9/20-9/22 - 6th Grade Field Trips to Hale Reservation
9/20 - Grade 7 Info Night - 6 p.m.
9/21 - MCAP Meeting - 4:30 p.m.
9/25 - Yom Kippur (No School)
9/27 - Grade 6 Info Night - 6 p.m.
10/3 - Blake Site Council Mtg - 3:30 p.m.
10/9 - No School
10/25-10/26 - Conference Afternoons (info coming)
Blake’s Question of the Week
To encourage dialogue and reflection about reflections about progress and the future, our question for the week is: What do you hope school will look like in the future? Share why. Future Thinking (Week of 9/17/23) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Blake’s Information Nights
Our Information Nights have been scheduled and will be taking place in September...
9/20 - Grade 7 Family Information Night (6:00 p.m.)
9/27 - Grade 6 Family Information Night (6:00 p.m.)
* These information Nights are for parents and caregivers. Students should stay at home.
Blake’s Reading Challenge
Hey Blakers, check out the Blake Library Website to learn about the reading challenge we are participating in. September's theme is a book recommended by a friend. Students can fill out the Google form linked on the website to show their participation.
"Challenge yourself; it is the only path which leads to growth." - Morgan Freeman
Fall Intramurals
Registration for Fall Intramural Offerings will be shared soon. If you have any questions or ideas, please contact Matt Marenghi ([email protected]).
Inktober is Coming!!!
Every October, artists all over the world take on the INkTOBER drawing challenge by doing one drawing a day the entire month. ANYONE CAN DO INKTOBER, JUST PICK UP A PEN AND START DRAWING!!!
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 Public Schools - Employment Opportunities and look under ‘Substitute Teaching’. Please contact Kelly Campbell ([email protected]) with any questions.
Teaching Assistant Opportunities at Blake
We currently have several teaching assistant position openings at Blake for the 2023-2024 school year. These are important roles for our students and we value their presence on our staff. If you are interested in applying or know of any potential candidates, please reach out to me ([email protected]) and/or Kelly([email protected]). Thanks in advance!
Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention month. Active Minds is hosting a special event at Gillette Stadium on Septemebr 21. Our friends at the New England Patriots Foundation and KyleCares are helping bring our powerful immersive exhibit, Send Silence Packing®, to Patriot Place (next to Gillette Stadium) in Foxboro, MA. You do not want to miss this experience. Bring your family and friends. Tell others. Attend. Learn. Be Inspired. Active Minds
Yoga on the Turf
September is Suicide Awareness Month and the Medfield Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP) is hosting our annual Yoga on The Turf on Sunday, September 24 at 12pm at the high school turf. Tracy Buckley of Medfield Yoga Studio will host the class. The class is FREE, but donations to support the work and mission of the MCSP is greatly appreciated.
MCSP works to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of all community members, to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and educate our community to help end suicide.
Open to ALL AGES and ALL LEVELS; beginners more than welcome! Bring your own mat and water bottle. Thank you for supporting the Medfield Coalition for Suicide Prevention.
Our theme for this school year at Blake is one of Belonging. We believe that this theme will extend the work we have done over the last eleven years with our themes of Community, Perseverance, Creativity, Acceptance, Collaboration, Empathy, Diversity, Happiness, Courage, Curiosity, Imagination, and Discovery. As ideas and thoughts come to mind, do not hesitate to email me ([email protected]) or Kelly ([email protected]) - all ideas and thoughts are welcome!
With the return of fall sports many of our students attend Medfield High School games and events such as the Friday night football games. To ensure safe and enjoyable events we are asking for your help in reinforcing the expectations at these events for safe, responsible, and expected behavior (no rough-housing, appropriate usage of phones, and respectful interactions with all). We appreciate your support.
Late Bus Service - Monday-Thursday
Late bus service will run Monday through Thursday departing from outside the auditorium entrance at Medfield High School at 3:45 PM. We are unable to provide door-to-door service, but our bus company established a route strategically placed throughout the town. These stops will remain consistent throughout the year…
STOP Granite & Hummingbird
STOP Granite & Rocky Lane
STOP Indian Hill & Hopi
STOP Orchard & Algonquin
STOP 239 Causeway Street
STOP 18 Causeway Street
STOP (at Parc) 93 West Street
STOP Bridge & Marsh
STOP Goddard School
STOP Lantern and Tamarack
STOP Blacksmith and Marlyn
STOP Evergreen and Stonybrook
STOP Harding Street (Green Mailbox)
If you have any questions, please contact Felicia Montillo ([email protected]) at Central Offices.
Book Discussion Group for Parents for 2023-2024
Over the last few years the Blake Site Council has read several books and we will continue this practice during the 2023-2024 school year. Stay tuned for more information and we hope you can join in these discussions - all caregivers are invited and welcome!
Reminder - Family Inventories
Thanks to all who have completed the Family Learning Surveys for their students. If you have not yet had a chance, please take a few minutes as the information shared will help us support both students and families...
Blake Family Learning Inventory 2023-2024
Our hope is that the answers will help our team support students and families throughout the year.
** If you would like this survey translated into a different language, please let me know ([email protected]).
Reminder - Chromebook Responsible Use Agreement
We are asking all families to please fill out the respective Responsible Use Agreements (Google Forms) below…
Responsible Use Agreement for Borrowed Chromebooks 2023-2024 - Caregiver Form
Notification for Absences/Dismissals
If a student will be absent, tardy or dismissed early from school, please e-mail [email protected]. Additionally, for absences and tardies, you can call Blake's absence line at (508) 242-8501. For e-mails about dismissals, please include the following information:
- Date
- Time of dismissal
- Student name
- Reason for dismissal
- Person picking up
Medfield Outreach Suicide Prevention Month Initiative
Check them out: September is Suicide Prevention month. Keep an eye out for purple ribbons and purple lights around town. Scan the QR code on the tags hanging from the ribbon for more information and mental health resources.
