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MMS families,
Today was our first staff learning day of the school year – and boy did team MMS make the most of it!
Our professional learning this year is centered on clarity; that is making sure students understand not only what they are doing in class, but what they are learning, why it matters, and what success looks like. Staff began the day by revisiting the high-impact instructional practices we introduced before school started and reflecting on how those strategies are already showing up in MMS classrooms.
From there, we turned our attention to the planning that happens before a lesson ever reaches students. Teachers worked on connecting daily learning to larger unit goals, developing strong learning targets, identifying what successful student work should look like, anticipating where students may get stuck or develop misconceptions, and planning intentionally for what students will be thinking and doing throughout a lesson.
That behind-the-scenes work matters. When teachers are crystal clear about the learning before instruction begins, they are better positioned to help students know where they are headed, recognize when they are making progress, and get the right support when they need it. Our goal is simple: clear expectations, clear planning, and ultimately, clearer learning for every student at MMS.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to keep learning and getting better together. We’re also excited for students to experience that learning in their classrooms!
As always, let us know what questions you have!
Go Trojans!
Robert Kratzig, Principal
Jill Hammack, Assistant Principal
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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Monday, October 5
Tuesday, October 6
Wednesday, October 7
Thursday, October 8
Friday, October 9
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION |
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As colder weather approaches, The Interfaith Coalition is offering free winter coat distributions at several locations throughout Whatcom County. Families who could use warm winter clothing are encouraged to stop by the location that works best for them. Upcoming distributions include:
Please feel free to share this information with friends, family, or neighbors who may benefit. Stay warm and stay healthy!
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FAMILY GUIDES |
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At MMS, we want families to have a clear window into what is happening in classrooms. We have two tools to help.
For our 6th-grade families, students use their agendas each day to record a brief description of the day’s learning or focus. Checking the agenda can be a great way to turn “What did you do today?” into a more specific conversation.
For all MMS families, we provide Family Guides throughout the year. These guides show the standards and skills students are learning and being assessed on in each class. They also provide important context for the letter grade you see in Skyward: What has my student been expected to learn, and how are they doing with that learning?
Our hope is that these tools make learning more transparent, help you ask more specific questions, and give you opportunities to celebrate progress and support growth along the way. Keeping families informed about what students are learning is one more way we can strengthen the partnership between school and home.
Below, you’ll find links to our Quarter 1 Family Guides, covering student learning during September and October. We encourage you to take a look and use them as a conversation starter with your student about what they’re learning in each class.
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