June 10 - Royal Pizza Night for Blake
June 11 - Fall Sports Night at MHS (7 p.m.)
June 16 - 7th Grade Creature Feature Field Trip
June 17 - 8th Grade Math Final
Subway Night for Blake
June 18 - 8th Grade Math Final
June 19 - 6th Grade Rock-n-Bowl Field Trip
June 20 - 7th Grade Boston Field Trip
June 23 - 7th Grade Boston Field Trip Rain Date
June 24 - Transition Day
8th Grade Picnic
8th Grade Graduation
June 25 - Last Day of School
Report Cards go home
Topic/Question(s) for the Dinner Table
To encourage conversations about the importance of reflection, our Topic/Question for the Dinner Table this week is: Horace Mann said this: "...give us the determination to make the right things happen" and "Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it each day..." When we have our breaks from the daily grind, will it benefit us to establish and maintain habits suited for creative and thoughtful reflection?
Lost and Found Items
The number of items in our Lost and Found has certainly increased! We will be clearing out the Lost and Found after school gets out, so I encourage all students and parents/guardians to come take a look.
Fall Sports Night Information Meeting
Due to the Boy's Lacrosse State semifinal game on Tuesday, the Fall Sports Night will be moved to Wednesday, June 11 at 7 p.m. in the Medfield High School Gym. This information meeting is for parents of 2014-2015 high school students.
Blake Vietnam Memorial
About a year ago the Medfield High School Vietnam Memorial was unveiled at Blake Middle School. With Memorial Day a couple of weeks ago and Flag Day coming up I encourage you to take some time when you are at Blake to visit the memorial.
Overdue Library Books
All library books are now due. Lists of overdue books are being sent to Advisory classes this week. Could you please check around your houses for Blake LMC books? Doing so will greatly aid our end-of-year inventory process and help us avoid sending missing book letters home.
8th Grade Closing Ceremony
Our 8th grade closing ceremony and goodbye evening will be on Tuesday, June 24 at 7 p.m. This evening will be our opportunity to thank and recognize our 8th graders for their years at Blake and wish them well as they head off to high school. Families are welcome, and there will be a reception with refreshments in the cafeteria following the ceremony.
Blake Summer Reading Extension
The summer reading sale has been extended through this Wednesday, June 11. Every purchase made from our sale allows us to buy more books for Blake’s library. Please have students turn order sheets into their Advisory teachers. Extra order forms are available at http://www.medfield.net/blake/summer-reading.html
Special Summer Reading Bonding Opportunity for Parents and Students
Have you thought about reading The Wizard of Oz with your son or daughter this summer? You could have a great time comparing your childhood memories of the movie with the very different book. Our summer reading guest speaker, Michael Patrick Hearn, the world's leading Oz scholar, will be appearing at Blake to speak with parents on Thursday night, September 11th and with students on the 12th. He’s written The Annotated Wizard of Oz, which not only reacquaints readers with the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, but also illuminates the colorful background of this treasured American classic. The book explores numerous contemporary references, provides character sources, and explains the actual meaning of the word "Oz." More importantly, Michael will once and for all clarify whether or not listening to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon matches visually with The Wizard of Oz movie. Please consider reading this great keepsake (available for purchase from the summer reading sale but you don’t have to buy it to see Michael though!).
All profits from the sale go to the Blake library for the purchase of new fiction. Thanks to Park Street Books, the Blake CSA, and to Diana Mileszko for organizing the sale. Please contact Jon Haycock with any questions ([email protected]).
