Murray Hill Newsletter 9989 Winter Sun Road, Laurel, MD 20723 410-880-5897 410-880-5897
April 13, 2015
RESPECTFUL RESPONSIBLE READY
April 14 – 3rd Quarter Report Cards Go Home April 14 – After School @ the Hill – Session III Begins April 14 – Band Pre-‐Adjudication Concert – 7:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria April 15 – Incoming 6th Grade and G/T Parent Orientation – 5:00 p.m. April 16 – Middle School Film Festival Field Trip – 8:00 a.m. April 16 -‐ Howard County Middle School Band Adjudication – 3:00 p.m. at Centennial High School April 16 – PTA Meeting – 6:30 p.m. – Media Center
Dates to Remember:
Murray Messages
Principal’s Message
Dear MHMS Community, Yesterday, a talented group of our 8th grade students participated in the HCPSS Shakespeare Festival. This event provides an opportunity for students to interpret Shakespeare’s works and develop their own dramatic interpretation. Our students were outstanding! I’d like to thank Mr. Dunbar, Mrs. Evans, and Ms. Stallings for their hard work in supporting this amazing experience for our students. Looking ahead to next week, there are some great events happening. The third session of Afterschool @ the Hill begins, we will welcome our incoming 6th grade students and parents during our annual orientation, and our band will perform at the Howard County Middle School Adjudication. Have a wonderful weekend! Sincerely, Joshua R. Wasilewski Principal
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School News and Events: 8th Graders Only 8th graders only, come and join the 8th Grade Team for our first ever 8th Grade Glo-‐Up Party on April 24th from 7-‐10 PM in the MHMS cafeteria/gym! Celebrate your final year at MHMS and show your class spirit at this exclusive 8th grade only event. Admission is a mere $5 for an evening of dancing, sports, refreshments, and fun with your friends. Permission slips will be distributed on April 8th, and must be returned by April 17th. Donations of 8 oz. water bottles, juice boxes, individually packaged snacks, glow-‐in-‐the-‐dark decorations, and cash will be gratefully accepted to help make this an evening to remember. Please visit our 8th Grade Glo-‐Up Party donation sign-‐up page if you would be willing to donate items: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B45AEAE2DA2FD0-‐8thgrade Please contact Mrs. Zinger ([email protected]) with questions or concerns. Come glow with the 8th grade on April 24th! MHMS Day at the Orioles! Date: Sunday May 17th Time: 1:35 p.m. vs. Los Angeles Angels Cost: $15 per ticket Contact Ms. Daniller if you are interested in meeting us at Camden Yards for a fun day with the MHMS community! [email protected] After School @ the Hill
The following link is connected to a survey for families of our After School and/or BRIDGES students. This survey asks for your thoughts and feelings about the after school program that your child (or a child in your care) attends. There are no right or wrong answers and your child’s participation in the program will not be affected by your responses. Your answers are confidential. The deadline to complete the survey is May 29th. Thanks for your feedback!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BRIDGESfamily2015 Student Arrival / Dismissal for Car Riders and Walkers: Parents that drop off / pick up their students Please follow the established traffic pattern to ensure student and staff safety. The pattern is as follows: Make the first right turn into the MHMS parking lot. Drop your child off at the designated area (sidewalk) then proceed out of the parking lot by making a left onto Winter Sun Road.
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Parents of student walkers Please remind your child to use a designated crosswalk location when crossing the street and to always look both ways before crossing. Please use the established school procedures described above. Per Emerson Community’s request, Fall Rain Drive should not be used to drop-‐off and pick-‐up students. From The Health Room **IMPORTANT – NEW IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS** Effective the first day of school, 2015-‐2016, 1 dose of Tdap vaccine and 1 dose of Meningococcal vaccine will be required by the state of Maryland for all students entering Grade 7. If we DO NOT receive proof of immunization, your child will be unable to attend school. Many students may have already received these immunizations, but the Health Room may not have the updated immunization record. Please contact your child’s doctor and send/fax in an updated copy of your child’s immunizations to the Health Room. Our fax number is (301) 317-‐5048. If you have any questions, please call Murray Hill Middle at (410) 880-‐5897 and ask for the Health Room. PTA News Welcome Back MHMS Community! We hope you enjoyed the Spring Break! Just a few announcements and upcoming events for you: SEEKING-‐trying to find-‐reaching out-‐inquiring -‐ MHMS PTA is seeking a few community members to form a nominating committee to nominate officers and committee chairs for the upcoming school year 2015-‐2016. We are also seeking recommendations (someone/anyone/you :D) for board positions for the MHMS PTA. Share your talents and skills! Interested participants may email Sabrina Cunningham at [email protected]. Thank you! Upcoming Fun Events: April 23 -‐ Chick-‐Fil-‐A Spirit Night (Johns Hopkins Rd) 5:00pm -‐ 8:00pm April 30 -‐ PTA Art Show (MHMS Cafeteria) 6:30pm May 2 -‐ Around the World Tour Embassy Tour -‐ DC *see below for more information The Maryland Youth Advisory Council
The Maryland Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) is pleased announce that the application for the 2015-‐2016 term is now available. Attached is the application, which is also available online at http://goc.maryland.gov/myac/
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In 2008, the Maryland Youth Advisory Council was established through the Maryland General Assembly to ensure that Maryland youth are given the opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations regarding public policies and programs that affect their future and to take a leadership role in creating meaningful change. By providing testimony in Annapolis and policy recommendations, council members have the opportunity to raise their voices and share their experiences with the Governor, State legislature, State agencies, and other youth.
