Eagles' Notes
Madras News: April 15, 2019, Lorraine Johnson, Principal
Madras Middle School
Email: MadrasNews@cowetaschools.org
Website: http://www.cowetaschools.net/mms
Location: 240 Edgeworth Road, Newnan, GA, United States
Phone: 770-254-2744
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MadrasEagles
Twitter: @MadrasEagles
Media Notes
Karen Pitts, Media Specialist
Throughout the school year, the Library Media Center has had multiple students who have been willing to help out by shelving books, helping other students locate books, giving book recommendations and book talks, as well as many other tasks that were needed. I wanted to especially thank and highlight Thomas and Andrew. These two young men stay after school almost every day to help me with whatever is needed. They always have a smile on their faces and are willing to try anything that is asked. Thank you so much for showing Eagle Pride with respect and empathy!
Georgia Milestones Information and Resources for Parents
March 25, 2019
Dear Parent/Guardian,
The Coweta County School System will administer the Georgia Milestones Assessment when we return from Spring Break during the weeks of April 10-12 and April 16-18, 2019. Georgia Milestones (GMAS) measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The main purpose of Georgia Milestones is
- to inform efforts to improve student achievement by assessing student performance on the standards specific to each grade tested.
- to provide teachers, students, and their parents with critical information about student achievement, including their preparedness for the next grade level. In 8th grade Reading (determination of On/Above Grade Level) In 8th grade math (achievement level of Developing Learner, Proficient Learner, or Distinguished Learner)
- to inform state and federal accountability at the school, district, and state levels.
Eighth graders are assessed in all academic content areas including: English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, and 6th and 7th grades are assessed in English/Language Arts and Math. Make-up tests are scheduled for afternoons and for April 12th and 15th. (Eighth grade retest dates are May 20-21.) Below is the test schedule for each grade level.
All grades will test online, and online test practice sessions have been scheduled during the school day to provide students the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the online platform prior to the actual test administration. Because students will be using their Chromebooks to take the test, it is critical that they bring their fully charged Chromebooks each day.
Your support and encouragement play an important role in student success. The following are recommendations and reminders to help your child during the weeks of testing:
- Make sure your child is present and arrives to school on time each day. Students who are tardy will not be permitted to disrupt test administration.
- Please do not check your child out from school during the testing period. Classes that are testing cannot be interrupted.
- Avoid scheduling orthodontist, dental, or other appointments during testing dates and times.
- See that your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a nutritious breakfast each morning.
- Assure that your child brings a fully charged Chromebook to school each day. If you are subscribed to Madras texts, you will receive a text reminder at 6:30 p.m. every day during the testing window. You can subscribe by texting the number 81010 and entering @MadrasMS in the text line.
- Encourage students to leave cell phones, smart watches, and any personal or smart device at home during their testing days as these items are not permitted in testing environments. Calculators will be provided on portions of the mathematics assessment as permitted.
- Know that academic, connections, and lunch schedules will be different during the testing window, and there may be changes throughout the day based upon test timing.
While this assessment represents one measure of student learning, we are excited to see our students’ hard work reflected in their results. Score reports will be sent home with explanatory information regarding how to read and interpret your child’s scores after they become available. If you have any questions, please contact a Madras administrator or Madras testing coordinators, Kia Harris or Maranda Holmes. Thank you for your support and interest in helping your child to do his/her very best on the Georgia Milestones.
More About the Milestones
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative assessment pro​gram spanning grades 3 through high school.Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Students in grades 3 through 8 take an end-of-grade assessment in English Language Arts and mathematics while students in grades 5 and 8 are also assessed in science and social studies. High school students take an end-of-course assessment for each of the ten courses designated by the State Board of Education.
Features the Georgia Milestone Assessment System include:
- open-ended (constructed-response) items in English Language Arts and mathematics (all grades and courses);
- a writing component (in response to passages read by students) at every grade level and course within the English Language Arts assessment;
- norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses, to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and
- transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-penc​il as back-up until the transition is complete.
What is the purpose of Georgi​a Milestones?
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core content areas of English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. More importantly, Georgia Milestones is designed to provide students with critical information abo​u​t their own achievement and their readiness for their next level of learning – be it the next grade, the next course, or endeavor (college or career).
Informing parents, educators, and the public about how well students are learning important content is an essential aspect of any educational assessment and accountability system. Parents, the public, and policy makers, including local school districts and boards of education, can use the results as a barometer of the quality of educational opportunity provided throughout the state of Georgia.
