Mowat Middle School F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 I S S U E 6 Ed Sheffield

Principal

Cynthia Walker

Assistant Principal

Angela Reese

Administrative

Assistant

Elizabeth Swedlund

Administrative

Assistant

Catherine Moore

Administrative

Assistant

Mowat Guidance

767-4041

Crystal Wicker A-K

Nancy Smith L-Z

Office 850-767-4040

Fax 850-265-2179

Principal’s Corner by Ed Sheffield

Dates to Remember

-Mowat Writes February 3rd -Presidents’ Day (no school) February 16th

Parents want their children to succeed, but their kids didn't come with an

operation manual. It is up to us as school leaders to advise parents. After

all, if we don't, who will?

What Parents Can Do:

Attendance is a key to success. Get your child to school on time every

day.

Read and tell stories to your child, even if it is a short excerpt from a news-

paper or magazine.

Engage your child in two-way conversation. How parents interact and con-

verse with children makes a huge difference in their acquisition of academ-

ic vocabulary.

Show an interest in your child's education. Ask him or her how their day at

Mowat went.

P A G E 2

Please be

kind...some noses

are sensitive to

certain perfumes,

cologne, and/or

body sprays. Re-

member to keep

to a minimum.

Go Mustangs!

School Lunch

Breakfast: $1.50

Lunch:$2.75

For free and reduced meals con-

tact the school for an application.

For paying online visit the Bay

District Schools website and click

on the school lunches tab.

You will need your student’s

10-digit school identification

number.

Class RotationClass RotationClass Rotation

Rotation 1: 1,2,3,4,5,6Rotation 1: 1,2,3,4,5,6Rotation 1: 1,2,3,4,5,6

Rotation 2: 3,4,5,6,1,2Rotation 2: 3,4,5,6,1,2Rotation 2: 3,4,5,6,1,2

Rotation 3: 5,6,1,2,3,4Rotation 3: 5,6,1,2,3,4Rotation 3: 5,6,1,2,3,4

7th graders….Make

certain your shot

records are up

to date!

T-Shirt Days

February 6th

February 20th

Yearbooks are on sale for

$50

Bring cash or check to

Mrs. Vaughn in room

505.

Make checks payable to

Mowat Yearbook.

Educating the

mind without

educating the

heart is no

education at

all.

-Aristotle

Attendance Line before and after school: 850-767-4042

P A G E 3

Dress Code

Mustang’s RACE

Respect

Act Responsibly

Care for Others

Engaged

If your student is absent for ANY reason, you must contact the school.

There have been comments in the News Herald that the dress code is confusing, so we wanted to clarify things for

Mowat families. The only change in our dress code is that students no longer are required to tuck in their

shirts. They still have to wear belts. They still must wear a collared shirt in Mowat colors: navy blue, yellow or white,

or Mowat spirit t-shirts. The district dress code policy allows for black pants at the discretion of the principal;

however, Mowat will NOT BE ALLOWING BLACK PANTS. Like always, bottoms must be khaki, denim (indigo blue)

or navy blue. If students wear hoodies (tops with hoods that must be pulled over their heads), they MUST be either

a Mowat hoodie or plain navy blue, yellow or white. Students will be required to remove any non-dress code hood-

ie. If your student gets cold in the classroom now, or as you are purchasing clothing for the fall, be sure they have a

jacket that fastens in the front with a zipper or buttons (must unzip all the way, not partial zipper). If your student

has holes in his or her pants, even the decorative variety, they will be required to change into another pair of pants--

which parents will be called to bring--regardless of where the holes are located.

NO HOLES IN PANTS!

Statewide Assessments

Students and parents can now view the

practice tests to help better prepare

themselves for the Spring statewide

assessments.

Visit www.fsassessments.org to get an idea

of what the format of the tests will look

like. *Content is not grade specific*.

