November 12 - iPad Initiative Info Session for Grade 8 Parents/Guardians (5:45 p.m. - see details below)
Royal Pizza Night for Blake
Surviving Adolescents: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast! And The ABC’s of Parenting Adolescents (see details below)
November 13 - 8th Grade Parent Coffee (see details below)
Lip Sync Info Mtg (see details below)
November 14 - Student Council Mtg at 2:15 p.m.
November 19 - Subway Night for Blake
November 20 - 7th Grade Parent Coffee (see details below)
CSA Meeting (7:00 p.m.)
November 26 - Celebration of Voice Assembly
November 27 - No School
November 28 - Happy Thanksgiving!
November 29 - No School
December 2 - Site Council Mtg (3:15 p.m. in Blake LMC)
December 2-6 - Scholastic Book Fair at Blake
Musical Auditions (see details below)
December 6 - 7th/8th Grade Dance (7-9 p.m.)
Topic/Question(s) for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations about gratitude and kindness, our Topic/Questions for the Dinner Table this week is: If you are feeling overwhelmed and overwrought, do you think performing an act of kindness will help you to see things in a better perspective, and feel a little better about things?
iPad Initiative Highlights Info Session
It was great to have a nice cohort of parents yesterday for our first iPad Highlights Information session. Our next session is Tuesday evening, November 12. We have adjusted the start time to 5:45 p.m. and the meeting will be in Room 217. The intent is to share and highlights work that is taking place and provide a forum for questions. If you are able, I encourage you to come learn about the initiative. Please RSVP via our Google Form link (iPad Initiative Highlights Evening Session on 11-12-13) to let us know if you are planning so that we can make sure we are prepared. Please fill out the form for each parent/guardian attending the presentation. I also encourage you to visit our Mobile Learning in Medfield blog to gain a greater understanding of the work that is taking place.
Veterans Day Weekend - No Homework Weekend for Blake
Thank you to all of the staff for their support and help in making our 'No Homework Weekend' for Blake this past weekend a reality. This effort was part of our continued work to provide down time for students, staff, and families.
Veterans Day Recognition
Building off of our Vietnam Veterans Memorial assembly a year ago, we took time as a Blake community over this past week to honor and recognize our local veterans. In 6th grade the veterans spent time in Advisory on Friday, sharing their experiences and answering questions. We then held a luncheon for them in the library with our student council representatives. Through some of our 7th grade Civics classes, there sets of veterans were interviewed by students. The veterans represented three wars (WW II, Korea era, and Vietnam era), and these interviews will be shown this week in advisory. Continuing the tradition that has been in place for several years, students in the 8th grade spent time last week writing 'thank you' letters to veterans in town. They were mailed on Friday in the hopes that the veterans received them on Saturday before the actual holiday. I encourage all families to discuss these experiences with our students.
7th Grade Parent Coffee
Our 7th graders are no longer adjusting to middle school life, nor are they preparing to step across the campus to the high school. So what are they doing? Join Tracy Allen and Kelly Campbell for a parent coffee where you can ask "What is 7th grade all about?". The coffee will take place Wednesday, November 20th at 9:30am. Hope to see you there. Please RSVP via our Google Form link (7th Grade Parent Coffee) to let us know if you are planning on attending the session so that we can make sure we are prepared. Please fill out the form for each parent/guardian attending the presentation. You may register questions in advance via the link or walk in with your list.
8th Grade Parent Coffee
The 8th graders are now the leaders of the school and it is a very exciting year filled with many fun learning experiences and we want to be sure that all of the important information is getting home to you. Join Jen Dondero and Kelly Campbell for a parent coffee where you can get some of your questions about 8th grade academics, expectations and upcoming events answered. The coffee will take place Wednesday, November 13 at 9:30 a.m. Hope to see you there. Please RSVP via our Google Form link (8th Grade Parent Coffee) to let us know if you are planning on attending the session so that we can make sure we are prepared. Please fill out the form for each parent/guardian attending the presentation. You may register questions in advance via the link or walk in with your list.
iPad Initiative Highlights Session for Grade 8 Parents/Guardians
It was great to have a nice cohort of parents yesterday for our first iPad Highlights Information session. Our next session is Tuesday evening, November 12. We have adjusted the start time to 5:45 p.m. and the meeting will be in Room 217. The intent is to share and highlights work that is taking place and provide a forum for questions. If you are able, I encourage you to come learn about the initiative. Please RSVP via our Google Form link (iPad Initiative Highlights Evening Session on 11-12-13) to let us know if you are planning so that we can make sure we are prepared. Please fill out the form for each parent/guardian attending the presentation. I also encourage you to visit our Mobile Learning in Medfield blog to gain a greater understanding of the work that is taking place.
