MacArthur Middle School

Tuesdays/Thursdays - After school Clubs and Activities 3:50-4:30 pm

Tuesdays/Thursdays-During school (after 6th block) begins IB Scholar Hour:

March 9- Interims go home

March 10- No school for students, parent/teacher conferences

March 24- 2 hour early dismissal

If you would like to contribute to the school, we would appreciate donation of the following items.

Disinfecting wipes

Hand Sanitizer

Tissues

Any donations would be greatly appreciated.

We have one tardy table located outside the gym. If students are late for class, they will go to this tardy table for a tardy slip to class. When a student receives their 3rd tardy, their parent/guardian will be contacted to inform them. Parent/Guardian will be informed that upon their 5th tardy, a referral will be written and a day in ISI will be served. Please speak with your students to ensure that they do everything possible to make it to class on time.

We work really hard to ensure that we are doing what is best for your kids. After a recent encounter with a parent in the community, it was affirmed that we are making a huge impact on kids. Unfortunately we don't always hear the positive as many times we only hear from parents when a situation needs to be addressed. We love to hear the positive too. So will you please, tell us something good? If you have had a good experience with MacArthur let us know! https://forms.gle/i7dLATnYNjBNBDFEA

Now that it is starting to get a little chilly out, please remember that your child has several options for inside the school if they are cold. Students are not permitted to wear non-uniform coats and jackets inside of the school. These items must be stored in their locker. They can wear a non- hooded sweater, sweatshirt, or jacket that is their uniform top color (6th-red, 7th-navy blue, 8th-white). Students may also wear any color long sleeve shirt UNDERNEATH their grade level polo shirt.

As we continue to maneuver through the school year and after school activities and clubs are officially underway, it is important for parents to have a transportation plan for their students to get home in case they miss the bus. All parents must have base access in order to have access to their child, particularly in case of an emergency. Please be sure to get this done right away so that you can access the military base. Parents should also have a plan for students to get home by means of a neighbor or relative in case they cannot get to them. Staff is not permitted to transport students home in their vehicles. We appreciate you attention to this matter.

Parents, please make sure that your students know their address and home phone number. This is very important if they need to get bus information.

Also, please turn in emergency cards and obtain a base pass form if you need one.

We invite you in to shadow your scholar for a class or for the entire day. Just check in the front desk to obtain a visitor's pass

Please check your scholar's grades online if you have not done so already. Students should have several graded assignments by now. These grades represent that learning has taken place. As a family, set achievable goals with your scholar and small rewards when he/she meets or exceeds your expectations.

Rewards are motivation and benchmarks for guiding our children to moving in the direction we want them to go. I agree that we want the reward to become intrinsic (coming from within because it is the right thing to do), that is why I emphasize the word small. Showing that we recognize the good and want it to keep going. Here are some ideas that I found on habyts.com https://habyts.com/51-reward-ideas-to-motivate-and-inspire-kids/

Please reach out to your scholar's teachers and lead teacher if you have any questions or concerns

By now you may have hear your student talk about our new IB Scholar Hour. This initiative replaces Eagle Hour and Help Day. This initiative encourages students to earn good grades so they can earn fun time up to twice a week. Below is an explanation of how the incentive works:

• During the 6th period time slot each Tuesday and Thursday, students will be required to report back to an assigned class rotation; ex: 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A , etc. At the end of A day rotations, we will begin B day rotations. The hope is that all students have the opportunity to experience free time and keep their grades up at the same time!
• Once students return to their assigned IB Scholar Hour rotation class, they will either stay for "intervention" or obtain a pass from their teacher to attend incentive. Incentive passes are assigned to one of 5 areas in which they can participate in a variety of activities: Cafe, Gym, TTR, Media, or one of 3 computer labs. Passes are handed out on a first come, first served basis ( we are currently reevaluating this procedure, and may begin handing out passes based on highest percentage).
• Students who are eligible for incentive will be dismissed from their IB Scholar Hour rotation class and will report immediately to their incentive. All students will need a ticket or pass to obtain entry to incentive areas.
• Students who do not meet grade requirements for incentive will remain in that class and have an opportunity to improve their grade through re-teaching, re-doing low graded assignments, tutoring or make up work.