*ESE Newsletter Link*

http://paec.org/wp_paec/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Bay-Fall-13-Newsletter.pdf

Mowat Testing Schedule

1/12/15-2/20/15 Discovery Education testing (DE)

2/3/15 Mowat/Bay Writes for ALL students

3/2/15-3/13/15 FSA writing test for ALL students

3/30/15-4/1/15 Civics progress monitoring exam III for 7th graders

4/13/15-5/8/15 FSA reading for ALL students + NGSSS Science for 8th graders only

4/13/15-5/8/15 FSA math for ALL students except for Algebra and Geometry students

4/20/15-5/15/15 Algebra I and Geometry EOC

Parent Pick-up/ Parking Please be mindful of those picking up/dropping off students in front of the gym. If

you are parked in the traffic pattern, you are impeding progress of those whose

students are already in the pick-up zone. Parent parking is available in our sand lot

in front of the gym. Please utilize this area if you know your child

may be running a little late in the afternoon.

**Note: Please avoid pick up and drop off in our bus loading

zone, or in the teacher parking lot off of Hwy. 390.

P A G E 4

Attention 8th Grade Parents!!! If you have not signed your student up for the 8th grade trip, now is

the time to act! Registration closes March 12. The trip will be a 4 day tour of our capital as well as

Gettysburg, truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Don't miss out! Parents are welcome too. For

more information contact Mrs. Piotrowski at PIOTRL@BAY.K12.FL.US. To sign up online, go

to http://dn.educationaltravel.com/. Click the Registration link and us Trip ID #: 104583.

Payment plans are available through Worldstrides as well as scholarships.

Mustang Sports

Schedule

PBS, Positive Behavior Supports, is in it’s third year at Mowat. Each month, Mustangs learn a new character trait that exemplifies the acronym RACE (Respect, Act responsibly, Care for others, Engaged). As Mustangs prepare for high school and beyond, they are becoming responsible and building character.

Students are able to earn RACE tickets randomly when caught following school rules or being a good citizen. Caught Reading tickets are earned by students caught reading during less structured time such as lunch or before school.

Weekly drawings are held for prizes such as $10 Itunes cards, restaurant gift cards, candy ,trinkets, etc. A selection of novels is available to those names drawn for Caught Reading. If you would like to donate prizes or funds to assist with this ongoing program, please contact Angela Reese, Administrative Assistant, 767-4040.

Mustangs

RACE!

P A G E 5

Boys Basketball Girls Soccer

Tues. Feb. 3 Mowat v. NBH Tues. Feb. 3 Mowat v. NBH

Thurs. Feb. 5 Breakfast Pt. v. Mowat Thurs. Feb. 5 Breakfast Pt. v. Mowat

Tues. Feb. 10 Mowat v. Bay Haven Tues. Feb. 10 Mowat v. Bay Haven

Thurs. Feb. 12 Jinks v. Mowat Thurs. Feb. 12 Jinks v. Mowat

Tues. Feb. 17 Mowat v. Everitt Tues. Feb. 17 Mowat v. Everitt

Thurs. Feb. 19 Post Season Rnd 1 @ higher seed school Thurs. Feb. 19

Post Season Rnd 1 @ higher seed school

Feb. 20 & 24 Rnd 2&3 @ Merritt Brown Feb. 20 & 23 Rnd 2 & 3 @ Surfside

**If you would like to tryout for the Mowat Dance team you must attend

the Mandatory Parent Meeting on March 4th at 5:30 in the Mowat Library.

Balloons or Flowers Delivered to School:

We know that , as parents, we like to let our children know that they are

very special. We encourage you to continue to recognize your children

on special occasions, but we ask that you consider whether school is the

appropriate place to do so.

Students are NOT allowed to receive flowers and balloons during school

hours due to disruptions they may cause in classrooms, around school,

and on the buses.

THESE ITEMS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT SCHOOL!

Sign up online

http://www.bay.k12.fl.us/Parents/ParentPortal.aspx http://chartwells.compass-usa.com/BDS/Pages/SiteMenus.aspx

Menus, nutrition information, and

prices can be found @

P A G E 6

First in Math

First in Math is an online program that the entire district is participating in. It will help you child master fundamental and advanced math skills through fun and challenging games. It uses Deep Practice techniques to increase critical thinking, problem solving, computation, and essential math basics in a shorter period of time because feedback is given immediately. Research shows that FirstInMath.com increases test scores for all students, no matter their starting level. Your child has been given a User ID and Password by their math teacher. Your child will need a computer or hand-held device with Flash Player software and internet access to access the site. Encouraging your child to play a few minutes a day will increase their math skills and overall confidence and performance in math. Let's join together to make Mowat a problem solving machine!

P A G E 7