Mooresville Middle School
Community Newsletter -- April 5th, 2024
A Message from Mr. Kosal:
MMS is All Heart!
I want to specifically thank the parents, students, and staff members who met with the state's evaluators this past Tuesday & Wednesday to share their impressions and thoughts. A growth mindset is so important for educators and parents to model for our students, so we're excited to use feedback to help us grow stronger as a school community!
Here are some of the topics in this week's newsletter:
- Spring school pictures
- After-school tutoring now available - 3 days each week
- Save the date - 8th grade semi-formal dance (8th grade)
- Course registration information for current 6th / 7th graders
- Home athletic events next week
- MGSD SHAC Health Fest - 4/17/24
- 8th grade field trip payment information - deadline is 4/17/24
- 2024-25 MGSD Kindergarten registration is open!
- CTE summer camp sign-ups
- Yearbook order form (QR code)
- MMS Tardy Policy reminder
- Multilingual Family Night - 4/26
- most recent episode of ImpTV News
- and more!
Mr. Kosal, MMS principal / 6th grade (pkosal@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Dr. Browning, assistant principal / 7th grade (mbrowning@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Ms. Richardson, assistant principal / 8th grade (tabitharichardson@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Ms. Miller, athletic director (dedramiller@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Spring school pictures - April 10, 2024
Spring Picture Day is coming! On Wednesday, April 10th, students can sign up to get spring pictures taken. Two things to note for spring pictures:
All Payments are done online now, no more worrying about checks or cash coming into the school.
Parents will view their proofs and order online through my.photoday.com, this means no more sorting of proofs or packages for you!
All MMS students received a yellow permission slip for Spring School Pictures last Wednesday, April 3rd, in their Social Studies class. That yellow paper must be signed by a parent and be at school on picture day in order for students to be excused from class for pictures.
More information is coming to parents via Parent Square messages.
Reminder on Electives / Open Enrollment
Parents: here is some information on when / how your current MMS student will enroll for next year's classes ** updates from last week** :
- click here to review the letter that was shared with parents on Parent Square re: Open Enrollment honors classes for rising 7th graders.
- Elective class options for rising 7th graders (paper copy went home on Wednesday, March 27, after counselors visited Core 1 classes.
- click here to review the letter that was shared with parents on Parent Square re: Open Enrollment honors classes for rising 8th graders.
- Elective class options for rising 8th graders (paper copy went home on Wednesday, March 27, after counselors visited Social Studies 7 classes.
Students will rank choices #1 - 5 on paper (i.e. 4 electives + 1 alternate) & mark which open-enrollment (i.e. Honors / non-Honors) courses they’d like.
*Note: one elective MUST be Health / PE for a whole semester, per state guidelines. Parent signature needed.
Papers must be submitted before April 12th, 2024. Questions? Contact Ms. White or Ms. Buff (school counselors) or your child's grade-level administrator.
Final School Dance of the Year (Friday, April 19th)
On Friday, April 19th, Mooresville Middle School is hosting our last school-wide dance from 6 - 8:00pm in the MMS gymnasium. The dance is open to all students except those on the Loss of Privilege list (LoP). The theme for the dance is: Pink Beach Party!
Students should bring their Mooresville Middle ID cards to enter. $5 cash admission at the door is required, and concessions will also be on sale all night! Be sure soft soles (i.e. sneakers) are worn to protect our gym floor, please.
** Parents: the dance ends promptly at 8:00pm. All students MUST be picked up by 8:15pm or they could wind up on the Loss of Privilege list for quarter #3 / 4. Thanks in advance!
We hope to see lots of Red Imps celebrating with us on Friday, April 19th at the dance!
Save the Date -- 8th Grade only Semi-Formal Dance
The 2024 8th grade semi-formal Dance will be held on Friday, May 3rd, from 6 - 8:00pm at Mooresville Middle School. The cost per student is $25 and tickets can be paid and receipted as early as next Monday, April 8th. More information is to come, but here are some notes:
- Students must attend school on Friday, May 3, in order to be admitted to the dance.
- Students will enter the dance through the back of the school near the cafeteria and next to the softball field. Students will need to bring their tickets and they will be checked in upon arrival.
- Students will not be permitted to leave the dance early. If there is an emergency and a student needs to leave, the parent must come to the school to pick up their child. Students may have their cell phones during the dance for communication with parents.
Semi-Formal Dress Code:
**If a student arrives at the dance in attire that does not meet the guidelines below, he/she will not be admitted to the dance. No refunds will be issued.**
- Dresses must be below fingertip length. The slit of a dress must also be below fingertip length.
- Dresses may not be extremely low cut front or back. Neither the front nor the back of the dress may be below the bra line.
- Collared shirts must be worn.
- Pants must be worn at the waist with a belt (jeans are not permitted).
- Ties are preferred but not required.
- Clothing may not have rips, tears, or holes.
We look forward to seeing all 8th graders at the May 3rd dance!!
Parents: here is the latest edition of the ImpTV news!!
After-school tutoring at MMS
Parents: during quarter #4, Mooresville Middle School will be offering after-school tutoring each Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for the remainder of the academic year.
