In like a lamb...out like a lion Update!

So, the March weather pattern seems to be spinning the old saying on its tail so to speak.  With snow in the upcoming forecast, it will be interesting to see how the weekend develops.  My advice to students hoping for a snow day has always been to do your homework!  You don't want to plan on not having school and then get caught off guard, but the joy of already having your work completed is monumental and increases the potential relaxation of a snow day exponentially! Occasionally, I still need to explain what exponentially means...

This week had a number of special occasions that added some additional exuberance to our typical enjoyable Stony Brook atmosphere.

Monday was Pi day and Albert Einstein's birthday.

Tuesday brought us the Ides of March (exuberance might not be the right word for descendants of Julius Caesar but it makes for great discussions in social studies and Latin classes).

Wednesday provided our SB Chorus students the opportunity to join the WA Choir and the choruses from Abbot and Day schools in the Town-wide Choral Concert.  Congratulations to Ms. Watson and all of the students for a wonderful performance and special thanks to Ms. St. George and the WA students for hosting such a collaborative event and making all of our students feel so welcome.

Thursday was filled with the wearing of the green which strangely enough blended in nicely with our 8th grade Periodic Table Element Fashion Show.  I had no idea that many of the elements had a strong base of Irish ancestry.

Most importantly, the students were all giddy with anticipation for this afternoon's publishing of the report cards!  They are now available in the iParent portal.

In addition to the specific dates from the calendar, our 7th graders participated in our annual SoS assembly which focuses on providing students with strategies to help them reach out to adults if they are worried about any of their friends or if they themselves are feeling extended periods of being overwhelmed or sad.  Information was mailed home to all of our families regarding the presentation a few weeks ago.  I would encourage you to talk with your 7th graders about the assembly and use it as an opportunity to check-in with them and or open communication with them about their reactions to the assembly. Adolescence is a turbulent emotional roller-coaster for both the teens and parents of which many of you are already well aware.  It is for that reason that fostering strong communication through this journey is paramount.  It is too easy for adolescents to default to an isolated place of shutting people out and developing a sense of invincibility or that they can handle everything on their own. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.

Shifting gears somewhat, we move to the upcoming events. The scheduling process for the 8th grade students transitioning to WA for next year is coming to an end as we are beginning to look at math placements for students transitioning to 8th grade for next year.  The students have been reminded daily that Monday, March 21 is the last day to turn in override requests for WA scheduling.  Today, letters were given to all 7th grade students regarding 8th grade math placement for next year. Please ask your 7th grader for the letter and return the signed copy if necessary.   Not all students need to return the letter, but it is important that you are aware of the process of placement for 8th grade. If your student has misplaced the letter or if you have any questions regarding the information or process, please email your child's math teacher.

Next Tuesday, March 22 is the fundraising event at Five Guys to benefit the Washington DC Scholarship Fund.  All of your support thus far has been greatly appreciated and if you can swing by for a burger or shake next week, it will help continue the successful run of events!

As I finish this email, I am listening to the hail storm roaring outside.  A lion indeed.

Hopefully, the weekend is enjoyable!

Chris

Lost Hour Update

Why is it that we lose an hour in the evening rather than during the day?  This year I think I am going to change all of my clocks during the day and lose an hour of yard work rather than sleep.  

The weather mid-week reminded me of the positive aspects of Bradbury's Summer in Day.  The good parts when the kids living on a different planet get outside to experience sunshine for the first time and enjoy the warmth of the sun even if for only one day.  Many of our teachers were able to capitalize on the extraordinarily nice weather and get their students outside to do things like design and construct costumes in anticipation of the 8^thgrade Element Fashion Show and conduct mini-lessons in Physics while studying the trajectory of specific projectiles being thrown back and forth in the sunshine or simply doing walk and talks around the outside of building with partners debating a variety of different topics.  The good news for us is that we know it is not just one day and soon we will be back to enjoying the benefits of our beautiful campus more regularly.

Inside, during the rain this week, students were exploring on a virtual level using our Chromebooks, MacBooks, and iPads in many of the classes that I visited.  6^th and 7^th graders were taking practice exams online that provided immediate feedback to their work in preparation for an upcoming math assessment.  7^th graders were researching ancient China and India for upcoming research papers as well as using Gizmo in Science to conduct virtual experiments regarding stages of cell development and division.  8^th grade Theater students were conducting research in self-selected areas of interest for upcoming presentations.

Hopefully, this shorter weekend is still full of things that bring rest and relaxation and you can enjoy every minute of it!

Chris

Onward Ho! a march forth update

So, I clearly decided to stop wearing my winter coat too early.  But I was bound and determined to march confidently towards Spring and simply ignore the cold wind continuing to bite at my ears.  The kids don't wear coats anymore, how cold could it be?  Well, the kids are clearly not as delicate as some of us adults are because I was cold and bitter.

You should have seen copies of your child's biographical information this week as I sent them home again to verify the contact information we have in iPass.  I apologize to anyone needing to re-correct something that you took time to correct earlier in the year, but we recently discovered a few inaccuracies with contact information and we wanted to make sure that information changes submitted at the beginning of the year had not fallen through any cracks.  It was more timely and productive to print the sheets and ask you to verify them again as we enter the spring.  Again, I apologize for any hassle and appreciate your understanding.

On Monday, I reminded you of two different messages from Westford Curriculum Coordinators.  As they are both quickly marching towards us, it warrants including them again today:

As a reminder, district mathematics curriculum coordinators, Mrs. O'Gorman and Mrs. Coughlin, will be holding informational meetings for parents in grades 4-7 to communicate details of this process. The next meeting is scheduled for March 7 at 6:30 p.m. at John A. Crisafulli Elementary School.  Please read the Math Information Nights Notice for more information. 

Parents of students in grades 6 & 8 please read the letter from K-12 Wellness Coordinator, Mr. O'Leary, regarding the upcoming Youth Risk Behavior Survey found at this link: Youth Risk Behavior Survey Information

Additionally, I wanted to remind you a great student facilitated benefit quickly approaching:

Come see Westford's finest talent at our new fundraising talent show, Westford in Tune, supporting Cradles to Crayons on April 1st. Auditions for Stony Brook participants are taking place on March 11th, right after school. Admission for the show is a few gently used articles of clothing for children in need, ages 0-12. We are encouraging students grades 6-8 from both Stony Brook and Blanchard to participate and attend this special event. Spread the word to all in Westford and help support a great cause! Anyone unable to attend the performance can still contribute by sending in any like-new shoes and clothes to the donation bins that will be placed all around the school starting on March 21st and ending on April 1st. Thank you all for you support towards Cradles to Crayons and the children they are serving.

The next Washington DC Scholarship Fundraiser is set for Tuesday, March 22 from 3-10 pm at Five Guys.  The final event is at Panera on April 14th from 3 - 8.  More information and flyers to follow.

Congratulations to Ms. Ottesen and the orchestra students on their wonderful concert last night!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Chris