Get your child ready for the next grade level!  MMS Summer Experience 2025 helps kids with academic skill building to prepare for their next grade level, work on social skills, participate in summer summer reading with great new titles, and have some fun team building and playing physical education games with amazing MMS staff members!

FREE of charge!  Dates: July 7-August 1, 2024  Location: Columbia High School Hours-9am-12:00pm  Open to all current MMS students!

If you would like your child to participate, please fill the MMS Summer Program Interest Form (complete 1 form for each child at MMS). MMS staff will also reach out to you if they recommend that your child attend this program.  Please complete this form with your interest by Friday, June 6!    

Questions?  Email dgronau@somsd.k12.nj.us

All incoming 6th graders - incoming 12th graders are invited to attend the Summer Music Enrichment Program. Morning or Afternoon sessions available. Lessons located at Delia Bolden Elementary School. 

Cost: $190 for AM or PM sessions $375 for BOTH AM and PM sessions

Sign up via Community pass. 

Hello 8th grade families! Can you believe we're almost at the end of the year!?! Lots of fun stuff is coming up for our kids, so you'll be hearing from us quite a bit in the next few weeks. See below for an overview of what we need from you now (and be on the lookout for sign ups to help out coming soon). Any questions, contact us at 8thgrade@maplewoodmiddleschool.org

Thanks! Sharon, Regina, and Moya  

8th Grade events: 

1. Frogbridge Day Camp Field Trip: May 30. Permission slip is HERE, $80 in CASH to homeroom teacher. DUE FRIDAY, MAY 9. 

2. Yearbooks:$25 online payment can be made HERE.   (You can send cash/check made out to MMS HSA in an envelope with your child's name) DUE JUNE 13

3. Lawn signs: $5 online payment can be made HERE.  (You can send cash/check made out to MMS HSA in an envelope with your child's name) DUE MAY 19

4. Dinner Dance: June 17, 7-9 pm at Maplewood Country Club. Permission form is HERE.(It is the same form as Frogbridge, but there's a place to sign up for only one or the other when you click through the form). $25 online payment can be made HERE. DUE JUNE 11. (You can send cash/check made out to MMS HSA in an envelope with your child's name)

5. You can purchase an 8th grade package of lawn sign, dinner dance and yearbook HERE at a $5 savings. DUE MAY 19 (You can send cash/check made out to MMS HSA in an envelope with your child's name)

**No student will be excluded because of an inability to pay. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please select that option on the online form and the HSA will cover the fees (for yearbook, dance, and lawn sign). 

For Frogbridge, contact Mr. Brown: lbrown@somsd.k12.nj.us**

MMS will have 2 student speakers read an original poem at our Moving Up Ceremony on June 19. 2025. Submit to Ms. Gronau dgronau@somsd.k12.nj.us

On June 12, 7th graders will head to Dave & Buster's. Please reach out to your child's Period 1Teacher for this PAPER FIELD TRIP PERMISSION SLIP

Hello MMS Families!

You're Invited to the upcoming MMS Spring Concerts:

Tuesday, May 20th Orchestra Concert

Thursday, May 29th Band Concert

All performances start at 7:00pm 

Performers should arrive earlier to take their places

Let’s Talk Meds — A parent- and caregiver-only virtual gathering to talk about medications for mental health and other learning and thinking differences, with a discussion about safety, efficacy, and use for managing and preventing symptoms.

Moderated by fellow SOMSD parents Dina Roskin, MA, EdS, LAC, and Dr. Rebecca Farnham, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician. 

More about the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC SOMA). 

Monday, May 19 @ 7:00-8:00pm

Click to join this Zoom meeting!

The NJSLA English/Language Art, Mathematics, and Science tests, formerly known as the PARCC, will take place for all middle school students. At the end of this letter you will find the MMS testing dates. 

Here are important things to know about the NJSLA: 

1. Testing begins promptly at 8:20 AM; therefore, please ensure that your children arrive at school by 8:00 so that they can locate their testing rooms promptly. 

2. Test locations will be prominently displayed in the building so that students know where to report. They will also be posted on Canvas daily.

3. Students should bring their own wired earbuds or headphones to assist with the listening portion. We have loaners, but students are more comfortable when using their own wired earbuds. Bluetooth earbuds, like the Apple AirPods, cannot be used. 

4. Personal electronic devices are not permitted in test sites, but students are allowed a book or magazine for reading purposes should they finish a testing session early. If your student is participating in the Yondr pilot program, they must leave their Yondr pouch and device in their locker during NJSLA testing.

