10/27, 10/29 - Costume Days (see below)
10/28 - Remote Learning Day - Early Dismissal for Students
10/30 - No School for Students; Professional Day for Staff
11/2-11/6 - Term 1 Family Outreach Period (see below)
11/4 - Remote Learning Day - Early Dismissal for Students
11/11 - Veterans Day - No School
11/16 - Blake Picture Day - Cohort A (see below)
11/17 - SEPAC Meeting - 7 p.m.
11/18 - Remote Learning Day - Early Dismissal for Students
11/19 - Blake Picture Day - Cohorts B and D (see below)
11/25 - Remote Learning Day - Early Dismissal for Students
11/26 - Thanksgiving
11/27 - No School
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about the importance of owning one’s own learning, our topic/question for the dinner table is: What is one thing you are currently working on to improve your learning? Articulating Learning (Week of 10/26/20)
Zoom Authentication for Blake Students
I wanted to share some newly implemented security changes for all Zoom Meetings with students. Teachers have started enabling the Authentication Settings which restricts users to join meetings only using their school google accounts. Students will be required to login using Sign in with GOOGLE to enter the meeting.
In most cases, students have been successfully signing into their zoom meetings with these settings in place last week. However, sometimes a few variables arise, so I wanted to share the directions with you as well- Click here for Chromebook Zoom Sign Directions. It’s very similar on the iPad - here is a quick iPad tutorial for students)
Please note, students will SIGN IN WITH the Google Button (for both Chromebooks and iPads). If they type in their email and password (even if it’s the school google one- they’ll get an invalid message or error and might get locked out for 30 minutes. The tech dept will not be able to unlock that account. It is very important to click on the SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE button.
This means that all students will essentially have school zoom accounts with the ability to start their own meetings. Please note that they should not be using zoom for this purpose in reference to the Blake Netiquette guidelines.
Blake Battles Bias
Blake Battles Bias will be having its introductory meeting this Wednesday 10/28 from 12-12:30. BBB aims to explore bias-related issues and develop student leadership skills in order to promote positive social change at Blake and in our community. Any interested 7th or 8th grader is invited to attend. More information in this slideshow: Introduction to BBB. Questions? Please reach out to Kara Gelormini at [email protected].
Stretch and Movement Break for Students and Families
The Blake Wellness Staff is providing 2 minute "Movement Break" videos for all students and staff to utilize throughout their school day. Whether you are in person learning or remote, you have access to these videos at your grade-level Blake Hybrid Learning Website. You can also visit our Blake Wellness Website for more resources!
Building Aides Needed at Blake!
Are you or is someone that you know interested in working at Blake Middle School? We are looking for four building aides for the 2020-2021 school year. If you are available Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday to align with your family’s Cohort schedules, that would work as well. Please contact Kelly Campbell ([email protected]) if you are interested or would like more information.
Blake’s Parent/Guardian Night Information
This year our Parent/Guardian Info Nights will be structured and shared via a virtual, asynchronous format with recordings/videos of presentations from staff posted on the Blake Learning Website. Our hope is to have these videos/presentations available by the end of this week.
School Picture Info
COHORT A -- School Pictures will be taken on Monday, November 16th in the Blake Gym. Students will be called down by cluster to maintain distancing, starting with 6th, then 7th, then 8th graders. All adults and students will be masked but the student being photographed will briefly remove their mask to be photographed, then put it back on before getting up and returning to class.
COHORT B -- School Pictures will be taken on Thursday, November 19th in the Blake Gym. Students will be called down by cluster to maintain distancing, starting with 6th, then 7th, then 8th graders. All adults and students will be masked but the student being photographed will briefly remove their mask to be photographed, then put it back on before getting up and returning to class.
COHORT C -- School Pictures will be taken during their on-cluster days, not during their Library Cohort C days.
COHORT D -- School Pictures will be taken on Thursday, November 19th in the Blake Gym at 7:25 a.m. It is very important to please arrive at Blake by 7:25 a.m. in order to be able to access the school parking lot and avoid Pound Street being closed to traffic. Head straight to the GYM via the blue Gym doors for pictures. Only students will be permitted to enter the school for pictures. All adults and students will be masked but the student being photographed will briefly remove their mask to be photographed, then put it back on before getting up and returning to class.
