9/18 - Special Ed Focus Groups (see below)
9/19 - School Committee Meeting
9/24 - Blake PTO Meeting
SEPAC Meeting
9/25 - Dusti Bowling Author Visit (see details below)
#MedfieldChat - 8 p.m. (stay tuned for details)
9/30 - Rosh Hashanah - No School
10/9 - Yom Kippur - No School
10/14 - Columbus Day - No School
10/15 - 1/2 Day for Students
Professional Afternoon for Staff
10/21 - Blake Picture Retake Day
10/22-10/25 - Nature’s Classroom for 7th Grade
10/31 - Happy Halloween
Topic/Question for the Dinner Table
To help encourage conversations and dialogue about ourselves as learners and to foster some reflection, our topic/question for the dinner table is: How do you learn best? What strategies help you learn? Be specific. Learning How to Learn (Week of 9/15/19) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Advisory Update for Blake
Advisories did an awesome job decorating rocks about what courage means to them. Be sure to check out their creations outside of Blake! This week in Advisory, the focus will be on team-building. Advisories will be doing different activities that work best for their group. This will help to continue to build a strong foundation to do some great work as a group. We encourage you to check out the Advisory website to stay apprised and connected with what is taking place at Blake!
Blake Wednesday Advisory Website
School Absence Reminder
This is a reminder for parents that a student's absence or tardiness must be reported by a written note or a parental telephone call to the school absence line (508-242-8501) by 8 a.m.
Blake Parent/Guardian Information Nights - Fall 2019
For your reference and information, here are the links from our Parent Information Nights…
Grade 6 Fall 2019 PIN Presentation for Blog
Nature's Classroom Fall 2019 PIN Presentation
Grade 7 Fall PIN 2019 Presentation for Blog
Grade 8 Fall 2019 PIN Presentation for Blog
Memorials, Monuments, and Museums Presentation Fall 2019
Parent/Guardian Sign-Offs
All families should have received (or will be receiving soon) an e-mail from '[email protected]' with 'Emergency Contact Information' in the subject line. All families were asked to complete this digital sign-off for most of the beginning-of-year forms by Monday, 9/16.
Upcoming Author Visit for Sixth Grade
Acclaimed author, Dusti Bowling, will be speaking to sixth graders on Wednesday, September 25 about her book, Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus. The story’s protagonist, Aven Green, loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.
Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.
Students will also have an opportunity to take part in an author workshop with Dusti. They’ll learn how to sign-up from their teachers next week.
#MedfieldChat Twitter Chat on 9/25/19
Our next district-wide Twitter chat is Wednesday, 9/25/19 at 8 p.m. Our continued intent is to bring the five schools together (staff and administration) at periodic times. 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 #MedfieldChat during the chat and to participate!
Blake Intramurals Update
Look for the 2019 Fall Intramural offerings to be available early this week. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Blake’s GSA
Blake’s Gay Straight Alliance seeks to make our school community a more welcoming and accepting place by helping to educate students and staff about the LGBTQ+ community. We strive to create a safe space for people in the community, those who want to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community, and also for those who wish to learn how to become a better ally. Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of identity. We will meet every Wednesday from 2:15 - 3:00.
Theme of Courage for 2019-2020
Our theme for this academic year at Blake is one of Courage. We believe that this theme will extend the work we have done over the last seven years with our themes of Community, Perseverance, Creativity, Acceptance, Collaboration, Empathy, Diversity, and Happiness. As a staff we have begun brainstorming ideas and I encourage all families to join us in the brainstorming process as well. As ideas and thoughts come to mind, do not hesitate to e-mail me ([email protected]) or Kelly C. ([email protected]).
A Message from Blake Student Council
The first meeting is Wednesday, 9/18/19 at 2:10 p.m. in Room 506 (Mrs. Shaw’s room).
Blake Magazine Drive Info
On Wednesday, September 18th, we will kick off our 2019 Magazine (and More) Fundraising Drive! We rely on this popular event to fund and enhance special activities during the year. In recent years, the Magazine Drive covered expenses for:
- Blake Mini Marathon
- 7th-grade science field trip to Mill Brook to release class-raised trout
- Transportation to elementary schools for 7th Graders’ Creature Feature presentations
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service supplies
- Participant awards for annual Science Fair
- Greek Week t-shirts
- 26 Days of Kindness wristbands
- Chinese New Year celebration for Mandarin classes, and much more!
This year, our goal is $14,000. It is an ambitious goal, but one that allows us to continue the tradition of offering enriching student events and activities.
How Can you Help?
Order new magazine subscriptions or renew current ones
Don’t Need a Magazine? You can still support Blake by :
- Making a direct donation to Blake Middle School (monetary donations count toward all prizes and class participation! See sales flyer for details.)
- Donating a classroom subscription to one of your student’s teachers, our library, or to great causes like the USO, Save the Children, and more
- Shop the online store for other unique and fun gift items - at great prices
As always, thank you for your support! Students will be bringing home packets on Wednesday with more information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jon Haycock ([email protected]).
