Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter

Dear Muskego Lakes Families,

We sure hope you are enjoying these warm, summer days! We really miss seeing our students over the summer, but we are working really hard to make sure the building is clean, the schedules are set, and classrooms are ready to go.

We know that for many of our students, summer means sleeping in, riding bikes around town, camping, travel, bonfires, ice cream, fishing, and so much more. That being said, we also know that we have students who may be experiencing a harder summer than normal.

So if you have a child who may need a little extra love and care this upcoming school year, please reach out. Whether your child is having trouble with friendships, struggling with anxiety, navigating grief, experiencing a change in the family dynamic, feeling apprehensive about the upcoming school year, or anything really- please know we are here for you.

Part of what I love about our school community is that we will do just about anything we can to help our students feel seen, heard, cared for, and supported. So don't hesitate to reach out. As the principal, I love partnering with families because you certainly know your child best. And I'm here to listen, learn from you, and work with you to make sure your child is well cared for here at school.

And while there are many more summer days ahead, we wanted to make sure to keep you updated on what you need to know for the upcoming school year. So thanks for checking out all of the information below- and don't hesitate to reach out. We are here for you!

In partnership,

Rachel and Nancy

Muskego Lakes Principals

For your convenience, we've linked the 24-25 Muskego Lakes Supply Lists below as we know many stores have back to school sales. (If you are new to Muskego Lakes, you can go ahead and purchase school supplies for core classes (ie literacy, math, science, & social studies along with PE). But for the rest of your child's elective courses, you may want to wait until schedules are released.

• 5th Grade
• 6th Grade
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade

If you are experiencing financial hardship, please reach out. We will do anything we can to support your child so he or she has what they need for the school year. (Feel free to contact Rachel Rydzewski, Principal, at (608) 628-8546 via call or text or email her at rachel.rydzewski@muskegonorway.org)

If you're new to Muskego Lakes this year or if you wish to purchase new spirit wear for the upcoming school year, check out the link HERE. The online store is open until mid September, and items should arrive 2-3 weeks after the online store closes.

We’re working hard to finalize student schedules for the upcoming school year. As new students continue to enroll throughout the summer, we do our best to balance out class sizes. That being said, we know that this is typically the time of year when students anxiously await the release of their schedule. So, we appreciate your patience.

As of right now, student schedules are on track to be released mid August. When we are at a point where we can forecast the exact date when schedules will be released, we will communicate that information via our Muskego Lakes social media as well as email families so you have a heads up.

Doors open for students to enter the building at 7:55am each day. Students are expected to be in their first class of the day by the time the bell rings at 8:05am. If you plan to drop your child off, look for more information coming in future Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter for details about our drop off procedures. (And if you have questions about bus routes/stops/times/locations, please reach out directly to Dairyland.)

Students & families of our incoming 5th-8th graders are invited to our upcoming Muskego Lakes Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 27 from 4-6:00pm. At this event, students will be able to:

• Meet their teachers
• Check out classrooms
  
• Walk their schedules
• Set-up their lockers
• Add money to Taher lunch accounts
• Connect with Dairyland about bus routes
• Learn more about our PTO
• Purchase concessions
• And more!

If you're able to, we recommend printing your child's schedule to bring to the event. That way, your child will have a copy of his or her schedule to bring back on the first day of school. Feel free to stop in the Main Office during Back to School Night if you need a printed copy. We are happy to provide one for you.

Your child should have brought his or her Masterlock home in the spring. But if it has since been lost or misplaced, you can purchase a new lock at our Back to School Event as well. (5th graders received their locks at our Incoming 5th Grade Night last spring, but we have additional locks available for purchase as well.)

You are not required to bring your child's school supplies before the first day of school. So if you can't make the event, no big deal. Many students bring their school supplies on the first day. But if you have any questions, please reach out to Mary Amaya, Administrative Assistant to the principal at mary.amaya@muskegonorway.org.

Student Photo Day is ahead on October 11th. All students are required to get their photo taken for the yearbook and for their school ID card.

After the school year begins, look for information coming home with your child for any families who wish to order school photos.

Thanks for making sure your child understands the expectations & policies within the Muskego Lakes Student & Parent Handbook before the first day of school. You can access the 24-25 Muskego Lakes Handbook HERE.

