The Mustang Minute
September 17, 2022 - Issue 3
Open House
This Wednesday, September 21st is the Coakley Middle School Open House. It is particularly exciting this year as we get to be back in person! Your child should be coming home with a team specific schedule but an general outline is below. A reminder that this is a time to meet your child's teachers, hear about the grade level curriculum, and check out some classrooms, it is not the time to try and speak specifically about your child with a teacher. we will have parent-teacher conferences in November and if you need to meet with your child's team before that, please reach out to the grade level guidance counselor or child's homeroom teacher.
6:30 - 6:40 Principal welcome in Auditorium
6:45-7:05: Team Meetings
7:10-7:50: Meeting with Essential Arts teachers
7:55 - 8:15 Team meetings for parents with multiple students or classroom visit time
8:20-8:30 Meeting with Essential Arts teachers or classroom visit time
The Buses
As happens every year, we have had some issues with bus drop off and pick up. The change in start times have added some complications as well. Transportation is working to alleviate the issues and they should be resolved within the next week. Please note that we will start checking students for bus passes later next week. If you have NOT registered your child for the bus, please do so immediately!
Coakley PTO
The Coakley PTO will have it's first meeting on Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30pm in the CMS library. A link will also be sent out for those who prefer to join virtually.
Lunch Update
Every student has access to one free lunch a day. We do ask that families apply for Free and Reduced lunch. This data also determines school funding from the Federal Government. we wanted to let parents know that students may also purchase a second lunch ($3.25) and that later next week they will have the opportunity to purchase snacks as well. Snacks cost $1-2 each.
Access to your child's account and the application for Free and reduced lunch can be found on the NPS website at this link: https://www.norwood.k12.ma.us/food-services/index
Morning Drop Off
Our morning drop off has been running very smoothly, thank you to everyone for following our directions! I did want to make all of our families aware that the building does not open until 8:15AM unless you are signed up for the Before-School Program (information on the program and its cost can be found on the NPS website). We have noticed a number of students waiting on the picnic tables starting at 7:45 am and I want our families to be aware that there is no supervision during this time and that once the weather gets colder, waiting in that area may be difficult.
Tennis Racquets
We are looking to develop a tennis clinic this fall. If you have any racquet lying unused around your house, we would love to take them off your hands! You can drop them off in the main office.
Intramural Tennis!
Teamwork!
Team Building
How Tall Can you Go?
Flight Tests!
Picture Day
Communication
Communication
For our new parents, I send out this email newsletter every week (typically on Fridays) providing highlights of student activities from the past week and providing information on upcoming events. While I will occasionally send out direct messages or send home paper fliers - this is really your one-stop shop for CMS School News. Below you will see information about drop off and pick up, attendance and tardies, and other first day of school items. I will resend this communication next Friday as well. The Norwood Schools have moved to a new system of communication called parent square. I will include more information about that program as the year begins but to start I STRONGLY recommend downloading the App from the Apple or Google store into your phone (image below). It allows you to choose your method of delivery and allows for communication with all the school at one place!
I also have a Twitter and Instagram Account where I post pictures from school activities and events and repeat information from the newsletter. My Twitter and Instagram Account handles are at the bottom of this email.
Guidance Counselors
Grade 6 - Ashley McCaffrey amccaffrey@norwood.k12.ma.us
Grade 7 - Jennifer Tucker jtucker@norwood.k12.ma.us
Grade 8 - Allyson King acking@norwood.k12.ma.us (Ms. King is on maternity leave until January. Her Long term sub is Lois D'Allessandro and her email is lois.dallesandro@norwood.k12.ma.us)
Assistant Principals
Grade 6 & 7: John Sarianides jsarianides@norwood.k12.ma.us
Grade 7 & 8: John Greeley jgreeley@norwood.k12.ma.us
The PTO Needs You!
PTO Board Openings
With the new year comes new opportunities to be involved with CMS. We are looking for two grade 6 PTO Board members that collectively make decisions about activities for the school. Please email coakleynorwoodPTO@gmail.com or mfraczek@norwood.k12.ma.us if you are interested.
The PTO's first meeting will be Tuesday, September 27th at 6:30pm in the CMS library. A link to attend virtually will also be sent out.
Dr. Margo Fraczek
Email: mfraczek@norwood.k12.ma.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/norwood.k12.ma.us/cms-principal/home
Phone: 781-762-7880
Facebook: facebook.com/CoakleyMIddleSchoolPTO
Twitter: @mfraczek