Middle School Happenings

Each year, during the first two days of school, our exploratory team guides students in a variety of activities geared towards cooperation, problem solving, and community building. Shown below, students spell out MERMS, Hornets, 2025 with their bodies. With little to no guidance from the teachers, students worked together, shared their strategies, negotiated for positions, and engaged in problem solving as they had to rework the shapes until they got it right. This is just one example of the many whole-grade community-building activities our students enjoy.

Many thanks to our dedicated Exploratory Team for developing our first day programs for students.

Students in Grade 6 enjoyed their first annual project adventure field trip to Camp Spindrift in Gloucester. Students in Grade 7 will take their annual trip in October, and students in Grade 8 will enjoy an end-of-year field day and pool party at Camp Spindrift!

Project Adventure is an excellent way to embed the skills of community and cooperation into the daily lives of our students, and it's really fun too!

____________

Many thanks to Mr. Ricci-Munn and Ms. Krajewski for coordinating the setup and breakdown of all the activities, training faculty, and sharing their general expertise. Project Adventure could not happen without the two of you!

Also, thank you to our grade-level teams for guiding students and working to build essential early-year relationships.

Students in Grade 7 spend time making the place their own as they work together to create unique door designs for each of their general education classrooms.

Thanks to Team 7 for inspiring students and helping them connect with their creative selves.

Eighth grade students helped put up the big community fish (from the book Swimmy) after completing a whole-grade community building exercise. Each student created a small fish highlighting their interests and the people that are important to them. These small fish were then linked together to make a big fish, which represents how we all come together to support our larger community.

Thanks to Team 8 for reintroducing our students to the beauty of picture books and the real-world themes they help bring to life.

Manchester Police has a new member on their force, and our students are reaping the benefits. Valued for her comforting presence, calm demeanor, and THE softest ears EVER, Daisy has multiple visitors a day. Some students stop for a quick hello on their way to classes, and others need a little more attention. Daisy's favorite time of day is visiting the kids when they're outside at recess.

Daisy has many visitors a day and has helped a handful of students regulate their emotions so they could stay in school, when they initially wanted to go home. So far this year, Daisy has given two kindness awards to Brayden (6th grade) and Maddie (8th grade).

You may see Daisy in the morning as she greets students at the door with her handler, School Resource Officer Locke. Feel free to say hello!

Principal Maino recently had a conversation with students at each grade level about cell phones in school. The purpose of the conversation was to review our school policy, guide students through a quick reading of it, and to make clear that the rule at the middle school is "off and away" between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Students had to sign a contract acknowledging that they have read and understand the rules.

You can help your student stick to the rule by resisting the urge to send texts and by responding to texts from them by saying, "You're breaking the cell phone rules. Please go to the office or nurse and ask to use the phone."

While speaking with our 6th graders, Mrs. Maino was very impressed by how much Eli R. knew about a particular parental control app, Google Family Link. She was so impressed that she invited Eli to a meeting, so he could tell her all he knows.

Below are details about Google Family Link, but there are many parental control apps on the market. A quick Google search will reap lists and lists of the "top" parental control apps.

Google Family Link Features (as per Eli):

• The adult can set a certain amount of screen time per day with an automatic device shut off at a designated time (i.e., 8:00 p.m.).
• When the phone is in shutdown mode, the student can check the time and make an emergency call, but that's it.
• Blocks apps. from downloading, based on how the adult sets it up.
• Won't download an app without requesting permission from the adult.
• Keeps track of how much time is being spent on a particular app(s).
• Can customize settings for pre-approval of purchases.
• Requires the age of the child during setup, which automatically blocks them from apps. that are not appropriate for children below a certain age.

"I really like it. It helps me not be on my phone as much. I used to be on my phone more. Now I hang out with my family and get more free time." Eli R. (Class of 2031)

Need to reach a teacher? All email addresses are lastnamefirstinitial@mersd.org

Email Athletic Director, Cami Molinare, with questions at molinarec@mersd.org

Email: mainoj@mersd.org
Website: www.mersd.org
Location: 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, USA
Phone: 978-526-2022
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManchesterEssexRegional/