Letter from the MC Principal

Hello MC families,

I’m starting my letter off with a few housekeeping items. Tonight there will be an information session about the 8th grade year-end trip to Savannah at 6:30 pm in the Media Center. This week, boy’s basketball tryouts are happening on Monday 10/2 and Thursday 10/5 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm at the Grant Park Rec Center (537 Park Avenue SE). Girl’s basketball tryouts will take place on Monday 10/16 and Thursday 10/19 from 4:00 – 5:00 pm in the Middle Campus Gym.

Switching gears, the middle campus class schedule rotates three times during the year – in October, in January and in March. After Fall Break, student’s schedules will rotate. Students will be in the same class groupings, the classes just happen at different times. For every student their last class will become their first class, and classes 1, 2, and 3 will all move back a slot in the rotation (1 becomes 2; 2 becomes 3; and 3 becomes 4). The goal of the schedule rotation is for students to experience each class at different times of the day, and also for their teachers to experience who the students are at different times of the day. Students don’t have the same class all year long right after lunch and recess, or the same class at the very end of the day all year long. Monday, October 16th is the first day of the new rotation and it is an A Day.

By now you should have heard from your student’s Advisor about scheduling your student’s fall student-led conference. As I mentioned in my last Courier letter, parents have the option for in-person conferences this year. Regarding conference preparation, last week students did some self reflection about how their commitment to the Guiding Principles has impacted their academic growth. This week during Advisory, students are looking at feedback that they have received from their teachers about their commitment to the Guiding Principles, and comparing this feedback to their own reflections. We encourage students to attend Office Hours and to speak to their teachers this week if they have questions about their feedback. The week after Fall Break students will be focusing on preparing their talking points for their conferences.

It’s important to note that these conferences are truly student-led. While it can be tempting for parents to take over these conferences and ask their own set of questions, your students will have their own presentations prepared. Please follow your student’s lead, as students reflecting and sharing about their own learning process is a big part of how we help our students learn how to use their minds well (Coalition of Essential Schools). 

Regarding Fall Break, as a reminder the school will be closed from Monday, October 9th through Friday, October 13th (a teacher work day), and students will return to school on Monday, October 16th. We hope that you have a safe, restful, and enjoyable break next week! If you have any questions please 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.