MIDDLE SCHOOL UPDATES

Student Government Association Sponsored Events

• Monday, May 4: Dress Down Day, Star Wars theme (May the 4th Be With You)
• Week of May 18: Bake Sale Fundraiser for Mental Health Awareness
• Week of May 18: Sports Equipment Drive

Important Carline Reminder

Please do not travel east on Brunswick Road (from Valley Road) and make a right turn into either driveway into the parking area. Cars that attempt to make a right turn will be prevented from entering the parking lot. Please be considerate of others and follow the important safety carline guidelines.

Eighth Grade Academic Night at the Upper School — Wednesday, May 6 

All students and parents of the Class of 2030 are invited to the Upper School on Wednesday, May 6, from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. for Upper School Academic Orientation. This Upper School Academic Orientation is designed to provide families with a deep dive into the Upper School's academics. It will focus particularly on the ninth-grade academic program and provide all the necessary information for course selection and registration. Please see the following letter with more information about the course recommendation process.

Seventh Grade Visit to Upper School — Thursday, May 7

Seventh-grade students will be traveling to the Upper School on Thursday, May 7, at 1:30 p.m. They will learn more about the campus, take a tour of the building, and enjoy a treat while chatting with current students.

Studio Arts Class Trip to Princeton — Friday, May 8

Students in Studio Arts 7 and 8 will be visiting Princeton on Friday, May 8, to view and learn about the Princeton University Art Museum's collection. Students will depart school after 8:00 am and return by the end of the regular school day.

Reminder: Please email Joelle Francht by TODAY if your child does not want a pizza lunch or if you have any questions.

Fine and Performing Arts Trips — Friday, May 8 

We are excited to offer multiple Fine and Performing Arts trips to many Upper House students next Friday, May 8. To accommodate both the students traveling and the students staying on campus, we are switching the order of our day. Our fourth, fifth, and eighth-grade students will run their regular “Blue Friday” classes, with some shifts to the order of when classes meet. One change is for the fifth grade, who will meet for their PE class instead of their F&PA class. Sixth and seventh-grade students will still have English, math, science, social studies, and world language classes on Friday, but classes will be at different times and with a different cohort of students. We are starting the day with a longer Advisor period, so students are prepared for the shifted schedule.

Virtual Parent Meeting — Tuesday, May 12

Please join the Middle School Administrative Team for a virtual parent meeting on Tuesday, May 12, from 7:00 - 7:45 p.m. We will share information regarding grade-level transitions for students and revisions to the Middle School schedule. The meeting link and an opportunity to submit questions are forthcoming.

Eighth Grade Trip to NYC Chinatown — Wednesday, May 13 

On Wednesday, May 13, the eighth-grade Chinese students will have the opportunity to take a field trip to Chinatown in New York City to experience Chinese culture firsthand and to apply the knowledge and language skills they have learned in the classroom to real-life settings.

During the trip, students will explore Chinatown in small groups while completing a scavenger hunt activity. We will also have lunch at a Chinese Hot Pot restaurant.

Students are required to follow the regular school dress code and are permitted to bring their phones. We also recommend that students bring a water bottle and an umbrella in case of rain. For questions, please contact Fangzhou Zhang Simon.

Sign Up for Parent-Teacher Conference Day — Thursday, May 14

Parents are now able to sign up for the parent-teacher conferences taking place on Thursday, May 14. To access the Parent-Teacher Conference module, log in to the Veracross Parent Portal using your Veracross credentials and click the orange button that says ‘Click here to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences.’

From here, you will see instructions for the sign-up process. Click the drop-down to select a time; it will be saved automatically. Please select a timeslot for each of your children. Selections will save automatically, and you can access your schedule via the blue printer button next to ‘My Schedule.’ Additionally, conference schedules will be available in your Household Calendar in Veracross and, if you have subscribed to it, in your personal calendar app.

If these dates are not convenient for you, please reach out to your child's advisor(s). More detailed directions for signing up for conferences can be found here.

Jr-K to Grade 3: Families will have an opportunity to schedule conference(s) with their child's Advisor.

• Grades 4-5: Students do not attend conferences
• Grades 6-8: Students will attend and will help lead the conference(s)
• Grades 9-11: Students will attend conference(s), and the conference(s) will primarily focus on course selection for the upcoming school year.

