MUMS Family Newsletter

I hope that next week's break from school is great for your students and we look forward to welcoming them back on December 2nd!

If you have questions generally, please reach out to us at mwisell@acsdvt.org (Michaela)

or zjerome@acsdvt.org (Zach) or dhunt@acsdvt.org (Dustin) or by calling the MUMS office at 802-382-1600 or by visiting the MUMS website for more information.

Michaela Wisell, Principal

Zach Jerome, Assistant Principal

Dustin Hunt, Activities Director

• November 25th thru November 29th - Thanksgiving Break
• December 11th: Early Release

Activities Calendar

We are now in the midst of Quarter 2. By now, all students have been explicitly taught how to access their PowerSchool account by one of their team teachers. Over Thanksgiving break, we encourage you to check in with your child and review what’s on PowerSchool together. You can discuss their progress, ask your child questions, celebrate successes and make a plan for places where improvement is needed. If you need help accessing PowerSchool, please reach out to Megan Curran at 382-1295.

Eileen Sears, MYP Coordinator

& ACSD Leader

esears@acsdvt.org

802-382-1753

Pam Quinn, MYP Coordinator

pquinn@acsdvt.org

802-382-1243

As many of you are aware, today is Izzy Gogarty's last day at MUMS. Izzy's smile, humor, knowledge and caring demeanor will be missed dearly. We are so grateful for all that Izzy has given to MUMS, our community and our students and wish her well in her new adventure!

I am pleased to announce that beginning on December 2nd, Kristen Carra will be joining us to fill Izzy's vacancy. Kristen has been a Wellness teacher in ACSD, including MUMS for many years and we are so lucky to have her join our team! Please see Kristen's bio below and welcome her when she joins us after break!

Hello everyone,
My name is Kristen Carra, and I'm happy to be returning to the MUMS community and seeing both new and familiar faces. I'm a former PE & Wellness teacher who has been with this district for about eight years, both teaching and substituting until now. A little about me: I am a current board director for the Middlebury Skatepark Project, I've served as the shop director for Little Seed Coffee Roasters, and I'm passionate about ice hockey and snacks. Some of my favorite pastimes from MUMS include playing ultimate frisbee in the rain with students, teaching the banana dance, and starting the skateboarding program right here at MUMS. I know how much dedication and work have gone into creating an inspiring environment at MUMS, and I'm excited to work together to create a supportive and joyful experience within our school!

Starting this week, we are seeking to acknowledge students who demonstrate the attributes of the IB Learner Profile. When teachers and staff see students being knowledgeable, open-minded, inquirers, reflective, balanced, courageous, thinkers, communicators, caring, and principled, we will acknowledge that by giving them a Tiger Paw Ticket to put in a box for a weekly drawing. If you are interested in donating prizes to the Treasure Chest (non-edible items, worth $1.00 or less), please drop them off in the Main Office.

Thank you for your continued support!

Please join the Commission on the Future of Public Education in Middlebury on Monday, December 2, 2024, 5-7:00 p.m. ACSD Community members will have an opportunity to meet with members of the Commission on the Future of Public Education and answer questions such as: What are the strengths of public education in Vermont? What are some of the challenges of our current system? What suggestions do you have for the Commission? What questions do you have about the finance system? What suggestions do you have about the finance system? Read more about the Commission here. Find the full agenda for December 2nd here: Agenda.

Attend in person: Middlebury Union High School Library 73 Charles Avenue, Middlebury, VT 05753

Attend virtually via Microsoft Teams: Click here to join or Call In: 1-802-828-7667 Conference ID: 758 636 780#

When: Dec 7, 2024, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Where: The Great Hall in McCardell Bicentennial Hall

276 Bicentennial Way Middlebury, VT 05753

(Parking is available in the lot on Bicentennial Way)

Come visit our Pokémon-inspired research center and museum! Middlebury students are creating an immersive community outreach and engagement experience for Vermonters of all ages who love learning about wildlife and the world of Pokémon. Visitors can touch specimens, ask questions, play games, and collect prizes by speaking with student experts on insects, mammals, and more. Costumes are welcome—we’ll be dressed up, too!

ACSD is working toward joint accreditation with the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and International Baccalaureate (IB). NEASC and IB are independent nonprofit organizations that support schools with best educational practices, guidance, and resources. They each offer their own process to evaluate schools. (Read more details here). Now we are in the assessment and evidence gathering phase of accreditation. We are seeking parent and community involvement! There are two main actions this year:

1. Evidence gathering: We will assess the ACSD community on 5 of NEASC’s Learning Principles. Our teachers and staff will submit evidence toward the 5 Learning Principles. Later this year we will also introduce opportunities for students, caregivers, and community members to submit evidence.

2. Learning PrincipleTeams. We will create 5 Learning Principle Teams made up of ACSD teachers, staff, students, parents, and community members. They will assess the evidence that is submitted and present back to the ACSD community how we are doing toward each standard. They will meet from December-April. All team members will be compensated $40/hr. If you are interested in joining a Learning Principle Team, please fill this form out by November 30th, 2024.

• To report your child absent from school or notify us of an early dismissal please leave us a message on our attendance line by calling 382-1297 before 8:30 AM.
• If you send a student to school with an early dismissal note or bus note they should bring them the office before TA.
• All bus notes need to be stamped/signed by one of our Administrative Assistant's in the front office. Students will not be allowed to ride a bus to another location without a note from home that is stamped/signed by the office.

Do you volunteer in our schools? Join Superintendent Wendy Baker for a discussion about how to streamline, strengthen, and improve our volunteer program at ACSD schools. We will schedule a time to meet this fall to gather your feedback. Interested?
Button or link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1H6laR0CJwNAVk9RKvXDYd2kvHeiw0vzwBb_9qcRNwg4/edit

To view monthly school menus click here.

Here is a list of the 2024-2025 ACSD Bus Routes.

We are so excited to welcome parents and community members back into our buildings this year! If you are interested in substitute teaching or volunteering this year, please start an application now!

If you are interested in joining our new Friends of MUMS group, email friendsofmums@gmail.com