Hidden in Plain Sight Display - Message from MCAP
The Medfield Cares About Prevention substance misuse prevention coalition would like to share some information about an upcoming event that may be interesting and relevant to parents in our community. The Hidden in Plain Sight exhibit is coming to the Natick Mall this month, from September 10th through September 26th. This initiative helps parents and other adults spot signs of risky behaviors using an interactive display of a teen bedroom. Volunteer “tour guides” from MetroWest community coalitions will walk participants through the display, providing education about adolescent development and common signs of substance use. The exhibit is co-sponsored by community substance misuse prevention coalitions from the MetroWest region, including our own Medfield Cares About Prevention coalition.
Special Education Focus Group Information
Part of the Medfield 2021 Strategic Plan calls for focus groups to gather to support the development of a mission statement and to assess the current administrative structure for the special education department. As such, we are offering the following times and locations to foster conversation related to these areas.
September 18, 2019
Students: Lunch period at Blake Middle School Library
Administration: 1 p.m. at Blake Middle School Library
Staff: 2:30pm in room 125 at Medfield High School
Parents/Guardians/Family Members: 9am at Blake Middle School Library
Challenge Success Parent Evening - 10/16/19
Dover-Sherborn has graciously opened up a parent education night to our community...
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Mudge Auditorium, Dover-Sherborn High School
Challenge Success School Program Director, Jon Kleiman, visits the Dover-Sherborn community to facilitate an engaging, interactive presentation of The Well-Balanced Student for K-12 parents and caregivers. When we are intensely focused on grades and performance, we mortgage our children's childhood for the sake of academics, denying our children the time and energy they need to tackle the demanding work of growing up.
Jon will contextualize his remarks based on input from last spring's Challenge Success parent survey and Jon will also share recent research on college admissions and provide tools for parents to better support students through this process.
In this engaging presentation, parents and caregivers will see the data and hear the solutions to effectively:
- Establish a healthier, balanced home environment for school-aged children
- Dial down academic stress without sacrificing achievement, and
- Support student’s overall resilience, well-being and readiness for life in college and beyond.
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 http://www.medfield.net/o/medfield-public-schools/page/employment-opportunites--7 and find applications under the tab "employment opportunities". Please contact Kelly Campbell at [email protected] with any questions.
Substitute Nurses
As with our teaching positions, from time to time our nurse, Tricia Williams, will be out of the building and we need a substitute nurse for these days. We are fortunate that we have several substitute nurses in the district who are able to work on those days. If you are a registered nurse and have an interest in potentially serving as a substitute throughout the year, please let us know. You can contact me ([email protected]) or Tricia Williams ([email protected]). By the same token, if you have friends in the area who would have an interest in serving as a substitute, please let them know that they can contact us as well. The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority, and we would appreciate your interest in one of these roles.
Blake Site Council Book Discussion Group
Over the last two years the Blake Site Council has read several books and we will continue this practice during the 2019-2020 school year. Stay tuned for more information and we hope you can join in these discussions!
Recess Donations
This year we are continuing with recess as part of our Advisory structure. A great deal of research evidence shows that students are more productive and intellectually engaged when a physical and or mental 'break' is provided in the middle of the day. We are looking for donations from families to provide options for students during this time: frisbees, wiffle balls/bats, kickballs, tennis balls, single and double jump ropes, volleyballs, foam footballs, soccer balls, and hula hoops. If you have done some 'fall cleaning' and have extra items that could be donated, have students drop them off in the main office. Thank you in advance for your help.
Message from MCPE
Tickets for MCPE’s Fall Fest went on sale this past Sunday at 8 a.m.! Event will be held on November 15th at the Boylston Shul Vernin Germany American Club in Walpole. There will be great food, music and an auction! Link to the ticket sales will be up on our website medfieldcoalition.org -don’t miss this fun night out!
Message from MMA (Medfield Music Association)
TONIGHT! We hope you can join us for the MMA Kickoff Event on Tuesday, 9/17, 7pm at the Zullo Gallery. Also, on Sunday, 9/22 the Music Department is hosting a Mattress Sale fundraiser from 10-5 in the MHS gym to help offset Music Trip costs. Come check it out!
Blake PTO Update
Volunteers Needed for Blake! In particular, we are in need of a Hospitality Chair or Co-Chairs, which helps coordinates 3-4 teacher luncheons a year. It's a great way to get involved and appreciate the wonderful staff at our school! Please click on the link to the volunteer form below. Thank you!! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScVH6fbiK1-cVI5r7yu42e6szW5bnuT2EUO9qk3CLc-l9A8UQ/viewform
Also, our first meeting of the year will be held on September 24th at 7:00 in the LMC
Message from SEPAC
The first SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) meeting is on Tuesday, September 24th in the Blake LMC from 7:00-9:00 pm.