MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES

Model UN Winter Trimester — Sign Up By December 1

If your child is interested in Model UN for the winter trimester, please read and respond to this form. Model UN is open to students in sixth through eighth grades. It will run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (location TBD). It begins on December 2, 2025, and runs through the end of the school year. Please sign up by Monday, December 1, 2025. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Alexander or Ms. Israel.

Winter Athletic Season — Monday, December 1 

The Middle School winter athletics season will soon be upon us. All practices will begin on Monday, December 1. Please see this letter from Todd Smith, Director of Athletics, for more information.

CTP-5 Testing for Students in Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Grade — December 2 to December 4 

Students in fourth, sixth, and eighth grade will soon be taking a full battery of the Educational Records Bureau’s Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP 5), the standardized testing program that we have used to monitor our curriculum at MKA for over twenty years. Your child's advisor(s) will be administering the tests in the mornings from December 2 to December 4. There will be no scheduled make-up test days for absent students.

There is no special preparation required for these tests. Experience has shown that a good night’s sleep and a well-balanced breakfast are key to a student’s testing success. Please send your child to school with a reusable water bottle on testing days.

MKA will receive the results sometime in January or February, and we will share them with you via the Veracross Parent Portal. Along with the results, we will share information on how to interpret them. If you have any questions, feel free to visit the test publisher’s website or contact Catherine Gaynor, Middle School Assistant Head, via email or phone at (973) 842-2775.

Seventh Grade Visits the Met — Tuesday, December 9, and Thursday, December 11

The seventh grade will embark on a social studies field trip to explore a myriad of curricularly relevant exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Tuesday, December 9, and Thursday, December 11. Half of the grade will visit on December 9, and the other half will visit on December 11. We will share which students are going on which day as we get closer to the trip.

• Students should arrive at school at the normal time and be in homeroom by 7:50 a.m. Students should be in regular dress code and dress for December weather.
• We will travel to the city by school bus.
• After touring the museum, the buses will stop at Pizzeria Uno in Clifton for lunch on the way home. There is no need to bring lunch, and the school covers the cost. If your student has a dietary concern (for example, if they keep kosher, have a lactose intolerance, or have a gluten intolerance), please email Bill Bronson by Friday, December 5.
• Students will be back at school by the end of CWP and be dismissed to their regular after-school activities.
• We will share which students are going on which day as we get closer to the trip.
  

Important Correction: 2025-2026 Yearbook Personal Ads

The yearbook is a timeless way to capture your child's precious memories from this school year.

We want to clarify an important detail from last week's announcement regarding personal ads. Please note that the opportunity to create a personal ad is reserved exclusively for our eighth-grade students and their families. We sincerely apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

For Our Eighth Grade Families:

Don't miss this chance to celebrate their journey!

• Deadline: Monday, December 15
• How to Create Your Ad: For pricing, design options, and to submit your order, please use this link.

For Families of Grades Four Through Seven:

Please visit the Jostens website for more information on how to purchase a yearbook.

PickUp Patrol and Carline Reminders

Please take a moment to update your child's default plans in PickUp Patrol if their afternoon activities have recently changed. It is imperative that we know who is riding the shuttles each day. As a reminder, same-day changes must be made by 2:35 p.m. to ensure your child appears on the correct list.

Student Peer Tutoring Now Available

We are excited to share that we have Upper School tutors available for Middle School student peer tutoring. Please complete this Google form to request a tutor, and Michelle Barbetta will match requests with tutors as soon as possible.

Individual Student and Class Photos Now Available for Purchase

Student and class photos are now available for purchase. Parents/guardians should have received an email from the photographer; however, if you need help ordering pictures, please see the following instructions.

Annual AMC 8 Examination — Tuesday, January 27

The Middle School Math Department will be hosting the annual American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 8 on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 9:50 a.m. in the Logan Auditorium. This competition is open to students in grades six, seven, and eight. Students who participate in the competition will be missing their FLEX that morning. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple-choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills. This challenging test assesses mathematical problem-solving with algebra, arithmetic, counting, geometry, logic, number theory, and probability. Past contests are available on the Art of Problem Solving website.

Please complete this form before January 20, 2026, if your student wishes to participate. Reach out to Elizabeth Coyle with any questions.

