MUMS Family Newsletter

Dear MUMS community,

We hope this message finds you well.

We want to start by expressing our sincere appreciation for our school community following the incident that I communicated about last night. Additionally, I want to share my gratitude for the staff at MUMS as well as the Middlebury Police Department for their response and support.

In times like this, it's important to reiterate the need for privacy of students and families by encouraging your student to connect with a trusted adult if they feel worried or scared. There have been counselors available all day checking in with students as needed and will be prepared to do the same next week as necessary.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other throughout the weekend and know that we are here for support.

As always, If you have questions generally, please reach out to us at mwisell@acsdvt.org (Michaela)

or zjerome@acsdvt.org (Zach) or dhunt@acsdvt.org (Dustin) or by calling the MUMS office at 802-382-1600 or by visiting the MUMS website for more information.

- Michaela, Zach & Dustin

Michaela Wisell, Principal

Zach Jerome, Assistant Principal

Dustin Hunt, Dean of Culture and Climate

• December 22nd through January 1st - Winter Break

Thanks to all of our volunteers who helped make last week's dance possible. We had a great turn out and got really positive feedback from students. It sometimes feels overwhelming to pull off events like this, but the excitement that we experience the days leading up to the event and the stories shared after, are always a reminder of why they are so important.

On Wednesday we practiced our first relocation drill. Students, with their teams experienced the route we would take, the set up we would have at the Rec. Center and a debrief upon returning to MUMS. I cannot overstate how proud I am of our students. They were very respectful, responsible and supportive throughout the drill. We will continue to practice our safety protocols in the months ahead and appreciate your support as we continue to prioritize school safety at MUMS.

Lastly, we had an absolute blast as a learning community, at our assembly on Wednesday! Our Jazz Band played awesome music, while our teams competed in a game of Omniken volleyball. Our gym was filled with positive energy and joy for the entire assembly. Our congratulations goes out to Team 3 (The Three Musketeers) for outscoring our staff in the championship Match! Please check out our social media pages for pictures and videos of the fun!

In Wellness classes, students are beginning the Net Sports unit with volleyball. We are focusing on the Learner Profile of “Communicator” to enhance teamwork. We are also working on the Learner Profile of “Knowledge” to develop techniques and strategies for effective game play. To make sure everyone can be involved, we are beginning with a modified version of volleyball called Newcomb and working our way up to having a 2 day round-robin tournament.

Pam Quinn and Eileen Sears, MYP Coordinators

Holiday Giving

Thank you to Northern Roots Farm for bringing trees for our families. If you would like to support gift giving for a family, gift cards to local (or online) businesses can be brought to the Main Office or Counseling Office by December 14th.

• Discovery: We explore new skills and ideas.
• Innovation: We use creativity and persistence to solve problems.
• Impact: We apply what we learn to improve our world.
• Inclusion: We respect each other and embrace our differences.
• Teamwork: We are stronger when we work together.
• Fun: We enjoy and celebrate what we do!

We want to honor Kurt Broderson, Tyler Maynard and Christopher Andrews who received the Coaches Award at the qualifier. Congratulations to all!

There has been a request to reinvigorate our School Store in time for the Holidays. For those of you interested in purchasing "MUMS Gear" please use this link.

We would like to thank the newly formed Middlebury Basketball Association (MBA) for their generous donation of new basketballs to our basketball program. MBA is dedicated to supporting youth. middle, and high school basketball programs by building a strong basketball community that embraces inclusivity, enhances teamwork and encourages sportsmanship. The middle school appreciates their support and we look forward to a continued partnership with them. For more information about the Middlebury Basketball Association please visit https://www.middhoops.com/

Staff Wish List

• Our Staff Wish List includes lots of things you might have around your home unused, like magazines (for Ms. Ambrose's classes), milk crates (for Ms. Cosgrove's classes), tools, scrap wood, craft supplies and more!

REMINDER

Flu and covid are on the rise!

If your child is exhibiting any of the following symptoms PLEASE DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL.

Fever 100.4 and greater

Chills

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Flu like symptoms- general malaise, body aches

The student must be symptom free for at least 24 hours (without the use of medications) before returning to school.

It is strongly encouraged to test your child for covid. Unfortunately, the school is unable to provide covid tests to students at this time, we should be getting more in- but a very minimal amount. Please check your local pharmacy, online, or the local health department. The federal government is also offering 4 free covid tests to each family, see the following website www.covid.gov

Hand hygiene! Encourage your child to hand wash frequently and utilize hand sanitizer. Cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. And don't forget to schedule your child for their annual flu shot and covid booster!

Following these guidelines will help stop widespread flu and covid throughout the school. If you have any questions please reach out. Thank you!

Elizabeth Palko BSN RN

MUMS School Nurse

802-382-1207

epalko@acsdvt.org

We are so excited to welcome parents and community members back into our buildings this year! If you are interested in substitute teaching or volunteering this year, please start an application now!

If you are interested in joining our new Friends of MUMS group, email friendsofmums@gmail.com