School Absences
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. Absence from school for vacation purposes is discouraged. However, we are aware that some parents make the decision to take their student out of school based on specific circumstances that may allow for the family to be together or for the student to gain a different educational experience. We strongly request that student vacations or family obligations be scheduled within the framework of the school calendar. When parents/guardians do remove students from school, we request that two weeks notice is provided to the administration so that teachers can be notified. Should parents keep a child out of school for vacation purposes, they are assuming the responsibility for their child to make up the work. It should be recognized that teachers can not realistically provide work to take the place of instruction missed during planned absences. Since assignments are based on material that has been previously taught, work can not in most cases be identified until after the child returns Academic and special education teachers will not provide make-up instruction or tutorials.
4th Annual Student/Staff Charity Basketball Game
The 4th Annual Student/Staff Charity Basketball game was a great success, with approximately $950 raised for Christmas in the City.
Yearbook Information
It's time to order your 2013-2014 Yearbook! To guarantee a book in June, all orders must be placed this week! Here is the vital information:
COST: $30 check written to Blake Middle School
DUE DATE: Friday November 15
ORDERS GIVEN TO: Advisory Teacher
ANY QUESTIONS: contact Mrs. Boulos, [email protected]
Curriculum Highlights - Art and Science
This week's curriculum updates come from the Art (Jim Cousens, Content Specialist) and Science (Orla Berry, Content Specialist) departments...
Art
There are many creative things going on in the Blake Art Department this month. All of Mrs. Delaney's 6th, 7th, & 8th graders are beginning there Clay Units. 6th Graders will be working with texture and design on their slump molds, 7th Graders will be creating a 3-dimensional clay bust, and 8th Graders will be building vessels to match their form designs using the coiling method. As you can imagine, Mrs. Delaney will be shoulder-deep in clay work with her twenty five classes. Mrs. Delaney will also be working with students and staff on the new mural being painted in our Blake Guidance Office. Designs are under development, and the wall is prepped for painting. Mr. Cousens' 8th Grade Art Plus classes are working on Mosaic Tile designs as part of our effort to beautify the courtyard in the center of Blake. Students first learned about Mosaic Tiles during their Social Studies class, while studying Mesopotamia. The designs are coming along very well, and we'll be looking for locations to install them in the spring.
In an effort to promote all of the creative ways our Blake Middle Schoolers are learning in and out of school, the Medfield K-12 Fine Arts website has a page designed to provide a way for Blake students and their families & friends UPLOAD images of CREATIVITY. If you have any pictures of students being creative in any of their classes or other Blake activities, please upload them to: http://www.medfieldk12finearts.net/upload-creativity-here.html
Once we have a few to display, we will create a Gallery of Creativity page on our website to share the many ways in which our Blake students are creative each day. Thank you in advance for your participation!
Also, don't forget to follow our Twitter @Medfieldk12Arts account for the latest information about our Blake Art program as well as the rest of our K-12 Fine Arts program.
Science
Grade 6 science has been working to lay the foundation of science education and inquiry as students are learning to conduct experiments using the Scientific method!
Seventh grade science has just finished looking at the microscopic world of cells. Students learned how to use the compound light microscope and zoomed into to look at onion cells, their own cheek cells, frog blood, and a number of other plant and animal cells. They discovered the jobs that all the cell parts have and have begun to learn about the relationships that these parts have with each other. Upcoming this month is the chemistry of life unit, where students will discover that "you really are what you eat". They will find that the food they eat each day is what makes up all the parts of their cells and allow their cells to function correctly. We will look at macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids (fats), proteins and nucleic acids (DNA). Thanksgiving dinner will never taste so good!
8th grade science has been moving forward with their iPad integration while studying mass, volume and density. Students have had multiple experiences with computer simulations and lab activities. In tech class students have been studying system dynamics using Sim city.
