April 24 - 6th Grade Geology Field Trip
Subway Night at Blake
April 26 - Peabody Essex Museum Field Trip (Koalas)
April 27 - Peabody Essex Museum Field Trip (Otters)
April 30 - Tacky Tourist/Crocs and Socks Day
May 1 - When I Grow Up...Day
May 2 - Funky/Mis-matched Prints Day
Peabody Essex Museum Field Trip (SeaTurtles)
May 3 - Formal/Professional/Business Dress Day
May 4 - Medfield Sports Day
Term 3 Interim Reports go home
High School Musical (7 p.m.)
May 5 - High School Musical (7 p.m.)
May 7 - Blake Site Council Mtg (3:15 p.m. in Blake LMC)
May 11 - 1/2 Day for Students
May 15 - Baseball/Softball @ Dedham (3:30 p.m.)
May 17 - Baseball/Softball vs Ashland (3:30 p.m.)
May 18 - 7th/8th Grade Dance (7-9 p.m.)
May 22-25 - 8th Grade trip to Washington, D.C.
May 28 - Memorial Day; No School
Sports Events
April 24 - Baseball/Softball vs Dedham (3:30 p.m.)
April 26 - Baseball/Softball @ Ashland (3:30 p.m.)
April 26 - Track vs Ashland (3:00 p.m.)
April 30 - Baseball/Softball vs Hopkinton (3:30 p.m.)
May 3 - Baseball/Softball vs Wellesley (3:30 p.m.)
Track vs Mendon/Upton (3:00 p.m.)
May 8 - Baseball/Softball vs Millis (3:30 p.m.)
May 10 - Baseball/Softball @ Wayland (3:30 p.m.)
Track vs King Philip (3:00 p.m.)
May 14 - Track @ Hopkinton (3:00 p.m.)
May 21 - Baseball/Softball @ Hopkinton (3:30 p.m.)
May 30 - Baseball/Softball @ Hopkinton (3:45 p.m.)
May 31 - Baseball/Softball vs Wayland (3:30 p.m.)
Track @ Westwood (3:00 p.m.)
June 1 - Track vs Franklin (3:00 p.m.)
Peabody Essex Museum Field Trip - Grade 6
Grade Six is looking forward to their field trip to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. The trip ties nicely into our China curriculum. During the trip, students will see how Massachusetts was connected to China through trade. In addition, students will also see an authentic house that once stood in China. The house was disassembled in China and shipped to Massachusetts where it was reassembled in Salem.
Koalas visit PEM on Thursday while the Otters visit on Friday. The Sea Turtles will visit PEM on Wednesday May 2nd. Students are encouraged to be on time to school during the day of the field trip. In addition, students should pack a bag lunch and bring a snack for the ride to Salem. Because students will be visiting a museum, they are encouraged to dress appropriately.
School Attire Guidelines
Over the course of this week and early next week, Mrs. Campbell and I will be meeting with the girls at each grade level to discuss appropriate attire for school. As you may have seen in the last few newsflashes, the warm weather has brought this issue to light a bit sooner than usual. There is still an overwhelming number of students who are coming to school dressed in beach-type attire and extremely tight and short shorts. Mrs. Campbell and I will be sharing a short presentation with photo from ads from many of the students' favorite stores which highlight choices that are school appropriate as well as examples of clothing that should be saved for the beach or weekends. Please take note of what your child is wearing to school in the morning and engage her in a conversation about the expectations that have been set at school. Students who continue to come to school dressed inappropriately will be asked to call home for alternative clothing. We thank you in advance for your support with this as we try to maintain a school environment that is comfortable for all.
