4/2 - ‘Light it Up Blue’ Day
8th Grade ELA MCAS
SEL Task Force
4/3 - Assessment/Feedback Parent Info Session - 6:30 p.m. (see details below)
4/4 - #DLDMedfield (No School for Students)
4/8 - 7th Grade Trout Release
Blake Site Council Mtg - 3:30 p.m.
4/9 - 7th Grade ELA MCAS
SEPAC Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake LMC)
4/10 - 7th Grade ELA MCAS
4/11 - Superintendent’s Advisory Council - 9:30 a.m.
Zullo Student-Faculty Art Exhibit (see details below)
4/15-4/19 - School Vacation
4/22 - Earth Day
4/23 - 6th Grade ELA MCAS
4/24 - 6th Grade ELA MCAS
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about the importance of making time to find, articulate, notice, acknowledge, and celebrate ‘the good’, our topic/question of the week is: Share something good that took place or is taking place in school right now. Making Time for the Good (Week of 3/31/19) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Term 2 Report Cards
All outstanding report card signature sheets should be turned into advisors. If you have a question about your child's work or the reports, please start by having a conversation with your own child. If questions still exist, you should contact the teacher directly to gain more insight.
Zullo Student-Faculty Art Exhibit
For the 25th year, the Zullo Gallery, in collaboration with the K-12 Visual Arts faculty of the Medfield Public Schools, is hosting its Annual Student-Faculty Art Exhibit. The Zullo Gallery offers a fantastic opportunity for deserving student art work to receive special notice by our community in a professional gallery setting. This year's exhibit will be held from April 6th- April 28th. A reception for the artists, their friends, and families will be on Thursday April 11th, between 5:30-7pm. The gallery is located at 456 Main St in Medfield.
Digital Learning Day for Blake and Medfield Staff - 4/4/19
Next Tuesday, April 10 is Digital Learning Day for the staff of the Medfield Public Schools. I encourage you to begin checking out the hashtag #DLDMedfield and to look for more information to stay current with the Blake and Medfield tweeters. Some of our Blake students will be helping out throughout the day as well. We are excited about this opportunity to learn from one another and expand our understandings of technology integration as we continue to work towards our mission for our students and school.
MA Teacher of the Year Finalist - Marissa Gumas!
I want to share the exciting and wonderful news with everyone that Marissa Gumas has been selected as a finalist for the 2020 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. She was nominated by a parent in the community and over the last month has successfully made it to the 'round of finalists'. Over the next few weeks DESE staff will be participating in a visit to Blake and some follow-ups. Finalists are also invited to the annual Celebration Honoring Excellence in Teaching held at the state house on Thursday, June 20. Please join me in congratulating Marissa for this recognition!
Blake GSA Information
The Blake Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) meets every Tuesday from 2:15 - 3:00, in room 101. The GSA provides a space for open dialogue about topics such as how to be better ally and how to make our school a safe place for LGBTQ students and families. All students are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please feel free to contact Elise Malone ([email protected]), Russ Becker ([email protected]) or Amy Reynolds ([email protected]) with any questions or concerns you may have.
8th Grade Trip Forms
All outstanding forms should be turned in ASAP. Forms should be completed in pen, dated and signed. If your child will need to take any medication on the trip (prescription and/or non-prescription), then his/her physician needs to review and sign the medication form. Please plan ahead and submit the medication form to your child’s physician within the next two weeks in order to get the signed form back to school by the April 5th deadline. Please contact our school nurse, Tricia Williams, at 508-242-8554 or [email protected] if you have any questions after reviewing the packet. Your assistance is appreciated in returning the forms on time as we finalize preparations for the trip.
Students for Students
High School Sophomores Sam Hedges, Brendan Harding and Charles Marie have started a new club for middle school students who are dealing with a sick family member or have lost a family member to illness. Their club is called Students for Students. This is NOT a grief support group, instead it is more of a mentorship and connections based group. They wrote the following "The motivation behind this club is to bring middle school kids together to show them that they are not alone in the battle of illnesses within immediate families. Our goal is to give the kids a safe space to realize that their current situation gets better and gives them help if necessary. For our first meeting, we are planning on having pizza and doing ice breaker games with the kids. For meetings later on we are planning to do more activities such as games and fun outdoor activities. As the club grows our hope is that the older students will serve as mentors to the younger students who might be going through unique family situations that they can relate to. We also welcome to any ideas on how our club can grow and improve." Please contact Jen Dondero with any questions.
