Newsletter: Important Dates & Updates

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

...And We're Back!

Congrats to everyone on completing the first week of school! We know waking up earlier and adjusting to new schedules and routines takes some time. Remember to give yourself, your students, and the school team grace as we all navigate our way back into the rhythm of the school week.

Meetings and Important School Dates

Mark your calendars! September is a busy month at school, with a bunch of opportunities to connect with fellow Mastermanners, and get the year off to a good start.

THIS WEEK:

September 11, 8 p.m.: SAC Teaching and Learning committee meeting (details in SAC update below)
September 13, 7:30 p.m.: ZOOM WELCOME EVENT for new families (more info below)

UPCOMING:

September 17, 7:30 p.m.: Ad Hoc High School Admissions SAC committee (details in SAC update below)
September 18, 7 p.m.: SAC Climate and Culture committee meeting (details in SAC update below)
September 19: HSA GENERAL MEETING, 7:30 pm on Zoom. Meet the new board, learn about plans and opportunities to get involved this year!
September 21, 6-8 p.m.: BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT (BTSN)! More details to come soon.
September 22: High School Fall Picnic. Chaperones needed. See details below.
September 22, 5 p.m.: Celebration of Life for Denise Fennell, former Masterman main office staff. 5 pm on the roof, weather permitting (see flyer with more info below)
September 25: NO SCHOOL (Yom Kippur)
September 29: HALF DAY, 3-hour early dismissal (Staff Development)
September 30: Community volunteer work day. Lend a hand to repair and beautify Masterman’s indoor and outdoor spaces! Details to come, but please mark your calendars now.

FULL SDP CALENDAR

You can find the full SDP calendar here for 2023–2024 and 2024–2025 school years.

Attention New Families!

The Home & School Association invites you to join an informal welcome event with Q&A to meet school and community leaders, learn about how to get involved, and get your questions answered on Wednesday, September 13, 7:30 pm on Zoom.

To join:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85227199318?pwd=UUJXS1NHVC9sNEJab3lCaDUrdUJLQT09

Meeting ID: 852 2719 9318

Passcode: 1Wd0ZR

One tap mobile: +13092053325,,85227199318#,,,,*282591# US

This event is intended primarily to address parents and guardians, but students are of course welcome, too.

As we prepare, we'd love to know what questions you hope to hear answered!

Drop questions in this form or feel free to email membership@mastermanhsa.org. We will do our best to address them or follow up if possible. Please note that we aren't able to solve individual issues with access to SDP resources like SchoolNet or the portal notification system, or roster concerns. For such school-based questions, please contact the school by calling the main office.

The program will be recorded and shared for those who cannot make it at the scheduled time.

JOIN THE HSA!

Our fall membership drive is now live! Help us reach our goal of connecting with every family at Masterman! Join the HSA today by making a donation to our annual membership drive or sign up for free: https://www.mastermanhsa.org/annual-membership-campaign.html

School News

Updates from Dr. Payne:

You can find the Community Update Newsletter sent out on Fri. Sept. 4 HERE. This update includes a message from Principal Dr. Payne, staffing updates, calendar info, arrival and dismissal procedures & reminders, and a school cooling update. Translations are included as well.

Arrival, Drop-off, & Transportation Reminders:

Middle School students enter via doors on the patio (facing Spring Garden St.) and High School students enter through the 17th St. door.

(From Dr. Payne's Community Update) Masterman is an organization that sits within a neighboring community. The community has reached out to alert us to safety concerns pertaining to student drop off and pick up around the school. Families are reminded to:

Have students exit vehicles 1-2 blocks away from the actual school building to reduce congestion in a concentrated area (17th and Spring Garden)
Have students prepare to exit by assembling their belongings before you arrive at the school to reduce the time paused.
Students should exit the car on the sidewalk facing side of the car as the safest area that also interrupts the least traffic.
Students are asked to NOT walk through the property of adjoining properties.
Families are not permitted to park, wait or idle in the staff parking lot. No car without a current staff parking tag should park in the parking lot. Individuals in the lot can be ticketed and cars parked can be towed.

ICYMI - No more SEPTA pass upgrades needed for regional rail! Students who use regional rail no longer need to upgrade their SEPTA transpasses each week.

