6/7 - Blake Chorus Concert
6/8 - PEM Field Trip - Koalas
Screenagers Screening - 7:30 p.m. (see details below)
6/9 - PEM Field Trip - Otters
6/10 - Grade 8 Mandarin Field Trip
PEM Field Trip - Sea Turtles
6/13 - Screenagers Screening at Blake
Blake Site Council Mtg - 3:30 p.m.
MHS Athletics Meeting (see details below)
#MedfieldPS Twitter Chat - 8:00 p.m. (see details below)
6/14 - Creature Fair (see details below)
6/15 - Creature Feature Field Trip
6/22 - Transition Day
8th Grade Closing Ceremony (see details below)
6/23 - Last Day of School for Students and Staff
Happy Summer!!!
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about making the days count, this week's topic/question for the dinner table is: What can you do this week to make each day count? Please see link to Google Form to share your responses: Making the Days Count (6/5/16) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Blake Mini-Marathon Follow Up
The Blake Community thanks YOU for helping to make the 4th Annual Blake Marathon a smashing success!!! The day featured:
- Over 530 walkers & runners
- raised over $2,000 for The Heather Abbott Foundation
- 10 student winners from each grade level
- plenty of staff and parent volunteers
- a gorgeous 70 degree day
"Screenagers" Film Screening and Discussion: A Blake Middle School Community (Parents/Guardians) Event on Wednesday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m.
We are thrilled to present SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital Age, a documentary about the biggest parenting issue of our time.
Are you watching kids scroll through life, with their rapid-fire thumbs and a six-second attention span? Physician and filmmaker Delaney Ruston saw that happening with her own kids and began a quest to uncover how it might impact their development. As with her other two award-winning documentaries on mental health, Ruston takes a deeply personal approach as she probes into the vulnerable corners of family life, including her own, to explore struggles over social media, video games, academics and internet addiction. Through poignant, and unexpectedly funny stories, along with surprising insights from authors, psychologists, and brain scientists, SCREENAGERS reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development and also offers solutions on how adults can empower their kids to best navigate the digital world to find balance.
The film will be shown Wednesday, June 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Medfield High School Auditorium, followed by an opportunity to engage in discussions about reactions, thoughts, questions, and takeaways. We do not have all of the answers, but we look forward to engaging in this important dialogue as a community of adults who are invested in our students and children. Please visit http://www.screenagersmovie.com/ to see the trailer! Our plan is to show this documentary to all Blake students during the school day on Monday, June 13 - therefore, this event is intended for parents and adults. Click this link for your free registration:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/thomas-blake-middle-school-medfield-public-schools-presents-screenagers-growing-up-in-the-digital-tickets-25682389719
Blake Middle School Art Show
A big thank you to our Blake students and art staff for a wonderful show last week. Thank you to Christina Delaney, Nancy Deveno, Kate Jones, and Joe Knaus for all of their work in coordinating the event!
Civics Field Trip Recap
On Friday, June 3rd, the 7th grade students that take Civics traveled to the Edward M Kennedy Institute in Boston to learn more about the role of the United States Senate. Each student received an interactive tablet to use on their guided tour through the Institute. They learned about the Senate itself, it's formation, and some of the colorful figures who have served throughout history. Students also learned the process of how a bill becomes a law all while trying to get a bill passes through Congress on their tablets. They also learned the art of compromise as they tried to make a bill acceptable to both parties in Congress. The highlight of the trip however, was debating in the full scale replica of the Senate chamber about a bill that is before the US Senate today regarding the labeling of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) on food packaging. Every junior senator that wanted to was able to voice their opinion before the mock Senate and place their vote on the interactive tablets.
#MedfieldPS Twitter Chat on 6/13/16
Our next district-wide Twitter chat is Monday, 6/13/16 at 8 p.m. with a focus on reflection - 'Reflections on Student Learning in 15-16'. Our continued intent is to bring the five schools together (staff and administration) at periodic timeg. The goal of these chats is to bring the five schools together (staff and administration) to discuss pertinent topics in education, initiatives, and ideas to collaborate around and share. I encourage you to follow the hashtag #MedfieldPS during the chat and to participate! Below are links to 'storify' archives of previous chats...
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-april-2016-twitter-chat
(Social Emotional Learning)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps
(Learning Skills)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-february-2016-twitter-chat
(Spirit of #DLDMedfield)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-twitter-chat-resolutions-and-reflection
(Resolutions and Reflection)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-december-2015-twitter-chat-relevance
(Relevance)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-november-2015-twitter-chat
(DLD Focus)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-october-2015-twitter-chat
(Homework Focus)
https://storify.com/nat_vaughn/medfieldps-august-2015-twitter-chat
(Back to School)
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 - I encourage all students and parents/guardians to come take a look.
Blake Vietnam Memorial
About three years 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 everyone to take some time when you are at Blake to visit the memorial.
