9/15 - Blake Site Council Mtg (3:15 p.m.)
9/16 - Picture Day at Blake
K-8 PTO Meeting (7 p.m.)
9/17 - Stripes Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
Grade 6 Band/Chorus/Orchestra Mtgs (6:00 p.m.)
Grade 6 Parent Information Night (6:30 p.m.)
9/18 - Heather Abbott Visit
9/22 - Stripes Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
9/23 - Yom Kippur (No School)
9/24 - Eagles Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
9/25 - Eagles Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
9/30 - Stars Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
10/1 - Stars Canoe/Russian Icon Field Trip
10/5-10/8 - Nature's Classroom for 7th Grade
10/9 - Teacher Professional Day (No School for Students)
10/12 - Columbus Day (No School)
10/13 - Blake Site Council Mtg (3:15 p.m.)
10/19 - Magazine Drive Kick-Off
10/21 - Picture Retake Day
10/29 - 8th Grade Salem Field Trip
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations about the relationships we establish throughout the year with our students, the topic/question for the dinner table is: How often do you remember these sentiments before writing to/speaking to the children: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou) To help push us a bit deeper, here is an anonymous self-evaluation Google Form to consider...Self-Evaluation Question.
Parent Information Nights
Our Parent Information Night (PIN) for grade 6 will take place on Thursday, September 17. This night will provide you with an opportunity to visit your student's classrooms and hear about the curriculum and exciting programs that will take place throughout the year. Sixth grade chorus, band, and orchestra parents are invited to informational meetings at 6:00 p.m. on September 17, prior to PIN. For your reference and information, here are links to the other parent nights...
Grade 7 Fall 2015 PIN Presentation
Grade 8 Fall 2015 PIN Presentation
8th Grade Trip Information
8th Grade Trip packets went home with Grade 8 students on Friday, Sept. 11. Trip deposit and signed permission slip are due to your child's Advisory teacher by October 2nd. On-line registration with our tour company, Worldstrides, is to be completed by October 30. Please see trip packet for details and instructions. For your reference and for more information, here is a link to the 8th grade trip presentation...
Memorials, Monuments, and Museums Fall 2015 Presentation
Edward M. Kennedy Institute Advisory Board Recognition
We are thrilled to share that Deb Manning, 7th grade Social Studies teacher, has been asked to be part of the Senator in Training Advisory Board at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate for the 2015-2016 school year. They are creating programming targeted towards middle school students to launch in September of 2016. As a member of the board, she will be working to ensure that the programming follows the Massachusetts Frameworks, the Common Core, and is also dynamic enough to hold the interest of the middle schoolers visiting the Institute.
Medfield Food Pantry - Thank You!
Thank you to the entire Blake community for the wonderful outpouring of support for the Medfield Food Cupboard - we collected bagfuls of goods!
Mobile Learning Update
In our continued effort to support families with the integration of technology, I am sharing a link to a 'customizable device contract' from Common Sense Media...
Tablet Family Contract
As noted at the top of the front page of this link, it is important to talk with your children about how the device will be used at home. The suggested guidelines will help assure open and consistent communication so that you are 'on the same page'. The form is customizable to allow for variances in approaches from family to family. We are strongly encouraging all Blake families to take the time to fill out this contract, post it in a 'public' location in your house (i.e. refrigerator), and keep a copy in a secure location. Starting off the year with clear guidelines and 'house rules' will be the first step to a productive and successful experience. Should issues arise throughout the year, it will serve as a solid reference point for resolutions.
On the school's end, we are having a digital citizenship talk/forum these weeks about managing and learning how to set up good study habits using the device. We will also be holding technology workshops for parents throughout the year. In addition we will be taking time in school to formally review the Responsible Use Agreement that must be reviewed/signed by all students and parents...
Responsible Use Agreement
Swim Test Forms
Eighth grade students should be sure to turn in their Swim Test Forms for our Charles River Community Awareness field trip this September. Completed forms should be dropped off at the main office at Blake.
Seventh Grade Trip to Nature's Classroom
The roommate process began on Friday, 9/11. We would like the process to be finished by the end of next week. If your child is struggling to find a roommate, please contact Judy Silva, [email protected] or Jen Dondero, [email protected]. We understand that this may be a difficult process for some students and are happy to help. You will be contacted this week if you have any outstanding paperwork or payments. Please be prompt returning anything that may be outstanding. We are getting excited for the trip!
Book Discussion Group for Parents - Stay Tuned!
As shared at the end of the 14-15 year and in the summer blog update, I am hoping to initiate a book discussion group for parents for this year. The book will be HOW TO RAISE AN ADULT: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success by Julie Lythcott-Haims. Reading it has been centering and thought-provoking - as I have said before, I am not sure I agree with everything, but it certainly has sparked reflection and introspection. Stay tuned!
Library Media Update - The Running Dream
Next week Blake celebrates our all-school book, The Running Dream. Over the summer, a team of teachers developed a series of academic activities which connect The Running Dream to various content areas. The lessons that Kathleen Caprio (6th English). Erin Winter (7th English), Ian Gagne (8th English), Christina Delaney (art), Jeff Cincotta (wellness), Kristen Buley (science), Matt Millard (math), and John Sullivan (social studies), created, will be shared with students. Diane Horvath is also creating a Running Dream website.
