Middle School Parent's Association

MSPA What's Happening - Jan. 6, 2020

Wendy Derzawiec

January 6, 2020

What's Happening

January 6, 2020
Letter from the Presidents Dear Parents, We hope you enjoy your time off from school and work and we will see you in the new year!  There are plenty of activities happening over the next couple of weeks to keep everyone busy.  Thank you Jamie Sevigny for taking charge of the Teacher Holiday Breakfast.  Thank you to everyone who pitched in and helped Jamie!  Our teachers and faculty give so much to our children on a daily basis, we hope they enjoyed breakfast. As we hit the almost halfway mark for the year, we also want to say thank you to our bus drivers who get our children to and from school safely. THIS WEEK'S SCHOOL HAPPENINGS:
  • 5/6th grade Winter VEX IQ Robotics starts January 28th:  The Winter 2020 Grade 5-6 VEX IQ Robotics program will run on Tuesdays after school (2:30 to 4 PM) from January 28 to March 31. (Due to a conflict with another robotics program, there will be no VEX IQ session on February 11.) This is a total of eight after-school sessions. Students work in pairs (although singles may be accommodated if requested) to design and build a robot for the official 2019-20 VEX IQ competition game called "Squared Away." The culminating Winter VEX IQ Tournament will be held on Thursday, April 2, from 5 to 6:30 PM. Families are welcome to attend this event. Students compete in a shortened version of a VEX IQ tournament, including qualification matches, elimination matches, and trophies for tournament champions and judged awards. If interested, please contact ethayer@capeelizabethschools.org by Friday, January 10. Depending on the level of interest in the session, a lottery system may be used to determine session roster.
  • Spelling Bee: The CEMS school spelling bee will be held Thursday, January 16 at 3 pm in the LLC. Please stop by the library to pick up a Spelling Bee Study List. Or better yet, grab a copy of the Great Words, Great Works list of books. The Scripps National Spelling Bee selects Great Words, Great Works titles annually for the richness of their vocabulary and for their stories' ability to spark the intellect and the imagination. All words on the 2020 School Spelling Bee Study List may be found in the pages of these books. And winter vacation is a great time to read! We hope to see you at the Bee.
  • CEMS Drama: Auditions for Mary Poppins Jr will take place after school Thursday, January 16th and Friday, January 17th. Rehearsals will be most days after school so it is not possible to participate in Track and also be in the musical. Signups and audition info will be posted after the break. Performances will take place the weekend of April 3rd. If you have any questions please email the director Lisa Boucher Hartman at lboucherhartman@capeelizabethschools.org
Today, Monday is Day 6. Sincerely, Heather Reeves and Jennifer Pollick Co-Presidents
What's Happening this month: ** MSPA Sponsored Events and Programs

January

8 - Early Release day, dismissal 1:25 8 - Launch of the new and improved CESD website 9 - Shawnee Peak, Mandatory parent meeting, 5pm CEMS Cafetorium

14 - MSPA Monthly Meeting 8:30am**

15 - Variety Show - 2:30-4pm and 7-8pm

16 - Hannaford Gift Card deadline**

16 - CEMS Spelling Bee, 3pm 16-17 - Auditions for CEMS Drama Mary Poppins Jr. 20 - No School, MLK Jr. Day

22 - Early Release day, dismissal 1:25 To view the year in advance the MSPA 2019-2020 Calendar can be found here.  It is regularly updated, so save the link.



What's on the Menu this Week? Monday:  Super Nachos, Salad Bar, Fruit Bar, Milk Variety. Alternatives: Deli Bar, Assorted Bagels, Chicken Patty on a Bun, Chicken Cheese Bacon on Bulkie, Cheese Quesadilla Tuesday: Manicotti, Garlic Bread, Salad Bar, Fruit Bar, Milk Variety. Alternatives: Deli Bar, Assorted Bagels, Taco Wrap, Spicy Chicken Patty on a Bun, Baked Potato, Soup Kelly's Choice Wednesday: Sloppy Joes, Salad Bar, Fruit Bar, Milk Variety. Alternatives: Deli Bar, Assorted Bagels, Chicken Patty on a Bun, Butternut Squash Ravioli, English Muffin Pizzas, Soup Kelly's Choice Thursday: Chicken Noodle Soup, Salad Bar, Fruit Bar, Milk Variety. Alternatives: Deli Bar, Assorted Bagels, Spicy Chicken Patty on a Bun, Sausage Hoagie, Pretzel Bites, Soup Kelly's Choice Friday: Homemade Cheesy Bread, Salad Bar, Fruit Bar, Milk Variety. Alternatives: Deli Bar, Kelly's Choice

