MAY 2010
As I reflect on this past school year, I have a feeling of pride for our middle school students, particularly our
departing eighth graders. This eighth grade class has simply been a nice group of kids, exceptionally pleasant
and fun to be around. I wish them the best as they leave us and begin their four-year journey through the high
school. As I remember from my own children’s experiences, it goes so fast. As for our current seventh and
sixth graders, we will welcome them back in the Fall and look forward to our new group of sixth graders coming
to us from the Intermediate School. I hope that everyone has a wonderfully relaxing summer.
Sandra Mattocks 
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
APRIL 2010
I hope you are all enjoying the warmer weather. It was really warm this past weekend! As the current school year begins to wind down and students and parents are getting excited about summer plans, we are already reviewing our current handbook here at Mifflinburg Area Middle School for necessary revisions and/or changes. I am writing to you now to make you aware of this, so that if you have any concerns or suggestions and you are willing to bring them to my attention, I encourage you to do so. I have already had a parent suggest that we put our student agenda online in an effort to make it more accessible to parents when their children are in school. I think that was an excellent idea and one that I would not have thought about, probably because I don’t have a child at home or in school anymore. So, my point is, you come from a different perspective and that is why I would like to hear from you. You can make a difference!
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
MARCH 2010
The PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) is a criterion-referenced test that identifies what a student should know and be able to do at varying grade levels. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 is assessed in reading and math. Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 are assessed in writing; students in grades 4, 8, and 11 are assessed in science.
We have been working hard all year to educate our students (your children) with a standards-based curriculum which is aligned with the PSSA. What does that mean? It means that teachers have designed their lessons according to the Pennsylvania standards (that’s the what a student should know and be able to do part) and now it’s time to demonstrate it.
So what should parents do? Encourage your child(ren) to do their best. Tell them that they can do well. They have been working hard! Get them to bed at a good time. And that’s going to be tough now that the weather is nicer and longer days are upon us. Give them a good breakfast and send them off with confidence to do what they have prepared themselves to do.
Testing begins April 8th right after the Spring holiday break. Embrace it!
Sandra Mattocks 
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
FEBRUARY 2010
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Did you know that we celebrate perfect attendance and your child’s birthday?
Last Thursday, February 11th, we held our quarterly ice cream party for students who earned perfect attendance for the second marking period. All students who came to school every day in the second marking period was presented with a certificate and invited to come into a special room in the cafeteria (after they finished eating their lunch, of course!) to create their own ice cream sundae with their favorite toppings and whipped cream. One reason that I like doing this for our students is they have four chances to be rewarded. If they happen to get sick one marking period, they can work toward that goal again the next marking period. Please call us and let us know if you would like to join us.
In addition to the perfect attendance ice cream party, we celebrate our students’ birthdays with a birthday wish on the lunchtime announcements. We also present a Happy Birthday postcard to our students that allow them to choose between a free ice cream product and a slushie at lunchtime.
Perfect attendance and birthdays are two good reasons to celebrate!
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
JANUARY 2010
REPORT CARDS WILL BE ISSUED FEBRUARY 2, 2010
Dear Parents and Guardians,
So, your child brought home his or her report card today. Was it what you expected? If it was, I’m sure you will use praise and tell him or her how much you appreciate their hard work and effort. That old saying that hard work pays off is so relevant at a time like this. But, if the report card wasn’t what you expected, take a breath and say nothing for a moment. The worst thing you can do is say something that you may regret. Words can hurt, and kids remember.
Once you have collected your thoughts and think that you and your child are ready to talk about the situation, set some time aside to do so. Ask your child to explain the bad grade or grades. Talk about how he or she feels about the class and the teacher. Ask your child if he or she put in their best effort or if the work is too difficult. Discuss goals with your child and the connection between working hard and achieving those goals. Ask your child what you can do to help.
The next step is to call or email your child’s teacher. All the teachers’ email addresses are configured with the first initial of their first name and their full last name @mifflinburg.org. Staff members’ email addresses are available on the middle school webpage under Building Level Directory. Be sure to ask the teacher what he or she believes to be a barrier to your child’s progress. Ask the teacher to be sure to follow up with you in the weeks to follow.
It may be time to get tough, though. If you find out that your child is not completing homework, impose a consequence at home. For example, if the phone is interfering with homework completion, limit the amount of time that your child can use it or take it away completely.
