April 6, 2023
from Jenn Milam, Middle School director
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- April 7: Early Bird Registration Deadline, Washington DC Class of 2029 Trip
- April 14: 7/8 Spring Dance, 7-9 PM
- April 21: MPA Spring Auction
- April 26: MPA Spring Musical Opening Night!
- April 28: No Classes, Teacher Professional Development Day
- May 4: Middle School Family Dinner
- Rising Grade Level Meetings, Grades 4-8
- Middle School Vocal Concert, 7 PM
- May 11: Middle/Upper School Orchestra Concert, 7 PM
- May 17: Middle/Upper School Band Concert, 7 PM
- May 22-26: Washington DC, Grade 7 Trip
- May 26: No Classes, Teacher Professional Development Day
- May 29: No Classes, Memorial Day
- June 2: 5/6 grade Canoeing Adventure
- 7/8 grade Valley Fair Performance and Fun Day
- June 3: MPA Commencement 2023
- June 6: Passion Project Showcase, 1 PM
- Middle School Moving-Up Ceremony, 2 PM
- June 7: Last Day of School
- Early Dismissal 10:30 AM
Spring Has Finally Sprung!
For this southern-raised girl, this means more sunshine, flowers, and baseball season! I could not be happier that we seem to be moving toward warmer weather, happier young people, and the joy of the end of the year. It’s such a special time!
Parents and families, I ask that you please pay particular attention to emails, Schoology posts, and things that are sent home. These last eight weeks of school are incredibly busy, full of celebratory events, field trips, projects, and activities—it’s much easier when you’re engaged with all, and there are certainly opportunities to be with your Middle School student you won’t want to miss!
Spring Fling Dance for Grades 7 and 8
On Friday, April 14, we will have our final dance of the year! The theme is “SPRING FLING!” and we invite all seventh and eighth graders to attend. Dances are from 7-9 PM, in the Family Commons, and more details will be forthcoming from our Student Council and the amazing Mr. Warner, Student Council faculty advisor.
SAVE THE DATE: Middle School Family Dinner, Grade Level Transition Meetings, and Choir Performance
A longstanding tradition, we will welcome our rising Middle School families to dinner with Middle School on Thursday, May 4, followed by transition meetings, and an all-Middle School Vocal Performance. This is a great night to learn about what to expect and look forward to in the 2023-2024 academic year, meet some of the teachers and advisors, and enjoy a great show! We begin around 5:15 PM, with meetings at 6 PM, and performance at 7 PM!
More details are forthcoming, but you’ll not want to miss this!
Valley Fair Performance and Fun Day: Friday, June 2
On Friday, June 2, our seventh- and eighth-grade students will perform at Valley Fair. There will be singing, orchestra, and band ensemble performances. We will board buses and depart early in the day, perform, and then students will have the opportunity to spend the day at the park, riding rides and having fun!
The cost per student is $25, and students should also plan to bring money for lunch/drinks. You can send the $25 to the school as cash/check (made out to MPA). More information will be coming home from Mr. Skrove (band director) and Ms. Lawson (orchestra director) this week and next.
NOTE: If the cost of participation is a hardship for your family, please reach out to Dr. Jenn Milam for support. We want all students to attend and share in this awesome experience.
Additionally, we will host a Zoom Informational Meeting on Tuesday, April 11, at 7 PM. Please join us for a quick 30-minute conversation about expectations, performance details, and have an opportunity to ask questions. We are really excited about this incredible opportunity to share our talent in the community as a culminating experience for seventh and eighth graders and have a little fun, too!
Zoom Information
- Join Zoom Meeting
- Meeting ID: 969 0306 3967
- Password: VFSings!
Middle School Matters: A Community Book Study
Thank you to those who joined us for our first Book Study meeting! Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 19, 7:30 PM! Please join us, even if you didn’t the first time—there is a great discussion, fellowship, and affirming conversation with other parents!
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 invite you to have dinner with your family, put your feet up, pour a drink of something you enjoy, and meet us online, on the following dates at 7:30 PM, from the comfort of your living room!
- Wednesday, April 19, 2023: Social Skills
- Thursday, May 18, 2023: Learning and School
- FINAL SESSION—TBD: Empowerment and Resilience
We will have guest speakers and experts for each of the 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:
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!
Planned Absence Policy
We understand that families may make vacation and time-away decisions that make sense for their family and not necessarily with the school calendar. While we support your travel and quality time, please also work with us to recognize that missing school can be challenging for your students, and we should work together to help them in keeping up with academic assignments, assessments, and projects.
Please review the MPA Planned Absence Policy and work diligently to communicate your family’s plans with the Middle School office, as well as help your student to communicate directly with their teachers. It is an important lesson in self-advocacy and self-management for a Middle School student to attempt this task independently.
Students are not penalized for missing school; however, they are responsible for the work missed as determined by their teachers. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out.
CLASS of 2029—Washington DC Trip: Early Bird Registration ends tomorrow, Friday, April 7
All students currently in sixth grade who wish to travel to Washington DC next year (May 2024) should visit the World Strides website and get registered ASAP! If you register and put down your $49 deposit by tomorrow, an Early Bird Discount of $125 will be applied to your trip cost! Payment plans are flexible and available.
Please also refer to the email sent for more details, trip number, and informational meeting recording! If you have questions, please reach out to Dr. Jenn Milam (jmilam@moundsparkacademy.org).
NOTE: You can certainly register after tomorrow but will miss out on the discounts!
Attention All Eighth-Grade Parents: Moving-Up Ceremony & Slideshow!
We are beginning our planning for the Moving-Up Ceremony on Tuesday, June 6, at 2 PM. Please mark your calendars now for this special occasion to celebrate our eighth-grade class and welcome our newest Middle School classmates from Lower School.
All parents and families of our grade eight students are asked to submit three photos of their student to be shared in the slideshow! All eighth-grade students will have photos included, and this is your chance to celebrate your amazing kid.
Please send three photos to Ms. Lassonde (jlassonde@moundsparkacademy.org) at your earliest convenience. The three photos should include one of each of the following:
- One from when they were young
- One that captures their passion and personality
- One from Middle School with their friends
The sooner you send these, the sooner we can begin putting together the most amazing keepsake slideshow!
NOTE: The Passion Project Showcase will immediately precede the Moving-Up Ceremony on the same day, at 1 PM. Please save the date/time on your calendars now—the end of the year will be here before you know it!
Be well. Take care of one another. Happy Spring!
