It has been a great week of teaching, learning, and fun at the middle school. Many important end of year events are coming up that we want you to be aware of:

• May 14th - Band Concert, 6:30 PM, District Auditorium

• May 15th - late start Wednesday, 10:05 school start, Orchestra Concert, 6:30 PM, District Auditorium

• May 16th - Choir Concert, 6:30 PM, District Auditorium

• May 20th - technology turn in day for all students

• May 21st - High School Sports Night for rising 9th graders, 7:00 PM in MSHS main gym

• May 22nd - 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 to 7:00 PM, MSHS main gym

• May 22nd - 8th Grade Dance, 7:30 to 8:30 PM, MSMS

• May 23rd - last day of school, 12:30 release

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions, concerns, or celebrations. We look forward to supporting your child these final weeks of school!

Sincerely,

Dustin Cady

Principal

dcady@mssd14.org

719-685-2099

Congrats to our students of the Week!

Alex, Elysa and Scarlett (Not pictured)

The Girl's A Team brought home the championship in a dramatic, overtime shootout last night versus James Irwin! We are so proud of the players and coaching staff for the effort and sportsmanship they showed this season!

Our Sources of Strength Peer Leader Team has wrapped up their final campaign of this school year: The Trusted Adult Campaign! Students have been hard at work doing class visits, completing a campus-wide survey, doing share outs on morning announcements...and the grand finale is our brand new Trusted Adult Tree that's on display in the hallway. What an uplifting way to conclude the year! By honoring those adults near and dear to our Middle School Mustangs -- positive, caring and connected adults are all around us!

The Manitou Springs Robotics team, The Headless Horsemen who went to State competition this year received a 4 year/ $120,000 scholarship to Regis University! Great job for making it to state and getting this wonderful scholarship! Congrats to AJ, Jonas,Airi ,Nicholas, Walden and Ryder!

Hi Parents!

We are collecting books, iPads & laptops on May 20th!

Please bring all books you have and turn them in. If they have been lost, please let us know and we will find the fee for the lost book.

6th Grade

Please have your iPads, charging cable and chargers ready to turn in.If you have lost or your charging cable/brick is damaged, there will be a fee. The fees are below.

iPad with Keyboard Case: $350
Cord & Brick: $25
Cord Only: $6
Brick Only(10/12W USB-A Power Brick): $19

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7th & 8th grade

We are not taking chargers unless you are leaving the district.

Like the iPads, if your child fails to turn in your tech equipment, you will be responsible for payment of these supplies.

Lenovo Laptop : $417

Laptop Charger: $21 (Only if student is leaving the district)

Please bring cash,check or pay through MySchoolBucks.

If there is any question, feel free to contact Marcus Jordan at the Middle School

All 8th graders must have a parent or guardian send an electronic waiver in order to participate-email ejohnson@mssd14.org to get the waiver.

MSMS had 23 students elect to submit a work of art for the annual PPLD art contest. Students who entered had their work featured at the East Library in Colorado Springs and received a certificate of participation. Way to go!

Our track team had a meet at James Irwin High School. We all had fun in the sun.

8th grade Spanish students wrote and illustrated children's books in Spanish. They worked hard and demonstrated how much Spanish they know--they could only use a translator for up to 10 words in the whole book. On May 2, they went to MSES to share their books with first graders! The first graders loved hearing the stories and learning from the 8th graders.

Just a reminder for parents to make an appt with the health office to pick up student medications BEFORE the last day of school on May 24 (all medications not picked up will be properly discarded).

Also, be aware that all medical forms (health care plans, medication authorizations, vaccine exemptions etc.) will need to be renewed after July 1st for the next school year. Forms can be found on MSSD website under Health Department. Feel free to reach out to the Health Office with any questions.

Thank you!

It has come to our attention that we are having a few issues in the parking lot at MSHS during pickup times. To diminish this issue, please remember the following.

• U-Turns in front of the buses is prohibited when they are trying to leave for the afternoon routes when leaving the High School.
  

• There are only Right Turns between 3pm and 3:30pm. Turning left when leaving the High School during this time blocks the buses when leaving the High School.

• Please ensure to let buses in when leaving the High School
  (the spot by the bleachers where the buses come around).

Please help our buses leave the parking lot in a timely and safe manner and abide by the rules.

