Middle School
This section of the handbook includes information that is specific to Middle School life. Parents and students are reminded to read the K-12 section of this handbook for other important information that also applies to Middle School students.
Middle School students enroll in English, math, social studies, world language, physical education, fine arts, health, and seminar classes. Small class sizes, caring, interesting, and inspiring teachers, a challenging and engagi... |
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Like in life, Middle School students will face adversity. It helps when parents, teachers, and friends walk beside them as they work through problems. Overcoming adversity teaches foundational life and learning skills and is to be... |
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The advisory program is an essential component of the Middle School program. The advisor pays attention to each advisee’s overall care and progress both academically and socially, and the advisees make connections, share r... |
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Alternate Lunch is just what it’s called – an alternate place for students to spend their lunch period. Originally reserved for students needing to serve a detention, Alternate Lunch has expanded to be a quiet ... |
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Middle School announcements occur each day during lunch. Typical announcements include student recognition, extracurricular and special events information, and schedule changes. |
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Middle School students gather for all-school assemblies on occasion during the year. The assembly might be a speaker, an opportunity to get together with grade-level buddies, or an all-school gathering like Homecoming. Assemblies ... |
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All Middle School students are required to use the Mounds Park Academy assignment notebook. Teachers provide time in class to note assignments and review assignments in homeroom. Instruction and guidance in using the assignment no... |
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Mounds Park Academy believes full-time attendance is essential to our students’ educational growth. Routine attendance supports an environment conducive to learning, maximizes valuable teaching, safeguards the integrity of t... |
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For safety and organizational reasons, students’ backpacks, shoulder bags, and purses are limited to transporting school materials before and after school and must remain in lockers during the school day. School materials ar... |
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Students have five minutes to move between classes, and this is usually more than enough time to make a restroom visit. If a student needs to visit the restroom during class time, asking the teacher will allow him/her the time nee... |
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See Panther Club. |
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Most classes meet every other day for seventy-five minutes. Other classes, called "skinnies", meet for half a block of thirty-five minutes with a five minute passing time in-between. |
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Student textbooks and novels may be purchased through the Book Store link. Carefully check the ISBN and edition of the text to purchase elsewhere. Some books are purchased with State Funds and remain the property of the school. Fo... |
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Yes, bullying happens in Middle School sometimes, and it is crucial that the entire community take a stand to protect and support one another. In seminars, advisories, and health classes, students learn that bullying is hurtful, i... |
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Physical, intellectual, and social changes during early adolescence are the most dramatic of a lifetime. These changes can be unsettling because they are new and somewhat confusing. Parents can help their children by talking about... |
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Cheating and plagiarism are regarded as serious offenses, but also opportunities for correcting inappropriate choices. Following an incident, the teacher will communicate with the student and contact the parent(s). Appropriate con... |
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Students in grades five and six move from classroom to classroom, but they stay with their advisory group of students for most of the day. Students are provided the expertise of specialized teachers but retain the class cohesivene... |
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Family involvement and the family/school partnership are essential to student learning. Parents are invited to contact teachers with questions about a particular subject or class. Inquiries about a student’s overall ac... |
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Community service and global responsibility are valued in the Middle School. Middle School students are responsible for all-school recycling and play a key role in maintaining the MPA community garden, community courtyard, and caf... |
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Middle School students participate in concerts and art shows once or twice per year depending on their grade level. The winter and spring concerts are in the evening with parent attendance encouraged. See the school calendar for d... |
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To meet their developmental needs, fifth and sixth grade students follow a different conference format than seventh and eighth graders. 5/6 students and their parents meet with their advisor for twenty-five minutes to assess their... |
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The 7/8 Student Council sponsors dances periodically during the year. Typically, the dances are in the school cafeteria with a DJ from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Students should not be staying at MPA from 3:10 p.m. until the starting time... |
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The expectation of Middle School students is that they will abide by and support MPA’s Code of Ethics and the Middle School Responsibility Code. When choices are made that lack care and consideration to those in the MPA co... |
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The Middle School dress code requirements are specifically listed on the Middle School Web page. The vast majority of students comply with the dress code. If a student is out of dress code, s/he may receive an infraction and/or be... |
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In general, Middle School students do not change schedules or drop classes during the school year. Dropped classes should occur within the first week of class. Class changes may occur as the situation warrants with the approval of... |
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See Panther Club. |
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Middle School offers a number of in- and after- school opportunities including athletic and non-athletic activities. One of the goals of Middle School is to encourage student participation in a variety of activities, some of which... |
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Field trips are an important element of the Middle School program. Students participate in environmental education, activities integrated between subject areas, team-building, and community service. During the year, assorted day... |
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In fifth grade, a student’s first middle school experience is carefully adapted to make the transition developmentally appropriate and meet students’ academic and social needs. A student’s class is his/her adviso... |
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Food is not to be eaten in the halls or classrooms unless part of a special class activity. Students may bring snacks to school, but they should be eaten in the lunchroom unless permission has been granted to do so elsewhere. This... |
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Friendships can take dramatic changes in middle school. The relative calm of primary grades is offset by the potential for rotating friendships in early adolescence. A "best friend" can become a "best enemy,"... |
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Student grades assess academic performance and the ability to manage time effectively, collaborate with others, complete homework accurately and responsibly, and participate in daily classroom activities. Grades are a meas... |
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The average amount of homework in grades five and six is approximately one hour per night or five hours per week. In grades seven and eight, the homework load increases to approximately one and one-half hours per night. These amou... |
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Students will seek more independence from parents during their early adolescent years. The once compliant student may begin to question authority or even ask the big question, "Why?" Opportunities to discuss and encourag... |
