Midland Messenger

Email: midland@fpschools.org
Website: http://midland.fpschools.org/
Location: Midland Elementary School, 105th Street East, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-4500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Midland-Elementary-Mustangs-112865059416899/?ref=settings

Dear Parents and Families,

I am excited to let you know of our continuing partnership between Midland Elementary School and Franklin Pierce High School! FPHS has developed a class called Teaching Academy for students who are exploring a career in the field of Education. Twenty-two students have been learning about everything from classroom management to curriculum and what the job of a teacher is really like. For the second semester of the Teaching Academy class, Midland Elementary will host these high school students in our classrooms, so that they can begin to experience what teaching looks like first-hand. Most of our classrooms will have a Teaching Academy student for a half-hour, two days each week. These high school students will help tutor students, help teachers, and learn first hand about careers in education.

Creating relationships with our partner schools and our community is another way that Midland can extend learning both in and out of our classrooms. We are proud to continue this partnership for our seventh year!

It's great to be a MUSTANG!

~Dr. Paula Dawson

Parents, over the past few weeks, we have been seeing more toys being brought to school. While some toys are innocent, we have also seen some toys which are not appropriate for school. Please be sure that all toys stay home, unless your student has been invited to bring something for show and tell. If you have a child who likes to bring things to school, please be sure to check their backpack each morning. If it becomes a problem, you may be called for the item to be picked up. Thank you for understanding!

February 1 ~ HOPE Assembly

February 1 ~ 1:55 dismissal

February 8 ~ 1:55 dismissal

February 13 ~ 100th Day Dress Up day

February 14 ~ Red/Pink/White Dress Up day

February 15 ~ 1:55 dismissal

February 16 ~ PTO Family Dance 6-7 pm

Feb. 20 - 24 ~ No school for Mid-Winter Break

**For additional future scheduled activities, please check out our Midland calendar at https://midland.fpschools.org/**

Comprehensive sexual health education is defined in Washington state as instruction about human development and reproduction that takes place over time and is age-appropriate and inclusive of all students. Required instruction for grades 4–5 focuses on helping students understand and respect personal boundaries, develop healthy friendships, and gain a basic understanding of human growth and development. Grade 5 instruction also includes required HIV prevention instruction. Midland 5th grade teachers will begin this instruction beginning on February 6th. To learn more about the curriculum and parent opt out forms, please click the picture that says, "Puberty, the Wonder Years." This will take you to the district website which is filled with information.

Social Emotional Learning Corner

Content by Mrs. Blaisdell

January 30th

We are continuing our Brain Science Unit

The Prefrontal Cortex

*The Prefrontal Cortex sits right behind your forehead. It is like a conductor in the orchestra that is our brain.

*The information that we learn enters the PFC first and is directed where it needs to go from there.

*Information is cycled through the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) every 12 seconds! That is why, I can ask your name, say a sentence and then ask “What is your name again?” (happens to me all the time 😊)

*If our FOCUS is not truly engaged—if we don’t “tag the information” with a sense of IMPORTANCE—if we are not EMOTIONALLY CONNECTED to information—if we don’t have ample time for MEANINGFUL APPLICATION and COGNITIVE REHEARSAL (practice) than the information, quite literally falls right out of our brains. (every 12 seconds) 😲

*Your scholars are learning about how the PFC works and strategies for sending information successfully past the PFC and into the Hippocampus.

We anticipate the need for volunteers this year as well. If you are interested in volunteering as a chaperone for field trips or in any other capacity that may come up, please complete the volunteer application as soon as possible. It may take up to two weeks to process an application and we don't want you to be left out of a volunteer opportunity because you are not approved yet! Click here to begin your volunteer application. If you were cleared as a volunteer last year. Please complete an application as well. Volunteer applications must be completed every year.

The FPS Board of Directors is seeking applicants to represent our area. Applicants must be a resident of Franklin Pierce Schools District 3. Applications will be accepted through 1/31/23 at 4 pm. To learn more about this position, the District 3 boundaries and how to apply, visit www.fpschools.org/boardvacancy.

In the event of emergencies, a team of Franklin Pierce Schools staff work to balance safety and our commitment to support student learning. The choice to delay or cancel the start of a school day includes assessing road conditions and consulting with other local services. Franklin Pierce Schools will attempt to offer updates about delays and closures by 5am.

Staff and families can expect to receive information about school closures and delays in the following ways:

• Recorded Telephone Message contact the main office at your child's school to ensure your contact information is up to date

• SMS Message for families/staff who have opted-in, click here for Text Message if you would like to opt-in

• Email from info@fpschools.org

• Website www.fpschools.org

• Flash Alert Notification sign up to receive email notifications and download the Flash Alert App, click here.

• Local Media including KIRO 97.3 FM, KOMO 1000 AM, KIRO TV Channel 7, KOMO TV Channel 4, and KING TV Channel 5

• Social Media Facebook and Twitter

Serving students at ALL 8 Elementary Schools

Right at School will operate before and afterschool programs at all eight Franklin Pierce elementary schools! Right at School offers a safe environment for students to learn, to play, and to grow!

Franklin Pierce Schools does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to James Hester, Compliance Coordinator for State and Civil Rights Laws; Wendy Malich, Title IX Officer; or John Sander, 504/ADA Coordinator at 315 129th ST S, Tacoma, WA 98444-5099 or at (253)298-3000.