10/10 - Columbus Day (No School)
10/12 - Yom Kippur (No School)
10/17 - Picture Retake Day
Blake Site Council Mtg (3:30 p.m.)
10/18 - Grade 8 Parent Coffee (10:15 a.m.)
10/20 - Grade 6 Standards Based Reporting Info Session (Rescheduled from 10/5) - see details below
10/21 - 7th/8th Grade Dance (7-9 p.m.)
10/26 - Medfield Talks - Michael Thompson (see details below)
10/27 - Grade 6 Parent Coffee (10:15 a.m.)
10/31 - Happy Halloween!
11/1 - Magazine Drive Kick-Off
11/7 - Blake Site Council Mtg (3:30 p.m.)
11/9 - Grade 7 Parent Coffee (10:15 a.m.)
11/11 - Veterans Day (No School)
11/11-11/13 - No Homework Weekend for Blake
11/14 - Blake Site Council Mtg (3:30 p.m.)
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about the alignment of one's practices and beliefs, our topic/question for the dinner table is: What is one belief you would like to put into practice? Please see link to Google Form to share your responses: Matching Practices with Beliefs (Week of 10/2/16) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Grade 6 Standards Based Reporting Information Session (Rescheduled to 10/20/16)
This year the 6th grade science team is continuing their work with Standards Based Reporting. All 6th grade parents/guardians are invited to attend an information session to learn more about the philosophy and how feedback will be reported to families. The information session will take place...
Thursday, October 20 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Information will also be shared about how to participate in a parent focus group. This time will be an opportunity for parents to share meaningful input. Please RSVP via our Google Form: Standards Based Reporting Information Session 10-20-16
Professional Day Wrap-Up
We had a productive professional afternoon at Blake this past Friday, taking time as a staff to examine our practices in an effort to make progress towards our overarching goals for the year. The structure of the day allowed for reflection, planning of goals, and time to work as departments. I have encouraged our staff to pilot various methods and alternatives for homework and progress reporting as we look towards a standards-based system of feedback and assessment. We are looking forward to this work.
Nature's Classroom - #blakeatnc
We are thrilled that the students and Blake staff had a wonderful time at Nature's Classroom. If you have not had a chance I encourage you to take a look at the hashtag #blakeatnc to see a 'journal/log' of the trip! Medications from the Nature's Classroom trip will be available for PARENT pick up in the main office starting tomorrow through the end of the month. Any medication not picked up by October 31st will be discarded.
Tri-County/Norfolk Aggie Trip and Information
All 8th graders will be taking a field trip to Tri-County Regional Vocational High School on Wednesday, October 26th as well as attend a presentation by Norfolk Aggie 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 Jen Dondero ([email protected] or 508-359-2396 ext 2003).
Blake Open Studios
The Blake Art room will be open after school on Thursdays, until 3pm. All students are welcome to participate in studio activities of their own choice- choose from drawing, painting, printmaking, and sculpture. Ms. Deveno and Ms. Jones will be on hand to provide materials and informal instruction.
There will be no formal registration, it is on a first come, first served basis and limited to 15 students. We are looking forward to seeing you in the Art studio, room 208 !
Progressive Story Blurb
“Once upon a time in a land called Blake . . .” is a progressive story that students are creating at the Library. Participants each add a sentence - and the story grows - with twists and turns along the way . Students can unleash their imaginations and practice their writing skills at the same time. Ask your student to tell you if it’s a happy ending - or not!
Student Council Update
The first official Student Council meeting will be on Thursday, October 6.
Parent Coffees
Are you feeling like you had just mastered your child's last grade's norms and now you have a new set of expectations to adjust to? Maybe your student is in a whole new building with even greater expectations. The Blake guidance counselors would like to help put your mind at ease by talking about what each grade level looks like and answering your questions. The coffees will take place...
10/18 at 10:15 a.m. (Grade 8)
10/27 at 10:15 a.m. (Grade 6)
11/9 at 10:15 a.m. (Grade 7)
To RSVP, please go to this link...
Blake Guidance Parent Coffee RSVP Form Fall 2016
Connected Educator Month - Twitter Account (@nat_vaughn and @BlakeOffice)
As noted in the weekly blog update, October is Connected Educator Month and I am encouraging both staff and students to explore the world of Twitter. For the past year I have used this technology as a communication and resource tool for both the Blake community and my own learning network. If you are interested in exploring with me, my account is @nat_vaughn and Blake's office account is @BlakeOffice. In addition to the weekly blog to our community, I plan on continuing tweeting up-to-date information, Blake happenings, links to sites, and articles of interest on a daily or more frequent basis. We have established the hashtag (#bmsed) for education-related tweets of interest and Blake events and (#bmstech) for technology tweets of interest at Blake, so be sure to check them out! This is by no means an expectation for anyone, but I thought you may find it of interest - I have found the 'dialogue and network' via Twitter to be relevant, engaging, tangible, and simply put - useful.
