3/18 - Term 2 Report Cards go Home
Pride Alliance
3/20 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (Red Cluster)
Blake Student Council
3/21 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (White Cluster)
MAC Meeting
‘A Night of Belonging’ (see details below)
3/22 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (Blue Cluster)
7th/8th Grade Dance
3/25 - Grade 6 ELA MCAS
Pride Alliance
3/26 - Grade 6 ELA MCAS
3/27 - ½ Day for Students
Conference Afternoon for Blake
3/28 - ½ Day for Students
Conference Afternoon for Blake
3/29 - No School
4/3 - No School
Professional Day for Staff
4/4 - Grade 7 ELA MCAS
4/5 - Grade 7 ELA MCAS
4/5 and 4/6 - Blake Play
4/9 - Grade 8 ELA MCAS
4/10 - Grade 8 ELA MCAS
4/15-4/19 - April Vacation
Blake’s Question of the Week
To encourage dialogue and reflection about the role that values play in our actions and lives, our questions for the week are: What are the values you hold that help guide your decisions and actions? How can values help to do that? Driven by Values (Week of 3/10/24) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Term 2 Report Cards
On Monday, 3/18 students will be bringing home their report cards for the second term. Time will be spent in advisory with students reflecting upon the work they accomplished, as well as setting healthy goals for the third term. If you have any questions 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.
Blake 2024 MCAS Dates
We are approaching that time of year again, when our statewide assessment for grades 6-8, MCAS will occur. For planning purposes, we are sharing the dates below for these assessments. It is important that students are present during the MCAS testing window.
3/25- Grade 6 ELA
3/26-Grade 6 ELA
4/3 - Teacher PD Day
4/4 - Grade 7 ELA
4/5 - Grade 7 ELA
4/9 - Grade 8 ELA
4/10 - Grade 8 ELA
4/26 - ELA Window Closes
5/1 - Grade 8 Civics
5/2 - Grade 8 Civics
5/3 - Half-Day
5/6 - Grade 8 Math
5/7 - Grade 8 Math
5/9 - Grade 8 STE
5/10 - Grade 8 STE
5/14 - Grade 7 Math
5/15 - Grade 7 Math
5/17 - Grade 6 Math
5/20 - Grade 6 Math
7th/8th Grade Dance - 3/22
Our next school dance is Friday 3/22 from 7-9 in the Blake Gym. This dance is for 7th and 8th graders. The cost is $10. 8th graders need to submit a dance contract prior to the dance. Any 7th grader who submitted one for the 3/1 dance does not need to complete another contract. Contracts can be found on the Blake website. Students will also receive a copy from their Advisor.
Blake’s Kindness Club
In the bustling halls of Blake Middle School, a heartwarming movement is taking shape – the Kindness Club. Committed to creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere, this group of compassionate students is on a mission to spread kindness like confetti. The Kindness Club is busy organizing various activities and initiatives aimed at fostering a sense of unity and support within the student body. A Blake Meets Kindness site has been established, which will have all the information in one place.
Substitute Nurses Needed…Can you help?
Substituting will offer the opportunity to learn what school nursing involves and to interact with our wonderful students. The need is sporadic, but the rewards are great! A current Massachusetts RN license is required and at least one year of pediatric nursing experience. Duties include: tending to the health needs of the students, dispensing medication, and communicating with parents. A basic orientation is provided. Please reach out to Brittany Hardiman, Nurse Leader, [email protected] for more information.
Important Info about Blake MS Conferences
A more detailed letter will be sent to families next week (Monday/Tuesday), but I wanted to share some key pieces of information with families about the conferences taking place at the end of the month. Our hope is that these conferences will further strengthen school-home relationships and to provide an opportunity to discuss progress, including areas of strength and growth. It is important to note that these conferences are optional, and parents/caregivers are not required to meet with their teachers. Below please find some items of note...
- The conferences will take place on Wednesday, 3/27 and Thursday, 3/28 between 11:50 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.
- Families received an email with the information on how to log into their accounts through a program called Pick A Time. This email will come as a bulk email from 'BlakeMiddleSchool' - if you do not see one in your inbox by the end of the day on Tuesday, we recommend that families check their spam folders.
- Teacher Conference sign-ups opened on Wednesday, March 13 at 10 a.m. and will close at noon on Wednesday, March 20 at 2 p.m.
- Each conference will last 7 minutes and will be scheduled on the ‘10s’ (i.e. 11:50, 12:00, 12:10, etc.). There is a 3 minute window of ‘passing time’ between conferences if they are scheduled back-to-back.
- These conferences can take place in person or virtually (via Zoom). The first hour each day is designated as ‘zoom slots’ and the second two hours are designated as ‘in person’.
- Detailed instructions for creating an account and making appointments will be included in the letter that will be sent next week.
- In an effort to provide opportunities for more families to sign up for conferences, there will be a ‘cap’ of 2 conferences per each student.
- Halfway through the sign-up period, if slots are still open, we will open them up for families to sign up for more appointments. We will send an email to families if/when more slots are opened and available.
Music in Our School Month Resources
Who Am I? Music Themed Guessing Game: Blake Staff Edition
This Canva presentation is a guess who/trivia game that highlights staff musical interests, concert experiences, and playlists. Students and staff were given a ‘presentation’ to try and match staff members to the correct facts/clues. The slides below reveal the answers - enjoy finding out more information about the musical interests of our staff!
Who I Am Canva Link
Music Connects Us: Musician Display
Be sure to stop by during the month of March to check out the 'Music Connects Us' display in the hallway near the music room that highlights the musical skills and experiences of the Blake staff members who have learned to play an instrument or participated in a music ensemble in school (as well as a few other famous faces who have also played an instrument).
Blake Staff Music Posters
Blake’s March Reading Challenge
This might be our best Reading Challenge month yet! For March, the challenge if you choose to accept it, is to read an award winning book. There are a lot of different awards to choose from check out the American Library Association’s website if you want a suggestion. If you want to cover several awards at once try, All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer Team, by Christina Soontornvat. She is the first author to win a Newbery Award for both a fiction and nonfiction book!! Check out the Blake Library website for more information.
The Blake Break!
Thanks to our students and Kate Jones on the production of the Blake Break - special thanks to Blake PTO for their funding - check it out...
Here is the premiere episode of Blake Break!
In each episode of The Blake Break, students from the Design Studio classes (C2 and C4) will be delivering the news, events, and highlights from Blake Middle School. If you have any video or information to share, upcoming reminders, and/or curriculum, club, activity highlights, pass them along to Kate Jones at [email protected]
We will do our best to include any content in upcoming episodes. Stay tuned!
Save the Dates - 7th/8th Grade Dances
➡️ 7th/8th Grade Dance- Friday 3/22/24 from 7-9 pm
➡️ 8th Grade Dance- Friday 5/17/24 from 7-9 pm
Upcoming Project 351 Clothing Drive - Message from our Project 351 Representative
My name is Jackson Dunn and I am in 8th grade. I was selected to be Medfield's 2024 Project 351 ambassador. What that means is that I got to go to Boston on the Saturday of MLK weekend and spend the day doing service projects to help those in need. I am running a clothing drive at Blake Middle School, and your child can drop off their donations during school to their homeroom teacher! There will be a general donation box outside of the main office in the foyer by the library if you would like to drop off any donations during the school day. We will also be collecting donations after school on March 27 and 28 from 12 pm-3 pm in the Cafeteria if you would like to drop off your donations then. All of the donations that we receive will go toward Cradles To Crayons! Thank you for making a contribution to help those in need of clothes. I know that Medfield can make a huge impact!
-Jackson Dunn
Grade 8
March 1 marked the beginning of Women’s History Month. Please share any ideas you have as to how we can recognize this month within the Blake community. Here are a couple of reads of interest…
What Schools Teach About Women’s History Leaves a Lot to Be Desired
The Long & Winding Road to Women’s Rights
Educational resources are available from federal sources and the National Women's History Museum, among others.
“A Night of Belonging”
”A Night of Belonging” will occur on Thursday March 21st from 7:01 - 8:01. This will be a chance for students from grades 6, 7, and 8 to share and celebrate original poetry (+ art/music).
Please see information below regarding the 9th Annual Hunter’s Run on Sunday, April 7, 2024.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new MPY Parenting Solutions Library. The MPY Parenting Solutions Library is offered at no charge, in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. The trainings are presented by experts with advanced degrees and the trainings focus on child and adolescent development, including difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, racism, and grief. These trainings present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.
Invention Challenge: Toys for Pets
Calling on all students in grades 2-8 to put on their inventor’s hat and stretch their imagination to design a new pet toy for a cat or dog for the Invention Challenge: Toys for Pets! The winning entry not only stands to win a grand prize of $5000 but also holds the potential to be manufactured, contributing to STEM education. To enter, simply submit a name for your pet toy, along with up to two images showcasing your design and a brief written summary explaining its concept in 200 words or less.
Entries Due: March 19, 2024 | 8:59 PM PT
GRiT - STEM Club
Gender Representation in Tech club GRiT is a student-led club at Concord Academy that organizes and hosts an annual tech conference designed to promote gender equity in the STEM world. While all individuals are welcome at this conference, our goal is to create an open space for female and genderqueer students to explore their interests in tech. We welcome all students grades 6 through 12 (ages 12-19), regardless of previous experience.
The 2024 GRiT conference will take place on April 20, 2024, from 1-3:30 pm at Concord Academy (166 Main St, Concord, MA 01742). The conference will consist of two workshop blocks with workshops hosted by CA alums and other non-males in the tech industry. Students will be able to choose the workshop they wish to attend through a form sent to them prior to the conference.
As examples of workshops, our 2023 conference hosted workshops regarding navigating the tech world as a WOC, an introduction to creating more accessible technology, how to use technology and psychology to discover your own work style, and more!
Free registration link
For more info - see our website
MAC Update
Blake's Multicultural Awareness Club (MAC) will meet Thursday after school in Mr. Gow's room, room 513.
Get ready for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse!
The eclipse may overlap with dismissal for many Massachusetts schools. We recommend preparing students to safely experience the eclipse. Comprehensive information related to the eclipse is available on our new eclipse resource site. Visit NASA’s website for comprehensive information about the eclipse. Free eclipse glasses for families! Solareclipse.us is sponsoring 1 free pair of glasses per household. You will need to order by February 8th, 2024 to allow time to ship.
Pride Alliance
Pride Alliance will meet Monday, January 29 at 215 in Señora Manning's room. At Pride Alliance, we strive to create a safe space for people in the community, those who want to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ community, and also those who wish to learn how to become a better ally. Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of identity. Meetings for Pride Alliance will take place on Mondays from 2:15-2:45 in room #309. If you have any questions, please reach out to Jen Dondero ([email protected]) and Kristin Manning ([email protected]).
Update from SEPAC
In 1987, President Reagan recognized March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to increase "public awareness of the needs and the potential of Americans with developmental disabilities" and to provide the "encouragement and opportunities they need to lead productive lives and to achieve their full potential." - National Disabilities Institute. According to the CDC, "Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. These conditions begin during the developmental period, may impact day-to-day functioning, and usually last throughout a person's lifetime." Disability is highly nuanced as no two people are the same or experience their diagnosis the same, which can make it hard to know how to talk about it. Check out this 17-minute NPR Life Kit on talking about disabilities to learn more.
Sometimes, there’s a perception that a child’s disability/diagnosis needs to present in a certain way or severity to join SEPAC, but SEPAC is for everyone. So please mark your calendars for our spring Workshops & Parent Connection Groups:
3/19 Autism Spectrum (ASD)Parent Connection Group, 7 pm Medfield Public Safety Building
3/21 Down Syndrome Parent Connection Group, 11:30 am Medfield Public Library.
4/1 ADHD Parent Connection Group, 7 pm Medfield Public Safety Building.
4/3 Dyslexia + Language-Based Learning Disabilities Parent Connection Group - 7 pm Medfield Public Safety Building.
4/23 Executive Function with Ali Spidalieri, M.Ed BCBA, 7 pm, Blake Middle School Library. SEPAC Board meeting after.
