7/23/2021 Update
It’s hard to believe that August is just around the corner, but we are so excited to greet your child at Mason Middle School! There is a lot of information in this newsletter that hopefully answers some questions that you or your child may have. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have additional unanswered questions.
We know that middle school is a big deal in the lives of our students and their families. We are deeply committed to every kid, every day, and we promise that we want to partner together with you to ensure that your child has a great experience at MMS! We want them to learn and accomplish more than they ever thought possible this year, and we want them to know that they are integral members of our school community who are valued, known, and cared for!
Tech & Log-In Help
If you need help logging into Home Access Center, another portal used by Mason City Schools, or you just need technical assistance in any way, please email [email protected].
Student Schedules
Students’ schedules will be released to Home Access Center on July 28th at 4:30pm. You will not be able to access Home Access Center or view schedules prior to that time.
Primary Homeroom
All students, 7th and 8th grade, will report directly to their Primary Homeroom class every day.
7th Grade Schedule Information - A Note about Day 1/Day 2
All 7th grade students have one period of electives that rotate on a “Day 1 - Day 2” schedule, meaning students go to those classes every other day. The class that is listed as “MWF” on Home Access Schedule is the Day 1 class, and the class that is listed as “TR” on the schedule is the Day 2 class. On your child’s first day of school - whether that is August 12 or August 13 - your child will go to the Day 1 class (MWF).
This might sound confusing to you right now, but we will help students find their way and they get the hang of it very quickly!
Schedule Change Requests
We do our best to use the course requests your child submitted in the spring and the rankings of their electives to put them in classes they want to take. That said, scheduling for middle school is very complicated and we cannot guarantee that all students get into their favorite classes. We also do not take specific requests for certain teachers or classes with friends because there are too many variables in each child’s unique schedule.
That said, if your child would like to request a change to their schedule, please have your child email their school counselor. Their assigned school counselor is visible on Home Access Center.
Lunch Schedule
Which lunch MMS students have is determined by their grade level and class. Seventh grade students eat during A or B lunch and are assigned to those lunches based on their 3rd period class. Eighth grade students eat C or D lunch and are assigned to those lunches based on their 4th period class. We will have the specific lunch schedules ready and posted in the Mason Connects Me - MMS - August 6 newsletter. We are not able to accommodate schedule change requests for specific lunch assignments.
Daily Bell Schedule
You can view our daily bell schedule at this link.
Primary Homeroom / Advisory Period
We have heard for several years that it is important to our students and families for us to work toward making our big school feel small. New for all Mason Middle School staff and students is a daily homeroom/advisory period to start the day. We are very excited about this new homeroom every day that will help foster school-wide communication, daily attendance, Comet Culture, meaningful connections with peers and a teacher, and other school-wide events. We are so excited to implement this daily homeroom. We believe it will be an incredibly important and beneficial way for all of us to begin our day together in a homeroom period which sets us up for success the rest of the day. We’ll be inviting students to help us give a fun name to this primary homeroom period when school begins.
On your child’s schedule, take note of their Primary Homeroom teacher. This is the class they will go to first thing every single morning. It is listed as both “Primary Homeroom” and Bell 10 and it is the first class they will attend every day.
School Fees
Your child’s school fees are based on the classes in which they are enrolled. Fees will be uploaded July 28th when schedules are released. Families are encouraged to pay fees online using EZ Pay, but we will also collect fees at Family Orientation day. Please contact me if your family is in need of financial assistance or may be unable to pay for fees. Your confidentiality will be maintained and we will work together on a solution.
Family Orientation Day - August 11th
Students and their parents/guardians are invited to MMS orientation on our district Family Orientation day, August 11th. For information, please visit this MMS Family Orientation website - which will continually be updated with everything you need to know. Families will select one of the time slots available to attend, so mark your calendars now!
Dress Code & Cell Phones
I have been receiving a lot of questions about our school policy regarding dress code and cell phones. You can find our MMS 2021-22 Handbook at this link. If your child is in 8th grade or you have had other children go through MMS, please note a slight change to our dress code in effect for the 21-22 school year regarding the length of shirts.
