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Recap of 2013-2014 School Year

7/1/2014

The end of summer break is fast approaching, and the students and staff will be returning to MSD in August for another school year.

Just as we have in years past, the MSDPO provided much needed support to students, teachers, and staff at MSD during the 2013-2014 school year. This support included:

Purchase of shirts for the September and December Red Cross Blood Drives sponsored by the MSD National Honor Society and the Student Council. These drives topped their collection goals for the first time ever, and helped earn a scholarship for one graduating MSD Senior.

Purchase of shirts for the Music in Motion team that performed at the St. Louis Rams game in November.
Purchase of special commemorative shirts to honor the Boys Basketball team that repeated as champions of the 2014 Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Basketball Tournament.

Purchase of supplies used by students to build a float they entered into the Fulton Jaycees Winter Holiday Parade.
Purchased the second place trophies for the Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Basketball Tournament hosted by MSD in February.

Sponsored the MSD football team preview in the annual Mid-Missouri Pigskin Preview.

Donated the prizes for the MSD Student Talent Show in April.

Made a donation to the Senior Class of 2014 to help fund a special event during their Senior trip.

Awarded the “Eager Eagle Awards” to students at the year-end awards ceremonies.

Donated the book Historic MSD by Richard Reed to all graduating seniors.

Joined the Missouri School for the Deaf Alumni Association in awarding a $500.00 scholarship to the 2014 salutatorian.
Joined the Missouri School for the Deaf Alumni Association in awarding a $500.00 scholarship to the 2014 valedictorian.

Honored MSD staff during Staff Appreciation Week by purchasing two cakes.

We were able to provide this support, thanks to the continued generosity of everyone that purchased the MSD Cookbook and other items during our special sales promotions, and at our Fall and Winter Homecoming booths. All of you helped to make this one of our best years ever. Currently, we are planning our sales campaigns for next year. Once again, we will be updating everyone through our Facebook site on new items that will be available for purchase. If you are not already a friend of our site, be sure to join. You can find us under “Missouri School for the Deaf Parents’ Organization”. You may also preview and order merchandise online through our MSDPO web site at www.msdpo.org .

Our efforts were also helped by the continued growth of the Box Tops for Education program. In 2011-2012 (our first year in the program) we earned $215.00. In 2012-2013 we earned $263.30. In 2013-2014 we had our best year yet! We earned $478.20, almost surpassing our goal for the year of $500.00. We are looking for even greater support in 2014-2015 as we try to top our goal of $750.00 Please continue to collect those Box Tops. With your help, I know we can reach it!

Since our son graduated from MSD in May 2014, my wife and I will be looking for parents during the 2014-2015 school year that are willing to take over the leadership of the MSDPO, and continue the tradition of supporting MSD students, teachers, and staff in the years to come. If you are interesting in finding out more about the organization or want to join us, we will be holding an informational meeting on Saturday, August 23, 2014. We will post information about the meeting on our Facebook site (please friend us if you haven’t already). Contact us at msdparentorg@gmail.com if you have any questions about the meeting or the MSDPO.

We are excited about the upcoming year, and look forward to your participation.

Recap of the 2012-2013 School Year

7/3/2013

It is hard to believe, but the end of summer break is fast approaching, and the students and staff will be returning to MSD for another exciting school year. For my wife and I, this is going to be an extra special year as our son is a member of the senior class.

Just as we have in years past, the MSDPO provided much needed support to students, teachers, and staff at MSD during the 2012-2013 school year. This support included:

Purchase of special commemorative t-shirts to honor the student-athletes that brought home the Boys Basketball Championship, Girls Free Throw Championship, and the Spirit Stick Award from the 2013 Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Basketball Tournament.

Purchase of supplies used by students to build a float they entered into the Fulton Jaycees Winter Holiday Parade. We also purchased two reusable magnetic signs identifying the school that were placed on the vehicle used to pull the float.

Sponsored the MSD football team preview in the annual Mid-Missouri Pigskin Preview.

Donated the prizes for the MSD Student Talent Show in April.

Made a donation to the Senior Class of 2013 to assist in the purchase of the senior gift.

Awarded the “Eager Eagle Awards” to students at the year-end awards ceremonies.