As such, Georgia Milestones serves as a key component of the state’s accountability system – the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).
What content areas and grade​​ levels are tested?
Students in grades 3 through 8 take an end-of-grade assessment in English Language Arts and mathematics while students in grades 5 and 8 are also assessed in science and social studies. Each school district selects a local testing window, based on their local school calendar, from within the state-designated testing window.
Additional Georgia Milestones Parent Information and Resources
Study Guides
The Study/Resource Guides are intended to serve as a resource for parents and students. They contain practice questions and learning activities for each content area. The standards identified in the Study/Resource Guides address a sampling of the state-mandated content standards.
Remember to Charge Chromebooks Daily
You can subscribe by texting the number 81010 and entering @MadrasMS in the text line or by clicking here.
Attention 6th Grade Parents
Coweta County School System School Health
To: Parents/Guardians of All Coweta County School System Sixth Graders
From: Department of School Health, Coweta County School System
The Georgia Department of Human Resources has issued an immunization update regarding Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) and Meningococcal immunizations. Starting July 1, 2014 all children who were born on or after January 1, 2002 who are entering the seventh grade are required to have a Tdap and a Meningococcal immunization, and an updated immunization certificate (Form 3231) reflecting the administration dates of the two additional vaccines.
ALL RISING SEVENTH GRADERS BORN ON OR AFTER January 1, 2002 MUST HAVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
A current , up-to-date DHR Immunization Form 3231 reflecting the additional one dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) vaccine and one Meningococcal conjugate vaccine have been administered
OR
A signed immunization waiver (available at the school for eligible students only) granting an extension of 30 calendar days
OR
A notarized affidavit affirming a religious belief conflict.
If you have any questions regarding your student’s immunization status, contact your child’s physician, the local Health Department, or the school nurse. I encourage you to attend to this promptly to avoid the “back to school” rush. Your new certificate can be obtained while your child is still in sixth grade and issued to the school.
Please sign and date this notification below acknowledging you have received and read this important Georgia Law health update. After signing, return this notification letter to the school. This letter will be kept on file in the student’s permanent record until the above 7th grade attendance requirement is met.
Letters were sent home previously, and you can download a copy here.
Spanish I/Government Information for Rising Eighth Graders
Letter sent home with 7th grade students on April 19, 2019 (Copy of letter to print)
Dear Parents of Rising 8th Grade Students:
This upcoming academic year, Madras will offer two courses at the middle school for credit at the high school level. These courses meet the 9-12 grade Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) and the Georgia Performance Standards for Modern Languages (GPS) and will be taught by high school and middle school certified teachers holding a valid 6-12 grade Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC) certification in the subject area. These courses will follow Georgia course requirements as well as any associated End of Course Test or Student Learning Objective (SLO) requirements. This is a great opportunity for your student to earn high school credit at the middle school level.
At Madras we will offer Spanish I and American Government/Civics. These courses are year-long (two-semester courses during connections) offered for high school credit to 8th grade students. Enrollment is on a space-available basis (by lottery) and requires parental permission/approval. Middle school teachers, counselors, and administrators will work collaboratively in the identification of 8th grade students requesting enrollment who have demonstrated readiness for high school coursework and student requirements. You should know that once the student is enrolled, we will only honor parent requests for schedule changes before the end of the 1st semester. A student dropping out of a year-long class for high school credit and completing just one semester will receive the grade earned up to that point. That grade will be reflected on the student’s middle school report card as a regular middle school course.
High school level courses taken and passed in middle school will count towards the total units required to graduate from high school. The grade earned will post to the transcript and become a part of the student’s overall GPA. However, as per current HOPE scholarship guidelines, this grade will not be used to calculate HOPE scholarship eligibility. Please become familiar with HOPE guidelines and future HOPE changes so that you know how this might affect your child.
Again, this is an opportunity for your child to earn high school credit during the 8th grade year. If you would like your student to be considered for enrollment in either of these classes, you must submit a request by May 24th at: https://forms.gle/ji3XwpA6CP4dm2vP7 and complete and return the parent letter.
Parents of students enrolled will be contacted via email (at the email address submitted via parent’s online request) by the end of June. If you have questions, please contact a Madras administrator at 770-254-2744.
Sincerely,
Madras Administration
Letters will be sent home April 19th, and should be returned with a parent's signature. Parents should also complete the online request at the link above. You can download the letter here.
