Dear Parents,

Tax Credit Donations: It’s a win-win situation! Tax credit donations are 100% deductible to you, and the school can use your tax credit donations to fund such things as field trips, assemblies, athletic equipment (including uniforms), athletic fees, and student transportation to and from events.

You may submit up to $200.00 for an individual or $400.00 per family. You do not have to have a child attending the school, so let your relatives and friends know about this excellent opportunity. You may also want to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation. Forms and further information is available on the Madison School District website.

Please note: MTA does not receive receipts for our parents who have paid online, so if you choose (or already have chosen) to donate online, please remember to furnish a copy of the receipt to Monica Ayala in the office so we can credit you for the $50.00 per child activity fee that the Madison School District requests to cover school day activities (for example, grade level in-state field trips).

School Safety: The Madison School District will hold a Madison School Safety Town Hall on December 3 from 6:00 to 7:00 pm at The Madison Center for the Arts. Parents are invited to attend in person or virtually. I will share a link to the virtual meeting as soon as it becomes available.

Fence Construction: Thank you for your patience during our recent fence construction. The fence was removed to improve drivers' vision as they leave the parking lot, student safety as they walk on the sidewalk, and traffic flow from the parking lot onto Maryland Ave. Please remember that you should only cross Maryland Ave at the crosswalk.

Sincerely,

Chris Merrill

Principal

At MTA, we are SMART!

Safe

Mindful

Accountable

Responsible

Trustworthy

MTA…..Where Learning Never Stops!!!

Our OWL Store is Flying High!

We’re thrilled to share that our students have been demonstrating amazing behavior this year! As a result, our OWL Store is flying high. We anticipate that there will be a LOT of tickets spent at our upcoming store and we will be in desperate need of a re-stock for the final stores of the semester.

To keep the positive momentum going, we need your help. Please consider purchasing an item from our Amazon Wishlist which you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/UZ69GPQQ7ZOM?ref_=wl_share

Items are sent directly to the school so it’s a quick and easy way to help!

Another great way to support the store is to drop donations off at our front office. Our middle schoolers especially love spicy chips (Takis, Hot Cheetos, etc.) and all snacks (no candy or sweets) are very appreciated! You can also think of the OWL Store if you have extra party favors, holiday items, or stuffed animals.

We are also looking for a big ticket item (maybe a bike, scooter, or videogame console) to raffle off at the end of the year. If you or someone you know could help with this please let us know!

Every donation, big or small, will help us reward our students and continue to foster a positive school culture. Thank you so much!!!

-- The OWL Store Team

The open enrollment interest form for the 25-26 school year will be available on the District webpage beginning December 2nd at 8am.

If your student is currently an MTA student, there is no need to submit a new open enrollment interest form. Current MTA student's automatically rollover unless we are notified otherwise by the District office.

FROM THE LIBRARIAN

Thanks to all MTA families for supporting our Scholastic Book Fair! This fundraiser was a big success and supports our library. We use the proceeds to purchase more books for our readers.

We couldn't have done it without all our wonderful volunteers! A special shout out to our fabulous Co-Chairs: Amanda Ellexson, Holly Drier, and Lorrie Briggs!!

From the MTA cafieteria.

In the spirit of Giving Thanks, your MTA Cafe will be serving up a yummy Thanksgiving lunch on Friday, November 22nd.

For records request and 8th grade high school records email District Office at Records@madisoned.org .

November/December 2024

• 11/20 Spelling Bee-Library (8:15am)
• 11/27-11/29 Thanksgiving Break
• 12/2 -25-26 Online Open Enrollment at 8am
• 12/4 Winter Chorus Concert (6:30pm) Cafeteria
• 12/11 Winter Band Performance (6:30pm) Cafeteria
• 12/12 Winter Sports Pictures (3pm)
• 12/13 Drama Parent Performance (6:00pm)
• 12/20 No School Teacher Planning Day
• 12/23 - 1/3/25 Winter Break

BREAKFAST & LUNCH SignUp

In order for you to volunteer for breakfast and lunch you must SignUp. You can not just show up. If you have not signed up you will not be able to volunteer. CLOCK IN AT YOUR SCHEDULED TIME.

https://signup.com/mobileweb/2.0/vspot.html?groupkey=88318611804#group_page

EARLY CHECK OUT CUT OFF TIME IS 2:45PM

Kindly reminder to ALWAYS be prepared to show photo ID to sign your child out of school early and to volunteer on campus. We are fortunate to have wonderful subs who help when we are short-handed in the front office but they will not recognize you and CANNOT send a child home with you or allow you onto campus without following this mandatory district-wide safety procedure.

