April 2015 by Mona Shores Middle School

RESPONSIBLE

1700 Woodside Road Muskegon, MI 49441 231-759-8506

April 2015

www.monashores.net RESPECTFUL

Mona Shores Middle School

RESILIENT

SAILORS ARE INSPIRED LEARNERS!

News

Mona Shores Middle School Families, It’s hard to believe that Spring Break is right around the corner! March has been another great month for the students, staff, and community at MSMS! I continue to be proud of the dedication our teachers have to the art of teaching and the commitment to academic and behavioral success that our students demonstrate. In the month of March, MSMS was down over 100 discipline referrals from last year! While our students continue to be held responsible for their actions, they are consistently making good choices. We are all extremely proud of this group of students! Academically, students are taking ownership of their success by pushing themselves to complete assignments, prepare for assessments, and engage themselves in class. This past trimester, which concluded in the middle of March, only 4% of our students posted a failing grade, and over 80% had ALL A’s, B’s, and C’s. MSMS teachers, students, and parents continue to strive towards success, in every sense of the word. This collective focus on success is propelling MSMS to be the best Middle School in America. Our Character Trait for the month of April is ATTITUDE. By definition, ATTITUDE is “a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person's behavior.” Throughout our day, our week, month, or year, we encounter situations, people, or circumstances that challenge our ATTITUDE. Do we choose to be positive or negative? Do we choose to dwell on it or move forward? What ATTITUDE do we choose with our peers, teachers, colleagues, or family members? I challenge us, students, parents, and staff, to choose an ATTITUDE that will positively impact our relationships, lives, and situations! As Charles Swindoll said, “I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” What will our ATTITUDES say about us? Throughout the month, know that your students will learn about their ATTITUDES and the impact they can have; they will be challenged to choose a positive ATTITUDE at MSMS! As we head into the final days before Spring Break and a new month, please continue to remind and have conversations with your students about ATTITUDE (especially following the break). Discuss how they can demonstrate a positive ATTITUDE in their classrooms, hallways, peer interactions, and adult conversations! I believe this will propel them to finish the year off strong! I hope you all have a wonderful Spring Break with your family and friends! Please continue to encourage your students, support them and communicate with their teachers when you need help, clarification, or simply an update on their progress towards success.

CALENDAR LATE START DATES (9:40) Apr. 1st (Wed.) Aor. 22nd (Wed.) HALF DAY - DISMISSAL 11:00 AM Apr. 3rd (Fri.) SPRING ASSEMBLY Apr. 3rd (Fri.) SPRING BREAK - NO SCHOOL Apr. 6th (Mon.) - Apr. 10th (Fri.) SCHOOL RESUMES Apr. 13th (Mon.) NO LATE START (7:40) Apr. 15th (Wed.) Apr. 29th (Wed.) 5th-6th GR. ORCHESTRA CONCERT Apr. 21st (Tues.) 7:00pm @ MSMS 6th GR. SCIENCE CAMP MEETING Apr. 22nd (Wed.) 5:30pm Media Ctr. BAND CONCERT Apr. 30th (Thur.) 7:30-8:30pm @ HS

Doug Ammeraal, Principal Email: ammeraad@monashores.net Twitter: @msms_sailors, Hashtag: #msmspride

Sailors have ownership, integrity, gratitude, service, perseverance, compassion, positivity, attitude, courage & success.

5th & 6th Grade

Orchestra Concert is on April 21st at 7:00 PM. The Middle School Science Fair is open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. It will be held at the Middle School on Thursday, May 7 from 6:00 - 7:30. See your science teacher for more information.