Library Reminder
Parents, just a reminder, that all library books are now due back in the Blake Library. Students with checked out items were notified last week. Please encourage your child to return any library books promptly so that we can get the Library back in order before the end of the year. If the Library books are not returned, we will unfortunately have to ask for payment. Thanks for your help.
Washington, D.C. Trip - Coolers and Medications
Thank you for all of the cooler donations. They can be picked up this week at the Blake office. Mrs. Williams has also asked that medication from the trip be picked up this week. Please contact her with any questions that you have ([email protected]).
Parking
This is a general reminder to all parents to be sure to follow the parking regulations in the parking lots and around the 'flagpole circle'. When dropping off or picking up students, vehicles should not be parked ('stationary' or 'live') in the fire zone. We need to make sure that we are providing a safe environment at all times for our students and community. Thank you for your cooperation.
Creature Fair - Tuesday, June 14
7th grade parents are invited to visit the "Creature Fair" on Tuesday, June 14th in the LMC, during their child's math class. A letter is going home outlining the times. Hope to see you there!
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.
Blake Summer Reading 2016
Welcome to the 19th annual edition of the Blake/Dale Summer Reading Program. Each summer, our students are given the opportunity to read a variety of great books for both academic connection and pleasure.
The cornerstone of the program is the all-school reading book. This year’s choice is Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus. It’s about a 14-year old boy from Japan in the 1840’s. He’s on a fishing boat that sinks in a storm. After nearly drowning, he and some fellow survivors become stranded on a deserted island. They’re stuck on the island and are starving when they’re rescued by an American whaling ship from, of all places, New Bedford, Massachusetts. The ship’s captain ends up taking the 14-year old protagonist, Manjiro or John Mung as he later is known by, back to his home in Massachusetts. John likes his new life in America but also longs to return to Japan to see his family and also to fulfill his dream of becoming a Samurai warrior! Heart of a Samurai is a great book and is based on a true story!
Students are asked to read a minimum of one additional book from their grade list, for a minimum total of two books.
THE SUMMER READING INCENTIVE: All students who read a total of 5 books (Heart of a Samurai plus four others from their grade list) will get to skip class and indulge in a free pizza-with-all-of-the-trimmings lunch held in the Blake LMC. To earn this incentive, students will also make a short video, podcast, comic strip or even a short written review etc. about one of the grade list books they’ve read (not Heart of a Samurai!). Sixth grade English teachers will give students more details next September. Students will have until October 1 to turn in their special projects. Feel free to have some fun with this over the summer!
ORDERING THROUGH BLAKE: All students should own a copy of Heart of a Samurai and a copy of their one optional book – both will be used in English classes next September. Completed order forms should be turned into teachers by Tuesday, June 7. Thanks to Jim James of Park Street Books, all excess profits from our Blake CSA book sale are used to buy books for the Blake LMC. Every purchase you make greatly enhances reading opportunities for Blake students – thanks for your support! Thanks also to Diana Mileszko from the Blake CSA for organizing the sale.
TRADITIONAL BOOKS VS. IPAD READING: iPads can greatly enhance learning and presenting, but can also tempt some students to distraction during pleasure reading. Please consider buying traditional books (through our sale, of course!) to give your child a break from the screen, as well as a better chance to lose his or herself in a great book.
RISING 7TH and 8th GRADE SUMMER READING BOOK SLIDE SHOW: To watch a video on the books for grade rising 7th and 8thgrade students, please visit our website: http://blakelmcproject.wix.com/blakelmc Click on summer reading link to view show. Additional order forms may be printed from the site as well. Please contact Blake Library/Media teacher Jon Haycock with any questions[email protected]
iPad Planning Inventory for 2016-2017 - Please Complete
As you know we are continuing with our mobile learning program at Blake for the entire 6th-8th grade for the 2016-2017 academic year. To help us effectively plan for next year, we are asking all current 5th-7th grade parents/guardians (incoming 6th-8th grade parents/guardians for the 2016-2017 academic year) to let us know your plans for your student (Lease-to-Own, Bring an iPad from home, Borrow) for next year, by completing this brief survey by Thursday, May 12: iPad Planning Inventory at Blake Middle School for 2016-2017. This inventory is different than the initial survey sent back in January. Please fill out this inventory for each child that will be attending Blake next year. This decision is not binding and we recognize that your plans may change - confirmation and final decisions will be made by mid-June, 2016. I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to complete this brief inventory and am hoping for 100% participation.
We have outlined the Blake Mobile Learning Initiative Participation Options (Lease-to-Own, Bring an iPad from home, Borrow) for Blake students for this program. We are committed to providing an equitable learning experience for our students and appreciate the shared commitment and investment in the education of our students. As such we have a system in place for families with demonstrated financial need.
The 'minimum specifications' will still remain as the iPad 4, meaning the following are acceptable devices for students to use: iPad4, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, or iPad Air. The device selected by the students/families will suffice for the students' needs in school as long as Apple continues to update the OS (operating system) on that device. If your family intends to purchase a new device this year, then the iPad4, iPad Mini, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 4, or iPad Air are the recommended devices. Our work over the last four years has provided a foundation as our teachers and staff continue to thoughtfully implement and review the effectiveness of this initiative. It is important to keep in mind that teachers and students will be following the same curriculum frameworks and the common core Blake curriculum.
