Archived MMS Weekly Newsletter

This was a truly glorious week here at Millis Middle School! We have officially arrived at the midpoint of trimester one and our community has settled well into our routines and norms. Students have truly improved in their behavior in the halls and the lunch room is looking cleaner! Last week wrapped up with some really exciting speeches from our Student Council candidates. We all were really impressed with their insights and courage! Many of our candidates had truly uplifting messages and were clear exemplars of our core values of Respect, Responsibility and Kindness! Here are some of the amazing things students shared:

• I support others and I don't support negativity
• One of my ideas to not waste food or money and to help eliminate food waste in the cafeteria. For example, if you want milk but don't have money or you just need extra milk at home, I have an idea that will help.The cafeteria can have a bin or bucket with ice that you can put extra milks in that you don't want for others.
• A school pet, student freedom or basic things like less homework
• I will make it my job to make sure that news goes smoothly between the students and teachers. What happens when it doesn't flow as it should? People feel left out. Assumptions are made.
• It is scientifically proven that a movement break improves your productivity levels. So if you think about it, I'm doing the students, teachers and basically everyone a big help academically and mentally.
• I am a very dependable person. I appear calm and quiet but very analytic in my approach.
• I would like to be elected so more people in the LGBTQ community can have a voice
• I like to plan events, I like to talk and listen to people, and I would like to keep things happy for everyone
• I want to be part of planning activities like grade dances, spirit week, holidays and more
• we can promote recycling, reduce waste in the school, plant a school garden or organize a school clean up
• a 5K walk/run to help improve our fields
• I want to make our school a more fun and happier place where everyone feels safe
• I can get you more inclusive programs and events that make a positive impact school-wide

A great job to all of those who participated and a HUGE thank you to to Mrs. Saccardo and Mrs. Botelho for all of their efforts to coordinate and inspire these wonderful candidates!

On a different note, it's not too late to sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences! Please read below for information and access to our sign ups. For the week ahead we will have our evening conferences from 6-8 PM on Thursday. The following week students will have two early release days, 11/7 and 11/8 and conferences will run from 12:00-2:30 PM. Please be sure to sign up in advance!

For Halloween, students are welcome to dress up in their favorite costumes and wear them to school. A few expectations though, students should not bring weapons of any kind to school, no full face masks, anything that disrupts learning or instruction may be requested to be removed. If students would just like to wear a costume during lunch, that is fine as well. For the day after halloween, please DO NOT allow your child to bring a large quantity of candy to school. As you might imagine, candy in a school is a bit like french fries on a beach with sea gulls... it's not healthy, conducive to learning and a bit dangerous with the many allergies we have in our community. Your help to curb the candy at school would be most appreciated!

Lastly, progress reports will be provided via the PowerSchool Portal on Monday, October 30th. If you need help logging in to check on your child's progress, please email us at cliberty@millisschools.org.

What are the objectives of homework?

The objectives for homework are:

1. To develop independent work habits in the learner.

2. To give added practice for skills being developed in an area.

3. To use as a diagnostic tool for individual or class teaching.

4. To give the learner the opportunity to organize and plan time.

5. To give the learner opportunities to use resources in the community.

6. To enable the learner to get more out of his/her classroom time with the teacher.

7. To broaden learning through independent research and discovery.

• Parent Teacher Conferences - November 2, 7 & 8th

• Early Release (10:55) - November 7th & 8th

• Veteran's Day - November 10th, No School

• Picture Retake Day - November 14
• Early Release (10:55) - November 22nd
• Thanksgiving Break - No School, November 23rd & November 24th

Picture retake day will be Tuesday, November 14th. Students who would like a retake must return their original Portrait Package to the photographer on the Retake Day.

Attention 7th and 8th graders!

Have you ever wanted to fix your own computer? For Andrew Butch's senior project, he is looking for students who are interested in joining an intro class on how to repair chromebooks in preparation for the High School S.H.O.P. program. The course will be three classes long and will go over the basics of troubleshooting, chromebook repair, parts replacement, and more! For those who are interested, see the form in your student email.

