Ann Wothe, Middle School Principal
Back to School!
I hope everyone had a great summer! Welcome back to another great year in the middle school!
The 2018-2019 is going to be a busy year! With construction going on right next door, it might be a little loud and a little messy, but it will be all worth it! The middle school will be using the next year to plan and prep for our move into our own building. Students will see a few minor changes this year, but things will largely be the same for them as it was last year. Chromebooks, class schedules, and planners will be all handled the same as last year. We will be implementing Second Step, a social-emotional learning program, during homeroom. Teachers will continue to use professional development days to focus on aligning curriculum to standards and creating goals and scales to ensure that all students are growing at least one year.
I invite you to our open house on August 30th from 4:00-5:30 pm. Come in, find your locker, run through your schedule, meet your teachers, and get excited for another school year of learning and friends. In addition to your schedules, we will have Chromebook forms at the open house in the middle school office. Only after all forms are completed and signed by a parent or guardian and the student, and an insurance option is declared and/or paid for, will students be able to receive their Chromebooks and chargers. Parents have the option to provide proof of insurance through their own insurance company--just bring in the declaration page that shows the Chromebook is covered by your policy. We will distribute Chromebooks to 7th and 8th graders the first week of school during homeroom.
We have a few new teachers and staff to introduce to the middle school. We are excited to welcome Kristie Yliniemi as our new middle school special education teacher. Isaac Kvasager comes to us from Grygla as our new science teacher. Dena Mekalson is our new speech pathologist. Shared with the high school, Jody Sampson is our new business education teacher. In 6th grade, we have two new teachers: Tyler Butler will be teaching math and Zach Kaiser will be teaching language arts. In other changes, Mrs. Lake is teaching k-5 grade PLTW instead of 6th grade.
The flow of information is critical during the middle years. I encourage all our 5-8 families to participate in our Skyward Family Access. Please contact the office for your username and password if have not already done so in the past years. You can check grades, attendance, update contact information, and so much more. You can also use your Family Access portal to create notifications that will automatically email your student’s missing assignments, grades, and progress reports to you. We also have a new middle school handbook posted to the website and printed in the planner that covers the policies and procedures for grades 5-8. Tammy and I also would like to remind parents and guardians to let the office know by 1:00 pm of any changes to after-school transportation plans. We know that sometimes there will be emergencies, but it makes everyone more secure knowing where your son or daughter will be heading if we have enough time to communicate those changes to teachers and your student. Thank you for helping us keep your student and their teacher in the loop!
The 2018-2019 school year is going to be full of growth and change for your middle schooler. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your student, please do not hesitate to contact us. You may call the school at 564-4141 or email us. Staff contact information is included in the handbooks and on the school website. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook! I’m looking forward to another great year in the Middle!
Menahga Schools are Safe and Supportive Schools!
As part of the Safe and Supportive Schools Act, Menahga Public schools will be using the Second Step program. The Second Step Program is designed to improve peer relations and make schools safer, more positive places for students to learn and develop. Second Step is a program rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL) that helps transform schools into supportive, successful learning environments uniquely equipped to encourage children to thrive. More than just a classroom curriculum, Second Step’s holistic approach helps create a more empathetic society by providing education professionals, families, and the larger community with tools to enable them to take an active role in the social-emotional growth and safety of today’s children. It’s a difference you can feel the moment you step through the doors to a Second Step school: a sense of safety and respect grounded in the social-emotional health and well-being of the entire school community.
We are proud to provide this curriculum to provide the best learning environment possible for ALL students. Braves don’t Bully. #MenahgaPride
