12/16 - Subway Night for Blake
12/17 and 12/18 - 8th Grade to XITC
12/18 - 7th/8th Grade Chorus Concert
12/19 - 7th Grade to A Christmas Carol
12/23 - Winder Wonderland Day at Blake (see details below)
12/24-1/2 - Holiday Vacation
1/5 - School Resumes
1/8 - Blake Ski Club
Divide and Conquer Parent Workshop (see details below)
Go Fresh Night for Blake
1/12 - Blake Site Council (3:15 p.m. in Blake LMC)
1/13 - Grades 4-6 Chorus Concert
Royal Pizza Night for Blake
1/15 - Blake Ski Club
1/16 - 1/2 Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Staff
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about reflection and learning, our topic/question of the week is: Whether you are reflecting on the meaning of what you do or just in the "pencil lab" playing soft music, keep listening, because listening is the great teacher.
Hour of Code at Blake
Our 'Hour of Code' last Friday, 12/12 was a great success. We hope that it sparked or continued an interest for our students in this field as we recognize that the skill of coding is increasingly important for our students as we work to increase their problem-solving and analytical skills in the fields of science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. We encourage all Blake parents to participate as well, by accessing this webpage designed by Diane Horvath (@techmonstah), our Technology Integration Specialist - http://tinyurl.com/blakeHOC. The webpage includes a video and links to choices of coding activities for the students. Diane will also be hosting a Coding Smackdown/Showcase this Tuesday, 12/16 and Wednesday, 12/17 in our LMC from 2:15-3:15. Parents are invited and welcome to join in the fun with students, teachers, and staff. If you are interested in attending, please sign up - Google Form Sign Up. We are excited about this endeavor and will be sure to highlight our work on our Mobile Learning Blog. I encourage everyone to check out the following links...
Hour of Code
What Most Schools Don't Teach
Coding in the Classroom: What is it and Why is it So Important?
Twitter Account (@nat_vaughn) and Blake Hashtags (#bmsed and #bmstech)
I continue to encourage both staff, students, and parents/guardians to explore the world of Twitter. For the past two years 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. In addition to the weekly blog to our community, I have been 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! Admittedly I had some reservations at first, but Diane Horvath (one of our Technology Integration Specialists) encouraged me to get out of my 'comfort zone' - thanks, Diane! 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.
Divide and Conquer (Mathematics, MCAS, and Mindsets) Parent Workshop - Rescheduled
The evening session for 'Divide and Conquer' (scheduled for Thursday, December 11 at 6:30 p.m.) has been rescheduled for Thursday, January 8 at 6:30 p.m. 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. Please RSVP via this Google Form: Divide and Conquer Parent Workshop January 2015.
iPad Highlights and Mobile Learning Information Sessions Follow Up
We are pleased that our highlights and information sessions on 12/5 and 12/9 were successful in sharing our progress, answering questions, and helping the community gain an understanding of the work that is taking place. We are in the process of creating some resources for parents to reference and will have more workshops in 2015! I encourage all Blake parents to continue to check out our Mobile Learning Blog for updates, information, and spotlights on the work that is taking place. A special thanks to Diane Horvath (@techmonstah), our Technology Integration Specialist, for her work on the blog.
Blake Parent Study Skills Workshop Follow Up
This past Friday, parents convened in the Blake LMC for a Study Skills presentation by Blake teacher Kelly (Dengos) Ruminski. Parents learned about how the middle school has been professionally developing around study skills. They then had an opportunity to learn more about what goes into developing strong study skills in adolescents, focusing on the organization required to study and also the highest value, most effective study strategies. Not only did parents ask questions, but also shared suggestions and ideas. For anyone interested, the presentation can be found at this link:
Blake Study Skills Workshop Presentation
Winter Wonderland Day - 12/23/14
Student council invites Blake staff and students to breakout your comfy pj's, your cozy winter gear, and your holiday sweaters on Tuesday, December 23rd for Our Winter Wonderland spirit day! Happy Holidays from Student Council!
Term 1 Report Cards
Last Friday students brought home their report cards for the first term. Time has been spent in advisory with students reflecting upon the work they accomplished, as well as setting healthy goals for the second term. If you have any questions about your child's work or the reports, please start by having a conversation with your own child. If questions still exist, you should contact the teacher directly to gain more insight.
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", the. Professional Staff Openings. Please contact Kelly Campbell at [email protected] with any questions.
26 Days of Kindness
Thank you to everyone for their participation in the 26 Days of Kindness at Blake. Please continue to send Marissa Gumas ([email protected]) any pictures, videos, or feedback of/on your student's participation in the daily activities. In addition be sure to take time to check out and contribute to Blake's Kindness Padlet. A special thanks to Marissa for her leadership with this initiative.
