Dear Parents,

We are all looking forward to a long weekend! The Dia de la Hispanidad will allow everyone to take a deep breath after a busy start to the school year.

Learning Conferences are coming up on October 29-30. As in past years the conferences are virtual. Students in grades K-12 do not come to school on these days. For an overview of the conferences, please see this information: ASM MS Learning Conferences Overview Fall 2026. 

MAP testing has been completed by the MS students. We will soon send the MAP results to parents. Please note that a rather large group of students still need to attend the MAP make-up session. The final session to make up MAP tests is on Tuesday, October 13 from 4:00-5:00 in room E1111. Parents who have questions about the MAP make-up session should reach out to Josh Chambers, our MS counselor.

I want to take this opportunity to highlight our Every Day Matters campaign once again. Here are some campaign highlights:

• We have seen a significant improvement in parents notifying us before 9:30 AM when their child will be absent. Again, please report all absences to msattendance@asmadrid.es before 9:30 AM.

• We have seen slight improvement in another area: morning drop-off. Still, a handful of students are being dropped off late and arriving to their first class late. We kindly ask that all students be dropped off no later than 8:45 a.m. so they have time to get settled and be ready to learn when classes begin.

• Finally, parents have begun requesting full or partial days off from school for their children for a variety of reasons. Please take a moment to review the ASM Middle School Extended Absence Policy. Indeed, every day of school matters, and we ask that parents schedule extra vacation time around the published school calendar.

Our students are doing a great job following our after-school program expectations. Many MS students take advantage of our great after-school offerings, and having so many students on campus from 4:00-5:00 requires precise attention to the expectations outlined in the MS After-school Program Overview 26-27. Parents who have questions about our expectations should reach out to me or Ms. Cotillo, the Assistant Principal.

As always, please check out the weekly announcements below. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Kind regards,

Mike Nugent

Middle School Director

American School of Madrid

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Parents, please mark your calendars for these key MS events.

• Oct 12: No school. Dia de la Hispanidad 

• Oct 25: ASM Halloween Carnival

• Oct 29-30: K-12 Learning Conferences (No school; conferences are virtual as in past years)

• Nov 2: No school. All Saints Day

• Nov 4: Early release day. Students dismissed at 1:45 PM.

• Nov 9: No school. Festivo de Almudena

LAPTOP CASE REMINDER

Some students still do not have the required protective laptop case at school. As a result, we are seeing an increase in damage to school-issued laptops, which can often be prevented with proper protection. We kindly ask that parents ensure their child has a 14" laptop sleeve/case at school by October 8. The case should remain at school with the computer and be used whenever the laptop is being transported. The following are examples of suitable laptop sleeves available on Amazon Spain: Here, here, or here. Please note: The laptop case should be left at school with the student's school-issued laptop computer.

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

To report all attendance matters (absences/early dismissals/late arrivals; extended vacations) in the Middle School, please use the following email address: msattendance@asmadrid.es. We ask that daily absences be reported to us by 9:30 AM. 

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.

PARENTS ON CAMPUS

ASM facilities are used for our instructional programs throughout the day. We kindly ask that parents do not gather in the MS Commons before, during, and after school. Parents who wish to greet their children before school or at the end of the school are asked to do so in the area outside the sliding glass doors. Here are some additional reminders: 

• Parents are welcome on campus from 8:45-5:00 PM with an appointment or for scheduled events only.  

• Parents wishing to meet with an ASM staff member on campus must send an email to the staff member to set up the appointment time and place.

• Parents should not be on the Play Landscape or engage with students during Lower School playtime unless part of a school presentation or learning event.

CAFETERIA REMINDER

Our students are reminded that they are not allowed to use their student numbers to buy cafeteria snacks for their friends. We kindly ask parents to remind their children about this rule.

CLASS SYLLABI

The Class Syllabi (a description of each class) are located on the Middle School Learning Program site. Parents are encouraged to learn more about their child's classes by visiting this site. 

EARLY RELEASE DAYS

Note that early release days take place on Wednesday once a month and are published on the school calendar. Students are dismissed from school at 1:45. All students should depart campus by 2:00 P.M..

MS PARENT and STUDENT HANDBOOK

The Middle School Student and Parent Handbook is a very important resource. We ask that parents and students read the handbook to become aware of our school practices, policies, and rules. Please pay special attention to the section on Student Behavior Expectations. 

MS PE HEALTH UNITS OVERVIEW

Our PE/Health teachers have updated the Middle School Health Units Overview 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. This document provides an overview of our MS advisory program, including topics that are pertinent at each grade level.

MEDICAL EXCUSE FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN P.E. CLASS

Our general policy is that if a student is well enough to attend school, he/she is well enough to participate in physical education class. Students must participate in P.E. class to be eligible to participate in an after-school sports practice or activity. Excuses from P.E. for health reasons are accepted by the Physical Education teacher under the following conditions:

• Students must present a written note from a parent or doctor describing the illness or physical condition before the beginning of the class, or the parents may send an email communication at the beginning of the school day to the PE teacher. 

• Any illness developed during the school day that might restrict participation in P.E. class requires a written note from the school nurse.

• A physician’s note must be presented to the P.E. teacher, with a copy for the nurse, for any extended period longer than 3 days.

• Long-term medical excuses from P.E. class require an official written physician’s statement. When scheduling permits, the student will be provided with an alternative class or supervised activity. Upon return to the normally scheduled P.E. class, the student must present a written statement from his/her doctor giving consent for the student to return to the class.