Parent Book Club Coffee — Thursday, February 26

Join us for a meaningful discussion about Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace. This insightful book explores how our culture's obsession with achievement is impacting our children's mental health and offers practical strategies for raising healthier, more resilient kids.

This coffee will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 8:15 a.m. (location TBD) and is open to parents of students in grades 6-12 and will be facilitated by Daniella Kessler, Director of Counseling, along with members of MKA’s Counseling Team.

Come connect with other parents, share experiences, and gain valuable perspectives on supporting our teens through the pressures of achievement culture. Please use this link to RSVP. Any questions, please reach out to Daniella Kessler.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Friday, December 5, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. — PAMKA Cougar Pride Day Virtual Meeting (Please use this link to join the meeting)
• Tuesday, December 9, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m. — PAMKA Parenting Workshop Meeting

For a complete calendar listing of events, view the PAMKA Calendar in Veracross.

Tri-Campus Hat, Scarf, Mitten, and Toy Drives — Monday, December 1 to Friday, December 12

The season of giving is almost here! PAMKA is thrilled to announce our annual Tri-Campus Hat, Scarf, and Mitten and Toy Drives benefiting Valley Settlement House and Toni’s Kitchen from Monday, December 1 to Friday, December 12.

Details on how to contribute will be shared after Thanksgiving Break. Please consider participating. Every donation helps make a difference in our community! Questions? Reach out to Ashley Hirsh, Primary School Community Engagement Chair.

Stay Connected with PAMKA on Facebook

Join the MKA Parent Watercooler on Facebook.

Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group Meetings

Join us for the following Parents and Caregivers Affinity Group meetings:

• Wednesday, December 3, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. — Parents & Caregivers of Gender Expansive MKA Students Group Meeting

Questions? Contact Edie Brennan, Office of Community Belonging/Caregiver Affinity Group Liaison, and/or Paris McLean, Assistant Head of School for Community Belonging. Meeting dates for the 2025-2026 academic year can be found on the Community Belonging Calendar in the Veracross Parent Portal under the "Resources'' tab.

Thank you, MKA parents! 🎉

Your incredible support on MKA Day helped us surpass our original goal of 800 donors, then 900, to over 1,000 and counting! We are so grateful for the energy and generosity you brought to this special day. A full recap of MKA Day, including final numbers and challenge updates, will be shared later today. Stay tuned!

Photo courtesy of Middle School Student Government.

Parent Challenge Success Survey Due Tuesday, November 25

MKA has partnered with Challenge Success, a nonprofit affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, to better understand and enhance the student experience. Through this partnership, MKA has administered a survey to gather feedback from students (Grades 4–12) and parents and caregivers (Jr-K–12), which will inform school culture, well-being, and academic engagement.

All students have now taken the survey. All parents and caregivers are asked to complete their survey linked below by November 25.

ESS Registration - Register by Monday, December 1

It’s time to register for the winter session of ESS! This trimester, registration will take place through Camp Brain. Use the link below to create an account to register. If you have already used Camp Brain for EPE or for STAR Camp, you can use the same account information.

The winter session of ESS will run from Monday, December 1, through Friday, March 13.

The deadline to register for ESS Winter Session is Monday, December 1. If your child is not registered for the winter session, you will be charged the $25 drop-in fee on the days your child attends.

Tri-Campus Hanukkah Party — Friday, December 5

Join us for the annual MKA Tri-Campus Hanukkah Party on Friday, December 5, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Upper School Dining Hall! Come for dinner, crafts, games, and a ceremonial candle lighting. Hosted by Upper School Jewish Cultural Society, the Jewish Parent and Caregiver Affinity Group, and the Office of Community Belonging, this evening is open to all members of the MKA community. Please complete this form to RSVP by Tuesday, December 2.

NEW Single-Parents Affinity Group

The Single-Parents Affinity Group brings together parents who are raising children on their own, whether by choice, circumstance, or loss, to build connection, share resources, and support one another. Our goal is to foster community and belonging while centering the student experience and helping every family thrive at MKA.

If you are interested in joining this new Single-Parents Affinity Group, please contact Edie Brennan, the Community Belonging Parent & Caregiver Affinity Group Liaison. The first meeting will be in January 2026.