1/15 - SOS Program - 7th Grade (see details below)
Blake Affinity Group Meeting - 2:15 p.m. (see details below)
SEPAC Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake LMC)
1/16 - Blake Parent Ed Workshop (see details below)
1/17 - Blake PTO Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake LMC)
1/18 - 1/2 Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Staff
1/21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
Day of Service (see details below)
1/22 - Blake Parent Ed Workshop (see details below)
1/23 - Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Meeting - 9:30 a.m.
2/1 - Term 2 Interim Reports go home
2/4 - Blake Site Council Meeting - 3:30 p.m. (Blake LMC)
2/6 - 1/2 Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Staff
Topic/Question for the Summer Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about collective learning and how individual contributions help groups improve, our topic/question of the week is: What are you hoping to learn about in 2019? Emerging From Within (Week of 1/13/19) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
SOS Information for 7th Grade Families
On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Samaritans, Inc. will be presenting this Suicide Prevention Workshop to all 7th grade students. Our goals in participating in this program are straightforward:
- To help our students understand that depression is a treatable illness, and help them assess whether or not they may have symptoms consistent with depression.
- To explain that suicide is a preventable tragedy that can occur as a result of untreated depression.
- To provide students training in how to identify serious depression and potential suicidality in a friend.
- To impress upon our students that they can help themselves or a friend by taking a simple step of talking to a responsible adult about their concerns.
Blake Samaritans Presentation 1-9-19
Metaphors, Multiplication, and Microscopes (1/16/19 and 1/22/19) - Rescheduled Evening Session
Join Nat Vaughn (Principal), Orla Berry (Science Department Chair, 6-12), Susan Bycoff (Mathematics Department Chair, 6-12), and Gail Duffy (English Department Chair, 6-12) as we explore student learning. This workshop will share information about English, Mathematics and Science, healthy student learning, meaningful feedback, and classroom and state assessments. Time will be devoted to the discussion of Next Generation MCAS and Legacy MCAS. The day workshop will take place Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. and the evening workshop will be Tuesday, January 22, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. (originally scheduled for Wednesday, January 16 at 6:30 p.m.).
To RSVP for one of these workshops, please fill out the Google form for each parent/guardian attending...
Blake Parent Ed Workshop - Metaphors, Multiplication, and Microscopes, January 2019 - Rescheduled
We hope that you will be able to join us for one of these workshops!
MLK, Jr. Weekend - No Homework Weekend for Blake
In a continued effort to provide down time for students, staff, and families, MLK, JR. Weekend will be a 'No Homework Weekend' for all of Blake. No assignments will be given with a due date of 1/22 and tests, quizzes, and projects will not be due nor given January 22 or 23. 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.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man whose goal was to make our country a better place for everyone. While his life was cut short due to assassination, MLK's goal to make our country a better place is still very much alive. On November 2, 1983 President Reagan made January 15th ( MLK Jr'.s birthday) a federal holiday, a day off for all. But a day off to support a man who gave his life to the betterment of our country did not really seem like a fitting honor so on August 23, 1994 President Bill Clinton signed a bill that moved the date of the holiday from MLK, Jr's birthday to the Monday after that day. The bill also stated that it was meant to be a day of service. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a not a day off, but a day on. To honor this day of service Blake Middle School will open its doors from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. to give students an opportunity to serve their community. Some of the activity students will be doing during this day of service will be: beautifying the school, making Valentine's day cards, bookmarks and paper flowers, for soldiers and those living in the nursing home. Students will also be making bracelets, which we will give to Children's Hospital for ill children. We are always open to new ideas for how we can serve the community and support making Monday, January 21 a day on! If you have any questions or suggestions, please e-mail Cynthia McClelland at cmcclelland@email.medfield.net.