7th/8th Grade Dances
7th and 8th grade dances this year will be held:
Friday, October 21st, 2016
Friday, January 20th, 2017
Friday May 19th, 2017
All dances are held from 7:00-9:00 pm in the Blake Gym. Students in 7th and 8th grade will soon receive Dance Contracts that must be completed by students and parents/guardians in order for students to attend! Thank you to the PTO who will be providing water for students at all the dances this year.
Ted Talk Class
Students who are in the Ted Talk rotation were asked to bring in a participation/media release form. It was emailed to them before I went to Nature's Classroom. They have since updated their form and it is simply permission to participate in the class. Students have the option to share their Ted Talk video on the Ted Ed site or not. Please make sure all students bring this form in by Friday, October 7th. If your student has already signed the previous form, that is fine. Please just have them get the form to me. The link for the new participation form is https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B597w_89ve4_N1B6OHJiMTlGME0/view?usp=sharing. Let me know if you have any questions. - Tracy Allen ([email protected])
Theater Update
You can never get ready for theater too early. This week students received this google form. https://goo.gl/forms/ysKDZiSajWcPuSth2 When they fill it out, they are letting me know their interest in crew and/or auditioning. I've attached the information from my previous announcement so everyone knows the dates of the shows. Students who are auditioning must be available for the tech week (the week leading into the shows) and all performance days. Because of the slight shift, the show selection will be slightly adjusted as well. We will be performing Yearbook and a show that is being written specifically for us during the weekend of Jan 27-29. The musical Shrek will be performed April 7-9. Auditions will be October 25-28. Cast announcements will be sent out Nov 1 and a read-through for Yearbook will take place the following day. The untitled play cast members will meet Nov 3 and crew members will meet Nov 4 after school. Audition / crew sign-up forms will come out in mid-October. You may not choose whether you are in the musical or the plays and you will not be cast in two shows. You are welcome to do crew for one show and be in the cast of the other. Please let me know if you have any questions - Tracy Allen ([email protected])
Bus Reminder
Students are not permitted to take bus rides home with friends on other buses without prior approval from Central Offices. If you have any questions, please contact Phyllis Montillo ([email protected] or (508) 359-4978).
School Absence Reminder
This is a reminder for parents that a student's absence or tardiness must be reported by a written note or a parental telephone call to the school absence line (508-242-8501) by 8 a.m.
Parent Information Nights
Our Parent Information Night (PINs) will take place on Wednesday, September 21 for grade 6 at 6:30 p.m. This night will provide you with an opportunity to visit your student's classrooms and hear about the curriculum and exciting programs that will take place throughout the year. Sixth grade chorus, band, and orchestra parents are invited to informational meetings at 6:00 p.m. on September 21, prior to PIN. For your reference and information, here are links to the other parent nights...
Grade 6 Fall 2016 PIN Presentation for Blog
Nature's Classroom Fall 2016 Presentation for Blog
Grade 7 Fall 2016 Presentation for Blog
Memorials, Monuments, and Museums Fall 2016 Presentation
Grade 8 Fall 2016 PIN Presentation
8th Grade Trip Information
8th Grade Trip packets went home with Grade 8 students on Monday, Sept. 12. Trip deposit and signed permission slip are due to your child's Advisory teacher by October 4th. On-line registration with our tour company, Worldstrides, is to be completed by October 28. 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 Fall 2016 Presentation
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 F period on November 15th. 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. If 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 September 28, 2016. As always, please do not hesitate to contact your child's math teacher or Susan Bycoff at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Book Discussion Group for Parents
The Blake Site Council summer book was The End of Average: How We Succeed in a World that Values Sameness by Todd Rose, and we will be discussing the book on Monday, October 17 at 4:30 p.m. in the Blake LMC, following our Site Council meeting. For more information about this book, you might find these of interest...
