January 21, 2024
The Week Ahead
NWEA Testing
We want to highlight the significance of the NWEA test for your child's education. The NWEA test provides valuable insights into your child's academic progress, helping us tailor our teaching approach to meet their specific needs. By identifying their strengths and areas for improvement, we can create a more personalized learning experience that fosters growth and success. The data gathered from the NWEA test also allows us to set realistic goals, track achievements, and collaborate with you to support your child's educational journey. As a school, we regularly analyze the data to determine trends and adjust instruction as well as properly place students in advanced and support/enrichment classes. We are asking that you help support in having your child try their best on these tests and not have them just "blow them off" as that undermines what we are trying to accomplish by providing the best education possible for your child. If a child clicks through the test, it does not give us meaningful data to help inform decisions we make about their education, so please help us in placing value in this test.
Below are some helpful links for you as a parent to understand the importance of the NWEA MAP Growth Test. There is a video that explains the scores and how they are used to influence instruction and student learning and a link to a parent toolkit for more informaiton.
Around East Lately!
MSE Parent Survey
Dear MSE Parent/Family Member:
As we strive to ensure that all schools provide a safe and healthy learning environment for our students, we want to learn more about your experiences as a parent or caretaker of a student at Middle School East. We send this letter as an invitation to participate in the School Climate Survey for Parents and Families. The survey includes questions about your student’s learning, school safety, and interpersonal relationships, as well as your perceptions of the school environment and your personal involvement in school. Your feedback will be very helpful in improving student engagement, learning conditions, and the overall school environment. Beginning today, January 9th, we invite all parents, guardians and caretakers to complete the School Climate Survey for Parents and Families. Your responses are completely anonymous, and your name or personally identifiable information will not be collected. As you respond to each survey item, please think about your own personal experiences as a parent, caregiver or guardian at your child’s school. By participating in this survey, you will provide valuable insights that we can use to improve the climate and culture in our schools. MSE will use the survey results to develop strategies, procedures, and/or programs to enhance our school climate. If you have multiple children at MSE, you only need to take the survey once. However, you will be asked to take the survey again in the Spring.
Please complete your survey response by January 26th. Thank you for your time, and we hope you will support our effort to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. Use the link below to access the survey:
MSE Parent Academy
We invite you to participate in our third "Parent Academy" session on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the KIVA. Join us for an enlightening presentation by Kim Foster, where she will delve into various mindfulness and wellness strategies for navigating our hectic and stressful daily lives. Please RSVP using this link.
Eagle of the Week!
This week's Eagle of the Week is 7th Grader Blake K who was nominated by Mrs. Rafalski who said "Blake has consistently demonstrated kindness, a strong work ethic, and excellent teamwork skills. His dedication to studies and collaborative spirit in group projects have not gone unnoticed. It is truly a pleasure to have such a hardworking and team-oriented student in our academic community. I believe these qualities are not only commendable but also contribute significantly to a positive learning environment. Blake serves as a role model for his peers, embodying the values of kindness and dedication that we strive to foster at Middle School East. Thank you, Blake for being AMAZING! Keep reaching for the stars." Congrats Blake!!
Be the Change: Positive Referral Student
This week's winner of the "Be the Change": Positive Office Referral student is Luke S.! Congrats Luke! Your dedication to making a positive impact in our community is truly inspiring!
School Attendance
Cell Phone Policy Reminder
As we near the halfway point of the school year, it is a good time to remind parents and students of the MSE Cell Phone Policy. Details can be found below. This year the kids have been really good about following it and we applaud their efforts and your parental support!
MSE School Store
We have a fully stocked School Store with hoodies, t-shirts, crewnecks, sweatpants, and more all able to be purchased for your student or yourself! Get your MSE Spirit Wear to wear at sporting events or other school events! You can contact Mrs. Malaga at malagsh@lc-ps.org or call the main office at (586) 493-5200 to get in to shop the school store!!
8th Grade Yearbook Farewells
If you are the parent of an 8th grade student and wish to gave a farewell message included in the MSE yearbook, please fill out the information below and send your child with $10 cash to Mrs. Mertz by Friday February 9.
Join the MSE Art Club!
The MSE Art club is starting up second semester! Art Club is an opportunity for students to work with other students that are interested in art and want to explore different art mediums. It’s a blast! The MSE Art Club will meet 2 Tuesdays a month from 3:05-4:30. Students MUST BE PICKED UP BY 4:30. Space is limited. Students must submit an application to Mrs. Winters by Monday 1/22 to be considered. Applications are outside of Mrs. Winters classroom for pick up or by clicking the link below:
MSE Ski Club
Girl's Basketball Tryout Information
Washington DC Trip Opportunity
If any student and/or parent is interested in going to Washington DC in June, contact see Mrs. Conger in R3 or email congesh@lc-ps.org for registration information or questions! Also, if you have any friends that are interested, even if they are not NJHS or student Council, have them message Mrs. Conger or see her in R3 for more information. We have about 5 openings left!