Technology Committee Meeting, Tuesday 1/19 at 6 p.m. - Virtual
For more information, visit the BOE Sub-Committees Page
For more information, visit the BOE Sub-Committees Page
The Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. via videoconferencing technology. Due to Executive Order 202, the Board meeting will be held virtually.
The Board is expected to enter a virtual executive session to discuss the personnel agenda shortly thereafter. Due to technical limitations, it will not be possible to end the meeting with a virtual public session. Please be advised that the Board of Education will take no action after the executive session, other than to ask for a motion, a second to adjourn executive session, and then to ask the members to vote on those motions. A record of the time the motions are made, and the result of the votes taken will be made by the District Clerk and included in the minutes of the meeting.
Live streamed channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyyGXNnB-fKndXzHrPO_WqA?
Once live stream begins, link will update.
Complete details available on the District Registration Page.
Dear Mahopac Parent/Guardians and Staff,
As stated in previous correspondence, the MCSD may be designated as a school district required to administer bi-weekly COVID-19 screening tests to 20% of in-person students and staff as a result of the positivity rate in Putnam County. These Binax Rapid Antigen Tests have been provided to the MCSD by NYS DOH and are conducted by using a simple anterior nasal swab which provides results in fifteen minutes. We need to meet the 20% required testing threshold for MCSD to remain open and in our hybrid model. If the positivity rate among in-person students and staff is lower than the designated number at the time of the Governor’s order, the MSCD may not have to continue with the testing and schools can remain open.
Over the past week, we have been reviewing the testing requirements and scheduling of our testing plan. The requirements are that we randomly select students equally over each building. Should your child be selected, you will receive an email from the district containing a consent form as well as the testing information including the location and time. If your household does not receive an email, your child(ren) are not subject to screening at this time. In order to complete the tests in an orderly and safe manner, it will warrant a number of days that our hybrid students will be on remote asynchronous instruction while students in those buildings are being tested. Should MCSD be designated by the Governor to test, we will then provide a testing schedule.
As I have mentioned many times, we face fluid scenarios that are unprecedented in education and continue to need patience and understanding. Please be assured we will make the best decisions possible, based on the information from New York State and Putnam County, and always with the health and safety of our students and staff as the priority.
We are delighted to have our Blue Cohort students physically back in school today and tomorrow and look forward to our Gold Cohort Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please continue to follow the practices of completing the daily health screening, wearing a mask, wash/sanitize your hands, and social distancing. Also as a reminder, if you believe at any point you and/or your child may have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you and your child should self-quarantine and be tested. If you suspect your child is becoming ill, that child should stay home. Some symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, muscle aches, nausea, muscle pain, fatigue, and issues with smell and/or taste. You should consult with your physician for more medical advice.
Thank you for your understanding and patience. I will keep you informed of the testing protocol possibility as appropriate.
Sincerely,
Estimados padres / tutores y personal de Mahopac:
Como se indicó en correspondencia anterior, el MCSD puede ser designado como un distrito escolar que debe administrar pruebas de detección de COVID-19 quincenales al 20% de los estudiantes y el personal en persona como resultado de la tasa de positividad en el condado de Putnam. Estas pruebas rápidas de antígeno Binax han sido proporcionadas al MCSD por NYS DOH y se llevan a cabo utilizando un hisopo nasal anterior simple que proporciona resultados en quince minutos. Necesitamos cumplir con el umbral de prueba requerido del 20% para que MCSD permanezca abierto y en nuestro modelo híbrido. Si la tasa de positividad entre los estudiantes y el personal en persona es menor que el número designado en el momento de la orden del gobernador, es posible que el MSCD no tenga que continuar con las pruebas y las escuelas pueden permanecer abiertas.
