10/16 - SEPAC Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake Library)
10/17 - Standards Based Reporting Info Session - 8:30 a.m. (see details below)
SEL Task Force Meeting
10/18 - Go Purple Spirit Day (see details below)
Blake PTO Meeting
10/19 - Term 1 Interim Reports go home
7th/8th Grade Dance (7-9 p.m.)
10/23-10/26 - Nature's Classroom for 7th Grade
10/24 - Superintendent’s Advisory Council Meeting
10/25 - 8th Grade to Tri-County
10/29 - Blake Site Council Meeting (3:30 p.m.)
10/31 - Halloween
11/2-11/4 - Blake Middle School Play
11/5 - Winter Athletics Meeting (see details below)
11/7 - Guidance Coffee/Chat (see details below)
11/12 - No School
11/13 - AMC 8th Grade Math Test (see details below)
11/16 - MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey (see details below)
11/19 - SEL Task Force Meeting
11/21 - Half Day for Students and Staff
11/22 - Happy Thanksgiving!
11/23 - No School
Topic/Question for the Summer Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about the ways we actively develop ourselves as learners, our topic/question for the dinner table is: How do you seek, foster, and develop your own learning? Developing Leaners (Week of 10/14/18) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Term 1 Interim Reports
This Friday students will be bringing home their interim reports for the first term. The interim report is a mid-term progress update on students' effort and work based on the first five weeks of school. It is not a report card and the expectation is that students will follow up on any suggestions that teachers provide in the interim report. Time will be spent in advisory reflecting upon the work they have accomplished, as well as setting healthy goals for the second half of the term. The signature sheet that accompanies the report should be returned on Monday, October 22 to advisory teachers. If you have any questions about your child's work on 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.
Standards Based Reporting Information Sessions
This year the Blake staff is continuing and expanding our work Standards Based Reporting. All 6th-8th grade parents/guardians are invited to attend an information session to learn more about the philosophy, progress that is taking place, and how feedback will be reported to families. The information sessions will take place...
Monday, October 15 (already took place)
6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, October 17
8:30 a.m.
(These sessions will share the same information)
Please RSVP via our Google Form: Standards Based Reporting Information Sessions Fall 2018
Blake Parent Coffee - 11/7/18
Please join our counselors as they chat and answer questions regarding the challenges and stressors that today’s middle school students face. We will meet in room 206. I will be a Q&A format where we will be discussing topics such as social media, balancing schedules-school and activities, managing stress and peer relationships. Please join us on Wednesday, November 7th from 7:45-9am. To RSVP please complete the Google Form below…
Blake Parent Coffee - Fall 2018
7th and 8th Grade Dance
The first grade 7 & 8 dance is coming - Friday October 19 at 7pm in the Blake gym. ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE A DANCE CONTRACT SIGNED BY PARENTS/GUARDIANS TO ATTEND! Contracts came home in paper form, extras can be found in the main office at Blake, or on the Student Council Website. The cost is $5.00 and students should review the contract with parents/guardians as a reminder of the guidelines!
Veterans Day Weekend - No Homework Weekend for Blake
In a continued effort to provide down time for students, staff, and families, Veterans Day Weekend will be a 'No Homework Weekend' for all of Blake. No assignments will be given with a due date of 11/13 and tests, quizzes, and projects will not be due or given on November 13 or 14. Thank you to all of the staff for their support and help in making this happen. If you have any questions or concerns, let us know.
Tri-County/Norfolk Aggie Trip and Information
All 8th graders will be taking a field trip to Tri-County Regional Vocational High School on Thursday, October 25 as well as attend a presentation by Norfolk Aggie on Monday, October 29 in order to explore options for high school that are publicly funded. Tri-County’s mission is to provide an excellent comprehensive technical and academic education to regional high school students. State-of-the-art technical skills and knowledge are enriched and complemented by a solid foundation of academic skills. Norfolk Aggie provides for a hands-on education, with caring and involved teachers in an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding. Students are united in their interests and attend vocational and academic classes every day. If you have any questions, please reach out to Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Dracula is Coming!
Tickets for Blake Theater's Dracula: A Comic Thriller Starring Shirley Holmes and Jennie Watson go on sale Halloween Day. They will be available at the door or at itsnottooscary.brownpapertickets.com. Performances are November 2 @ 7pm, November 3 @ 7pm and November 4 @ 1pm.
Grade 6 Food Drive - October
Grade 6 advisories are having a friendly competition - See this link for details!
8th Grade Trip Information
8th Grade Trip packets went home with Grade 8 students on Wednesday, Sept. 12. The trip deposit and signed permission slip are due to your child's Advisory teacher by October 1. On-line registration with our tour company, Worldstrides, is to be completed by October 31. Please see trip packet for details and instructions. For your reference and for more information, here is a link to the 8th grade trip presentation…
Memorials, Monuments, and Museums Presentation Fall 2018
8th Grade American Mathematics Contest
The 8th Grade American Mathematics Contest (AMC 8) is a multiple choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills. It is sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America. The contest is held yearly in November. Students from all over the country participate in this contest both individually and on a school-wide basis. In the past, students in 8th grade Algebra I accelerated have participated. We will continue this tradition, but would like to extend the opportunity to participate in the AMC8 Contest to all 8th grade math students this year.