As a review, page 4 of the Student Handbook states "We are confident that good judgment on the part of students and parents will result in the wearing of clothing which will contribute to a respectful academic environment and educational atmosphere. Each student will abide by the guidelines of decency, cleanliness, and safety at all times. In accordance with our expectations for school dress, students are required to wear clothing that does not show the 4 B's : boxers, breasts, buttocks, and belly buttons. We do ask students not to wear hats, healies, halter tops, short shorts, midriff cut jerseys, and T-shirts or any other clothing that displays obscene language, violence, sexual references, or commercials for alcohol or other types of drugs." Please keep in mind that undergarments and cleavage should not be visible and skirts/shorts should generally be mid-thigh length. Students should be reminded that some clothing choices are great for the beach but not practical or appropriate for the school day. Please expect that students who arrive at school dressed inappropriately will be reminded of appropriate dress and parents will be contacted to bring a change of clothes to school.
Yoko Watkins Presentation
Seventh grade English recently read So Far From the Bamboo Grove, a non-fiction memoir by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. As our culminating activity, graciously funded by the CSA, Yoko visited Blake and spoke to our English classes. The students sat spell bound as Yoko explained her family's escape from Korea back to Japan following the end of World War II. She answered the students' questions using various visual aids. She ended each presentation with a reminder to always be respectful of our parents and to also be respectful of each other. Each year, the students remark that Yoko's visit is one of the high points of seventh grade. Thank you to the CSA for their funding of this meaningful experience for our students.
MCAS Schedule
May 9 - 8th Grade Math
May 10 - 8th Grade Math
May 14 - 8th Grade Science/Technology
6th Grade Math
May 15 - 8th Grade Science/Technology
6th Grade Math
May 16 - 7th Grade Math
May 17 - 7th Grade Math
Earth Week
SIPS once again invites Blake to celebrate Earth Day on Friday. We are starting with our 4th annual Power Down during C and D periods during which non-essential lights and computers and electronics are turned off. During advisory, students will be seeing clips from National Geographic's 2008 film "The Human Footprint" after which SIPS members will share "greening" tips to help remind everyone at Blake that every bit counts in protecting the Earth!
Course Selection Forms
All 2012-2013 course selection forms for incoming 6th and 7th grade students were due prior to vacation. Please make sure that students have turned them in.
7th/8th Grade Food Drive Reminder
During the month of April, seventh and eighth grade advisories are collecting food for the Medfield Food Pantry. In their advisories, students have discussed the community's level of need during these difficult economic times; and, in order to promote interest and enthusiasm, each seventh grade advisory has been paired with an eighth grade advisory for a competition. All food and household items have been assigned points, and point totals for each advisory are being calculated each week. Students are competing to prove that their grade and room is the more generous. The Medfield Food Pantry has requested the following items: canned pasta, juice, jelly, snacks, canned chicken, four packs of toilet paper, cereal, Saran Wrap or Handy Wrap, coffee, and canned fruit (peaches, pears, fruit cocktail). We are hoping the seventh and eighth grade food drive will be a great success.
17th Annual Student-Faculty Art Exhibit
The Medfield Public Schools’ K-12 Visual Arts Faculty is once again pleased to announce The 17th Annual Student-Faculty Art Exhibit, presented at Medfield’s very own Zullo Gallery, 456 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052.
The Student-Faculty Art Exhibit is an exciting opportunity for a selected group of student artists from grades K-12 to display and view their work in a professional gallery setting, alongside the work of our Visual Arts faculty. Each year approximately sixty pieces of exemplary student art work are shown during this exhibit at the Zullo Gallery. Representing our Blake Middle School this year are: Emily O’Grady, Jenevieve Erickson, Jackie Giggi, Rebecca Ju, Laura Wallace, Evan Lautz, Nick Harrison, Annie Phipps, Austin Sumrall, Natasha Salas, Jacob Einbinder, and Brian Stolzenbach.
This year’s Art Exhibit will be up from April 7th – 29th, and is available for viewing on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 noon until 5:00 PM.
This exhibit is an event designed to give special attention to the artistic accomplishments of our students from all grades, within the context of our K-12 Visual Arts Curriculum. We look forward to another very successful exhibit this year. It should be noted that this exhibit does not take the place of our individual School Art Shows that happen in the spring, in which the work of all our students is displayed in their respective schools.