Review: In ‘The End of Average,’ Cheers for Individual Complexity
Standards, Grades And Tests Are Wildly Outdated, Argues 'End Of Average'
Medfield Talks
Medfield Talks, a new committee comprised of Dr. Marsden, MCPE, K-8 and High School PTOs, SEPAC, MMA and Medfield Foundation will kick off a new speaker series on October 26th with Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D. According to his website, "Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D. is a consultant, author and psychologist specializing in children and families. He is the supervising psychologist for the Belmont Hill School and has worked at more than seven hundred schools across the United States, as well as international schools in Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia." In 2004, Dr. Thompson published The Pressured Child: Helping Your Child Achieve Success in School and Life which has helped parents navigate and mitigate the pressures faced by our children as they progress from their kindergarten through high school years. Through an MCPE sponsored grant, Medfield is privileged to host Dr. Thompson, who will speak to middle and high schoolers during the day and parents in the evening. Please join us on October 26th for this important event. Free tickets and additional information will be available in September.
Medfield Soccer Event
This year Medfield Boys and Girls soccer teams have a once in a lifetime / unique opportunity to play soccer at Gillettestadium. In an effort to increase attendance at the Rev's games, as well as support high school athletics, we have a ticket package to include the following:
- Ticket (Tier One - "Great Seats") for the New England Revolution Game on Sunday, October 23rd (4pm game vs. Montreal Impact), AND...
- Admission to the Girls (5pm) and Boys (7pm) Varsity Soccer Games vs. Medway HS (with an exhibition game for both JV games at the half of the Boys/Girls Varsity games).
Tickets are $25 each, and as an added incentive, $3 from every ticket sold will be donated to to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which is dedicated to the education and research about causes, treatment, and search for a cure (breast cancer)! Think Pink and be there to support!
Go Warriors!
Please use the following link to purchase your ticket to this once-in-a-lifetime event!
Here are some of the details for the game at Gillette stadium on October 17th and how to order your tickets.
Times
5PM: Girls Varsity vs. Medway
Halftime (5:45ish): Girls JV vs. Medway
7 PM: Boys Varsity vs. Medway
Halftime (7:45ish): Boys JV vs. Medway
Price: Tickets are $25 per person.
Payment: Checks made payable to "Town of Medfield". Checks can be mailed or dropped off at Medfield High School (88R South St, Medfield, MA 02052)
To resister and purchase tickets click HERE
Angel Run News
Angel Run training week 2 is upon us. Your assignment: 6 cycles of 2 minutes running followed by 3 minutes of walking. Have you registered yet? Medfieldfoundation.org is the place and Nov 1st is the deadline.
BLAKE PTO UPDATE:
Please join us for our next PTO meeting on Thursday, October 20th @ 7:00 pm in the Blake LMC.
GRANTS FUNDED IN SEPTEMBER
- A grant was funded for Kate Jones, K-12 Art Content Specialist, for display panels to share and display student work in the amount of $1695.
- A grant was funded to provide students at the three 7th & 8th grade dances with bottled water in the amount of $235.
We have 1 open volunteer position left and we can use your help!
- Coordinator for the 7th Grade Ice Cream Social - Spring timeframe.
ONGOING BAY STATE TEXTILE FUNDRAISER
Donate unwanted textiles to one of the bins located at the schools, transfer station or Hinkley Pond. For more information, go to our website and visit Bay State Textiles.
BOX TOPS
Don't forget to clip your Box Tops and send them to the main office.
DON’T MISS OUR IMPORTANT POSTS SENT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK
Like us on Facebook Medfield K-8 PTO, follow us on Twitter @MedfieldK8PTO For more information and calendar of events, please check out our website medfieldpto.weebly.com.
MCPE News
Michael Thompson, Ph.D., The Pressured Child, 10/26 at 7:00 p.m., MHS auditorium.
Medfield Talks, a new committee comprised of Dr. Marsden, MCPE, K-8 and High School PTOs SEPAC, MMA and the Medfield Foundation, presents its inaugural speaker, Michael Thompson, Ph.D., on Wednesday October 26th at 7:00 p.m. in the Medfield High School Auditorium. Dr Thompson, author of The Pressured Child, will meet with students from BMS and MHS during the day, and then present his observations to the community in the evening. (http://michaelthompson-phd.com) The event, free and open to the public, is sponsored by a grant from the MCPE. Tickets may be reserved at www.medfieldcoalition.org.
The E4E (Entertaining for Education) tradition in Medfield is alive and well. Haven't heard of it yet or new to town? It's pretty simple- throw a party or an event, charge an admission price ($25/head or $25/family is the minimum suggested) and donate the proceeds to the MCPE in support of the Medfield Public Schools. We've seen Halloween parties, nights in with friends, comedy events, wine tastings, multivendor markets... The only limit is your creativity. Need more information or ideas? Email [email protected]