Mustangs Newsletter

09/11/2026

September 15 - 6th grade Chromebook deployment

September 18 - Mustang Family Fall Fest and Movie Night 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM

September 21 - PACT meeting 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM MGMS Media Center

September 22 - PICTURE DAY!

The Mustang Memo is a newsletter sent to families of Maple Grove Middle School. It is one of the ways we communicate with families important information of upcoming events and activities. Another way to keep up to date is to look at our website https://mgms.district279.org/. We also communicate with families through email. If you change your email., please update it through ParentVue.

Dear MGMS Families,

What an exciting start to the school year! Our first week has been filled with energy, enthusiasm, and countless opportunities to reconnect with students. It has been wonderful to welcome everyone back to Maple Grove Middle School and to see our hallways filled with learning, laughter, and positive interactions.

I have especially enjoyed watching our sixth graders find their way around the building and settle into life at middle school. Starting a new school can be both exciting and a little overwhelming, and our newest students have done a fantastic job learning routines, meeting new classmates, and becoming part of the MGMS community.

Students have also begun receiving their district-issued Chromebooks. To help ensure they are ready for learning each day, please remind your student to charge their device every night before coming to school. 6th graders will receive their device next week on 9/15.

As we look ahead to next week, we are excited for one of our favorite community-building events of the year: Family Fall Fest!

Friday, September 18

• 5:30 p.m. - Food, games, and music
• 7:30 p.m. - Outdoor movie begins

Family Fall Fest is a wonderful opportunity for students, families, and staff to come together, connect, and celebrate our school community. We hope you can join us for an evening of fun and fellowship.

Please note that this is not a drop-off event. Students must be accompanied and supervised by a parent, guardian, or another responsible adult throughout the event.

Thank you for your partnership and support as we begin another great year at MGMS. We look forward to seeing you at Family Fall Fest and continuing the positive momentum from a fantastic first week!

Warmly,

Xavier Reed
Principal
Maple Grove Middle School

All middle school students across the district are being issued brand new Chromebooks this year. If you have a 7th or 8th grade student, you may have noticed that the Chromebook your student received looks a little different than in previous years. The new devices were selected based on feedback from students and staff regarding desirable features (e.g. battery life, camera quality, etc.). 6th grade students at MGMS will be issued their new Chromebooks next week.

The new Chromebooks also come with an attached protective case. The type of case was selected to better protect the devices from accidental drops or impacts that often require costly repairs (this was the #1 cause of damage at the middle level). The cases are considered a part of the Chromebook, and will be expected to be returned along with the Chromebook and charger during collection at the end of the school year. If the case is damaged or lost, it will result in a fee to replace it.

Please note that middle school students are no longer issued a Chromebook bag. We understand it will be an adjustment for those that had them last year, but anticipate the new protective cases being more effective at preventing damage and requiring fewer repairs that result in charges to families.

Parent Drop-off and Pick-up

If you are driving your child to school or picking them up after school, the drop-off/pick-up area is at the community gyms entrance. Do not use the front entrance, as this is a designated space for our vulnerable student transportation. Please follow the winding line up to the curb by the building. Bright orange cones will help mark the path. Students must be dropped off and picked up AT THE CURB ONLY, and vehicles must stay in a single line. Students are not permitted to walk through the parking lot to and from your vehicle. Your help with this is very much appreciated and will help keep our students safe. Students can start entering the building at 7:45 a.m. so please plan accordingly especially during the cold winter months.

Check it off your back-to-school list.

Order your yearbook early and secure the lowest price with the back-to-school deal!

Offer valid thru Sept. 11th. https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A04077600

Mark your calendars for the fall play. A brand-new show, "Slay" by Rachel Bland brings a world of epic adventures, thrilling battles, and dangers at every turn. Jane sets out on a quest to find the 'hero of worth' to save her kingdom from the dragon. Will Jane and her friends find the hero in time? Auditions will be September 15th & 16th. Maple Grove Middle provides theatre opportunities throughout the school year. For more information, please visit: https://sites.google.com/apps.district279.org/mgmstheater/home

Student Services is located next to the nurse's office. You can stop by before and after school and on your way to lunch or during passing time between classes. During class you need a pass visit us. We can help with lost and found, if you are unsure about your class schedule, making an appointment with a counselor, filling out a reporting form, cutting off a lock from your locker if you forget the code, use the phone to contact home, and more!

More reasons to visit:

• If you are getting picked up early, you need to bring a note detailing the pickup time and reason for absence signed by your grown-up at home. Bring this to us before school and we will create a pass for you to leave class, and you will sign out of school in the front office and meet your ride outside.
• If your technology device (phones, ipads, airpods, headphones etc.) gets taken by a staff member, they will bring it to student services for safe keeping. The tech violation is recorded by staff and devices are stored. At the end of the day, you can pick it up at the desk in Student Services. After the 2nd time of something being taken for being used inappropriately during the school day a message will be sent to your caregivers alerting them of the offense. After the 3rd time and any times following your grownup at home has to come into the school office to pick up the device from a principal.

Is your child looking for a supportive peer group to navigate the ups and downs of teen life? If so, TreeHouse Maple Grove is for YOU! TreeHouse is a free program offered Tuesdays from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at 9600 Zanzibar Lane N in Maple Grove.

Since 1984, TreeHouse has provided:

· Community – a safe place with real talk, encouragement, and relationships

· Non-discriminatory services

· Support and mentoring

· Coping strategies to navigate life’s challenges with hope

· Peer support, professionally facilitated

For more information:

· Check out our website at treehousehope.org for more information.

· Follow us on Instagram @treehouse_maplegrove

· Reach out to 612-492-1088

or treehousemaplegrove@gmail.com

School Phone: 763-315-7600.............................................Website:https://mgms.district279.org/

Attendance: 763-315-7603..........................................................Transportation: 763-391-7047

6th Grade

Jennifer Hinker, Assistant Principal....................................Email: HinkerJ@district279.org

Kaia Paquin, Counselor 6th Grade.................................Email: PaquinK@district279.org

7th Grade

Jason Olson, Assistant Principal...................................................Email: OlsonJ@district279.org

Katie Gerdts, Counselor 7th Grade..............................Email: GerdtsK@district279.org

8th Grade

Xavier Reed, Principal...............................Email: ReedX@district279.org

Woods, Megan, Counselor 8th Grade.................................Email: WoodsM@district279.org

Student Management Specialists Assist with all Grades

Candice Ledman - (Grade 6) - Email: LedmanC@district279.org

Levy Jones - (Grade 7) - Email: JonesL2@district279.org

Nathaniel Davies - (Grade 8) - Email: DaviesN@district279.org

District Tip Line.........................................................763-265-3636