Medfield Community Blood Drive
We will be holding our 5th annual American Red Cross blood drive on Monday, January 21 at the Blake Middle School gym from 8am-2pm. Many of our Blake Middle School students play a major role in the running of this blood drive and they would love to see you there. The Blake Blood Drive Committee has a goal of 125 donors, and right now we only have 20. Please consider donating blood, the students would be beyond grateful to see you there. It is easy to sign up, just click on the link below and fill out the Google Form, or contact Cynthia McClelland ( [email protected])
Medfield Community Blood Drive Sign-Up
We are a kid friendly blood drive. Parents with smaller children, for you we will have a children’s section in the gym, run by a high school student who specializes in early childhood education. Finally, the students plan on baking you an amazing array of goods for the recovery table in thanks for your generous donation. The Red Cross will gift you with an e-voucher to Dunkin, and you will have the satisfaction of saving lives! It’s a win-win, and on behalf of the Blake Blood Drive Committee we really hope to see you there.
Blake Winter Intramurals
Our winter intramurals have begun - if you have any questions, please contact Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
7th Grade Needs Magazines
7th grade is asking families to send in no longer needed magazines. Students should give them to their advisors. They will be working on a project in January. Thank you.
Blake Stem Exposition
Our fourth annual celebration of our students and STEM (formerly known as the science fair) will be held at 4:00 pm on Wednesday March 6, 2019. All BMS students are invited to participate as individuals or in groups (single or multi grade) and show their passion for or interest in answering some question or learning more about a particular topic - including but not limited to - recent genius hour projects, maker space projects or personal interest projects or investigations. More information to come via email to students and their families.
8th Grade Science Presentations
8th grade science students will be attending an in-house presentation from the Museum of Science called Forces and Motion. There will be two sessions - 9:00a.m and 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday, January 15. Thank you to MCPE for the funding of this endeavor!
Fundraiser for Dogs
Hi, I am Caeli Sheehan, and I want to start of by asking you… How many of you have a dog? Think of some of the good times you had with them. Your animals are your families. But some people don’t think that way. They let their dogs breed out of control, become malnourished, and have a terrible quality of life. This is actually happening right now in Georgia - there are over 500 German Shepherds suffering. In a few weeks many of them will be gone. That is why we need your help - this week we will be having a Fundraiser for these Dogs in front of the gym before school each day. Any spare change or donations will help. Keep your eyes open for e-mails and news about this event. Thank You!
National Geography Bee at Blake
Blake students again participated this year in the National Geographic GeoBee. Thousands of schools are competing in this year’s contest from all across the United States and the five U.S. territories. Also competing are Department of Defense Dependents Schools around the world. Participants in this year’s Blake GeoBee were as follows:
6th Grade: Sonya Moisseyeva, Amelia Meehan, Sean Graham, Abby Roux, Alex Howley, Mason Cira, Carl Kirchoff, Ally Bonoldi, Ian Reddy, Luke Gobin, Tyler Zilinski
7th Grade: Theo Papadinoff, Max McGary, Maeve Kennedy, Matt George, Alex Münz, Nick Gangemi, Suran Warnakulasooriya, Jim Kemp, Logan Williams, Jayden Clayton, Emma Rusin
8th Grade: Joe McDonald, Eve Tormey, Morgan Turner, Connor Mathews, Sean Narkewich, Madison Saber, Nathan Fernandes, Victor Walsh, Casey Deignan, Tay Frankel, Brigid Traub, Jack Brassil
Grade-level champions are as follows:
6th Grade: Carl Kirchoff
7th Grade: Max McGary
8th Grade: Victor Walsh
Our school champion this year was 6th grader Carl Kirchoff. After an exciting final round, Carl becomes the first 6th grader in many years to take home the crown. Carl will advance to the next level of competition, the Massachusetts GeoBee. The winners of the State GeoBees receive an all-expenses-paid trip to National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., next May to participate in the GeoBee national championship, competing for cash prizes, scholarships and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll. Learn more at www.natgeobee.org.
The National Geographic Society developed the National Geographic GeoBee in 1989 in response to concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States. Over more than three decades, 120 million students have participated in the GeoBee.
