Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter

Dear Muskego Lakes Families,

At Muskego Lakes, we set high expectations for our students because we believe in their incredible potential. Our commitment is to support each student's academic growth diligently. However, our school vision goes beyond academics—we strive to connect hearts and minds in everything we do. Alongside learning, we prioritize our students' safety, sense of belonging, personal autonomy, connections with others, self-confidence, social-emotional well-being, and their resilience in facing challenges.

As a staff, we wake up every day with your kids on our minds. And we continue to build in resources, systems, and layers of support to honor the whole child. here at school. In order to set our students up for academic success here at school, they:

• Set ongoing goals throughout the year to monitor their academic progress

• Reflect after assessments to determine their next steps as a learner

• Monitor their progress on standards on their personal SOF trackers

• Rely on Google classroom and online Homework boards to stay on track with due dates and deadlines

• Access their teachers daily during homeroom for extra help

• Sign up for skill groups during classes for additional instruction &/or practice on any given skill

• Get extra practice and feedback after an assessment in order to demonstrate proficiency

• Access the Infinite Campus app so they know how they are doing in their classes at any given time

• Get extra practice above and beyond what is assigned for any students interested (ie online learning platforms)

• Attend homework center daily over lunches for support on any assignments, projects, &/or preparing for upcoming assessments

• Attend Homework Club after school anytime they need a quiet place to work and/or support from an adult on their learning

• Receive additional support in reading &/or math in place of an encore class through intervention classes

In order to honor students’ overall wellbeing here at school, we:

• Build in opportunities for students to have fun together over lunches i.e. cafeteria karaoke, BINGO, pop-up clubs, option to go outside or stay inside, coloring pages, UNO, etc.

• Have positive and uplifting messaging around school to let students know we believe in them

• Foster collaborative problem solving alongside students so they have a voice and are empowered to navigate challenges

• Recognize students for character, work ethic, etc. through positive notes home, quarter awards, etc.

• Coordinate community days to provide opportunities for students to take safe and positive risks across social circles

• Teach self-management strategies through physical education classes (ie strategies to regulate)

• Preplan partnerships and groups strategically anytime there are class projects (vs students navigating that)

• Conduct restorative circles to help students resolve conflict with one another

• Provide regular check-ins with school counselors to support organization, self-regulation, stress, etc.

• Offer social groups over lunches to connect with peers going through similar hard things ie trouble making friends, grief, anxiety, divorce, etc.

• On-site mental health counseling for students with a trained professional through contracted services

• Amazing student services team for students to access anytime, as needed, for on-demand support for anything heavy on their hearts or minds

• Facilitate 35+ co-curriculars to explore & connect with others with similar interests (with new clubs every year tailored to students who are not yet connected)

• Consider individual students’ needs when creating their academic schedules ie personalities, placement with peers, etc,

• Ensure staff are equipped with trauma-informed care, de-escalation strategies, and ongoing professional development to support the wide range of needs of students

• Tell our students we love them daily in our morning announcements (because we do)

We take great pride in the support systems we’ve established at Muskego Lakes, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive. Our commitment to continuous improvement means we actively study best practices, stay informed by the latest research, and explore new ways to support our students and their families.

If you believe your child could benefit from any of these supports, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help connect them with the resources they need. Additionally, if you have suggestions or ideas we may not have considered, we’d love to hear from you! Your insights, strengths, and perspectives are invaluable in making Muskego Lakes a school you’re proud to entrust with your child’s education each day.

In partnership,

Rachel Rydzewski and Nancy Pasch

MLMS Principals

• 1/23: End of Quarter 2

• 1/24: No School - Professional Development Day

• 1/29: D.A.R.E. Graduation 12:30pm

• 2/2: Bandorama

• 2/3: 8th Grade Promotion Committee Meeting 5pm MLMS Libary

• 2/3: MLMS PTO Meeting 6pm Library

• 2/12: MHS counselors at MLMS to meet with 8th grade

• 2/14: 8th Grade Career Fair

• 2/17: No School

Muskego-Norway Schools is developing our 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, and we want your input! Your support is the foundation of our success, and your feedback is crucial to shaping the future of our schools.

There is still one more opportunity for you to join the conversation:

• January 20 from 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Meetings will occur at the Educational Services Center (ESC) at S87W18763 Woods Rd.

These sessions will include:

• A review of our previous strategic plans and key performance indicators.

• Time to share your insights on:

• Current strengths

• Growth opportunities

• Aspirations – Where should our district be in five years?

• Results – What data will define success and track progress?

