ETMS Families,

As we head into the holiday break, I want to wish all of our students and families a joyful, restful, and safe time together. Please be sure to review the important information below, as it includes key events and updates for January. I am incredibly proud of our students for all they have accomplished so far this year and look forward to welcoming them back refreshed and ready for a strong start to the new year.

Best Regards,

Adam Trindl, Principal

East Troy Middle School

December 20 - East Troy Lights MS student light shows - 5-7pm on the square

December 22 - January 2 - Winter Break

January 5 - School Resumes

January 19 - No School (Inservice)

January 30 - Reward Trip in PM

If your student needs to miss school for any reason, you can now let us know through Skyward Family Access! No need to call the office anymore, simply do it online. Please see the directions below and reach out if you have any questions.

Families, can you send in a treat, snack, or drink to donate or volunteer for a shift? 

Please sign-up here to help support the Student Council! 

Congratulations newly elected PTO Board!

We thank them for their willingness to serve our ETMS community!

President -- Erin Halkin

Vice President -- Valerie Tribble

*Note: Cari McBurney decided to step down to take on a chairperson role. 

Secretary -- Stephanie Murphy

Treasurer -- Erin McKeen

Thank you to those of you who took the time and consideration to vote! 

These ladies will officially begin their new roles after the holidays. 

Our first meeting with the new board will be January 13th (6:00 P.M.). 

Happy new year!

A parent-teacher organization that links home, school and community allowing us to have a voice and impact on our children's experience at the middle school

ETMS PTO Meeting

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 · 6:00 – 7:00pm

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/hec-eroc-kus

Liam and Sam, both 8th graders, wanted to help reinvest in our Robotics program. They were willing to clean, sand, tighten, and repaint three of our Robotic Challenge Tables! They were not only helping with our Robotics program, but were also learning and practicing important life-skills! Great job gentlemen in helping to continue to make ETMS a great place to learn!

This holiday season, the ETMS Builders Club held a donation drive to help bring that same joy to those in need within our community. Items were collected during the first 2 weeks of December and the response was fantastic! A wide variety of items were left in the donation box including coloring books, crayons, markers, small toys, hair accessories, lotions and other skin care items. The picture shows only a small portion of the many items donated. Thank you to everyone who contributed to help make this a Merry Christmas for all!

8th Grade Science students are making lemon batteries!

Sixth grade Social Studies has been comparing the social, economic, and political differences between the North and South leading up to the Civil War. In exploring the reforms of the time and passionate beliefs of citizens, students are understanding the background causes of the Civil War/. As we get into the great conflict, students will learn about how the United States tried to compromise over which states became free and which ones became slave states. They will learn about the key events within the Civil War. Finally students will learn about Reconstruction after the war. 

In seventh grade, students completed their discussions on the creation of the United States Constitution. After winding through the Colonies, Revolutionary war and Continental Congress, students interpreted and updated the meanings of each of the ideals of the Preamble. They are now ready to break down the powers and responsibilities of each of our government’s three branches. In the Legislative branch, they will craft a law proposal to discuss and vote upon in class. The executive branch will explore the cabinet and electoral college. Finally, the Judicial branch will have students researching and teaching a US Supreme Court case

The 8th grade has begun their world tour. After travelling through our neighbor to the north, Canada, students created travel brochures about their chosen Canadian Province or Territory. As they moved on to the United States, they are looking at environmental issues affecting our home country. By researching a current concern, they will prepare a lesson to teach their classmates what is causing the problem and how to potentially solve it.

The ELA department just finished their 2nd unit with Amplify ELA. 

6th Grade~

This month, students developed critical thinking skills when they became investigators and explored the fascinating world of medical detective work from the 1800s!

Through The Secret of the Yellow Death by Suzanne Jurmain, students followed the true and close read the story of Dr. Walter Reed and his team as they worked to solve the deadly mystery of yellow fever. Like real scientists, students examined clues, studied evidence, and analyzed data to understand how these medical detectives finally discovered the truth.

To wrap up the unit, students wrote an essay sharing their thoughts on which skill or character trait they believe is most important for investigators and problem-solvers..

7th Grade~

This month, students examined how characters respond to conflict and how their interactions reveal deeper themes about life and identity.

Students read "Sucker," a short story by Carson McCullers, and A Raisin in the Sun, a groundbreaking play by Lorraine Hansberry. Both stories explore how families facing challenges can support each other while also causing hurt—sometimes without realizing it. Through these complex characters, students discussed important themes like identity, family responsibilities, and different ideas about success.

Students analyzed what motivates each character, traced how themes developed throughout the stories, and examined how characters use persuasive language to convince others of their viewpoints. They followed their thoughts through with an essay on one character in the play, describing how they grew through their conflict. 

8th Grade~

This month, students explored what the phrase "all men are created equal" truly meant during the Civil War period by studying the writings of Americans who lived through this pivotal time.

Students dove deeply into Frederick Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, analyzing his powerful arguments against slavery while discussing important ideas about equality, opportunity, justice, and freedom. Through Douglass's personal story of moving toward liberation, students examined the realities of slavery and the fight for human rights.

After exploring Douglass's perspective and experiences, students wrote an essay considering a central question: What does America mean by "all men are created equal"?

The Fitness Center at ETMS will be open Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays starting September 8th. Middle school students looking to work out after school should stay at the middle school.

We kindly ask that parents and guardians schedule a meeting in advance when wishing to speak with a staff member. Our staff have full schedules throughout the day, and unannounced visits can be difficult to accommodate.

We absolutely understand that emergencies can arise, and in those cases, we will do our best to assist right away. However, for all other matters, please reach out by phone or email to set up a meeting time. This helps ensure that staff can give you their full attention and that your concerns are addressed effectively.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping us maintain a productive and respectful environment for both staff and students.

If you need to pick up your student for any reason during the school day please follow the steps below:

Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we ensure that our students are safe and leaving with the appropriate individuals.

(262) 642-6740 - Main Office

3143 Graydon Avenue

East Troy, WI 53129