Donated the book Historic MSD by Richard Reed to all graduating seniors.

Joined the Missouri School for the Deaf Alumni Association in awarding a $500.00 scholarship to the 2013 salutatorian.

Sponsored the first Superintendent's Award scholarship of $500.00 that was presented to the 2013 valedictorian.
Honored MSD staff during Staff Appreciation Week by purchasing two cakes.

We were able to provide this support, thanks to the continued generosity of everyone that purchased items during our special sales promotions, and at our Fall and Winter Homecoming booths. All of you helped to make this one of our best years ever. Currently, we are planning our sales campaigns for next year. Once again, we will be updating everyone through our Facebook and Twitter sites on new items that will be available for purchase. If you are not already a friend of our sites, be sure to join. You can find us under “Missouri School for the Deaf Parents’ Organization”. You may also preview and order merchandise online through our MSDPO web site at www.msdpo.org .

Our efforts were also helped by the continued growth of the Box Tops for Education program. In 2011-2012 (our first year in the program) we earned $215.00. Last year we earned $263.30. Already this year, we have over $140.00 in Box Tops that we will be submitting once the new submission period opens. Please continue to collect those Box Tops. Our goal for this next year is to top $500.00 in Box Tops submitted. With your help, I know we can reach it!

The 2013-2014 school year is going to be an exciting one as we continue our efforts to increase the support we provide to MSD students, teachers, and staff; continue to grow and improve our fundraising activities; work to boost our Box Top collection campaign; continue looking for ways to better communicate with our supporters; and select new officers that will lead the organization to even greater heights in the years to come. Why don’t you join us? We would love to hear your ideas, and would welcome your involvement.

One Magical Season

11/1/2012

Senior Football Players and Managers

It isn’t very often that one gets to witness something truly magical. This year I was lucky enough to have a front row seat as the MSD Eagles Football Team soared to new heights, and gave all of us a season to remember.

This magical ride started in early September on a hot football field in Oklahoma. Faced with temperatures on the field that reached as high as 108 degrees, and playing a team that had beat them handily over the past few years, these young men from MSD showed a determination and will to never give up that would define the rest of the season. Working together as a team, they battled their way to a tie at the end of regulation. Unfortunately things didn’t end as they hoped, as Oklahoma was able to score the go ahead touchdown in overtime to win 66-58.

The next game saw MSD travel to Little Rock to play a good Arkansas team. While the boys could have been down after losing a close game to Oklahoma, they did not falter. They quickly took control of the contest, and pulled away for a 66-16 victory. The win moved the Eagles to 1-1 on the season, and gave them momentum as they looked ahead to their Homecoming game against archrival Kansas.

From the opening kickoff it was clear that Kansas had come to play. While Missouri jumped out to an early lead, Kansas kept battling back. Lead by the triple threat of Monroe, Allen, and Jones in the backfield, and a solid defense, the Eagles were able to finally pull away from Kansas for a hard fought victory. The final score was 58-22. With a record of 2-1, MSD was now ready to do battle with the mighty Trojans of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf.

Minnesota came to McClure field in October with an undefeated record. Among their victories was a 30-8 win over Wisconsin School for the Deaf, the 2011 National Deaf Champions. The Trojans were ready to continue their march toward what they hoped would be their own national championship.Standing in their way was a very determined MSD team.

With enough boys to field three complete teams, several players over 200 pounds, and one young man that topped the scales at 300 pounds, the task of defeating Minnesota looked daunting for the Eagles. However, from the beginning it was apparent that MSD was not intimidated by the Trojans. They quickly scored twice against the giant Minnesota defense, and were near the goal line for another score when a turnover ended the drive. Frustrated with the Eagle's quick start, one Minnesota player got ejected from the game, and their coaches screamed at the officials from the sidelines. Toe-to-toe the Eagles played tough and kept the score close through much of the first half. However, with only eleven players it was difficult to continue matching the intensity against a Trojans team that rotated in fresh bodies. In the end, Minnesota pulled away for an 80-28 victory. Even in defeat, the Eagles showed a true sportsmanship that defines a winner. They never gave up, they held their heads high, and did not show their frustration, even when they endured some questionable late hits and were forced to watch Minnesota celebrate their victory with Gatorade showers.