25-26 School Year

Open Enrollment Interest Form available for parents on the District Website at 8am on December 2nd

WINTER SPORTS

Boys JV basketball-Tryouts(20NOV 1:40-3:00 & 21NOV 3:00-4:30)

Practice Tuesday and Thursday 5-6:30 Monday 11/26 6PM - 7PM

Open gym Nov. 13th 1:40-3:00pm

Boys V basketball- Tryouts(20NOV 1:40-3:00 & 21NOV 3:00-4:30)

Practice Mondays and Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:45 PM

Open gym Nov. 13th 1:40-3:00pm

Girls JV basketball-Tryouts (12 & 14NOV 3:10-4:15)

Practice Tuesday 3:10 to and Friday 3:15 to 4:30

Girls V basketball-Tryouts (12 & 14NOV 3:10-4:15)

Practice Mondays and Wednesdays 4:45-5:45

Flag Football-Tryouts (5NOV 3:30 - 5:00 & 6NOV 1:45 - 3:45) MTA Field

Cheer-Tryouts (5,7 & 8NOV 3:15-4:45)

Practice Tuesdays 6am-7:30am Wednesdays 1:30pm-3pm GYM

Wrestling- @Madison Meadows Start date NOV.18

Right after school each day

*Aktivate registration needs to be completed and AIA Physical needs to be uploaded to tryout and participate.

All games imformation can be found on the MTA Athletics website. If you need to pay an athletic Fees see below “STUDENT FEE (S)” for link and directions.

MTA 5-8 Chorus Winter Performance

Wednesday, Dec 4th

6:30pm in the MTA Cafeteria

MTA 5-8 Band Winter Performance

Wednesday, Dec 11th

6:30pm in the MTA Cafeteria

MTA Teachers Tutor List

ADE https://www.azed.gov/achievement-tutoring

ABSENT and TARDY PROCEDURES

ABSENT : Call the 24-hour attendance line at 602-745-4021.

All absences must be timely reported to the attendance line, even if you have notified your student’s teacher.

If your student will be absent multiple days, please leave ONE voicemail with the range of dates.

TARDY : Students who arrive late must be signed in at the front office by a parent or caregiver and receive a tardy pass before they are allowed into the classroom.

A student is tardy if they are not in their classroom at 8:00 AM.

REMINDER: MTA is a school of choice. To maintain open enrollment, students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of the school days for the full-time school is in session. Any combination of tardies, absences, half-day absences, or early sign-outs that add up to more than 10% of the current total of school days (over 4 per quarter) is classified as excessive by the state. Regardless of the reason, excessive absences or tardies may result in the loss of open enrollment at MTA.

TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOUR OPEN ENROLLMENT:

• Timely report absences to the 24-hour attendance line. 602-745-4021

• Schedule trips and appointments outside of school hours.

• Have your student to school, ON TIME, every day!

• All parents/guardians must be sign up in Raptor before volunteering is approved and given credit for volunteering hours. Please do not sign up for any volunteer opportunities until you receive notification that your volunteer application has been approved. If you have not been approved, you will not be allowed to volunteer nor will you be credited for hours. You will get two emails, "application submitted", and "application approved". Make sure to have a copy of your driver's license ready to upload. The name on the application must be exactly as the name on your driver's license. For step #4, make sure to check all volunteering functions.
• If grandparents are volunteering on behalf of the family, the grandparent, parents or guardians MUST also be signed up in Raptor.
• MTA's volunteer requirement is a minimum of 20 hours per family during the school year. Each family must must complete at least five vounteer hours per nine-week quarter. Hours are prorated for families whoes child start date is after August. It is the Volunteer's responsibility to track their hours and to seek volunteer opportunities.