The M-Step is right around the corner! Our 8th graders will be taking it the week they return from Spring Break. Students have had a variety of opportunities to see the practice tests over the past few weeks. Here is a direct link to the Michigan Department of Education that will provide additional history and information: http://1.usa.gov/1sKwGbA

The counselors continue to work on scheduling and the master schedule for the 20152016 school year. On April 27, some of our Calling All Colors members will be attending the Lakeshore Middle School Diversity Conference at Grand Valley State University. The group will be presenting information about what projects they have been working on this year. As part of the Counselors’ Corner this month, we would like to share what one of our students wrote. This student, and her writing, highlight the character traits that we, as educators, want to see in our students. The message speaks for itself:

In the Physical Education wing, Camp Newaygo representatives will be visiting our PE classes on April 13 and 14. They will lead our students through activities that promote team building, confidence building, effective communication, and anti-bullying. The kids will collaborate with their classmates during the activities, and then will learn about the Summer programs offered at Camp Newaygo. This will be a great opportunity for kids to learn about community camps and programs, that will be offered to them in the Summer, in order to have a memorable experience.

What is life? There was a girl that got called a slut today, hope that makes the person that called her it feel better about themselves, she ran out of the lunch room crying. Yea, people talk about her, yea I have talked about her, but what I notice is that we are older now. We need to stop judging people about how they look or act because we’re all different. That girl that got called a slut today, I saw her in the hallway. I left class to go to the bathroom and I ran into her. When she got half way down the hall, I yelled for her and hugged her and told her she was better than that to listen or care what people say, it made me feel good about myself, but not about my school. Everyone is so hateful, we have a be nice program for a reason If you don’t care or don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything. We’re in middle school, we should know better than to judge people. You know that girl you called a whore because she had more guy friends than girls, yea she could be at home crying in her room. There are so many fake people; I don’t even know who to be friends with anymore. You don’t know people more than they know themselves, so why does everyone have to judge? You know that guy you started rumors about? Yea, he almost killed himself 3 times, and nobody ever noticed him. In every school, every person has their own group of friends, and if your friends are talking about others, stop them because it will come back at you. Judging people just shows what kind of person you are. FYI, it doesn’t make you any cooler. You can laugh, point, call them out, but they could be crying themselves to sleep every night. Words do hurt people. People just need to be more loving. All the 8th graders that we have at our school, we will be together the rest of our 8th grade year, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades, seeing each other every day. So why don’t we just care about one another? It’s not that hard. There are so many people on this earth that have harmed themselves, and still do to this day, for the smallest reasons. So be nice, there is no reason not to.

Sailors have ownership, integrity, gratitude, service, perseverance, compassion, positivity, attitude, courage & success.

The following have passed all of their Anchor Math Multiplication Tests and now move onto division: Anna Anderson

Rachel Farrell

Lance LaNore

Hunter Nixon

Skylar Brant

Evan Fischer

Kyle Liddle

Hunter Peterson

Evan Cooper

Lillian Fisher

Owen Lockhart

Rayne Quinn

Lindsey Deblock

Ja'Niya Grant

Chloe Maxwell

Suknit Saini

Aubree Dill

Johnathan Hall

Kennedy McCombs

Abigail Schaefer

Emma Drexler

Deric James

Alexis Morris

Andrew Taylor

Seth Easterly

Emma Kinnucan

Mia Newman

David VanArendonk

Adrianna Estlick

Bianca Weber

November/December Students of the Month

January/February Students of the Month

Left to Right: Noah Kinnucan, Shelby Versalle, Yamasia McLemore, Ava Bentley, Matthew Durose, Sarah Bayne

Left to Right: Hayden Helmer, Niral Patel, Kyle Liddle, Emily Mann, Matthew Yacoub, Maryam Esho

