Maize Middle School
Hey MMS Eagle Families!
Happy October! Thank you for a wonderful first quarter of the school year. As we conclude fall activities, head into concert season, and then winter sports I want to brag on our students. We have had a great fall and have enjoyed the many things we have experienced and am looking forward to many more!
Parent Teacher Conferences: This is such an important time to connect with teachers, get feedback, and provide input for your middle schooler’s progress. Please plan to attend at the identified times. If you need a conference longer than 10-15 minutes please reach out to specific teachers to schedule that time.
Spirit Week Guidelines: Throughout the year we will have spirit weeks at MMS where students participate in theme days and dress accordingly. Of course, safety and ensuring the best learning environment for all students remains an absolute priority during these weeks. We have drafted these spirit week guidelines for all students. We will share and provide reminders to students and staff and would appreciate your support in this with your Eagles. Our next spirit week is scheduled for the week of October 21-25
Fall Dance: On October 25th we will host our first MMS dance sponsored by STUCO!. Details and ticket purchasing info will be shared soon. Students must be academically eligible to participate in this event. Students that have a failing grade at the end of the first quarter will have the first week of the 2nd quarter as their Opportunity to Improve. Final eligibility lists will be set at 3 PM on October 22nd and any student that still has an F in the same class from quarter 1 will not be eligible to attend. Behavior eligibility will be considered on a case by case basis.
8th Grade Hockey Trip: On November 13th 8th graders will be invited to the Thunder Education Day as an incentive trip. Please see previously shared guidelines (email on 9/25/24 to 8th grade families) for the stipulations for eligibility.
Tardies: One of our Wildly Important Goals at MMS is the reduction of student tardiness. We are making gains but still have a ways to go. This week we hosted our first No Tardy Party. Students without a discipline referral for tardies during September were invited on 10/4/24 to a celebration of their accomplishment. We will do this each month so encourage your student to be part of the October No Tardy Party! Here is our current data regarding discipline referrals for tardies broken down by grade level. I encourage you to take a look, discuss with your student, and offer any ideas and encouragement you can.
Attendance at Events:. Please help us remind our students that their behavior and participation as spectators in USD 266 events is a direct representation of our building, themselves, and your family. Should a MMS student be asked to leave any event outside the school day an administrator will meet with them and may impose a longer term activity suspension. I have great trust in our students, know they will represent MMS well at all events, and appreciate your support in this matter.
Lanyards/ID: Please note if a student does not have a lanyard and/or ID with them at school for any reason at our daily check they are required to purchase a new one that day. This includes if students leave it at home. These fees are added to Skyward. Please login to family access to track fees. In addition, if a student has 3 instances of needing to purchase a new lanyard and/or ID they will be assigned a one hour detention the following Tuesday or Thursday. Thank you for your support of this and please continue to encourage your student with this. They are doing great so far!
Please join in telling our MMS Story. If you have questions, suggestions, or affirmations please share with us so we can tell our story together!
Sincerely,
Chad Cramer
Visit our website at www.usd266.com/mms.
Connect with Mr. Cramer at ccramer@usd266.com or call 316-729-2464.
Maize Middle School is located at 4600 N. Maize Rd. Mazie KS
As we transition into the season of Fall, many natural changes occur all around us. There will also be changes in your student's class schedules as we enter the 2nd quarter of the year.
Change and transitions can be exciting for many and difficult for some. We encourage you to check in with your students about their overall perception of school this year, what has been their best class so far, what they are the most looking forward to in the 2nd quarter, and how you might be able to support them.
This year, we are celebrating students who do not have any tardy discipline referrals each month! These parties are fun and a great way to positively reward and reinforce the expectation of getting to class on time and being prepared to learn.
Did you know tardiness can have a negative impact on learning outcomes? Students who are late to school and class miss important announcements and activities, and they receive fewer hours of instruction over time. Tardiness can also disrupt the learning of other students in the class.
Please encourage your students to get to class on time this month so they have another opportunity to attend the "No Tardy Party" at the end of the month.
Lisa Esquivel-Burgess
Fall sports are in full swing! Athletes are competing at a high level each week and have done a great job representing Maize Middle. If you are able to come out and support our teams, the student athletes would love to see you in the stands.
With that said, the winter season is approaching fast. We will have a Winter Sports Parent meeting on Wednesday, October 9th at 6 PM. This is scheduled during the first night of Parent/Teacher Conferences, so please plan stop by to see teachers before or after the meeting.
This meeting will be for ALL winter sports, including those that start after the winter break. If your student is interested in Girls Basketball, Boys Wrestling, Boys Basketball or Girls Wrestling, you are encouraged to attend.
First day of practice for Girls Basketball is Wednesday, October 16. First day of practice for Boys Wrestling is Monday, October 21.
At this meeting, I will share general expectations and information for the winter season, including all necessary items for your student to be eligible. After I am finished with my portion of the meeting, we will break out to different locations to have sport specific meetings with coaches.
Reminder, we are using RankOne to submit all athletic documents this year. This is a service where parents will submit their students' Physical Forms & complete the Emergency Medical Forms. Additionally, all participants must complete the Athletic Packet in Skyward.
Hayden Hudson
Follow the band on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and find up to date info on the band website.
Maize USD 266
Co-Director of Bands
MHS – MMS – MIS