After both you and your child have read &/or review the Handbook, you will be prompted to indicate that you understand the contents within the Annual Update on IC.). *If you’d like a printed copy of the Muskego Lakes Student & Parent Handbook, you can stop in to pick up a copy from the ML Main Office.

After carefully reading the Muskego Lakes Student & Parent Handbook, please complete the Mandatory Annual Update in Infinite Campus. By doing so, you will provide us with updated contact information, emergency contacts, current medical information, and more. That way, we have the most up-to-date contact information, emergency contacts, current medical information, and more for the upcoming school year. *If you need help, you can find step-by-step directions at rb.gy/w1usz or reach out to Mary Amaya, Administrative Assistant to the Principal if you need further assistance.

You can pay all Student Fees on Infinite Campus. Log into Infinite Campus and click on “Fees” to take care of all payments due for the upcoming school year. If you wish to do so, you can stop in to pay fees in person (cash or check only) at our Back to School event on August 27th. *If you need help, you can find step-by-step directions at rb.gy/icvbb. Or, you can reach out to Mary Amaya, Administrative Assistant to the Principal, if you wish to arrange a time to stop in to pay fees in person.

We love to share what is going on here day-to-day at Muskego Lakes. So we highly recommend following us and liking us on Facebook @muskegolakesmuskies . You will likely find your child in a photo throughout the year, and we also keep families updated about events and important dates ahead through social media as well.

If you plan to attend events during the school day at Muskego Lakes this year, stop in sometime so we can load your Wisconsin photo ID into our secure Raptor system. That way, if you join us at Muskego Lakes during the school year for any event (ie Science Fair, DARE graduation, etc., you will not have as long of a wait when entering the building. You can also take care of this at our upcoming Back to School even on August 27th.

If you're interested in volunteering within MNSD, make sure to complete the Volunteer Application HERE. (You can also check out the MNS District website for more information.) Volunteer applications expire every 2 years. If you've previously been approved, you should receive an email prompting you to re-apply sixty days before your registered volunteer status expires. We love having our parent/guardians in to volunteer for classroom support and/or events, so thanks for renewing your application if you would be willing to get involved here at school during the day.

We are excited to introduce you to the newest member of our staff here at Muskego Lakes. After an extensive interview process, we couldn't be more excited to have Leigh Grall join us on staff as the 5-6th grade school counselor. Leigh comes to us from the Janesville School District. Leigh brings with her a passion for middle level learners, innovative ideas for engaging students in learning, and a mindset that aligns with our school vision of, "Connecting Hearts & Minds through Acceptance, Empowerment, and Achievement." We are honored that she chose the Muskego-Norway School District to come share with us her many strengths, talents, and love of teaching. We can't wait for students and families to get to meet her!!! (She will be at Back to School Night if you're able to make it.)

Are you ready to run and to have fun? Muskego Lakes Cross Country is open to all students in grades 5-8 for the Fall 2024 season! Please click 2024 Cross Country Practice and Meet Schedule to see if the tentative practice and meet times will fit with your child’s fall schedule. If so, follow the steps linked HERE to register by Monday, August 5th, 2024.

Please make note of days off and important events on the 24-25 calendar. It is ideal to make dentist and doctor appointments on days we do not have school whenever possible.

• Aug 27th: Back to School Night 4-6pm

• Sept 2nd: No School - Labor Day

• Sept 3rd: First Day of School

• Sept 9th-13th: Homecoming Spirit Week

• Sept 20th: Pastries with Parents

• Oct 11th: School Photo Day

• Oct 14th: No School- Professional Development Day

• Oct 17th: Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-8pm

• Oct 20th: Pumpkin Spice Fair

• Oct 23rd: Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-8pm

• Oct 29th: Make-Up School Photo Day

• Nov 5th: End of 1st Quarter

To view current support staff job vacancies, click HERE

We are proud to continue to partner with Clinical Psychology Associates (CPA) to offer on-site counseling services for students enrolled in Lakeview Elementary, Mill Valley Elementary, Bay Lane Elementary, Lake Denoon Middle, Muskego Lakes Middle, and Muskego High School. For information about CPA’s services and therapists or to get started with an appointment, please visit our website.

Website: https://www.muskegonorway.org/schools/muskegolakes/
Location: W124 S8009 North Cape Rd.
Phone: 262-971-1860
Twitter: @MLMSmuskies