1/21 - SEPAC Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake LMC)
1/23 - Blake PTO Meeting - 7 p.m. (Blake LMC)
1/24 - 7th/8th Grade Dance - 7-9 p.m.
1/27 - SBR Parent Focus Group - 6:30-8:00 p.m. (see details below)
1/29 - D-S Challenge Success Presentation (see details below)
1/31 - Term 2 Interim Reports go Home
2/3 - SEL Focus Group - 3:30 p.m. at MHS
2/4 - 1/2 Day for Students
8th Grade Career Day
Professional Afternoon for Staff
2/6 - Tri-County Interviews
2/10 - Blake Site Council - 3:30 p.m.
2/14 - Blake Volleyball Tourney
2/17-2/21 - February Vacation
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about purposefully matching our beliefs with our practices, our topic/question for the dinner table is: What commitment can/will you make to support your own learning? What commitment can/will you make to support others’ learning? Purposeful Reflection - Aligning Beliefs with Practices (Week of 1/19/20) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Professional Development Follow Up
For our professional development afternoon on Friday, January 17 the Blake staff engaged in an ‘EdCamp’ - #EdCampBlake. All staff engaged in staff-established focus groups under the umbrella of ‘feedback’. The discussions and working groups were productive and meaningful. Topics included…
Session 1 - Creating Feedback Tools/Assessments to Align with Benchmarks; Using Feedback in Choice Reading Time to Foster Independence and Growth for CRT/Readers; Genius Hour - What does feedback look like?; Interactive Notebooks; Transition to High School - Giving Feedback to Help; Universal iPad Rubric for Video Projects linked to Learning Skills; Behavioral Feedback to Students - What works? What doesn't? Why?; Assessing and Providing Feedback on Creativity in the Academic Classroom; Calibrating Benchmarks with Grade Level Content Team ; Daily 'quick quizzes' for World Language: Ideas, types, assessing, feedback, etc.; Writing and Reviewing 504 Plans; Ways to Streamline SBR in Related Arts and Shared Classes; SBR in the Music Classroom
Session 2 - Conferencing - Students? Parents? What can we do with that?; 7th Grade SS Calibrating and Grading Online Discussions on Google Classroom; Placement Feedback: Setting Expectations for 8th to 9th Transitions (with Christine Power); Most Effective Feedback on Writing Assignments (Essays/Longer Pieces); Feedback Podcast - Sharing Thoughts on the Evolution of Feedback Over the Past Few Years; Portfolio Development for Grade 7 and Grade 8 World Language Proficiency; Learning Skills - Making Them Relevant for Kids; Working on Calibration/Development of Assessments for Grade 6 Math; Creative Critique in the Art Studio; #FeedForward - Check-Ins; Choosing Power Standards; Creating Benchmarks for Students; 6th Grade Narrative Writing - Calibrating/Grading
Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend - No Homework Weekend for Blake
Thank you to all of the Blake staff for their support and help in making our 'No Homework Weekend' this past weekend a reality. This effort was part of our continued work to provide down time for students, staff, and families.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
Thank you to Cynthia McClelland for spearheading and organizing the 'Day of Service' and Blood Drive at Blake. It was a wonderful scene on Monday, as student and staff volunteers worked together, and we are thrilled that this has become a tradition for our community.
Black History Month Update
The Black History Month planning team has met twice to formalize plans to celebrate Black History Month at Blake. Plans are underway for a Black History Hallway Timeline, Picture Books for read aloud in advisory, activities via Current Events Classes, and highlighting important figures in Black History through content areas. Stay tuned for more information and opportunities. Please reach out to Kelly Campbell if you'd like to help or have ideas.
Message for 8th Grade Families
Medfield High School is excited to welcome the Class of 2024 to MHS! Please be aware of these upcoming dates:
- January 2020 - Students take placement tests
- Thursday, February 27 - 6:30-8:30pm - 8th Grade Student and Parent Night
- Thursday, March 5 @ 3:00 - The Aspen portal is "live"
- March 6-12 - Students will complete course selections
The program on February 27th is for students and parents to learn about the culture, classes, and extracurricular offerings at the high school.
The 2020-2021 Medfield High School Program of Studies will be shared with all students and parents in early February.
ADL Update
The ADL student group participated in their second full day of peer leadership training which focused on identifying bias and "isms" here at Blake and working through some personal identity activities. The short term goal is for peer leaders to get into 6th grade classrooms in early February. The ADL peer leader group will meet on Tuesday, 1/21, after school in room 505. Our final day of training is scheduled for Thursday, 1/23. We ask that peer leaders also fill out the Google Form emailed to them indicating if they are able to join for the ADL Youth Congress, held in Boston on 3/27, no later than Friday, 1/24.
Parent Focus Group Meeting - 1/27 6:30-8:00 p.m.
SBR and Systems of Feedback
Description from Christine Power...
As you may be aware, I am in the process of gathering and analyzing data regarding the Standards Based Reporting project at Blake Middle School. On Wednesday, January 8th, I held a Blake Parent Focus group during which parents shared their thoughts about Standards Based Reporting. There was much robust conversation during this session and this important input will be included within a culminating report. I am writing to extend another opportunity for parents to provide their thoughts on the Blake SBR project. I will facilitate a focus group discussion on MONDAY, JANUARY 27th from 6:30- 8pm at the Blake Library. If you are interested in participating, please rsvp to me directly at [email protected].
Christine Power
Director of Instruction and Innovation
Medfield Public Schools
7th/8th Grade Dance - 1/24/20
Our Winter Wonderland dance for 7th and 8th grade students is Friday, January 24th from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Blake gym. Please plan to pick up students promptly at 9:00 p.m. We will be meeting with 7th and 8th graders this week to review expectations for safe and respectful behavior at the dance so please reinforce this at home in your family conversations. The cost to enter is $5.00. Attire for this dance is 'dressy optional' - we recognize that some students do like to dress up for this dance, but this is NOT a requirement and the dance is NOT a semi-formal. Many students may choose to dress a bit nicer than they do for a typical school day. For ALL of our dances, students are expected to abide by the guidelines of decency, cleanliness, and safety at all times. The use of cell phones and videoing is prohibited, except in the designated 'Cell-Phone Use' zone outside the gym.
If a student has not yet turned in a dance contract for the 2019-20 academic year, they should see Mrs. Ruminski or Mrs. Shaw before Friday, January 24th. Students who did hand one in for the first dance are all set. Any student who may be arriving late or leaving early, must reach out to Kelly Campbell prior to 1/24.
Summer Reading Input?
It's summer at Blake! The summer reading team will meet in early February to begin looking at titles for this summer's reading choices. Have a book you'd like to recommend? Please share with Kara Gelormini, [email protected]. Happy Reading!
Project 351
I am thrilled to announce that Zina Avagyan, 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 Zina will be representing Blake and the community of Medfield.
Advisory Update for Blake
In Advisory on Wednesday this week will be part of the learning styles lessons. Students will be grouped by learning style (learned last week), and they will be given a certain set of directions to create a paper airplane. We will then see which set of directions was the easiest to follow.
Blake Wednesday Advisory Website
Empty Bowls
Last year was our first annual Empty Bowls event, and this year we are back at it! For those who may not remember, Empty Bowls is a collaborative community dinner of soup and bread to raise money for Medfield Food Cupboard. A $25 ticket bought in advance gets you dinner along with two pottery classes to create a bowl to eat dinner out of and bring home with you. No time to make your own bowl? Choose a handmade bowl at dinner, fill it with delicious soup donated by local restaurants, and take your bowl home with you! All ages welcome! While advanced sign up is required, payments can be made via cash, check, or Venmo at the door. Last year was a lot of fun and we raised almost $2000 for the Medfield Food Cupboard! Please feel free to reach out with any questions and we hope to see you there! Contact Sara Higger with any questions - [email protected].
Save the Date - Miss Amazing (3/28/20)
Massachusetts Miss Amazing is coming to Medfield High School for its seventh annual event! Miss Amazing’s mission statement reads, “Miss Amazing provides opportunities for girls and women with disabilities to build confidence and self-esteem in a supportive environment.” Join us in supporting this goal and giving these girls and young women an opportunity to shine. This full-day event is Saturday, March 28th, 2020 and will be held in the Medfield High School Auditorium at 6 PM. Ticket sales are open to the public beginning on March 14th at ma.missamazing.org. If you would like to donate, visit https://missamazing.org/donate/. If you want to volunteer with the event, you can sign up to be a buddy, half day volunteer (helping hand), or a right hand man online at https://missamazing.org/volunteer/. If you know a girl or young woman who might want to participate in this event, refer them to the Miss Amazing website so they can learn more! Sign up a participant at https://missamazing.org/participate/. See you there!
School Survey
The Blake Site Council has taken time to review the data collected from last year's survey and an Executive Summary will be distributed to families in the coming weeks. Focus areas on the survey centered on the topics of school culture, academic workloads, stress, and habits. Our intent is to distribute the 2019-2020 survey in early February in the hopes of gathering the data by February vacation. Stay tuned!
Blake is Social - Any Submissions?
Blake is social is still looking for work to post on our instagram and our website. If you come across great work please consider asking your student to submit it. Work and submissions can be e-mailed to [email protected] or [email protected]
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 http://www.medfield.net/o/medfield-public-schools/page/employment-opportunites--7 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.
Shoveler Needed
If you know of a student who can help with shoveling for a senior citizen in the following neighborhood, please reach out to Kelly Campbell. The student must be able to help in the following neighborhood:
Lowell Mason near Johns Ave and Castle. NO other volunteers are needed at this time so please respond only if you can help in this location.
D-S Challenge Success Presentation - 1/29/20
Dover-Sherborn has graciously opened up this event to the Medfield community...
RAISING RESILIENCE
A Mindfulness Presentation for K-12 Parents and Caregivers
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Choral Room, Dover-Sherborn Middle School
Psychologist and educational consultant Dr. Chris Willard will join the Dover-Sherborn community to speak with parents and caregivers about the tools and techniques he uses to help children and adolescents successfully navigate the stressors and anxieties in their lives. Dr. Willard is president of the Mindfulness in Education Network and author of several parenting books including Growing Up Mindful: Essential Practices to Help Children, Teens, and Families Find Balance, Calm, and Resilience.
Please RSVP here…
Raising Resilience with Dr. Chris Willard
For more information on Dr. Willard and his work, please see his website at http://drchristopherwillard.com.
Psychologist and educational consultant Dr. Chris Willard will join the Dover-Sherborn community to speak with parents and caregivers about the tools and techniques he uses to help children and adolescents successfully navigate the stressors and anxieties in their lives. Dr. Willard is president of the Mindfulness in Education Network and author of several parenting books including Growing Up Mindful: Essential Practices to Help Children, Teens, and Families Find Balance, Calm, and Resilience. For more information on Dr. Willard and his work, please see his website at http://drchristopherwillard.com.
MCPE Update
There are still a few spots left for our Trivia Night! Grab your friends for a fun night out on January 31 testing your trivia knowledge! Go to medfieldcoalition.org for more information and to register.
Blake PTO Update
Volunteers Needed for Blake! Please click on the link to the volunteer form below. Thank you!!
Blake PTO: 2019-2020 Volunteer Sign-Up Form