Muskego Lakes Family Newsletter
April 12, 2024
Dear Muskego Lakes Families,
As we look ahead to next week, our students will be taking the Wisconsin Forward Exam. The Forward Exam is, "a high quality, researched-based online state assessment designed to measure how well students are able to demonstrate proficiency on grade level academic standards."The Department of Instruction gathers the results in order to determine if our students are on track to be college and career ready. The results also help us as a school know if we are best serving all students. We examine the results with our school's leadership team in order to reflect and adjust curriculum and instruction to better meet students' needs each year.
All that being said, we know that state testing can bring about feelings of stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and nervousness from students. Some of those feelings are normal and natural. But we would appreciate your help in reassuring students that the only thing we ask of them is to do their best.
We want students to know that they may get stuck, frustrated, and likely won't know every answer to every question they encounter- and that is okay. Our hope is that we are cultivating a learning culture here at Muskego Lakes where students know they will be accepted and celebrated for their strengths- not because of how well they do on standardized tests.
So thanks for partnering with us to help message to students:
- The Forward Exam is just one test among many they have taken this year. So while we want them to do their best, there is no pressure to perform at a certain level.
- The Forward Exam is an opportunity for students to demonstrate all of the learning they've worked so hard on this year. If they can see the testing as an opportunity to shine, they will go into the test sessions eager to demonstrate their skills.
- It does not matter if they are the first or last to finish, and it does not matter if their score is higher or lower than the person next to them. The Forward Exam is about each student's academic progress over time. A great goal to aim for would be to score better than they had the year before.
- We highly recommend sharing with your child what strategies you use when faced with stressful situations. That will help model for them some ways they can cope if faced with frustration. (This might be taking a break, positive self talk "I can do this", Counting backwards to reset your brain, etc).
- Thanks for helping reiterate to your child that you believe in them. Sometimes middle school students experience a lot of self-doubt, but our confidence in them goes a long way.
And finally, thanks for partnering with your child next week to make sure he or she:
- Gets good sleep
- Comes to school with a charged Chromebook
- Brings wired headphones to school each day
- Has a snack and/or drink packed for the morning testing break
- Leaves any smart watches or devices at home for the week
There are so many ways your child has grown this year that cannot be quantified on a standardized test. And we know that state tests can't even come close to measuring what's most important about your child.
In partnership,
Rachel and Nancy
Muskego Lakes Principals
Important Dates Ahead
April 8-30: MLMS PTO Seat Raffle
April 10: PTO Meeting 6:30pm
April 12: MLMS Dodgeball Tournament
April 19: DARE Graduation 10:00am
April 23: Incoming 5th Grade Night 4:30-6:30pm
May 8: PTO Meeting 6:30pm
May 30: 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony 6pm
Congratulations to MLMS Compass Award Winners Mrs. Parks and Ms. Cawley
The Compass Award is given annually to recognize staff who, through their commitments and contributions, ensure that every student is learning, growing, and succeeding. Award recipients are nominated by staff, students, families, and the community and are selected once a year by a panel of staff.
To learn more about the Compass Award and this year’s recipients, please visit https://www.muskegonorway.org/about/compassaward.cfm.
Headphones Needed For Forward Testing
Students are asked to bring corded headphones on all testing dates. Just as during the school day, bluetooth headphones, such as AirPods, are not permitted to be used during testing. Please ensure that your child has a pair of headphones that works with their chromebook. If obtaining a pair of headphones is an issue, please reach out to us, so we can ensure your child has what they need during testing.
8th Grade Promotion Update
A form will becoming home soon with more information about details of the night, so be on the look out for that handout with important information in the next few weeks.
8th Grade Celebration - Volunteers and Donations Opportunities
The end of the year for our 8th graders and their families is an exciting time. In order to ensure we are able to make it a great celebration for the students, the planning team is looking for support from any Muskego Lakes families that are able to assist. If you are willing, please sign up HERE.
If you are willing to help set-up or clean-up the dance or take photos at promotion please reach out to MLMS Principals Rachel Rydzewski (rachel.rydzewski@muskegonorway.org) or Nancy Pasch (nancy.pasch@muskegonorway.org)
MLMS PTO Seat Fundraiser
If you are looking to help out the MLMS PTO and maybe win some reserved seats, then we encourage you to check out the MLMS PTO Seat Fundraiser! Your student should have brought home the flier shown below earlier this week. Click on the image if you want to print one at home.
Staff Appreciation Week 2024
The MLMS PTO has planned a fun filled week in the works for all of the awesome Muskego Lakes staff! They are looking for support to make their plans a reality. If you can volunteer or donate, please check out what is needed HERE.
Does your student start their day at MHS?
7th & 8th grade students that start their day at Muskego High School are not to report to Muskego High School for their classes on Tuesday, April 16th, as they will be hosting Pre-ACT testing for the Freshman and Sophmores only. All student should report to Muskego Lakes at our normal start time that day.
In addition, because of the high school Community Service Day for all classes, they should also not report on Tuesday, April 23th.We ask that students who normally start their day at MHS report to Muskego Lakes at the start of the day and report to the library on each of these days.
DARE Graduation Next Week Friday
5th Grade DARE Graduation is on Friday, April 19th at 10am. 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.
Lost & Found
Is your child missing something? We have quite the collection of lost and found here at school. Encourage your child to stop outside student services and check for their item.
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.
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!!
Our last meeting Dates for the 23-24 School Year is May 8th.
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.
Are you interested in working for Muskego-Norway?
To view current support staff job vacancies, click HERE
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!
Save the Dates for the Summer Movie Series
The FREE Summer Movie Series community movie night is back! Muskego community families and friends are invited to come enjoy a movie on Muskego High School’s Inpro Athletic Field on the video scoreboard! The first movie in the series is Cars 3 on May 10th starting at 7:00 pm, followed by The Super Mario Bros Movie on June 13th, and wrapping up the summer with our teen night viewing of Miracle on August 8th! Bring your family, friends, and a blanket to enjoy these free events! Muskego Food Pantry donations will be accepted at the entrance gate!
Muskego Lakes Middle School
Website: https://www.muskegonorway.org/schools/muskegolakes/
Location: W124 S8009 North Cape Rd.
Phone: 262-971-1860
Twitter: @MLMSmuskies