Check out your child's class progress Happy New Year!   Thank you to all of you who grabbed bags before the holidays!  We are seeing them coming through.  Chase / Briggs takes the top spot with $41.55 and 5th grade takes over the next three spots with Doane / Geikie in 2nd with $32.45, Arbour / Newton in 3rd with $27.00 and Karlonas / Whaley in 4th with $22.95.  Remember the CLYNK for Schools Recycling Challenge will begin January 21, 2020 and will run through March 20, 2020. For every $1 raised during the challenge period, our school will get an additional $.50 plus the opportunity to compete for additional cash prizes. Cape Elizabeth is hopeful to take one of the top spots again this year after just missing it last year.  Thank you for your support! Sheri Bragg. Please contact Sheri if you are interested in learning how the Clynk Program is run, she is looking for a Clynk Chair Shadow(s) for the remainder of this year as she prepares to move on to the HS.

Hannaford Grocery Card Fundraiser Update :  Just four months into the school year and we've already raised $940.00 - just by grocery shopping!   Fill out this form and drop it off, along with your check, to the MS or Pond Cove front office and get a Hannaford grocery card for the full amount of your check.   Hannaford gives our school 5% back of our monthly order - you choose the grade your 5% gets allocated to.  The money STAYS with that class for future outdoor programming.   You may also choose to send your 5% to teacher grants.  Next due date is January 16th! For questions please email Laura Allen at allenlaura207@gmail.com.    See here how your child's Chewonki fundraising is going.  

Download the ALL-NEW Box Tops app and just scan your grocery receipt.

Get the app at: https://www.boxtops4education.com We will still be collecting paper Box Tops and dimes all year! Next Collection Date, February 15.

Substitute Teachers/Nurses Needed Cape Elizabeth School Department is in need of Substitute Teachers and Substitute Nurses. Please apply online at https://hr.cape.k12.me.us/main-menu/learn-more/jobs 
Community Events and Programs

CAPE ELIZABETH MUSIC APPAREL The Cape Elizabeth Music Apparel Store is open until January 9.  

The 8th annual WinterFest is on Saturday, February 1, 2020 Sponsored by the Rotary Club of South Portland-Cape Elizabeth and the City of South Portland WinterFest this year is a one day event, Saturday February 1, at various sites in South Portland. WinterFest begins with a pancake breakfast at the South Portland Community Center from 8-10:30. This event is sponsored by the CE Lions Club. At Hinckley Park, Lower Pond, on Highland Avenue, there will be kids' fishing derby, two sessions,  9-11 am and 11-3pm. Pre-registration is required. 11am-3 pm at the South Portland Golf Course there will be showshoeing, fat tire bikes, cross country skiing. Geocaches will be hidden on the course for kids to find and be entered to win prizes. At Millcreek Park there will be ice skating, music, play with the high school hockey team and coffee and hot cocoa trucks. This will take place from 11am-3pm. At the Wainwright Recreation Complex, Gary Maietta Parkway off of Highland Avenue SP from 11am-4pm there will be skating, games on the ice, Touch the Trucks, a sledding hill a cardboard sled contest, and horse drawn carriage rides followed by fireworks. A complete schedule of events and the cardboard sled contest directions can be found on the South Portland WinterFest facebook page or southportlandme.myrec.com. We hope Cape Elizabeth families will join in the fun.

Looking for Some Indoor Winter Fun?
  • There is still room in Finally Fun Science on Friday afternoons ( Grades 5 -7) 
  • How about indoor tennis on Saturday mornings?
  • Family Tennis on Sunday morning?
  • Advanced Irish Dance on Fridays?   
Register through Community Services at 207-799-2868 or online.