10/23/2026
Manhattan Middle School
Parent Newsletter
Manhattan, Montana | Home of the Tigers!
October 23, 2026
Dear Manhattan Middle School Families,
Welcome to this week's edition of the Parent Newsletter! As we move into late October, we have several important announcements and updates to share with our school community. This week's newsletter highlights the ongoing MAST Testing window, upcoming Red Ribbon Week activities, the Red Carpet Middle School Dance, the start of Boys Basketball, the end of the first quarter, the upcoming non-school day on Thursday, October 29, and key reminders regarding student attendance and safety.
📝 MAST Testing Window 1 Reminder
Testing Window 1 for the Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year (MAST) assessment is officially underway. Students in grades 6–8 are working through their Math and ELA testlets. Please encourage your child to get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast each morning to help them do their best!
🎗️ Red Ribbon Week (October 26–30)
Next week, Manhattan Middle School will continue to celebrate Red Ribbon Week! We look forward to a week focused on encouraging healthy choices, positive decision-making, and drug prevention.
Dress-Up Day Themes:
Monday: PJ Day
Tuesday: Dress up as part of a duo or group
Wednesday: Red Carpet- formal and ready for the dance
💃 Middle School Dance — Red Carpet Night!
Get ready to shine! Our upcoming Middle School Dance is right around the corner. Here are all the details for students and families:
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Time: 5:00–7:00 p.m.
Location: Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room
Admission: $2 or 2 cans of non-perishable food
Theme: Red Carpet Theme
Volunteers & Decorations Needed:
Set-up will begin at 3:00 p.m. on the day of the dance, and we are looking for volunteers to help with decorating and set-up. We are also accepting parent and community donations of red-carpet-themed decorations! Please contact the main office if you can help out or donate items.
🏀 Boys Basketball
Boys basketball has begun! Thank you to all of the families who attended the Parent Meeting.
🗓️ End of First Quarter & No School Reminder
Please note that the end of the first quarter is this Wednesday, October 28. Additionally, there will be no school for students on Thursday, October 29.
⏰ Attendance & Morning Drop-off
With cooler weather arriving, please ensure students arrive properly dressed for outdoor morning waiting periods. As a reminder, please call the main office by 8:30 AM if your student will be absent or arriving late.
📱 Cell Phone, Social Media Safety & The Bark App
As middle school students gain increased access to smartphones and social media platforms, supporting digital safety and healthy online habits is a shared priority for our school and families. We encourage parents to regularly discuss online safety, cyberbullying, and digital citizenship with their children.
To help families monitor student online activity and safeguard against potential digital risks, we suggest exploring tools like the Bark App or parental controls with your cell phone provider. Bark helps monitor text messages, YouTube, emails, and 30+ social networks for potential safety concerns such as cyberbullying, depression, online predators, and inappropriate content, providing parents with timely alerts and peace of mind.
Thank you for your partnership in making Manhattan Middle School a great place to learn and grow. Go Tigers!
Valli Ganser
Principal
Manhattan Middle School
