MAMS Monthly
Matawan-Aberdeen Middle School - January/February 2022
Mr. Wells' Principal's Message
As the 2nd Marking Period comes to a close, please be sure to check the Parent/Student Portal for up to date information on your grades/performance. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher or grade level counselor.
Report Cards will be released via the Parent Portal on Thursday, February 10th. Please note… Wednesday, February 2nd is a ½ day with students will be dismissed at 12:10pm. In the words of Mr. Abrahamsen, Please Review your Pick-Up Plan...
Winter Benchmark Assessments will be take place during English and Math Classes on the following dates:
Linkit B Benchmark Assessment- ELA 2/7-2/8
LinkIt B Benchmark Assessment- Math 2/9-2/10
iReady Diagnostic Assessment- ELA 2/7-2/8
iReady Diagnostic Assessment - Math 2/9-2/10
Upcoming Dates
- February 2- half day for students
- February 10- Equity Club documentary screening- 6pm in auditorium
- February 10- Report Cards released!
- February 15- Virtual Author Visit with Kelly Yang (author of Front Desk) for all grades
- February 15- Online deadline for Sports Physicals
- February 16-28- Sports physicals can be turned in at the HS 4pm-6pm
- February 17- half day for students; Spongebob Fan Art contest ends
- February 18 and 21- School closed for Presidents' Day Weekend
- February 22-25- Black History Month programming and celebration
- February 26- Strategic Planning Conference- 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM ~ MRHS Media Center
Save the Dates!
- Preschool Lottery Registration due March 2 (See bottom of Newsletter for Flyer)
- SPONGEBOB THE MUSICAL!!- March 4, 5, 6
- MAMS McTeacher Night- March 9
- MAMS PTSO Tricky Tray- March 19
MAMS School Musical!
We had a chance to peek in during rehearsals for the musical. It is very clear that it takes a bunch of effort and time. They are determined and hardworking. They are also super talented, diligent, and energetic. It takes a huge amount of courage to take part in a musical, so they are super brave and courageous.
Check out the Flyer below for the Musical and for the Fan Art Contest.
MAMS PTSO
For a limited time the MAMS PTSO is selling husky car magnets, reusable shopping bags, and Pura Vida bracelets! Items are limited quantity. Each item is $6.00. Payments can be cash, check or Venmo! Cash and checks (written to MAMS PTSO) can be handed into school with the student's name, homeroom, and "Husky Swag" on the envelope. For Venmo, send to @mams-ptso. Please fill out this Google Form to Order.
Membership
The MAMS PTSO is still accepting memberships for the 2021-2022 school year. Access the Google form here.
TRICKY TRAY TIME! See flyer below. You can use this Google Form to pre-purchase admission and tickets.
Sports Section
E-sports by James Negro and Jonathan Younan
The E-sports team started their Rocket League season this month and they are doing well! For those of you who don’t know, Rocket League is car soccer. You drive a car to hit the soccer ball into the net. The MAMS E-sports Team is very coordinated and works together well, such as making effective passes and defending their goal well. In other news, the E-sports lab was just completed and is now open for business.
Club Connection
Steam Club News by Jonathan Younan
When I went to the steam club meeting, I saw that they were taking apart dolls and sewing doll body parts onto other dolls, like "Franken Dolls". From what I observed, everyone in that club seems close and are friends. When I asked a student what is their favorite part of STEAM club, they said, “My favorite part of the STEAM club is all of the projects we get to do." I asked another student why they joined the steam club and they responded, “I joined because it seemed fun." I also noticed that everyone was helping each other out and everyone was nice to everyone. (Pictures below taken by Jonathan)
Speech and Debate Club
Members of the Debate Team successfully earned 4th out of 60 schools in their division tournament on Saturday, January, 29th. Special congrats to Peter Brown, Hailey Reeve and Anaya Patel for qualifying as three of the top ten speakers! Thank you to Advisor, Ms. K. Nilsen for helping them prepare!
National Junior Honors Society
NJHS has been working hard after school on Mondays and Thursdays alongside students for academic assistance. Additionally, the members are meeting with 6th graders as peer mentors in order to build connection and community with one another. In February, members and Advisor Ms. K. Nilsen will host a fundraiser called “Puppy Love," where MAMS families can donate supplies and/or food to local animal shelters.
African American Student Union
The MAMS African American Student Union is excited for this year’s Black History Month celebrations! AASU completed their 2022 Black History Month bulletin board (located in the main hallway at MAMS) entitled “Rooted in History”. We highlighted some famous and obscure African Americans who contributed to many major historical events.
