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Dear Parents,
What a wonderful grade 6 "Debut" concert last Wednesday evening! Our grade 6 musicians have come a long way since last September. For those who attended the concert, it was a real treat! Congratulations to all of the musicians and, hats off to Ms. Karinna Samy for her dedication in preparing our students for the concert.
In Middle School, we take digital citizenship seriously. We believe that helping students navigate the digital world responsibly is a vital part of their education. Through our Advisory program, students receive regular, age-appropriate instruction on key aspects of digital citizenship. Topics include online safety, responsible social media use, digital footprint awareness, cyberbullying prevention, screen-time balance, and ethical online behavior. We use resources from Common Sense Media to guide our work in this area. Our goal is to equip students with the knowledge and values they need to become thoughtful, respectful, and safe digital citizens—both in and out of the classroom.
As parents and guardians of Middle School students, it is essential to recognize your important role in monitoring and guiding your child’s use of social media platforms. While social media can offer opportunities for connection and learning, it also presents risks related to privacy, online safety, and emotional well-being. Parents are encouraged to have open, ongoing conversations with their children about responsible digital behavior and to stay informed about the platforms their children are using.
It is important to note that Spain is currently revising age limits for most major social media platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook. The legal age limit is expected to change to 16 years old and is designed to protect the privacy and safety of children online. We urge parents to ensure that their children are not accessing these platforms before they meet the minimum age requirement and to supervise their online activity closely thereafter. By working together, we can help promote a safer, healthier digital environment for all students.
Looking ahead, grade 8 parents should mark their calendars to attend the "Rising Grade 9 Parent Information Session" on March 3 at 6:00 PM in the MS Commons. Mr. Bolster, the US Director, will hold a presentation about the grade 9 course registration process and what our rising grade 9 students can expect in upper school.
As always, please check out This Week in Advisory and the weekly announcements below.
Kind regards,
Mike Nugent
Middle School Director
American School of Madrid
THIS WEEK IN ADVISORY
GRADE 6 ADVISORY
This week in advisory, students focused on personal wellness and digital habits. They revisited the six dimensions of wellness, reflected on how technology impacts focus, mood, and energy, and set small, actionable goals to support healthier digital balance. Advisory time also included organization and catch-up support to help students feel prepared and grounded moving forward.
GRADE 7 ADVISORY
This week in Advisory, our Grade 7 students continued to focus on building and maintaining positive friendships by examining the power of words. We worked on the important distinction between 'venting'—sharing frustrations to feel better—and 'gossip,' which often leads to unnecessary conflict and hurt. Through interactive activities and journaling, students practiced how to 'pause and filter' their communication by asking if what they are about to say is true, kind, and helpful. Our goal is to empower students to take responsibility for the energy they bring to our community, ensuring that everyone feels respected and safe.
GRADE 8 ADVISORY
This week in Advisory, we took a step back in order to look forward. We began by asking students to create Bucket Lists, encouraging them to visualize their futures and identify the experiences and milestones they truly value.
To protect those future aspirations, we then turned our attention to Digital Wellness. We explored the "time cost" of digital lives and the concept of the "emotional battery"—specifically, how passive scrolling drains the energy needed to achieve their bucket list goals.
These discussions proved incredibly timely, coinciding with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s recent announcement regarding social media regulations for under-16s. This context provided a powerful backdrop for our lessons, reinforcing that the conversation about digital health and protecting adolescence is happening not just in our classrooms, but on a national stage.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Parents, please mark your calendars for these key MS events.