Our schools' success is built on the incredible support we receive from the families and communities we serve. Your perspective matters, and we hope you can attend one session to share your insights to help us fulfill our commitment to continuous improvement.

To help us prepare with adequate space and resources, please RSVP at this link. Please select only one event.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work together to create an even brighter future for our students!

The first meeting for the 8th Grade Parent Promotion Committee is Monday, Feb 3rd at 5pm in the Muskego Lakes Library. If you'd ike to attend, all are welcome.

Our 5th grade students will be taking the CogAt test on January 20-21st in science. The CogAt is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and it evaluates the level and pattern of cognitive development of students, as well as their abilities in problem solving using verbal, quantitative, and spatial (nonverbal) reasoning. The CogAT measures developed abilities that begin at birth and continue through early adulthood. Scores can be used to adapt instruction in ways that enhance students’ success in learning.

Data gathered from these assessments will be included as one aspect of the multiple measures

that help staff make decisions regarding your child’s instructional needs. There is no way for

students to study or prepare for this assessment. Rather, to attain the most reliable results, we

want to foster a relaxed, natural environment in the classroom.

Results of this assessment will be shared with you following the completion of the testing and following our District’s universal screening process. The information gathered will not be used

in any calculation of report card grades since it is not directly connected to standard or skill

achievement.

Please contact Anita Sundstrom, the Director of Secondary Learning, if you have any questions at anita.sundstrom@muskegonorway.org.

At Muskego Lakes, we also provide students the option of scanning their finger when purchasing food. This form of identification is called Biometrics. It is important to know this is not fingerprinting. At no time will your child’s fingerprint be stored.This is no different than the process used to unlock many smartphones using a finger/thumb.

Finger scans allow students to spend more time eating, more time outside, and less time in line. The finger scanners will be able to read the scan and identify the student in less than a second.

In order for students to use the finger scanners at lunch, families will need to complete the consent form, bring back to school, and complete an initial finger scan to get them into the system.

Finger Scan Agreement

Most of our students have already completed this process, but if you have not or are new to our school, we strongly suggest completing the agreement and having your child bring to school, so we can get them in the system. If students do not have their fingers scanned, they will need a school ID to purchase their lunch. We will have a dedicated time for students needing a finger scan to be completed on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 8am -1pm. Students can stop in when they arrive, during homeroom, or at lunch.

5th Grade DARE Graduation is on Wednesday, January 29th at 12:30pm. Families are welcome to attend. Parking will be in the visitor lot, and we will have you enter gym doors directly. Seating for adults attending will be on the bleachers.

All students who start their day at MHS have their semester exam at Muskego High School scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

Because class times are extended during exam days, please note the time change listed below:

• 1st Period 7:25-8:35
• 2nd Period 8:45-9:55

The bus company is aware of the schedule change and bus transportation is provided after each exam back to Muskego Lakes.

Then for the remainder of the week, students should be aware of:

• Thursday, January 23, 2025, your student should report to their respective middle school at the start of the day.
• Friday, January 24, 2025, NO SCHOOL

Officer Sandretti, our school resource officer, wanted to share with families information on using parental controls for your child's cellphone. Please review the information below to learn more.

• Parental Controls for Iphone
• Parental Controls for Android

Is there a member of the Muskego Lakes staff who has been especially kind? helpful? Went out of their way to help you or their child? Help us celebrate and recognize them!

To do so, you can complete the form HERE. We will be taking nominations until January 23rd, 2025. Thank you for helping us honor our staff here at Muskego Lakes!

At Muskego Lakes, our hope is that over lunches, our students get time to relax, unwind, and have fun. It's a time for them to soak in the fresh air if they choose to get outside and/or stay inside and visit with friends.

Huge thanks to PTO for their support in ensring that we were able to secure some games and activities for students to use over lunches- especially during these winter months. That being said, we do still have quite a few students who still like to get out and move around- even in these cold temperatures. So as the snow and cold settles in, thanks for helping us make sure students have what they need to stay warm should they decide to head outside after eating their lunch.

All course information can be found in the middle school academic guidebook HERE to reference and learn more about courses your child has to choose from. All registration forms are due on January 23rd and should be entered on Infinite Campus. All students have been given a printed copy of the course registration sheet, however if your child lost their registration sheet and is need of another copy, please have them stop in student services. We have also linked them below for you to review as well. These include the instructions for submitting on Infinite Campus.

