3/11 - Blake PTO Meeting - 7 p.m.
3/12 - Incoming 7th Grade Nature’s Classroom Info Session (6:00 p.m.)
Incoming 7th/8th Parent/Guardian Info Night (6:30 p.m.)
3/16 - Blake Site Council Mtg - 3:30 p.m.
Safe and Inclusive Parent/Community Presentation (6:00 p.m.) - see details
below
3/17 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (White Cluster)
3/18 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (Red Cluster)
3/19 - Worcester Art Museum Field Trip (Blue Cluster)
Blake STEM Event (see details below)
3/20 - Term 2 Ends
3/23 - Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment Discussions - Grade 6
Screenagers - The Next Chapter (see below)
3/24 - Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment Discussions - Grade 7
3/26 - Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment Discussions - Grade 8
3/26 - Term 2 Report Cards go home
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about identifying and sharing what we each need to become better learners, our topic/question for the week is: What support(s) do you need to help you become an expert learner? Share why this/these support(s) will help you along this path. Expert Learners (Week of 3/9-3/13) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Fostering A Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment for Our Students and Community - Monday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m.
Schools are supposed to be a place where all students can learn. They need to be a place where students can explore who they are and find their strengths and work on their weaknesses. All groups should be accepted so that they can flourish and become contributing members of society. - Peter DeWitt
Please join us for an introductory parent/community presentation and discussion with Colby Swettberg (see bio below), Elijah Oyenuga (see bio below), and Blake educators as we discuss how to best foster a safe learning environment for our community, specifically our LGBTQ+ youth and families. As outlined below, this event will lay the foundation for our upcoming work we will be doing with our students, staff, and the greater community to assure an inclusive atmosphere of respect, acceptance, and understanding. It is an opportunity for parents and community members to learn more about this endeavor and get answers to questions that exist. The evening will include...
- Sharing of vocabulary, terminology, and legal updates/implications for schools
- Panel discussion of educators, parents, and mental health providers
- Outline future programming for Blake students (see timeline below)
- Question and answer forum
Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment Evening 3/16/20 - Blake Communication
RSVP - Safe and Inclusive Learning Environment Parent/Community Evening (3/16/20)
** Colby Swettberg's Bio...
Colby Swettberg (they/them) earned a Masters degree in Education at Harvard's Graduate School of Education with a focus on LGBTQ issues. Colby is a former high school English teacher who started the first gay-straight alliance in the district where Swettberg taught. Colby later went on to help start Waltham House, the first co-ed group home for LGBTQ youth in the country. The Massachusetts Department of Children & Families hired Colby and a team of trainers to conduct LGBTQ sensitivity training for over two thousand social workers in the Commonwealth. This training initiative set a national precedent which Colby has helped other states to replicate. As Colby’s professional focus gravitated toward child welfare, Swettberg returned to graduate school to complete a Master of Social Work and has continued to work with systems involving young people for nearly 20 years.
** Elijah Oyenuga’s Bio
Elijah Oyenuga is an LGBT Inclusion and Awareness Consultant, a GSA Support Coordinator for Boston Public Schools and a senior at Lesley University. Elijah started his career working as a Peer Leader for Boston Gay Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS) where he first learned to facilitate LGBT cultural competency/responsiveness workshops, delivered in the public schools, focused on creating understanding, awareness, and respect in order to stop the bullying and exclusion faced by many LGBT youth. Since then, Elijah has worked for the DESE’s Safe Schools program, guiding administrators on the path to providing safe and supportive environments for LGBT students, and now he continues to support LGBT youth and allies through the support of Gender-Sexuality Alliances and as an LGBT Safe and Supportive Environments (SSE) educator. Through navigating the tangled webs of mental health, gender identity, and existing in a world that has stigmatized and politicized his existence as a transgender black man, Elijah Oyenuga approaches life and activism with one truth in mind: change can be brought about through visibility, respectfully educating others, and an understanding and love for ourselves and those who challenge our ability to exist as we are.
3/12 - Incoming 7th/8th Grade Parent Night at 6:30 p.m.
** Nature’s Classroom Info Session for Incoming 7th parents starts at 6:00 p.m.
This night is for all parents/guardians of incoming seventh and eighth grade (current sixth and seventh grade) students. We will be sharing information about the 7th and 8th grade program of studies and curriculum, previewing the students' experience that they will have next year.
For Incoming 6th Grade Parents/Guardians
For your reference, I have copied the link to the presentation and handout along with the Program of Studies 3/4/20…
Blake Incoming 6th PIN March 2020 Presentation for Blog
Blake Parent/Guardian Resources 2020-2021
Blake Program of Studies 2020-2021
Below please find links to the Course Selection Google Forms that all incoming 6th grade parents/guardians must complete…
2020-2021 Blake Middle School Music Selection
2020-2021 Blake Middle School World Language Selection
Music Ensemble Selection - All Incoming 6th-8th Grade Parents/Guardians
All incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians must complete this course selection form…
2020-2021 Blake Middle School Music Selection
Nature’s Classroom Info for Current Sixth Grade Families
We are looking forward to meeting you at the presentation on the seventh grade Nature’s Classroom trip during Parent Information Night on Thursday, March 12, 2020. The Information Packet and the Forms to Fill out are attached to this email. Please print out the forms single sided. The forms need to go to different people at Nature’s Classroom. Paper copies are available in the guidance office and from the sixth grade cluster leaders.