Additional Notes from the Principal BOND VOTE -- Mona Shores Public Schools is facing a Bond Issue on May 5, 2015. This Bond, at .75 mils, will generate approximately $13 million. It will be directly focused on keeping our students Warm, Safe, and Dry. Please visit our district website to get more information on the impact the Bond will have on our district and students! http://www.monashores.net/our-district/may-5th-bond-issue/ GUEST SPEAKER -- on April 29, our MS and HS students will hear Chad Varga (@ chadvarga.com) speak. Chad has traveled around the country and will be sharing his story of perseverance, attitude, success, and failure with our students. We are fortunate and blessed to hear his message! 5th GRADE VISITS -- upon return from break, our 5th grade transition will begin. The Middle School Administrators and Counselors will visit the Elementary buildings on April 14. Then, on two separate days in April and May, the 5th graders will come to MSMS for a tour, visit classrooms/teachers, hear our expectations , and have lunch in the cafeteria. We are extremely excited to welcome the new group of Sailors to MSMS! Sailors have ownership, integrity, gratitude, service, perseverance, compassion, positivity, attitude, courage & success.

2014-15 Destination Imagination Region 4 Competition March 7, 2015 Results Scientific Challenge: Making Waves Middle Level 2nd Place - Silver Medal Middle School: Alexis Decatur Team Miah Lipps Kennedy Schulist Jessicana Smith

Improvisational Challenge: The Improv Games Middle Level 3rd Place - Bronze Medal Middle School: Robert Biesiada Team Summer Biesiada Jaclyn Purosky Lauryn Jackson Brenden Edson Evan Cooper Nova Crays Middle School: Kristi Graham/Alexis Liddle Team Kyle Liddle Bailey Grahan Maddison Metler Kyle Sumner Skylar Epplett Hunter Engstrom Savanna Donahue

Fine Arts Challenge: Feary Tales Middle Level 2nd Place - Silver Medal Middle School: Kristen Norkus/Katie Pletcher Erica Pletcher Lauren Dunn Megan Steketee Olivia MacDonald Sydney Fetters Kelly Avila Riley Jackson

projectOUTREACH: Brand Aid Middle Level 1st Place - Gold Medal Middle School: Donielle Routt Team Abriel Ginman Aleigh Hunter Ashley Melton Christy Shovan-Lee Erin Carroll Lexi Gerstenfeld

The Stay Strong 7 Team: Kelly Avila, Lauren Dunn, Sydney Fetters, Riley Jackson, Erica Pletcher, Olivia MacDonald, Megan Steketee.

Sailors have ownership, integrity, gratitude, service, perseverance, compassion, positivity, attitude, courage & success.

Mona Shores Middle School 1700 Woodside Road, Norton Shores, MI 49441 School Phone: 231-759-8506 Fax: 231-755-0514 Email: panozzos@monashores.net

Superintendent Greg Helmer

Principal Doug Ammeraal

Assistant Principal Ken Byard/Scott Panozzo

Athletic Director Scott Panozzo

Middle School Track (Boys/Girls) 2014-2015 Day

Date

Opponent

Place

Time

Thursday

Apr. 16

Hamilton

High School Track

4:30PM

Tuesday

Apr. 21

@ Muskegon Steele

Muskegon Steele

4:00PM

Wednesday

Apr. 22

@ North Rockford Middle School

North Rockford Middle School

4:00PM

Friday

Apr. 24

@ GMAA Tournament @ Reeths Puffer

GMAA Tournament @ Reeths Puffer

3:30PM

Monday

Apr. 27

@ Quad @ Reeths Puffer

Quad @ Reeths Puffer

4:00PM

Wednesday

Apr. 29

@ West Ottawa

West Ottawa

4:00PM

Tuesday

May. 05

@ Cancelled- Girls Conference Meet

High School Track

3:00PM

Tuesday

May. 05

Quad @ Mona Shores High School

High School Track

4:00PM

Monday

May. 11

@ Girls Conference Meet @ Rockford

Girls Conference Meet @ Rockford

4:00PM

Wednesday

May. 13

@ Boys Conference Meet @ Reeths Puffer

Boys Conference Meet @ Reeths 4:00PM Puffer

Sailors have ownership, integrity, gratitude, service, perseverance, compassion, positivity, attitude, courage & success.