Important Payment Information…This year, all pictures will need to be PRE-PAID ONLINE! There will be no forms coming home that need to be filled out. 1. Visit www.grynnternet.com
2. Enter code 5G9Q4Q7P and click login
3. Prepay for your pictures
4. Print your receipt and include in an envelope
5. Return envelope to school on picture day
Families can order online up to two days AFTER picture day. From there, they can no longer prepay and would need to wait for their student's Click & Save card. This card will have the student's personal web password to place an order online. All students will be photographed regardless of whether you choose to purchase photos.
Synchronous Sessions for Blake Students
In an effort to provide more support for all of our students in our hybrid model of learning, our teachers are providing synchronous 'office hours' for students on their remote learning days (Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday). Working within our current structures and parameters, our goal and intent remains to work to best support and meet the needs of all of our students. Here is some information about the structure of support, along with some points to keep in mind...
- Each of our 'academic' teachers (Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and World Language) will be providing a synchronous Zoom time for students in each cohort during the school day (one period of support for Cohort B on Monday/Tuesday and one period of support for Cohort A on Thursday/Friday).
- These sessions are intended for support/outreach/intervention during the school day hours for students - not direct instruction.
- Students will receive (or have received) information with times, Zoom links, and passwords for their respective days/cohorts for these synchronous zoom 'office hours'.
- These sessions will not be uniformly required of students; however, teachers may invite/'require' individual students to check-in during these specific times if there is a need to touch base.
- Due to the nature of our master schedule and staffing, these synchronous sessions may/will be taking place at different times for different clusters and grade levels, and some sessions for students may occur at the same time.
- This structure of support does not 'replace' Extra Help - all teachers have set up virtual extra help for students on their remote learning days (i.e. Virtual Extra Help for Cohort A on Thursdays and Virtual Extra Help for Cohort B on Mondays). Rather, this structure is an effort to provide some guidance and support during students' remote learning days.
- Although we believe this support will be helpful for our students, we recognize that the structure is not going to be perfect and be the 'panacea' for all students and learning.
Hello Blake - Student Council invites any students interested in a pumpkin decorating contest to contribute an entry! Here are the details:
1) Students/families bring a decorated pumpkin from home
2) Pumpkins should be decorated using Black Permanent Parker ONLY
3) NO CARVING
4) Pumpkins can be brought to display in front of the Blake main entrance anytime between Monday 10/26 - Thursday 10/30 (morning)
5) Voting will take place during the day of 10/30 & the winner will be announced!
Costume Days
Student Council invites Blake staff & students to participate in Costume Day(s) - Tuesday 10/27 for Cohort A and Thursday 10/29 for Cohort B:
RULES:
1) NO full-face costume masks/paint
2) No weapons (fake or real)
3) No fake blood
4) School Appropriate
5)***NOSE & MOUTH-COVERING MASKS MUST STILL BE WORN***
Given the school calendar this year, if we were to continue with our usual system of reporting at the mid-term using interim reports and then issuing Standards Based Report Cards at the end of the term, the reporting periods would be very close together, resulting in a very limited amount of time to collect data.
As a result, for this school year, there will be a designated Family Outreach Week during which teachers will send an email to families to notify them if their student is consistently not meeting the standard in an area OR if they do not have sufficient data to assess their student at that point in the term due to absence or missing work. If students are meeting the standards, families will not receive an email from teachers. No news is good news. Please know that you may reach out to teachers or your child's guidance counselor if you have questions or concerns about their progress.
Term I September 16th -- December 14th
- In lieu of SBR Term 1 Interim reports , FAMILY OUTREACH PERIOD from November 2nd through November 6th.
- SBR Term 1 Report cards go home with students in person December 18th and December 21st.
- In lieu of SBR Term 2 Interim reports, FAMILY OUTREACH PERIOD from February 8th through February 11th.
- SBR Term 2 Report Cards go home with students in person March 23rd and March 25th.
- In lieu of SBR Term 3 Interim reports, FAMILY OUTREACH PERIOD from May 3rd through May 7th.