Spring Fine Arts Concerts
- Spring Band Concerts, Monday, April 22; Nixon Centre for the Arts; 6th grade at 6:30; 7th/8th grades at 7:30
- Spring Guitar Concert, Sunday, April 28, 2:00 p.m.; Nixon Centre for the Arts
- Spring Chorus Concert, Thursday, May 16, 7:00 p.m.; Southside Church
2019 Summer School Information
Dear Parents and Students:
The Coweta County School System will offer its annual Summer School program for middle school students during the month of June. The classes, held Monday through Friday, will take place at the Central Educational Center from June 3rd – June 28th, 2018 from 8:00-12:00 (Monday-Friday).
Parents and students are encouraged to discuss summer school enrollment with their counselors. Only those students with complete application packets will be allowed to enroll for courses. All times, rules, and deadlines, with regards to registration, will be upheld and are final. Registration materials will be available at each middle school the first week of May or you can download directly. Completed registration packets are to be returned to Summer School administration, not your student’s base school counseling department. Registration and payment will take place at CEC on May 30-31 from 9:00 to 3:00.
If you have any questions about course offerings or your student’s academic plan, please contact the eighth grade counselor, Maranda Holmes at 770-254-2744. If you have any questions about Summer School details, registration, or logistics please e-mail the lead summer school administrator, Ahmand Tinker at: ahmand.tinker@cowetaschools.net
Summer Camps and Opportunties for Students
End-of-Year Reminders
- Please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to your child's homeroom teacher if you'd like your child's final report card mailed to your home. Reports cards not mailed may be picked up in our front office beginning summer office hours on June 1st.
- Make sure to pay all outstanding lunch account balances.
- Return all library books and text books (and pay any fines if applicable).
- Students will need to pay all applicable fees for damaged or lost Chromebook and/or charging cord if lost.
- Pick up any medication left in our school's clinic. Any medication left after May 24th will be destroyed.
- If your child is missing an item, please make sure he/she checks the school's lost and found before the last day of school. Items will be donated to charity after May 30th.
- Any lost or collected valuables, including electronics, are locked in the school's vault and should be picked up by May 24th.
News from the Eagle Cafe
From: Frances Singleton, Cafeteria Manager
Letter will be sent home to parents on April 19th
Dear Parents,
Beginning May 1st,students will not be permitted to charge meals in the cafeteria. We recommend that you pay for all meals in advance. The cost of lunch is $3.05 and the cost of breakfast is $1.00. Extra milk or juice is $.50. Advance payment for lunch for the month of May is $54.90 (18 days), and advance payment for breakfast is $18.00. If your child’s account reaches a negative balance (or is currently a negative balance), he/she will receive an alternate meal of a sandwich, fruit, and white milk.
We strongly urge you to try using MealpayPlus®. MealpayPlus® provides an easy-to-use, efficient way to make payments quickly and securely anytime using a simple Internet connection. You can say goodbye to the hassles of sending in multiple checks to multiple locations for multiple students. It can all be done with one payment on MealpayPlus. MealpayPlus also allows the ability to receive free low balance emails and in most cases view the purchases made in the cafeteria online. The website address is
https://www15.mealpayplus.com/default.aspx and also can be accessed from the Madras Middle home page (www.cowetaschools.net/mms).
In order to provide you with a friendly reminder, Krista and I are letting students know if they owe money as they come through the breakfast/lunch line. If you have a question about your child’s account, please check Infinite Campus Parent Portal (keep in mind that Infinite Campus may be a day behind), or call the cafeteria at (770) 254-2816 or email me at frances.singleton@cowetaschools.net
Please remember that the school nutrition program is self-supporting and outstanding balances negatively impact our school.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Frances Singelton
Cafteria Manager
- Madras Pep Squad Informational Parent Meeting: Parents of any current 7th grade girl interested in trying out for Pep Squad for next year should attend an informational Student/Parent meeting Tuesday, April 16th at 5:00 pm in the Madras media center.
- NGHS Colorguard Tryouts: If you are an 8th grader who is going to NGHS next year and would like an audition packet for the 2019-20 NGHS Colorguard, please see Mrs. Wagner in the band room before school or during transition to connections classes. Colorguard is a fun way to be involved in high school, and you do not have to have music experience to audition.
- Chorus: Any current 6th or 7th grader who would like to join chorus for the 2019-2020 year, can send Mrs Walton an email or stop by her room to get more information.
- Junior ROTC: The last JROTC meeting of the school year is Monday, 4/15 from 3:30-4:30 in Mr. Carter's room.