Although battered and bruised from their battle with Minnesota, the Eagles had very little time to heal as Iowa came to town only five short days later. Once again, the boys showed the determination to rise from defeat. Through the air and on the ground the MSD offense just clicked from the start. On defense the Eagles made some key stops, and forced several turnovers that quickly lead to scores. At the end of the contest, MSD had won by a score of 96-36. This moved their record to 3-2 on the year with one game left against the Wisconsin Firebirds.

Wisconsin was having a down year. After seven games their record was an uncharacteristic 2-5. However this final game of the season for both clubs was Wisconsin’s Homecoming, and they were fired up. Unfortunately for the Eagles, Wisconsin jumped out to a quick lead behind a strong ground attack. In the end, MSD fell 60-28. The Eagles ended their season with a 3-3 record, and a fourth place finish in the Great Plains Schools for the Deaf Conference.

As President of the Missouri School for the Deaf Parents’ Organization, a football fan, and most of all a proud father of an MSD football player, I want to thank each one of the boys on the MSD football team and their coaches for the magical ride they gave us this season. You showed us how to never give up, how to leave everything on the field of battle, how to hold our heads high, and what it truly means to be an MSD Eagle. Soar on Eagles.

The 2011-2012 School Year A Busy One

7/23/2012

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Last year was a busy year for the MSDPO as we continued our efforts to improve the visibility of the organization, and took steps to guarantee its financial stability. One of the largest efforts we undertook was to implement both the Box Tops for Education and the My Coke Rewards for Schools programs. Through the collection and redemption of both Box Tops and Coke Rewards points, the MSDPO earns valuable funds that are used to purchase items that help advance the educational opportunities for all MSD students. We encourage you to look under “Fundraising Opportunities” on this site to find out how you can help with these efforts. Also be looking for the monthly Box Tops Update newsletter that contains information on promotions and savings on Box Top products. We will send this home with your student on home going weekends.

Another effort we undertook was to create and offer new MSD-themed merchandise. Throughout the school year, and during the Fall and Winter Homecomings, new products and designs were unveiled. These included hats, pull-over jackets, long and short-sleeved shirts, and hoodies. Besides boosting school spirit, these new products helped the MSDPO have two of the most successful sales efforts at both the Fall and Winter Homecomings. Already, new products are being developed for the next school year. We will be releasing information on these new items through our Facebook and Twitter pages. If you are not already a member, be sure to join. You can find us under “Missouri School for the Deaf Parents’ Organization”. You can also preview and order merchandise online through our MSDPO web site.

Fundraising is just a small part of what we do as a parent organization. The primary reason we exist is to support the students, teachers, and staff at MSD. The proceeds earned from fundraising projects are used to purchase items for the dorms, provide summer camp and college scholarships, obtain supplies for instructors, and for other projects that support our mission of “improving the education, recreation, health, and employment opportunities” for all MSD students. During the 2011-2012 school year, the MSDPO provided support through the following:

Purchase of polo shirts with a specially designed logo to be used by students participating in Academic Bowl competitions. Prior to the purchase of these shirts, students were wearing t-shirts to the competitions.

Purchase of an eagle-themed area rug to help with the renovations of the Eagles Nest, where students go to socialize.

Donated items that were used in the making of a basket for the Senior Class fundraiser at the Fall Homecoming.

Sponsored the MSD football team preview in the annual Mid-Missouri Pigskin Preview.

Donated the prizes for the MSD Student Talent Show in May.

Provided a donation to the student-led effort to raise funds for the Puppies for Parole program.

Awarded the “Eager Eagle Awards” to students at the year-end awards ceremonies.

Donated the book Historic MSD by Richard Reed to all graduating seniors.

Joined the Missouri School for the Deaf Alumni Association in awarding $500.00 scholarships to the 2012 valedictorian and salutatorian.

Provided scholarships to assist students with summer camp enrollment fees.

Donated items for the bags distributed at the ASL Parents Camp held in June 2012.

We are looking forward to another successful and exciting effort during the 2012-2013 school year. Why don’t you join us? We would love to hear your ideas, and would welcome your involvement.

