11/18 - Subway Night for Blake
11/19 - Divide and Conquer Parent Workshop (see details below)
CSA Mtg (6:30 p.m. in Blake LMC)
11/25 - Turkey Bowl
Celebration of Voice Assembly
11/26 - No School
11/27 - Happy Thanksgiving!
11/28 - No School
12/2 - 6th Grade Chorus/6-8 Orchestra Concert
12/4 - Go Fresh Night for Blake
12/5 - iPad and Mobile Learning Highlights Info Session (see details below)
Term 1 Ends
7th/8th Grade Dance (7-9 p.m.)
12/8 - Term 2 Begins
Site Council Mtg (3:15 p.m. in Blake LMC)
Band Concert
12/9 - Ski Club Meeting
Royal Pizza Night for Blake
12/10 - 1/2 Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Teachers
Spaghetti with Santa
12/11 - Divide and Conquer Parent Workshop (see details below)
12/16 - Subway Night for Blake
12/17 and 12/18 - 8th Grade to XITC
12/18 - 7th/8th Grade Chorus Concert
12/24-1/2 - Holiday Vacation
1/5 - School Resumes
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help spark conversations about the role students should have in their own learning, our topic/question of the week is: If we want our children to be creative, resilient and knowledgeable problem solvers who take responsibility for their own learning, then at what point do we and for how long do we get out of their way?
Stuff the Truck at Blake
Seventh grade students will be participating in a "Stuff the Truck" event for Cradles to Crayons, an organization which provides children in homeless and low-income situations with essential items so they can thrive at home, at school and at play. The 7th grade will be donating clothing, shoes, books, arts and crafts supplies, toys, baby gear and hygiene and new baby supplies (lists of items are available in your child's advisory). This collection will take place from Nov 17th until Nov 21st, so please start putting aside items which can be donated. Thank you!
26 Days of Kindness
The two year anniversary of the tragic events in Newtown will be upon us shortly. At Blake, we will be continuing a tradition started last year by honoring those who died that day by asking everyone in the Blake community to participate in 26 Days of Kindness. In the posted document, you will see the acts of kindness are not 'big', nor are they complicated, yet each can make an impact on someone, including each of us. On Friday of each week you will see that the acts are a little 'bigger' in nature. We encourage you to print out the document and post it in a public spot (i.e. refrigerator) for your entire family to reference during the next month. We are going to document these days and put them together in a way that we can refer back to easily and remind ourselves that kindness is something we all can practice every day. During the weekend or over the Thanksgiving holiday, if you see your student partaking in an act of kindness and could take a picture or video, please send it to Marissa Gumas ([email protected]).
Blake LMC Update - Veterans Day Update
As you may recall, seventh grader Mike Tyer found an American flag attached to a 15’ tree pole on top of a mountain during this year’s visit to Nature’s Classroom. Mike, along with Colby Powers, Luke Slavik, Keegan Taylor, and Cam Guinta decided to use the flag and pole to reenact the iconic Marine flag-raising on top of Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. Social Studies teacher Greg Keohan organized the group and I took a black and white picture of the event. It came out so well that the participating students decided to research the lives of the men who raised the actual battle flag and write short essays on the soldiers they portrayed. Their work was printed and mounted, along with blow-ups of both pictures, in the display case located outside of the Nurse’s Office. Several Medfield veterans, who were speaking with our students last Monday, saw the display and were quite impressed with our students’ work. If you happen to be visiting Blake, please take a look. A special thanks to Donna Knott for her layout and mounting efforts, also to Greg Keohan and Diane Horvath for their contributions as well. - Jon Haycock
Divide and Conquer (Mathematics, MCAS, and Mindsets) Parent Workshop
Join Nat Vaughn and Susan Bycoff, Math Content Specialist, gr. 6-12, for the Fall 2014 'Divide and Conquer' parent workshop. The focus is on mathematics, how students learn math, and a yearly review of MCAS will be presented. This year we will discuss an important topic in learning, Growth Mindset, exploring its place in learning and how students may benefit from this knowledge. The day workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 19 at 9:30 a.m., and the evening workshop will be Thursday, December 11 at 6:30 p.m. Please RSVP via this Google Form: Divide and Conquer Parent Workshop Fall 2014.