The exam will be given during E period on November 13th. Students who do not have math during this time slot will be excused from their class. Although the test is challenging, it certainly allows for a variety of learners to meet success and experience a high level of mathematical thinking. Below are several links that will allow you to explore this contest. All students in Algebra I Accelerated math classes have been registered. If your child is in Math 8 and you are interested in having your child participate in this test, please complete this Google form to sign up. Please note: If your child is in Algebra I Accelerated, they have already been registered.
For information about the AMC 8 Contest, click here.
For sample test questions, click here.
It is important to register by Wednesday October 17, 2018. As always, please do not hesitate to contact your child's math teacher or Susan Bycoff at [email protected] if you have any questions.
MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey - 11/16/18
To make sure we give the best possible education and support to children in Medfield, we want to learn about their attitudes and behaviors with regard to a variety of health issues. In order to accomplish this, students at Blake Middle School are being asked to participate in our 7th biennial survey, the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey. The survey questions cover many topics including alcohol, tobacco and other drug use; violence and safety; nutrition and physical activity; online behaviors; and mental health.This project will help our district develop and enhance its health education and prevention services. We will be giving this survey to grades 6-8 on Friday, November 2, 2018. The survey is anonymous and voluntary. A letter will be emailed to all families on or by October 19th, notifying parents and guardians about the survey, indicating a place where parents may come to school to preview the survey, and information about how to opt their child out of the survey, if desired. High school students will also take the survey on the same day, but their survey has additional questions not asked on the middle school survey (for example, questions related to sexual behaviors and driving.) If you have any questions, please contact Susan Cowell ([email protected]).
Here are a few ways that students' participation in the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey has benefited our community: Regular updates to the health education curriculum to address emerging local health behaviors and attitudes identified by students, the hiring of a school adjustment counselor for grades 6-12, the development of RISE, our transition program for students in grades 6-12, the hiring of addition of guidance counselors at the elementary schools, social emotional learning needs identified and listed as priorities in Superintendent Marsden's Strategic Plan, the creation of the district-wide staff, parent, student Social Emotional Learning Task Force, new school-wide programs such as Medfield Project Happiness at Blake and Mindful Minutes each morning at Dale, the reorganization of the high school wellness classes, efforts to provide a more inclusive environment for marginalized students, an opportunity for staff and the community to discuss the results of each survey over the past 14 years to gain a greater understanding of issues facing teens in Medfield, and many parent programs focused on pertinent needs identified by students on this survey.
Education Event at Wellesley College - 11/1/18
Save the date! I want to highlight a free event at Wellesley College on Thursday, 11/1 - Yong Zhao, Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas, will be giving a lecture entitled, What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in Education. This is part of the Diane Ravitch Lecture Series.
Winter Athletics Meeting
On Monday, November 5, at 6:30pm, there will be a meeting held in the gymnasium at the Medfield High School for all athletes and a parent(s) interested in playing high school athletics this coming winter season at Medfield HS and Blake MS. This meeting is very important and will cover many questions and concerns you may have, as well as introductions to all high school coaches and staff. Immediately following this meeting, coaches will meet with their respective sports to speak about the season and answer any questions you may have. If you have any questions, please contact Eric Scott ([email protected]).
*Sports offered for the winter season are:
Medfield High School:
Indoor Track (Boy’s and Girl’s)
Basketball (Boy’s and Girl’s)
Ice Hockey (Boys and Girl’s)
Gymnastics (Girl’s)
Swim and Dive (Co-ed)
*Alpine Ski (co-op through Ashland HS). Meeting TBD @ AHS (stay tuned @MedfieldAD for update)
Blake Middle School:
Basketball (Boys and Girls 8th Grade)
Parent/Guardian Sign-Offs
All families should have received an e-mail from '[email protected]' with 'Emergency Contact Information' in the subject line. We are asking all families to complete this digital sign-off for most of the beginning-of-year forms...
- Student Responsible Use Guidelines/Acceptable Use Policy
- School Handbook (and Addendum, where appropriate)
- Free and Reduced Lunch
- Your child's emergency contact information (all students) and additional contact/authorizations (Grades 1 through 5 only).
- Photo release form
#MedfieldProjectHappiness
Thank you to everyone for supporting #MedfieldProjectHappiness - 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
Media Notification
In order to promote some of the exciting programs and events in the Medfield Public Schools, we plan to continue the use of student photos on our district/school websites, teacher websites, blogs, and district approved Twitter accounts. In addition, there are times when we will have coverage in the local newspaper or on local TV. Please note, your child’s image or name may still appear within the school for classroom projects, hallway postings, in-school presentations, newsletters, yearbooks, and other in-school media. Please contact Nat Vaughn if you have any additional questions.
