MIDDLE MATTERS
Everything in the Middle School that matters
Volume 5
PRINCIPAL'S CORNER
Welcome back!
This is our first edition of Middle Matters for 2020. We hope you all enjoyed your holiday break. As we look to January we can anticipate a busy schedule.
The end of our first semester is fast approaching. We are nearing the midpoint in the school year. Now it’s a good time to ask your child how the school year is going. Ask them how they feel about their progress so far this year. Grades were updated just before winter break. Please log on to Parent Portal and check your child’s progress.
The end of the semester is Thursday, January 16th. Although we do not have a scheduled conference night until February, we are always available to meet if you have a concern about your child’s academic progress. We ask that you please contact the teacher. Teachers need to know if you feel your child is not progressing satisfactorily. We can address specific concerns and plans can be made for help after school.
First semester grades will be available on Parent Portal by Tuesday, January 21.
There will be no school on Friday, January 17 and Monday, January 20.
Please do all you can to stay healthy. With the increasing instances of student absences for flu-like symptoms, it is important to be aware of the little things we have control over that can keep us healthy. Please read the notes from our student health nurse.
In this Issue
- Social/emotional learning
- January calendar
- End of 2nd quarter
- AM drop off safety
- MMS dress code reminder
- Students of the month
- Notes from the school nurse
- And much more...
Mark Your Calendar
MS Parent Involvement Mtg 6 p.m.
Tuesday, January 14
6th Grade Band 7 pm @ MS
Thursday, January 16
6th Grade Orchestra 7 pm @ MS
MS & HS End of Semester 1
Friday, January 17
No School - Teacher Workshop
Monday, January 20
No School - Teacher Workshop
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Social/Emotional Learning in January
6th Grade = Mindsets
7th & 8th Grade = 100% Accountable
Lesson 4.1 Own Your Life
Lesson 4.2 Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Lesson 4.3 Focus Your Energy
Lesson 4.4 Grow Through Life
PARENT INFORMATION
Morning Drop Off:
Washington Street Drop Off:
Please don’t pull into the parking lots. This makes the drop off zone even more chaotic as it is hard to exit the parking lot and that space is reserved for special transportation vehicles and staff parking. The best option is to pull over along Washington St.
Please be aware of the Cross-Walk Zone. Drive slowly and don’t block the crosswalk.
Please don’t take a U-Turn on Washington. Plan your route accordingly.
East End/Hockey Arena Drop Off:
Be patient. Form a Queueing line and pull forward as far as you can to let your student out (rather than 1 car at a time) along the sidewalk.
Please don’t park in a parking spot and let your child out to run between cars. With the darkness and all the traffic in this area, kids moving between cars isn’t safe.
Dress Code Reminder:
Please know starting January 21 we will be more strictly enforcing the Dress Code. Specifically the part about students having holes in their jeans/pants on their upper thighs.
Our rule is that holes cannot be above extended fingertips. This is the same policy we’ve had all year. If a student chooses to violate the dress code in this way they will be asked to change. If they don’t have anything to change into, they will change into their PE clothes.
Wearing leggings under their jeans/pants is a good solution (but so is wearing jeans without so many holes:) We will also communicate this to the student body here at school.
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On the upper right side of the newsletter, click the orange "Follow Monticello Middle School" button.
Then type in your name and email address and click the blue "Get updates from Monticello Middle School" button.
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Monticello Middle School is a Grateful Recipient of Cargill Donation
Monticello Middle School would like to extend its deep appreciation to Cargill for its $5,400 donation to support our middle school students. What a wonderful gift! Because of Cargill's generosity, the following has been purchased to better support all of our learners:
- 100 Rubix cubes for "You Can Do the Cube" WIN B programming
- 4 additional iPads, Bloxel Builders kits, and littlebits kits to expand current makerspace and WIN B offerings
- 65 books for our media center collection that focus on reflecting the lives of all of our middle school learners through diverse and inclusive characters
- STEM manipulatives to support special education students and lunch recess offerings
- Book selections for our She-Ra Book Club
- with more to come!
Thank you, Cargill!
Car Key and Fob Found!
STUDENT FOCUS
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
6th-Grade
"Do at least one thing a day to make someone smile as it could make their day great."
6-2: Alberto Cadena De Leon
" Life is short, so spend every moment to its limits!"
7th-Grade
"I've learned that life is like a book. Sometimes we close a chapter and begin a new one ." - R.J. Palacio
7-2: Braxten Mader
“If you never tried you never succeeded.”
8th-Grade
“When life shuts a door...open it again. It's a door: that's how they work.”
8-2: Keegan Ellis
"Be patient and PERSISTENT."
Winter Orchestra Concert Details
6th Grade Orchestra Winter Concert – Thursday, January 16th
Meet in the Middle School Orchestra Room for tuning & warmups @ 6:15 p.m. Concert starts at 7:00 p.m.
*Concert attire is black dress pants/nice black shirt/black socks/black dress shoes. (NO skirts/dresses)
*Cello/Bass players will need to bring their own instruments from home.
*Parent volunteers are needed and appreciated – let Mrs. Schettler-Stein know if you are willing & able!
