Marie Murphy Principal Message

November 18, 2024

The Giving Tree! Calling all gift givers!

Each year Marie Murphy's Roots and Shoots Club (now combined with Student Council) matches local families in need with sponsors to provide gifts for the holiday season. If you would like to sponsor a child in need please refer to the following steps...

Sign up to sponsor a child - Use this link
Receive a wishlist of what they want
Go shopping for the items on your person’s wishlist (we recommend spending between $75-$100)
Marie Murphy students can wrap your gifts for you if drop off at Marie Murphy by Dec. 13
Or, wrap the presents yourself and drop off at Marie Murphy by December 16!

Any questions, contact Jenn Rachmiel (rachmielj@avoca37.org) or Rachel Hernandez (hernandezr@avoca37.org)

6th Grade: New Trier Township Qualifying Math Test

Part 2 of the process to qualify for the New Trier Math program is on Wednesday, November 20th in Mrs. Allen's Room. Principal Ryan sent an email on November 1st to the guardians of participating students. Please see that email for more details.

Bring: ipad, snack, pencils, gum/mints (optional)

Follow Up - Screen Sanity Parent Night

Thank you to our community members who attended the Screen Sanity event at Marie Murphy last week. This event was intended to foster a supportive community and spark meaningful conversations among attendees about screen time challenges and solutions.

Those in attendance shared the following as highlights:

Community and Conversation: Parents appreciated meeting new people, discussing shared challenges, and learning from others’ strategies.
Practical Strategies: Attendees praised the actionable tips, such as leaving phones downstairs or modeling healthy screen behaviors. Many felt empowered with a clearer action plan to safeguard their families’ digital habits.
Format and Resources: The combination of videos, discussions, and accountability tools (e.g., filters and routers) resonated well. Participants expressed interest in printed resources to take home. These were provided as a follow up to all participants via email.
Empowerment and Optimism: The event validated parents’ efforts, encouraged gradual growth in digital habits (e.g., treating screen use like a “digital driver’s license”), and left them feeling hopeful about building stronger families.

Attendance & Tardy Reminder

Regular attendance is essential for your student's learning and success in school. We want to remind all families that every tardy and absence is recorded in PowerSchool, which you can check at any time to see your child’s attendance history. If you're unsure about the number of absences, please log in to review.

Each quarter, we review attendance data and send required notices to guardians of students with five or more absences or tardies. The purpose of these notices is to build a partnership between home and school that supports regular attendance, which directly impacts student learning and growth.

If you’re finding it challenging to get your child to school or out the door on time each day, please reach out to the principal or our social worker for support. We’re here to help!

New Trier Incoming Freshman Information Website

Class of 2025 eGift Card Fundraising with RaiseRight

Help Marie Murphy’s 8th grade class fundraise effortlessly! Purchase gift cards through the RaiseRight program and earn up to 20% back for the 8th Grade Graduation Committee. Use them for everyday expenses—groceries, gas, dining, and more—and easily shop online or on the go with the mobile app.

Enroll now with code EL34D84A65879 at RaiseRight.com/Enroll. Questions? Contact Betsy Harootyan at betsyharootyan@gmail.com. If you already have the enrollment code, visit RaiseRight.com/Enroll to sign up and get started

Marie Murphy Confidential Incident Reporting Form

If a student or parent needs to report a school incident to the principal, please consider completing this form. Submissions can be sent anonymously.

Lunch Menu

FDmealpnner is our live website that shows changes made to the menu each month and includes nutritional values and allergens. Click here to explore the most up-to-date menu for your student's lunch. The monthly PDF might not hold the most up-to-date information of offerings for the day.

News You Can Use - From Avoca's Parent-Teacher Council (PTC)

Event Information

Avoca Diverse Learners (ADL) Meeting

Meeting Link: https://meet.google.com/xgb-uxqh-zzs

Who: Parents and Guardians (Adults Only)

Join us for a conversation with Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Kristen Moore

Check out the Parent Presentation

When?

Monday, Nov 18, 2024, 06:00 PM

Where?

Google Meets

Spread Holiday Cheer to MM Staff!

It’s that time of year! Let’s show our gratitude to the amazing Marie Murphy staff with a winter break gift of a sweet treat and gift card, given on behalf of all MM students and families. We suggest a $25 annual donation per child. Click here to contribute online (no extra fees!) Your generosity helps make the season bright—thank you!

Your PTC Dues at Work: Conference Appreciation Lunches!

Thanks to your support, the PTC treated our amazing staff to appreciation lunches during October conferences! Avoca West enjoyed flavorful Fajita Pete’s, while Marie Murphy savored Potbelly and Portillo’s. A big thank-you to everyone who contributed desserts and dishes to create such a delicious spread. Your generosity makes a difference—thank you!