Mariner Memo
January 31, 2020
This week at Marine City Middle...
This week, we got second semester underway with the excitement that comes from knowing that we are into the back half of the school year. Students were excited about their new schedules and seeing the new faces in their elective courses.
This week also marked the start of the winter administration of the NWEA test. Students utilized ELA class time this week to complete their reading and language tests. Next week students will transition into the math test in their math classes. As a little bit of added incentive this time around for our students to do their best, ELA and Math teachers conferenced with students to show them their current progress and to set a goal for improvement. Students that improve one or two of their scores will earn a sucker and students that improve on all three of their test scores will receive a sucker and an ice cream at lunch. The conferences and prizes are just a couple of small things that we are doing to get the maximum effort out of students.
In other news, our clubs and teams were in full gear this week as they prepare for events. Both our Science and Social Studies Olympiad teams have been meeting regularly, with kids receiving their event assignments and making preparations for their events. This Saturday, Science Olympiad will travel to a practice event to test the structures they have been building. In the sports world, the 7th and 8th grade basketball teams have been aggressively practicing and preparing for the start of their season. We hope to see you here on Monday (Feb. 3rd) for the season opener against St. Clair.
Have a wonderful weekend!
-Mr. Ming
After School Help Room
The helproom is scheduled to be open on its regular schedule next week, both Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30-3:30 in the media center.
- Tuesday: Mrs. D'Hondt (ELA) and Mrs. Smith (Science)
- Thursday: Mrs. Frederick (Social Studies) and Mrs. Patterson (ELA)
Parents, we are asking for your help with one thing related to the help room. Due to a number of students checking out early and not leaving the building, as well as some students telling their parents they are attending and then not doing so, we are tightening the reins a bit with our check in/out process. We are now asking that students attending the help room, do so for the full hour. If a student needs to leave early, we are asking parents to come into the building to sign out their child -OR- we are asking to talk to that parent on the phone. In this way we are aiming to maximize the learning time with the students that stay and help our students to make good decisions about the use of their time. Thank you for your help with this parents.
PTO Meeting Date Change
The change has been made so that the MCMS PTO has the opportunity to meet with Superintendent Suzanne Cybulla to learn more about the upcoming bond. If you are interested in hearing about the bond and/or have questions about what it includes and its impact on our school district, please come on by.
Bond 2020
During the girls basketball games between Marine City and St. Clair Middle, starting at 4pm, there will an informational table set up with some fliers for anyone that would like to review the material. There will be representatives from the district at the table available to answer any questions that you may have during this time.
The second opportunity is during the MCMS PTO meeting Monday night at 6pm. Superintendent Cybulla will be sharing information with the PTO during that time and is the best person to answer any questions.
As a reminder, the district has a page dedicated to your questions that is being frequently updated with information as great questions come in from around the district. Click the link below to be redirected to that site.
Coffee with the Principal
A Big Thank You to Lelito's Legacy Foundation!!!
Thank you Lelito's Legacy Foundation!!!
River Rec Teen Zone is now open for registration (ages 12-18) and will be open daily from 2:30pm -7:30pm. This student-driven project has been over 3 years in the making and will offer a variety of programs ranging from tutoring, community service, the arts, and social/emotional well-being.
The next MCMAN event is Friday, February 21st after school!!!
Girls Basketball games start next week......come out and support the 7th and 8th grade girls. Cost is $2 for adults and $1 for students.
Girls Basketball Schedule for this week
Wednesday, February 5 - AWAY vs Holland Woods 7th grade starting at 4:00pm, 8th grade game following afterward
Science Olympiad in action. Students prepare their builds and knowledge for events
STEM Students Working Together on a Build
On top of that, they had to do it on a budget...a dollar per popsicle stick and an additional dollar per strip of duct tape. Applications to the real-world a plenty in the learning at MCMS!
This Week in the Positivity Project...
Next week, our P2 learning transitions into a new character strength, one from the temperance tree, FORGIVENESS. In the Positivity Project we define FORGIVENESS as the ability to move past being injured and accept that people make mistakes. This does not mean being timid and allowing others to harm you, but rather that mistakes are a part of life and accepting that fact allows for a much more fulfilling existence.
One page overview of FORGIVENESS
This week’s example is Michael Mitchell, the former principal of Cairo-Durham Middle School in upstate New York -- and current principal at Mechanicville Jr./Sr. High School. Principal Mitchell’s top character strength is FORGIVENESS— and it’s something that he uses daily as a leader. He explains that it helps him remember that everyone makes mistakes — including himself. This has helped his life both personally and professionally.