Happy Monday! I hope that you were able to enjoy some time to relax with friends and family. Our band students played the National Anthem to open the marching band competition at SPHS on Saturday night. A number of our students also march in the High School's marching band and were part of the outstanding performance.

On Wednesday we have an Early Release Day. Students will be dismissed from school at 11:45 a.m. and they will take their buses home shortly thereafter. I have included the bell schedule below. If your child is participating in a sport after school, he/she will have to leave school and return for practice at the appropriate time.

Next Tuesday, we will begin our NECAP testing. All of our students will take two tests each morning on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our 8th graders will have an additional day of testing on Friday when they will take two writing tests. As with the MEAs, it is so important that all students get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast before coming to school. Students should bring a water bottle, pencils and a calculator. I have also asked our volunteer coordinators to send out an email asking parents to help us by donating snacks for students during the week of testing.

Our "Learning Together" night last week had to be canceled because we did not have enough parent registrations. We do plan on offering another night in the coming weeks. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please do remember to register so we can make sure it takes place.

Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered their time and energy to help us carry out our Vaccine Clinic last Thursday. I am thrilled to report that the clinic was very smooth and, thanks to our volunteers, it was very organized and efficiently carried out. Thank you also to our outstanding school nurse, Sue Comyns, for her leadership in this immense effort.

Last Thursday was also the launch of our annual Magazine Drive. The Magazine Drive is our biggest school-wide fundraiser. We have continued to participate in the Magazine Drive because many families continue to receive magazine and can simply re-order their subscription through this fundraiser, allowing us to get a percentage of the order. We recognize that there is a lot of material for you to sort through, but we would ask that you do take the time to read the material and do whatever you can to support our fundraising effort. We will also put a link on our website to the online ordering. Our collection days will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday this week.

We are aware that one of our buses, but #4, continues to arrive to school between 7:45 and 7:50 a.m. After speaking with members of the Transportation Department, they have explained that at this point they do not see this arrival time changing. We will continue to work with the Transportation Department to explore any and all possibilities but in the mean time, please encourage your child to get breakfast at home before coming to school as time will be very limited before students have to report to their homerooms.

An important reminder that students begin class at 7:55 a.m. If you are dropping your child off in the morning, please do all that you can to ensure that he/she arrives in time to get to his/her locker and then to class in time. When a student walks into class late, it interferes with classroom learning. Teachers start classes with bell work or activities at the beginning of class and students miss important material when they miss the opening minutes of class. Your understanding and cooperation with helping us to protect important learning time is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for all of your emails. We have been updating the links on our database.

If you are not getting the email, please send an email to Raye-Lin Merry (merryra@spsd.org).

A message from Mr. Conant regarding athletics this week:
Athletics Schedule for the week of 9-28-09
Wednesday is Early Release - Athletes will need to come back to Memorial for games or catch the bus at 2:15

Football:
Practice Monday - Wednesday 2:45 - 4:30
Thursday Game @ home vs Wescott 3:30 start
Practice Friday - 2:45-4:30

7th & 8th Grade Girls' Soccer:
7th & 8th grade Monday game @ Windham (3:30-8th 4:30-7th)
7th & 8th practice Tuesday - 2:45-4:00
7th & 8th grade Wed. home W/Mahoney - (3:30-8th 4:30-7th)
7th & 8th NO practice Thursday
7th & 8th practice Friday - 2:45-4:00

7th & 8th Grade Boy' Soccer:
7th & 8th grade Monday home w/Windham (3:30-8th 4:30-7th)
7th & 8th practice Tuesday - 2:45-4:00
7th & 8th grade Wed. game @ Mahoney - (3:30-8th 4:30-7th)
7th & 8th practice Friday - 2:45-4:00
7th & 8th practice Friday - 2:45-4:00

X-Country
Practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday - 2:45-3:30
Wednesday - meet @ Scarborough 3:30 start

Field Hockey:
Practice Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 2:45-4:00
Tuesday game home W/King (8th @ 3:30 - 7th @ 4:30)

Community Announcements
Community Medication Collection on Saturday, October 17
There will be a medication collection on Saturday, October 17 from 10:00-2:00 p.m. at the Cape Elizabeth Town Center Fire Station and at the South Portland Rec Center. You can safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medications that are sitting in medicine cabinets. This is an effort to raise awareness about safe ways to dispose of old medications, and to discourage people from flushing them or stashing them. Unused, unwanted or outdated pills, ointments, drops, prescriptions, veterinarian meds and over the counter items can be brought to these locations.

Have a wonderful week. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Megan Welter

Events this week:
Monday, September 28-Day #4
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 302 for students on 6th grade 2-person team & for 8th graders
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 108 for students on 6th grade 3-person team & for 7th graders
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start

Tuesday, September 29 - Day #5
Connections begin today - schedule is below
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 302 for students on 6th grade 2-person team & for 8th graders
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 108 for students on 6th grade 3-person team & for 7th graders
2:30 p.m. - Yearbook Club meeting - Room 204
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start

Wednesday, September 30 - Day #6
No Homework Club
11:45 a.m. - EARLY RELEASE for students
5:30 p.m. - REACH students return from Leadership Education Conference

EARLY RELEASE SCHEDULE
GRADE 6 GRADE 7 GRADE 8
8:00-8:40 Period 1 8:00-8:40 Period 1 8:00-8:40 Period 1 RA
8:40-9:30 Period 2 8:40-9:20 Period 2 RA 8:40-9:20 Period 2
9:30-10:25 Period 3 RA 9:20-10:00 -Period 3 9:20-10:00 Period 3
10:25-10:45 LUNCH 10:00-10:45 Period 6 10:00-10:50 Period 6
10:50-11:15 Period 4 10:50-11:15 Period 4 10:50-11:10 LUNCH
11:15-11:45 Period 5 11:15-11:40 LUNCH 11:10-11:45 Period 5
11:40-11:45 Homeroom

Thursday, October 1 - Day #1
No Homework Club
2:30 p.m. - Staff meeting in library
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
5:00 p.m. - Flu Clinic "Make Up" - Parents must be present

Friday, October 2 - Day #2
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start

Activities on the Horizon
October 7 - Progress Reports go home
October 12 - Holiday - No School

The Early Release Day is on September 30.

It's been another gorgeous weekend and I hope that everyone was able to enjoy it! Welcome back to our 6th grade students who spent most of the week at Camp Kieve. More than 100 of our students spent the week with our staff and with the staff at Camp Kieve learning a common language and skills to use the language, as well as learning more about themselves and others. The students reported that they had a great time and that they learned a great deal. With that said, the teachers and the students also reported being exhausted by the end of the week. Everyone is looking forward to using these newly acquired skills in the classroom and settling into a routine.

We had a number of parents join us at Camp Kieve to participate in the "Learning Together" program as well as the evening dinner and activities. The "Learning Together" program includes information and instruction much like that which the students received during their time at Camp Kieve. We recognize that not every parent was able to get to Nobleboro to visit their child at Camp Kieve and to participate in the Learning Together activities of that day. The staff at Camp Kieve has offered to provide a Learning Together evening for the parents at Memorial Middle School this Wednesday night. The evening will go from 5:30 until 8:00 p.m. The plan is to have two 45-minute sessions for parents as well as a light dinner. If you would be interested in attending this parent night, please email me (welterme@spsd.org) by Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. We need approximately 20 parents to attend in order to hold this event, so please RSVP at your earliest convenience.

Our 6th graders return in time for a very busy week. On Thursday, we will hold the first Vaccination Clinic. The nurses from the VNA will be at Memorial first thing in the morning and will administer the vaccinations to our students throughout the day. We will also begin our school-wide fundraiser this week. Your child(ren) will bring home an informational packet on Thursday. Please read over this information and do all that you can to support your student with this fundraiser. Students will need to bring their order forms in for collection days twice each week.

The students in our band will play the National Anthem at the Marching Band competition at South Portland High School this Saturday night. I have heard the students rehearse for their big performance and I can tell you that they sound great! If you have time on Saturday evening, come to the stadium at SPHS for a night of entertainment.

Thank you for all of your emails. We have been updating the links on our database.
If you are not getting the email, please send an email to Raye-Lin Merry (merryra@spsd.org).