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Students in band or orchestra meet once a week for fifteen minutes in a semi-private lesson in addition to having their large group rehearsal for thirty-five minutes two or three times a week. Lessons meet during regular classes b... |
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Middle School students are expected to meet or exceed minimum academic and behavioral standards in order to be invited back for the next school year. Academic Concerns – In grades six through eight, the M... |
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For safety reasons, students may not leave campus during the school day unless given specific permission by a teacher or administrator. This includes students who are staying for extracurricular activities (late afternoon ... |
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Students should view the library as an area for quiet study, class-related work, and leisure reading. Books must be checked out and returned at the end of the lending period. If books are not returned at the end of each term, th... |
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Listen carefully, passionately, and respectfully to Middle School students. Give them the opportunity to share their ideas, triumphs, and trials. Don’t ask too many questions or offer too many solutions; just listen. |
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Each student receives a locker for storage of books, school materials, coats, etc. Because students do not have a desk where they store school supplies, they keep supplies in their locker. At Back-to-School night, students... |
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Middle School Lost and Found is in the blue cabinet in the PreK-8 Office. Valuable items lost can be claimed by providing a description to the administrative assistant in the PreK-8 Office. Please label all personal items. |
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Middle School students eat lunch together daily following recess. Students may take hot lunch from school or bring their own lunch from home. Hot-lunchers are asked not to share lunches with cold-lunchers and vice versa out of r... |
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Students are responsible for making up work missed. On their return to school, students are expected to initiate communication with each teacher to determine what work was missed and the plan for completion. Students with ... |
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Parent education is a critical part of the MPA experience. Parent meetings to discuss the school program and early adolescence are held as needed. Check your school master calendar for times and dates. A reminder email is sent to ... |
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The Middle School has a code of responsibility that is drawn from the school’s Code of Ethics. Students are expected to meet the standards of the code and contribute to the overall health of the school community. If th... |
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For supervision beyond the school day, Panther Club is available for Middle School students who arrive before 8:15 a.m. or stay after 3:30 p.m. Panther Club is designed to provide students a safe place to stay after school. A vari... |
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Parents who participate in the Parents Association can volunteer as a Grade Rep. Grade Reps welcome new families with phone calls at the beginning of the year, plan grade social events, attend Middle School meetings, and brainstor... |
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A nurse is available for students who may become ill at school and require attention. If possible, a student should notify the teacher of the class s/he will be missing. See Health Services for more information. Nor... |
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Parents who participate in the Parents Association can volunteer as a Grade Rep. Grade Reps welcome new families with phone calls at the beginning of the year, plan grade social events, attend Middle School meetings, and brainstor... |
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The 5/6 Student Council organizes parties each year for 5/6 students. The parties are after school on select days. Parents are often asked to volunteer at the parties. Students need money to participate in games and buy fo... |
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Middle School students may use the photocopy machine located in the library. |
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Middle School student calls can be made from the phones in the PreK-8 Office or Middle School administration office during the school day. Students should limit the length and number of phone calls made from school. Appropriate ti... |
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Middle School students take physical education every other day for seventy-five minutes. Students change into gym clothes in the locker room before class and return to street clothes after class. (See Physical Education Unif... |
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Grades 5 - 6 Any short-sleeved t-shirt with an MPA logo. Athletic style shorts (inseam 4” or longer). No Docker or cargo style shorts. Appropriate and clean tennis shoes with... |
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PowerSchool is a web-based student information system used in the Middle School to communicate student progress to students and families. PowerSchool is accessible to parents and students via a password. Narrative comments and an ... |
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Before lunch Middle School students receive a healthy recess time each day. Fifteen to twenty minutes are allowed for being outside or using the library. The library is available to students by grade level on a rotating basis. Stu... |
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Showcases are opportunities for Middle School students to gather together to celebrate one another’s accomplishments, learn something new, and/or connect with one another in a unique way. Different from an assembly, showcase... |
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Some Middle School students are notorious for forgetting their materials or misplacing an item. For some early adolescents, this is a natural phase that, although annoying, will pass with time. If something is missing, a systemati... |
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We believe family involvement and the family/school partnership is essential to student achievement. If you have a question about a particular subject or class, contact that teacher. If you have a question about your student&rsquo... |
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The 5/6 and 7/8 Student Councils are active organizations. Officers and advisory representatives are elected in the fall for grades 7-8 and quarterly for grades 5-6 and act as official spokespeople for the MPA student commun... |
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Teachers meet weekly by grade level to celebrate student successes and share student concerns. When the level of concern about a student increases, a Middle School Student Concern Sheet is completed by the advisor and subm... |
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Study halls are scheduled for non-instrumental students for 35 minutes every other day. |
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Study skills are taught in a systematic fashion throughout Middle School. Teachers address the skills of material organization, time management, listening, reading, note taking, memory, and test taking by direct instruction and pr... |
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A computer lab, two writing labs, a mobile MacBook Air lab, and iPads for fifth graders point toward the priority the Middle School places on technology. Technology is a vital tool communicating who we are, what we value, and how ... |
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TOSA is an acronym for Tutorials, Options, and Student Activities, the name given to the 35-minute every-other-day period at the end of the day for middle school students in grade 6-8. Students are assigned a home base where they ... |
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Because the MPA Middle School is a supportive and safe place that promotes in-depth learning and enhances students’ physical and emotional well-being, teachers go the extra mile to provide for students’ needs; however,... |
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Vacations during school days are not recommended. Many Middle School classroom experiences cannot be replicated because of experiments, group work, presentations, etc. Consequently, when students are absent their quality of work s... |
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Visitors are welcome in the Middle School. If a visitor is considering application, please arrange the visit with the Director of Admissions. If a visitor is a friend or relative, the visit must be arranged in advance with the Mid... |
