School News

Marshall Simon Middle School Welcomes Students Back

On August 30th, 2021, the faculty and staff of MSMS welcomed 775 students back to the building. This was a momentous occasion, as the last time all students were in the building was March 12th, 2020. Even for the students who were here in person last year, they did not have a typical middle school experience. Between learning how to use a locker for the first time, and learning how to transition from one classroom to another, over two thirds of our students have had a lot to learn in this last week. Needless to say, the excitement and energy at MSMS is shared by teachers and students to all be together again, albeit with masks. 

To support the return of students, MSMS hosted several activities, all before school started. 

We had our third annual orientation program for incoming 6th graders and other students who are new to the school. The Marshall Simonds Middle School transition and orientation program, or WEB – Where Everyone Belongs, is a program with the sole purpose of helping incoming students feel more comfortable as they transition to middle school. With the help of MSMS teachers and staff, 8th grade WEB leaders facilitated in-person activities and school tours that helped incoming students understand important information about our school. These 8th grade WEB leaders are responsible students who were selected from a large pool of applicants, have met the qualifications of being a good role model, are positive leaders in our school, and have participated in training. These WEB leaders will continue to support 6th grade students throughout the year. We would like to thank the Burlington Education Foundation for their generous support in bringing WEB to Marshall Simonds Middle School. 

In addition to orientation for students, we also hosted some Welcome Back Building Walkthroughs. These tours were an opportunity for students and their families to tour the building and gain familiarity with the space before the first day of school. We were glad to see many 6th grade families, as well as families of 7th and 8th graders who were previously remote or whose parents had not yet been inside the Marshall Simonds Middle School building. 

MSMS also welcomed Moose, our therapy dog, into the school full time this year. Moose loves coming to school just as much as all of the students and teachers who love seeing him here. 

Finally, MSMS teachers are preparing for our Virtual Back to School Night, which is tonight (September 9th) from 6:30-8:00pm. This is an event where parents can meet their child’s teachers and learn about the curriculum for the year. Parents and families should have already received an email with the login information for the meeting, which will be held by each grade level team. We hope to “see” all of the middle school parents and family members tonight.