MGMS Family Mustang Memo

• Calendar of Upcoming Events
  
• Virtual Conferences - May 4
• Teacher Appreciation Week
• Game/Movie Night is Cancelled
• Recap of Beauty and the Beast
  
• Bus Safety Poster Winner
• Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
  
• Volunteer Column
  
• STOPit
  
• Incoming 6th Grade Open House
• Lost & Found
• The Closet
  
• Absences & Appointments - What To Do
  
• Moving or Attending Another School
• Who to Contact

UPCOMING EVENTS

• May 2 & 3 - 8th Grade - "Tell Me About It" - Career Exploration
• May 3 - 6th Grade Orchestra Concert - 6pm
• May 3 - 7th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7:15pm
• May 4 - AVID Field Trip 9:30-2:00
• MAY 4 - VIRTUAL PARENT & TEACHER CONFERENCES - 3:30-7:00pm
• May 5 - Game Night CANCELLED
• MAY 8-12 - TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
• May 9 & 10 - 7th Grade - "Tell Me About It" - Career Exploration
• May 10-14 - 8th Grade Band Trip to Chicago
• May 15 - PACT Meeting Online 7-8:30

A LOOK AHEAD

• May 16 - 8th Grade Choir & Orchestra Concerts - 6:30pm
• May 17 - 7th Grade Band Concert - 6:30pm & 8th Grade Band Concert - 8:00pm
• May 18 - 6th Grade Band Concerts - 6:00 & 7:15pm
• May 23 - Incoming 6th Grade Open House - 6:00-7:30pm
• May 29 - NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
• June 1 - 6th Grade Choir Concert - 6:00pm & 7th Grade Choir Concert -7:30pm
• June 5-8 - School Spirit Week
• June 5 - Chromebook Collection Day
• June 8 - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Have a Great Summer

The final parent/teacher conference will be held on May 4 from 3:30-7pm and will be VIRTUAL ONLY.

Families are asked to choose 1-3 teachers to conference with. They are 5 minute conferences. Families will be able to schedule the virtual conferences through ParentVue from April 27-May 2.

Click below for more information.

Calling all Families to help CELEBRATE & SUPPORT our amazing teachers and staff at Maple Grove Middle School! PACT plans to APPRECIATE them throughout Teacher Appreciation week (5/8-12) with Snacks, Beverages, Pastries (The Fox & Pantry) & Lunch (Jersey Mikes), but we need your generous donations to make this happen! Please donate to our PACT Venmo @MGMS-PACT-3, PayPal: mgmspact@district279.org or sign up via our sign-up genius: Sign Up Genius Donations to bring treats to the school by Friday, May 5th. As an alternative to or in addition to financial and physical donations, please consider encouraging your student to write a note of appreciation to their teacher or a staff member!

We also plan to provide boxed dinners (Cafe Zupas) for our amazing teachers for conference night on May 4th. Donations can also be made to PACT Venmo @MGMS-PACT-3 or PayPal: mgmspact@district279.org to support these conference dinners. Thank you for your generous support of our MGMS teachers & staff!

Dear MGMS Families,

Unfortunately, we were unable to secure volunteers to plan and run the game night that was scheduled for Friday, May 5th. Therefore we have to cancel the event. We will work to find volunteers for next year that can support these very important community events for our students and families. If you are interested in getting involved, please join us for our PACT meetings which are held once a month throughout the school year.

Our last PACT meeting for this school year will be on Monday, May 15th at 7pm. Join us via Google Meet by clicking the link below:

https://meet.google.com/bgp-ndvo-fcq.

Thanks,

Patrick Smith

Maple Grove Middle School performed Beauty and the Beast Jr. last month. There were 70 students in the cast and crew that worked very hard to put on four incredible performances. Thanks to Josee Axberg, the director and Terra Favilla the music director for their vison, dedication, and leadership to oversee this production. Thank you also to the caregivers, high school volunteers, and others who helped make this show possible.

In January, information was published asking students to create a bus safety poster with the theme "Safely Rolling To My Destination." The transportation department awarded a first, second, and third place winner for each grade. We are excited to announce McKenna Ueland, grade 6, was the first place winner in her grade. Her poster will now go on to the state competition. She is pictured below with Nick Martini, Coordinator of Transportation and Debbie Schmoyer, Field Safety. Congratulations McKenna!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month. Please click below to see some amazing people and their accomplishments.

