MMS Update 9-30-24

Last Day of School Before Winter Break

School Resumes On

Monday, January 6, 2025

The winter holiday break is a wonderful chance for families to relax and create lasting memories, but it will pass quickly! A child's success in school often begins at home, and small actions can significantly enhance their educational journey. To ensure a smooth return to school after the New Year and keep your upper-elementary or middle school child’s skills sharp, consider the following tips:

1. Establish a Realistic Routine
While it’s nice to relax structure, maintaining some consistency, especially with mealtimes and bedtimes, can ease the transition back to school. Use a calendar to plan activities and stay organized.

2. Make the Most of Unstructured Time
Create a list of activities for your child to engage in when you’re busy. This keeps them productive and encourages creativity.

3. Prioritize Fun
Use the break to bond as a family. Plan various activities that cater to everyone’s interests, ensuring all family members feel included in the fun.

4. Encourage Reading for Pleasure
Winter break is a great time for your child to explore their interests through reading. Encourage relatives to gift books and consider family reading sessions by the fireplace.

5. Check In With Your Child
Discuss your child's school experiences, challenges, and achievements. Recognizing their efforts fosters a positive attitude toward learning.

Take time during the break to evaluate what’s working at home. Effective communication is crucial; designate time to discuss any challenges without interrupting family fun. Consider these additional areas:

6. Study Space
Assess whether your child’s study area supports productivity. If not, agree to experiment with different spaces.

7. Organization
Ensure study materials are easily accessible. Encourage decluttering by storing old papers in a designated folder.

8. Establish Routines
Reflect on daily schedules and involve your child in finding solutions for any issues, like tardiness.

9. Set Non-negotiables
As a family, establish essential rules, such as no-phone study times and limiting phone use overnight. Introducing these ideas over break gives your child time to adjust.

10. Use Positive Reinforcement
Highlight your child's improvements during the break. Acknowledge their organizational skills and independence to boost their confidence.

By focusing on these strategies during the holiday, parents can facilitate meaningful conversations that promote reflection and improvement. Activities like baking together or family hikes can significantly contribute to school success. Enjoy the holiday season while planning for the New Year!

• Students must be in the 50th percentile in NWEA Math and Reading.
• Students must pass their core classes (Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies)
• Students must be at a 90% or higher attendance rate.

Students not meeting these goals may have to attend summer school or be retained in their current grade for the following school year.

Hello Milwood Magnet School Community,

My name is Carolyn Betke and I am the new Lead Secretary in the office. I am joining you after working with Mr. LeSuer at Milwood Elementary for the last 7 years - the former Students may already remember me as “Ms. Carolyn,” so I plan to continue with that name. Thank you for your encouragement as I navigate this new place.

Mrs. Kahler's 8th graders learning about white light by using spectroscopes.

Girls Basketball will have tryouts on December 18th and 19th. You must have a physical to try out. If you don’t have a physical you can go to Loy Norrix High School and get a free athletic physical. Be dressed for basketball and in the gym by 2:35 each day and have a ride home by 4:00 pm. Bring a water bottle for tryouts and no crocks or boots to play in.

PLEASE CONTACT MRS. KAHLER or MS. LOVEBERRY

kahlerdm@kalamazoopublicschools.net

loveberryll@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Mrs. Smith's 8th graders showing academic growth with the NWEA assessment!

NWEA assessments are designed to target a student's academic performance in mathematics, reading, language usage, and science. These tests are tailored to an individual's current achievement level. This gives each student a fair opportunity to show what he or she knows and can do.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO GIVE THEIR BEST EFFORT WHILE TESTING!

The MMS Band performed with perfection at the MMS Winter Concert!

Every school day counts in a child's academic life...

A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. In this era of increased accountability for states, districts, and schools, the connection between student attendance and learning is being studied more than ever before. As a result, education agencies are asked with increasing frequency to report attendance data in a standard manner to allow comparisons across organizations and jurisdictions.

The primary rationale for high-quality attendance data is the relationship between student attendance and student achievement.

The Kalamazoo County Health Department will be coming to Milwood Magnet School on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 (10:00 am to 12:00 pm). They will provide immunizations for students in need of updated vaccinations!

The MMS Orchestra was amazing!

If you have a conflict or concerns with another student, please stop in the Student Center and complete an incident report. We will work to help you resolve your problems.

District Beliefs, Expectations & Responsibilities

The Kalamazoo Public School District believes that all students can learn when provided with appropriate instruction and an environment that is safe and orderly. To create such an educational setting requires a comprehensive program of instruction, written and consistently enforced standards of discipline, and the cooperative efforts of students, parents/guardians, school staff and the community. In order to develop and maintain a positive educational setting, discipline standards should balance the need for consistency and uniformity with the need for discretionary authority, and should offer alternatives. The Kalamazoo Public Schools’ Student Code of Conduct is based on the following beliefs:

1. Discipline is a natural element of educational and personal development.

2. Positive behaviors are encouraged through appropriate reinforcement and/or corrective measures.

3. The rights and welfare of the individual as well as the entire school population will be protected. 4. The Student Code of Conduct should lead to a clear understanding of behavioral expectations and consequences for unacceptable behavior.

5. The school will strive to achieve a balance between the rights of students and the need for order and safety for the entire school population.

Ms. Chappell's 6th graders observing organisms in the science lab.

• Students have 4 minutes to transition from one class to another. They must be on time for each of their classes. They should be in their seats ready to learn when the bell rings.

• 1. No Cell phones/headphones/earbuds/ Air pods

  2. No Hats or Hoods on heads

  3. No Backpacks/winter coats

  4. No sunglasses/bandanas

  5. No Food/drinks (other than water in clear water bottles) in classrooms

• Parents, remember to use PowerSchool to monitor your child's grades and attendance. It is important for all students to arrive to school and class on time every day.

• If you or your child becomes aware of a situation that may create a problem at school, please contact an administrator at the school (269-337-0670). We want to be proactive and maintain the best possible learning environment for our students.

Academic Achievement, Safety and Order are Milwood Magnet School Priorities!

The MMS Choir sang beautifully at the Winter Concert!

Students can play games and socialize before the bell rings every morning in the MMS gymnasium!

PowerSchool Parent Portal is an online resource that gives parents/guardians access to their student’s:

• Grades and attendance
• Test results
• Report Cards
• Attendance history
• Email notifications that can include your child's grades and school announcements
• Teacher comments
• Calendars

How do I access the PowerSchool Parent Portal?

Click this link.

Parents, remember to use PowerSchool to monitor your child's grades and attendance. If you have any questions or concerns please give us a call at 269-337-0670.

It is important for all students to arrive to school and class on time every day. Remind students to bring their charged Chromebook every day.

We are committed to ensuring that the students are provided with a safe and orderly academic environment, where learning is the primary focus of our students.

Mission of Milwood Magnet School

Milwood Magnet School will engage all students in rigorous learning experiences that promote academic excellence, while fostering a positive inclusive environment that demonstrates our school’s core values: preparation, respect, integrity, determination, and effort.

Vision of Milwood Magnet School

At Milwood Magnet School, our vision is to educate and empower the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally, so they have the skills to be a positive influence in our community.

Principal, William Hawkins - Hawkinswm@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Assistant Principal, Aaron Sauter –Sauteram@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Counselor, Joshua Kruger - Krugerja@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Counselor, Rashonda Wiggins - Wigginsrl@kalamazoopublicschools.net

Congratulations to our Milwood Magnet School Academic Scholars. These students worked hard and have been recognized for their outstanding academic achievement for the first trimester of the 2024-2025 school year!