You matter. We care. You are not alone.
#BeThe1To is the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s message for National Suicide Prevention Month and beyond, which helps spread the word about actions we can all take to prevent suicide. The Lifeline network and its partners are working to change the conversation from suicide to suicide prevention, to actions that can promote healing, help and give hope. Stories of Hope and Recovery
Youth Action Club
Message from SEPAC
Medfield Special Education Parents Advisory Council (SEPAC).
SEPAC is run by a group of parent & caregiver volunteers who work for the understanding of, respect for, and support of all children with special needs in the community.
SEPAC has a lot of exciting things planned for this school year. Mark your calendars to join us at our upcoming meetings/ events:
- Saturday, September 23rd at Medfield Day featuring the dogs from Golden Opportunities for Independence
- Tuesday, October 17th at 7pm at the Blake Middle School Library: Meet the Medfield Educational Team Leaders (ETL) and the new Assistant Director of Student Services, Mark Harrison
- Tuesday, November 14th at 7pm at the Blake Middle School Library: Basic Rights Workshop
Message from Medfield Music AssociationWelcome back to school from the Medfield Music Association!
For over 50 years, the MMA has supported K-12 music education in the Medfield Public Schools. We are a parent volunteer organization that relies on support from our music families and donors in the community.
Interested in donating? Your donation can help support meaningful initiatives to excite and motivate our students to grow through music. Becoming a patron by October 31st allows us to grant music department initiatives in the current year. All donations are tax deductible.
Can you spare some time? The MMA relies on many helping hands, especially for our various events and activities which provide about half of our funding each year. We appreciate any amount of time you can give – big or small! To learn more about the MMA, please visit our website at:
medfield music association
Or send us an email at:
[email protected]
Thank you in advance for your support!
Becoming Stress Wise at School
Hosted by ASCD
Thursday, 9/21 at 3 p.m.
In this webinar, the authors of From Stressed Out to Stress Wise will offer a framework to navigate classroom stress, including visual maps and simple practices you can use to guide students to an enriched state of awareness and self-regulation. Learn more about this step-by-step framework to shift from stressed out to stress wise in a progressive way. Leverage the power of relationships to create a classroom where stress is acknowledged as a messenger of change rather than a monster.
How to Prevent and Respond to Cyberbullying with Expert Dr. Sameer Hinduja
Hosted by Spark Kindness
Tuesday, 10/3 at 7 p.m.
Expert Sameer Hinduja, PhD, shares how parents/caregivers can address the ways youth are using & misusing their phones and other technology.
Are you concerned about your child/teen’s technology use and the effects of harmful online behavior? This program is about empowering children/teens, parents, and community members to build a healthier online community for all. The pandemic has led to increased technology use by both children and adults. There has also been an increase in cyberbullying and online toxicity. Cyberbullying expert Sameer Hinduja, Ph.D., will share:
- Information on the current trends and factors that contribute to cyberbullying, sexting, and unsafe social media practices.
- Prevention strategies for parents/caregivers and the community to address cyberbullying and harmful behavior.
- Ways to best inquire about and respond to children/teens’ technology use and abuse.
- Research-based parenting approaches designed to induce moral and ethical choices online (and offline).
- Strategies to sharpen your ability to informally and formally monitor your children’s actions.
- How to report cyberbullying when you spot it, and how best to assist both aggressors and targets.
- The importance of intentionally cultivating resilience and empathy, and how to use media to do so.
"Making Desired Futures Real: Tools and Techniques That Move Beyond Futures Thinking" With Greg Curtis
Monday, 10/9 at 4 p.m.
Futures Thinking, in many forms, has grown in popularity. That’s a good thing, but many schools and leaders struggle to create meaningful goals and actions out of this generative process. The goal is not to create a slick “Map of the Future” as a product, but as a step towards articulating new goals and the bold shifts needed to achieve these.
In this session, author and consultant Greg Curtis will facilitate an investigation into processes and strategies to move beyond futures insights and foresights and towards actions intentionally designed to meet new learning goals for the future.
If you're interested in building your capacity to navigate the future, you won't want to miss this session. Register now!
About Greg:
Greg has been heavily invested in deep, systems-focused school improvement efforts for his entire career. With over 30 years of experience working from early years through high school programs, he has led progressive strategic processes involving curriculum initiatives, 21st century learning, technology infusion, assessment updates and change management. His work with think tanks and innovative collaborative organizations in Europe, Australia and Asia reflects his commitment to upgrading school culture and practice.
Dr. Lisa Damour on Raising Connected, Capable & Compassionate Adolescents
Wednesday, 10/18 at 7 p.m.
Hosted by Spark Kindness
In person event (at Natick High School) with limited seating. Register early!
For parents/caregivers of adolescents (ages 10-25)
World renowned author/expert Dr. Lisa Damour (NYTimes, CBS This Morning) will discuss her new book - “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers” and offer the concrete, practical information parents/caregivers need to steady their teens through the journey into adulthood.Being - and raising - a teenager has never been easy and it’s especially challenging now. In this talk, psychologist and best-selling author Lisa Damour, Ph.D., will offer practical strategies to help parents and caregivers understand their teenagers’ emotional lives, how to help teens manage their emotions and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. The program will address:
- What to expect in the normal course of adolescent emotional development and when it’s time to worry.
- Why teens (and adults) need to understand that mental health isn’t about “feeling good” but about having feelings that fit the moment.
- Strategies for supporting teens in managing their feelings.
- The best ways to stay connected to your tween/teen and how to provide the kind of relationship that adolescents need and want.
ASL Interpretation will be provided at this event.