No Homework Weekends at Blake
I once again want to thank all of our staff for their support and help in making our 'No Homework Weekend' for Blake a reality. For planning purposes for families, we have designated MLK, Jr. and Memorial Day as two other 'No Homework Weekends' for the Blake community.
iPad Highlights and Mobile Learning Information Session
In an effort to continue our dialogue and share information with the Blake community about our iPad Initiative, we are holding an iPad Highlights and Mobile Learning Information Session for parents/guardians on Friday, December 5 at 9:20 a.m. An evening session is going to be offered as well, and that date/time is still TBD. Our hope for these sessions is for the entire Blake community of parents and guardians to hear and see highlights from teachers and students, answer questions, and to gain an understanding of the work that is taking place. These events are for parents and guardians only. Please RSVP via our Google Form link (iPad Highlights and Mobile Learning Information Session on 12-5-14) to let us know if you are planning on attending so that we can make sure we are prepared. Please fill out the form for each parent/guardian attending the presentation.
Grade 7 Egyptian Presentation
We are culminating our study of those fascinating Ancient Egyptians. On Friday, November 14, 2014, students and teachers were treated to a special program funded by Blake’s CSA for the third consecutive year. Egyptologist, Paulette Morin, presented Having Fun with Pyramids and Pharaohs; the program is designed for middle school students and enriches the seventh grade unit on Ancient Egypt. In addition to learning more about the history, myths, and mummification process, students modeled Egyptian jewelry and learned how to dance Egyptian style.
Blake Chorus Update/Information
The Blake Choruses are eagerly preparing for our Winter Concerts! The 6th Grade Chorus will sing on Tuesday, December 2nd at 7pm and the 7th and 8th Grade Choruses will perform on Thursday, December 18th at 7pm. Both concerts are in the High School Auditorium. Singers interested in auditioning for the 'Joy to the World' festive tree lighting singing contest should see Ms. Nothnagel in the Chorus room at the High School. Hosted by MEMO, this audition is open to singers grades K-12 and try-outs to sing at Baxter Park is on Wednesday, December 3rd starting at 6:30pm.
Yearbooks on Sale
Yearbooks are on sale starting this week! The cost is $30, which guarantees a book in June. Please make out checks to Blake Middle School and return it to school with your child's advisory teacher. Please look for information coming home with students this week. The deadline is Friday, November 21. Please contact Mrs. Boulos with any questions. [email protected]
Turkey Bowl - 8th Grade
8th Graders will once again take to the gridiron this year in an attempt to raise food for the Medfield Food Cupboard and raise student awareness that there are local families in need. The annual event is called the Turkey Bowl and this year it will take place on Tuesday, November 25th. Students are asked to sign-up, in teams of four, with their Physical Education Teachers. As an entry fee, students will be required to bring in one non-perishable food item per player. This is an exciting and fun event and we are hoping to get every 8th grader to play.
Magazine Drive
Thanks to everyone who helped support the Blake Magazine Drive this year. We reached a record number of sales, both in terms of dollars and participation, which means we raised a record amount of money for Blake student activities and events. It also means that the students earned a record number of pigs this year. Pigs?! Every advisory that reaches a 50% participation rate earns a battery-operated pig for the big pig race on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. The homerooms battle each other for a winner -- the winning homeroom earns an "all you can eat/pig out" ice cream sundae party. Besides being fun, the sales challenge and the pig race foster teamwork, cooperation, school spirit and creativity. Each advisory can "enhance" their pig to try and create the fastest pig. Ask your child about his/her pig!
Private School Applications
Students who plan on applying to private school need to contact their guidance counselor. For more information, please call the guidance office or visit the guidance website: Blake Guidance Private School Information. Reminders of application deadlines will be noted in future blog updates.