Developing Reflective Learners - Feedback, Assessments, and Learning - Wednesday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m.
My personal belief is that at least in education relevance is more important than tradition when it comes to methodology. - Tom Whitby
If we look at the schools that have grown the most in the last five or ten years, schools that have made really significant improvements for students in learning, these are the places that have had teacher communities that have been willing to come together and pull their oars together towards the same coherent goals. - Justin Reich
Please join us for a workshop with Dr. Nathaniel Brown, Associate Research Professor at Boston College's Lynch School of Education, focused on Feedback, Assessments, and Learning. Dr. Brown** is a leading expert in assessment and evaluation. Topics to be addressed at this workshop include motivation, grading myths and truths, grade inflation, measurement, evaluation, and assessment precision.
Central to our work at Blake Middle School and the Medfield Public Schools is the continued refinement of all of our practices. Professional development and edification of current student-centered practices in education are at the core of our belief system and values at Blake and in Medfield. With all of our endeavors, we have followed four core principles to bring a student-centered model to fruition:
- Program Development
- Classroom Implementation
- Professional Development
- Reflection/Evaluation
Blake Middle School has a partnership with Boston College’s Lynch School of Education, and Dr. Brown has had meetings with our Blake Administrative Leadership team, led a professional development workshop with all Blake staff, and will be continuing formal work throughout the coming year. We are excited about this work and look forward to engaging parents/guardians and the community in our continued efforts to enhance the learning environment, provide a meaningful and relevant education for our students, and take steps towards our shared mission...
Blake Middle School believes in a living mission statement, based on the concept that our community seeks and respects knowledge, integrity, character, wisdom, and the willingness to adapt to a continually evolving world.
Please complete the Google Form below to RSVP for each parent/guardian joining us for this workshop on Wednesday, April 3...
Developing Reflective Learners - Parent Workshop with Dr. Brown (4/3/19)
Music Ensemble Selection - All Incoming 6th-8th Grade Parents/Guardians
All parents/guardians must complete the music ensemble selection Google Form for 2019-2020.
2019-2020 Blake Middle School Music Selection
For Incoming 6th Grade Parents/Guardians
For your reference, I have copied the link to the presentation and handout along with the Program of Studies 2/27/19…
Blake Incoming 6th PIN 2019 Presentation
Blake Parent Resources Handout 2019-2020
Blake Program of Studies 2019-2020
Below please find links to the Course Selection Google Forms that all incoming 6th grade parents/guardians must complete…
2019-2020 Blake Middle School Music Selection
2019-2020 Blake Middle School World Language Selection
Incoming 7th/8th Grade Parents/Guardians
For your reference, I have copied the link to the presentation along with the Program of Studies evening...
Incoming 7th/8th PIN March 2019 Presentation
Blake Parent Resources Handout 2019-2020
Blake Program of Studies 2019-2020
Nature's Classroom PIN Slideshow March 2019
Project 351 Cradles to Crayons Drive
My name is Molly Donovan and from Monday, March 25 through Wednesday, April 3 I will be running a clothing and shoe drive in support of Cradles to Crayons. Donating will provide children who are in extreme circumstances such as homelessness and poverty with essentials they need to feel safe, warm and valued. Every child should feel loved and supported, and donating to this drive will make a positive difference in their lives. The children served by Cradles to Crayons are ages 0-12, so a variety of clothing and shoe sizes are needed. A collection bin will be located in front of the library- any donations will be greatly appreciated!
You will soon receive 2 e-mails from Blake regarding your child's math placement for the 2019-2020 school year.
Email #1: A customized e-mail with the first name and math placement scores for your 6th grader.
