It's our pleasure to welcome (and welcome BACK) our MMS Families, Students and Staff. We hope it's been a great first few days of school! 

There are still several critical open positions on the HSA, including the Co-President role. It's a great way to get involved, so grab a friend and take this role on! You will have support and guidance from the previous co-presidents!

Want to become an MMS HSA member? You ALREADY ARE! Membership is FREE, but we do rely on donations and we always appreciate your support! Donate to our NO FRILLS FUNDRAISING.

If you haven’t already, please check out our HSA website at https://mmshsa.membershiptoolkit.com/. It’s full of helpful information about our school, HSA, events, school calendar and more! 

As always, reach out to president@maplewoodmiddleschool.org with any questions, concerns and suggestions.

Here's to a fun year!

HSA Membership is FREE, but we ask that you register on our website so we have up to date contact information. You can create a FREE Membership Toolkit account here. 

If you had a previous membership toolkit account either last year at MMS or your elementary school, login information is the same but we ask that you please update your contact information. 

Check out our restock and new inventory of MMS Spiritwear! We'll have a limited amount of stock at BTSN on Thursday, 9/10. Look for the HSA Table. ALL Spiritwear will be available for purchase online starting Friday, September 11. Orders placed online will be delivered to school weekly. 

Visit to view available items for sale. 

Want to help out with Spiritwear (designing, ordering, sales, delivery)? Join the HSA Board as a spiritwear coordinator. Complete the HSA Board Interest form here. 

Chromebooks & Technology Agreement

Students will be assigned their Chromebooks this week. Before your child’s scheduled Chromebook sign-out date, please make sure you have completed the SOMSD Technology Agreement.

Chromebook sign-out dates are:

• 8th Grade: September 8

• 7th Grade: September 9

• 6th Grade: September 11

Instructions for completing the agreement can be found on the SOMSD Technology page under “Accessing Annual Back To School Forms.”

SOMSD Technology & Back-to-School Forms

Universal Breakfast will be available in all SOMSD schools, providing every student with the opportunity to start their day with breakfast at school. 

This expansion reflects the commitment to supporting the whole child and ensuring that our students have access to the resources they need to be ready to learn, grow, and thrive each day. 

Breakfast will be available in the MMS cafeteria from 7:45-8:15am.  Importantly, all students are welcome to participate, regardless of whether they qualify for free or reduced-price meals. 

Families can decide whether school breakfast is the right option for their child based on their individual needs and morning routines. 

Please note that there will be a cost for students who do not qualify for free meals. Additional information regarding breakfast costs, meal eligibility, and payment options will be available through our Food Services Department.

PSE&G gas main and service replacement work will impact several roadways throughout Maplewood over the next two weeks.

The work may result in lane closures, detours, and traffic delays, which could affect school bus routes, drop-off and pick-up times, and traffic around our schools.

Plan accordingly and allow additional travel time during this period. 

Hello MMS Families,

Happy Friday! I hope everyone is doing well and settling into the new school year.

It has been an extremely busy and exciting first week at MMS! I have had the opportunity to cover all three lunch periods, visit every teacher’s classroom in the building, and attend the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade convocations. After just one week, I can honestly say that we have an amazing group of students and staff here at Maplewood Middle School. I am incredibly grateful for the warm welcome I have received and am excited to be part of the MMS community.

I am looking forward to an outstanding school year filled with learning, growth, and many great experiences for our students.

Moving forward, I will send a Friday Family Update each week with important information, reminders, and updates from MMS. My goal is to make sure our families are informed and connected to what is happening throughout the school.

Please see this week’s important information below:

Back-to-School Night

Thursday, September 10th | 6:30–9:00 p.m.

We look forward to welcoming families to MMS for Back-to-School Night. More information will be shared as we get closer to the event.

Related Arts Classes

I want to provide some clarification regarding Related Arts classes. These classes are assigned by the school and are no longer considered electives, so we are not able to accommodate individual requests for specific classes.

Your child may occasionally be placed in a class that is not their first choice, an area in which they do not feel particularly strong, or something they may not have an immediate interest in. However, one of the wonderful things about middle school is the opportunity to try something new, discover new interests, and develop skills they may not have known they had.

We appreciate your understanding and support as we work to create balanced schedules and provide all of our students with a well-rounded middle school experience.

Arrival & Dismissal — Front of the School

Please be especially mindful of traffic patterns in front of the school during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. Student safety is our top priority.

When students are present, please obey all traffic laws and follow the directions of staff members assisting with arrival and dismissal. Please do not double park, leave your vehicle unattended, or make K-turns or U-turns in front of the school.

Your cooperation helps us keep traffic moving safely and, most importantly, helps us protect our students.

Thank you for a wonderful first week and for the warm welcome you have given me. I am excited about what lies ahead and look forward to getting to know more of our MMS families throughout the year.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mr. Kevin Mason, Principal

YouthNet registration will be available on September 10. Clubs are being finalized now, so stay tuned for the upcoming brochure and registration form. More information to come. Visit https://somayouthnet.org/ for more information. Questions? Email youthnet@somayouthnet.org or the MMS Coordinator, Mr. Rodriguez rrodrig1@somsd.k12..nj.us 

The 7th Grade Ice Cream Social is THIS FRIDAY, at 2:50pm in the courtyard outside the cafeteria. Sweet Treats are FREE courtesy of the HSA. Want to volunteer? Sign Up Here

Help get the school year off to a healthy start! A most requested item every year are TISSUES! Drop a box at school or donate and the HSA will do the shopping.

No time to Shop?  DONATE HERE

SEPAC is the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee for SOMSD. It is a state-mandated group that advises the district on issues we're hearing about from our school communities and collaborates with SOMSD on how to best support students with IEPs/504s and their families. SEPAC has topic-based meetings and informal gatherings (Cup Chats) each month so there are lots of opportunities to connect with other special education parents and caregivers. 

1. If your child has a para, SEPAC has created a feedback form to track good and bad days during the Delta-T transition. Please fill it out as often as you’d like. Data will be anonymously shared with the District.

2. Join us on Friday, September 25 at 10am for our Back to School Cup Chat at the Maplewood Library. Info is here (but no RSVP is necessary):

As always, we’re available for questions about special education in middle school at mms.spedliaison@gmail.com

Click here to learn more about the Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC SOMA).

Join us at 9am on Saturday, September 26th on the iconic Newstead 5K course, starting at the South Mountain Annex and running through the beautiful Newstead neighborhood!!! 

5K Participants will receive a race T-shirt and collapsible cup (while supplies last).  

The Newstead 5K prides itself on being a family-friendly event. Strollers are welcome but no pets please.  

SIGN UP HERE! 

There will also be two events exclusively for the kids. Shortly after the completion of the 5K, we will have a "Toddler Dash" on the lawn near the Annex perfect for kids ages 4 and under. After the completion of the dash, the 1/2 mile Kid's Fun Run will commence on the closed road in front of the Annex. Kids Fun Run participants do not receive a free t-shirt. 

Online race registration is open, so take advantage of early-bird pricing before the price goes up to $35 on 9/9. 

School Spirit Contest

2nd Annual School Spirit Contest!

Join our friendly fundraising competition.  The school that raises the most funds for the Achieve Foundation will be able to display the Achieve Foundation Newstead 5K Trophy for the 2026-2027 school year.

Last year South Orange Middle School claimed the trophy - will they be able to repeat in 2026?!?

Check out the Fundraising page to support your school!