Seasonal Reminder about Gift Giving for Students and Families
This is a reminder that as a school or in classrooms we will not be orchestrating 'Secret Santa' type activities for students in which gifts are being purchased and/or given. For a number of reasons, school is not the proper forum for the exchange of gifts, and we appreciate your understanding and support. During this holiday season we will continue to do our best to keep in mind the diverse faiths of our community and student body. The season/culture is certainly predominantly geared towards Christmas, and we all need to keep this in mind when creating activities for our students.
School Hours Reminder for all Blake Families
We have noticed that some students are being dropped off early at Blake and I want to remind parents/guardians of the expectations and guidelines. The Blake office hours are 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., and these are the time parameters for students to be at school. Students who arrive before 7:30 a.m. will report to the gymnasium (sixth and seventh grade) or cafeteria (eighth grade). Supervision in these designated locations starts at 7:10 a.m., so students should not be dropped off prior to 7:10 a.m. unless they have a pre-arranged appointment with a teacher or are attending an announced extra help session. These extra-help sessions do not begin until 7 a.m., so students who are dropped off prior to that time should report to the main office. By the same token, students who are staying after school need to be with a teacher for extra help or in the library doing homework. They should be picked up promptly after their sessions are over, as they will not be supervised at that point. All students need to be picked up by 3:30 p.m. as that is the time that the Blake secretaries leave. We need to make sure that all students are safe and supervised at all times. Thank you for your understanding, help, and cooperation.
Reminder about Bus Notes
All students who would like to ride a different bus may do so for childcare purposes only and need permission from Central Offices. Students should bring a note from home that gives permission to ride another bus, along with the bus number. That note will be sent to Central Offices and approval is granted based on available space on the bus. It is best to have the notes dropped off before the school day starts so that we can get back to students promptly in case they need to make other arrangements. A back up plan is always good to have in case permission is not granted. If you have any questions, please contact Phyllis Montillo at Central Offices ([email protected]).
Lost and Found Items
The number of items in our Lost and Found has increased. Please remind students to come take a look, as there are a number of items that are unlabeled that have been collected. We will be clearing out the Lost and Found during February vacation.
Blake Middle School Sponsoring Blood Drive for American Red Cross
This year, during the MLK day of service Blake Middle School will extend its service to the community by holding its first American Red Cross blood drive. Students will form a committee where they will learn the importance of giving blood, and how they can help recruit those old enough to give blood. The committee will meet every Thursday until the MLK day of service on January 19th. Check out the Prezi below that is being shared with students in advisory...
Blake Blood Drive Prezi
Coat Drive
The Community Service Club is holding its annual coat drive now through January 9th. Please consider donating new or gently used coats. All coats are taken to Anton's Cleaners where they are cleaned and eventually distributed to needy families across the Boston area. Please look for the boxes outside the library.
Blake Lip Sync Information
The Blake Lip Sync will be taking place in March of 2015. See information below for details...
Forms and Lyrics due: January 16, 2015
Mandatory Meetings & Dress Rehearsal:
Monday, February 8, 2:15-3:30 in the cafeteria Costume Check
Monday, February 23th from 2:15 until 5:30pm Dress Rehearsal
Performance dates: Friday, March 6, 2015
Blake LMC Update - Summer Reading Recognition
Students who read between 10 and 20 books from our summer reading lists received their reward on Thursday, December 11. All were treated to a delicious pizza, salad and cookie lunch in the LMC. The students who read 20 or more books then journeyed on foot to Park Street Books where they were able to spend a $5 gift certificate. The following 10 book students took part in the luncheon: 6th graders Kate Anderson, Owen Brand, Aiden Clark, Garrett Compston, Aiden Fedor, Justin Gauch, Anderson Greene, David Jones, Jake Kraemer, Katie Moon, Eva O’Toole, Lucas Pagulario, Erica Seaman, Emery Swirbalus, Molly Barry, Sarah Boyd, Caroline Callahan, Abby Frankel, Addie Gardiner, Taylor Guindon, David Hill, Caitlin Knight, Naomi Lung, Mel Lussier, Rachel Morrison, Aiden Redding, Andrew Harris Stevens, Gabby Christo, Molly Hardiman, Sabrina Lee, Reid Marble, Peter Moiseyev, and Sophia Donner. 7th graders Natalie Alford, Carrina Christo, Samantha Drumm, Patrick O’Connor, Amber Schultz, Derek Smith, Ariana Marmai, Mairead Driscoll, Philip Call, Kasey Douglas, Michael Hawley, Franny McCarthy, Katy Blessing, Molly Drumm, Thomas Gill, Nolan Hogan, Breanna Morgan, and Ainsley Shelley. The following 20 book students enjoyed both the luncheon and the trip to Park Street Books: 6thgraders Nolan Franks, Slater Franks, Nichole Mulready, Elizabeth Shenks, Grace Keene, Ben Previte, Kathryn Blake, Chris Herbst, Matthew Huss, Noelle Lindgren, Tristian Marble, Katie O’Connor, Katie Quinn, Olivia Tomlin. 7th graders Julia Farrell, Raphaela Gray, John Schoefield, Jamie Hollander, Bruce Salisbury, Maddie Moon, Daniel Toohey, Katy Horgan, Cameron Adolph, Morgan Caro, Molly Carpenter, Anna Compson, Francesca Compton, Alex Hagood, Sarah Jubber, Ella Matthews, Michael O’Leary, Own Previte, Evan Volkin, Jenna Woodard, JT Wooley, Rory McNaughton, Rebekah Morrison, Dan O’Connor, Alyssa Shen, and Maddie Smith. Congratulations to all and special thanks to chaperones Donna Knott, Katie Adams, Matt Marenghi, and Jen Dondero – Jon Haycock.