If you would like to join us or are just interesting in finding out more about the MSDPO and its activities select “Join Us” on this web site and complete the online information form.

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The Year is off to a Great Start

10/25/2011

Wow! Has school really been in session for almost three months? The MSDPO has been so busy that the time has just passed us by. With the school year almost a third of the way completed, I wanted to take a moment to update you one the activities of the organization.

Earlier in the school year, the MSDPO agreed to sponsor the collection of Box Tops for Education and points for My Coke Rewards for Schools. This is a large undertaking for our small organization, but so far it has been very successful. At this point we have redeemed $55.00 in Box Tops and almost 3,000 points for My Coke Rewards. The proceeds raised from both of these efforts will be used to purchase much needed items for the school.

Along with the effort to collect Box Tops, we have also started a new monthly newsletter called "Box Tops Update". This new newsletter will provide everyone with an update on where we are with our Box Tops collection. It will also provide unique opportunities where everyone can help to earn eBox Tops.

Just this past weekend, we had our annual sales booth at the MSD Homecoming game. To say that we had a very successful sales effort would be an understatement. Thanks to all of you that visited our booth and purchased our new shirts and hoodies, and took advantage of our huge clearance sale. Through your generosity, we deposited almost $1,500. These are funds that will definitely benefit the students. We look forward to your continued support at Homecoming next year and the upcoming Winter Homecoming in January.

Currently, we are in the middle of a pre-order sales campaign for MSD pull-over jackets. Sales so far are good. However, if you have not had a chance to order your jacket, make sure you do so. Orders must be received by November 11th.

Finally, let me welcome all our new members. In the past two months we have added eight new members. MSDPO officers have heard that there has been some confusion on who could join the organization. We have been told that many believe you must be a parent to join. That is not true, all parents, MSD staff, alumni, friends, and supporters are welcome. With that said, if you would like to join, please do so. Also, tell a friend. Remember, all who support MSD, its students, and staff are welcome.

It definitely has been a busy year, but there is more to come. Among the upcoming activities are our annual sales effort at Winter Homecoming on January 21, and the Second Annual MSDPO 5K Fun Run and Walk on April 14. Be sure to mark your calendars for both of these events. We hope to see you there.

The MSD Talent Show was a Hugh Success!

4/16/2011

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On Thursday night, April 14, 2011, I was fortunate to be in the audience for this year's MSD talent show. The show was entitled "MSD's Got Talent." From the performance that I witnessed, I can definitely agree with that!

First let me say that the staff that put on this year's show did a great job. Student Life Director Bethany Peterson should be proud of what her staff accomplished. While I don't usually like to single out individuals, I am going to break my own rule and commend new Activities Director Jamie Studer for all she did to coordinate this event. It was an honor for the MSDPO to work with Jamie, and to sponsor the prizes presented to the contestants. We look forward to continuing to sponsor this event in the years to come.

As I said earlier, every performance in this show was top notch. All the contestants should be proud. I am glad that I did not have the duty to pick the three winners. I know it was tough for the judges.

For those of you who did not have the opportunity to attend, the winners of this year's show were:

1st Place: The Rascals Band from Stark Elementary. They did a great job of lip-synching to the 80's classic "I Love Rock N' Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Audience members were dancing in the aisles and waving their hands in the air. I think I even saw a few cell phones being waved back and forth.

2nd Place: Leeron and Herbert . Their robotic popping and locking to "Mr. Roboto" by Styx took me back to the days when I used to breakdance. (Yes it is true, I used to breakdance during my high school days).

3rd Place: Mitchell. Mitchell showed us what it was like to clown around. I still wonder how he was able to balance that heavy step ladder on his chin.

Pageant winners were also chosen for the Elementary, Middle School, and High School.This year's winners were:

Elementary: Brad and Rhiannon

Middle School: Scotty and Azara

High School: KiJaun and Paige

Again, congratulations to all the contestants, winners, coordinators, judges, and to this year's Masters of Ceremony Shari and Mitchell. Great job everyone!

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Six Months Later....

