Dear Matapeake Middle School Families,

The district and state-wide testing season is fast approaching and we will need our students to try and do their very best. This testing lets us know how our students are performing at the state and county levels, as well as inform us about how our students are performing individually on specific state content standards in reading, math, science, and 8th grade social studies. Students have been getting some practice for this testing during their regular classroom instruction. Content teachers and specialists have shared some appropriate test-taking strategies and expectations for the upcoming assessments. Below are just a few general test-taking strategies that parents can encourage their children to use in order to maximize their performance during testing:

1. Be Prepared and get a good night's sleep.

2. Take a deep breath and relax.

3. Listen closely to the instructions given by your teacher.

4. Read the test directions very carefully and watch for details.

5. Plan how you will use the allotted time and pace yourself.

6. Look for cues (context).

7. Answer all the questions, but if you get stuck, go on and come back to the question if you have time.

8. Make sure that your child eats a good breakfast.

Lastly, we encourage our students to attend school on a daily basis; however, it is especially important during the testing cycle to make sure that "ALL" students are reporting to school and are on time. Those students who are absent on the days of testing will have to be assigned make-up days for tests missed. This means that we will be pulling students from other class times. The testing calendar will be shared with parents soon. Parents, please make sure that your child is present during MMS testing dates.

Looking forward to a smooth testing administration.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Dr. McCoy, Principal

6th Grade

Delaney Pugh

Ethan Hua

7th Grade

Cassidy Reid

Zack Petze

8th Grade

Ashley Stevens

Cooper Liebel

Unified Arts

Daniel Blahut

Vincent Thomas

Feb 15 - National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony

Feb 20 - ALL Schools Closed

Feb 21 - PFY Starts

Feb 27 - Student of the Month celebration

Mar 7 - Spring Pictures

Mar 15 - NJHS Meeting

Students who have exhibited the Three R's (respect for self, others and the community) at MMS have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming "Minute-to- Win-It" event on February 24th during 5th period. Students may choose to either spectate or participate in the event.

Students can either create their own team of six or they will be placed on a team. The event costs twenty Sand Dollars to watch or thirty Sand Dollars to play on a team. Sales for the event will be all this week and next week.

Are those eclectic holiday, vacation, or funny meme coffee mugs overflowing your kitchen cabinets? Consider donating them to the Green Team at MMS and we will turn them into mini planters to enhance Matapeake Middle School's green footprint.

The Green Team also has the following recycling streams. Please send the items in with your child and we will take care of the rest.

• Oral Care products-empty toothpaste tubes and boxes, floss containers, and worn out toothbrushes
• Crayola Color Cycle - Used up magic markers
• Bread Tag Recycling - Those little plastic tabs on bread/muffin bags
• Bic School Supplies - empty pens, empty glue sticks, and broken mechanical pencils
• Wands-for-Wildlife - cleaned brushes from empty mascara tubes. These are used to groom orphaned baby wildlife

Below are informational materials and forms for the Student Wellness Survey and Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Program.

Student Wellness Survey Letter

MMS Student Wellness Survey

Opt-out form_Student Wellness Survey_MMS

Big Brothers Big Sisters - Mentoring Program:

BBBS of the Eastern Shore provides mentoring, resources, and activities to children facing adversity. Their services are 100% free to families. BBBS serves children between the ages of 6 – 16 and have been serving the area since 2005.

BBBS works to recruit, train, and coach volunteers to mentor. They obtain baseline data and conduct surveys on all the youth that are mentored. Case Managers develop Youth Outcome Development Plans for each match and guide the mentors to help the child reach the goals and objectives initially established.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore