Letter from the MC Principal

Hello Middle Campus Families,

On Monday it was great to see all the 6th grade families who came and met us in The Backyard before spending some time with their students’ advisors. The 7th and 8th graders brought great energy as they flowed through the halls during their Meet and Greets, and it was nice to see some of the 7th and 8th grade parents that stopped in as well.

On Tuesday we had a great first day at the Middle Campus. Students were excited to reconnect with old friends and teachers began building new relationships, as well as rebuilding old ones. We also saw several new students making their way and connecting with their peers. 6th graders found their way to their classes, and those that struggled to read their schedules got help from older students who were eager to show them the way. It was such a great day at Neighborhood Charter School! There’s excitement throughout our building and I am definitely looking forward to us having a great year.

On Monday, August 8th students will be able to begin attending Office Hours with their teachers after school from dismissal (approximately 3:10) to 4:00 pm. Office Hours are an opportunity for students to spend some time getting additional help from their teachers. If they have questions from class, need help completing homework, or want assistance in preparation for an upcoming summative assessment, students have the opportunity to see their teachers for Office Hours. 

Sometimes parents just tell their students to go to Office Hours even if they do not have work to do, but that is not the best use of Office Hours. Students should use this time with their teachers intentionally and come with questions or something specific with which they need help.

On Monday and Tuesday of next week Office Hours will be available according to the following schedule:

• Monday – Individuals & Societies, Language & Literature, Physical and Health Education, and Spanish
• Tuesday – Arts, Design, Math, and Sciences

We are still working through some of the details related to athletics practices and Office Hours, so I plan to have a full Office Hours schedule posted in the next Courier. Here are some other important things to know about Office Hours:

• Students can stay for some or all of the Office Hours time (3:10 – 4:00).
• Students can check in with multiple teachers during Office Hours.
• When students leave the building they must sign out at the front desk near the gym.
• At 4:00, all students must either leave campus after signing out, go to After Care if registered, or go to Athletics practice if applicable.

In addition to the full Office Hours schedule, also look for a message in the Courier next week from our MYP Coordinator Dale Scott with information about ManageBac (our online grade-keeping platform – you do not have access to this year’s classes yet) and the first IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme) Parent Information session. 

Have a great week, and if you have any questions feel free to reach out.

Kind regards,

Mark

Mark Sanders

Mark Sanders began teaching at ANCS in 2011. Before coming to the school, Mr. Sanders worked in New York City. He spent three years teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics at Middle School 50 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and two years at Harlem Village Academies teaching Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry. He taught 8th grade Math/Science/Technology at ANCS for five years.