The Weekly Update #4

Dear Eastern Middle School Families,

We have a busy school week ahead! Here is a look at what is happening this week:

• Monday, October 26: Winter Sports: Basketball Registration Opens in ParentVUE

• Wednesday, October 28: Boy's Softball v. Sligo MS Away; Girl's Softball & Cross Country at Eastern

• Thursday, October 29: MAKE UP PSAT for 8th grade students; MCPS Closures and Consolidation Community Engagement Meeting at Eastern MS at 6:00pm

• Friday, October 30: End of Marking Period 1; Kona Ice Truck on Sale at all Lunches; Last day for our Spirit Wear Fundraiser!!!!

• Monday, November 2: No School for Students: Grading and Planning for Teachers

• Tuesday, November 3: Holiday - No School: Election Day

• Thursday, November 5: Game Night at Eastern 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Purchase Kona Ice this Friday!!! The Kona Ice truck will be at Eastern this Friday. As reminder the Kona Ice truck is through Pre-Purchase only and it's only $4. Please use this link to pre-purchase: https://tinyurl.com/konaiceoctober.

Support Our Fundraiser!!! Purchase school spiritwear to rock your school pride and support our fundraiser! The deadline is THIS FRIDAY at midnight! A portion of the proceeds go back to Eastern. Don't miss out on this opportunity to show your school pride.

Lastly, please save the date for our upcoming Open House on Wednesday, November 11th.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Eastern Middle School a wonderful place to learn and grow.

Yours in partnership,

Elizabeth J. Merino (she/her/ella)

Principal/Directora

Para traducir este boletín, seleccione "español" en "Translate Newsletter" en el cuadro negro a su derecha o en su celular encima.

Monday, October 26: Winter Sports: Basketball Registration Opens in ParentVUE

Wednesday, October 28: Boy's Softball v. Sligo MS Away; Girl's Softball & Cross Country at Eastern

Thursday, October 29: MAKE UP PSAT for 8th grade students; MCPS Closures and Consolidation Community Engagement Meeting at Eastern MS at 6:00pm

Friday, October 30: End of Marking Period 1; Kona Ice Truck on Sale at all Lunches; Last day for our Spirit Wear Fundraiser!!!!

Monday, November 2: No School for Students: Grading and Planning for Teachers

Tuesday, November 3: Holiday - No School: Election Day

Thursday, November 5: Game Night at Eastern 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Wednesday, November 11: Open House for Families 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Tuesday, November 17: Winter Sports Interest Meeting: Basketball 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM

Wednesday, November 18: Make Up Picture Day

Help out Eastern Middle School and at the same time get some cool swag! Please click on the picture below or scan the QR code to order some spirit wear and rock your Eastern school pride!

Let's celebrate the end of Marking Period 1 with a sweet treat! Kona Ice will be available for $4 per student on Friday, October 30. Families can pre-purchase Kona Ice online now through 7:30 a.m. on October 30.

All orders must be pre-purchased online. No cash or on-site sales will be accepted.

🍧 Order here: https://tinyurl.com/konaiceoctober

We look forward to a fun Kona Ice Day with our Eagles! 💛🖤

Winter athletics are right around the corner! Families interested in their child participating in middle school BASKETBALL should review the attached information regarding registration, physical requirements, and important dates.

Important Dates: ParentVUE registration opens October 26 at 12:00 PM, our Winter Athletics Interest Meeting will be held November 17, and winter tryouts/practices will begin December 8.

Winter Athletics Parent Memo English

Winter Athletics Parent Memo Spanish

Tuesday November 10 or Wednesday November 11

3:00-4:15

Callbacks: November 12, 2026

Chorus Room 501

First Rehearsals Wednesday, November 18 and 19th

See Ms. Rowe

(room 605) or Ms. Boyd (room 501) for Audition information!

On Wednesday, November 11th from 9am-2pm we will welcome our families into our building and our classrooms for Open House. You can find more information here about this year’s Open House at Eastern Middle School.

Contact the Counseling Office or your student’s grade level Counselor for more information:

240-740-6290

• 6th Grade:

• Ms. Bolinger: Last Names A-R

• Jordan_A_Bolinger@mcpsmd.org

• Ms. Gamble: Last Names S-Z

• Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

• 7th Grade:

• Ms. Ruffin: Last Names A-R

• Kristen_Ruffin@mcpsmd.org

• Ms. Gamble: Last Names S-Z

• Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

• 8th Grade:

• Ms. Meyer: Last Names A-R

• Jessica_A_Meyer@mcpsmd.org

• Ms. Gamble: Last Names S-Z

• Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

Round 2: School Year Calendar 2027-2028 Feedback

This feedback represents the second phase in the Montgomery County Public Schools calendar development process for the 2027-2028 school year.

In alignment with MCPS Board Policy IDA, School Year Calendar, we will consider educational interests, operational needs, mandated school closures by state law, compliance with minimum instructional days and credit hour requirements, contingencies for inclement weather and other emergencies, staff professional days and early release days, alignment with assessment schedules, etc.

MCPS provides a school year calendar that allows for effective use of time for teaching and learning, for professional growth opportunities, and planning instructional strategies focused on improving student achievement, while maintaining our lens of equity for all students and commitment to community engagement.

Please limit to one response per person. This survey will close on November 6, 2026.

Amharic

Chinese (Simplified)

French

Korean

Portuguese (Brazil)

Spanish

Vietnamese

• Monday, October 19 Albert Einstein HS 6:30 PM

• Monday, October 26 Montgomery Blair HS 6 PM

MCPS and the Department of Consortia and Application Program Services (DCAPS) are hosting Webinars via Zoom for parents that would like more information about the High School Regional application process for the 2027-2028 school year. Please use this link to get the latest information. Presentations are in English and Spanish.

