The ViewPoint |
August 29, 2020A Note from the PrincipalFalcon Family, Greetings and welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! In ten days, students will begin classes as we kick-off another school year in HCPSS and at Mount View Middle School. Although we will begin this year virtually please know that our dedicated staff has been working hard to prepare for your children, and we cannot wait to welcome them back to school! As you continue to prepare your child for the first day of school on Tuesday, September 8, I want to highlight a few items that will help make the transition back to school an easier one. Further, I encourage you to continue to check your email and our website as we will continue to send and post updates that will help your child and family start the year strong. In the meantime, I hope you and your family are enjoying summer while keeping safe, wearing masks, and social distancing. Together we can make a difference. Thanks for Your Support, Lynnette N. Moore New Student OrientationsWelcome new Falcons! Thursday, September 3rd we will be hosting New Student Orientations for incoming six graders and new 7th and 8th grade students to MVMS. Two sessions will be offered due to the Google Meet participant capacity. We are asking that parents accompany their student to the sessions to limit the number of participants in the Google Meet. Students must log in using their HCPSS account. We will send out Google Meet links Wednesday and repeat the information Thursday morning just as a reminder. Sessions:
2020/21 School Year CalendarMake sure you know important dates on the 2020-2021 academic calendar. There are no printed calendars; you may view the online calendar and/or download printable calendar PDFs on the HCPSS website. The calendar is subject to change. MVMS Office HoursBeginning Tuesday, September 8, we will have an administrator in the office Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 3:30pm. However, visitors will not be allowed in the building or front office for the health and well-being of our staff. If you need to drop off anything, you may enter the vestibule and there will be bins and forms for you to use so that you can return any items. The vestibule will be monitored regularly; however, please note that returned items will sit for 4 days prior to staff accessing them. For any other requests or Communicating With MVMS Faculty and StaffIn the spirit of connecting with each family before the school year begins staff members from Mount View will be personally calling each family over the next week. We are reaching out to all our families because we value creating strong relationships with you and we will continue solidifying these relationships throughout the school year through our Student and Family Engagement Committees. If you receive a call from an unknown number, it is a good chance that it will be a MVMS staff member calling to welcome you to the 2020-2021 school year. Some staff members will be using Google Voice, “blocked numbers” and email to make contact with parents and guardians; again, we ask that you please accept the calls. The best way to contact a teacher or staff member is to email them using the email information on the Mount View website or through Canvas inbox. You are welcome to call and leave a message on 410-313-5545 and the front office staff will make sure that it your message is forwarded to the correct person. Free and Reduced Meals ProgramThe coronavirus pandemic is causing a lot of hardship for many of our friends and neighbors. Many HCPSS families have been impacted financially by the pandemic, and may be eligible now to receive benefits through the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program. Qualifying families can take advantage of a wide range of additional resources and discounts, including testing fees, tuition, internet and more. Learn more and apply for assistance. Participation in the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program qualifies eligible students for many opportunities, including:
Eligibility: Applications must be submitted every year. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. To apply:
Free School Supply Giveaway FlyersSchool Supplies 2020 English School Supplies 2020 Spanish Upcoming DatesSeptember 3 Grade 6 Open House (Virtual) Google Meet TBA Back to School Edition - August 21, 2020A Note from the PrincipalHello Falcon Family, I cannot wait to begin school in a few weeks most people have an “end of the school year count down” but I have a “1st day of school” countdown. The summer months without students provides me with the opportunity to prepare for the school year but I miss the children that I serve. As we gear up for virtual learning this fall semester, our school is looking forward to providing you with the resources and tools necessary for success. Parents and guardians can help protect their child’s eyesight during this period of increased screen time, which can cause eye strain or lead to Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Signs and symptoms of CVS include eye strain, eye fatigue, dry eyes, headaches and blurred vision.