Please note that this class will take place after Winter Break. The dates and location are to be determined. For more information, read the description of the form, or email Andrew Butch at andbut24@millisschools.org.

All Millis Middle School families have been sent an email to update their emergency contact information. It is very important that all phone numbers and emails are up to date. This information is used for contacting you in the event of an emergency, attendance and other school related correspondence.

Unfortunately, if you have multiple students in the district you will need to update each student separately.

If you haven't done so, please update your student (s) information with the most current, accurate information in PowerSchool.

If you have any questions or log in issues, please contact cliberty@millisschools.org.

Dear Parent or Guardian,

To make sure we give the best possible education and services to children in Millis, we want to learn about their attitudes and behaviors with regard to a variety of health issues. In order to accomplish this, students attending Millis Middle School are being asked to participate in a survey called the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey. Millis Middle School has been participating in this survey since 2006. The questions on the survey cover many topics including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; violence and safety; nutrition and physical activity; online behaviors; and mental health. This project will help our district develop and enhance its health education and prevention programs. We will be giving this online survey to students in grades 6-8 on November 7, 2023.

The survey is anonymous, meaning your child will not be asked to provide their name, and no one will know how they respond. There will be no identifying information collected on the survey, and there will be no way to link your child’s responses to their identity.

Completing this survey is voluntary. Your child’s grades in school will not be affected by whether or not they participate. Your child can also decide not to take the survey or skip any question they don’t wish to answer.

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment is a Federal Law that requires us to notify you ahead of time about the survey, and give you the chance to look at it, so you can let us know if you don’t want your child to take part. If you want to see the survey before deciding, a copy will be available at the high school main office from November 1-6, 2023.

If you DO NOT want your child to take part in the survey, please email Kelly Rao at krao@millisschools.org by November 6, 2023.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kelly Rao, Director of Student Affairs, at krao@millisschools.org.

Late bus available on Wednesdays at 3:25 pm for all students to take, regardless if they take the bus regularly or not.

The holidays are coming, never too early to start thinking about purchasing gifts.

Click on the link HERE to order online.

Username: MILLIS and Password: ATHLETICS

Deadline for orders is November 1st.

click on the link below for millis middle school sports and schedules

We hope students are enjoying the benefits of using Chromebooks for their education. As we continue through the school year, it's essential to remember the importance of responsible technology usage. Responsible technology usage is not only about protecting your device but also about creating a positive digital environment for everyone in our school community.

Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

1. Respect Your Device: Treat your Chromebook with care. Avoid rough handling, spills, and using it on unstable surfaces. Remember, it's a valuable tool for your education.

2. Digital Etiquette: Be mindful of your online behavior. Always use appropriate language, show kindness, and respect others in your digital communications.

3. Protect Your Privacy: Safeguard your personal information. Don't share your passwords or personal details online, and be cautious about what you post or share on the internet.

4. Stay Focused: Use your Chromebook for educational purposes during class time. Avoid distractions from games, social media, or unrelated websites that can disrupt your learning.

5. Cyberbullying Awareness: Never engage in cyberbullying, and report it if you see it happening. Be a supportive and empathetic classmate online, just as you would in person.

6. Copyright and Fair Use: Respect copyright laws. When using online content, make sure you have the right to use it, and give credit to the original creators when necessary.

7. Digital Footprint: Remember that your online actions leave a digital trail. Your online presence can affect your future, so think twice before posting or sharing something.

8. Security Awareness: Stay vigilant about online security. Keep your device updated, use strong, unique passwords, and be cautious about downloading files or clicking on links from unknown sources.

9. Time Management: Strive for a healthy balance between screen time and other activities. Take breaks, get fresh air, and engage in physical activities for your well-being.

10. Ask for Help: If you ever encounter problems or have questions about responsible technology use, don't hesitate to ask a teacher, librarian, or a trusted adult for guidance.