Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter
December 21st, 2023
Dear Muskego Lakes Families,
As we approach the end of 2023, we want to share our heartfelt thanks to all of you!
We're incredibly grateful for the amazing ways you team up with us to ensure that Muskego Lakes feels like a second home for our students. Every day, we put in our best effort to foster connections between hearts and minds for our students, ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and truly valued here. Your partnership makes all the difference in helping us achieve that goal!
Whether it's in the classroom, at your home, or anywhere in between, together our collective efforts create the supportive network our students rely on to learn, grow, experience setbacks, and bounce back. Navigating the middle school years can be challenging for our students. We recognize they are on a journey of discovering their passions, embracing independence, building their character, pushing boundaries, and absorbing a lot from the adults and world around them. Through this time, we're here to support them every step of the way the best we can, and recognize what a true honor this is.
Thank you for placing your most precious gifts, your children, in our care. We are truly grateful for our fantastic, talented, creative, curious, positive, resourceful, and resilient Muskies. They often bring laughter to our days, introduce us to fresh ideas and perspectives, and continually amaze us with their capabilities and ability to overcome challenges. Most importantly, they inspire us to be better. All our students are a joy, and we're thrilled to be a part of their journey!
Rest assured, we're always here for you and your children. If the holiday season brings challenges or is tough for your family, please don't hesitate to reach out. We will support you in any way that we can. We are a community here at Muskego Lakes that extends beyond the school walls- and we genuinely mean that. Have a safe and joyous holiday season!
In partnership,
Rachel and Nancy
Muskego Lakes Principals
Important Dates Ahead
- December 22- Jan 1: No School Winter Break
- January 10: MLMS PTO Meeting 6:30pm
- January 12: No School Professional Day
- January 16: Co-Curricular Photo Day
- February 15: Family Conference Night 4-8pm
- February 23: 8th Grade Career Fair
Save the Date! 7-8th Grade Volleyball Tryouts!
Is your student interested in trying out for volleyball? 7-8th grade volleyball try-outs will be held after school on January 22nd until 4:30pm.
8th Grade Career & Community Fair Ahead at Muskego Lakes
As part of our comprehensive Academic and Career Planning at the middle level, we are hosting a Career & Community Fair for our 8th graders on the morning of February 23rd.
We are looking for a wide range of speakers in order to ensure we have representation across the U.S. Department of Education's 16 clusters:
- Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
- Architecture & Construction
- Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications
- Business, Management & Administration
- Education & Training
- Finance
- Government & Public Administration
- Health Science
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Human Services
- Information Technology
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
- Manufacturing
- Marketing, Sales & Service
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
- Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
If you or someone you know might be interested, please reach out to Rachel Rydzewski, Principal, who can provide more information. Thank you for considering!
Executive Function Series: Emotional Control
Teens are more susceptible to heightened emotional intensity and breakdowns during stressful times. The reason is both biological and developmental.
Here are some tips to help:
Be clear and specific about your rules. Keep the “have-to” rules to a small number. If teens feel like all the rules are “have-to’s”, then the more important ones lose their luster.
Dawson recommends “have to” rules fit into three categories:
Information - where they are, whom they are with, whose parents will be in charge
Permission - time they need to be home, acceptable use of social media
Prohibition - people, places, activities that are off limits
Be clear if any rules are negotiable and review them often so they are clear.
Avoid schedule conflicts by making sure your teen knows in advance any plans that are not scheduled by them. Self-determination is important to them, so they often make plans without filling you in.
Use communication that is more collaborative than confrontational. Check yourself - are you listening to hear what they are saying or listening to respond? Here are some do’s and don’ts:
Tips aside, we know that this time of year can be especially difficult for many people. If your teen is struggling with patterns of strong emotions, you can reach out to us in student services. We will listen to your situation and then help guide you to support - either in school or we’ll share information for outside providers.
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.
SIgn Up Today for Mid-Week Munchies
Every Wednesday the Muskego Lakes PTO is looking for volunteers to donate snacks to our teachers and staff. This greatly helps them make it through the week and brighten their day. 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 for a date HERE if you can. Drop off will be in the front office by 8am on the Wednesday you sign up.
Thank you in advanced for helping spoil our staff.
Get Involved By Joining The Muskego Lakes PTO!
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!!
Meeting Dates for the 23-24 School Year
- January 10
- February 14
- March 13
- April 10
- May 8
Reminders for the Lunchroom
In an effort to ensure students can move through the lunch lines efficiently, 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 your convenience, we have linked helpful resources. You can always find the link to updated lunch menus, at the end of this newsletter.
2023-24 Lunch Prices:
- Elementary Lunch: $2.55
- MS Lunch 1: $2.95
- MS Lunch 2: $3.50
- MS Creation Station: $3.90
- Milk Carton: $.50
- MHS Ala carte meal rates as noted on the monthly menu will apply.
Questions related to the food service program can be directed to Benny D’Epiro, Food Service Director at 262-971-1790 x4522.
Clinical Psychology Associates Services
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.
Muskego Norway School District Calendar
Please make note of days off and important events on the 23-24 calendar. It is ideal to make dentist and doctor appointments on days we do not have school whenever possible.
Thank you!
Muskego Lakes Middle School
Website: https://www.muskegonorway.org/schools/muskegolakes/
Location: W124 S8009 North Cape Rd.
Phone: 262-971-1860
Twitter: @MLMSmuskies