For your reference I am sharing links below to documents about our initiative/program...
Blake Mobile Learning Blog
Blake iPad Program Update for 16-17
Blake Mobile Learning General Information (has articles, background information, and philosophy)
Blake Mobile Learning FAQs 16-17
Blake Mobile Learning Initiative Participation Options
iPad Program Estimated Lease-to-Own Pricing Structure 16-17
We are excited about the prospects that lie ahead as we work to provide your students with the opportunity to learn with meaningful technology and are hopeful that we can foster and promote a positive and relevant learning experience. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me directly ([email protected]) with any questions, concerns, or thoughts that you may have.
Marimba Concert Flyer
Check out the flyer below for information about the Marimba event on June 9!
http://ngomadzakanaka.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/1/4/31140019/lowell_mason_house_concert_flyer.pdf
8th Grade Closing Ceremony
Our 8th grade closing ceremony and goodbye evening will be on Wednesday, June 22 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, including allergen-free treats, in the cafeteria following the ceremony. We are hoping for a 'cool weather' evening.
Blake Site Council 16-17 Survey
The Blake Site Council has been working on the development of our annual survey to students and parents. A similar survey has been administered the last three years and we are committed to having parents and students take it each year as part of our continual efforts to examine our programming. Focus areas include the topics of school culture, academic workloads, stress, and habits. The results will help us to gather information and examine our current practices to better meet the needs of our students and assess progress towards our mission. Please complete the survey for each child you have at Blake, and base your responses on your student's experiences this year. The questionnaire is anonymous, and your identity can not and will not be discovered through the completion of this survey. We sincerely appreciate your honest responses and are hoping for 100% participation from the Blake community. If you have any questions or have difficulty accessing the survey, please do not hesitate to contact me directly ([email protected]). Link to the survey: Blake Middle School Parent Survey March, 2016
High School Athletics Meeting
On Monday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a meeting held in the gymnasium at the Medfield High School for all athletes and their parents interested in playing high school athletics this coming fall season at Medfield. This meeting is very important and will cover many questions and concerns you may have, as well as introductions to all high school coaches and staff. Immediately following this meeting, coaches will meet with their respective sports to speak about the season and answer any questions you may have.
*Sports offered for the fall season are:
Cross Country (Boys and Girls)
Soccer (Boys and Girls)
Volleyball (Girls)
Field Hockey (Girls)
Football (Boys)
Golf (Co-ed)
K-8 PTO Update
VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP for 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR
Please review the open volunteer positions for the 2016-2017 school year and sign-up to help the Blake community. We can’t do it without you! BLAKE VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP FORM
SPRING CLEAN-UP ONGOING BAY STATE TEXTILE FUNDRAISER
An easy fundraiser that generates$100 per ton on textiles collected for the Medfield K-8 PTO, saves the town $$$ on disposal fees and helps the environment! For more information, go to our website and visit Bay State Textiles.
PTO MEETING MINUTES
Our year end PTO meeting minutes have been posted. http://medfieldpto.weebly.com/blake-meeting-minutes.html
MEDFIELD SPIRIT WEAR
Customize EVERYTHING and choose from t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, pants, bags, hats, blankets & more.
Go to shop.mylocker.net, enter your school locker number - BLAKE BD979 and use promo code b2g6dTK1
More information can be found on our website: http://medfieldpto.weebly.com/medfield-spirit-wear.html
RECYCLE INKJET AND TONER CARTRIDGES
Get rid of your trash and help Blake earn cash & supplies by recycling your inkjet and toner cartridges. We accept HP, Brother, Canon and Lexmark cartridges. Collection boxes are located outside of the Library. Thanks for your help! Please contact Donna Knott at [email protected] with any questions.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Please like us on Facebook Medfield K-8 PTO , follow us on Twitter MedfieldK8PTO , follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/medfieldk8pto/and check out our website http://medfieldpto.weebly.com
MCPE Update
Did you know? The MHS graduating class of 2016 has benefitted from OVER 1.2 MILLION dollars in projects and grants funded through the MCPE since they entered Kindergarten in 2003.
Every time you participate in the Spelling Bee, Trivia Night, Blue Ribbon Program, the Annual Fund, E4E, or the Fall Ball, you support our students now, and for the generation to come. Keep up the good work!
BLUE RIBBON RECOGNITION
MCPE's Blue Ribbon Program recognizes teachers, administrators, school coaches and staff for making a difference in a student's life. This program is an easy way to acknowledge school employees at the end of the school year. Each recipient will receive a personalized card announcing you made a donation in his or her honor. Click on the following link (formstack.com/forms/?1155510-ms8sVhWlW6) to make your donation online, and MCPE will take care of the rest. Your donation is tax deductible.
Please click here for Thursday Packet Information.