MP Middle Messenger
Week 12 - 11/15/2019
Congratulations to our First Quarter Honor Roll!
Week 12 - Celebrating Honor Roll
This week we celebrated with our first quarter Honor Roll recipients - 325 students who earned a first quarter GPA of 3.5 or higher. This included a record 150 students earning Superintendent's Honor Roll, which is all A's on the report card! (To put into perspective, that means that 14% of the school earned all A's and 37% earned a 3.5 GPA or higher!) Congratulations!
This week also saw the 7th grade go on a field trip to Hylton Performing Arts Cente. 7th Graders saw the collection of short plays titled "Reach Out," written and performed by The Same Sky Project, a theater production group that creates and performs shows entirely written and acted by thespians with disabilities. It was a great experience - thank you to the Hylton Performing Arts Center for welcoming us into their beautiful performance space!
Finally, the weather is getting colder as we enter the end of fall and begin to transition to winter. Please make sure your children leave home wearing weather-appropriate clothing including jackets and long sleeves. In an attempt to keep MPMS bug/pest/bedbug free, blankets are not acceptable cold weather clothing and students will be told to keep their blankets at home. Our dress code does not allow for the wearing of non-religious head coverings in the building - so please make sure the rest of the body is warm on colder days. If you would like assistance with a winter coat, please contact Ms. Salas - we do have some connections to help keep students warm!
In regards to potential delays or cancellation for school, the process for identifying and communicating delays or cancellations due to weather is listed below in a letter from Dr. McDade. Please give it a look - and if you want to be the first to know about any potential weather changes, follow @MPCSmcdade on Twitter!
Have a great weekend!
Important Dates and Events Coming Up!
November 16: PSAT @ MPHS for registered 8th grade students ONLY
November 18: School Board Meeting @ 7 pm
November 21: Family Market @ MPHS
November 22: Fall Photo Retakes
November 22: Girls Basketball's FIRST GAME @ Bull Run MS
November 26: 5 pm: Girls Basketball Home Opener vs Metz MS
November 27-29: Thanksgiving Holiday - No School!
December 3: Girls Basketball @ Parkside MS
****Note: All MPMS Athletic Events require the purchase of a ticket at the door.****
****$3 for adults, $1 for students****
Meet a New Teacher @ MP Middle School!
Mr. Rodriguez is our new 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies teacher, coming to Manassas Park from his hometown in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania! He is a floating teacher who can be found in multiple classrooms or planning in the 8th Grade pod during the school day!
Quick Facts about Mr. Rodriguez:
-Attended Kent State University!
-Majored in Integrated Social Studies!
-Likes playing video games (currently all about Call of Duty!)
-Enjoys working out!
-Loves coaching - volunteered with girls' track in the fall and is currently coaching wrestling at the high school.
When you see him in the building, at a school sporting event, or in the community, please welcome Mr. Rodriguez to Manassas Park!
MPMS has Amazing Teachers - Would you Nominate One for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year?
If you would like to nominate a teacher, send an email to Mr. Sieloff at matt.sieloff@mpark.net. The winning teacher will be selected on how they meet the award criteria:
-Must have more than 5 years experience, 3 of which are in MPCS
-Will serve as a teacher in MPCS next school year
-Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve
-Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and foster their self esteem
-Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it with students
-Foster cooperative relationships with their colleagues and the community
-Demonstrate outstanding leadership
Even if you're not sure if your favorite teacher meets all the criteria, let me know! I'm happy to dig into any nomination to see if they could possibly be our building or division winner.
Check out this week's Teacher Twitter Posts!
Are You Curious about the MPCS Capital Improvement Process? Learn More on With the CIP Document!
The MPCS Proposed FY20-24 CIP document is available on the MPCS website at:
https://manassaspark.finalsite.com/uploaded/DistrictDocs/Finance/FY20-24_Proposed_CIP.pdf
The plan will be the focus of discussion at the School Board work session on November 4 at 6:59pm.
A public hearing on this proposal will be held during the regular School Board meeting on November 18 at 6:59pm. All are welcome to attend both meetings and to make comment at the hearing.
2019-20 MPMS SOL Test Schedule!