A message from Mr. Conant regarding athletics this week:
Football:
Practice Monday - Wednesday 2:45 - 4:00
Game @ home vs Biddeford 3:30 start
Practice Friday - 2:45 - 4:00

7th & 8th Grade Girls' Soccer:
7th grade no Practice Monday
8th grade Monday home game W/SMCC - 4:40 start
7th & 8th practice Tuesday - 2:45 - 4:00
7th & 8th grade home game W/Scarborough - (8th 3:30 start)
7th & 8th practice Thursday - 2:45 - 4:00
7th & 8th grade home game W/Lincoln - (8th 3:40 start)

7th & 8th Grade Boy' Soccer:
7th grade no Practice Monday
8th grade Monday home game W/SMCC - 3:40 start
7th & 8th practice Tuesday - 2:45 - 4:00
7th & 8th grade @/Scarborough - (8th 3:30 start)
7th & 8th practice Thursday - 2:45 - 4:00
7th & 8th grade @/Lincoln - (8th 3:30 start)

X-Country
Practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday - 2:45 - 3:30
Wednesday - meet @ Lyman Moore 3:30 start

Field Hockey:
Practice Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2:45 – 4:00
Tuesday @/Gorham 8th @ 3:00 - 7th @ 4:30
Thursday @/Wescott (8th only 3:30 start)

Community Announcements
Community Medication Collection on Saturday, October 17 - There will be a medication collection on Saturday, October 17 from 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. at the Cape Elizabeth Town Center Fire Station and at the South Portland Rec Center. You can safely dispose of unwanted, unused and expired medications that are sitting in medicine cabinets. This is an effort to raise awareness about safe ways to dispose of old medications, and to discourage people from flushing them or stashing them. Unused, unwanted or outdated pills, ointments, drops, prescriptions, veterinarian meds and over the counter items can be brought to these locations.

Have a wonderful week. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

If you are receiving this newsletter and would like to be removed from the list, please send an email to Janet Flynn (flynnja@spsd.org) in the Main Office.

Sincerely,
Megan Welter

Events this week:
Monday, September 21 - Day #5
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 302 for students on 6th grade 2-person team & for 8th graders
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 108 for students on 6th grade 3-person team & for 7th graders
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
3:30 p.m. - Boys' Soccer vs. SMC at Memorial
4:30 p.m. - Girls' Soccer vs. SMC at Memorial

Tuesday, September 22 - Day #6
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 302 for students on 6th grade 2-person team & for 8th graders
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 108 for students on 6th grade 3-person team & for 7th graders
2:30 p.m. - Yearbook Club meeting - Room 204
2:45 p.m. - Team pictures for all athletic teams
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
3:30 p.m. - Field Hockey vs. Gorham at Gorham

Wednesday, September 23 - Day #6
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 302 for students on 6th grade 2-person team & for 8th graders
2:15 p.m. - Homework Club - Room 108 for students on 6th grade 3-person team & for 7th graders
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
3:30 p.m. - Boys' Soccer vs. Scarborough at Scarborough
3:30 p.m. - Girls' Soccer vs. Scarborough at Memorial
3:30 p.m. - Cross Country vs. Moore, SMC at PATHS (Portland)
5:30-8:00 p.m. - Kieve Parent Night - Follow up for 6th grade parents

Thursday, September 24 - Day #1
Magazine Drive Kick-Off
8:00 a.m. -2:00 p.m. - Vaccination Clinic at Memorial
NO HOMEWORK CLUB TODAY
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
3:30 p.m. - Field Hockey vs. Wescott at Wescott
3:30 p.m. - Football vs. Biddeford at Biddeford
6:30 p.m. - Secondary School Facilities Committee - SPHS

Friday, September 25 - Day #2
No Homework Club
No late bus
2:45 p.m. - Drama & sports practices start
3:30 p.m. - Boys' Soccer vs. Lincoln at Gulliver Field in Portland
3:30 p.m. - Girls' Soccer vs. Lincoln at Memorial

Activities on the Horizon
Saturday, September 26 - 2 p.m.-10 p.m. - Marching Band Competition at SPHS - Memorial Band will play the National Anthem at the start of the show.
Sunday, September 27 - 2:00 p.m. - Celebration of the Life of Mike Eastman - SPHS Auditorium
September 30 - Early Release 11:45 a.m.
October 1 - Early Release 11:45 a.m.
October 7 - Progress Reports go home
October 12 - Holiday - No School

Many of our students have MySpace pages and believe that they are doing everything they should to ensure their safety and privacy. This site is a really interesting way to examine all of the different ways that students may unintentionally divulge more information about themselves than they intend. Parents, teachers, and students are invited to check out this site to test their knowledge:
http://www.komando.com/myspace/myspace11.asp