• The Guild manages all volunteer opportunities and keeps track of all volunteer hours.

• Teachers, MTA staff, Committee, Chairs, are responsible for electronically submitting your hours for off campus work and when you volunteer at an event.

• Off campus work is always pre-assigned. The Teacher, MTA staff or Committee Chairs, identifies a job and a predetermined amount of time to correspond with that job.

If you feel that there is an error in the calculations of your volunteer hours, please contact the person who arranged the volunteering job with you or MTA’s parent organization, The Guild, at mtaguildboard@gmail.com.

If you are having trouble logging in your Raptor account or or signing in at the front office Kiosk, contact Liz Hernandez at the District office at volunteers@madisoned.org or call 602-664-7580

The Raptor link below is NOT where you can sign up for volunteering opportunities, this is for signing up in Raptor.

• Make sure you log into the MADISON volunteer portal. If you just google it, it won't be the right page. The Madison portal will have our logo, not the Raptor logo on it. The link to this page is also on the District website under volunteers.
• Raptor will not let the same computer log into 2 accounts at the same time. This happens when you have both parents trying to check their hours right after one another.

Complete the application INCLUDING uploading a photo ID that indicates name and DOB.

***!!! Name MUST match EXACTLY what is on the ID or the application will be denied!!**

Once approved, you will receive an email with a link to create a password to the volunteer portal.

Questions? Contact community Education at 602-664-7580 or volunteers@madisoned.org

If you haven’t done so already, please pay your student(s) activity fee. Click on the attachment below for instructions on how to pay.

https://www.madisonaz.org/families/family-resources/pay-a-fee

Yearbooks and Happy Hoots!

It's time to order a yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year to guarantee your memories! They are only $22 (including the service fee)! All sales will be online this year to pre-order your memories. This year’s yearbook will include 96 color pages filled with school portraits (Pre-K through 8th), team photos, club photos, different school events, Happy Hoots and pages for autographs. Do you want to send a special message in the yearbook for your student? It's only $5 extra per Happy Hoot (click on the ad and follow the directions).

Please go to buytheyearbook.com to order your yearbook and buy a Happy Hoot to be included. All ONLINE yearbook and happy hoots orders will close MARCH 14th, 2025. (In person cash sales will be available in May if you miss the online deadline for $25 - first come, first served.)

Email rwehrenberg@madisoned.org for questions.

Tax Credit Donations: It’s a win-win situation! Tax credit donations are 100% deductible to you, and the school can use your tax credit donations to fund such things as field trips, assemblies, athletic equipment (including uniforms), athletic fees, and student transportation to and from events.

You may submit up to $200.00 for an individual or $400.00 per family. You do not have to have a child attending the school, so let your relatives and friends know about this excellent opportunity. You may also want to check with your employer to see if they will match your donation. Forms and further information is available on the Madison School District website.

Please note: When donatiions are made via the Madison website and not the PowerSchool Parent Student Portal, MTA does not receive receipts for our parents who have paid online, so if you choose (or already have chosen) to donate online, please remember to furnish a copy of the receipt to Monica Ayala at mtaoffice@madisoned.org or you can drop off a copy in the office so we can credit you for the $50.00 per child activity fee that the Madison School District requests to cover school day activities (for example, grade level in-state field trips).

We have a process for parents dropping off items. Below are the Instructions which are also posted in the front office on the black bookshelf.

1. Label the item

Write your student's first and last name on a post-it note and attach to the item.

2. Leave item on the black shelves

If your student was not able to get the item during the school day, please ask them to pick it up promptly after school or before class the following day.

3. Email the Teacher(s)

For 5th -8th, email all teachers in your student's grade, in the subject line, please type: ITEM IN OFFICE, in the email: Child's name and item(s) you dropped off. Below is the QR code link for all Teacher's email addresses. If you email from home, please make sure to include the "time", you will be dropping off the item.

Email: mtaoffice@madisoned.org
Website: https://www.madisonaz.org
Location: 925 East Maryland Avenue, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone: 602-745-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtaguild