10/12 - School Committee
10/16-10/20 - Term 1 Family Outreach Week
10/17 - SEPAC - 7 p.m.
10/25-10/26 - Conference Afternoons (info coming)
10/27 - Blake Picture Retakes Day
10/30 - Blake Site Council Mtg - 3:30 p.m.
10/31 - ½ Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Staff
11/10 - No School (Veterans Day Observed)
Blake’s Question of the Week
To encourage dialogue and reflection about our day-to-day work in schools in the context of our mission/vision, our question for the week is: What do you believe is the purpose of school? Why do you believe this? Grounding Our Work (Week of 10/8/23) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Term 1 Family Outreach Period - 10/16-10/20
The week of 10/16-10/20 is the Term 1 Family Outreach week for Blake Middle School. During this week, 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. Please know that you may reach out to teachers or your child's counselor if you have questions or concerns about their progress.
Conferences Information - 10/25 and 10/26
A detailed letter was sent to families earlier this week, outlining the directions for signing up for conferences. 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. Some reminders are outlined below...
- The conferences will take place on Wednesday, 10/25 and Thursday, 10/26 between 11:50 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.
- Conference sign-ups opened up on Thursday, October 12 at 10 a.m. and will close at noon on Thursday, October 19 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 were included in the letter sent earlier this 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.
Blake’s Information Nights
For your reference and information, here are the links from our Information Nights for parents and caregivers…
Slide Decks
Blake Grade 6 Info Night Slides for Families - Fall, 2023
Blake Grade 7 Info Night Slides for Families - Fall, 2023
Blake Grade 8 Info Night Slides for Families - Fall, 2023
Videos within Slide Deck
The Difference of Belonging and Fitting In
(0:40)
Garreth Heidt - Questions to Ask
Why are things the way they are?
How can we make them better?
(2:29)
Medfield Cares About Prevention Youth Action Club Info Video
MCAP Youth Action Club Video for Families
(2:04)
Articles/Shares within Slide Deck
Kids' Declining Mental Health Is the 'Crisis of Our Time,' Surgeon General Says
by Caitlyn Peetz in Education Week
“Child psychologist: The No. 1 skill that sets mentally strong kids apart from ‘those who give up’—and how parents can teach it.”
by Michele Borba in CNBC News
Stop Telling Students, ‘You Belong!’
by Greg Walton in Education Week
The Parent of a Teen-Ager Is an Emotional-Garbage Collector
by Jessica Winter in The New Yorker
The Homework Apocalypse
by Ethan Mollick
Why we need to change schools (right now).
by Chris McNutt in Medium
Battling Toxic Achievement Culture with Jennifer Wallace from The Puberty Podcast
What We Lose When We Push Our Kids to ‘Achieve’
by Adam Gopnik in The New York Times
5 ways parents can shore up a middle schooler’s self-image
by Phillis Fagell in CNN Health
Does Anyone Win When Colleges Compete?
by Andrew Bauld in Harvard Ed. Magazine
Pride Alliance
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]).
Blake’s Reading Challenge
CHECK IT OUT! All of Blake is participating in a reading challenge sponsored by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. October's theme is a book published in the year you were born. Students can fill out the Google form linked on the Blake library website to show their participation.
Fall Intramurals
Fall Intramural Offerings have begun. If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Inktober is Here!!!
Every October, artists all over the world take on the INkTOBER drawing challenge by doing one drawing a day the entire month. ANYONE CAN DO INKTOBER, JUST PICK UP A PEN AND START DRAWING!!!
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 Public Schools - Employment Opportunities and look under ‘Substitute Teaching’. Please contact Kelly Campbell ([email protected]) with any questions.
Teaching Assistant Opportunities at BlakeWe currently have several teaching assistant position openings at Blake for the 2023-2024 school year. These are important roles for our students and we value their presence on our staff. If you are interested in applying or know of any potential candidates, please reach out to me ([email protected]) and/or Kelly([email protected]). Thanks in advance!