This year, the MAMS AASU will once again create videos featuring 4 different topics throughout the course of February: African Americans in sports, literature, history/politics, and entertainment. We are looking forward to performances, art renderings, readings, and presentations from the AASU as well as the MAMS Equity Team, MAMS Peer Buddies, MAMS Chorus and Band, and MAMS Multicultural Club.
AASU has also collaborated with the MAMS Equity Team to hold a documentary screening on Tuesday, February 10th at 6pm in the MAMS Auditorium showing “13th”. This documentary demonstrates the historical challenges surrounding the 13th Amendment through to present day. A conversation with both clubs will immediately follow the presentation.
AASU will be wrapping up the Black History Month celebrations with a Virtual Assembly presentation for the entire MAMS population involving the various clubs and classes such as MAMS Equity Team, MAMS Peer Buddies, MAMS Chorus and Band, and MAMS Multicultural Club on Friday February 25th. Our members are diligently working on a meaningful, educational, and exciting presentation to inform, inspire, and lead the MAMS student body through the essence and heart of Black History Month and the African American community.
Student Equity Team
During the last meeting, members delivered flyers to each classroom for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK) and 2nd Floor Youth Hotline (call or text 888-222-2228). If any classroom would like laminated flyers, contact Ms. Raiola.
Students may have noticed the bins of menstrual products in each of the grade level "Girls" bathrooms. Those products were donated to us by community members who attended our last Community Documentary night. We thank you in advance for respecting our limited supply. Please let us know if a refill is needed. Mr. Wells and the administration has set aside money to purchase dispensers for the bathrooms!
The Team released it's first Podcast episode! You can watch it here!
Please see the flyer below and join us for our next Community Documentary Night. We are excited to be partnering with AASU and NJHS for this event.
Student Council News
by James Negro
Breaking News!
Relay For Life will take place on May 21st-22nd at MRHS. This charity event will help raise money for cancer research. On the night of May 22nd, 2022, there will be a large party for the event that lasts all night long! According to Mr. Wells, there will be many options for games, such as frisbee and soccer, there will be food trucks if you want to have a bite to eat, and there will even be music. At 10pm, there will be a memorial speech for all the people in the district who we have lost to cancer.
The Student Council was pitching possible new club ideas to Mr. Wells for consideration: Self-Defense Club and an Anti-bullying Union.
MAMS Family Meeting
“Do or do not, there is no try.” ~ advice from Yoda
Mr. Wells' Announcement!
There will be a new outdoor eating area for everyone. According to Mr. Wells, thanks to the MAMS PTSO, the picnic tables have arrived, now we just need nicer weather so we can enjoy!!!
MARSD School Hours
Counselor's Corner by Ms. LoStocco, Ms. Leach, and Ms. Lyttle
Hello Huskies!!! The winter season is a time for reflection and community. Our school community has suffered a number of very difficult losses over the past few months. Now, more than ever, it's important to remember that you have support all around you - in your friends, your teachers, your counselors, and your families. If you want to talk to a counselor about what you are going through, please fill out the counselor request form, or email your counselor at the contact below. Remember - you are never alone!
- 6th Grade Counselor - jlostocco@marsd.org
- 7th Grade Counselor - kleach@marsd.org
- 8th Grade Counselor - alyttle@marsd.org
Remember that grief is a highly individual process, as unique as the people experiencing it. Here are some suggestions on how to navigate through your own grieving process in a compassionate, constructive, and healthy way!
- Do not put time-limits on your grief. Grief is normal and can be inevitable after suffering through a loss. There is no amount of time that your grief is supposed to last.
- Resist comparing your grief to other people’s. It is very easy to compare ourselves to others. This can even happen with grief. Remember to remind yourself that grief looks different to everyone.
- Spend time grieving intentionally. Trying to avoid difficult emotions only makes them stronger in the long-run. It is ok to let yourself be sad and giving yourself time in your day to do that is beneficial.
- Seek out the right kind of social support. Seeking out people in your life that support you during this time is super important! It’s perfectly okay to want to spend time with people and actually not talk about your grief, your loss, your feelings, etc. Simply being connected is what’s important during grief.
- There’s more to grief than sadness. Sadness is not the only emotion you can feel during grief. While many of the emotions we feel are difficult or even painful during this time, it’s important to acknowledge and validate all of them as legitimate and natural. During grief, we can feel happy and joyful thinking about old memories, angry and disappointed at the circumstances, and anything else that comes up. There is truly no right or wrong way to feel. Talking about it is the most important thing!
- Take your self-care seriously! Take care of your body and mind during this time. Eating healthy foods, exercising and getting lots of sleep are all ways we can do this!
Adapted from: 6 Ways to Cope