1/10/2011

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In an article published in the Missouri Record (Winter/Spring 2010), the MSDPO laid out a series of goals to adapt the organization to the changing world. These goals were very ambitious, but the officers believed they were necessary to revitalize the organization. Six months later, its time to see how well the MSDPO has done in meeting those goals.

The goals laid out were as follows: Full slate of officers by 2011 Growth of members to 25 by 2011, 50 by 2012, 100 by 2014. Increase visibility at MSD Help with the development of a coordination effort between all support organizations for MSD. Continue to grow fundraising so that MSDPO can sponsor more projects and efforts.

The first goal was to have in place a full slate of officers by 2011. Currently, we have three of the four officer positions filled. However, we are still looking to fill the vice president’s position.

The next goal entailed growing the members of the organization to 25 by 2011, 50 by 2012, 100 by 2014. As the article discussed, the concept of member has changed with the coming of social media sites like Facebook and MySpace. While the total number of actual members is currently less than 25, the number of members that have joined our virtual communities on Facebook and Twitter total over 200.

The third goal was to increase the visibility of the organization at MSD. The number one strategy to meet this goal involves improving communication between the MSDPO, parents, alumni, students, faculty, staff, and administration. Over the past six months, several steps have been taken to improve communication. These include the starting of this newsletter; the development of online meetings through tinychat.com; the creation of Facebook and Twitter pages; the revamping of the MSDPO web site to include copies of all meeting notes, news updates, a calendar of events, and a President’s blog; and the development of a funding request form.

Goal number four involved improving coordination between the MSDPO and other MSD support or-ganizations (Alumni Association, Booster Club, etc.). While attendance by a representative to the MSD Board of Advisors meeting is a good first step, more still needs to be done to coordinate fund-raising efforts, and make the best use of the limited resources of these organizations.

The final goal entailed growing fundraising efforts to allow the MSDPO to sponsor more projects and efforts. After six months, MSDPO fundraising has proven successful. Sales at the Kansas and Iowa football games were strong, thanks to the offering of new shirts and products. These efforts were fol-lowed up by an equally successful advanced sales campaign for polo shirts and hats. The fundraiser night at Pizza Hut earned $130.00 for the organization in two hours. Currently, the MSDPO is in a campaign to sell MSD Eagles Spirit Decals.

Another effort that so far has not paid off like the organization hoped is the development of an online store. Through the store individuals can purchase MSD-themed items. Payment can be made by credit or debit card, and PayPal account.

While these six months have been extremely productive for the MSDPO, there is still a lot of work to do. Efforts need to be made to have a full slate of officers, and to continue growing our membership. New products must be developed and offered to increase the use of the online store. Steps need to be taken to continue improving the coordination between the MSDPO, support organizations, MSD faculty and staff, and students. All ambitious goals indeed, but goals that are achievable with your help.

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New Era for MSDPO to Begin on Saturday

9/23/2010

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This Saturday will represent a new era for the Missouri School for the Deaf Parents' Organization. Besides being the first meeting for the 2010-2011 school year, it will also be the first time that online chat will be used during the meeting.

As I have said in past blog posts, the dynamics of the organization are changing. In the past, parents, alumni, and supporters lived near the school. This allowed them to attend on campus meetings. Over the years, however, the number of parents, alumni, and supporters living near the school has steadily decreased. Work and other obligations have also made it difficult for these individuals to find the time to travel to Fulton. As a result, the meeting attendance and the organization have suffered.

Today, we live in a world that is connected. Individuals have laptops, netbooks, and smart phones. Internet connectivity is available in our homes, our coffee shops, at work, and through the air. With these options you don't have to physically be in a meeting room to participate in the proceedings.

With this in mind, the MSDPO is going to attempt to incorporate the use of chat within our meetings. Our meeting this Saturday will be using the TinyChat platform. As the meeting is being conducted, one of the MSDPO officers will be summarizing the discussions and relaying the responses and questions. It may take a little while for us to get the process running smoothly, but we really feel that this is a positive step in the right direction. In the future, we hope to also be able to incorporate the use of the new video conferencing room that is currently under construction at MSD to further increase participation.

The MSDPO meeting will be held from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm in the Eagles Nest on the MSD campus. If you would like to participate in the new chat meeting, use the following link http://tinychat.com/msdparentsorg
When you get the login screen, just enter your nickname (alias) in the blank and select "Go". You will be entered into the discussion.

