Pella MS Newsletter

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

The first few weeks of middle school are always an exciting whirlwind as students get the hang of opening their lockers, navigating new hallway schedules, and adjusting to daily class routines. While it takes a little practice to get every step down, our students are already rising to the challenge and settling in wonderfully. We are thrilled to partner with our families this year to support our students as they grow, learn, and build confidence every single day!

As we settle into the groove, our academic rigor and classroom expectations are kicking into high gear. Students will begin to see a steady increase in daily assignments and homework to help reinforce what they are learning in class. We strongly encourage families to establish a consistent evening routine at home right away—setting aside a dedicated, quiet space for studying and checking in on assignments regularly. Building these habits early will help ensure students stay organized, manage their time effectively, and take pride in turning their work in on time throughout the year.

Thankful for a great start to a great year. We have a lot of awesome kids at Pella MS!

Sincerely,

Scott Tjeerdsma

Pella MS Principal

When: 3:20-6:00pm on September 11

Where: Pella Middle School

Cost: $5 Entry Fee

What: Dodgeball, music, movies, games, food, friends, fun, and football

• Concessions will be available

Please email Mrs. Schulz or the office if your student will be leaving prior to 6:00.

The Pella Community School District has established the following

expectations for home football games:

1. Students are to remain in the bleachers during football games unless they are with a parent. Students using the concession stand or restrooms should return to the assigned area as soon as possible. The concessions area is not an area for socializing. Be courteous of those wanting/needing to access concessions and restrooms. All Pella Community Students should be in the bleachers at the 0-minute mark prior to the start of the game. The National Anthem will be played at this time and will occur at 6:50PM.

Assigned Areas: K-3: With parents

4-6th: Above Middle School students at top of student section (grey)

7-8th Above High School students at top of student section (white)

HS: Student section area between walkways (green)

2. If you leave at any time after 7PM, you will not be allowed to re-enter the stadium.

3. For safety reasons—no items are to be thrown while in the stadium. Footballs, frisbees, etc. are not to be brought to football games. This includes empty bottles and rocks.

4. Skateboards, scooters or similar devices are not allowed inside the stadium

5. Outside food and beverages (except water) will not be allowed inside the stadium.

6. Students are not to bring backpacks into the stadium. They may leave them at the ticket booth.

7. Students are to be courteous at all times, so all spectators can watch the game without being distracted.

8. Students are to stay on the Pella side of the field at both home and away games.

9. Students unable to follow expectations may be asked to leave the stadium.

SEATING CHART:

As schoolwork picks up, here are a few quick reminders about student laptops:

• Charge Nightly: Please ensure laptops are fully charged each night so they are ready for the school day.

• Monitoring & Safety: Student activity, documents, and emails are monitored on and off campus using GoGuardian and Bark software.

• Nighttime Routine: We encourage keeping laptops out of bedrooms at night to help students disconnect and get a good night's sleep.

• The main "loop" will be for buses only before and after school.
• Parents and guardians are asked to enter the southeast loop entrance and follow the arrows below when dropping off or picking up their students.
• If you arrive early, please use the visitor parking spaces to wait for your student.
• The main "loop" will be available for cars during the school day from 8:30 to 3:00 for dropoff and pickup.

On the activities front, teams are now finishing their second week of practice and we are excited to see our students in action soon. Football, volleyball, and cross country will each have their first events coming up in the next two weeks.

As events start up, we want to send home a reminder about eligibility. We will run grades for the first time on Monday, September 21. If a student is failing any class at this time, they will become ineligible to participate in events for at least the next two weeks. They must then attend two Wednesday early-out study halls. If they are able to raise the failing grade in those two weeks, they would become eligible to play in games again on October 6th.

Students are also expected to get their homework done in order to practice. If a student has three or more missing assignments, they will miss that day's practice to complete work. Keep an eye on Infinite campus to stay up to date on their missing work.

Sept. 7: NO SCHOOL-Labor Day

Sept. 11: Homecoming

Sept. 21: Academic eligibility check for activities

Oct. 7, 14, 28: 90 minute early dismissals for PD

Oct. 21: End 1st quarter, 90 minute early dismissal

Oct. 22-23: NO SCHOOL-fall break

Oct. 26: Begin 2nd quarter

Email: scott.tjeerdsma@pellaschools.org

Website: pellaschools.org
Location: 613 East 13th Street, Pella, IA, USA
Phone: (641)628-4784