MCAS Dates for Spring 2019
This spring our Blake students will be participating in the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). All assessments will be computer-based (students will be using Chromebooks). Below are the administration dates for these assessments...
Grade 6
ELA (4/23, 4/24)
Math (5/3, 5/6)
Grade 7
ELA (4/9, 4/10)
Math (5/14, 5/15)
Grade 8
ELA (4/1, 4/2)
Math (4/29, 4/30)
Sci/Tech/Eng (5/8, 5/9)
Make-up testing will take place when students return from their absence(s), provided that their return takes place within the testing window determined by the Commonwealth. We appreciate your assistance in looking at these dates and being mindful to try and avoid medical/dental appointments or conflicts with these assessments. As always, do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Box Top Collections
Box top collection runs 9/24-10/29. The cluster with the most box tops wins a prize. Homerooms will collect the box tops and they will be brought to the office weekly.
Seventh Grade Trip to Nature's Classroom Reminders
Please note: It is important to email Mrs. Silva, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Campbell (all three please) if your child receives an injury over the weekend before the trip that limits your child’s mobility. If your child becomes ill over the weekend and requires a new medication during the trip, please bring the linked med administration form to the doctor with you and drop off the medication and form to Mrs. Williams the morning of the trip.
It’s an early start! Get ready for the 6:10 am drop off on Tuesday, October, 23! Seventh graders should report to their bus to get their luggage tags, put the tags on the luggage and board the bus with their backpack. If your child is unable to go at the last second, please call the Blake office and your child’s roommate. We will find another room for the roommate to stay in at Nature’s Classroom.
Packing: A packing list and final details can be found here Nature's Classroom Final Details. On Thursday,10/11, a sheet will be sent home with your child's bus and room number. The sheet also lists the type of beds in the room. If you are sending your child with sheets, please check for the form. Some rooms have full and queen sized beds. Roommates can arrange which beds they will be sleeping in. Folding beds will be brought in, if needed, to provide a bed for each student.
Medication: Please be sure your child takes their morning medications at home before the trip.
Bus Ride: Please be sure your child is dressed for the day when they board the bus. Long pants please and closed toe shoes. Rain jackets if it is rainy. They should have a nut-free snack, a filled water bottle with their name on it and a book or non-electronic game to keep them busy. We expect to be home between 2:30 pm and 3:00 pm on Friday, 10/26. We will be in touch with Mr. Vaughn to update our progress. Watch for his Tweets!
Electronics: Please do not allow your child to bring electronics or cell phones in any form. They are not allowed on the trip and will be confiscated if brought.
Food: Except for the snack for the bus ride to Nature’s Classroom, do not allow your child to bring food or candy of any type. Food allergies and safety are a serious concern and students found with food or candy in their room will serve community service at Nature’s Classroom and all food will be confiscated.
Clothing: Students are not allowed to wear shorts outside of their room due to poison ivy and ticks. Please send a warm winter jacket, gloves and a hat. A hooded sweatshirt will not be warm enough for late October nights outdoors in Lake George. The evenings outside will be cold.
Follow us at NC! Follow #blakeatnc and @kmcsoup for photos and updates throughout the week. Daily email updates will be sent each day as well.
We are looking forward to the trip! Contact Judy Silva [email protected] with any questions.
See you bright and early on Tuesday, October 23!
Bird Seed Request
With the new school year upon us, Mr. Gow is looking to replenish his bird seed supply for the Exploration classes that he teaches. The most needed bird food is "black oiled sunflower seed." Please contact him at [email protected] or drop off a bag at the front office.
Blake Site Council Book Discussion Group
Over the last two years the Blake Site Council has read several books and we will continue this practice during the 2018-2019 school year. Stay tuned for more information and we hope you can join in these discussions!
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.
Substitute Nurses
As with our teaching positions, from time to time our nurse, Tricia Williams, will be out of the building and we need a substitute nurse for these days. We are fortunate that we have several substitute nurses in the district who are able to work on those days. If you are a registered nurse and have an interest in potentially serving as a substitute throughout the year, please let us know. You can contact me ([email protected]) or Tricia Williams ([email protected]). By the same token, if you have friends in the area who would have an interest in serving as a substitute, please let them know that they can contact us as well. The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority, and we would appreciate your interest in one of these roles.
SEPAC Update
Our next Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) meeting is Tuesday, October 16th at 7pm in the Blake library. Please join us and participate in planning for the upcoming year; hear district updates from Director of Student Services, Mary Bruhl; and network with other families and community members. Please visit our website (https://sites.google.com/mail.medfield.k12.ma.us/sepac/) to learn more about Medfield's SEPAC.
Blake PTO News
The next PTO meeting is on October 18 There are still plenty of opportunities to get involved! For more information, please visit our website and sign up using the volunteer form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVH6fbiK1-cVI5r7yu42e6szW5bnuT2EUO9qk3CLc-l9A8UQ/viewform
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