iPad Planning Inventory Information for Incoming 6th-8th Grade
As you know we are expanding upon the current 8th grade iPad Initiative and implementing a 1:1 iPad program for the entire 6th-8th grade for the 2014-2015 academic year, with students purchasing their own iPads or taking part in a 'Lease to Own' program through the school. The details of the 'Lease to Own' are tentative and still being finalized, as we are looking to find the most cost-effective program for families. As part of our program, we will have a system in place for families with demonstrated financial need. To help us plan our efforts, we are asking all current 5th-7th grade parents/guardians (incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians for the 2014-2015 academic year) to let us know your plans for your student ('Providing iPad' or 'Participating in Lease to Own Program') for next year, by completing this brief survey: iPad Planning Inventory at Blake for 2014-2015. I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to complete this brief survey and am hoping for 100% participation. This decision is not binding and we recognize that your plans may change, but the initial feedback will help us with our planning. We currently anticipate asking for 'final decisions' mid- to late May, 2014.
Please read the link below to a letter regarding our planning for the iPad Initiative...
iPad Planning Inventory Letter to Blake Families 4-2-14
For your reference I have posted links below to documents about our initiative/program...
Mobile Learning Update from Blake 3-26-14
iPad FAQs 3-31-14
iPad Initiative Estimated Lease-to-Own Program 3-31-14
I continue to encourage you to peruse our mobile learning blog (Mobile Learning in Medfield) to gain a greater understanding of the work that has taken place. We are excited about the prospects that lie ahead as we work to provide your students with the opportunity to learn with the new technology and are hopeful that we can foster and promote a positive learning experience.
iPad and Mobile Learning Resources
For those who were unable to attend our iPad Information Sessions last week, here is the link to our Google presentation: iPad Info Sessions April 2014. As we have shared one of our ongoing goals with the iPad Initiative is to share resources for parents/guardians as well as students. With this in mind I have listed links below that I hope will help you to better support and monitor your students at home...
How to Share a Google Doc or Folder
This resource will allow you to access your student's work in their Google drive account.
Understanding Restrictions (Parental Controls) for iOS
This resource provides directions from Apple for enabling parent restrictions. Options include, but are not limited to, turning off installing and deleting apps and restricting access to the iTunes Store.
If you have any questions regarding the iPads or the initiative, do not hesitate to contact me directly ([email protected]) or our help e-mail address ([email protected]).
Curriculum Highlights - Social Studies and World Language and Cultures
This week's curriculum updates come from the social studies (Kathleen Emerson, Content Specialist) and world language and cultures (Ellen Toubman, Content Specialist) departments...
Social Studies
Currently, sixth graders are diligently working on their projects. Sea Turtles are learning about Europe and creating the infamous Cereal Box Project for which students display their research around an empty cereal box. Meanwhile, Otters and Koala students are wrapping up their Tokyo Apartment Project. Students learned about urbanization and the impact it has on cities like Tokyo. The project requires students to blend traditional Japanese household objects with modern technology, creating a small apartment. In the end, the apartments will be subjected to the earthquake test for which they are stacked on a tower and shook for one minute. All in all, the school year is winding down in creative ways.
Students in 7th grade Ancient Civilizations studied the rise of the Roman Republic and its contributions to the development of democratic principles. Currently students are examining the influence of Julius Caesar and Augustus in Rome's transition from a republic to an empire and are exploring Rome's contributions to civilization, including law, literature, architecture, engineering, and technology. Students have also been finishing up their timeline projects, a year-long endeavor that we have used to compare and track the different civilizations studied this year.
World Language and Cultures
In Spanish, The 6th graders are having a blast with their new animal vocabulary. They are working hard on writing skits and making paper bag animal~puppets for our upcoming puppet show. Their skits encompass many different topics, demonstrating all they have learned this year.
Our 7th grade Spanish students became movie makers using Goanimate to create short videos that showcased all they have learned this year. Many 8th grade Spanish students have learned lots of songs like "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" as they learn their new medical vocabulary.
In eighth grade Spanish we're studying body parts and wrapping up the year with travel projects and ideal vacation plans.Students will research a city where Spanish is spoken, imagine that they traveled there, and present their "memories" in a creative format that uses language we have studied throughout the year.