Please do not park or make a U-Turn along Stadium Drive during morning drop off or afternoon pickup. If cars are parked along Stadium Drive, a fire truck would not be able to access the school safely in the event of an emergency. See the directions below for pickup and drop-off procedures:

Step 1

If you are lining up in the pick up lane please pull forward all the way in front of the school to where a cone has been placed stating “pick up line starts” here. This will allow more vehicles to line up in the parking lot so people are not stuck on El Monte Pl.

Step 2

Once your student is in your vehicle, drive out of the pick up lane and get into the drive thru lane. Drive all the way through to exit the parking lot and onto Stadium Dr. Do not do a U Turn on Stadium Dr. as it causes more congestion and doesn’t allow for vehicles to move forward or exit the parking lot. Please do not park in the drive thru lane and have your children get into your vehicle.

All students have access to free breakfast this school year. Starting 2nd semester, the following procedures will be followed by students and staff for morning breakfast routine:

7:45 a.m. - Exterior Commons door will be opened for those coming in to eat. If students are not eating, they are expected to wait outside at their grade level doors.

8:00 a.m. - Exterior Commons & the food line doors will be shut. Breakfast service ends and students make their way to their exterior grade level doors.

8:05 a.m. - Students will be expected to be in class, having completed their breakfast. No breakfast food shall be eaten in class.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

MSMS Administration

Check out the QR code or pictures to go to the website!

The staff in Manitou Springs School District are excited to welcome you to a new school year filled with opportunities to learn and engage!

In the spring of 2023, the Manitou Springs Board of Education passed a new policy regarding excused absences. This policy will change how the district honors parental excusals.

We know that students who attend school do better academically and emotionally, and we will continue to support you in your student’s success. We also want to support our staff in reducing the load that chronic absences add to their plates. Please see your student’s handbook for further information.

Getting into the habit of daily attendance is more important than ever. It helps to:

• Reduce stress!
• Make it easier to connect with friends and teachers.
  
• Support learning.
  
  

Reaching you for support in attendance is more important than ever. It helps to:

• Make sure to call every time your child is absent or tardy.
• Please be sure we have your correct: address, phone number and email.
  
  

We are working to make our school environment a place where everyone can be safe, healthy, and learning. We will do our best to listen and partner with you so that our children have a successful year. Do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Kolleen Johnson

Director of Student Success

Please review our Student & Parent Guide for important school policies and procedures. It is located on our school website under the Parents/Students tab. Here is a link to the document:

Did you know that scholarships are available for all grade levels? There are scholarships that you can apply for in middle school. Check out this website: Scholarships for Middle School Students

Are you or somebody you know looking for a new opportunity at MSSD14? We are hiring for custodians, paraprofessionals, and more! Scan the QR code below for more details:

Learning keyboard shortcuts can be helpful because in improving your efficiency and productivity when using a computer. By memorizing and using shortcuts, you can perform tasks more quickly than if you were using a mouse or trackpad. Keyboard shortcuts can also reduce strain on your hands and wrists because it will reduce repetitive mouse movements. Overall, mastering keyboard shortcuts can make your computing experience more comfortable, efficient, and enjoyable.

• Learn common shortcuts: Start with basics like Copy (Ctrl+C or Command+C), Paste (Ctrl+V or Command+V), and Undo (Ctrl+Z or Command+Z).

• Application-specific shortcuts: Each app has its own shortcuts. Learn the ones you use most in your favorite apps.

• Customize shortcuts: Some apps let you customize shortcuts. Adjust them to fit your preferences.

• Use shortcut combinations: Many shortcuts involve pressing multiple keys simultaneously. Practice to speed up your workflow.

• Memorize frequently used shortcuts: Focus on memorizing shortcuts you use often for smoother, quicker work.

• Practice regularly: Using shortcuts regularly helps you remember them better and use them more naturally.

• Use cheat sheets: Keep a list of shortcuts handy, especially when you're learning.
  ( Try these out! Windows Mac)
  
  

• Stay updated: Software updates can introduce new shortcuts or change existing ones, so stay informed.

• Experiment: Try different shortcuts to find what works best for you and your workflow.

• Be patient: Becoming proficient with shortcuts takes time. Keep practicing to improve your speed and efficiency.

Contact Us!

Name: Marcus D Jordan

Position: Media Tech

Email: mjordan@mssd14.org