PACT (Parents and Community Together) What is PACT? Parents/guardians & staff who are working to ensure that MGMS is a great place for students and their families!! Please join us for the PACT meeting on Monday, May 15, 7- 8:30pm. This meeting is online. Please use the link below to login. Use the link to log into the meeting: https://mgms.district279.org/families/pact

The weekly “Friday Emails” will give you a glimpse into what parent volunteer needs we have for the upcoming week. If you don’t see something that interests you, let me know and I will make sure to find something that works for you! If you know of other parents who would like to receive these emails and be included on the happenings in the hallways of MGMS, please have them email me dorna@district279.org to be added to next week’s emails.

**Please reply to me if you wish to be removed and/or do not have students at MGMs.

Thank you,

Andrea Dorn

Volunteer Coordinator

The district has a new platform to report bullying, cyber abuse and other inappropriate behaviors. The new platform is called "STOPit" and it will replace the districts "Tipline". Please read more about this anonymous reporting system by clicking the link below.

We are having an open house for incoming 6th grade students and their parents/guardians on Tuesday, May 23 from 6-7:30. "Hometown Pizza" will have their food truck here if you would like to have dinner. There will be a short presentation by Patrick Smith, Principal from 6:30-7:00. You are welcome to come with your student and walk around the school and get any questions answered. Also, we are having another orientation in August. There will be small group activities for your student, a tour and time to answer questions. Students will get dropped off at 9am and parents/guardians are invited back at 11am. Below are the dates for this event.

• If your student’s last name begins with A-K, please join us on Monday, August 21.
• If your student’s last name begins with L-Z, please join us on Tuesday, August 22.

We look forward to meeting you.

Our Lost and Found collection is growing. Please have your student check this area if they are missing something. It is located by Student Services.

The Closet at MGMS is a place within our school where students in need/crisis can get clothing, school supplies and hygiene items. Students should speak with their counselor to access The Closet. The Closet operates from donations, and we are currently looking for donations of:

• Hairbrushes, combs, picks
• Body wash
• Toothpaste
• Bras size large and extra large
• Female underwear sizes med, large, and extra large
• Leggings- all sizes
• Male and Female Jogger pants all sizes

We are always looking for volunteers to help organize this space. If you are will to help, please reach out to Andrea Dorn at DornA@district279.org.

Thank you.

ABSENCES

If your child is going to be late or absent from school, please call the school with the reason for the absence. The telephone call eliminates the need to send a note with your student when he/she returns to school. Excused absences consist of illness, medical appointments, and family emergency situations such as a funeral. Oversleeping, missing the bus, or skipping school are not excused and are considered truancy.

MGMS 24 Hour Attendance Line: 763-315-7603.

ATTENDANCE -

If you received a call saying your child was absent one or more periods, please check your ParentVue account for the period your student was absent. Have your child talk to the teacher for the class that they were marked absent. The teacher will then communicate with our attendance person.

APPOINTMENTS/EARLY RELEASE - HERE IS WHAT YOU DO

1. Send a note with your student in the morning

2. When the student gets to school they go to Student Services to get a white pass

3. At the stated time on the pass, your student leaves class and comes to the office with the white pass and signs out in the main office

4. The person picking up can wait in the car (very helpful on cold winter days)

If you didn't send a note, you will need to come in with your driver's license and we will call your student down when you arrive.

This procedure is in place to ensure student safety.

• Please only drop off and pick up students at the curb.
• No students are allowed to walk through the parking lot for safety reasons
• Please watch carefully as you pull away from the curb as staff are crossing the parking lot
• Please do not drop off or pick up students in the second lane nearest the parking lot. That is only for cars passing through.

Thank you for keeping everyone safe.

If you are moving or going to withdraw your student to attend another school, please notify the school office at 763-315-7600.

Thank you.

School Phone: 763-315-7600...............................Website: https://mgms.district279.org/

Attendance: 763-315-7603………………………………..Transportation: 763-391-7244

6th Grade

Jason Olson, Assistant Principal……..Email: Olsonj@district279.org

Katie Gerdts, Counselor 6th Grade......Email: GerdtsK@district279.org

7th Grade

Patrick Smith, Principal………………….Email: SmithPatrick@district279.org

Megan Woods, Counselor 7th Grade...Email: :WoodsM@district279.org

8th Grade

Jennifer Hinker, Assistant Principal.....Email: HinkerJ@district279.org

Kaia Paquin, Counselor 8th Grade.......Email: PaquinK@district279.org

Student Management Specialists Assist With All Grades

Nathanial Davies (Grade 7 & 8 A-L) – Email: DaviesN@district279.org

Levy Jones (Grade 6 & 8 M-Z) - Email: JonesL@district279.org

District Tip Line.........763-391-8660