MMS Update
Week of September 15th, 2025
Say Cheese!
Greetings Merrimack Middle School Families,
We have a full and exciting week ahead at MMS! Monday kicks off our after school academic support in the ASAP program, and sign up information can be found below. Our first home games of the season are also here, with girls soccer, cross country, and field hockey all in action. Go Merrimack! Our band students will add to the excitement with their first performance of the year as they join in Friday Night Lights at MHS. To finish the week, Friday, September 19 will be a big day with school pictures and the second turn-in day for 8th grade fundraising calendars.
Enjoy your week, thank you for all your support!
We've been practicing for school pictures all year!
Important Dates
ASAP - Our after school support program begins September 15th. Please sign up at the bottom of the newsletter.
Picture Day - Get your smiles ready for September 19th! Ordering information can be found below.
MMS Band Performance - On Friday, September 19th, our MMS musicians sit-in with the MHS Band at the Merrimack High School football game.
8th Grade Calendar Fundraiser - Our next turn-in for calendars sold is September 19th, extra calendars can be picked up in the main office.
Calendar Fundraiser
Congrats to all the 8th graders who have already sold enough calendars to earn their Merrimack t-shirts and sweatshirts! Our next turn-in date is this Friday, 9/19, extra calendars can be found in the main office.
8th Grade Culminating Experience Packet
If there are any families interested in purchasing an additional calendar to help support students in need, please use the link below. Thank you for your support!
Reporting Absences and Dismissals
We appreciate everyone's patience as we transition to our new phone system. Please see a few tips below when communicating with our office:
- MMS does not use Dismissal Manager for student dismissals.
- When calling the school, simply dial 0 to be connected directly to the main office.
- Families can report tardies, dismissals, and absences through:
- PowerSchool
- Email: jacy.mikenas@sau26.org and marcy.smith@sau26.org
- Phone call
- Attendance calls are directed to a voicemail box that is checked regularly throughout the day.
Our young archeologists get to work making social studies discoveries!
School Pictures This Friday!
Picture Day is coming on Friday, September 19!
You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTFFWW2G. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!
Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com .
7th Grade Science Labs are underway!
Club Updates
Robotics - Students interested in joining our famous robotics club should email mmsftc@gmail.com
to register.
Mixed Media Art Club - Come learn about printmaking, collage and other mixed media techniques! Mrs. BC is offering an after school, Mixed Media Art club in September and October. It’s important to sign up and get your permission slip back to Mrs. BC by September 19th, as the club starts on the 22nd. Permission slip can be found in the main office and outside Mrs. BC's door.
8th Grade Reading Ambassadors - Attention 8th grade Book Ambassadors, our first meeting is after school on Tuesday, September 9. Please stop by room 208 for a permission slip. If any other 8th grade readers would like to join, please also stop in for a permission slip!
Something Else? - If your student is interested in creating a club at MMS, simply confirm an adult advisor and the club is yours!
MMS Athletics
Monday
Boys Soccer at Londonderry, 3:30
Girls Soccer vs. Londonderry, 3:45
Volleyball A-Team at Hillside, 4:30
Tuesday
Home Cross Country Races #1
Girls race: 15 minutes after course walk concludes
Boys race: 30 minutes after girls race begins
Field Hockey vs. Hillside, 4:00
Wednesday
Girls A-Team Volleyball vs. Timberlane, 4:00
B-Team Volleyball Scrimmage to follow
Thursday
Boys Soccer vs. Hudson, 3:45
Girls Soccer at Hudson, 3:45
Field Hockey at Timberlane, 4:00
Friday
Girls Soccer vs. Pennichuck, 4:00
Boys Soccer at Pennichuck, 4:00
Cross Country at Manchester Invitational
Boys Soccer White vs. Timberlane, 4:00 (Bishop Field)
Good Luck to this Year's MMS Field Hockey Team!
PTG Updates
Interested in volunteering? See the information below and click the image for your online trainings.
MMS Spirit Store
A HUGE thank you to all of you who supported the MMS Spirit wear store. Orders should start arriving in mailboxes after Thurs, 9/25. If you have any questions, please reach out to Rachel at treasurer@mmsptg.com.