School Physical Forms & Immunizations Update

There was a messaging mixup on the health form packet sent home with students last week. Physicals forms are ONLY required for grades 6th and 11th grade students. 7th grade students are required to have a dental exam on file. Also, here is the link for required immunizations. https://www.philasd.org/studenthealth/#reqim. Immunizations can be emailed to Nurse Bagley at ebagley@philasd.org or a hard copy can be sent into school with your student.

School Forms and Documents at your fingertips! - School physical forms and nurse’s info, the athletics guide, and all of the most frequently requested files, forms, and links are now up on our school forms & documents page. You can also find the new, updated 2023-2034 Community Handbook on this page.

Student Dress Code (sharing from the 2023-2024 Community Handbook): Note: the language in this dress code was put together by school admin in concert with a group of students in the spring and summer.

The purpose of a dress code is to support the safe and respectful interactions of the individuals studying and working at Masterman. We have a highly diverse community. Our dress code strives to find common ground for all to feel comfortable and be able to concentrate on intellectual growth and academic achievement.

Any article of clothing having messages or pictures with references to alcohol/drugs, violence, profanity, cultural/ethnic intimidation or discrimination are not permitted.
Shorts, skirts, and dresses must be mid-thigh or longer.
Garments intended to be used as undergarments (including camisoles) must be covered appropriately.
Tube tops and tops that reveal midriff (sternum to top of bottoms) and/or open and exposed backs are not permitted.
Open-toe shoes and other footwear that could cause injury are not permitted. Because of safety and sanitation such as science labs, P.E., or art classes, teachers may require more substantial footwear. Special dress requirements exist in physical education classes, in the arts, and science laboratory classes.
Students are not permitted to wear hats or hoods in school. Students’ faces are not to be obscured by any headwear. Religious headwear is permitted. Final decision as to the appropriateness of student attire is at the discretion of administration.
SDP Dress Code expectations are as follows: https://www.philasd.org/studentrights/dress-code-expectations/

Chaperones Needed for High School Fall Picnic on 9/22!

The Student Government Association (SGA) is planning the High School Fall Picnic for 9/22. The plan is to leave Masterman on foot around 8:45 a.m. and walk to Von Colln Field. Students can play, relax, eat, and enjoy time with classmates. Small groups may go to Wawa and Whole Foods on a set schedule with a chaperone. We will dismiss from Von Colln by 2:45 p.m.; students may leave from there or go back to school.

Parent chaperones are needed to volunteer. Volunteer clearances are required. If you are able to volunteer, please complete this form,: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmUVkMubHS3KVEI31StEaapt-qNpzS31ZsG7aYcAj6se83FA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Update on Early Lunches & Snacking

SDP Assistant Superintendent Gordon joined the SAC meeting on Wed. 9/6 and shared that the district is continuing to look at Masterman's scheduling issues, especially as it relates to the super early lunch times for 5th and 7th grades, and that the schedules are not necessarily final.

In the meantime, Dr. Payne and AP Lennon shared that students with these early lunch times can bring snacks from home and snack in their afternoon classes. They also noted that students who do not bring snacks from home can get grab-and-go breakfasts before school to use for snacking purposes during the day. They are working on a more specific snack time plan and process which they will share with families and staff. In the meantime, they asked parents to reach out if their student(s) encounter any issues with snacking during class time. Dr. Payne noted that students should be allowed to eat when/if they are hungry.

Athletics Update

The HSA Athletics Committee is working with the School Administration to provide helpful information to all community members regarding our Athletics programs at Masterman. A new feature that was recently released is a Masterman Athletics Calendar for all Sports. This calendar view will track game cancellations (and rescheduled games) which was a topic this week.

Coming soon: We are in the process of making additional information and links available to the community in a new webpage on the Masterman School website. You can also find the GUIDE TO ATHLETICS AT MASTERMAN (A complete update on Masterman's sports teams, coaches, and athletes for the start of school) and the SPORTS PHYSICAL FORM (PIAA) on the HSA school forms & documents page.

If you are interested in joining the HSA Athletics Committee, please contact Athletics@mastermanhsa.org.

Middle School Sports - Anyone interested in middle school sports should complete the PIAA Sports Physical form and submit it to the Athletic Office. Fall Sports Golf and COED Soccer will begin on or about 9/20/23. No one will be permitted to participate without a completed medical form. Any questions ask anyone in the Athletics Office, which is located in the gymnasium or reach out to Mr. Otarola at votarola@philasd.org.

