6/6 - 8th Grade Mandarin Field Trip
6/7 - PEM Field Trip - Otters
Blake New Student Orientation (2:30 p.m.)
6/8 - PEM Field Trip - Koalas
Grades 6-8 Chorus Concert - 7 p.m.
6/9 - PEM Field Trip - Sea Turtles
6/12 - Eagles Bike Trip
Blake Theater Celebration (see details below)
High School Athletics Meeting (see details below)
6/13 - Stripes Bike Trip
7th Grade Creature Feature Field Trip
#MedfieldPS Chat - 8 p.m. (see details below)
6/14 - Stars Bike Trip
6/19 - Transition Day
8th Grade Picnic
8th Grade Closing Ceremony (7 p.m.)
6/20 - 1/2 Day for Students
Last Day of School
Happy Summer!
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about self-reflection, growth, and understanding of one's own learning, our topic/question for the dinner table is: What have you learned about yourself this year as a learner? Learning About Oneself (Week of 6/4/17) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Blake Middle School Art Show
A big thank you to our Blake students and art staff for a wonderful show last week. Thank you to Christina Delaney, Nancy Deveno, and Kate Jones for all of their work in coordinating the event!
A Midsummer Night's Dream
On June 5th, the sixth grade classes were treated to a live performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" followed by a question and answer session with the actors. The performance wrapped up our Exploration rotation on Shakespeare, which consisted of reading the play, designing set pieces, and having students re-enact parts of the play. It was a joy to see the students engage with and respond to the actors on stage. Thank you to the PTO for fully funding the "Shakespeare Now! Company's" field trip to Blake.
The 5th annual Blake Marathon
The 5th Annual Blake mini Marathon was a smashing success!!!
The day featured:
- More walkers & runners than ever before - close to 600 students and staff!
- raised over $3,000 for The Jeffrey Coombs Memorial Foundation
- 10 student winners from each grade level
- plenty of staff and parent volunteers helping organize, time, supervise, and hydrate kids
- a gorgeous day
Lost and Found Items
The number of items in our Lost and Found has certainly increased! We will be clearing out the Lost and Found after school gets out - I encourage all students and parents/guardians to come take a look.
#MedfieldPS Twitter Chat on 6/13/17
Our next district-wide Twitter chat is Tuesday, 6/13/17 at 8 p.m. - 'Reflections on Student Learning 16-17'. The goal of these chats is to bring the five schools together (staff and administration) to discuss pertinent topics in education, initiatives, and ideas to collaborate around and share. We hope you can join in and participate!
Library Reminder
Parents, just a reminder, that all library books are now due back in the Blake Library. Students with checked out items were notified last week. Please encourage your child to return any library books promptly so that we can get the Library back in order before the end of the year. If the Library books are not returned, we will unfortunately have to ask for payment. Thanks for your help.
Washington, D.C. Trip - Coolers and Medications
Thank you for all of the cooler donations. They can be picked up this week at the Blake office. Mrs. Williams has also asked that medication from the trip be picked up this week. Please contact her with any questions that you have ([email protected]).
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.
Theme of Diversity for 2017-2018
Our theme for the next academic year at Blake is one of Diversity. We believe that this theme will extend the work we have done over the last five years with our themes of Community, Perseverance, Creativity, Acceptance, Collaboration, and Empathy. As a staff we have begun brainstorming ideas and I encourage all families to join us in the brainstorming process as well. As ideas and thoughts come to mind, do not hesitate to e-mail me ([email protected]) or Kelly C. ([email protected]).
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.
iPad Planning Inventory for 17-18 - Please Complete
As you know we are continuing with our mobile learning program at Blake for the entire 6th-8th grade for the 2017-2018 academic year. To help us effectively plan for next year, we are asking all current 5th-7th grade parents/guardians (incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians for the 2017-2018 academic year) to let us know your plans for your student (Lease-to-Own, Bring an iPad from home, Borrow) for next year, by completing this brief survey by Friday, May 19: iPad Planning Inventory at Blake Middle School for 2017-2018. Please fill out this inventory for each child that will be attending Blake next year. This decision is not binding and we recognize that your plans may change - confirmation and final decisions will be made by mid-June, 2017. I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to complete this brief inventory and am hoping for 100% participation.
We have outlined the Blake Mobile Learning Initiative Participation Options (Lease-to-Own, Bring an iPad from home, Borrow) for Blake students for this program. We are committed to providing an equitable learning experience for our students and appreciate the shared commitment and investment in the education of our students. As such we have a system in place for families with demonstrated financial need.
The 'minimum specifications' will still remain as the iPad 4, meaning the following are acceptable devices for students to use: iPad4, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, or iPad Air. The device selected by the students/families will suffice for the students' needs in school as long as Apple continues to update the OS (operating system) on that device. If your family intends to purchase a new device this year, then the iPad4, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, or iPad Air are the recommended devices. We are committed to making the experience meaningful and viable for all of our students, troubleshooting challenges that arise in a thoughtful and inclusive manner. Our work over the last five years has provided a foundation as our teachers and staff continue to thoughtfully implement and review the effectiveness of this initiative. It is important to keep in mind that teachers and students will be following the same curriculum frameworks and the common core Blake curriculum.
For your reference I am sharing links below to documents about our initiative/program...Blake Mobile Learning Blog
Blake Mobile Learning General Information (has articles, background information, and philosophy)
Blake Mobile Learning FAQs 17-18
Blake Mobile Learning Initiative Participation Options
iPad Program Estimated Lease-to-Own Pricing Structure 17-18
In the next few weeks we will be planning an iPad Highlights and Information Session for all Blake families. Our hope is for the entire Blake community of parents and guardians to hear and see highlights from teachers and students, answer questions, and gain an understanding of the work that is taking place. Stay tuned for more information!