Details are always available on our website and social media (FB & IG)! Our workshops and board meetings offer childcare, and a remote link can be made available if you'd like. Our workshops and board meetings are open to EVERYONE. You do not need a child on an IEP or 504 to attend. RSVP to [email protected] or by completing the RSVP form: https://forms.gle/SeeQg6Apmngad5dq7
Our parent connection groups are limited to parents and caregivers of children with the corresponding diagnosis. Please email [email protected] with questions or to join a group. If you want to connect with a parent with experience with a diagnosis not covered by our current parent connection groups, don't hesitate to contact us, and we'll work to find someone to connect with.
We hope to see you!
Message from MCPE
It’s the start of March… 🫵🏀 do you know where your brackets are??? Don’t worry – MCPE’s March Madness bracket challenge is coming soon! If you want to watch hoops AND support Medfield Public Schools be sure to sign up. And new this year…we’re offering the ability to sign up for brackets for Men’s, Women’s – or, even better, both!
Brackets will be available to complete on the evening of Sunday, March 17, and must be completed by Thursday, March 21 at noon ET.
It costs $20 per bracket and there will be cash prizes 🏆, with 50% of all proceeds going to MCPE and 50% split across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place bracket winners 💰!
Big thank you to our March Madness sponsor, Corcoran & Havlin Insurance!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW @mcpe_medfield on Instagram to stay in the loop!
This link contains information about the Blake PTO initiatives and ways you can get involved with supporting Blake teachers and students…
Message from Blake PTO - March, 2024
The Medfield Alumni Association presents Showcase Pro Wrestling!
Join us for an action-packed evening of wrestling excitement at Medfield High School! The Medfield Alumni Association is thrilled to bring you this event that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Get ready to witness incredible feats of strength and high-flying maneuvers as talented wrestlers from Showcase Pro Wrestling showcase their skills in the ring. Cheer on your favorite wrestlers and experience the adrenaline rush of live wrestling.
Don’t miss this opportunity to relive your favorite wrestling memories or create new ones! Grab your friends and family and join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment! Tickets are on sale now!
Doors open at 6:00 pm
First bell: 7:05 pm
Get your tickets https://MHSAAWRESTLING.eventbrite.com
We also have Sponsorship opportunities https://forms.gle/oXmFqePZXeBqqrV97
This event would not be possible without help from the Medfield Community if you can help, please see our volunteer sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA8A92CA5F8CE9-47890127-wrestling
Managing Moods 101: How to Help Kids Develop an Emotional Vocabulary
Wednesday, 3/20 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by Spark Kindness
In this interactive talk, author and child development expert Deborah Farmer Kris, M.Ed., will give practical advice about how to help kids name, normalize, and navigate their feelings – especially the tricky ones – so they can better manage themselves and the world around them.
We all want to raise kind and thoughtful kids – children who can reach out with compassion and bounce back from challenges. That’s why it’s important to support their emotional awareness and resilience. Emotionally literate kids are better equipped to learn in school, deal with difficulties, form healthy relationships, and make responsible choices. This program is a great opportunity for parents of preschool and elementary-aged children to add helpful tools to their parenting toolkit!
Igniting Lifelong Learning: SEL & Academic Integration
4/16, 5/23, 6/20
We recommend registering for the entire three-part series. You don’t need to be available to attend every webinar live. By registering, you will receive the recordings and follow-up resources straight to your inbox.
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Academic recovery is a top priority and will require a deep understanding of how students learn and progress. Research tells us that students’ social, emotional, and cognitive development are deeply intertwined and key to academic learning and success. So how can we effectively integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) with academic content to best support learning and thriving?
This three-part webinar series will explore the research, practices, and policy conditions that promote SEL and academic integration. Through 60-minute thought leadership conversations, we aim to share expertise that can strengthen your work, encourage new approaches, and leave you curious to learn more.
Join us and collaborators once a month as we build a shared understanding of SEL and academic integration (part I), explore classroom and school strategies (part II), and spotlight supportive policies (part III).
Recommended for: Education and research/policy leaders at the state, district, and school levels.
Sessions:
April 16: Introduction to SEL and academic integration (Part 1 of 3)
May 23: School and classroom strategies that integrate SEL and academic learning (Part 2 of 3)
June 20: Beyond the classroom strategies (Part 3 of 3)