September 7, 2023
from Dr. Jenn Milam, Middle School director
Mark Your Calendars
- Friday, September 8: Picture Make-Up Day
- MPA Ice Cream Social, 3 PM, South Lawn
- Monday, September 11-Wednesday, September 13: Grade 6-Eagle Bluff Overnight
- Thursday, September 14: Curriculum Night, 6-8 PM
- Informational Meeting for Grade 5 Overnight
- Informational Meeting for Washington DC Trip (new students!)
- Wednesday, September 20-Friday, September 22: Grade 5-Osprey Wild Overnight
- Monday, September 25: No Classes, Yom Kippur. Register for K-8 Panther Care here.
- Tuesday, September 26-Saturday, September 30: MPA Homecoming Week
- Thursday, September 28: Middle School Parent Coffee, 8:15 AM, PCR
- Friday, September 29: Middle School Homecoming Games
- All School Homecoming Assembly, 2:20 PM, Lansing Sports Center
- Friday, October 6: Picture Retake Day
- Monday, October 9: No Classes, Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Thursday, October 12: All School Conferences, 3:30-8 PM
- Friday, October 13: No Classes, All School Conferences, 8-5 PM
- Wednesday, October 18: Lower and Middle School Grandparents and Special Friends Day (details coming soon!) (note: Dismissal is at 3 PM.)
- Thursday, October 19-Friday, October 20: No Classes, Fall Break
Happy second week of school! It’s been delightful to welcome your young people back to school and our hallways are once again bustling with energy, laughter, learning, and lots of JOY!
Every other week, I will share new information, important dates, and upcoming items that require your attention. It’s always my suggestion to get out your planners and family calendars and get these items noted so they don’t sneak up on you. Middle School is a busy, busy time, and your student (and their frontal lobe!) need your assistance in keeping up with it all!
Picture Day–Make-Up Date
If you missed Back to School Night and/or having your picture taken then, please plan for your student to take their picture this Friday, September 8. Picture retakes (if you do not like your school photo) will be in October!
Middle School Study Hall
Study hall has been moved under the umbrella of Panther Programs. Students who would like to remain on campus after school to complete homework are asked to register for Panther Den. A quiet space, for working and studying, will be offered, as needed for those Middle School students interested.
All students attending extended day programming, including for study time, will be billed through TADS for their daily attendance. The cost of supervision/care after 3:10 PM, is $13.50/day.
NOTE: Students in grades PreK-8 are not allowed to be unsupervised after school for any reason. A Middle School student cannot attend a friend’s game/match without parental supervision, hang-out with older friends in the North lobby or wait for you in a vestibule (even for just a few minutes). If your family is unable to pick-up by 3:10pm, your student will be required to sign-in to Panther Den and should be picked-up from there. Thank you, in advance, for your support in reinforcing the importance of this critically important safety and security issue. The wellbeing of your young people is our top priority and shared expectations play a critical role in ensuring their safety and security.
Backpacks and Cellphones
In Middle School, students are not allowed to carry their backpacks with them during the day, but they are allowed to visit their locker as often as needed. Additionally, as a reminder, cell phone policy in Middle School is “off-and-away” from 7:45 AM-3 PM. Please help to reinforce these practices.
Overnight Class Trips – Coming Soon!
Overnight trips for fifth and sixth grade will be here before you know it! You received a handout in your Back To School folder with details, packing lists, and release forms. If your student is in sixth grade and traveling next week, and you missed the informational session, please reach out to Ms. Meras (pmeras@moundsparkacademy.org) with questions or concerns.
For all fifth-grade parents, Mrs. Lassonde and Ms. Nagle will be offering an overview of the trip, packing lists, and information during the first session of Curriculum Night, next Thursday, September 14. Please plan to attend!
Overnight trips are an exceptional way to build relationships, self-regulation skills and independence! These are hallmarks of an MPA Middle School experience, and we’re excited to share these moments with your middles!
All School Conferences
We are looking forward to welcoming you to campus for in-person conferences this fall. Please mark your calendars and be on the lookout for registration details soon.
- All School Conferences: Thursday, October 12, 3:30-8 PM
- All School Conferences: Friday, October 13, 8-5 PM (No School)
Curriculum Night 2023
We are excited to welcome all families to campus on Thursday, September 14, 6-8 PM, for Curriculum Night. This is a night for new and returning parents and guardians to come to school to meet their child’s teachers and learn about the school year ahead. Teachers will share key components of the curriculum, the progression of grade level skills, classroom expectations, and outline developmentally responsive aspirations for students socially, emotionally, and academically. Teachers will also offer tips on parent-teacher communication, homework support, and organization techniques to help parents best guide their students through the school year.
When you arrive, you’ll be given a schedule of sessions offered, and a list of teachers and their room numbers. You’ll be able to select the sessions you attend and prioritize based on interest and need for your student and family. We are excited to share with you what we do and what we’ll be learning together this year!
CORRECTION: Grandparents and Special Friends Day, October 19
We will welcome Grandparents and Special Friends to campus on Wednesday, October 18. Be on the lookout for an invitation, schedule, and RSVP details soon. Students may invite their grandparents and special friends to share in their MPA experience with some classroom time, a performance, and some fun!
Please note that in previous communications, I miswrote that this was an early dismissal day. It is not. Middle School Grandparents and Special Friends programming will be in the afternoon and dismissal will be at the regular time of 3 PM.
Be well and take care of one another!