Make sure that you check your child’s agenda and review homework with your child. We also have available a homework hotline on our middle school webpage. The homework hotline is posted every week on Monday mornings with assignments for the entire week. This is helpful when, for example, your child must plan and manage time appropriately, particularly when working on projects with a due date that is weeks from the time it was assigned. We also have grades-on-line where parents and students can check grades and see missing assignments. Please go to www.mifflinburg.org/miffscbk and log on with your ID and password. If you don’t know your ID and password, I’m just a phone call away. I’ll be happy to get that information to you.
Always feel comfortable to communicate with us! This is the first step to a successful experience for your child at school.
Sincerely,
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
DECEMBER 2009
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I would like to bring to your attention a new after-school program that we are beginning at the middle school. The program is open to all students in all grades. We call it Homework Help. In years past, we have had opportunities for students to work after school in the area of mathematics. However, we have extended those opportunities to our students for help in all subjects. Students will work with teachers on our own staff during the after-school program. The program runs from immediately after school until 4:45 p.m. Parents must provide transportation for their child.
This program supports the creation of a learning community that provides academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in all core academic subjects, such as reading and math as well as social studies and science with an emphasis on homework completion.
We believe that we have a positive climate for our students to work. Students who attend are not being punished; instead, they are students who are seeking the help that they need to be successful. Sometimes, children simply feel more comfortable in a smaller group setting where they are more likely to ask questions, or say, “I just don’t get it.”
If you would like your child to participate in this after-school program, please call us to register your child. The school’s phone number is (570) 966-8290.
Sincerely,
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
NOVEMBER 2009
PAWS
Positive Attitudes Will Succeed
The middle school has joined the intermediate school and the elementary schools in a program called PAWS (Positive Attitudes Will Succeed). Instead of focusing on the negative, we are making an extra effort to focus on the positive. All school staff members use a uniform and positive approach in all school settings that include the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, recess areas, and even on the bus. The goal of PAWS is to establish a predictable, consistent, and positive school culture for all students and staff members. We focus on prevention, intercede to correct individual student behavioral "miscues," and consistently and frequently reward students who do the right thing.
This is how it works. When staff members observe a student doing something for which they believe the student should be rewarded, the staff members present a “paw” to the students. The students may then bring the paw to the office, fill out a form that explains what they did that earned them the paw, draw a number from a basket, and place their paw on the number board on the office wall for all to see. When paws fill a row, a column, or a diagonal, ALL of those students win an opportunity to choose a prize. We have a variety of prizes that include the following: water bottles, pens, pencils, bookmarks, erasers, pins, water glasses, and bracelets that all say “PAW PRIDE.” In addition to the prize that the children receive, the teachers’ names who have presented those winning paws are entered into a drawing that allows one lucky teacher to also pick from the prizes. What a great way to convey to the kids that doing the right thing matters.
Why are we using this program? We are using this program because it just seems like the right thing to do. Kids deserve to be rewarded for doing the right thing. Too often, the good things that kids do are overlooked. Sometimes, to be honest, we, as a school, as parents, as individuals tend to focus on what’s going wrong rather than what’s going right. Here at Mifflinburg, we are determined to change that mindset.
Family and student engagement is essential to our success. Parents get reinforced too with a phone call to inform them that their child has earned a paw. Mrs. Flynn makes the phone calls for sixth graders; Mr. Lynn makes the phone calls for seventh graders, and I make the phones for eighth graders. I think that we all can agree that those phone calls are the highlights of our day or week. Personally, I like to make my calls on Friday after school because it really just is a great way to start my weekend, and I can only think that it has the same effect for parents and their child. Perhaps, I have already made a phone call to you.
Sincerely,
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
Mifflinburg Area Middle School
OCTOBER 2009
Dear Parents and Guardians,
A parent-teacher conference is a powerful tool with the goal of helping everyone- the student’s parents, the teacher, and especially the child. Although, apprehension may play a part in both the minds of the teachers and the parents, I can assure you that the purpose of the conference is to make the time that your child spends with us as enjoyable and educational as possible. One way to do that is to get to know your child’s teachers.
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held November 12th (evening) and November 13th. Part of the middle school philosophy is for parents and members of the school staff, particularly teachers, to work as partners as we educate children. A parent-teacher conference is a tremendous opportunity to build this relationship, and communication is key.
Preparing for the Conference
Please complete the conference form that your child should have brought home for you to indicate your preference of teachers with whom you would like to conference and the time and date that is convenient for you. If you have not received a form, please call the school to have one sent home (966-8290). Ask your child about his or her classes to get an understanding of the teacher’s expectations. Ask your child if there are any questions or concerns that he or she may have.