- Term 3 SBR Report Cards go home with students in person June 15th and June 17th
Google Classroom Tips for Families
Resharing a resource for families:
Blake Middle School - Google Classroom Tips
Outdoor Lunches
We have been unbelievably lucky with the weather so far this school year and intend to continue with outdoor lunches for as long as possible despite the cooler weather. Outdoor lunches provide more flexibility for students with regard to seating and have been a nice break in the day. In the past two weeks, it is starting to feel a bit more like fall so we ask that students dress in layers so that they are comfortable being outside for mask breaks, Physical Education Classes and lunch periods despite windy, cool or cloudy weather. Classroom windows being open for ventilation also means that students will be comfortable in warm layers as we move deeper into cooler weather.
‘Go to Site’ for Hybrid Learning at Blake
Please bookmark and utilize our Hybrid Learning site - this is the ‘go to’ resource for students and families - thanks to Diane Horvath, our Technology Integration Specialist, for her work in establishing this resource…
Blake Middle School Hybrid Learning Website - 2020-2021
Remote Organizational Chart (ROC) and Checklists
All Blakers should be using the ROCs and completing the end-of-day checklists on the remote learning days...
GR 6 Blake Hybrid Remote Cohort Days ROC Template 2020-2021
GR 7 Blake Hybrid Remote Cohort Days ROC Template 2020-2021
GR 8 Blake Hybrid Remote Cohort Days ROC Template 2020-2021
This video helps explain the chart and checklist...
Blake Remote Learning Organization Chart and Checklist Overview
(4:12)
** The checklists are linked below and all students are expected to complete them at the end of each remote learning day...
Blake Hybrid Remote End-of-Day Checklist (gr. 6)
Blake Hybrid Remote End-of-Day Checklist (gr. 7)
Blake Hybrid Remote End-of-Day Checklist (gr. 8)
** You will each get a copy of your responses.
Blake Student Council
For any student interested in leadership, school spirit, and bringing our community together this year, please reach out to Mrs. Ruminski ([email protected]) or Mrs. Shaw ([email protected]). We would love to have you join!
Blake is Social
Blake is Social is back! We will hold our first zoom meeting Monday, October 19th. This is a club that fits all interests. We are looking for students who would like to create and post things on our Instagram and website. Think of it as our modern day newspaper club. Even if you don't attend meetings, we are always happy to share your work and videos.
Blake is Social Flyer
Message from Mrs. Cowell - Blake Library
Even though the library is not circulating library books at this time, there are so many digital resources available for students and families! Take a peek at our slideshow that presents all of this info! https://tinyurl.com/medfieldpddigmedia
Medical and Health Information for Blake Families
Below please find important information from the Blake nursing team…
Flu Shots
All students are required to have a 2020/21 influenza vaccine (flu shot) by December 31, 2020 as mandated by the MA Department of Public Health. Please send in medical documentation your child(ren) received the vaccine prior to the end of 2020. This documentation can be your child’s updated vaccination record if the flu shot was given in his/her physician’s office or medical documentation from the pharmacy or clinic where your child received his/her flu shot.
Any medical or religious exemptions to vaccinations must be renewed annually every September at the start of the school year and submitted to the school nurse’s office.
Webinars of Interest
Screen Time Sanity
Wednesday, October 28 at 3:00 p.m.
Education Now Series via HGSE
Education Now is a webinar series with insights for educators, families, and school and district leaders. The fall 2020 season of this bi-weekly series runs Wednesdays, September 30 through December 9. Episodes will be recorded and available to view later on YouTube and Facebook. Visit hgse.me/ednow for more information.
You Belong: A Call to Connection
Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Even during a pandemic, we are all connected. Mindfulness expert Sebene Selassie offers techniques supporting our path back to belonging.
Hosted by SPARK Kindness
You are not separate. You never were. You never will be.
We are not separate from each other. But we don’t always believe it, and we certainly don’t always practice it. In fact, we often practice the opposite—disconnection and domination. From unconscious bias to “cancel culture,” denial of our inherent interconnection limits our own freedom.
In this program and in her new book "You Belong," much-admired meditation expert Sebene Selassie reveals that accepting our belonging is the key to facing the many challenges currently impacting our world. Using principles of ancient philosophy, multidisciplinary research, and antiracism, Selassie leads us in an exploration of all the ways we separate (and thus suffer) and offers a map back to belonging.