Students staying for tutoring can go to Mrs. White’s Life Skills classroom (124) by the cafeteria between 3 - 4:00 pm to get help in reading, math, or other assignments. Mrs. White will be there to assist you three days a week.
** Note: remember, we do not have bus service at 4pm so students MUST have a ride secured before attending after-school tutoring. Students will not be allowed to stay in the future if parents fail to pick them up at 4:00.
Students - please take advantage of this great opportunity to get some extra help before grades are finalized in less than nine weeks! Email Mrs. White (hollywhite@mgsd.k12.nc.us) with questions.
Eclipse Precautions for April 8th (a reminder from MGSD)
Hello MGSD families,
As we approach the upcoming solar eclipse event on Monday, April 8, we wanted to take a moment to let you know that we prioritize the safety and well-being of our students. While eclipses are indeed fascinating phenomena, it's crucial to ensure we protect the eyes of our children while viewing them. While solar eclipse glasses are designed to mitigate these risks, there is always a concern regarding the reliability and authenticity of such equipment, especially when obtained from various sources. Please do not send in glasses for your child for use at school. Ensuring the safety of our students is paramount, and we cannot compromise on this matter. Our teachers and staff will work to ensure safety measures are followed at school; however, we need your help. Please take a moment to remind your child of the importance of following safety guidelines and listening to instructions provided by the adults present. For additional information, please visit this link: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/.
We understand the educational value and excitement surrounding events like solar eclipses. If you are interested in learning more, please visit the NASA website at https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/.
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in prioritizing student safety. Thank you!
C'mon out to support Red Imp spring sports!
Mooresville Middle School's spring sports season is underway! Here are some things all parents and spectators need to know:
- When attending any MMS athletic event (home or away) you will only be admitted with a clear bag, including diaper bags.
- MMS is a tobacco-free, vape-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free school. Spectators that cannot follow those guidelines will be asked to leave our campus.
- Admission to all sporting events (home and away) will be $5.00 for adults and students this year.
Sporting events begin at 4:30pm this season. Upcoming home events at MMS are:
- Monday, April 8 - boys & girls Soccer vs. West Rowan
Thursday, April 11 - Baseball + Volleyball games vs. North Davie
Thank you for your support of Red Imp athletics!
CATCH My Breath Youth Vaping Prevention (April 17, 2024)
On 4/17/24, at 6:00pm the Catawba County Health Department is conducting a webinar for parents and caregivers to prevent youth vaping. Discussion points will be: Introduction to E-Cigarettes, Statistics and laws, Videos and Activities, and Tools for Tobacco Change. Click here for the flier. Parents, we encourage you to check out this event! Links: Youth Vaping Prevention
8th grade Field Trip to Carowinds
When: Friday, May 17th
MMS has begun to collect money for this 8th grade trip and will continue to do so until Wednesday, April 17th (hard deadline). 8th grade students can bring in their payment to the MMS cafeteria each morning between 7:35 - 7:55am so Ms. Mentzer can receipt the money.
Information was sent home with students on Monday, January 8th. Please ask your child for the paper flyer with cost, expectations, and volunteer opportunities. *Note: students on the Loss of Privilege list (LoP) on 5/17/24 are not allowed to attend the trip. *
Link to informational flyer & volunteer information
Link to pay online
MMS tardy policy -- help your Red Imp get to school on time!
** All student tardies are reset to zero at the beginning of each quarter. **
1st Tardy - Parent Square notification from school to parents
2nd Tardy - Parent Square notification from school to parents
3rd Tardy - Parent Square notification from school to parents
4th Tardy - Lunch Detention assigned with notification from school
6th Tardy - Office Referral (likely in-school-suspension OR after-school detention** assigned)
(7th tardy+ resets to warnings --> lunch detentions --> office referrals)
Students must be in the building when the tardy bell rings at 7:55am to begin their school day. After 7:55am, student tardies will be logged and parents will be contacted for warnings. Parents will be notified by Ms. Joy Miller, behavior interventionist, via Parent Square message when their child is late to school. Consequences will likely follow after the fact.
* Note: bus-riders on late buses are exempt from these consequences; that tardiness is an MGSD issue. If you need a bus route set up for your student, please click here to get more info about the MGSD Transportation department.
Parents: please be mindful of our 7:55am start time and help our Red Imps get to school on time each day so we can take advantage of every moment for learning!
How to alert MMS of a student absence:
The email address for parents to alert MMS about student absences is: MMSAttendance@MGSD.k12.nc.us
Parents can upload doctor's notes as well. We hope this process will be easier on everyone instead of sending a note with the student that can get lost easily!
MMS Social Media Handles - follow us!
Facebook: @mooresvillems
Instagram: mooresvillems
Twitter: @mooresvillems
Website: https://mms.mgsd.k12.nc.us/
Hold on -- the next few weeks will fly by!
It's been a GREAT week at Mooresville Middle School! The home stretch for the school year is upon us: parents, please help us keep students focused & engaged during Q4. MMS wants to partner with you to ensure our Red Imps do their very best work all the way up until May 22.
As always, if you have questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to your student's grade-level administrator OR contact the MMS front office. Thank you!
Email: pkosal@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Website: https://mms.mgsd.k12.nc.us/
Location: 233 Kistler Farm Road, Mooresville, NC, USA
Phone: (704) 658-2720