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Middle School East
Boyertown Area School District - Home of the Bears
Week In Review and a Look Ahead: Friday, August 11, 2023
Principal's Message
I continue to feel blessed to have joined MSE last year as principal, and the reason for that is because we have so many wonderful students and families that are part of our community. School is not just about academic growth and education, but also about helping our students grow into positive and productive citizens. To help us maintain and improve upon our positive school culture, we will consistently review the core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Safety throughout the year. These "Bear Essentials" will be the cornerstone of our code of conduct and integrated in our daily operations.
As a parent, I know the challenges that we face at home with back to school shopping- both for supplies and clothes. I do ask that our families review our dress code expectations closely so that we can avoid any uncomfortable situations during the school year. Those students who are not following the dress code will be asked to fix the issue, and if needed, may borrow clothes that we have to loan out. If this is not possible, we will contact home to help get the matter resolved. You can read the full dress code guidelines by clicking HERE and scrolling to page 16. The most common and easily avoidable issues that we face and are not allowed are listed below:
- No hats or wearing hoods while in the building
- No muscle shirts/ tank-tops or revealing tops with "spaghetti" straps
- No shirts that are short and expose areas of the midriff (this is a significant issue during warm-weather days)
- No bottoms that are excessively short and/or expose parts of one's rear-end
- No pajamas or pajama like bottoms
Please consider these expectations when purchasing clothes and also talk with your child about decorum when dressing in the morning and leaving for school. Many times our students throw on a sweatshirt that hides their outfit before leaving the house. The parents/guardians are surprised when we call home and share what is being worn at school. I am confident that if we work together, we can continue to help frame our students' understanding about dressing appropriately for school, which will help teach the skills needed to dress appropriately for work as they mature.
Please know that throughout the year, our teachers, counselors, and office are available to support both our students and families. Do not hesitate to reach out to us should you have a question or need to talk with someone regarding our school community. We appreciate the partnerships that we develop with our families and look forward to continuing to strengthening those partnerships in the future.
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
One of the greatest indicators of students' success in school is their attendance record. Please click HERE to review the attendance procedures at MSE.
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
New Student Orientation will take place on Tuesday, August 15th from 1:00-3:00 pm.
This is for all rising 6th grade students, as well as any students who are new to Middle School East for 7th or 8th grade.
You will have an opportunity to pick up a copy of your schedule and locker combination and practice finding your classrooms and opening your locker. You do not have to be here for the entire two hour period. You can stay for as little or as long as you need to, however, a parent and/or guardian must join you while you’re on school grounds. We will have 8th grade Bear Ambassadors available to help you navigate around the building and our library will be open to check-out books.
6th GRADE BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
6th Grade Back to School Night will take place on Wednesday, August 16th from 6:30-8:00 pm. Doors will open at 6:10PM and students are asked to stay home, as we do not have room in the classrooms to accommodate families and students together. There will be a brief presentation in the auditorium and then parents/guardians will transition out to visit the ELA, math, and either Social Studies or Science teachers for the first semester. At 8:00PM, parents of students involved in Orchestra, Band, or Chorus will meet with the Directors for about 15 minutes for information specific to those groups.
Grades 7 and 8 will have their Back to School Night on September 18. Information on this night will be shared in several weeks.
Picture Day- Wednesday, August 23, 2023
Picture Day is on Wednesday, August 23. Orders can be submitted on-line as well as in-person on the day of pictures. Students will be given picture order packets to bring home on August 21, which must be returned on August 23. Online orders can be submitted prior to the 23rd. Please click HERE to access on-line ordering information.
Fall Musical at MSE!
Student Schedules
Students' schedules for the 2023-2024 year are accessible. Previous gaps are now filled with study halls. On student schedules, Health & Business are listed as half-trimester courses. Students will report to the course that is listed on top to start the first 30 days of the trimester. They will rotate then to the bottom course the last 30 days of the trimester. If a student is missing a course, or you see a scheduling error, please notify your child’s school counselor.
Click HERE for access to the Infinite Campus Portal.
Fall Sports
It is not too late to sign up for fall sports! Students entering grades 7 or 8 who are interested in cheerleading or playing football, field hockey, girls' soccer, or boys' soccer, please submit your completed paperwork no later than August 15. Athletic forms are available here.
Important Documents
There are several important back-to-school documents that will be shared with families over the next few weeks. These documents include:
· The Annual Student Information Verification (Must be completed by all families) was opened to guardians on July 31st. An email was sent to all of our families with instructions. Please click HERE to access the letter and complete the yearly critical update by August 21, 2023.
Will be distributed in homeroom on August 21:
· Limerick Emergency Letters (Must be completed by all families)
· Technology Usage Fee Letters (Must be completed by all families)
· Integrated Pest Management Letters notification via email
Important Dates!
IMPORTANT! 7th Grade Immunizations
The PA Department of Health mandates two additional immunizations for entry into the 7th grade. Please note if immunizations are not completed by the first day of school, students could face temporary exclusion until proof of immunizations are received.
The required immunizations are:
· 1 dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)
· 1 dose of MCV4 (Meningococcal Conjugate vaccine).
Please check with your child’s Primary Care Physician to ensure they are up to date and submit a copy to the MSE nurses’ office if you have not done so already.
28 PA Code § 23.3 (a) requires a dental examination for all children in the 7th grade. Exams completed after July 1, 2022, are considered acceptable to meet this requirement.
Please submit proof of these requirements as soon as they are complete to ensure there is no disruption in your child's education.
Summer Reading Information
In order to start next year off on the right note, students are expected to have their summer reading assignments completed before the school year begins. Please click on the appropriate link for you.
Rising 9th Grade Summer Reading Letter
Rising 8th Grade Summer Reading Letter
Rising 7th Grade Summer Reading Letter
School Counselor Information
MSE School Counselors Contact Information (counselors will return to school August 7):
Allison Thomson (Class of 2028/Grade 8 School Counselor)
Phone #: 610-473-3991
Charlee Malfaro (Class of 2029/Grade 7 School Counselor)
Phone #: 610-473-3987
Angela Bellino (Class of 2030/Grade 6 School Counselor)
Phone #: 610-473-3990
Community Bulletin Board
BASD is proud to host our online Community Bulletin Board. The electronic bulletin board features district and community activities, events, clubs, resources, and more. The board is updated regularly and is an excellent source of information regarding things happening throughout our community and beyond. Be sure to check it out regularly!
#BASDBEARSCareAboutOurCommunity
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Middle School East
2020 Big Road
Gilbertsville, PA 19525
(610) 754-9550