MMS

We’re off to a fantastic start at Marshall Middle School! It’s been wonderful to see so many of our students arriving eager, happy, and ready to learn. Their positive energy has helped set a great tone for the weeks ahead.

This year, we’ve made a few adjustments aimed at supporting student growth and well-being. Advisory now takes place at the beginning of the day, offering students a chance to settle in, eat breakfast, complete homework, and connect with teachers. Early feedback from students is overwhelmingly positive!

We’ve also introduced a new class called FLEX—Focused Learning and Enrichment eXperiences. This time is dedicated to targeted support and enrichment, allowing students to engage in activities that meet their individual learning needs.

In addition, we’ve continued refining our approach to Standards-Based Grading. Families may notice some updates in the parent portal, particularly in science and language arts, as we work to provide clearer communication about student progress on the MN State Academic Standards.

We’re also placing renewed emphasis on work completion. If a student needs more time for an assignment, we encourage them to speak with their teacher to request an extension. In cases where missing work becomes a pattern, students may be asked to stay after school to catch up. For additional details, please refer to the informational link provided at the end of this newsletter

Looking ahead, we hope you’ll join us for Parent/Teacher Conferences on October 9th. It’s a valuable opportunity to connect with teachers and discuss how your child is progressing.

Thank you for your continued support. We’re looking forward to a productive and rewarding year together.

Mrs. Reynolds, Principal

peggy.reynolds@marshall.k12.mn.us

Mr. Appel, Assistant Principal

bennett.appel@marshall.k12.mn.us

October 6 – 10th ALICE Week

October 7 – Vision Screening (Hearing TBD) - 5th Gr, 7th Gr, and new students

October 8 – Early Dismissal - 2:20p

October 9 – Conferences from 3:45– 7:45pm (staff dinner break 5:30-6pm)

October 9 – Kindness Closet will be open during conferences - 3:45– 7:45pm

October 9 – Picture Retakes

October 13 – PTA Fundraiser Order Forms are DUE

October 15 – Early Dismissal - 2:20p

October 16-17 –No School: MEA Break

October 22 – Early Dismissal - 2:20p

October 23 – School Dance – Grades 5/6 from 4:00p-6:00p; Grades 7/8 from 6:30-8:30p

October 29 – Early Dismissal - 2:20p

To help keep our students and staff safe, we kindly ask all families to stay in the designated drop-off line and follow the traffic flow. Recently, we've seen some vehicles pulling out of line or parking in the lot, which creates safety risks and disrupts traffic.

Here are a few important reminders:

• Use the front main entrance for all drop-offs and pick-ups.
• Move as far forward as the line allows for student drop-off and pick-up
• Do not use Door 14 at the back of the building.
• Avoid parking in the lot to drop off students—it’s unsafe for students to cross through traffic.
• Do not park behind the Middle School—this area is for authorized vehicles only due to deliveries and maintenance.
• Students should use the designated sidewalk, not the service road.
• Students biking from the south should use the designated sidewalk shown below to ensure a safe arrival.
• Please drive slowly and stay off your phone while in the drop-off lane.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe!

During the week of October 6, students will receive ALICE safety training during Advisory. ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. The training will be delivered in four separate lessons designed to prepare students for how to respond in the event of a violent intruder at school.

Our goal is to ensure that all students and staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to stay safe in an emergency.

For additional details, please refer to the email sent on October 1.

We invite you to attend the upcoming school conferences on October 9th from 3:45-7:45. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, address any concerns, and collaborate on strategies to support their academic and personal growth. We will also be handing out the 24-25 MCA Results as you come in the door. This year, the main hallway will feature a display showcasing work by our 1st quarter 5th and 6th grade Media Arts students. We will also be featuring artwork from our 7th and 8th grade Art students around the outside of the library.

Your involvement is important in creating a strong partnership between home and school, ensuring that your child receives the best possible education. For your convenience, use either link below to sign up.

The schedule will be as follows:

• Scheduled conferences: 3:45-5:30

• Dinner break: 5:30-6:00

• Open house style: 6:00-7:45

Click Here to Sign Up (3:45p-5:30p) or use the button directly below to sign up.

Please note that the link will direct you to the 5th grade section by default. To find the appropriate grade or teacher, kindly use the tabs provided.

Fall coaches will be available during the open house, unless there is a game scheduled.

We look forward to seeing you on October 9th and working together to help your child succeed.