5. We highly recommend you have your child bring a water bottle during their assigned testing days.

6. While there may be adjustments to start and end times for class periods, all students in grades 6-8 will report to school for a full school day  (8:20am-3:15pm) during all 3 weeks of testing.  Please look for a separate email and post on Canvas for our modified bell schedule during test dates.  

7. Regular testing concludes each day by about 12:30 PM. Non tested students will report to their regular classes for the assigned day.

8. Please do not report to MMS early to pick up your child during testing.  Testing cannot be disrupted for early dismissal of students.  This would negate results of all other students in the test site.  

9. For additional testing information and parent resources click on the following link: Parent Resources | NJ Portal  

Finally, please know that because of state changes to the NJSLA and to graduation requirements, “opting out” of the test is not permitted.

Your child is well prepared for the NJSLA test. The skill sets measured on the NJSLA assessment are embedded into our daily instruction at MMS. Additionally, your child's teachers will review the types of questions asked on the test.

If you have any questions about the NJSLA administration, contact your child’s counselor. I am also happy to answer NJSLA related questions (pkassalo@somsd.k12.nj.us).

Regards,

Peter Kassalow, MMS Assistant Principal                                         Dara Gronau

MMS NJSLA Test Coordinator                                                      MMS Principal

MMS NJSLA Administration Dates-Spring 2025

6th Grade

May 19, 2025 - Math Units 1 & 2

May 20, 2025 - Math Unit 3 & ELA Unit 1

May 21, 2025 - ELA Units 1 & 2

7th Grade 

May 12, 2025 - Math Units 1 & 2

May 13, 2025 - Math Unit 3 & ELA Unit 1

May 14, 2025 - ELA Unit 2

8th Grade 

May 5, 2025 - Math Units 1 & 2

May 6, 2025 - Math Unit 3 & ELA Unit 1

May 7, 2025 - ELA Unit 2

May 8, 2025 - Science Units 1 & 2

May 9, 2025 - Science Units 3 & 4

*Test Units will vary based on your child’s Math course in which they are currently enrolled.

Dear MMS  8th Grade Students and Caregivers,

Please see the attached 8th Grade Conduct Permission Form Letter .

          Welcome to the last months of middle school!  We are so very proud of your achievements at MMS.  This is a special time of year, and we want everyone to enjoy their last months as a middle school class before their high school journey begins.   We look forward to closing out middle school with the special 8th grade social events listed below.  Parents/Caregivers:  Please note the remaining 8th grade events and information.

There is a charge for the events below.  No family will be turned away for their inability to pay.  Please contact Mr. Brown at lbrown@somsd.k12.nj.us if there is a financial hardship.

Save the date!  MMS 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony is at 9:00am on *Thursday June, 19, 2025  in the MMS Gymnasium.  

See you there!  Each student receives 3 tickets.  Students receive their tickets on the last day of their Moving Up Ceremony rehearsal (Wednesday, June 18, 2025).

*Should SOMSD change the last day of school for any reason, the ceremony date will also change accordingly.  

Conduct Expectations

At all events, we expect you to represent MMS and our district well.  While off site, the SOMSD Code of Conduct  remains in effect.  Consistently appropriate behavior while in school is your ticket to end of year events.  Students earn the right to attend the above activities by adhering to school and district expectations.

Students with unserved conferences or who the school administration determines to have been in violation of the code of conduct (including but not limited to unsafe or disruptive behavior) will not be allowed to attend one or more of the above 8th grade activities.  We must ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all who attend.      

Let’s plan on having a fun-filled and memorable end of the school year together!

Sincerely,

Louis Brown, 8th Grade Administrator, Maplewood Middle School Assistant Principal 

Dara Crocker Gronau, Maplewood Middle School Principal  

C: 8th Grade Team Leaders-Ms. Graham, Mr. Currais and Ms. Giusti;  8th Grade Counselor Mr. White

Please return this signed form by May 9, 2025 to your PERIOD 1 teacher

 By signing this letter I confirm that my student and I understand the rules and expectations that must be followed in order to be permitted to participate in remaining MMS 8th grade Spring 2025 activities.  

Student Name (print)  _________________________________

Student Signature____________________________________

Parent/Caregiver Name (print)  _____________________________________  

Parent/Caregiver Signature   _____________________________________

Emergency Phone Numbers (list all)  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For additional questions, please contact HSA 8th grade coordinators at 8thgrade@maplewoodmiddleschool.org