Nature’s Classroom Information 2020
Nature’s Classroom Forms to Fill Out 2020
The 2020 trip to Nature’s Classroom will be Tuesday, October 20 to Friday, October 23. The cost of the trip will be $495.00 and a deposit of $250.00 is due on Monday, April 13, 2020. The balance of $245.00 will be due on Friday, May 15, 2020.Cost is never a reason for a child not to attend the trip. Please reach out to Nat Vaughn [email protected] if this is a concern for you.
In preparation for the trip an updated physical must be on file. Please submit your child’s 6th grade physical to Mrs. Williams as soon as possible. You may send it in with your child, or email directly to Mrs. Williams at [email protected]. Please contact Judy Silva, [email protected] if you have any questions.
Forms for All Incoming 6th-8th Grade Parents/Guardians
All incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians must complete these course selection form…
2020-2021 Blake Middle School Music Selection
2020-2021 Blake Middle School World Language Selection
Advisory Update for Blake
In Advisory this week, students and advisors will be focusing on mindfulness and music. Advisories will be reading a short article about mindfulness, listening to music to get in tune with how it affects them, and reporting back. Students may also try staying silent for a set amount of time in an effort to refocus. Finally, students will be encouraged to create a playlist of few songs that help them focus and get into a good state of mind to use in the future.
Blake Wednesday Advisory Website
Parent/Guardian Input Information for 2019-2020
Parental/guardian input is an important part of our planning purposes for the 2019-2020 academic year. Please refer to the placement for the 2020-2021 academic year...Blake Parent/Guardian Input Letter Spring 2020 regarding our process and the guidelines for input. If you are interested in sharing information, please submit your thoughts in writing not later than Friday, March 16. As stated in the letter, written requests for specific teachers will not be entertained or accepted. Your letter should be addressed to your child's guidance counselor and Assistant Principal, Kelly Campbell. Guidance counselors for next year will be Jen Dondero (Grade 6), Matt Marenghi (Grade 7), and Tracy Allen (Grade 8).
Worcester Art Museum Visit - 7th Grade
As part of the 7th grade Social Studies curriculum the 7th graders will be visiting the Worcester Art Museum in March. The White Cluster will visit the Worcester Art Museum on March 17th, Red Cluster, March 18th, and the Blue Cluster will visit on March 19th. As part of the visit the students will enjoy a guided tour of the Museum's Medieval galleries, students will also create their own "illuminated letter" as part of a workshop activity and, in addition, students will enjoy a demonstration of Medieval Armor conducted by Medieval Historian Neal Bourbeau. Students and teachers are excited about the experiential learning opportunities provided by this field trip and look forward to a great visit!
Next Chapter — SCREENAGERS
March 23, 2020 6:30-8:30 p.m. Medfield High School Auditorium
Screenagers: The Next Chapter is a 60 minute film about helping young people thrive in our screen and stress-filled world. The screening of the film will be followed by a panel discussion with experts in the areas of screen time, mental health, and school administration. Parents/guardians and children age 10 and up are invited to attend together.
This film will be shown during the school day of March 19 to all Medfield High School students in Grades 9-11. Please join us to watch the film the following week so that you are able to discuss the content of the film your student. This film is great for parents of any age child, as the content will be applicable to most families at some point in the near future. There is a solid focus on screentime, but also on managing mental health in your soon to be teen/tween.
Math teachers at Blake will soon start the process of course placement for the 2020-2021 school year. The goal of the process is to see that every student is placed in a class that allows them to learn math well while feeling good about their efforts. For current 6th and 7th grade students, decisions on student placement are made by considering current class performance, placement test grades, MCAS scores and teacher recommendations. For current 8th grade students, placement is determined by success in their current class level and teacher recommendation. We are very mindful during this time to consider the whole child while making these decisions. Additionally, it is important to us that parents feel they have a voice in this process. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child's teacher. If your questions involve long-term planning for math, do not hesitate to email Jess Safer, Math Department Chair at [email protected]. Thank you!
Putting for Patients - 3/22/20
On Sunday, March 22nd from 12:00-3:00pm, Medfield High School’s Student Council is partnering with the Jimmy Fund to put on our 6th Putting for Patients event! Bring your family and friends to the MHS gym to take part in the 18 hole mini-golf course, hole-in-one contest, opportunity drawing, caricaturist, and photo booth! The link below contains all the information for the event, as well as the link to register online. If you can’t make the event but would still like to contribute, the same link doubles as our donation page. All contributions go directly to the Jimmy Fund to find a cure for cancer! We’ve raised over $24,000 through our years with the Jimmy Fund. Contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
Here is the link to donate/register: http://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/goto/p4pmedfield
Hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Medfield High School Student Council
Blake STEM Event - 3/19/20
Our fifth annual celebration of our students and STEM will be held at 3:30 pm on Thursday March 19, 2020. 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. General information was sent to students and their families via email recently.
Jazz Night - 4/15 at 7 p.m.
The Medfield Music Association is excited to announce that Jazz Night, presented by Needham Bank, will be taking place on April 15, 7pm, at MHS. Guest artist, renowned trumpeter, composer, and professor of music Alex Lee-Clark will be working in pre-event clinics with students, and then sharing the stage on Jazz Night with Medfield's own MHS Jazz Ensemble, MHS Jazz Choir, Junior Jazz Choir, Blake Middle School Jazz Ensemble & Junior Jazz Lab. Tickets available at medfieldmusicassociation.com or at the door.
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 Marchin the hopes of gathering the data by the end of March. Stay tuned!
Blake PTO Update
Our ANNUAL APPEAL is underway! The Appeal, which replaces having the kids fundraise, allows the PTO to support educational activities and initiatives for your children! The PTO will have representatives at each of the upcoming PIN nights to answer any questions. Thank you in advance for your support!