Mount View Middle School s1

The ViewPoint Mount View Middle School September 11, 2014

Upcoming Dates: September 12 Professional Development Day / No School for Students

September 15 @ 6:00p.m. – 6G ODE Parent Information Meeting @ 7:00p.m. – PTA Meeting

September 23 & 24 8th Grade Field Trip to Genesee Valley

September 25 Schools and Offices Closed

September 26 PTA Family Fun Night – Comedy Hypnosis Show 7:30 pm @ Marriotts Ridge HS

September 29 School Picture Day

October 8-10 6th Grade Outdoor Education

Principal’s Corner Does your child know that school is important? Take this quiz to see if you are communicating your family values on the importance of school and education for your child. Write yes if you do something all or most of the time. Write no if you do it rarely or ever. ____1. I let my child know I am excited and happy for her as she begins a new school year. ____2. I tell my child I believe school is her job and it should have a high priority. ____3. I make clear to my child that I expect her to follow school rules. ____4. I attend events the school holds for parents, even if my child tells me “no one else’s parents are going.” ____5. I ask my child specific questions about what she is learning, what parts of school she feels are going well, and what, if anything, I can do to help her.

How well are you doing? Mostly yes answers mean your child realizes you value school and expect her to do the same. Mostly no? Check the quiz for some suggestions on communicating the importance of school.

Emergency Procedure Cards As of today 570 students (76%) have completed emergency cards. We need updated emergency cards for EVERY student. To the parent/guardian of the students who have already updated/completed this task …. THANK YOU! For those who have yet to complete, PLEASE take a few minutes of your time to provide us with this information. Even if your child's information has not changed, we still need you to confirm that the information is accurate. Go to https://epstudentinfo.hcpss.org to complete your card. For assistance, contact Ms. Barnard via email ([email protected]). She is responding to those emails as quickly as possible. Thank you for your ongoing support!

NEW THIS YEAR! Online Payment for School Activities HCPSS has contracted with Online School Payments, Inc. (OSP) in order to afford parents/guardians the ability to pay online for school activities that would otherwise have required payment by cash or check. OSP accepts credit and debit cards (Visa or MasterCard) through a secure web browser at your convenience, 24 hours a day. You can even use your iPhone or tablet! OSMS, Inc. does charge a 4% handling fee for this service.

MVMS will be accepting online payments for:  PE Uniforms / students should receive information in classes on Wed. and Thurs.  Field Trips / Sixth Grade Outdoor Ed information is coming home on Thurs.  Yearbooks  Afterschool Club Fees

Visit the OSP website using the following link: http://osp.osmsinc.com/howardmd A step-by-step guide for purchasing school activities using OSP is available on the MVMS website (mvms.hcpss.org) under School Resources > Online Payments

Skills Inventory for Parents and Community Neighbors Each year Howard County schools must complete a comprehensive emergency response plan. As part of our readiness, the MVMS staff is surveyed for emergency skills. At this time, parents and neighbors are given the opportunity to take a survey as well. If you have specific skills and would be able to volunteer in the event of a serious emergency, please download the attached survey and return it to the MVMS Front Office, Attn: Mrs. Monti no later than Wednesday, September 17, 2014. Skills Inventory for Parents/Neighbors

ALL Students Are Invited To Participate In Mount View's G/T Seminars!  Debate  Book Club  Green Team  Eco Leadership Team  Yearbook  TV Studio  Leadership Team (8th grade only)

Each seminar has specific learning objectives that help students to develop advanced-level skills. Seminars meet once a week during regularly scheduled classes on a rotating basis so that students only miss each subject once or twice during the marking quarter.

Applications for all of the seminars listed above are now available in the cafeteria and outside of Mrs. Mako's room. Applications for additional seminars (including Writers Guild and Robotics) will be added later in the year.

You can learn more about G/T seminars on the G/T website: www.mvmsgt.weebly.com or by e-mailing the G/T Resource Teacher, Mrs. Mako, at [email protected].

After School Student Activities

AFTER SCHOOL DANCE CLUB with Mrs. Spruill COMMUNITY OUTREACH CLUB with Mrs. Parson

FLAG FOOTBALL INTRAMURAL with Mr. Tucci Complete details for after school student activities are available on the MVMS school and PTA websites.

PTA News

Want to laugh out loud with your family? Join the Mt. View Middle School PTA for a Family Fun Night

Comedy Hypnosis Show!!! Starring James Munsey

“An insanely FUNNY, brilliantly performed experience” “A HIGH-ENERGY, FAST-PACED show”

When: Friday, September 26, 2014 Time: 7:30 p.m. Where: Marriotts Ridge HS Auditorium Tickets: $10/tix; $13/at door

Tickets can be purchased online at: http://mvmspta.seatyourself.biz

Proceeds will benefit Mount View Middle School PTA *Please note that this show will be video taped

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa DelMonte, [email protected] or Cheryl Brown, [email protected]

The next PTA Meeting is Monday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m. in the FACS classroom. All are welcome.

Backpack Buddies Program is Back this Year and Ready to go! Once a month during the academic year, our school will provide food- filled backpacks to children currently enrolled in Howard County’s Head Start program! Approximately 250 of the children participating in the program are at or below the poverty line (defined as $23,000 or less annual income, as of September 2013) and, consequently, are considered “food insecure.” Although provided meals during their school day, these children are often left hungry on the weekends. These backpacks provide them (and their families) with some nutritional sustenance for the weekend. The following Falcon Time Classrooms are asked to bring in donations for our first collection: DUE Thursday, September 18th: Remmel, Ammann, Mastria & Strickler! In addition to bragging rights, we have a prize for the class that brings in the most items! Go for it Falcons! To see a food list and/or to learn more about this program, visit: http://mvmspta.yolasite.com/backpack-buddies.php

PTA Membership We know that you want the best for your children and being a PTA member can help you achieve that! Children learn more and have better lives when parents, school staff, students, and the community work together. PTA brings these groups together to share thoughts and ideas about programs and activities that benefit children. Our PTA provides information and resources that strengthen these relationships. Don't delay - Join today! Use this link for a membership form: http://mvmspta.yolasite.com/resources/MVMS%20Membership%202013.pdf Questions? Contact Loraine Miano-Fike at [email protected] http://mvmspta.yolasite.com/resources/MVMS membership 2013.pdf

Hassle-Free Donations Hassle-Free Donations to the PTA are a great choice for those who are too busy or unable to participate in the other fundraisers we will be offering throughout the school year. The “Hassle-Free” donation will be used to help support our PTA and the many programs and events that we sponsor. Use this link for a Hassle-Free form: http://mvmspta.yolasite.com/resources/Hassle-Free%20Flier-1.pdf Donations can be made throughout the school year.

Helping HoCo Jeans Drive Helping HoCo, a club at Marriotts Ridge High School, is running a blue jeans drive this month. The drive will last until September 25. Please bring your donations to school and drop them off in the front lobby where the collection box is located. Remember the weather will be getting cool soon and people will be in need of sturdy warm clothing.

Box Tops at Mount View MVMS PTA will again be collecting Box Tops for Education to support our school. If you saved Box Tops over the summer, please feel free to send them to school with your child to hand in to their Falcon Time teacher! PTA appreciates you being on the lookout to cut out and save Box Tops & bonus coupons! While you can send in your Box Tops at any time, we will have a special collection window at the end of October. Look for more information shortly! Please start saving your Box Tops now …. It’s easy, it’s free, and it helps support Mount View Middle School!

MVMS Website The MVMS website has a new look! Visit http://mvms.hcpss.org and bookmark for future reference.

Follow us on Twitter! @hcpss_mvms