Email #2: An e-mail with a link to a Google Form to allow you to confirm receipt of your child's math placement information. Please be sure to complete the Google Form by Monday, April 8, 2019, to allow us to schedule your child for the upcoming school year.
Math Placement Information - For Incoming Grade 8th Grade Families
You will soon receive 2 e-mails from Blake regarding your child's math placement for the 2019-2020 school year.
Email # 1: A customized e-mail with the first name and math placement scores for your 7th grader.
Email #2: A letter with a link to a Google Form allowing you to confirm receipt of your child's 8th-grade math placement. Please be sure to complete the Google Form by Monday, April 8, 2019 to allow us to schedule your child for the upcoming school year.
Spring Intramurals at Blake
The 2019 Spring Intramural Session is scheduled to start soon. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Challenge Success Student Survey Information
Throughout this past year Medfield has partnered with Challenge Success, a program out of Stanford with this mission statement: Challenge Success partners with schools, families, and communities to embrace a broad definition of success and to implement research-based strategies that promote student well-being and engagement with learning. This program is designed to support and provide resources to our student and parent community. The Challenge Success team in Medfield has been working to identify and develop strategies to meet the social/emotional needs of our students. As part of this work, all of our students took the Challenge Success student survey last week. The surveys will be analyzed by researchers at Stanford University who will then provide us with a detailed report. These links provide more information about our work...
Medfield Challenge Success Introductory Video
Medfield Challenge Success
Please do not hesitate to reach out to if you have any questions or concerns about the survey or this initiative.
March Madness Book Tourney at Blake
March Madness has arrived at Blake with the March Madness Book Tournament! Students nominate favorite books, make predictions on winning titles in book battles, and compete for best bracket. Winning titles are determined by school-wide vote. Reading is a social activity, and the buzz around Blake is that this year's bracket is the most challenging yet. Take a peek and join in the fun at home.
MCAS Information
As we are now in 'MCAS season', the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education asks that we review our expectations with students prior to testing. English teachers will be reviewing student responsibilities in English classes in the weeks ahead. I have posted the Student Responsibilities during Testing sheet that will be reviewed with students during the week in their classes. I would like to call your attention to the updated guidelines with regard to electronics (iPods, iPhones, iPads, phones, Apple Watches, all types of Kindles, Nooks, and e-readers). The DESE states: "Results will be invalidated for students who use cell phones or other electronic devices at any time during a session, including after a student turns in his or her test materials, during a break, or during the transition to a test completion area." Blake students will be instructed to turn off all devices and place them in their locked hallway locker. This is a good time to check in with your child to be sure that they still have a combination lock on their locker and that they are using it to secure their belongings. Please review this aspect of digital responsibility with your child.
While we do not want to foster undue anxiety or pressure for students, a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast will ensure that they come to school prepared to do their best. Please be sure that students arrive at school on time. Arrival by 7:30 allows plenty of time to get settled. If your student is sick on the day of a scheduled test date, it is best for your child to get some rest and take it on a make-up day. Make up tests will be given throughout the testing window. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Kelly Campbell ([email protected]) or your child's guidance counselor.
May Dance for 7th/8th Grade
The final dance of the year is on Friday, May 17. A reminder that all students who wish to attend the dance should have submitted a dance contract. The time of the dance is from 7 pm to 9 pm in the Blake gym. A reminder that there are not cell phones or water bottles allowed in the gym. Students will have access to the water fountain, and there is a designated cell phone area. Additionally, students may leave early only if a pre-arranged parent or guardian picks the student up in person.
#MedfieldProjectHappiness Update
A few notes for your reference...
- The daily inspiration from Project Happiness is included in the morning announcements to staff and students.
- To subscribe: https://www.projecthappiness.org
- To follow on Twitter: @happyblakers #MedfieldProjectHappiness
Parking
This is a general reminder to all parents to be sure to follow the parking regulations in the parking lots and around the 'flagpole circle'. When dropping off or picking up students, vehicles should not be parked ('stationary' or 'live') in the fire zone. We need to make sure that we are providing a safe environment at all times for our students and community. Thank you for your cooperation.