DRESS CODE
Mason City Schools expects that all students will dress in a way that is appropriate for the school day or any school sponsored event. Student dress choices should respect the District’s intent to sustain a community that is inclusive of a diverse range of identities. The primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and their family. The school district is responsible for ensuring that student attire does not interfere with with health and safety of any student, that student attire does not contribute to a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for any student, and that dress code enforcement does not reinforce or increase marginalization of any group based on race, sex, gender identifiy, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, cultural observance, household income or body type/size.
Students MUST wear:
- A shirt (with fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms) with a hem that meets the top of the waistband when standing
- Pants/Jeans or the equivalent (for example, a skirt, sweatpants, legging, a dress, shorts)
- Shoes
Students CANNOT wear:
- Violent language or images
- Images or language depicting/suggesting drugs, alcohol, vaping or paraphernalia (or any illegal item or activity).
- Clothing that reveals visible undergarments (visible waistbands and visible straps are allowed.)
- Shoes with wheels
- Swimsuits
- Accessories that could be considered dangerous
Students MAY wear:
- A cloth or paper face covering while on school property, including the bus. The face mask should not cover the student’s eyes.
Mason Middle School Cell Phone Policy
We want students to harness the power they wield in their hands with their electronic devices. We expect students to use their personal devices responsibly while at school. At school, devices should be used for learning and making positive contributions to the world around us.
Mason Middle School is a 1:1 school, and we have many guidelines in place to ensure that students are able to access information and develop content that supports students’ personal learning goals. Our school is committed to helping students set healthy boundaries for themselves when it comes to technology, personal accessibility, and screen time.
Students’ cell phones and other personal communication devices are unwelcome during class time unless specifically given permission by the teacher. If students use a personal technology device for non-educational reasons (or in a way that does not demonstrate responsible use of technology) students will need to correct that behavior. Repeated non-compliance with teachers’ requests--regarding cell phones and devices but also other reasonable requests related or unrelated to technology--indicates a breakdown in respect and trust and will result in corrective attention.
Cell Phone Expectations, Policy & Practice
In the classroom:
Classroom teachers will determine the appropriate steps for protecting the educational process within class time.
If students’ choices do not reflect respect for the teachers’ expectations, consequences may be appropriate. Consequences may include, but are not limited to: a warning from the teacher, contacting the parent(s), confiscating the phone/device for the duration of the period, confiscating the phone/device for the duration of the school day, or an alternative school consequence if the action is repetitive.
Outside of the classroom:
Cell phone use and expectations will be guided by Designated Zones. Zones will be marked with signs which clearly indicate whether it is a “green zone” or “red zone”.
- Green Zone - Cell phones are permitted in these areas. Code of Conduct and Acceptable Use Policy still apply in Green Zones. (Cafeteria, Anywhere before the morning bell and after the dismissal bell)
- Red Zone - Cell phones are strictly forbidden in these areas. Phones should remain out of sight in red zones. Red Zone areas include bathrooms, locker rooms, hallways. If a phone is seen in a red zone, the staff member will confiscate the phone and send it to the office to be returned at end-of-day dismissal.
Zone Enforcement: Phones that are used in Red Zones will be taken by a staff member and delivered to the middle school office, where students can retrieve them at the dismissal bell.
Incoming 7th Graders - Immunizations Reminder
This is a reminder that the state requires immunizations (Tdap, meningitis) for incoming 7th graders. Please make your appointments now, as students are supposed to have these immunizations prior to entering 7th grade. You can view Immunization Requirements for 2021-22 here.
Fall Sports
Please refer to our MMS Athletics website - linktr.ee/MMSathletics - for all the information needed in order to register a student-athlete for Fall Sports. The website also includes contact information for athletics staff, fall sports competition schedules and details about the timeline for other sports that will occur throughout the year, for your planning. There is also a letter from our Athletic Director, whom you can contact directly with any additional questions.
Supply Lists
Because every MMS student has a unique schedule, teacher supply lists won’t be available until the start of school - when you know your child’s schedule.
MCS Back to School Headquarters
MCS Back to School Headquarters - You can find important district dates and information here, which will be continually updated by our district office.
Links
MMS Family Orientation Site
MMS 2021-22 Handbook
Student Meal Accounts
SafeSchools & Bias-Based Incident Reports Tipline
MMS Athletics Website