Notification for Absences/Dismissals
If a student will be absent, tardy or dismissed early from school, please e-mail [email protected]. Additionally, for absences and tardies, you can call Blake's absence line at (508) 242-8501. For e-mails about dismissals, please include the following information:
- Date
- Time of dismissal
- Student name
- Reason for dismissal
- Person picking up
Youth Action Club
Message from SEPAC
Medfield Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC). SEPAC is run by a group of parent & caregiver volunteers who work for the understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in the community. SEPAC has a lot of exciting things planned for this school year. Mark your calendars to join us at our upcoming meetings/ events:
Tuesday, October 17th at 7pm at the Blake Middle School Library: Meet the Medfield Educational Team Leaders (ETL) and the new Assistant Director of Student Services, Mark Harrison
Tuesday, November 14th at 7pm at the Blake Middle School Library: Basic Rights Workshop
Our meetings are open to all who wish to attend. A high school student has volunteered to child-watch during the meetings. A zoom link can be provided upon request. Please RSVP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSev0ywtTgQ5M5ZadWSb7RY8VxiV9ocbJszILYex2g7Lck4iUw/viewform?usp=sf_link or get in touch with us at [email protected] Also, check out our website, Facebook and Instagram social media pages.
Message from Blake PTO
Reminder that the PTO serves to support Blake teachers through financial grants, hands-on support, and ongoing teacher appreciation efforts on behalf of all parents. If you have not already, please consider donating $50 for the year (or whatever amount feels appropriate) through Venmo @MedfieldTownwide-PTO or a check made out to Blake PTO. If you are interested in volunteering once or twice a month during the school day to help teachers with photocopying or bulletin boards, please email [email protected]
Message from Medfield Music Association
Join us on Tuesday evening, Dec. 5, 2023 for the Medfield Music Association’s biggest community fundraiser of the year as we joyfully bring back a favorite winter tradition, now named "Spaghetti and Snowballs!" Guests will enjoy a spaghetti dinner and ice cream dessert, music performed by Medfield students, and photos with Olaf. There will also be a bake sale, gift basket raffles, and many more fun surprises.
Two dinner seatings are available: one at 5:15 p.m., and another at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 each (plus a small processing fee) and only 250 tickets are available for each seating.This event sells out quickly every year, and families are encouraged to buy their tickets early. Ticket sales open on November 1st!
This event is brought to you by the Medfield Music Association (MMA) and proceeds benefit the music program in all Medfield Public Schools.
Workshops/Webinars of Interest
Planning for College After Affirmative Action
Wednesday, 10/18 at 3 p.m.
Hosted by HGSE Education Now Series
This year’s high school seniors are facing a much-changed college admissions landscape following the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action based on race. Our panel will discuss how seniors and other aspiring college students, including those in underserved communities, can best prepare for college and present themselves in the application process — and we'll also offer guidance for the counselors, educators, and parents who support them.
Speakers:
• Anthony Jack, Inaugural Faculty Director of the Newbury Center and Associate Professor, Boston University
• Mandy Savitz-Romer, Nancy Pforzheimer Aronson Senior Lecturer in Human Development and Education, and Faculty Lead Counseling Strand, Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Eric Waldo, President and CEO, District of Columbia College Access Program
Host: Francesca Purcell, Senior Lecturer on Education, Faculty Director, Higher Education Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Dr. Lisa Damour on Raising Connected, Capable & Compassionate Adolescents
Wednesday, 10/18 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by Spark Kindness
In person event (at Natick High School) with limited seating. Register early!
For parents/caregivers of adolescents (ages 10-25)
World renowned author/expert Dr. Lisa Damour (NYTimes, CBS This Morning) will discuss her new book - “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers” and offer the concrete, practical information parents/caregivers need to steady their teens through the journey into adulthood.
Being - and raising - a teenager has never been easy and it’s especially challenging now. In this talk, psychologist and best-selling author Lisa Damour, Ph.D., will offer practical strategies to help parents and caregivers understand their teenagers’ emotional lives, how to help teens manage their emotions and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. The program will address:
- What to expect in the normal course of adolescent emotional development and when it’s time to worry.
- Why teens (and adults) need to understand that mental health isn’t about “feeling good” but about having feelings that fit the moment.
- Strategies for supporting teens in managing their feelings.
- The best ways to stay connected to your tween/teen and how to provide the kind of relationship that adolescents need and want.