The Running Dream was published two years before the Boston Marathon Bombing but protagonist Jessica Carlisle’s experience in the book of losing her leg below the knee eerily parallels what our summer reading speaker, Heather Abbott, went through that fateful day - also losing her leg below the knee. Heather will tell us her story on Friday, September 18. We hope Heather's real-life story will inspire our students to collaborate to raise money for her foundation. Your children will be filling out a Running Dream questionnaire on their iPads. The document also has links for your sons or daughters to learn more about Heather Abbott. They should have it completed by Friday, the 18th. For your interest, a copy of the questionnaire is linked below.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HZOyDEZ0l5ghzHNbXy2XTKItFjxxMYEOFsFwsZSGX-Y/edit?usp=sharing
Online Homework Posting System
This year we will be continuing our system for posting the homework on our website. The link to the homework pages is here - Blake Homework Pages. The primary mode for students' understanding and recording of the homework for the given night is from the teacher and the posted homework in the classroom. The information that will be on the website is intended to serve as a 'back-up' resource. Due to the inherent challenges of technology that arise from time to time (servers, e-mail, etc.), we can not always guarantee that the website will be 100% accurate and reliable. However, we hope that it will help students and parents as an additional source of information.
Blake Intramurals
Fall intramurals at Blake will begin in early October. Look for signup information on the intramural page of the website the week of September 21. Parents/guardians are welcome to run intramurals as well. If you have any questions, thoughts, or suggestions, please contact Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Arts in Education Week
This week (9/13-9/19) is Arts in Education Week. I have shared this with our art and music departments. Please keep this in mind in your classes, advisory, and with students and families. Building off Blake's theme of Creativity from 2013-2014, we are looking forward to highlighting the arts throughout this month (and the year). Please keep this in mind when talking to your students about cultural events, music, and the arts with your children this month.
http://www.arteducators.org/news/arts-in-education-weekhttp://www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/networks-and-councils/arts-education-network/tools-resources/national-arts-in-education-week
Blake Poetry Club
Welcome all creative souls. Whether you write in a journal, write an occasional haiku, or are just interested in poetry or creative writing this poetry club could be the place for you. Join Grace Sowyrda, a Medfield Girl Scout and honors student. Learn about different types of poetry, play games and experiment with words in a low stress playful atmosphere. Learn to share work with others or even publish and publicize your own poetry. If you have any questions or are interested, please e-mail Grace - [email protected].
MHS Science Olympiad Message
The MHS Science Olympiad will be hosting bake sales during the sixth grade parent night (Wednesday 9/17). The funds raised will go to support activities and meets during the school year. Not only will there be classic baked goods such as brownies and cookies, but international treats from China and India will also be available, along with a gluten-free option and water bottles! We will be located at the main entrance. Science Olympiad is a student-run organization dedicated to inspire a lifelong passion for the sciences in MHS students. Through challenging, competitive meets against other schools across the state, students will be introduced to geology, astronomy, chemistry, entomology, and dozens more. They'll build levitating vehicles in engineering events, solve health crises in Disease Detectives, and, of course, set things on fire in Forensics. By the end of the year, they'll walk away with a newfound appreciation of the sciences upon which their world is built.
Cross Country
The Cross Country Team will have its first meet on Thursday at Hospital Hill. Students will travel by bus from the middle school to the fields at Hospital Hill (also called McCarthy Park) on Hospital Road in Medfield. All students must be picked up by a parent at the Hospital Hill site at the conclusion of the meet. Practices will be Tues. and Wed. this week. Also, the meet originally scheduled for Thurs. Oct. 8 has been changed to Wed. Oct. 7. Please make a note of this change on your original schedule. It has been a great first week. Please come out and cheer on the team this Thursday.
Field Hockey
The middle school field hockey team began practice on September 8th. The team will consist of both 7th and 8th graders this year. The players have been brushing up on their stick skills and will take the field for their first game on September 22nd, an away game against Weston Middle School at 3:45pm.
Volleyball for Eighth Grade Girls
Practices begin this Wednesday, 9/16. The first game is on the 22nd. May the stars shine upon us again this season. - Coach Hellerstein
Coming Soon - Meadow Farms Fundaiser
Coming soon! Meadow Farms fundraiser 9/24-10/16. Stay tuned for further details.
K-8 PTO News
Please join us for the first Blake PTO Meeting of the 2015-2016 school year on Wednesday, September 16th @ 7:00 PM.
Blake PTO is still in need of a Local Business Coordinator who will be the liaison with Subway, Go Fresh and La Groceria. If you have an interest in this position, please reach out to Maura Gerardi at [email protected].
MCPE News
Registration is now open for MCPE's November trivia events. The Coalition is pleased to announce not one, but TWO trivia events this fall featuring the trivia company Putterboy Productions. These events promise to be fast-paced and humor-filled, testing your knowledge in geography, sports, music, science and history. The Community Adult Trivia Night is set for Friday, November 13th, and the Student Trivia Challenge is set for Tuesday, November 10th. Click here to register: MedfieldCoalition.org.
Medfield Day Update. Please look for the Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) booth on Medfield Day, Saturday, September 19th. We will be located right outside the Montrose School on North Street. Enter our children's book raffle and try your luck in our prize raffle to win an amazing Medfield basket. Come learn about our exciting plans for this year and the many ways you and MCPE can work together to help enrich your children's education.
The Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) is a non-profit organization funded to provide academic enrichment for all Medfield Public Schools. MCPE awards grants submitted by staff, teachers, administrators and counselors to support the development of innovative programs, curriculum and enrichment. Thank you for supporting MCPE and its initiatives.