We are excited about the prospects that lie ahead as we work to provide your students with the opportunity to learn with meaningful technology and are hopeful that we can foster and promote a positive and relevant learning experience. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me directly ([email protected]) with any questions, concerns, or thoughts that you may have.
New Student Registration at Blake
Blake would like to welcome any families with middle school students moving to Medfield to attend one of the Blake Registration Days. They will be held on Wednesday, June 7th at 2:30pm and Wednesday, August 23rd at 10am. Please call the guidance office at508-359-2445 and speak with Debbie Avery to make an appointment to register. (After June 20th, please call the main office at 508-359-2396 and speak to Mrs. Skerry). Paperwork needed to complete registration is listed on the guidance page - http://blakeguidancepage.weebly.com/new-student-information.html.
Theater
The last event for Blake Theater this year is a celebration of a wonderful season. It will take place from 2:15-3:15pm on Monday, June 12. Please make sure your student RSVP's to Ms. Allen via email.
Music Ensemble Selection
All incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians must complete the selection form for music...
2017-18 Blake Middle School Music Selection
For Incoming 6th Grade Parents/Guardians
Below please find links to the Course Selection Google Forms that all incoming 6th grade parents/guardians must complete...
2017-18 Blake Middle School Music Selection
2017-18 Blake Middle School World Language Selection
8th Grade Closing Ceremony
Our 8th grade closing ceremony and goodbye evening will be on Monday, June 19 at 7 p.m. This evening will be our opportunity to thank and recognize our 8th graders for their years at Blake and wish them well as they head off to high school. Families are welcome, and there will be a reception with refreshments, including allergen-free treats, in the cafeteria following the ceremony. We are hoping for a 'cool weather' evening.
High School Athletics Meeting - Info from Eric Scott
On Monday, June 12th, at 6:00pm, there will be a meeting held in the gymnasium at the Medfield High School for all athletes and their parents interested in playing high school athletics in the fall season at Medfield High School. Online registration will open on June 1 (FamilyID.com). There is a direct link off the Athletics page (under Activities) on Blake Middle School and Medfield High School site. To complete registration, I will also need a current (last 13 months) copy of physical exam and a check for $225 (Made out to “Town of Medfield”). You will also have the option to pay online with UniPay Gold.
*High School Sports offered for the Fall season are:
Football
Soccer (Boys and Girls)
Field Hockey
Golf
Volleyball (Girls)
Cross Country (Boys and Girls)
Message from Blake PTO
SCHOOL SUPPLY KITS - DEADLINE JUNE 13th!Medfield K-8 PTO is happy to announce that we are using School Kidz again this year for pre-assembled school supply kits tailored to teacher’s class lists by grade. No need for trips to Target or Walmart for last minute school supplies! School Kidz ships the kits directly to Memorial, Wheelock, Dale Street or Blake so your child’s kit will be at their desk or in advisory the first day of school. A portion of the proceeds will be given back to the Medfield K-8 PTO. Ordering begins now and runs through June 13th. Order now and get it out of the way so you can enjoy your summer.
Click here to start shopping http://www.shopttkits.com.
School Codes:
Blake - 86343
Dale St. - 86230
Wheelock - 86231
Memorial - 86174
Cost Per Kit:
Kindergarten & 1st Grade - $45
2nd & 3rd Grade - $40
4th Grade - $55
5th Grade - $48
6th Grade - $35
7th Grade - $40
8th Grade - $18
BLAKE COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE 2017 - 2018 SCHOOL YEAR
Take a look, grab a friend and see what committees you would like to help with next year at Blake. There are so many fun things to help with like the 8th grade Cookout, 8th grade Celebration, 7th grade Ice Cream Social, Career Day, Copy Room Helper, Box Tops Helper, Hospitality and more. Sign-up here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVH6fbiK1-cVI5r7yu42e6szW5bnuT2EUO9qk3CLc-l9A8UQ/viewform. We appreciate all your help!
ONGOING BLAKE APPEAL - We need your help so we can continuing funding enrichment programs and future initiatives for the 2017 - 2018 school year. We are requesting a contribution of $50/child this year. This is a suggested amount but we will gratefully accept any amount you can contribute. Making a donation is easy. Simply click on the link http://www.medfieldk8pto.com/blake.html and scroll down to the end of the page or send a check made payable to Blake Middle School PTO to Blake at 24 Pound St. Medfield, MA 02052. Thank you in advance for your support of the Blake PTO. Please feel free to contact Claudia Rosen [email protected] or Kim Price [email protected] with any questions.
STAY IN TOUCH Please LIKE us on Facebook Medfield K-8 PTO and follow us on Twitter @MedfieldK8PTO. www.medfieldk8pto.com
Update from MCPE
Has your child been impacted by a fantastic teacher this year? Show your appreciation by giving your child's teachers the tools they need to innovate! Make a tax-deductible Blue Ribbon Donation in any amount to the MCPE, and your designated teacher or staff member receives a personalized note acknowledging your appreciation of their skill and dedication. Blue Ribbon donations may be made throughout the year, but the deadline for delivery before the end of the school year is June 19. http://www.medfieldcoalition.org/events-programs/blue-ribbon-program/
Doing some spring cleaning in your child's room and want to find a home for all those books they no longer read? Please see the flyer in the Thursday Packet for the MCPE book drive partnership with Park Street Books.