April is Autism Awareness Month
In order to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, the Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community. For more information from the 'Autism Society', please click on the following link: http://www.autism-society.org/about-us/national-autism-awareness-month/
Lyme Disease and Tick Borne Illnesses Community Prevention Forum
The Medfield Lyme Disease Study Committee has organized a Community Forum on Prevention of Lyme Disease and Other Tick Borne Illnesses on Thursday, April 26 at 7:30 at The Center in Medfield.
The forum will feature 3 speakers who will address how Lyme Disease and other Tick Borne Illnesses affect both humans and pets: Dr. Lester Hartman, MD, Westwood-Mansfield Pediatrics; Jean Sniffin, Public Health Nurse; and Dr. Jessica Young, DVM, Medfield Veterinary Clinic. Discussions will focus on prevention and protection.
Student Council Spirit Week - April 30-May 4
Students are invited to join the Blake Student Council in a show of school spirit in 5 themed days throughout the week:
4/30 - Tacky Tourist/Crocs and Socks Day
5/1 - When I Grow Up...Day
5/2 - Funky/Mis-matched Prints Day
5/3 - Formal/Professional/Business Dress Day
5/4 - Medfield Sports Day
High School Musical Info
Per the e-mail sent out before the break, cast and crew are expected to this week's rehearsals, as well as next week's tech week rehearsals. There will be a Friday (4/27) rehearsal this week also. We have asked the students to bring in their costumes on Wednesday, April 25.
Ttickets will go onsale for performers and crew the week of April 23rd. At rehearsals, they can purchase the tickets they need for each performance. We had originally told the students they were guaranteed 2 per show but after some discussion, we will allow students to purchase up to 4 per person per night. Tickets are $10 each. They will go onsale to the general public on April 30th.
High School Musical Practice Schedule
We are rapidly getting closer to our May 4th premiere. Joan Leonard and I would like to ask that we the cast come to the rehearsals and that we have the stage crew as often as we can in the coming weeks. During our Tech Week (April 30-May 3) we expect all cast and crew to be available from 2:30-6pm. An e-mail with more information will be coming.
Monday, April 23: 3-4pm Musical practice, 4-5:15pm Scenes 13&14 (Jocks, Brainiacs, Troy, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Zeke, Martha, jason, Kratnoff)
Tuesday, April 24: 2:45-3:30pm We're All in This Together dance rehearsal, 3:30-5:15pm Scenes 15 &16 (We're All in This Together performers, Taylor, Chad, Troy, Jack Scott, Kelsi, Sharpay, Ryan, Gabriella)
Wednesday, April 25: 3-3:30pm Getcha Head in the Game rehearsal, 3:30-5:15pm Scenes 17 & 18 (All cast, all ensemble)
3:15-5pm - Stage Crew w/ Annie O'Connor
Thursday, April 26: 3-3:30pm Bop to the Top rehearsal, 3:30-5:15pm Scenes 13-19 (all cast, all ensemble)
Friday, April 27: 3-4:30pm Stage Crew w/ Annie O'Connor
Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) Reminder: Buy your SPRING FLING tickets today!
MCPE Spring Fling Fundraiser is this Friday, April 27th!
*Tickets are still available – buy yours TODAY at www.medfieldcoalition.org!
*All auction items are now available to view. Make sure to take a look and create a game plan! Your kids are definitely going to want to see the “Fun for Kids” section!
To view auction items follow this link: http://www.medfieldcoalition.org/mcpe/files/pdf/Fling_Catalog_2012_Auction_Items.pdf
Get your dancing shoes ready and we’ll see you Friday evening!!
CSA News
Reminder – tonight is Subway night! Cathy Chung will be selling scrip from 5:30-6:45.
7th grade parents - Cookie dough pickup is today! TUESDAY, April 24th from 2-6 p.m. in the Blake cafeteria.