During the Conference
This is the time to share any information that you believe will have an impact on your child’s school performance. Ask the teacher to explain anything you do not understand. Listen to what the teacher has to say and understand that any suggestions are based on the teacher’s certified professional opinion. Please respect the time limits for the conference. If more time is needed, ask to schedule another conference. Summarize what you think has been said. This can help avoid any misunderstandings and make clear what any follow-up plan will be.
After the Conference
Talk with your child about the conference, and be sure to mention the positive comments that the teacher made about him or her. Remember that you may always call the school to speak with your child’s teacher or make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher if the need arises throughout the school year. If I can be of help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
The goal of home and school are the same – the best possible education that we can provide for our (your) child(ren). By working cooperatively, we show our children how much we value them and their education.
Happy conferencing,
Sandra
Mattocks
Sandra Mattocks
Assistant Principal
SEPTEMBER 2009
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all
incoming sixth graders to
Please let us know how we can help you or your child. Keep in mind that if we don’t know about the problem, we can’t work together to solve it!
We are excited to introduce four new staff members:
Mrs. Melissa Webb will teach 7th and 8th grade science.
She writes: “I completed my BA in Biology with a minor in psychology and a
secondary education certificate from
Mr. Jeremy Walter will teach 7th and 8th grade mathematics and algebra.
Mr. Walter graduated from the
Mr. Jacob Stamey will be a learning support teacher for grades 7 and 8.
We actually share him with the intermediate school, so he is only with us for the afternoon. He is a 2008 graduate of Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Science degree in special education and elementary education. Mr. Stamey is originally from Danville. He comes to us with some teaching experience at the high school level.
Mrs. Lisa Sampsell
will support students in the classroom with Mr. Piermattei.
She has been a resident of Mifflinburg for 15 years. She has two daughters, Carissa who is a senior this year and Booke who is entering 7th grade here at the middle school. Mrs. Sampsell has worked with the school district for the past 7 years spending most of her time at the elementary school. She decided to try something new this year at the middle school. She writes, “I am very excited about my new position and looking forward to the new school year.” We are just as excited to have her!
This year is especially exciting for students and staff members at the middle school because we, along with the elementary and intermediate schools are implementing the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program as well as the Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support Plan.
Ø Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: Students receive a consistent, reinforced message about preventing bullying over an extended period of time and in a variety of settings. The goal of the program is to change the norms around bullying behavior and to restructure the school setting, so that bullying is less likely to occur.
Ø Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support Plan: The Schoolwide Positive Behavior Support Plan is a research-based and highly effective approach to creating, teaching, and reinforcing students’ social, emotional, and academic learning skills that improves and sustains academic achievement and mental and emotional wellbeing of all students. All school staff will use a uniform and positive approach in all school settings.
4Sight Testing September 9th (Math) and September 10th (Reading)
The 4 Sight test is a fairly new component of our assessment program. The test assesses student performance in reading and mathematics. It will be administered once during each of the marking periods. It is a research-based assessment designed to be a low-stakes, diagnostic test that will provide information for teachers to use in determining each child’s strengths and areas for improvement. Teachers will use the test results to guide instruction and differentiate teaching. The 4 Sight test was created to mirror the content and look of the PSSA and is intended to provide a quick estimate of how students would perform on the PSSA if the state test were administered on the same day.
The test will be administered during a compressed schedule, meaning the students will take the test at the beginning of the school day and have every class period for a shorter amount of time. The test uses the same modifications and accommodations that are used for the PSSA for those students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
School Photos September 18th
BRING
YOUR SMILE TO SCHOOL!
Book Fair September 21st –
September 25th
Please join
us for an evening of classes. Parents will be able to follow their child’s
schedule, enjoy hearing about their child’s teachers’ expectations, and ask
questions. I personally can attest to this evening being both informative and
enjoyable because I have two children who have gone through the
Photo Retakes-October 30th
CSP Community-School Partnership – September 28th @ 7:00 p.m.
This is an organization similar to the PTA or HSA.
Last Day of First Marking Period - November 4th
Parent – Teacher Conferences - November 12th and November 13th
I have provided you with a list of great opportunities to get involved with your child at the middle school level. When you come to any of the above activities, please introduce yourself to me. I would love to meet you.
Let’s make it a great year,
Sandra Mattocks
Mrs. Sandra Mattocks