To belong is to experience joy in any moment: to feel pleasure, dance in public, accept death, forgive what seems unforgivable, and extend kindness to yourself and others. To belong is also to acknowledge injustice, reckon with history, and face our own shadows. Full of practical advice and profound revelations, You Belong makes a winning case for resisting the forces that demand separation and reclaiming the connection—and belonging—that have been ours all along.
Addressing Personal Bias While Defining Your Authentic Self
Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Kalise Wornum, PhD. offers techniques to identify personal biases and promote antiracist and equitable behavior in ourselves + our families.
Hosted by SPARK Kindness
Want to learn practical ways to address bias in ourselves and our community? Expert Kalise Wornum, PhD., will lead this interactive program with techniques to identify personal biases and promote antiracist and equitable behavior in ourselves, families, organizations and community.
Kalise enrolled in the METCO program at a very early age and graduated from the program with honors. Given her background with METCO, this alum has a deep understanding of the complications and beauty produced in culturally diverse classrooms. It was at this young age that she made the decision to always confront racism and found her passion for teaching. The METCO experience instilled in Kalise a lifelong passion to always confront racism and continuously educate others.
Kalise received her B.A. in Humanities with a concentration in interpersonal communications from Bradford College, a Masters degree in Educational Administration from The University of Vermont, and her Doctorate in 2017. Kalise has worked at numerous colleges /universities and K-12 districts which has given her a unique and in-depth understanding of the American educational system.
As the Executive Director of Empowering Multicultural Initiatives with curriculum development and instructional responsibilities, she learned the importance of appropriate consistent professional development for teachers. This position also allowed her to work with and provide professional development to educators across the commonwealth and the New England area. Kalise next received her administration license after completing an ELI program through the Boston University/Education Collaborative program enabling her to better identify the perspectives of school leaders.
Furthermore, she is frequently described as an incredibly energetic, informative, and dynamic presenter. Her genuinely authentic entrance into this very complex and daunting conversation relaxes all and makes this seeming impenetrable topic extremely approachable.
Self Compassion During Challenging Times with Dr. Kristen Neff
Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Self-care isn't selfish, it's essential. But how can we learn to be kinder to ourselves, especially when facing difficult times?
Hosted by SPARK Kindness
Self-compassion involves learning to treat ourselves with care and support. Rather than continually judging ourselves, we can have compassion toward ourselves as imperfect humans and learn to cope better with the inevitable struggles of life.
In this talk, leading Self Compassion expert Dr. Kristen Neff will show how we can use both fierce and tender self-compassion to cope with the pandemic and also racial injustice. In times like these we need a friend, and we can learn to be a friend to ourselves.
Kristin Neff received her doctorate from the University of California at Berkeley, studying moral development. She did two years of postdoctoral study at the University of Denver studying self-concept development. She is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin.
During Kristin’s last year of graduate school she became interested in Buddhism and has been practicing meditation in the Insight Meditation tradition ever since. While doing her post-doctoral work she decided to conduct research on self-compassion – a central construct in Buddhist psychology and one that had not yet been examined empirically. Kristin is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, creating a scale to measure the construct over fifteen years ago. In addition to writing numerous academic articles and book chapters on the topic, she is author of the book Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, released by William Morrow.
In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, which is taught by thousands of teachers worldwide. They co-authored The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook as well as Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals, both published by Guilford. She is also co-founder and board president of the nonprofit Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Resources for Blake Families
Below please find links to some recordings and resources that share pertinent information regarding how we are ‘operating at Blake’ this year. We hope they will help serve as reference points for a successful orientation and beginning to the year. Please know that we are fully aware that our plans may (and most likely will) need to adapt as we see the 'best laid plans' in reality over the beginning days/weeks of school.
