol prevention directly in front of our parents, the Substance Abuse Prevention Specialists from PISD will be sharing information with principals that can then be shared with parents via eNews.
Here is the first edition:
Drug and Alcohol Prevention Information: Did you know that PISD has a Substance Abuse Prevention website? Here is the link, http://k12.pisd.edu/substance-abuse-prevention be sure to check out the videos linked on the home page and the excellent informational websites linked on the “Resources” page.
Club List - Updated January 2016
out some simple forms.
Here are the clubs that are formed so far - along with the name and email information of the teacher serving as custodian. Meeting times/dates are set by the teacher, so please direct your questions to him/her.
Book Club with Ms. Pearson in the Library (penny.pearson@pisd.edu)
Nintendo Club with Ms. McCutcheon & Ms. Hargrove in B120 (dena.mccutcheon@pisd.edu or lynda.hargrove@pisd.edu)
Star Wars Club with Mr. Murtaugh in B129 (michael.murtaugh@pisd.edu)
Environmental Club with Ms. Pilgrim in E113 (tina.pilgrim@pisd.edu)
Soccer Club with Mr. Murtaugh in B129 (michael.murtaugh@pisd.edu)
Baseball Club with Mr. Lagattuta in E112 (mike.lagattuta@pisd.edu)
Joy Club with Ms. Perry in J105 (clarice.perry@pisd.edu)
Reading Rain Club with Ms. Byrd in E101 (michelle.byrd@pisd.edu)
Mavs Steep Steppers with Ms. Holt in H102 (jemia.holt@pisd.edu)
Basketball Club with Mr. Henson in D101 (brian.henson@pisd.edu)
- Check out the latest Basketball Club News at www.Tinyurl.com/murphybballclub
Tennis Club with Ms. Hachtel in E111 (joey.hachtel@pisd.edu)
French Club with Ms. Nee in K104 (giang.nee@pisd.edu)
Singing & Dancing Club with Mr. Lagattuta in E112 (mike.lagattuta@pisd.edu)
Chef's Club with Ms. Thompson in D112 (kelly.thompson@pisd.edu)
Poetry Club with Ms. Edenkrans in F103 (elizabeth.edenkrans@pisd.edu)
Harry Potter Club with Mr. Lagattuta in E112 (mike.lagattuta@pisd.edu)
Student Council with Ms. Collins & Ms. McAnderson in F104 (karyn.collins@pisd.edu or melissa.mcanderson@pisd.edu)
Maverick Gazette with Mr. Matisoff in N101 (jason.matisoff@pisd.edu)
PTA News & Updates
Important Dates:
February 12th - Color Run T-Shirt Design Contest Deadline
February 16th - Coffee with Dr. Perry
February 16th - PDQ Spirit Night
February 19th - First Box Top Deadline of 2016
2016-2017 Officer Nomination Consideration Request
If you are interested in serving on the MMS PTA Board in any of the following positions, please contact Tanya Hartley, Chair of the MMS Nominating Committee, by Monday, February 15th. You can email tanyahartley23@gmail.com or text 214-673-9198.
The Nominating Committee will post their proposed ballot on Monday, February 22nd. Voting will take place at the next General PTA Meeting on Monday, February 29th. Please take time to reflect and consider whether you would like to serve on the executive board. Should you have questions regarding these positions or if you would like to inquire about other chair or committee positions opening up that don’t require the vote of the general membership, please feel free to contact Tanya.
MMS Officer Positions
President
1st VP Programs
2nd VP Membership
3rd VP Ways and Means
4th VP Volunteer
Secretary
Treasurer
Thank you!
—MMS Nominating Committee
Hello, parents! Our school receives two checks from the Box Tops for Education™ program each school year. If you turn in your Box Tops before February 19th, 2016 you can help boost the amount of the second check we receive in March . Our school’s Box Tops have to be submitted by March 1, 2016 to be included in our next check. Hurry, clip your Box Tops and turn them in before the deadline. Just have your kids drop them off in the office. Thanks for your help!
Please thank Anna Walker and Sreelatha Pillai for all of their hard work and dedication to PTA this year!!!!!
Murphy Middle School PTA Community Partners 2015-2016
Please remember our generous sponsors when shopping for services or supplies!!
For more Murphy information, please visit the Murphy web page:
http://k12.pisd.edu/murphy-middle-school
For Murphy PTA news: http://www.mmspta.org
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