The MUS Lower School Blog

Spelling Bee results

Yesterday's finishers were:

1.  Andrew ELSAKR

2.  Zack SPISAK

3.  Alex CARTER

The winning words were acquittal and extraneous.

This trio will join the previous three winners--Michael CARTER, Marshall SULLIVAN, and Baty DANIEL--in the Spell-off on December 3.

Coffee Thursday morning

Seventh-grade parents, please plan to attend our Come As U Are Coffee at the home of Susan Madden this Thursday, November 12. Stop by from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. after carpool for a cup of coffee and an informal Q & A with Clay Smythe and Catherine Schuhmacher. Now is a great time to get your questions answered as we wrap up the semester and approach exams. Susan’s home is conveniently located near MUS at 492 Sweetbriar Road. If you would like to volunteer to bring an easy breakfast item, please call (767-6028) or e-mail (maddenjoseph@bellsouth.net) Susan. Carpool attire!

Mrs. Perkins steps into our ranks

A note from Mr. Haguewood: We remain deeply grateful to Sue Perkins (pictured here surrounded by some of her geography fellas) for teaching Tommy Harrison’s seventh-grade geography classes for the rest of the semester. Sue is an excellent teacher, a veteran of four decades in the classroom--first at St. Paul Catholic School, then Memphis Catholic High School, and then for many years at St. Agnes Academy. Sue is a graduate of Florida State University, and she is married to our Doug Perkins. 

Open House this Sunday

Please consider inviting a potential MUS applicant and their family whom you know to Sunday's Open House. It's a great way for people to see the entire campus and program in an economical two hours, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Seventh grade game postponed today

We play Tuesday, October 27 at 5:45 p.m. in Stokes Stadium.

Hearing and vision screenings follow-up

Seventh grade students who had their hearing and/or vision tested on Monday will bring home their screening reports on Friday. If you have any questions regarding the report, please call 416-8960. 

Memphis Leaders speaker series features Iraq and Afganistan vet

U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Steve Bragorgas, uncle of PDS sixth grader, Nick Bragorgos (green shirt), is pictured here among some seventh grade fellas who, along with the full Lower School assembly, asked great questions this morning. He came as the featured assembly speaker before visiting with Mr. Rutledge’s World History class. Steve, as he insisted we call him, presented a fascinating program of his personal PowerPoint slides with candid commentary from his most recent deployment as a battalion commander in Afghanistan. Previously, Steve worked intelligence in Iraq. 

The Collierville native and now Illinois resident painted a powerful picture of the complex social realities at play when Western culture meets multi-tribal Afghan cultures. His emphasis upon an unwavering and universal basic human desire for family and peace framed his anecdotes with reference to a ruthless Taliban regime which seeks technology and financing to further their exploitation of an otherwise peaceful people.

Hearing and Vision screenings on Monday

Memphis City Schools – Division of Exceptional Children will be on campus Monday, October 19 to offer hearing and vision screenings for all seventh graders. Parents must sign the green and the yellow consent forms for their sons to be evaluated. Your son will have his permission slips  taped to the back of his Assignment Book. These permission slips must be returned by Monday morning.

Spelling Bee next week

Here is the information concerning next Wednesday's after-school competition which extends into November and December with Shelby County Championships in February. MUS sanctioned Beekeeper Mr. Terry Shelton, King Bee, presiding: Download POSTER_BEE_

Quarter 2 underway; some changes

Welcome back from the break. Some announcements:

Students who continue to have make-up work are to report directly to Study Hall instead of P.E. where Mrs. Schuhmacher will audit their progress. Hopefully, we will have all work completed by Tuesday afternoon.

Grades will be available online Friday (see Useful Links to the left of this page). Again, please review your son's Assignment Book before accessing the online grades as you seek consistency in student reporting. While the boys will not have exhaustive information recorded in the back of their ABs, there should be no surprises.

Dining Hall change- This is a big one, and it is simple. As a result of the boys continually forgetting their U-Cards, after being reminded too many times to count, the Dining Hall staff is requiring cash in instances where a student fails to produce his card. The line is backing up as a result of the staff having to slow down to discuss each individual student's account information. The U-Card identification makes the process work for all of us. A student not having their U-Card makes all of us wait. Therefore, no card = cash. Simple.