See Mrs. Schettler-Stein ASAP if you need to borrow an outfit! (If you would like to donate concert outfits/shoes from previous years that are too small now, please let Mrs. Schettler-Stein know. Thanks!)
This information is also on the Middle School Orchestra Website!
Magic Goes to Disney
Grades 6-8 Choir Concert at Monticello High School
Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.
We're singing the magic of Disney....come join us for a fun evening with great music and even better singing!
NOTES FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE
Dress for the Weather
EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING
Please call the health office with any questions or concerns.
INFLUENZA
It is mainly spread through the air from respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes, but can also be spread by skin to skin contact, saliva or touching a contaminated surface. One of the best ways to decrease your chances of contracting influenza in by effective hand washing and getting an annual flu shot for you and your family members.
Many of the local clinics offer flu shots clinics as well as several of the local pharmacies. The Wellness on Wheels (WOW) van travels around Wright county providing immunizations and other services. The WOW van schedule can be found online or can be contacted at (763)-682-7516.
STUDENT CENTER SPOTLIGHT
New Year's Resolutions
by Annette Bieniek, School Social Worker
As the holidays have passed and we plunge into the new year, all the buzz is about New Year's resolutions. Resolutions can be a great way to bring focus in our life, but often they go by the wayside in a short amount of time. This loss of the focus towards our resolutions can happen because life gets overwhelmingly busy. One very important way to keep our focus in life is through stress management. The following are some ways to resolve letting stress rob us of our New Year’s resolutions:
Quit multitasking. Often this dotes as an asset in character but, when we dart from one activity to the next without finishing it, we add stress to our lives. Tasks begin to take longer as we have to continue to engage our brain in the same task over and over again, draining our mental energy levels. We also rob ourselves the sense of accomplishment because nothing is actually completed.
Stress is often self-inflicted because we don’t say no. As individuals and families, we allow ourselves to take on too much. Pace yourself realistically. Families need downtime to enjoy each other. Try not to fill the schedule too tight.
Reorganize yourself. A slight change in your schedule can restore your sense of well-being.
Be an example to your family. Allow negative feelings to be discussed rather than demonstrated through negative behavior (yelling, name-calling, etc.).
Stop and think about what is really important. Often children value the time they get with their parents and family much more than the material items. These material items don’t mean a whole lot for children if they don’t have a strong family unit to turn to.
Use 2020 as the year to get the stress levels in your life under control. Include in your resolution ways to lower the stress in you and your family's lives. Making these small, but significant changes can help make 2020 more of a stroll than a plunge, in which you and your children can enjoy.
ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES
Reminders:
Boys 7/8 Basketball practice starts on Monday, January 6th from 2:45-4:30 There is still time to participate.
Registration and payment can be done online
Middle School game schedule can be found online at www.mississippi8.org
MS WEIGHT LIFTING PROGRAM FOR GRADES 6-8:
Runs Monday - Thursday from 2:30 - 3:30
Complete an emergency card for registration
No fee to participate in this program
Contact Mr. Hageman with questions @ jonathan.hageman@monticello.k12.mn.us
Viewing the Middle School Sports Schedules
Have you accessed the Mississippi8 website yet? There is a lot of valuable information on this website. You will find up-to-date schedules for Middle School and High School sports and activities.
Up-to-date information on this website includes: game times, which team plays first, and bus departure times. You can also sign-up to receive emails regarding any schedule changes, which has become a common occurrence in the spring.
Go to www.mississippi8.org
Select Monticello High School on the right.
Find the section titled, View Schedules under the calendar. Click on the sport of your choice and click on view.
To receive emails for any schedule changes or event reminders, follow these directions:
Go to www.mississippi8.org
Select Monticello High School on the right.
Find the section titled, Notify Me under the calendar. Follow the instructions provided.
Make sure that your computer does not have a SPAM blocker or you will not be able to receive the email.
Monticello Middle School Athletics Registration
Parents have two options for registering students for athletics or activities:
On-line Registration:
Click Activities tab
Log in
Click to select the sport you are registering for under your child's name
Complete required registration and MSHSL forms online
Enter payment information (debit/credit card/checking/savings account information)
Sports Qualifying Physical form for Athletes needs to be submitted to the MS Main Office (paper or electronic copy) Sports Physicals are good for 3 years
Online registration is not complete until payment is submitted. FeePay questions ~ contact Help Desk @ (763) 272-2099
(OR)
Paper Copy Registration:
Complete forms and submit payment today or to MS Main Office:
Registration / Emergency Card
Sports Qualifying Physical (Athletics only)
19-20 MN State High School League Eligibility Brochure (Athletics only)
$120.00 (Athletics) / $60.00 (Activities) cash or check to Monticello Middle School
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Parent Involvement Meeting
Monday, Jan 13, 2020, 06:00 PM
800 Broadway Street East, Monticello, MN, USA
MMS Magic Studio News
Photo Use Authorization
ATTENDANCE LINE
Monticello Middle School
Website: https://www.monticello.k12.mn.us/Domain/9
Location: 800 Broadway Street East, Monticello, MN, USA
Phone: 763-272-2000
Twitter: @MMS_Leader