MUMS Family Newsletter

Dear MUMS Community,

It was so great to see so many families here last night for our annual "Back to School Night!" We recognize how busy this time of year is, so we are thankful for the opportunity to shed some light on your student's experience here at MUMS! As always, as questions arise about your student's education, we appreciate you reaching out so we can partner with you to be sure we are doing all that we can to meet the needs of your student.

Additionally, thank you for the understanding and collaboration over this last week with our arrival and dismissal adjustments. Generally, the adjustments went smoothly and I'm happy to report we will be operating as we typically would beginning today.

Lastly, as we approach the middle of the quarter please be sure to check PowerSchool with your student so you are in the loop about their progress.

Thanks for your partnership and have a great weekend!

Best,

Michaela

If you have questions, please reach out to us:
MUMS office 802-382-1600 or visit the MUMS website.
Michaela Wisell, Principal mwisell@acsdvt.org

Fieh Chan, Assistant Principal fchan@acsdvt.org

Erin Jipner, Student Response Coordinator ejipner@acsdvt.org

Dustin Hunt, Athletics and Activities Director dhunt@acsdvt.org

• Sept. 28th - Option Based Drill
• Sept. 30th - Picture Day 8:30-12:00
• Oct. 7th - Early Release Day (12:45 Dismissal)
• Oct. 21st - Parent/Teacher Conferences PM
• Oct. 22nd - Parent Teacher Conferences AM
• Oct. 23rd - School Break

• MUMS Activities Calendar*

At Middlebury Union Middle School, we practice safety drills designed to ensure that our students and staff are familiar with how to respond in an emergency. Some months, we practice what to do if we need to evacuate the building. Other months we practice what to do when unsafe people or hazards enter our school.

We are required to practice two options-based drills - one in the first half of the year and one in the second half of the year. Options-based drills introduce students to various strategies in response to a threat, such as when to evacuate from the school or remain in a classroom. Please know that all options based drills are trauma informed and age appropriate. This means the drills are performed in a way that is sensitive to the emotional well-being of our students.

We will be holding our first options-based drill on September 28th, 2026.

The purpose of this drill is to keep the students safe from any danger outside or inside the building. During an “options based drill” all of the perimeter doors to the school building will be locked and will remain locked until the danger or issue outside or inside the building is removed. To enable everyone to remain safe, no visitors will be permitted to enter the building at that time.

We know that this is an emotional topic for parents and caregivers and want to assure you of a few things:

• The adults in our building work together to plan and ensure students feel safe and we remind them that the drill is practice.

• We talk with students in a developmentally appropriate way before and after each drill and our practice is developmentally aligned.

• We are available to support families. We will share resources below to help you talk with your child about these experiences and invite you to reach out at any time.

I want you to know about it in advance and be able to talk with your children about it when they come home. Here is a resource to support those conversations:

1. Talking with Children about Violence: Tips for Parents and Educators (NASP)

If you have questions or would like to connect please reach out to me directly.

Picture Day!

MUMS will have Picture Day on Wednesday September 30th. Order forms for LifeTouch will be handed out in TA the week prior. If you prefer to order your student’s school pictures online please visit mylifetouch.com and use the Picture ID EVTP4ZWQP. Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Picture Retake Day is scheduled for Wednesday November 11th.

If you have any questions please contact Megan Curran at mcurran@acsdvt.org.

If your student will be absent from school, needs an early dismissal, or will take a different bus, please follow these directions:

• Absence / early dismissal: Call 802-382-1297, the MUMS attendance line, before 8:30am (helpful tip: add this number to your phone now as "MUMS attendance line")
• Early dismissal + bus notes: Students must deliver a caregiver's note to the front office when arriving at school (before TA).
• If taking a bus other than their regular bus: Students must bring a caregiver's note and have it signed by a MUMS Administrative Assistant in the front office to be valid.

We are so excited to welcome parents and community members back into our buildings this year! If you are interested in substitute teaching or volunteering this year, please start an application now!

If you are interested in joining our new Friends of MUMS group, email friendsofmums@gmail.com