Eight Grade Science Presentations — May 15 - May 22

Eighth-grade students will be presenting their science projects starting on May 15. Please see the following letter with more information.

Greek Fest 2026 — Thursday, May 21

The fifth grade will participate in Greek Fest on Thursday, May 21. Please see the following letter for more information, including links for parent donations and volunteer opportunities.

Information Regarding End-of-Year Activities for Eighth Grade Students

Eighth Grade Closing Exercises — Friday, June 5 

The Eighth Grade Closing Exercises will take place on Friday, June 5, at 11:30 a.m. in the Logan Auditorium at the Middle School. Please see this letter from Dr. Carlaina Bell, Head of Middle School, with more details.

Eighth Grade Name Preferences for Closing Exercises

As we prepare for the Eighth Grade Closing Exercises, we recognize that some families may prefer a more formal or informal version of their child’s name. Please use this link to indicate how you would like your child’s name to appear in print and be announced during the ceremony.

Eighth Grade Dinner Dance — Friday, June 5

The eighth grade is invited to attend a dinner and dance on Friday, June 5, from 7:00 - 10:00 p.m., at the Middle School. More details will follow shortly.

Don’t Forget to Snap a Photo of Your Lawn Sign 

Help us celebrate the Eighth Grade Class of 2026 by snapping a photo of your lawn sign and sharing it with MKA! Tag MKA in your photo on Instagram, Facebook, or email it to socialmedia@mka.org.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Wednesday, May 6, 8:15 am - 9:15 am — Parent to Parent Panel: 3rd Grade to 4th Grade Transition Panel
• Friday, May 8, 8:15 am - 9:15 am — Parent to Parent Panel: 8th Grade to 9th Transition Panel
• Thursday, May 14 — PAMKA Special Events: P/T Teacher Conferences
• Wednesday, May 20, 8:15 - 10:15 a.m. — PAMKA Annual Meeting

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

Parent to Parent Panels — Wednesday, May 6 and Friday, May 8

PAMKA is bringing back its popular Parent-to-Parent Panels this May. These in-person panels are designed to offer open dialogue, helpful insights, and a chance to hear directly from current parents about the transition experience.

Third Grade Parents & Guardians (PS to MS Transition)

Wednesday, May 6 at 8:15 a.m., Middle School Dining Hall

RSVP Here

Eighth Grade Parents & Guardians (MS to US Transition)

Friday, May 8, at 8:15 a.m., Middle School Dining Hall

RSVP Here

We hope you can join us for these informative and welcoming conversations. Please reach out to Moushumi Sanghavi, PAMKA President, with any questions.

Sign Up to Volunteer for Conference Day — Thursday, May 14 

PAMKA Special Events needs your help! Thursday, May 14, is Conference Day for all three campuses. Please sign up to bring in some food, snacks, or drinks to keep our teachers nourished throughout the day.

• Primary School Volunteer Sign Up: Contact Besa Owen
• Middle School Volunteer Sign Up: Contact Michelle Willford
• Upper School Volunteer Sign Up : Contact Maggie Marotta

PAMKA Annual Meeting — Wednesday, May 20

Save the date for PAMKA’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 20, at the Middle School to celebrate PAMKA’s achievements, to learn about the new slate of volunteers, and to hear about this year’s PAMKA Faculty Trust Grants. Head of School Nigel Furlonge will also speak. Continental breakfast will start at 7:45 a.m. with the meeting to follow at 8:15 a.m. Hope to see you there!

Volunteers Needed for Fall 2026 Parent Grade Socials

We're looking for enthusiastic families to host next year's fall parent socials. Hosting is easy and can be done solo or with other parents in your grade. You can choose to open your home for a cozy get-together or reserve a space at a local bar or restaurant—whatever fits your style!

Why Host?

• It’s a fantastic way to meet other parents in your child’s grade.
• You get to create a fun, welcoming atmosphere for our MKA community.
• No need to go overboard—these socials are about connection, not perfection!

If you’re interested or have questions, simply reach out to Meredith Levine. Not ready to host solo? Grab a few fellow parents and co-host together!

These socials are the heart of what makes MKA special—parents connecting, sharing laughs, and strengthening our incredible community. We’d love for you to be a part of it!