Durante la semana pasada, hemos estado revisando los requisitos de las pruebas y la programación de nuestro plan de pruebas. Los requisitos son que seleccionamos estudiantes al azar por igual en cada edificio. Si su hijo es seleccionado, recibirá un correo electrónico del distrito que contiene un formulario de consentimiento, así como la información de la prueba, incluida la ubicación y la hora. Si su hogar no recibe un correo electrónico, sus hijos no están sujetos a evaluación en este momento. Para completar las pruebas de manera ordenada y segura, se garantizará una cantidad de días en que nuestros estudiantes híbridos estarán en instrucción asincrónica remota mientras los estudiantes en esos edificios están siendo evaluados. Si el gobernador designa a MCSD para realizar la prueba, proporcionaremos un calendario de pruebas.
Como he mencionado muchas veces, enfrentamos escenarios fluidos que no tienen precedentes en educación y continúan necesitando paciencia y comprensión. Tenga la seguridad de que tomaremos las mejores decisiones posibles, basándonos en la información del estado de Nueva York y el condado de Putnam, y siempre con la salud y seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal como prioridad.
Estamos encantados de tener a nuestros estudiantes de Blue Cohort físicamente de regreso a la escuela hoy y mañana y esperamos nuestra Gold Cohort los miércoles, jueves y viernes. Continúe siguiendo las prácticas de completar el examen de salud diario, usar una máscara, lavarse / desinfectarse las manos y distanciarse socialmente. También como recordatorio, si cree que en algún momento usted y / o su hijo pueden haber estado en contacto cercano con alguien que tiene COVID-19, usted y su hijo deben ponerse en cuarentena y hacerse la prueba. Si sospecha que su hijo se está enfermando, debe quedarse en casa. Algunos síntomas de COVID-19 incluyen fiebre, tos, dolor de garganta, secreción nasal, dolor de cabeza, dolores musculares, náuseas, dolor muscular, fatiga y problemas con el olfato y / o el gusto. Debe consultar con su médico para obtener más consejos médicos.
Gracias por su comprensión y paciencia. Lo mantendré informado de la posibilidad del protocolo de prueba según corresponda.
The MCSD has six snow/emergency days allocated for the 2020-21 school year which can be used while still maintaining the required number of instructional days for students. Snow/emergency closures create complications beyond learning such as child care, power outages, and access to technology. Therefore, MCSD will continue to close or delay school based on weather conditions.
If we need to close due to the weather, we will use one of the six days built into the school calendar and there will be no remote learning for that day. Stay safe.
Which cohort has the most Pride? Friday November 20th 2020, Gold cohort will wear all Yellow/Gold.
Friday November 20th 2020, Virtual cohort will wear all Yellow/Gold.
Tuesday November 24th 2020, Blue cohort will wear all Blue.
This Calendar includes school breaks, holidays, and color cohort days for the entire 2020-2021 school year. *Please refer to specific communications from schools for building specific changes and updates.*
Please see the attached lists to see what you need for September
Mahopac Middle School C.A.R.E.S - watch how much....https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Creating and fostering a positive environment in the middle school.
C - Consistently Safe
A - Act Responsibly
R - Respect All
E - Engaged in Learning
S - Support Others
Dear Middle School and Parents and Guardians,
We are excited to have school start on Wednesday, September 9. As so much is different this year, we would like to review the schedule for the next few weeks as well as clarify expectations:
Most students will start the year with virtual learning (with limited exceptions). Virtual Learning this year will look very different than it did last spring. In general terms, we anticipate that remote instruction for students will consist of a mixture of daily live interactions with teachers, guided assignments to complete, check ins with teachers, and independent work throughout the instructional day. To this end, all students are expected to wake up early, eat breakfast, find a comfortable work area and be ready to join their first period Google Classroom (virtually, on their chromebooks at home) to engage in learning at 7:55 AM. Please note that attendance will be taken in each class. Students should have their cameras on when attendance is taken and follow teacher direction. Your child should have begun receiving invitations in their school emails to Google Classrooms for each of their subjects. They should accept the invite to each of these Google classrooms where they will find the invite to their Google Meets. This will help them to log on to each of their classes each day.
