Massabesic Middle School

November 21, 2022

Greetings MMS Community!

This past month included Spirit Week and our very successful Halloween Carnival hosted by our Drama Club. We also arrived at the end of quarter 1 on November 4. It is hard to believe that we have a full academic quarter under our belts already! Eighth graders are two full weeks into their new specials. Sixth and seventh grade will be switching into new specials classes coming up on December 4, also the end of trimester 1. Last week was "Kindness Week" organized by our Rainbow Kids club, where students were able to purchase "bags of kindness" which included small trinkets, stickers and candy, to gift to one another at the end of the week to brighten each other's day.

This month's newsletter includes new opportunities to get involved and to build community, including the MMS Giving Tree, the upcoming "Bring A Vet To Dinner" event hosted by Student Council, the RSU 57 Strategic Planning Committee and more. This month, and every month, we are grateful for all of our volunteers and to all of you who contribute in other ways, helping us make MMS a great community to be a part of!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Grantham and Mrs. Troiano

Important Upcoming Dates:

November 23-25 - Thanksgiving Break No School RSU 57

December 1: Student Council Veteran's Dinner (See flyer below)

December 2: End of Trimester 1

December 6: Chorus Concert

December 9: Trimester 1 Grade Reports Available in Parent VUE

December 14: Early Release Day

December 15: Band Concert

The RSU 57 School Board is seeking participation from Community Members for the recently formed Strategic Planning Committee. The Strategic Planning Committee will include the following members:

• Three community members representing 3 different communities
• Three School Board members representing 3 different communities
• Three municipal government officials representing 3 different communities
• Three teachers representing elementary, middle and high school levels
• Three administrators including the Superintendent, Grades PreK-5 and Grades 6-12

In addition to the opportunity for three community members to participate on the Committee, we will be holding a number of Community Forums and Round Table meetings to solicit feedback and input from as many members of our RSU 57 community as possible. This is important work and we will seek feedback from all stakeholders in RSU 57 throughout this year-long process. If you are interested in being considered as one of the three Community Member representatives on the Strategic Planning Committee please click HERE for more information and to submit an application.

Dear Parents/Guardians:

We are pleased to announce that Maine Boys to Men will be coming to MMS for a workshop series on December 13th and 16th for a total of 4 hours. The workshop is geared towards male students in 7th or 8th grade. This leadership program, which has been delivered widely throughout Maine, helps boys reach their potential to become emotionally healthy and respectful men.

Students participate in small and large group discussions, engaging activities, and realistic scenarios to encourage the sharing of experiences, empathic listening, and critical thinking about the following topics:

• Gender pressures and implications

• Critical media consumption

• Personal boundaries and consent

• Healthy and mutually respectful relationships

• Ways to safely intervene in potentially harmful situations

• Social and emotional learning

• Leadership and social support skills

If you would like your son to participate please contact the MMS School Counseling Department as soon as possible by email or by phone. Spots are reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

To learn more about Maine Boys to Men, please visit http://www.maineboystomen.org/.

Thank you!

MMS School Counseling Department

Massabesic Middle School now has a Math Team!

The Math Team is made up of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders with a group competing at each grade level. Teams will compete with other Southern Maine middle schools in four meets throughout the school year. Students have started practicing their math skills and teamwork in preparation for the first meet the week of December 5.

If your middle school student is interested in joining the math team, there is still time! Have them reach out to Ms. Locke or Miss Wakeland.

It's that time of year again! MHS's National Honor Society is hosting its third annual Ugly Sweater 5K. All ages and abilities are welcome! You can walk, jog, or run the route, or if you're not able to attend, you can donate through the site linked below.

All proceeds go toward purchasing gifts from the giving trees in the RSU57 schools and community. Come join us for a super fun event while giving bringing smiles to so many faces.

• Students of Ms. Lucas' Social Studies class helped to facilitate a Mock Student Election on Tuesday, October 25th! The students of MMS researched the candidates on the upcoming ballot in their classes to prepare for the election, and then had the opportunity to vote for the candidate they felt best represented their beliefs. In the end, Paul Lepage won the race for governor, and Ed Thelander won for congress! We would like to give a huge thank you to the town of Waterboro for donating many of the supplies that were used for the Mock Election such as voting booths, the students who took time out of their day to help with the election, and the teachers who helped to inform students on this important civic duty. Thank you, all!

Do you have the ParentVUE app? Please be sure to download the Parent VUE app or access the site online to view your student's gradebook, assignments, schedule and more. Student gradebooks are updated frequently and we ask that you regularly check your student's account. Please contact our main office for assistance if you have trouble activating or accessing your account.

Click here to access the RSU 57 Athletics and Activities page to find out about events happening within the district, get out there and show your Mustang Pride!

Please note that middle school students are encouraged to attend high school sporting events, but must be accompanied by a supervising adult.

Be sure to read the Family Handbook.

Website: https://middleschool.rsu57.org/
Location: Massabesic Middle School, Old Alfred Road, East Waterboro, ME, USA
Phone: (207) 247-6121