Volunteer for the Walkathon!
Please sign up for a Volunteer shift this THURSDAY, 10/24 and/or FRIDAY, 10/25. Students will walk during their PE Classes (Thursday is a B day and Friday is an A day)
Grades and Times are noted in the sign up genius.
Fall Spiritwear ON SALE NOW until October 31!
The Fall 2024 Spiritwear Sale is ON! Show your School Spirit and support the HSA!
Order a hoodie or the ever popular PJ pants. For more information and to view the flyer, visit https://mmshsa.membershiptoolkit.com/spirit_wear or place your order online at https://nk-graphics.com/mms_fall_24/shop/home
Learn About NJTSS on Thursday, October 24
For October, our school district continues offering parents informative sessions that provide understandable information on educational pedagogy and new initiatives being implemented to benefit students. Join us for:
New Jersey Tiered System of Supports
October 24th at 7:30 pm at Seth Boyden Elementary School
Join us to learn how NJTSS supports all students, whether they need intervention or enrichment. This framework provides tailored academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports to ensure every student meets their full potential. This session is conducted by the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and the Department of Access & Equity.
Save the Date for Social Media: Strengthening Caregiver Connectivity on Nov. 4
Join us for Social Media: Strengthening Caregiver Connectivity, an insightful workshop designed for parents navigating the challenges of raising children in the digital age, on November 4, 2024, at 6:00 pm. This virtual workshop via WebEx is being conducted with Effective School Solutions, a district partner that helps school districts implement culturally inclusive mental health and behavioral support programs that improve care, strengthen outcomes, address trauma, and maintain students in their home district.
We'll explore the growing role social media plays in students' lives, how it meets their needs, and, more importantly, how you can help them find fulfillment in the real world. You'll learn practical strategies to strengthen your connection with your child and encourage more offline activities while fostering a healthier balance between their online and offline worlds.
WebEx virtual meeting information will be sent in the coming weeks.
Survey for Special Education Audit
Thank you for your engagement in the important conversation surrounding the special education audit recently completed for SOMSD. We value your input and would like to hear your questions, concerns, and feedback regarding the audit findings. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey so we can address your needs effectively.
Your responses will remain confidential, and the feedback will be used to guide our future planning and communication.
Have You Registered for the Walkathon? It's FREE
Register Your Student...it's FREE (Battle of the Classes points for participation) https://pledgestar.com/maplewoodmiddle/
Send Pledges...it's FREE (5 pledges gets you Cougar Cash, 10 pledges gets you a chance for a Greenway or Starbucks Gift Card)
Donate $25 ($25 a student gets us to our goal!)
Interested in being a Co-Chair or Volunteer? Email walkathon@maplewoodmiddleschool.org
SEED Project
The SEED Project is a peer-led professional development program that creates conversational communities to drive personal, organizational, and societal change toward greater equity and diversity. We do this by training individuals to facilitate ongoing seminars within their own institutions and communities, where they are employees or members. SEED leaders design their seminars to include personal reflection and testimony, listening to others' voices, and learning experientially and collectively. Through this methodology, SEED equips us to connect our lives to one another and to society at large by acknowledging systems of oppression, power, and privilege.
Monthly in-person sessions for SOMSD Parents will be led by district educator-parents: Kate Facto, Yves Hart, Amanda Mazzarella on Wednesdays, 5:30-8:30pm.
Complete the Interest Survey here.
Presidents Council & League of Women Voter BOE Candidate Forum
In case you missed it! The SOMSD Presidents Council and The League of Women Voters of Maplewood-South Orange presented a SOMSD Board of Education Candidate Forum on Wednesday, October 9.
To view a recording of the forum click here.
SEPAC SOMA: October Cup Chat
Our informal, in-person gatherings are a great way to connect with other parents and caregivers of kids with Special Education-related needs in our district. The seven candidates running for the SOMSD Board of Education have been invited to join us to hear your experiences with Special Education in this district and introduce themselves. Learn more about the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC). Questions? Email info@sepacsoma.org.
Sunday, October 13 @ 3:00-4:30pm
The Baird, 5 Mead St, South Orange
SEPAC SOMA: Mental Health & Special Education
SEPAC SOMA: Mental Health & Special Education
A parent-only virtual gathering to talk about mental health and its impact on school success for students with disabilities. Discussion led by SEPAC SOMA Mental Health Liaison (and fellow parent) Dina Roskin, MA, EdS, LAC. Learn more about the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC SOMA). Questions? Email info@sepacsoma.org.
Monday, October 14 @ 7:30pm
Upcoming Dates to Know