Save the date(s)!
SOL tests are critical days for the assessment of students and the school.
Please make sure that you do not schedule any trips that would pull your student out of school on or immediately before the following SOL testing dates.
Semester 1 Grade 8 Civics and Science 8 SOL: January 15, 2020
Grade 8 Writing SOL - Multiple Choice Section: March 17, 2020
Grade 8 Writing SOL - Short Paper Section: March 19, 2020
Read Aloud Testing (only for those with this accommodation, all grade levels): Week of May 11-15, 2020
Math 6 and Geometry SOL: May 19, 2020
Reading SOL for All Grades (6-8): May 21, 2020
All 8th Grade Math SOLs (except Geometry): May 27, 2020
All 7th Grade Math SOLs: May 28, 2020
Semester 2 Grade 8 Civics and Science 8 SOL: May 29, 2020
Reminder for Walkers/Bike Riders In the Morning!
Crossing Guards are an integral part of the team that gets your children to school safely each day. Please note that crossing guards are at their posts beginning at 6:30 am each school morning. As the mornings are dark and many motorists utilize the Bloom Quarry intersection, please help ensure your children are not crossing intersections before crossing guards are in place. Crossing Guards are prohibited from directing traffic, but their presence will assist in safe road crossing for all pedestrians.
Help the Middle School - Here are the Many Different Fundraisers That Are Always Running!
Box Tops: Please continue to snip and send your box tops to school with your students! Or, you can now scan in your box tops using their app - Click here to see more: https://www.today.com/parents/there-s-whole-new-way-collect-box-tops-education-t159507
Shoparoo
Shoparoo is an app that allows you to take a picture of your receipts (from any store )and upload them. When you reach $50, they will mail a check to the school. It doesnât cost anything and it is an easy way for us to raise some money for our school! Just make sure you choose Manassas Park MS when you set up your account to start earning!
Harris Teeter Together in Education Program
Harris Teeterâs Together In Education program gives schools a chance to earn funds when you link your VIC card and shop Harris Teeter brands. Harris Teeter has donated over $28.7 million to Together In Education schools since 1998! When you shop Harris Teeter brands, a percentage of your purchase is donated to the school that your VIC card is linked to. There are NO LIMITS to how much a school can earn. All you need to do is go to https://www.harristeeter.com/together-in-education and click the âLink Your School Todayâ button. Either log in to your âMy Harris Teeterâ account or create one using a valid email address and make sure your VIC Card is connected to your online account. Once you are logged in, use code 6643 to add Manassas Park MS to your account so you can start earning for your school!
Shutterfly
Shutterfly is an online photo printing service. You can print photos, canvases, holiday cards and more! If you use the link: https://www.mpms.ShutterflyStorefront.com Shutterfly will donate 8% of your purchase to the school. Be sure to follow our specific MPMS link and purchase using a web browser, not the Shutterfly phone app.
Staples Classroom Rewards
Staples Classroom Rewards program helps parents give 5% of their Back to School purchases directly to their childâs teacher. Teachers will enroll in the program and parents can easily visit the site, select their childâs teacher and enter in their receipt number and purchase amount. This will be automatically added to the teacherâs classroom account. Sales can be donated until 9/15/19 so be sure to get your receipts entered for your students classroom account!
Can't Come to a School Board Meeting? Watch from Home!
Are you the Parent of a Special Education Student?
Also, the Greater Prince William County Special Education PTA is a great resource and support group for parents of children enrolled in special educational programs. They organize events and information sessions for parents, students, and staff.
Connect with us on Twitter!
If you want to see what Mr. Sieloff is reading regarding educationally focused articles and more MPMS, MPHS, and MPCS likes and retweets, follow him @MattSieloff
If you want to be the first to know about any school delays or cancellations, follow our Superintendent @MPCSmcdade
There are also a number of teachers who are showing off what's going on in class on Twitter. If you like their tweets above, follow them!
Check us out!
Matt Sieloff, Principal
Email: matt.sieloff@mpark.net
Website: mpark.net
Location: 8202 Euclid Avenue, Manassas Park, VA, USA
Phone: 703-361-1510
Twitter: @MattSieloff