At MMS, we seek to embed the highly effective practices of the 7 Habits in all that we do. In addition to explicit teaching, through newsletters and family boosters, families and community members learn about the impact of living the 7 Habits through many of our school and community events. Some of our current partnerships include Community Speaker Day (most recently involving 21 guests, including Mattoon Mayor Rick Hall), monthly student-led tours of MMS, our Holiday PAWS store, the Kiwanis/Builders Club Pancake Breakfast, Winter Wonderland, the 8th Grade Career Fair at Lake Land College, Read Across Mattoon, an art collaboration with the local Arts Council, the Kiwanis Club, and the Lions Club.
Events such as our annual Chili Supper (the night before Thanksgiving break) provide an opportunity to build relationships with our families and community members, learn about the 7 Habits and Core Paradigms, and highlight our students’ talents and strengths. During the 2022 MMS Chili Supper, one of our students served as the Master of Ceremonies, as she welcomed guests to the event and shared the personal impact of the 7 Habits and Core Paradigms on her life. A local student band, Invisible Spiders, as well as the MMS band and chorus, performed while families and community members dined together.
A nurturing family culture is further supported by our Parent Teacher Organization, a partnership of parents, teachers, administration, and community members whose goal is to advocate for the educational success, health, and well-being of our children.
During the nationwide COVID shutdown, a group of MMS staff organized an event, the MMS Winter Wonderland, to spread holiday cheer and connect with our students, families, and community. It continues to expand every year. During the event, families and community members make their way through our circle drive as they are greeted by an array of holiday characters. They leave with treats (such as train whistles made by students in Industrial Tech or cookies made by students in FACS classes) and an activity, such as 7 Habits Bingo, aimed to provide an opportunity for learning and practicing the 7 Habits at home. Students in various art classes have worked together to paint new wooden characters that were created by students in Industrial Tech using the MakerMake M2 CNC machine. Students also organize to meet a community need, such as collecting donated socks, during the event.