Feb 16-20: Semana Blanca. No school
Feb 25: Early release day
March 3: "Rising" grade 9 parent informational session, 6:00-7:00 PM, MS Commons
Pingui Vuelve a ASM
Desde el Departamento de Lengua Española, nos hace mucha ilusión compartir con toda la comunidad educativa la programación especial que hemos diseñado para estos días. Nuestro objetivo es claro: transformar el aprendizaje de la lengua y la literatura en una experiencia viva, emocionante y, sobre todo, compartida. Para lograrlo, contaremos con un invitado de lujo: Jesús Moreno, más conocido como “Pingüi”. Su trayectoria como actor y narrador profesional garantiza que estas jornadas serán mucho más que simples clases; serán recuerdos imborrables para nuestros alumnos. Durante la jornada escolar, los estudiantes participarán en sesiones de animación a la lectura y narración oral. A través de la interpretación creativa de Jesús Moreno, buscamos despertar esa chispa de curiosidad que convierte a un estudiante en un lector apasionado. Los talleres de los que disfrutarán nuestros estudiantes serán: “Antología del cuento”, “El poder de la palabra” y “Don Quijote de la Mancha”. En este último taller pedagógico vivencial, podrán disfrutar de una puesta en escena única donde sus hijos darán vida a personajes icónicos de la obra de Cervantes. Veremos desfilar la noble locura de Don Quijote, la sabiduría popular de Sancho Panza, la inspiración de Dulcinea y la elegancia del Caballero del Verde Gabán. Estamos convencidos de que la voz y el gesto son las mejores herramientas para redescubrir el placer de una buena historia. -- Departamento de Lengua Española
Lost and Found
We have many lost PE items hanging outside the MS/US PE change rooms. Some items have student names on them. If you have lost an item, please check here asap! Any items not collected by the Winter Week break will be donated to charity. Thank you!
Absence Reminder
As a reminder, parents, please let us know at least two days in advance if you plan on taking your child out of school early for vacation. You can email our attendance clerk at msattendance@asmadrid.es. I also want to repeat the importance of planning vacations around our published school calendar. Every day of school counts, and it is often difficult for students to catch up with their learning when they are absent from school.
MS Health Units Overview
Our PE/Health teachers have updated the Middle School Health Units Overview 25-26 document. The overview provides a look at the key health topics covered in the MS curriculum.
MS Advisory Program Overview
We have updated our Middle School Advisory Program Overview 25-26. This document provides an overview of our MS advisory program, including topics that are pertinent at each grade level.
THE PULSE! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
The Middle School communicates important information to students through the MS Lancer Pulse. Students are asked each week to read the announcements in "The Pulse" during advisory time.
AFTER-SCHOOL SUPPORT: BUILDING STUDENT SELF-ADVOCACY
Helping students learn the art of self-advocacy and taking responsibility for their own learning is essential for their growth and success. We encourage students to take charge by seeking extra help when needed. Our after-school extended learning labs and teacher office hours provide excellent opportunities for students to demonstrate this responsibility and get the support they need. Please read this document for more information about after-school support.
ATTENDANCE AT AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Our students have been reminded that they must attend their after-school activity. We have noticed that some students have chosen to skip their ASA. The ASA sponsors take attendance, and parents will be contacted if their child does not attend the ASA regularly.
AFTER-SCHOOL PROCEDURES
Parents and students should be familiar with our MS After-school Procedures. Please ask the Middle School Director if you have any questions about these procedures. Please also note that students must leave campus after their ASA, sport, or private music lesson is completed. Students are not allowed to remain on campus unsupervised. We ask that parents make arrangements to pick up their children as soon as the activity ends.
FROM THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE
If your family is being transferred during this academic year, please contact Admissions - admissions@asmadrid.es
BIRTHDAY SNACKS IN MS
Students are welcome to bring in a snack to share with their advisory to celebrate their birthdays. We ask that students not bring in snacks to share with their friends, as this can lead to students feeling left out or food frenzies during break and lunch times. Parents are kindly reminded not to bring surprise treats to their children during the school day, including at lunch time.
PUNCTUALITY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Punctuality is very important in the Middle School. We kindly ask that parents drop their students off at no later than 8:45 A.M. This allows the students plenty of time to walk from their car to the MS building, pick up their materials from their lockers, and move on to their first class.
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