Substitute Applications
Blake is always looking for substitute teacher applicants. Applicants need not have teaching licensure but should be energetic, flexible and enjoy working with children. For more information or to apply, please visit medfield.net and find applications under the tab "employment opportunities", the. Professional Staff Openings. Please contact Kelly Campbell at [email protected] with any questions.
Blake Site Council Book Discussion Group
Blake’s Site Council book is What School Could Be by Ted Dintersmith. At our next Site Council meeting (4/8/19), we will be discussing the book - join us!
Blake Middle School Site Council Survey
The Blake Site Council has taken time to review the data collected from last year's survey and the Executive Summary can be found here: Blake Middle School Executive Summary 17-18. Focus areas on the survey centered on the topics of school culture, academic workloads, stress, and habits. Our intent is to distribute the 2018-2019 survey in the near future. Stay tuned!
Nature’s Classroom Information
The deposit and paperwork for the seventh grade trip to Nature’s Classroom is due on Friday, April 12.The Nature’s Classroom Information Packet and Nature’s Classroom Forms to Fill Out for the trip are attached. Please print the forms to fill out single sided. The forms are given to different people while we are at Nature’s Classroom. Please be sure to fill out the date of your student’s most recent tetanus shot so the nurse at Nature’s Classroom has the information. Everything can be turned into your student’s advisory teacher. Please let Judy Silva [email protected] Tricia Williams, Kelly Campbell or Tracy Allen know if you have any questions.
Spring Track at Blake
Click here to learn about and register for Blake Track 2019 - season starts April 2!
Blake Track Meet Schedule 2019
Substitute Applications
Blake is always looking for substitute teacher applicants. Applicants need not have teaching licensure but should be energetic, flexible and enjoy working with children. For more information or to apply, please visit medfield.net and find applications under the tab "employment opportunities". Please contact Kelly Campbell at [email protected] with any questions.
MHS Youth Lacrosse Clinic for Boys
Registration is now open for the April 4th Youth Lacrosse Clinic for boys in Grades 6-8, hosted by the MHS Boys Varsity Lacrosse team. For more information, please see the registration form posted in the Thursday packet.
SEPAC Update
Save the date! Please join us and all five of our Medfield Principals on Tuesday, April 9th at 7pm in the Blake Library to learn about the tiers of support in each building, accommodations, access, inclusion, and opportunities for partnership. This is a wonderful chance to hear directly from our leadership and build relationships within our community. We anticipate this being a full evening, so please submit your questions in advance in this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJbT-tvi99TB19fU85Msu3d2GXQ02n-C_uYHNro9veGuzjug/viewform?usp=sf_link
Due to the limited time with the principals, pre-submitted questions from this form will be asked by the moderator, SEPAC President Christi Barney, by grouping them into themes, as there likely won't be time for unstructured questions and answers. Please submit your question(s) by 4/2. We look forward to seeing you on April 9th!
To learn more about SEPAC, visit our website: https://sites.google.com/mail.medfield.k12.ma.us/sepac/
MCPE Update
Are you looking for a way to give back to Medfield public schools? Consider joining Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE). ALL skill sets are welcome. We're looking for candidates who can commit to a 3 year term, attend Board meetings once a month and have an active interest in enriching their kids' education in Medfield Schools. Go to https://www.medfieldcoalition.org/volunteer-application-form for more information, or to apply today!
Blake PTO Update
THANK YOU for those who contributed to our annual appeal this year! If you didn't get to send in your contribution yet, don't worry, there's still time! Donate here http://www.medfieldk8pto.com/blake.html or you can mail a check to Blake Middle School (24 Pound St Medfield MA 02052) or send it in with your child. Checks should be made out to Blake Middle School PTO. We are hoping for 100% participation of Blake families! This will allow our students and teachers to benefit over the next year, as the students and teachers did before them. We thank you in advance for your financial support of the Blake PTO.
Don’t forget to like us on Facebook (Medfield K-8 PTO) and follow us on Twitter (@MedfieldK8PTO). And for more information and calendar of events, please check out our website medfieldk8pto.com