See you all soon virtually! Update Your Family FileRegardless of virtual or in-person learning, parents/guardians must verify and/or update information for each child annually. Parents/guardians can complete Family File by logging in to HCPSS Connect. I would like to thank the 527 families that have completed this process. We do not want you to miss any important information. New Student Orientation6th grade students and families – and students new to Mount View 7th and 8th graders - are invited to join us on Thursday, September 3, at 1:00 p.m. for orientation. More information will be provided by newsletter and on our website. We are in the planning stages of this critical event. Immunization Requirements for G7 StudentsReminder to parents of incoming 7th grade students: All children must have the required State of Maryland immunizations in order to attend school, including in districts utilizing virtual instruction. The following are required by the state of Maryland for all students entering Grade 7:
Although we are not starting the year in the school building, these immunizations are required within 20 calendar days of the first day of school. Welcome New Staff!We are pleased to welcome the following new staff members to the Mount View Middle School community:
Support Our School and Join PTA!MVMS PTA is an active, supportive and dedicated group of individuals. We would love for you to join and support our school and community by joining the PTA for the 2020-2021 school year. We could not facilitate all of the clubs, organizations, and activities without our PTA. Please visit our PTA website to join and to participate in the hassle free donation program! Chromebook RequestsAs previously announced, through grants and additional funds, HCPSS is able to purchase a sufficient number of devices necessary to eventually achieve a 1:1 student-to-device ratio for all students in grades pre-K through 12. Due to vendor delays, order fulfillment will not arrive as expected and HCPSS is adjusting its device distribution plan. HCPSS will provide a Chromebook to every student in middle school within the first quarter. While devices are being procured, parents/guardians of middle school students currently in need of a device may request one. Requests will be prioritized based on students’ access to personal devices meeting the minimum requirements. In addition to Chromebooks, any family without access to the internet should notify the school system using the directions below. HCPSS is working with the Bright Minds Foundation and Comcast to support families who may be eligible to participate in the Comcast Internet Essentials program (copy and paste this link: https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19). Additionally, HCPSS will prioritize distribution of a limited number of hot spots to families who cannot obtain access to the internet. To identify your need for a Chromebook or internet:
Upcoming DatesSeptember 3 Grade 6 Open House (Virtual) 12:45 - 3:15. Google Meet TBA Summer Edition - August 18, 2020A Note from the PrincipalHello Falcon Families, I hope this finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. As you are aware, our school system has spent this summer in work groups to address what school will look like for the school year 2020-21 in consideration of the global pandemic, and in the past two weeks, many important decisions have been made. This message is dedicated entirely to covering a number of logistical details and information to support the transition from summer to the academic school year. The school system calendar, including start dates and school closings for holidays have been adjusted. The first student day has been pushed back to September 8, 2020. Please take some time to review the adjusted calendar and make adjustments to your travel plans accordingly. In particular, take a look at the dates for spring break as well as the last possible day for the school year (June 22, 2021). Schools will operate virtually for Semester 1 following a 4x4 semester schedule. This scheduling format will allow students to take eight courses as opposed to the seven they usually take in the traditional schedule. In a 4x4, students take four courses each semester. Courses are taken every day for two quarters. Some courses like PE, Health, and FACS will only be taken 1 quarter (9 weeks). Student schedules are not released in Canvas remotely from the school but from Central Office. You will receive a message when your student(s) schedule is available. Please Welcome our new Pupil Personal Worker, Matthew Deyton! Mr. Deyton will be our PPW for the 20-21 school year and is a product of the HCPSS (a Mt. Hebron High School graduate) He has served as a school counselor for the past 8 years (5 years at the Homewood Center and 3 years at Wilde Lake Middle). He will be an terrific addition to our school community and cluster. Mr. Deyton is available to support students and parents who need assistance (request for technology, hotspots, FARMS, residency, to name a few.) Please take note of the important information in this ViewPoint, and lets have a teriffic start to this school year! Ms. Moore Student Services Counselors Assignments
New Student OrientationMiddle School Orientation will be held virtually on Thursday, September 3. Please save the time interval between 12:45 -3:15pm. We are working on this new virtual experience and will send specific times and session format will be shared next week. RefundsAt this point, we are happy to share that all monies due to be returned to families for canceled field trips during the spring of 2020 have been completed. If you are still waiting for a refund, please contact Mary Anne Emery. Please be aware that several refund checks that we mailed this month were returned undeliverable. So, if you have moved, please contact our registrar, April Snyder to update your home address. Materials Collection and DistributionThe last big hurdle before school opens in September will be textbook returns. Once student schedules are finalized, issuing a new set of textbooks will need to be coordinated, although some digital sources may supplement instruction in the upcoming school year. If you've used any of the extra time at home for cleaning, hopefully, you and your student have located and put aside all school materials so the turn-in will be an easy check-off with no fees for lost items. Canvas will still be the primary vehicle for instructional materials, assignments, calendar and grades so every student should be able to fully utilize this platform.
Technology RequestsHCPSS will provide a Chromebook to every student in middle school within the first quarter. While devices are being procured, parents/guardians of middle school students currently in need of a device may request one. Requests will be prioritized based on students’ access to personal devices meeting the minimum requirements. In addition to Chromebooks, any family without access to the internet should notify the school system using the directions below. HCPSS is working with the Bright Minds Foundation and Comcast to support families who may be eligible to participate in the Comcast Internet Essentials program. Additionally, HCPSS will prioritize distribution of a limited number of hot spots to families who cannot obtain access to the internet. To identify your need for a Chromebook or internet:
Free and Reduced Meals ProgramThe coronavirus pandemic is causing a lot of hardship for many of our friends and neighbors. Many HCPSS families have been impacted financially by the pandemic, and may be eligible now to receive benefits through the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program. Qualifying families can take advantage of a wide range of additional resources and discounts, including testing fees, tuition, internet and more. Learn more and apply for assistance. School Supply ListThis county wide supply list is slightly modified from the one posted recently on our website. You can download the supply list here or find it on the MVMS homepage. Please help your child by replenishing supplies during the year as needed. The graphing calculator is an important technology tool used in Howard County mathematics courses beginning with Algebra 1 and extending through the end of the course sequence. Although digital graphing tools are available online and will be used at various times in middle and high school math courses, students are best served by having a personal graphing calculator such as the TI-84 Plus CE (rechargeable) graphing calculator. Students who go on to take mathematics courses in college will likely be able to use the same calculator for college coursework. Note that students are permitted to use a graphing calculator on the SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement mathematics exams. Arrangements can also be made to borrow a graphing calculator from school through your child’s mathematics teacher. Upcoming DatesAugust 19 Incoming Grade 6 Lunch Bunch 12:00-12:30pm |