Blake Ski Club
All emergency medicine must be turned into Tricia Williams by Friday, December 19th. There is a mandatory student meeting for all students participating in ski club on Wednesday, January 7th. The first day of ski club is Thursday, January 8th.
New Community Service Opportunity Blake Gives Back: A Rewarding Experience
A new opportunity is being introduced to Blake. This is a chance for your kids to begin or continue volunteering. They are at an age where they are capable and happy to help others, however, finding these opportunities on their own can be daunting. For my Gold Award, a significant community service project for Girl Scouts, I am helping middle school students discover new options to give back to their community. I held an informational meeting for the kids to tell them about the project and also to hear what they are interested in. My first step is to email the kids that are participating about upcoming events as well as sending them the contact information for local volunteer organizations. At first I will contact different organizations on my own and then inform the kids, however, as the project progresses, most of the kids should develop relationships with the places they are volunteering at and be able to contact them on their own. I am now a junior at Medfield High School but I have been volunteering since I was little. I understand the importance of volunteering and want to influence others. I wanted to inform you about this project, however, if you could please allow your children to take the initiative to join on their own that would be greatly appreciated. My hope is that they will take this opportunity into their own hands and develop an appreciation for volunteering. Currently, I only have the emails for the students who attended the informational meetings, but I would love for more students to become involved. If your child has any questions or if he/she would like to be a part of this project please have them email me. My email is [email protected]. Thank you for taking the time to learn about my project.
Yours truly,
Zoë Smith
FAQ’s
Is this a club?
This is not a club. I will be providing the kids information and alerting them about different opportunities, however, I will not be taking them anywhere nor will we be meeting on a regular basis.
Do you have to participate in every event/help every organization?
Part of the beauty of this project is that the kids have the chance to decide exactly what they want to do. Although I will be providing them with multiple opportunities they can participate in as many as they choose. This is one of the reasons why I am encouraging everyone to sign up for the emails. This way you are being informed even if you have limited time.
What if I’m not interested in any of the opportunities provided?
If you contact me I am happy to help you find something that fits best for you. If it is not local you can still help in other ways.
8th Grade Families - Save the Date!
February 26, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.
High School Auditorium
Please join members of the high school faculty as they present an overview of the Medfield High School academic curriculum. Additional information will be sent home as the date becomes closer. If you have any questions prior to the event, please contact Heather Mandosa, Assistant Principal at [email protected] or Stephanie Worthley, Guidance Content Specialist at [email protected] or call the high school at (508) 359-4367.
CSA News
Tuesday December 16th is Subway Night - from 2:00 PM -9:00 PM . During this busy time of year why not skip cooking and help Blake at the same time.
Please keep sending in those Box tops.
The CSA is hosting a New Field Day Spring Fundraiser. They are looking for committee members to help with this fun day for our students that will take place in the Spring on a 1/2 day. Please contact Joellyn Ripp at[email protected] to donate your time, ideas and expertise. We want to make this the best of all field days. Any amount of time you have for any part of this new fundraiser we'll take. Planning, procuring, volunteering the day of, etc. many thanks!
MCPE News
Please consider making MCPE part of your family’s annual charity gift giving. The Medfield Coalition is so grateful to its supporters. As a non-profit fundraising organization, we work hard to raise funds to support enriching programs for our public schools. Please consider making MCPE part of your family's annual charity gift giving. Visit www.medfieldcoalition.org/support-contribute/donate-now/ to make your year-end tax-deductible donation.
Blue Ribbon Program for Showing Appreciation. Are you looking for a way to let a member of our school community know just how much you and your child appreciate them? Consider MCPE's Blue Ribbon Program: www.medfieldcoalition.org/events-programs/blue-ribbon-program. Requests need to be submitted by Dec. 17th.
AmazonSmile Program is Perfect for Holiday Shopping and an Easy Way to Support Medfield Public Schools. AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Medfield Public Schools every time you shop at Amazon, at no additional cost to you. It's so easy, and once you're registered, every time you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will automatically donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to MCPE, and, good news: your
Amazon Prime account will continue to work the same way. As always, please support our local businesses, but for those items you can't purchase locally, think of AmazonSmile and MCPE!