Contact:

laura.nybo@marshall.k12.mn.us

tracy.zahnow@marshall.k12.mn.us

On October 23rd, the MMS Student Council will be hosting a fun-filled dance for all MMS students!

• 5th & 6th Grade Dance: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• 7th & 8th Grade Dance: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Entry Procedures:

Students should enter through Door 14 at the back of the Middle School building, which leads directly into the cafeteria. Upon arrival, students must present or purchase a ticket before entering the dance area.

Pick-Up & Ending Procedures:

At the end of the dance, teachers will announce dismissal. All students will exit through Door 14, and parents must be present to pick up their child promptly at the conclusion of the event.

Dance Tickets:

• Pre-Sale: $4 per ticket
• At-the-Door: $5 per ticket
  

Meal Tickets:

If your child plans to eat at the dance, meal tickets are available:

• Pre-Sale: $4 per ticket
• At the Dance: $5 per ticket

Each meal includes: 1 slice of pizza, 1 cookie, and a bottle of water.
Games & Punch Cards:

Want to play games at the dance? Grab a punch card!

• Cost: $2 per card
• Includes: 6 punches for various games

Pre-Sale Tickets:

Pre-sale tickets will be available Monday, October 20 through Wednesday, October 22.
Students can purchase tickets from Ms. Vikter in Room E19, located down the 6th grade hallway.

• Accepted Payments: Cash or check
• Checks: Please make payable to Marshall Middle School

Secure your ticket early and save—don’t miss out on the fun!

Please contact Student Services for the following:

📌 Reporting absences
📌 Notifying about tardies
📌 Appointments during school hours
📌 Picking up your child during the day
📌 Leaving a message for your child

📞 Phone: 507-537-6938 Option 1: Attendance

📧 Email: laura.fennell@marshall.k12.mn.us

Thank you for helping us keep things running smoothly!

Thinking classrooms, based on Dr. Peter Liljedahl’s framework, promote student engagement, collaboration, and deep problem-solving through rich mathematical tasks. This approach shifts away from direct instruction, encouraging students to actively construct understanding together.

FLEX is a special part of the school day designed to enrich student learning. The main focus is on meaningful activities that support classroom content or introduce new experiences. Teachers have the freedom to design projects or activities that best meet their students’ needs.

Ms. Smith’s 8th grade students teamed up to solve a word scramble challenge! With teamwork and careful attention to directions, they uncovered a hidden message. The final reveal? “Eighth Grade”!

Students used playing cards to explore integer operations while building teamwork and critical thinking skills. In this activity, black cards represented positive integers and red cards represented negative integers (e.g., black = +1 to +10, red = –1 to –10). It was a fun and engaging way to bring math concepts to life!

In Ms. Purrington's 7th grade math class, students are tackling a hands-on engineering challenge using only a rubber band, six cups, and one piece of string per team member. Without directly touching the cups, teams must first construct a pyramid, then build a tower by alternating the cups facing up and down—testing their problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity

As one of our I-time activities for our BARR program, our 5th and 6th graders participated in a fun

conversation dice activity to kick off the school year. Rolling the dice prompted engaging questions that encouraged students to share about themselves, discover common interests, and practice effective communication. This interactive approach helped build connections among classmates while strengthening their speaking and listening skills.

~ Ms. Fadness, 5th grade PE/Health

~ Mr. Schnaible, 6th grade PE/Health

Mrs. Bueltel’s 7th grade AG students began the year with lab safety and equipment identification. They’ve planted seeds and are tracking plant growth. Last week, they collected soil samples from the school grounds and tested them for nutrient levels.

Students in Ms. Vikter's 6th grade language arts class are currently creating posters that explore and celebrate key themes, figures, and cultural contributions of the Harlem Renaissance.

As you likely have noticed, there has been some preliminary work done to stake and flag the bike path project. Phia Moua and Tricia Stelter from the District Office met with the City of Marshall to review the construction plans.

• Construction started on Monday, September 15th. A & C Excavating is the contractor on the project.
• The project will begin at C-Street, run along Progress Drive and continue through to Southview Drive.
• Work is expected to be completed yet this fall on this portion of the project. Construction will take approximately 8 weeks.
• There is no construction truck traffic 30 minutes before or after school.
• Any work needing access to the Southview parking lot will be done after 4:00 pm each day.
• Below is a map showing where the bike path will run. There will be a minimum 10ft buffer between Progress Drive and the bike path. Additionally, the district office has asked that next spring they add a crosswalk to the Tiger office park driveway that intersects with the bike path.