Blake Middle School Opening Webinar, September 2020
Password: +1#gf8aT
Curiosity Webinar Slides, September 2020
(This is still 'in the works', but it gives a preview of the Curiosity display that is being put together)
Blake Family Orientation Webinar, September 2020
(1:05:41)
Blake Family Orientation Slides, September 2020
Preview of Blake Middle School, September 2020
(5:01)
Site Council Openings for Incoming Grade 6-8 Parents/Guardians
We have openings for parent representatives on the Blake Middle School Site Council. The Site Council meets monthly to review issues and discuss initiatives for the Blake Middle School community. The Council is also responsible for developing the annual School Improvement Plan and monitors progress with the plan throughout the year. Members include the administration, teacher representatives, and members of the community. The meetings are typically held once a month on Monday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. Serving on the Site Council is a wonderful way to get involved in your child's education and have an active and positive role in improving the Blake Middle School experience. Interested parents should send a letter of interest, indicating their desire and rationale for involvement, to me ([email protected]) by Friday, October 2. If multiple parents express interest, an election will take place at parent night. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Theme of Curiosity for 2020-2021
Our theme for this school year at Blake is one of Curiosity. We believe that this theme will extend the work we have done over the last seven years with our themes of Community, Perseverance, Creativity, Acceptance, Collaboration, Empathy, Diversity, Happiness, and Courage. Tony Wagner (@DrTonyWagner) recently shared these thoughts via Twitter…
Why do people stop learning? Two thoughts: 1) because they’ve only learned for extrinsic reasons-rewards and punishments-and once those are gone, they have no intrinsic reason to learn. 2)the intrinsic reason to learn stems, I think, from being curious & schools kill it.
My hope and sincere belief is that we are working as a school community to ‘combat’ this notion that ‘schools kill curiosity’ - this theme is one that will be important for our students, staff, and community! 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]).
Resources for Families
CASEL CARES: Permission To Feel for Kids with Dr. Marc Brackett
(57:11)
Blake ‘EdChats’ - Adapting and Learning
We are trying out some ‘edchats’ with Blake teachers/staff as a way to connect and share what we are thinking and talking about as a community of learners. Each chat will have a particular focus and we will take some time to talk through a few questions. Check out our chats…
Adapting and Learning - EdChat # 2 (Learning)
(Maura Batts, Tom Woods, Seth Hellerstein, Marjorie Heim, Michael Gow)
Adapting and Learning - EdChat # 1(Learning)
(Jason Heim, Orla Berry, Brian Gavaghan, Susan Bycoff, Marissa Gumas, and Diane Horvath)
Message from Medfield Outreach
COVID got you down? Is hybrid learning stressful? Could you benefit from a little extra support or some guidance about a child-related concern? Medfield Outreach is offering drop-in hours for personal, individualized appointments with two licensed mental health professionals. The Weekly Drop-In Mental Health Open Hours will be held during the month of October on Thursdays from 10 am to 11:30 am. Check-ins are confidential and free. Please email [email protected] for the Zoom link and to sign up for a specific time slot.
Have you had a conversation with the young person in your life about substance use yet? Did you know that the experts recommend starting the conversation early and having it often? There are many tools out there that can help frame the conversation.Here is one that has age-appropriate examples for every age. https://drugfree.org/article/prevention-tips-for-every-age/
MCPE Update
FLORAL WORKSHOP: Join MCPE for the first event in our One Medfield Virtual FunRaising Night In series with Alice’s Table! MCPE has partnered with Alice’s Table to bring this private fundraising workshop to your home on November 19 at 8:00 just in time for the Fall holiday season! Sign up for this exclusive virtual class and create your own stunning holiday centerpiece. Each ticket includes an abundance of farm-fresh flowers and a planter delivered to your doorstep the day before the event, so all you need to have on hand is your computer, a pair of scissors or floral clippers and some water! https://alicestable.com/events/virtual-floral-arranging-with-medfield-coalition_1597254546
Medfield Music Association Update
WREATHS & BULBS! Medfield Music Association's Fall Fundraiser is in full swing. The MMA is accepting orders NOW for our beautiful, updated 20" Noble Fir wreaths with natural incense cedar, juniper, ponderosa cone accents, and exceptional needle retention. The new design was met with rave reviews and COMPLETELY SOLD OUT last year. Also, NEW THIS YEAR, amaryllis bulb kits in assorted colors. Visit https://www.medfieldmusicassociation.com/shop for more information or to purchase. Thank you for your support!
Medfield Foundation - Angel Run Info!
Medfield Foundation Virtual Angel Run & Fundraiser