Music News - Week of Sept. 11

8th Grade lunch enrichment starts this week

Monday - Guitar
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - Musical

Music Lessons

Monday & Tuesday - Violin assessments
Tuesday - Brass lessons will begin
Thursday - Percussion lessons will begin
Friday - Woodwind lessons will begin
String lessons will start the week of Sept 18

High School Ensembles

High school choir starts Monday, Sept 11
High school orchestra starts Tuesday, Sept 12 at 7:30 a.m and during advisory
High school jazz band starts Friday, Sept 15 at 7:30 a.m. and during advisory

Middle School Ensembles

Middle school choir & keyboard club will start the week of Sept 18
Middle school band, orchestra, and jazz band will begin once lessons are underway (TBD)

For any questions about our music program, feel free to contact Mrs. Neu at kkelter@philasd.org.

Library News

Library Card - Does your student need a public library card? Encourage them to attend the school's September is Library Card Sign-Up Month event at their lunch hour on Thursday, Sept. 14th.

Explore Your World With Books DonorsChoose - For the past ten years, Masterman Librarian, Ms. Kearney, has written a DonorChoose Grant to fund the books needed to participate in the Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Awards (PYRCA). This fun reading activity is easy for the students to do--they only have to read three books from one of the lists and vote for their favorite in the spring. What is special about this program is the students from the Commonwealth have nominated the books on the lists and will vote for the one they liked the best. It is totally kid-centered and sans pressure and the books are top-notch, recently published works. Right now, we are a little short of the goal. The students who have participated before are anxious to start. If you find it possible to donate to this project, Explore Your World With Books, we all would be grateful.

Our Future is Science Mentorship (OFIS) Program Opportunity for 10-12 Graders

The OFIS Program looks at the intersection of STEAM & social justice. The program is a near-peer, virtual experience that pairs high school mentees with STEAM graduate student mentors to help facilitate an academic year-long journey of mentorship, scientific learning, community engagement, and career exploration. This program pays HS student mentees a $1000 stipend, is virtual, and all materials are provided.

High-schoolers (10-12th grade) residing in the U.S. are eligible to apply and applications for mentees are due by Sept. 30, 2023. Learn more and get details on applying HERE.

SAC Update

The first JR Masterman SAC meeting was held at 6:00 p.m. last Wednesday and was attended by over 100 members of our community including Assistant Superintendent Richard Gordon who answered questions regarding the school selection process. Thank you all for your engagement and participation.

We would also like to thank everyone who submitted topics via the submission form to inform the discussion and your input to the agenda. Please use this input form https://forms.gle/MHM3kGc9K5RDmcUv7 or email jrmastermansac@gmail.com if you wish to submit a topic for SAC members to consider or for a particular topic to be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. Your input and engagement is critical for a high functioning SAC.

Many topics such as upcoming events - BTSN, new parent orientation, and a celebration of life event for Ms. Fennell were discussed. Updates and questions regarding teacher vacancies, roof access for recess, school selection process, early 7th grade lunch, extreme heat protocols were also discussed. See meeting agenda for more details: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v-akHmkjJhFc3wfPVs580l4UcYzxzANrm-3kt7Gyk3c/edit?usp=sharing.This presentation was shared as a resource in the meeting. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vB_Chy75wpSsVY2ZaTE2DHOIw6kcFk7I0ybKoCCiVh4/edit?usp=sharing

Meeting business update: The SAC unanimously voted to form a new Ad Hoc Bell Schedule Review Committee to review and discuss impacts of the new bell schedule on our different cohorts of students in order to provide informed feedback and recommendations. This committee will be co-chaired by Ester Roche-Curet (last year's SAC secretary), Ms. Elana Solomon, Ms. Carolyn Gray, and David Neale (former teacher and current Masterman parent). Students, parents, and teachers are encouraged to participate. This committee will meet on the first Mondays of each month. The first meeting is on Oct. 2nd at 7 p.m. Once a Zoom link is confirmed, the meeting will be published in the school calendar and updated on the SAC website. The SAC also unanimously voted to add a SAC By-laws review committee as we are required to review the SAC By-laws every three years. Ms. Solomon, Ms. Geiger, and SAC member Michael Wang will co-chair this committee.