The officers of the MSDPO are excited about this new opportunity to include you in the discussion. We look forward to this change and to others that are coming.

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A Friend Retires

8/27/2010

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Family, friends, administrators, faculty, staff, students, former students, and parents gathered today to honor the career of a man who, for most of his life, has called Missouri School for the Deaf his home. As a student and then for 35 years as an administrator, Tom Bastean has become synonymous with the school. Many individuals refer to him as “Mr. MSD”.

I remember the time my wife and I brought our son to visit MSD. Mr. Bastean was the first person that we met. I was so impressed by the way he stuck out his hand to greet us with a smile on his face. When we returned for the new parent orientation later that summer, once again there was Tom, grabbing my hand and patting me on the back. Although I never knew if he remembered me, it didn’t matter, because I felt as if he did. Tom just had a way of making you feel at ease.

Through these past ten years I have had the pleasure of attending several events at MSD, and seeing how Tom interacted with the students. It was very clear that he loved them. It was also evident that they loved “Bastean” (as my son called him). How could they not, his laughter and his stories were just so darn infectious. He made them feel important, and as he did so often with my son, told them to never give up. His life and career were a testament to what they could accomplish if they only believed.

It’s sad to think that Mr. Bastean is retiring. He has been a great advocate and friend to students and parents. However, as I hear it, he may not really be going away. He has been offered a desk in the museum. How fitting, for a man that has been a big part of the school’s history.

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Back to School Message

7/12/2010

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Hello MSD Parents and Guardians:

My name is Jeff Patridge. I am the Interim President of the Missouri School for the Deaf Parents’ Organization (MSDPO). Since I am writing this message to you, that means summer is half over. It seems like only yesterday that I was presenting awards to many of your children at the end-of- year awards ceremonies.

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the MSDPO, let you know about the exciting changes that are happening, and ask you to join us as we transform the organization to meet the challenges of the Social Network era.

The MSDPO is a non-profit organization that has supported Missouri School for the Deaf administrators, educators, and students for thirty years. The proceeds earned from fundraising projects are used to purchase objects for the dorms, provide summer camp and college scholarships, obtain supplies for instructors, and for other projects that support its mission of “improving the education, recreation, health, and employment opportunities” for all MSD students. All funds earned by the organization are returned to MSD.

As I stated in a recent article in the Missouri Record (Winter/Spring 2010), the MSDPO is experiencing the impact of changes in our society. These changes have led to families having less time to join organizations like the MSDPO, and parents and friends that are geographically dispersed throughout Missouri. As a result of these changes, participation in MSDPO meetings, fundraisers, and other activities has dwindled.

To reverse this trend, the MSDPO is evolving. We have taken several steps to improve communication with parents and friends, boost participation, and increase our fundraising efforts. Among the steps we have already taken include the purchase of a web domain name (www.msdpo.org) and the creation of a MSDPO web page. Facebook and Twitter pages have been developed, and an organization-specific email address has been obtained for correspondence (msdparentorg@gmail.com). Over the next several months, we will continue to do more. Among the changes were are planning to implement include web-based chat meetings, using our web page and social networking sites to inform you of upcoming meetings and activities, expanding our selection of fundraising items, and implementing online purchasing options that allow for the use of debit and credit cards to purchase those items.

As you can see, these are some very exciting times for the MSDPO. Why don’t you join us? We would love to hear your ideas, and would welcome your help in transforming this organization to meet the challenges of this new era.

If you would like to help us move forward, or are just interesting in finding out more about the MSDPO and its activities, visit our web site (www.msdpo.org), select “Join Us”, and complete the online information form. You can also send us an email at msdparentorg@gmail.com.

Jeff Patridge,
Interim MSDPO President

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Recap of 2013-2014 School Year

Recap of the 2012-2013 School Year

One Magical Season

The 2011-2012 School Year A Busy One

The Year is off to a Great Start

The MSD Talent Show was a Hugh Success!

Six Months Later....

New Era for MSDPO to Begin on Saturday

A Friend Retires

Back to School Message

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