• Current 5th Grader Registration Sheet

• Current 6th Grader Registration Sheet

• Current 7th Grader Registration Sheet

MHS Registration information for 8th Grade Students

Your child has recieved their course selection sheet from Mr. Brickweg to preview their options for the 25-26 school year. More information about when and how to register and submit course selections will be available in an upcoming newsletter. In the mean time, please review the important upcoming dates regarding the registration process for MHS as follows as there are some important nights hosted by MHS staff regarding the transition to high school and specifics about course options:

• February 5th - Course Information Night at Muskego High School

• February 12th - High School Counselor’s coming to meet with 8th grade students

  February 12 (8:00am) through 29th (3:00pm) MHS Summer School Registration Open (Summer School courses and descriptions available here)

• February 14th - Registration deadline for fall classes (Note: There will be no honoring of course change requests made after February 14th)
  
  

Do you have questions about registration?

Please reach out should you have any questions related to your child's registration? We are here to answer questions and support you and your child through the process.

• 5-6th Grade School Counselor: Leigh Grall (leigh.grall@muskegonorway.org)

• 7-8th Grade School Counselor: Jim Brickweg (james.brickweg@muskegonorway.org)

Is your student interested in trying out for volleyball? 8th grade try-outs will be held on Jan 27 and 28th from 3:15-4:45pm. 7th grade try-outs will be held on 29th and 30th from 3:15-4:45pm. Students should have a ride home at the end of try-outs.

If you have more questions, please contact Allie Tome alexandra.tome@muskegonorway.org.

Our goal is to help you and your child reunite with items they have lost or misplaced. This means that our staff checks items turned into Lost and Found for names, and when possible call students down to reunite them with their belongings. One way that would help us do this, is to ensure that you label items as much as possible with first and last names.

Common items we find are:

• water bottles
• school supplies
• assignment notebooks
• lunch bags
• sweatshirts

Please encourage your child if they are missing sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, pencil cases, hats, headbands, etc. to stop by student services to check for their missing items.

Shown below are the upcoming co-curricular events at Muskego Lakes.

If a change occurs from the date of this newsletter, we post on Infinite Campus in the announcement section. We commit to letting students/families know about changes and updating Infinite Campus announcements as soon as possible once we've been notified of a change.

For more detailed information about MLMS events, click here.

Did you know that shopping at Walmart can help our MLMS PTO earn money? A huge thank you to everyone that has linked their accounts for Box Tops! You've helped PTO bring in nearly $60 just by doing your everyday shopping. If you want to help out please follow the directions to get signed up!

Looking for a way to get involved and support our amazing school community? The PTO is always looking for helping hands, and we’d love to have you on board—no commitment necessary! Whether you can spare a little time to make phone calls, lend a hand at events, donate resources, or even consider serving on the board, there’s a place for you. We do have a few open board seats for next year, but even if that’s not your thing, any support is welcome. Interested in learning more? Drop us a line at muskegolakespto@gmail.com . We can’t wait to hear from you!

The MLMS PTO is looking to continue the traditon to have snacks for staff each Wednesday. We need your help though by signing up to donate snacks each week. This greatly helps them make it through the week. You can donate snacks or a group of families can donate. We have roughly 100 staff members. Snacks can be anything you'd like.

Please sign up HERE for a date below if you can. Drop off will be in the front office by 8am on the Wednesday you sign up.

Please consider joining the Muskego Lakes PTO. We meet monthly in the MLMS library at 6:30pm. We always welcome new faces and would love to hear your ideas on how we can make this an amazing school year ahead!!

Our last meeting Dates for the 24-25 School Year are:

• February 3
• March 3
• April 7
• April 28

In an effort to ensure students can move through the lunch lines efficently, we ask that you remind your student to ensure that they bring their school ID card with them to lunch daily or ensure that they have gotten their finger scanned.

For you ease, we have linked the September menu below with other helpful resources. You can always find the link to updated lunch menus, at the end of this newsletter.

• Lunch Menu
• Guide to Making a Complete Meal
• Top Ten Reasons For School Meals

2024-25 Lunch Prices:

• Elementary School $2.55
• MS Diner meal $2.95
• MS Pizza meal $3.50
• MS Grab n Go $3.50
• MS Creation meal $3.90
• Adult $4.65
• Milk Carton $0.50
  
  

Questions related to the food service program can be directed to Benny D’Epiro, Food Service Director at 262-971-1790 x4522.

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.

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.

The 2025-2026 school calendar is now available for you to review and use for planning purposes.

We encourage you to follow us on Facebook.

Website: https://www.muskegonorway.org/schools/muskegolakes/
Location: W124 S8009 North Cape Rd.
Phone: 262-971-1860
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muskegolakesmuskies

To view current support staff job vacancies, click HERE