MAPLEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL TO OPEN IN THREE LOCATIONS

In what could be the stupidest idea yet, the school district is offering this confusing idea for Wednesday, according to the letter below sent tonight:

Dear MMS Community Member,

As I write to you this evening, Maplewood Middle School remains without power.  However, we have secured a place for each of our grade levels so that classes can resume tomorrow, Wednesday, November 7.  The following locations, with corresponding times, will be used for each of our three grade levels until we can go back to MMS.   

Grade 6 will go to The Montrose School Building from 8:30am to 1:30pm, at 365 Clark Street, South Orange.

Grade 7 will go to South Orange Middle School from 8:30am to 1:30pm, at 70 North Ridgewood Road, South Orange.

Grade 8 will go to Columbia High School from 8:45am to 1:45pm, at 17 Parker Avenue, Maplewood.

Transportation to new locations

Please make every effort to transport your child to and from these locations. Car-pool with neighbors if you can.  For students who cannot walk or be dropped off to their assigned location, shuttles will begin leaving MMS at 8:00am.  Students will be dropped off at the assigned school.  The shuttle will continue to pick students up at MMS until 9am.  There will be shuttle service back to MMS at the end of the school day, based on the times specified above.  All MMS students should enter these locations at their respective front entrances, and can be picked up at the front entrance of each location at the end of the school day.  Each grade level will be greeted by MMS staff who will take them as a grade level to an auditorium where the schedule and room assignments can be explained.  8^th grade CHS math students should stay at CHS after their math class to attend their regular 8^th grade classes.

Food services and health services

Breakfast will not be served.  There will be lunch service available in all locations.  Every location will have a certified nurse based in that location.  Mrs. Porter is working as I write this to make sure all care plans are available at every location, along with all prescriptions.

School Supplies

Students should bring the supplies they have with them at home.  We understand that they do not have access to their lockers and will plan lessons accordingly. 

As has been suggested in past correspondence, please try to pass this information along to community members that don’t have power in their homes. I am emailing this message and sending it out via robo call in hopes of reaching as many people as possible.

It is my hope that power can be restored at MMS between the time you receive this message and tomorrow morning.  If that is the case, you will receive notification in the morning that students should report to MMS.  If power has not been restored by tomorrow morning, we will follow the plan as outlined above.  I believe that it is important to provide our students with an opportunity to be with their teachers.  I will be in communication with you each day to update you on all matters related to our plans.  I thank you for your understanding during this difficult time. 

Sincerely,

Jeff Truppo