- NHS Softball Tryouts: Newnan High School Softball tryouts for upcoming 9th graders is May 6-9. Tryouts for upcoming 8th graders is July 30. You will need to complete the paperwork packet before tryouts which can be found on the Newnan High website.. Please email Coach Carrie Gilmore if you have questions or need a copy of the informational packet..
- NGHS Softball Tryouts: Any upcoming 8th or 9th grade girl who will be attending Northgate and would like to tryout for the girls' softball team should submit a completed physical packet (found on the NGHS website) to Northgate by April 30th. Tryouts are May 7th-9th from 4-6 PM at Northgate High School. Students must be experienced players and have a physical packet on file to participate in the tryout process.
- Junior Beta: There will be a Jr. Beta meeting on Monday, April 15th at 3:30. Students will be finalizing their plans for induction as well as discussing their end of the year school service project. Students should bring their service logs and have their rides pick them up in front of the building at 4:15.
Coweta County STEM Symposium
Congratulations to Madras 8th grade teacher, Laura Farmer! She was named the 2019 Coweta County STEM Teacher of the Year!
Jack Whittemore Honored at STEM Symposium
Pep Squad Informational Meeting (for 7th graders)
Morgan Thompson, Pep Squad Coach
There will be an informational parent meeting on Tuesday, April 16th at 5:00 pm in the Madras media center for any current 7th grade girl interested in trying out for pep squad. Tryout information, requirements for participation, and cost of uniforms will be shared with parents. If you have any questions, you can contact the Madras Pep Squad coach, Morgan Thompson at morgan.thompson@cowetaschools.net
2019 MADRAS FOOTBALL SPRING TRAINING
Dates of training: April 29, 30, May 1, 2
Times of training: 3:30 to 5:00 - Pick up is 5:00 behind the school at the gym.
Dress: Wear shirts, shorts, and cleats.
Must have passed classes first semester and currently be passing all classes.
Students must have a completed athletic packet (including physical) on file in the front office. (Copies of the athletic packet may be picked up in the front office during office hours.)
PTO: Join the Team!
Amy Brandon, PTO President
Welcome to Madras! The purpose of our PTO is to help improve our school by combining the efforts of parents, students, and teachers.
We invite you to join PTO to help make our school a better place to work and learn! Our fundraising efforts have benefited a variety of projects in the past including school building improvements, teacher instructional requests, equipment for the fine arts department, instructional technology purchases, and athletic programs.
This year, one of our major goals is to raise enough funds to purchase an electronic sign in front of the school to replace the old signage. We didn't quite reach this goal last year but are hoping to earn enough early this year to update it. We ask that each family join PTO with a $12.00 (or more if you choose) contribution. You can join and pay directly online by clicking the ONLINE MEMBERSHIP (You can also send a check with your child to the homeroom teacher or to the front office. Checks should be made payable to Madras PTO.)
We also need your volunteer time! If you are interested in assisting with any of the areas below, please select from the choices on the online form. You will be contacted as the events take place. There are many opportunities to serve:
- Hospitality Committee - Teachers' Luncheons and Special Events
- Box Tops
- School Store - helping in the store 8:00-8:30 AM on a rotational basis
- Membership
- Snack n Chat (monthly)
- Media Center (1-2 hrs per week)
- Battle of the Books
- Book Fair - Fall and Spring
- Scoliosis Screening - one time event
- School Pictures
- Lamination/Copies for teachers
- 8th Grade Dance Setup
- Special Event Assistance
- PTSO Board
MMS PTO Annual Project: Electronic Sign in Front of the School
If you wish to make a donation to this project, please send it in with your child address to the MMS PTO. Contact Amy Brandon at amysbrandon97@gmail.com with any questions.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Parent Letter Archives
Safety Letter (8-6-18)
Health Alert (8-6-18)
Open House Letter (8-7-18)
Affidavit Letter (10-15-18)
Parent Symposium Letter (10-22-18)
Symposium Flyer (10-22-18)
Veterans Day Assembly Letter (11-2-18)
Inclement Weather Protocol Letter (11-2-18)
8th Grade Career Expo Field Trip Letter (1-7-19)
7th Grade College and Career Academy Field trip Letter (1-8-19)
Scoliosis Letter, 6th and 8th Grades (1-14-19)
High School Transition Information (1-15-19)
8th Grade Semiformal Letter (1-28-19)
Parent Letter (1-28-19)
Meals on Wheels Letter (3-4-19)
Immunization Letters for Sixth Graders
Testing Letter (3-25-19)
Letter from Frances Singleton, Cafe Manager (4/18/19)
7th Grade Letter Regarding Spanish/Government Courses (4-18-19)
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