Please ensure that your child is dressing for the weather. If they need a pair of gloves or a hat, please let Ms. Camacho know.

Here are a few ways you can support your student at home

• Make sure you are asking them what they did at school each day.
• Have a family reading time.
• Work together to get their binder organized.
• Check and review their grades with them on the parent portal
• Review their notes with them
• Review behavior expectations and the importance of being in class, on time, and ready to learn.

Positive behavior referrals have started rolling out. Look out for one to come home if your child is exhibiting positive behavior at school.

January 27 is the last day of High School Articulation. Students have been meeting meet individually with Meade High School counselors (while in their Math classes) to formally/officially choose their courses. At the end of these meetings, students will bring home a printout of their final course requests that have been entered into the computer.

If you’d like to review an AACPS Program of Study to review course descriptions, please visit https://www.aacps.org/cms/lib/MD02215556/Centricity/Domain/258/2020-21%20MS%20Program%20of%20Study%20Final%2012.13.pdf .

Meade High School thanks all of the parents who attended scheduling night on January 22! They were excited to see the large turnout!

As always, thank you for your support. Feel free to reach out to your child’s counselor with any questions.

If at any point during this school year you are having an issue, please do not hesitate to reach out. Here is the contact information of some of the resources you have available to you at MacArthur.

Principal: Eugene Whiting ewhiting@aacps.org

6th grade Assistant Principal: Tabatha Camacho tcamacho@aacps.org

Counseling Department Chair and 6th Grade Counselor: Augustus Dickens adickens@aacps.org

7th Grade Assistant Principal: Laura Dudeck ldudeck@aaacps.org

7th grade Counselor: Crystal Bassingthwaite cbassingthwaite@aacps.org

8th Grade Assistant Principal: Shanay Wheeler scwheeler@aacps.org

8th grade Counselor: Reba Miller rmiller-willoughby@aacps.org

Counselor 6th grade-8th Grade: Danielle Weiss dweiss@aacps.org

Pupil Personnel Worker : Renee McLaughlin rumclaughlin@aacps.org

IB Coordinator: Vanessa Facer vfacer@aacps.org

Social Worker: Angela Will awill@aacps.org

School Psychologist: Caitlin Presley cpresely@aacps.org

Special Education Chair: Alison Seifarth aseifarth@aacps.org

Mathematics Department Chair: Christina Howard cmhoward@aacps.org

Individuals & Societies Department Chair: Laura Crowhurst lcrowhurst@aacps.org

Sciences Department Chair: Stephanie Tuckfield stuckfield@aacps.org

Language and Literature Department Chair: Donika Williams dgwilliams@aacps.org

Language Acquisition Department Chair: Julia Abal jabal@aacps.org

School Performance Coach: Shalini Bhalla sbhalla@aacps.org

Alt-One Teacher: Seth Musselman swmusselman@aacps.org

Military Base Liaison: Sarah Bonise sarah.e.bonise.naf@mail.mil

Parent Teacher Association (PTSA): Tara Littleford MacArthurMSPTSA@gmail.com

6th grade Team Leaders

Norway: Heather Bois hbois@aacps.org

Italy: Selene Hurley sahurley@aacps.org

Egypt: Alex Lanham/ Kelly Jones amlanham@aacps.org / kajones1@aacps.org

7th grade Team Leaders

Panama: Emma Graybill egraybill@aacps.org

Brazil Adriane Bruner abruner@aacps.org

Canada Destinee Jones dcjones1@aacps.org

8th grade Team Leaders

United Kingdom (UK): Philip Speake pspeake@aacps.org

Australia: Elise Hunter eyhunter@aacps.org

France: Beatrice Sainvil bsainvil@aacps.org

Tabatha Camacho

Email: tcamacho@aacps.org
Location: MacArthur Middle School, Rockenbach Road, Fort Meade, MD, USA
Phone: (410)674-0032

Laura "Beth" Dudeck

Email: ldudeck@aacps.org
Location: MacArthur Middle School, Rockenbach Road, Fort Meade, MD, USA
Phone: (410)674-0032 210

Shanay Wheeler

Email: scwheeler@aacps.org
Location: MacArthur Middle School, Rockenbach Road, Fort Meade, MD, USA
Phone: (410)674-0032