Note: We have not ironed out the protocols for publishing a summary of meeting minutes prior to them being approved in the next meeting. Once we have that sorted, we plan to get a summary of minutes as quickly as possible to the whole school community. Thank you for your patience and support as the new SAC members transition into their roles.

Missed the last SAC meeting? Join us next month.

WHEN: 1st Wednesday of every month from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Future meeting dates: Oct 4, Nov 1, Dec 6, Jan 3, Feb 7, March 6, Apr 3, May 1, and June 5.

WHERE: Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89602803975?pwd=UW5qcWx4RThIVTNEZHJFQy9Qd295dz09

Meeting ID: 896 0280 3975

Passcode: 649322

Upcoming SAC Committee Meetings: Most of the work done by SAC is in committees.

JOIN US THIS WEEK FOR THE TEACHING AND LEARNING COMMITTEE MEETING:

Monday, September 11, 8-9 p.m.: SAC Teaching and Learning committee meeting. The Teaching and Learning committee is the place to discuss concerns impacting the learning of students and offer input that can be communicated to administration and staff. Students, parents and teachers are invited to attend the meeting. Meetings are scheduled for the 2nd Mondays of each month. (Join Zoom Meeting: https://philasd-org.zoom.us/j/89170837993?pwd=VDFzZldyMDI1U2IyL0ttcGRYSUc2dz09 (https://philasd-org.zoom.us/j/89170837993?pwd=VDFzZldyMDI1U2IyL0ttcGRYSUc2dz09), Meeting ID: 891 7083 7993 Passcode: 143290)

NEXT WEEK:

Sunday, September 17, 7:30-8:30 p.m: Ad Hoc HS Admissions committee to discuss the school selection process and collect questions and concerns about the specifics of school selection this year. Zoom TBD
Monday, September 18, 7-8 p.m: SAC Climate and Culture committee meeting. Meetings are scheduled for the 3rd Mondays of each month. This committee will discuss how to preserve the culture of academic excellence at Masterman and also plans start the conversation about the potential resizing of school to accomodate all qualified 8th graders who wish to continue at Masterman for HS in the first meeting. (Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81726008429?pwd=R3hXQlZYZGhTcTVuMFFuYndpS1BmQT09 Meeting ID: 817 2600 8429 Passcode: 846564)

All meeting info is being updated both on the SAC webpage and School calendar as quickly as possible.

Call for HSA Volunteers and Leaders

If you are interested in helping out in any capacity this year, now is a great time to connect.

You can make as large or small of a commitment as you wish—there is something for everyone to do! We especially need people interested in helping with planning social events to help build community!

Email president@mastermanhsa.org or membership@mastermanhsa.org if you have a skill or interest to contribute! And plan on attending the first HSA meeting on September 19 to GET INVOLVED. You can also check out our volunteer page for more ways to help out.

INFO & RESOURCES

Carpool and Neighborhood Connections

Are you looking for families to carpool with, or willing to offer advice to new families about transportation from your area of the city? The Home & School Association has created a way to share your neighborhood and contact information to connect with other families for transportation and other support. Please take a moment to complete this form so we can help connect you with other interested families. Parents/guardians can submit information and receive a link to the shared spreadsheet.

Connect with Other Families on Facebook

One of the best ways to stay connected with other families is through Facebook groups. These groups are not run by the HSA, but moderated by individual parents with kids currently in each grade.

Prepare Now to Chaperone School Events and Trips!

The school district requires certain clearances and background checks for all adults entering the school or accompanying students at field trips and other events. Get your clearances now and submit them to the main office so that you're ready to help out come September. Info is here.

Masterman Logo Gear

Support our school and show your Masterman pride with a new tee, hat, bag, shorts, or water bottle.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

We’ll have some brand new Masterman swag for sale at great prices at Back to School night! We’re looking for volunteers to help out at the sales table, please email logo@mastermanhsa.org and president@mastermanhsa.org if you are available.

SUPPORT

We need each other.

Donate to the HSA today and help fund this year's programs, activities, and improvements!

HSA ANNUAL FUND

Donations fund the many programs and initiatives of the HSA that support our school, teachers, families, and students. Whether you are able to give $5 or $500, your gift is meaningful, and signals your commitment to our community.

Thank Our Auction Sponsors

Over 100 businesses donated to the spring auction last year to support the Masterman HSA. Show your gratitude by supporting them in return! Browse the list here.