Get to know Ms. Afram, Eastern Middle School's fantastic Career Advising Coach!

Please save our Community Schools Resource Hub which is linked by clicking on the picture below. There are resources on food, health/wellness, student programs, and family support services.

Eastern Families, did you know we have a fully stocked "Eagle Essentials Closet" with clothing, school supplies and hygiene products for our students?

If your student needs something, please let us know — or encourage your student to advocate for themselves! They can ask a teacher, school counselor, school nurse, administrator, or a staff member in the main office for support. 💛

🧡 What is in the Eagle Essentials Closet?

📚 School Supplies

Backpacks • Pencils • Pens • Markers • Crayons • Colored pencils • Highlighters • Lined paper • Spiral notebooks • Composition notebooks • Binders • Dividers • Folders

🧴 Hygiene & Personal Care

Skincare • Haircare • Menstrual products

👕 Clothing & Shoes

Underwear • Bras • Sports bras • Socks • T-shirts • Long-sleeve shirts • Shorts • Pants • Sweatshirts • Winter coats • Hats • Gloves • Sneakers • Soccer cleats • Umbrellas

📏 A Wide Range of Sizes

Our clothing ranges from approximately kids' sizes 10–16 through adult XS–XXL, so we can support students at many different stages and sizes.

🎓 Formal Wear for Promotion

We also have formal clothing available to help our 8th graders feel confident and ready for their promotion celebration!

💛 A HUGE THANK YOU! Eagle Essentials would not be what it is without our incredible community of supporters.

Thank you to the volunteers who have helped organize and maintain the closet, and to the generous donors who have supplied items, including Eastern Staff & Families, Overflow City Church, I Support the Girls and Leveling the Playing Field.

And a very special thank you to the MCPS Educational Foundation for the generous grant we received last school year. That funding allowed us to purchase the bins, racks, and organizational materials that helped us turn this space into a functional, welcoming resource for our students.

This closet represents what happens when a school community comes together to make sure students have what they need to learn, grow, and soar. 🦅💛🖤

As MCPS continues to develop the 2027-2028 school calendar, the district is seeking more input from you!
Complete this second survey to share input on the proposed draft calendar for the 2027-2028 school year. The survey will close on Friday, Nov. 6. Take the survey.

Stay Connected to MCPS

• VISIT the MCPS homepage.

• CALL 240-740-3000. Staff take calls from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, in English and Spanish (240-740-2845). Visit the AskMCPS website.

• READ news and information sent via email and text message and on the MCPS News page.

• FOLLOW the MCPS social media pages:
  x.com/mcps / facebook.com/mcpsmd / instagram.com/mcps_md facebook.com/mcpsespanol / x.com/MCPSEspanol / instagram.com/mcpsenespanol

• SIGN UP for emails and text alerts and make sure your ParentVue information is up to date.

• WATCH the MCPS cable channels Comcast 34 (1071 HD), Verizon 36 or RCN 89

More MCPS Resources

• School calendar

• Parent resource page

• News and Information page / Noticias en Español

• Latest photo galleries

• MCPS TV videos

• MCPS TV español

• Subscribe to our PTSA email listserve. Click here to join - it's FREE!
• Join as a PTSA member with a suggested donation of $10. Your contributions go to academic programs, teacher mini-grants, social events, staff appreciation meals and more. Click here to join.
• Join the Eastern PTSA WhatsApp group. Click here to join.

Emails and phone numbers for support in the school:

• Main Office: (240) 740-6280
• Attendance Secretary: Isaura Blanco: Isaura_M_BlancoFlores@mcpsmd.org
• Front Office Secretary: Aura Cincuir: Aura_R_CincuirPena@mcpsmd.org
• Humanities Secretary : Jessica Alvarez: Jessica_B_Alvarez@mcpsmd.org
• Financial Assistant: Vanessa Delgado: Vanessa_R_Delgado@mcpsmd.org
• Counseling Secretary/Registrar: Herenia Lovo: Herenia_V_Lovo@mcpsmd.org
• Admin Secretary: Priscilla Perez: Priscilla_B_Perez@mcpsmd.org

Counselors:

GRADE 6

• Last Names A-R: Ms. Jordan Bolinger: Jordan_A_Bolinger@mcpsmd.org
• Last Names S-Z: Ms. Donniel Gamble: Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

GRADE 7

• Last Names A-R: Ms.Kristen Ruffin: Kristen_Ruffin@mcpsmd.org
• Last Names S-Z: Ms. Donniel Gamble: Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

GRADE 8

• Last Names: A-R: Jessica Meyer- Jessica_A_Meyer@mcpsmd.org
• Last Names S-Z: Ms. Donniel Gamble: Donniel_K_Gamble@mcpsmd.org

Administrators:

• Principal/6th grade Administrator: Ms. Elizabeth Merino: Elizabeth_J_Merino@mcpsmd.org
• Magnet Coordinator/7th grade Administrator: Ms. Katherine Estes: Katherine_E_Estes@mcpsmd.org
• Assistant Principal/8th grade Administrator: Ms. Deirdre McShea-Levin: Deirdre_M_McSheaLevin@mcpsmd.org

Family Supports:

• PTSA Co-Presidents- Mitra Feldman and Kea Anderson: Eastern.PTSA.President@gmail.com
• Community School Liaison- Ms. Dana Pelzman: Dana_K_Pelzman@mcpsmd.org