If you or someone you know would like to be a voice for youth in Maryland, fill out the attached application.
Application submissions must include:
1. Completed application; 2. One letter of recommendation; and 3. Resume.
The deadline for applications is July 1, 2015.
If you have questions, please contact Christina Drushel Williams, at 410-‐767-‐2547 or [email protected]
Completed applications can be e-‐mailed or mailed to the following address:
Christina Drushel Williams
Program & Policy Specialist
Governor's Office for Children
301 West Preston St., Suite 1502
Baltimore, MD 21201
***Around the World Embassy Tour
May 2, 2015, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Around the World Embassy Tour will showcase 50 embassies from Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and the Americas, with artists and artisans, performers, lecturers, teachers, and others provide a range of educational and cultural programming. Participants can experience the food, art, dance, fashion, and music of different countries. Visitors are treated to karate demonstrations, dance performances, sari wrapping lessons, and henna demonstrations. Admission is free and reservations are not required.
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Staff Appreciation
For March, we asked our teachers and staff to take their best guess at our "Fast & Furious March Madness" raffle. And the winners were:
1st Place -‐ Donna Otwell -‐ $25 Target GiftCard 2nd Place -‐ Lauren Heiserman -‐ $25 Champps 3rd Place -‐ Molly Michaelson -‐ $30 Aveda 4th Place -‐ Mark Dunbar -‐ $30 Aveda
5th Place -‐ Kristin Cullison -‐ $10 Harris Teeter Gift Certificate Thanks to our wonderful business community for their generous donations to our raffle!!!! We could not have done it without them!!!!
Have a great weekend!
Your Murray Hill Middle School PTA
Thalia White -‐ President Sabrina Cunningham -‐ Vice President Dharmesh Patel -‐ Treasurer Tanyita Ruley -‐ Secretary
Summer Sports Camps at Atholton High School
The Atholton Athletic Boosters will hold sports camps for basketball, baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling this summer at Atholton High School in Columbia. The summer camps are for boys and girls that are incoming third graders thru incoming ninth graders. The camps are taught by high school coaches who will be assisted by current players. Tuition for each camp is $135 and includes an Atholton Raider t-‐shirt, individual skills testing, specialized instruction from qualified staff members, guest speakers, and daily awards. You can register for the camps at http://www.atholtonboosters.org/ For more information, contact Beth DeFrances 410-‐313-‐7065 or [email protected].
HCPSS News: Last Day of School Update
The last day of school was originally scheduled for June 10 on the 2014-‐2015 school calendar, which reserved five additional days through June 17 for inclement weather makeup. As of today, all five of those makeup days have been used, plus three additional inclement weather days. For the three additional days used, the Board of Education on March 12 voted to apply to the Maryland State Dept. of Education (MSDE) for a waiver for one inclement weather day used, and extend the school year by two more days, making June 19 the last day of school for students.
The calendar adjustment will not be final until approved by MSDE. Additional changes may also be needed if more inclement weather closures occur.
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Mt. Hebron Band A Thon Come and join the Mt. Hebron Marching Unit for their Band A Thon on Friday, April 17th from 3:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Mt. Hebron High School. Elementary school band students will have the opportunity to sit on stage with the Wind Ensemble and play a song sometime between 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. (6:00-‐7:00 p.m. will be a kids clinic to warm up before taking the stage with the band). Bring your instrument and play along with the adults and students! Grab dinner at one of the food trucks – Madame BBQ, Upslide Down Dave (sliders) or LaPearl Waffles. For more information, email Karen Freerksen at [email protected]. Youth Art Month Showcase Through April 9 -‐ HCLS Miller Branch, 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City
The Youth Art Month Showcase is now on display at the Howard County Library System Miller Branch. The HCPSS Visual Arts Office, in partnership with the Howard County Library System, is hosting this exhibit of K-‐12 student artwork from each HCPSS School. More information.
African American Community Parent Academy -‐ Feedback Session on Upcoming Topics Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.-‐Noon – Oakland Mills High School, 9410 Kilimanjaro Road, Columbia
The African American Community Parent Academy has developed topics to be presented in our sessions for the 2015–16 school year. Come share feedback on whether the proposed topics will support you in advocating for your child. More information.
Public Invited to HCPSS STEM Festival Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m-‐12 p.m. -‐ Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane, Columbia The HCPSS STEM Fair and Festival is an annual exhibition of student and school projects that celebrates achievement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics within HCPSS. More information.
Community Advisory Council (CAC) Meeting Tuesday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. -‐ Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Clarksville Pike in Ellicott City
The CAC meets each month to provide community members the opportunity to learn about and offer input on issues of concern to the school system. More information.