Junior Districts
This past weekend, a group of Medfield students in grades 7-9 auditioned for the Eastern District Music Festival at Needham High SchoolS. We had 8 students selected:
Thomas Shurtleff and Andie Brown, alto saxophones: Jazz Band
Lucas Subacs, trombone: Jazz Band
Paul Narkewich, tuba: Concert Band
Nimai Kini, Neva Fuller, Sean Narkewich, Julia Wall: Chorus
Our students auditioned against students in grades 7-9 from area middle schools and high schools and as result of their acceptances, they will join other accepted students for a 2-day music festival at Lincoln Sudbury HS.
#MedfieldProjectHappiness Update
This week for our Project Happiness lesson students will be focusing on character strengths. Students will be taking a survey to find out their strongest character strengths. They will be encouraged to help develop them all! Be sure to ask your child about it! 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
Project 351
Molly Donovan, one of our eighth grade students, has been selected as Medfield's ambassador for Project 351. Project 351 is a statewide community service project that brings an eighth grader from all 351 cities and towns in the commonwealth together on one single day to perform a service project. Ambassadors should embody the ethic of service and associated values -- humility, integrity, compassion, commitment, and generosity of spirit. In essence, Project 351 celebrates and encourages students' leadership and commitment to others. We are proud and honored that Molly will be representing Blake and the community of Medfield.
Affinity Group Information
Blake’s Affinity Group is meeting this Tuesday, 1/15 after school in the Guidance Office. The purpose of an affinity group is to provide a forum of support for students who may feel a disconnection relative to identity to their larger school community. Such disconnections to identity may include, but not be limited to, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, ability, and sexual orientation. An affinity group’s goal is to play a vital role in ensuring an inclusive environment where all are valued, included, and empowered to succeed.
An affinity group is open to students across every grade level. It is arranged for students in an affinity group to meet at least once a month during a mutually agreed upon time and the meetings are supervised by at least one staff member at Blake. As the need for an affinity group may stem from a lack of or weaker connection to the larger Medfield community, efforts will be made to strengthen connections to the community. To this end, members of the community are welcome and at times will be invited to attend affinity group meetings. For more information about starting or joining an affinity group at Blake, please contact Matt Marenghi, Guidance Counselor: [email protected] or 508-359-2445
Recess Reminder for All Parents/Guardians
This is a gentle reminder to families that students are going outside for recess and should bring weather-appropriate clothing like winter jackets and gloves so that they will be warm outdoors.
Challenge Success
I encourage everyone to check out Medfield’s Challenge Success website and introductory video. We look forward to broadening our work and using this ‘platform’ as a way to continue our efforts at Blake to best support and meet the needs of all of our students.
Standards Based Reporting Information Sessions
Thank you to all Blake parents/guardians who were able to come to our Standards Based Reporting information sessions last week. As promised, here is the link to the presentation…
SBR Information Sessions October, 2018
Blake Site Council Book Discussion Group
Our first Blake Site Council book will be What School Could Be by Ted Dintersmith. We hope you can join in by reading this book - stay tuned for discussion times!
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.
MCPE Update
On February 8, MCPE will host its Annual Trivia Night. Gather your team and get ready to show your collective brainpower. This year's event will be held at Primavera in Millis. In a fun change of format, teams can have up to 8 people, so the competition should be even more lively this year! More details about Trivia night and how to register will be coming soon on our website (www.medfieldcoalition.org). Please contact: [email protected] if you have questions about this changed format.
SEPAC Update
SEPAC has a number of events coming up this month! Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 15th at 7pm in the Blake Library. On Wednesday, January 16th, please join us for a post-holiday social with Millis SEPAC at Our Place Today, 38C Park Street, from 6:30-8:30 pm. This will be a great opportunity to meet other parents and guardians. And on Tuesday, January 22nd, join us at 7pm in the Medfield High School Library to learn about Tapping, a stress-relieving technique, with Holli Bassin. To learn more about SEPAC and these events, please visit our website: https://sites.google.com/mail.medfield.k12.ma.us/sepac/
Blake PTO Update
Our next PTO meeting is January 17 @ 7:00 pm. Want to get involved? There are many positions available for the next school year, including co-President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary! Contact Keven Gallagher ([email protected]) for more information! 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