Blake Track Wrap Up
A record 125 students were members of this year’s Blake track team. The girls finished 7-1, the boys 6-1. Victories over Hopkinton (the girls by 4 points and the boys by 1) were the highlight of the year. Blake took part in the Middle School State Meet for the first time last Saturday, June 7 at the Fitchburg State track. Over 30 team members qualified and 17 were able to attend. Statewide Breanna Morgan placed 5th in the mile, Jaimee Hirschfeld placed 8th in the 100 meter, and Griffin Murphy took 5th in the shot put. In Division 2, the 4x100 relay teams of Riley Drometer, Megan Hawley, Jamie Woods, and Jaimee Hirschfeld and Mike Mangiafico, Jack Morrill, Bradden Johnson, and Scott Tatro placed 5th and 8th respectively. Mike Cantonese, Madison Colleran, Ryan Eng, Kyle Heaney, Dylan Hogan also ran and Macy Musto, Jacqui Shortsleve competed in the shot put. Thanks to parents for driving team members to the event. We’re going for a bigger presence at the meet next year. A special thanks to our departing 8th graders. It’s been great having you on the team and we hope you’ll continue your track careers at the high school. Thanks also to girls head coach Patty Graham and new assistant coaches Greg Keohan and Katherine Dimitriou and to special volunteer Kym Brenton. – Jon Haycock
Community Crusaders’ Lemonade War – June 14th 11:00-3:00
The Community Crusaders, an 8th grade community service group of boys, will be hosting a “Lemonade War” on Saturday, June 14th from 11:00-3:00 to raise money for local charities. These 14 boys will be split into two teams and will be set up to sell their lemonade at two locations in Medfield on the 14th – at 3 Hospital Road and at 45 Elm Street near the Wheelock fields. Each team is trying to raise more money for their chosen local charity. Team Lemonheads selling on Hospital Road will be raising money for the Medfield Animal Shelter and Team Lemonader Crusaders will be raising money for the Medfield Youth Outreach. We encourage everyone in the community to stop by a stand to support a great local cause while enjoying a kick-off to summer cup of lemonade! Thanks for your support.
CSA News
Please join us for our last Royal Pizza night of the year. This Tuesday June 10th From 4:00PM -9:00 PM. Royal Pizza will donate 20 percent to Blake Middle School. Thank-you Royal Pizza!
Please remember to send in your box tops! They can be dropped off at the office.
MCPE News
Blue Ribbon Program for Showing Appreciation
Are you looking for a way to let your child's teacher, a school staff member or an administrator know just how much you and your child appreciated them this past year? Consider MCPE's Blue Ribbon Program. This program is an easy and thoughtful way to thank a member of our school community at the end of the school year while at the same time making a donation to the Medfield Coalition for Public Education. Each person recognized with a donation will receive a card, customized with a thank you note from you, indicating that a donation was made in his or her honor. To thank a school member with this blue ribbon recognition, please go online to the MCPE website: www.medfieldcoalition.org/events-programs/blue-ribbon-program.
Fitness Together Medfield Partners with MCPE
The Medfield Coalition for Public Education is pleased to announce a partnership with Fitness Together Medfield to raise money for the Medfield Public Schools. Here’s how the program works: Dan Goulet, the owner of Fitness Together, will donate $200 to MCPE when a new client signs up for a fitness program and mentions MCPE. For more information please see the Thursday packet flyer or the MCPE website: www.medfieldcoalition.org/event-programs/fitness-together-partnership/.
Green & Clear Cleaners Partners with MCPE
Medfield Coalition for Public Education is pleased to announce a partnership with Green & Clear Cleaners to raise money for the Medfield Public Schools. Here's how it works: mention MCPE and get 10% off your personal cleaning order for that visit. For every subsequent visit, Green and Clear Cleaners will donate 10% of the total order to MCPE. (Please note, business shirts, specialty items and alterations are not included in the 10% donation.) What a great way to be eco friendly and help support MCPE!