Murray Messenger 10/13/17

A Note From The Principal

Dear MHMS Families,

First Quarter Progress Reports were sent home with students yesterday afternoon.  Please take the opportunity to review your child’s progress with them. Notice any comments that teachers may have included, and assist your child in using this mid-quarter report as a planning/goal-setting document to help them progress forward successfully. Please remember that grades can be checked on regular basis through Canvas to assist you and your child in knowing exactly how they are progressing in each class. If you have any questions regarding your child’s progress, feel free to contact your child’s teacher directly, and allow up to 48 hours for them to respond to your inquiries.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to the MHMS 20th Anniversary Celebration.  The event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Please plan to stop by and enjoy seeing Murray Hill Middle School past and present administration, staff, students and families.  We will have food trucks on site; our PTA will sell MHMS spirit wear; and our very own MHMS students, past and present, will perform.  We hope to see you there. 

Sincerely,

Lisa R. Smithson

Principal

Murray Hill Middle School

Important Dates:

News From The Hill

SCHOOL NEWS

MHMS 20th Anniversary Celebration:  This year marks Murray Hill Middle School’s 20th Anniversary.  Throughout the year, there will be several events in recognition of our 20 years.  Our first event is scheduled to occur on Saturday, October 14th, from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.  During the event we will showcase performances from our very own performing arts groups, and also from the performing arts groups of our feeder high schools, Reservoir High School and Atholton High School.  Families can enjoy performances, music, face painting and more.  Additionally, we will have two food trucks on site, so come with an appetite!  We hope that many of our current and former families and staff members will stop by this 20th Anniversary Celebration. 

Fall Picture Day:  Fall Pictures will be taken on Monday, October 16th.  Picture envelopes were sent home with students this afternoon.  Pictures can easily be ordered online.  Please see the following attachment for more information regarding ordering pictures online:  FallPictures.pdf 

HCPSS Calendar Adjustment:  Please note the HCPSS Board of Education approved a change to the 2017-2018 school calendar.  The last three scheduled days of school, June 12th- June 14th, will be a 3-Hour Early Dismissal for all students.  http://www.hcpss.org/news-posts/2017/09/board-of-education-approves-2017-2018-calendar-change/

BSAP NEWS

College & Career Opportunity Night:  HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program is sponsoring a College and Career Opportunity Night, entitled “Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship, on Wednesday, October 25th, at Long Reach High School.  Please see the attached flyer for more information:  CCON Flyer2017-Color.pdf 

PTA NEWS

MHMS 20TH Anniversary Gala:  The MHMS PTA will be sponsoring Murray Hill Middle School 20th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, November 11th.  Plan to enjoy great music, great company, and great food.  Please see the attached flyer for additional information:  Murray-Hills-flyer (6).jpg 

PTA Membership: The MHMS PTA drive is still in full effect! Please remember to join the MHMS PTA, by October 31st. Individual Membership (single parent home) $15 and Family Membership- $20.00.  Direction donations are also accepted, if you are unable to pay the full membership fee, or if you wish to contribute more to the MHMS PTA.   PTA Membership.pdf 

Mixed Bag Fundraiser:  Mixed Bag Brochures were sent home last week.  The fundraiser will run through October 20th.  Please support the MHMS Middle School PTA by participating in this fundraiser.   

PTA Volunteers Needed:  The MHMS PTA has several committees that are in need of volunteers.  Please see the Committees, along with a brief description and contact, PTA President, Femi Williams, if you are interested in volunteering (femiptamhms@gmail.com )

• 20 Year Anniversary Planning Committee- This is a planning committee to assist with planning year round activities to celebrate Murray Hill Middle School turning 20 years old.  We are looking for fun ideas to make our anniversary celebration enjoyable! (First activity- Fundraisers- GALA – November 11, 2017)
• Art Show/Art Fair Studio (Chair Needed)- This committee will work closely with the art teacher, to put together an art showcase. This will be the 4th Annual Art Show. The Art Show is an opportunity to show-off what our students have been doing in art class. In order to create excitement and have non-art students excited about attending, we are planning on combining the event with “Make & Take Art Stations” or an art vendor sale where students who make their own jewelry or wallets or pens can come and set-up a booth to sell their products. The Band will also display their talents throughout the night. (May 3, 2018)
• 5K/1k Run/Walk -Spring (Chair Needed)- This committee is a work in progress. We are striving to host our first 5k sometime in March. We are in the process of figuring out how to get a registered 5k track and all the details of planning such an event. If we successfully plan this event, it could be our biggest fundraiser. (March 24, 2018)
• World Day for Cultural Diversity (Chair Needed)– Week of May 2018 – 2nd Annual Event. The vision of this event will be in collaboration with MHMS Social Studies department. We will kick off the event with an activity on May 21 and each day we will have various activities during lunch time for the students. On May 22, 2018, there will be a school wide presentations where the students who wish to participate will have an opportunity to talk about their culture (parents etc.) to their grade level peers. On the evening of May 22, 2018, the parents of the students will then prepare a dish from their culture and the students will also present to the parents. The Cultural Arts activities will be held during lunch; The Murray Hill Band will assist with music from around the world.  More information to follow.
• Reflection Committee (Chair Needed)- This committee chair will be responsible for planning the celebration. The PTA Reflections Celebration is a powerful tool for encouraging students to explore and be involved in the arts. Together, school leaders and families offer positive reinforcement for participation in the National PTA Reflections program.

Community News

For more Community News visit the Community News and Programs page http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.