Mooresville Middle School
Community Newsletter -- January 13th, 2023
A Message from Mr. Kosal:
Together we make a family!
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
-- Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.
Here's what you'll find in this week's newsletter:
- MLK Day Peace Walk & Breakfast event
- NC Check Ins - round #2 coming next week
- Imp Time grading procedures
- Exact Path Diagnostic results & how parents can view students' path
- Tardy to school: change in school policy for tardies / consequences
- Chess Club starting next week!
- Order MMS Yearbooks today!
- Iredell County Early Colleges - deadline is 1/15/23
- Ski masks not allowed at MMS
- Q3 progress reports sent home 1/20/23
- free online tutoring for 8th grade Math / Science
- PTSO announcements
- and more!
Thanks so much for reading, and I hope everyone has a terrific weekend!
Mr. Kosal, MMS principal (pkosal@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Ms. Brown, 7th grade assistant principal (kbrown@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Ms. Richardson, 8th grade assistant principal (tabitharichardson@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Mr. Kuhn, assistant principal (gregorykuhn@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Mr. Miller, assistant principal intern & MMS media center coordinator (justinmiller@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
Ms. Clark, MMS Athletic Director (annclark@mgsd.k12.nc.us)
No School on Monday, January 16th (MLK Day)
NC Check In week #2 next week!
Please help your students come to school rested and ready to show their knowledge on those days!
MLK Peace Walk & Breakfast, sponsored by Town of Mooresville
While the event is free, tickets are required. Visit MooresvilleNC.gov/MLKJr2023 to reserve one by January 11.
Change in Policy: Students Late to School
** New: because 1st period is now a class, MMS will follow the "tardy to class" consequences found in the MMS Student Handbook (link below):
1st & 2nd tardy = verbal warning from teacher (document as a minor in Ed Handbook)
3rd tardy = teacher-student conference w/ teacher call to parent
4th tardy = lunch detention with teacher call to parent
5th tardy & beyond = Office referral
Tardies will be tallied after the car-rider line is completed each day -- if your car is in line before 7:20, your student will not be considered tardy. Please help us begin our school day smoothly by getting all students to school on time during 2nd semester. Thank you for your help!
Exact Path Diagnostics Sent Home
Students are off to a great start with Exact Path, the program we implemented in January, meeting students where they are and working to grow them from there in math and reading. Diagnostic Results were sent via Parent Square on Thursday. Parents should think of diagnostic results as a "starting point" -- by using the Exact Path individualized learning tool four days each week, MMS expects that when parents see future diagnostic scores in the spring, the growth in student achievement will be clear!
Parents and students can also view these reports at any time (and ongoing student progress on their learning path) by logging in through the student account. You can view written directions for that here and a screen recording below.
Viewing Exact path Written Directions
Viewing Exact path Screen Recording
Please email Ms. Anne Allen (anneallen@mgsd.k12.nc.us) or Mr. Justin Miller (justinmiller@mgsd.k12.nc.us) if you have questions about the Exact Path diagnostic.
Applications OPEN for Iredell county Early Collleges
Note: the application deadline for the early colleges is January 15, 2023 at 11:59 PM
Below are links to each school's website where the application is located:
Agriculture and Science Early College (ASEC)- https://asec.issnc.org/
Crossroads Arts and Science Early College- https://crossroads.issnc.org/
Collaborative College for Technology and Leadership (CCTL)- https://cctl.issnc.org/
Students only need to complete one application regardless of which schools (either one, two or all three) they want to apply to attend. On each website under the "Application" section there is a three step process that students/parents must follow to complete the entire application process. Teachers are aware that students will be emailing them to request recommendations. Ms. Whittenburg, MMS data manager, also knows that parents will be emailing her to request records be released to Iredell Statesville Schools. Please email or call Ms. Buff, 8th grade counselor, if you have any questions.
MMS Chess Club is starting up!
Starting Tuesday, January 17th students of all skill levels are encouraged to attend chess club to learn, and play the game. Because this is an after school club, NO transportation will be provided; please arrange rides for your students prior to them attending the meeting.
Email Mr. Eyer with any further questions: christophereyer@mgsd.k12.nc.us
Semester 1 Celebration Day for Students is Coming Soon!
Q3 Progress Reports will be sent home on Friday, January 20th
Ski Masks not allowed during the school day
Spring Sports Tryout Information
Parents of any student who is interested in trying out for spring sports (Girls Volleyball, Baseball, Boys & Girls Soccer, Boys & Girls Track), please make sure of the following:
1. Must have a valid athletic physical on file. This MUST be on the State required form. A blank form is available on Final Forms or our website.
2. MUST enroll your student in Final Forms. When doing so please make sure that parent and athlete sign all forms, including the ones pertaining to the sport they are trying out for. Please put your students' school email address. Here is the link for enrolling in Final Forms.
3. Be looking for try out dates for each sport. We will begin try outs in February.
Order your Yearbook today!
This week's message from our MMS PTSO:
PTSO is collecting health and wellness items to wish our staff a Happy, Healthy, New Year! You can sign up to help here: Jan staff appreciation sign up. Please send items into the front office by Jan 18. No time to shop? Please consider making a donation for us to purchase wellness items for our January staff appreciation: Donate for staff appreciation
We have MMS and Mooresville items for sale in our online square store. Items will be given to your student at school. Contact us via email redimpsptso@gmail.com to purchase with cash. Thank you for supporting and showing off your red imp spirit! PTSO store
Please join our PTSO facebook group. This online community is for parents/guardians of MMS students and MMS staff. We will share information from the PTSO, MMS and MGSD. It is also a place for you to connect with other parents/guardians and the PTSO. We hope you'll join us! Follow us on Facebook!
Thank you for your support! Questions for the PTSO? E-mail us at redimpsptso@gmail.com
Free Online Tutoring for Students
When they sign up, they will get an email from NCVPS with the link for their session, and a link to cancel or reschedule if needed. Please reinforce to students that they should be respectful of tutors' time and not be "no-shows" if they sign up for a time.
Students who do not have Internet access at home or need a quiet place to attend tutoring are welcome at the Selma Burke Community Center.
We hope your students will take advantage of this "EDvantage"!!
Are you a Motivator??
The Motivators are ways for family / community members to volunteer time during the school day to monitor hallways and our campus grounds while also getting to know MMS students and staff. We love to have extra adult presence in the building to support our students and help out when needed. If you have at least one hour a week, we would love to have you volunteer.
Email Ms. Brown for more information. kbrown@mgsd.k12.nc.us
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 always sending a note with the student that gets lost so easily!
MMS Social Media Handles - follow us!
Facebook: @mooresvillems
Instagram: mooresvillems
Twitter: @mooresvillems
Website: https://mms.mgsd.k12.nc.us/
Enjoy MLK day and the weekend
I hope everyone takes a little time to honor a great American and leader, Dr. King:
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." -- Strength to Love, 1963.
Please feel free to contact Mr. Kosal if you have questions or concerns. Have an awesome three-day weekend and thanks for reading!
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