The first three days of school (Wed. Sept. 9, Thursday Sept. 10 and Friday, Sept. 11) students will be following a half day schedule (please see Half Day Schedule). Students will be able to take a break from their Google Classrooms during their scheduled "lunch". They will be done with virtual instruction at 11:01 AM. Wednesday will start the year as an A day. The MS runs on a 4 day cycle A B C and D days. Please disregard the colored cohorts at this time until we return in a Hybrid model.
On Monday September 14th students will have their first full day schedule. Starting that day students will follow the Daily Bell Schedule for all of their classes by logging into each of the classes Google meets through their Google Classroom.
We are expecting to switch from a virtual schedule to a hybrid schedule beginning October 5th.
There are a small number of students who will be coming in the building for live instruction each day. The families of those students have been notified.
We wish all of our students the best of luck for the 2020 -2021 school year and look forward to welcoming them back to the building in the not so distant future.
If you have any questions in regard to schedules please contact your child's Counselor
6th Grade
Team A and team B letters A-L
Ms. Powers
powerss@mahopac.org
Team C and team Be letters M-Z
Ms. Maxwell
maxwellj@mahopac.org
7th Grade
Ms. Pugliese
pugliesea@mahopac.org
8th Grade
Ms. Felder feldero@mahopac.org
Respectfully,
Tom Cozzocrea
Principal
This Calendar includes school breaks, holidays, and color cohort days for the entire 2020-2021 school year.
This video covers everything you need to know - arrival, health & safety, movement through the building, lockers/backpacks, dismissal. We can't wait to see you!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t_L9KmK5NMgR3sABlCxTQz05yPiyILnh/view?ts=5f6e3180
The 2020-2021 MMS Letter Day Calendar will be updated monthly. Please note the date at the bottom indicates the most recent update.
Before purchasing all the items on the supply list, please have your child check in his or her teachers during remote learning.
Please enjoy this Spotlight especially for MMS Families about the reopening.
Dear Students, Parents and Guardians:
Over the summer months all matriculated students, grades six, seven and eight, will be required to read an assigned book. The books were chosen for relevancy to the respective grade level, and they address issues and themes which will be a center of focus during the school year in English and/or other content areas. They will help facilitate verbal development, maintain literacy skills and serve to optimize student preparation from the very first day of school in September.
Download and print this letter and list here.
We strongly recommend students and their families enjoy the books together; read aloud to one another, discuss the ideas, events, characters met, and spend some pleasant moments in the worlds these authors create.
All incoming sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students should be prepared to participate in class discussions and/or group activities related to their assigned book upon return to school in September. These books serve as the focus of English instruction during the opening days of the 2020-2021 school year. Students will be asked to demonstrate their understanding of these books during the first weeks of school via reading and writing assessments. This literature will also serve as a foundation for a number of assignments throughout the year. As an aid for recollection and comprehension, our English Language Arts Department has created a suggested summer reading outline ; it is strongly suggested that students have this outline completed when returning to school.
Reading is a pleasurable and life-long activity that educates, entertains and enriches the lives of all who participate; join us in making Mahopac Middle School a haven for avid readers.
The following list has been distributed to the Mahopac Public Library for your convenience. These books can also be obtained at local bookstores and through online shopping sites that sell books.
Incoming sixth graders must choose ONE of the following books:
Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Counting by Sevens by Holly Sloan
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac
The Detective's Assistant by Kate Hannigan
The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Jake and Lily by Jerry Spinelli
The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart
Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
Pax by Sarah Pennypacker
Incoming seventh graders must choose ONE of the following books:
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
Incoming eighth graders must choose ONE of the following books:
Snow Bound by Harry Mazer
That Was Then, This Is Now by S.E. Hinton
Sincerely,
The Mahopac Middle School English Department