Hi Everyone,
Those that know me well know that in most situations I tend to be a fairly risk-averse kind of person. I’m not much of a gambler nor do I have the stomach to go all-in on high-risk/high-reward types of endeavors. However, for reasons I can’t quite explain, I am going to throw caution to the wind this evening and attend Game 2 of the American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and the Houston Astros. This is despite the now documented history of my personal losing streak related to attending Red Sox playoff games, and the fact that David Price is once again scheduled to pitch in the game I plan to attend tonight. I mentioned my plans to Mrs. Frey (our Executive Director of Main Office Affairs) and let’s just say that if the Red Sox lose tonight, I’m in for a giant helping of “you’re a giant fool” looks from the Main Office staff on Monday morning. My current thinking is that between Mr. Price and I, one of us is due for a change in luck since streaks like these are meant to be broken. Famous last words, I know. If his and my streak are both extended by a loss on Sunday evening, it might inspire me to divert my energy and attention to the growing industry of esports, which is the term to describe organized competitive video gaming. The photo to the right is actually from a competitive video gaming tournament where the stadium was filled to capacity with spectators who went to watch contestants play video games. Perhaps some of you are much more familiar with this growing sector (that of course also has a money-making element to it). I hadn’t really read much about esports until a few weeks ago when I received an email from a company that was inviting local school principals to attend a presentation about creating/joining interscholastic esports leagues. Perhaps I shouldn’t be entirely surprised given my kids’ fixation on multiplayer video games, but the degree to which esports programs have found a home in colleges and secondary schools was a bit startling. I started scouring the internet to learn a bit more and found numerous articles about public schools (mostly high schools) throughout the country joining state association-sanctioned leagues for esports, including 25 high schools in Massachusetts. While I declined the invitation to attend the presentation about competitive gaming leagues, I do get the impression that I’ll need be prepared in the not-too-distant future to better understand this rapidly growing and evolving sector of youth-focused competitions. Even if I gain a better understanding and even an appreciation for esports, it is more than likely that I’ll still reach a point each month where I look at my own childrens’ XBox console and picture what it would look like floating in the middle of the family pool.
Here are some reminders and notes for the next few weeks:
We have scheduled a picture re-take day for Tuesday, October 23. If your child ordered a photo package and you would like for to re-take the photo, please have your child bring in the original package on that day (and to come dressed for the re-take!). If your student missed Picture Day earlier this year, this is also the time for him or her to have a photo taken. Even if you don’t have plans to order a photo package, it is important to have everyone’s photo taken so they will be included in this year’s yearbook.
We have recently received a few more donations of tissue boxes from RJ Grey families, thank you! As the weather gets a bit chillier and we have more and more runny noses at school, our need for tissues will likely increase. If and when you’ve got an extra box or two lying around, we’d certainly welcome ongoing donations for our classrooms.
It’s a few weeks away, but a friendly reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 6 for our District’s Professional Learning Day. On the evening of November 6, Peter Light will be holding a forum for Junior High and High School parents/guardians where he hopes to provide an opportunity for you to offer ideas and perspective about our schools and priorities for the next few years. This session is open to any Junior High and High School parent/guardian and will be held in the Junior High Library at 7pm.
The District’s Late Bus program continues to provide a transportation option for those who participate in after school activities and we’re pleased that it’s been a helpful resource/option for a number of our families. With the Winter season on the horizon, new activities, sports programs and other after-school opportunities might be on your child’s radar. If the Late Bus might be something you want to consider, you can click here for the original letter and list of stops that are part of the two Late Bus routes.
Early next week, we will be emailing to families mid-trimester interims. For those new to RJ Grey, a brief explanation. “Interims” is the term that we use for what others might call “progress reports”, or “warnings”. Teachers submit interims for any students who might be struggling in their class - this could be based on performances on tests and quizzes, consistency of homework, or other assessments and observations. In addition, there are a number of teachers who provide interims as a way to update families, and this could also include feedback about how well a student is performing in a particular class. This is all to say that there are number of reasons why you might receive an interim from your child’s teachers (note: you may also not receive anything). If and when you do receive one, please read the information and comments carefully and consider using it as a way to begin a dialogue with your child. Please also keep in mind that a letter grade is attached to each interim from a teacher, but that letter grade may or may not represent a significant body of assessments and graded work. I would encourage you to place greater focus on the narrative that the teacher provides and the areas of concern and suggestions for improvement that are offered. If there is information that you would like clarified, please contact the teacher and begin a dialogue with him or her. The Fall Trimester does not close until the week of Thanksgiving, so there is plenty of time for students to use this feedback to make adjustments.
Beginning last year the Junior High and High School moved to electronic grading reports. Interim reports are now sent by email to the parent/guardian contacts listed on your student’s Emergency Card on the parent portal. Given the sensitive nature of these transmissions, we strongly encourage you to review the email addresses you have provided in the parent portal and that the only email addresses listed are for parents/guardians with joint legal, physical, and/or shared custody and who should have access to these records. For more detailed instructions on how to verify your email, please click here. 
Halloween is a little over two weeks away, and my guess is that many of your children are thinking about possible costumes not only for an evening of trick or treating, but also for our school’s annual Dress Up Day (which is always scheduled for the day of, or around, Halloween). I’d like to include here my typical overview of our Dress Up Day to help families with any planning that is currently underway. We have a tradition at RJ Grey where many students (and teachers) choose to attend school dressed up in costumes on the day of Halloween. Our Student Council officers also organize a fun and lighthearted contest where each homeroom nominates a student/costume and the staff will vote for a winner. We want to emphasize our intention to keep this light-hearted and good-natured, and to showcase student creativity. We do not want anyone to invest money in this activity. Please also note that not all students and staff --including yours truly--always dress up, which is perfectly fine. There are always many students who do not come to school in costume.
We do have general guidelines that we expect all students to follow when considering their outfit for the day. Student costumes must avoid props that mimic weapons (swords, firearms, knives, etc.), and clothing that includes profanity and/or might be overly revealing or minimalist in nature. In addition, we must see our students’ faces throughout the day, so wearing a face mask can not be a part of a costume. We see a restriction on face masks as a reasonable limitation to address physical safety and the fact that lessons are still being taught! There’s nothing quite like watching a teacher, often dressed in costume as well, providing instruction to a room that includes Mario, Luigi, Harry Potter, a giant bunny rabbit, and Flo the Progressive Insurance spokesperson. I am asking our parents and guardians to please have a conversation with their children about their costume plans, and to keep the above guidelines in mind.
Halloween Dress Up Day has always been a fun opportunity for our students (and staff) to be playful and maybe showcase another side of their personality. Our students have always been thoughtful about the event and it makes for one of the more colorful days of the school year. I’m looking forward to seeing the parade of costumes that enters RJ Grey that morning.
Finally, we had another edition of Poetry Fridays at the end of last week. Mr. Malloy read the classic piece by poet William Butler Yeats, “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” and offered the students a bit of the backstory behind that particular piece. Click here to read the poem.
Have a great week, everyone.
Cheers,