Blake Theater Information
Auditions for Blake's 2 theatrical performances this year - Aladdin and The Hound of the Baskervilles: A Comic Thriller Starring Shirley Holmes and Jennie Watson - will take place December 2-6. If you think your student might be interested in being in or doing tech for one of these shows, please note that Tech week will be the week of April 7th and performances will be April 11-13. We will be putting on one play and one musical. Forms, including audition sign-ups, will be on November 15th on the theater website (under the Activities tab on the Blake site). See Ms. Allen with any questions.
Lip Sync Information
The 15th Annual Lip Sync will be held on January 24th. There will be one night of performances; therefore the first 20 acts to submit their completed paperwork by the due date will perform. We are only opening the show to 20 groups. Important upcoming dates...
11/13 @ 2:15 informational meeting in the auditorium
11/28 forms are due to Mrs. Dondero
Please do not hesitate to call or email Mrs. Dondero (508-359-2396 ext. 2003/ [email protected]) with any questions or concerns
Nashoba Valley Ski/Snowboard Club
Ski Club sign ups are full, but there is a wait list on Mrs.Heim's Ski Club website. If enough students sign up to fill a third bus, we will be able to host any students on the waiting list. Please do not send checks if you are on the waiting list, if there is room your spot will be confirmed by Monday 11/18 in an e-mail from Mrs. Heim.
Private School Applications
Anyone applying to private school should notify the student's guidance counselor. Information about the process is on the guidance page. All application materials should be to the guidance office by December 6, 2013.
Music at Blake - Guess the Blake Pandora Jockey!
Last week's Blake PJ/DJ was Susan Bycoff, and we did not have a student winner! Our new PJ/DJ will begin this Tuesday. We encourage all students to participate by voting at our Blake Pandora Jockey Link, and all entries must be registered by Thursday evening at 8 p.m. An 'electronic selector' will highlight a winner each week, and the winning student will be the Blake PJ for the following Monday. Each student may register only one vote. Encourage your students to participate!
Winter Athletics
Blake Middle School winter athletic registration is open to all 8th graders interested in participating in basketball for both boys and girls. Blake 8th grade basketball will begin on December 2nd. Please visit the athletics page on the Blake Middle School web site or click the following link to register:
https://www.familyid.com/medfield-public-schools
Please contact Eric Scott ([email protected]) with any questions.
SEPAC Speaker - November 12
Medfield SEPAC presents:
Surviving Adolescents: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast! And The ABC’s of Parenting Adolescents
Nadine Briggs, Social Smart Kids
Tuesday Nov 12, 2013 from 7-9 p.m. in the Blake Middle School Auditorium
Surviving Adolescents will explore why teens become “allergic” to their parents and how boys and girls journey through adolescence in similar and different ways. We will talk about how to gain respect from your teen, strategies for parenting a teen as opposed to a younger child and how to avoid the traps our teens set for us and the ones we set for ourselves to establish a healthy relationship with our adolescents.
Holiday wreaths help fund music trip scholarships
The Medfield Music Association is selling holiday wreaths help raise funds for scholarships toward the Blake Six Flags and MHS Toronto music trips this spring, and to also give individual music students the opportunity to reduce their own trip costs. The deadline to order wreaths is Friday, Nov. 15. Wreaths are $20 each and they will be delivered to homes on Saturday, Nov. 30. Click on the link below for the order form. Thank you for supporting the MMA trip scholarship initiative.
http://www.medfield.net/mhs/attachments/article/76/Wreath_flyer_Thurs%20packet%202013.pdf
MCPE News
Volunteers Meeting Scheduled for Spring Fling Gala - All Invited
The MCPE Spring Fling, this year’s great community social event, is scheduled for Friday, May 2nd at the Spring Valley Country Club in Sharon, Mass. All Medfield residents are invited to participate in an exciting auction and enjoy an evening of friendship, dancing and refreshments, while supporting our fabulous Medfield schools.
The Spring Fling requires a significant amount of planning to make this a great event. We are looking to fill jobs (big and small) in variety of categories -- Corporate Sponsorship, Auction, Decorations and Night-of support. For those interested in helping with the Spring Fling, there is an informational meeting on November 13 at 9:30 am.
Please e-mail [email protected] with your questions or visit our website www.MedfieldCoalition.org for more information.
CSA News
Your trash, Blake's cash! Clip and send in your box tops. Collection box in the office.