Theater Update
As you may now know we will be doing Darcy's Cinematic Life in January and Peter Pan in April. All students received an email with the links to the sign up sheets for our crew and to audition. We could use some more crew members. They can also be found on the theater page - http://padlet.com/tallen/611ejx2h8v. Over the course of the productions the theater page will have the most up to date information. Auditions will be Dec 1-4. If your students have problems signing up or have any questions, please direct them to Tracy Allen or Kathleen Caprio.
Blake Ski Club
Ski Club sign ups are now closed. There is wait list on for students on the Ski Club website. Students who still need to submit outstanding paperwork should bring it to Ms. Hurley in room 306. The Nashoba Rental fitting is after school at 2:15 on December 9th in the cafeteria. The mandatory parent meeting is at 6 pm on December 9th in the auditorium. Please refer to the ski club website with any additional questions: http://blakeskiclub.weebly.com
Angel Run
Angel Run Training Week 8. Here is your chance to work off some of that Thanksgiving dinner in advance. 3x this week do 15 minutes running and 1 minute walking and 15 minutes running. Now you can have that second serving of pie! Volunteers are still needed for race prep. Follow this link The Angel Run Needs Your Support! to sign up.
CSA News
Subway night is Tuesday November 18th!! Go to the Medfield Subway from 2-9 pm on Tuesday and our generous business partner gives Blake 20% of their total proceeds! This fundraiser has helped to fund multiple programs. Thank you Subway!
Remember to keep sending in those box tops!
MCPE News
Blue Ribbon Program for Showing Appreciation. Are you looking for a way to let your child's teacher, a school staff member or an administrator know just how much you and your child appreciate them? Consider MCPE's Blue Ribbon Program. It is an easy and thoughtful way to recognize the efforts of a member of our school community during the holiday season. Each person recognized with a donation will receive a card, customized with a thank you note from you, indicating that a donation was made in his or her honor. To thank a school member with this blue ribbon recognition, please go online to the MCPE website: www.medfieldcoalition.org/events-programs/blue-ribbon-program.
Want to help MCPE fund educational grants, but can’t host an E4E event? No problem! Either attend an E4E party or make a tax-deductible donation directly to MCPE. All donations of $25 or more will receive an MCPE Proud Supporter magnet for your car. Show the community you support MCPE. Make a donation today at MedfieldCoalition.org/donate-now Thank you for supporting MCPE and for helping to fund enrichment programs in our Medfield Public Schools.
MCPE Trivia Events Deemed "A Tremendous Sold-Out Success"! Many thanks to those students, teachers, community members and sponsors who helped make the MCPE trivia events successful and fun! Three trivia events were held last week: one for the middle school students, one for the high school students and two sold-out seatings for the adult members of our community. On Monday, November 10th, 40 teams of middle school students, high school students and teachers from both schools came together to match wits and raise money for the Medfield Public Schools at the first-ever "MCPE Student Trivia Challenge". Topics ranged from television, history, sports, science, music, movies and more. On Friday, November 14th, 70 adult teams turned out for the second annual "MCPE Community Trivia Night" at the American Legion. MCPE would like to thank its sponsors, volunteers and the community for a fun and successful event. These events helped raise important funds for academic enrichment programs for our Medfield Public Schools.
Medfield Music Association
The deadline for purchasing a Holiday Wreath through the MMA has been extended to Thursday, Nov. 20. Why buy a holiday wreath at a local retailer when you can buy one through the MMA and have a portion of the proceeds go to a great cause? Every wreath sold benefits the MMA scholarship fund for the Six Flags music trip this spring (or next year’s MHS music trip), or proceeds can be earmarked toward a specific music student to help with his/her own music trip costs. Enterprising Blake music students are welcome to sell multiple wreaths as a way to earn trip credits for themselves. For a wreath order form, go to the Thursday packet or www.medfieldmusicassociation.com. For more information, contact [email protected].