January 12, 2023
from Ann Jurewicz, Lower School director
Shout-Outs & Faculty Celebrations
As we move into the second half of the school year, we want to acknowledge and recognize the ongoing greatness happening from the wonderful initiatives of our MPA staff. With that in mind, the Lower School would like to recognize the following teachers:
- Heather Mastel—Ms. Mastel has been accepted to the Regional Arts Teacher-Leader Network. This is a statewide multi-year leadership program specifically for arts educators to grow their leadership skills and classroom practices through a regular series of professional development.
- Genevievre Colianni & Kari O’Keefe—Who facilitated our recent CHAMP assembly on Grit. Grit is the ability of students to use courage and perseverance to push through challenges and achieve their goals. Students can focus on and demonstrate Grit in the coming month and create bookmarks to remind them of the value of Grit. Thank you to Ms. O’Keefe and Ms. Colianni for their support!
Midyear Academic Performance Check-In
As we reach midyear in the Lower School, we are using Fastbridge to measure student progress and adjust instruction to achieve then greatest learning potential in each individual child. We will be sharing this data with families along with trimester 2 progress reports on Monday, February 27.
Parent Chat—Mastery Learning: Wednesday, February 8, 8:10-9 AM
I would like to invite our Lower School parents to a session on mastery learning and standards-based grading and reporting. The purpose of mastery learning is to reduce a focus on grades as a measure of student aptitude, and instead, find the areas for growth to target so that students can become their very best.
No Classes on Monday, January 16 and Tuesday, January 17
MPA will be closed on Monday, January 16, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his important contributions to civil rights and our country. On Tuesday, January 17, teachers will be engaged in professional development and given time to finalize grades and prepare for the transition to next quarter and new semester courses. Enjoy your long weekend!
“Middle School Matters”: A Community Book Study! Fourth Grade Families—You’re invited!
Middle School is a time of rapid changes, new experiences, and sometimes, perplexing encounters in a new world in which we (parents!) did not grow up! In partnership with Ms. Cooper, our school counselor, and Ms. Meras, our new Middle School Dean, I will be hosting a community book study this spring. We will do a shared reading of “Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond–and How Parents Can Help” by Phyllis L. Fagell.
We will meet four times, in alignment with the four sections of the text, via Zoom, to discuss, share, wonder, worry, ponder, and problem-solve alongside teachers, experts, and other community members the mystery and magnificence of the middle school years. We invite you to have dinner with your family, put your feet up, pour a drink of something you enjoy, and meet us online, the following dates at 7:30 PM, from the comfort of your living room!
- Wednesday, February 22, 2023 (Values and Integrity)
- Thursday, March 23, 2023 (Social Skills)
- Wednesday, April 19, 2023 (Learning)
- Thursday, May 18, 2023 (Empowerment and Resilience)
We will have guest speakers and experts for each of the four sections of the text and will share our own personal journey in raising spirited, well-balanced, resilient, kind, and good humans.
You can purchase the book in any format of your choosing, and in whatever way you’d like. Here are a few options:
- Paperback from Amazon
- Audible (Audiobook)
- YouTube (not a book, but a great presentation)
Or you can check it out at your local library!
You can also just drop in for a listen, join the conversation, and build community. I am hoping with a later evening gathering time, and the flexibility of Zoom, that we’ll have the opportunity to connect and grow our community in a way that makes space for the various family and scheduling demands we all juggle. Join Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 332 737 0417
- Password: MSMatters!
Warmly, Ann Jurewicz
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- January 11-27: Fastbridge Winter Testing
- January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, No School
- January 17: Teacher Professional Development, No School
- January 25-27: Used Uniform Sale at MPA
- February 2, 3 and 9: LS/MS Conferences
- February 14: LS Valentine’s Day Party
- February 16: LS Trimester 2 Ends
- February 17: Teacher Professional Development, No School
- February 20: Presidents’ Day, No School
- February 21-24: SnoDaze Week