Calling all Volunteers!
Are you interested in volunteering this school year? If so, please complete the below steps to ensure you are cleared to volunteer throughout the school year (this includes parents that are considering/plan to chaperone the 8th Grade Washington, DC, culminating experience). All Vector training is due no later than Fri, 10/31, per MSD administration. Thank you for your commitment to our schools!
Ice Cream Volunteers Needed (Friday lunch time opportunities)
Would you love to spend some time volunteering at MMS? The PTG needs volunteers on Fridays to sell ice cream from 10:30AM - 12:15PM. If you would like to volunteer, please visit the SUG below to sign up. As always, thank you for volunteering. We sincerely appreciate your time! (Note that all MSD volunteer requirements MUST BE COMPLETED before volunteering)
https://bit.ly/mms-icecream25-26
Lifetouch School Pictures
The MMS School Picture Day is this Friday,9/19. Order today at mylifetouch.com [Picture Day ID: EVTFFWW2G].
PTG General Info:
Thank you to those who attended our first general meeting of the year on Monday evening. Our next general meeting will be Mon, 10/6 @6pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
September/October Important Dates:
- MMS Picture Day: Fri, 9/19
- MMS On the Move Check-in #2 (8th grade): Fri, 9/19
- Lifetouch School Pictures, Fri, 9/19
- MMS On the Move Final Check-in (8th grade): Wed, 9/24
- Ice cream sales begin: Fri, 10/3
- PTG General Meeting: Mon, 10/6
- Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences: Thurs, 10/9 [2:45 pm - 5:45 pm]
- Early Release: Fri, 10/10@11am
- Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences: Tues, 10/14 [2:45 - 5:45pm]
- No school (Columbus/Indigenous People's Day): Mon, 10/13
- Give n' Go Campaign Begins: Tues, 10/14
- Volunteer Background Check/Vector Course completion: no later than Fri, 10/31
PTG Contact Info:
Kim Desmarais, President [president@mmsptg.com]
Liz Thomson, Fundraising [Fundraising@mmsptg.com]
Rachel Paepke, Treasurer [Treasurer@mmsptg.com]
Michelle Bouley, Secretary [secretary@mmsptg.com]
Annette Chaput, Volunteer Coordinator [volunteer@mmsptg.com]
Chrissy Drew, Member-at-Large [member@mmsptg.com]
ELA Updates
ELA Families,
This year, both our 7th and 8th grade classes will be using Wit & Wisdom, a rich curriculum that helps students grow as readers and writers while also building their background knowledge in history, art, and culture.
Attached you'll find the Family Tip Sheet for Module 1 in each grade. These sheets give you a preview of the texts, artwork, and music your student will engage with in this first unit. They also suggest great conversation starters and questions you can use at home, along with recommendations for additional books that connect to the module. As we wrap up each module, we'll send home the next Tip Sheet so you’ll always know what’s coming up in class.
We're excited to begin Module 1 and to partner with you in supporting your student’s learning journey!
September Challenge:
September is the perfect time for fresh starts—and that includes reading! This month, we're encouraging students to explore something new: a book in a different genre, a story set in a new place, or an author they haven't tried before.
How the challenge works:
Students choose and read books of their own choice.
For each book they finish, they complete a simple entry form.
Each entry gives them a chance to win prizes in our September Reading Contest!
We hope you'll encourage your child to discover new stories, reflect on what they read, and take part in the fun. Every book is a chance to start a new chapter—both in reading and in learning!
Meet Ms. Robinson!
After School Support
Dismissal/Visiting Procedures
In our ongoing effort to increase school security, we have the following procedures when parents/guardians come to our school during school hours. Thank you all for your understanding.
Dismissal - If dismissing a student, we ask that an authorized dismissing parent/guardian show their ID in the foyer, and then wait in that location for the dismissed student to meet you.
Dropping off items - If a parent/guardian is dropping off an item for a student, we ask that they leave it in the designated area in the foyer.
Visiting the school - If parents/guardians are arriving for a scheduled meeting, we ask that they show their ID in the foyer and then sign in at the main office to receive a visitor pass.