W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
Jan. 31- Feb. 4, 2022
Note from the Principal:
What an intense and satisfying week! I visited a lot of classrooms this week. I saw students grappling with complex fraction multiplication in fifth grade, as well as detailed narratives about the Revolutionary War period in our history. Sixth graders were deep in research in the library, learning techniques for finding and using evidence in their projects. English classes in the seventh grade started off several periods with silent reading–walking into a room full of 12-13 year olds enmeshed in silent absorption is a joy to behold! Social Studies classes were deep in a discussion of the religions of Korea. Eighth graders were interviewing all sorts of school staff about their advocacy projects. Math classes upstairs were grappling with volume equations and identities, as well as complex geometric constructions. I got to participate in a “what do you like better?” interaction in French 7, “J’aime mieux la pizza!” and in Spanish 7 class I got to see a similar activity with social responses. Art students were creating portfolios for their new quarter work, and students in the gym were practicing volleyball skills for the team’s unit. Students are hard at work, and the staff are working hard to prepare and teach. I am appreciative of the community we have built here at the middle school.
Also thank you for supporting the half day professional development for the faculty. The time away from direct teaching allowed us to work on many fronts. Teams spent time designing a vision for social emotional learning with their grades of students, an important activity to keep our focus on the whole child and making sure we bring everyone along in learning. We participated in a district wide workshop on Proficiency Based Learning, looking at graduation competencies with feedback from elementary, middle and high school teachers by subject. Our staff works really hard and this is one of the ways we get even better at our jobs!
Please see below for information on Pool Testing. We encourage all families to have their kids participate. It is an excellent way to help our community stop the spread of Covid. Please sign up if you are interested, using this link, or read below.
Please drop me a note if you have other feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Have a good weekend!
Ben Doren
Principal
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Monday, January 31
Regular School Day
Tuesday, February 1
Regular School Day
Wednesday, February 2
Regular School Day
Thursday, February 3
Regular School Day
Friday, February 4
Regular School Day
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REMINDERS:
Pool Testing
We strongly encourage your student’s participation, and anyone can participate in the pool testing regardless of vaccination status. Please use this LINK for more details and to complete the electronic consent form. Each student in your household will require an individual consent. The link defaults to Muddy Brook. Select the drop down for your child’s school — Muddy Brook, Du Bois, or Monument Mountain. The video is available in multiple languages–click the link on the top right to choose the language you want.
Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found boxes are overflowing! Please ask your child to stop by the main entrance to check for any lost items. I also still have a phone that belongs to someone. Students should stop by the office to identify phones or small items like jewelry or glasses. After break we will be donating the items in the lost and found to community organizations, so please come by as soon as possible if you know your child is missing something they left at school.
Pre-order your yearbook today!
https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A03463230
Safety and the Pandemic: How to navigate symptoms at home
We are serious about safety here at Du Bois, and appreciate all you do to coach the students on how to keep it safe while here at school and in the community. So far we are in school and able to come every day. Much of that depends on you abiding by our community safety norms–thank you for your help so far and in the future! One way you can do that is to check in with the school nurse, Hilary Bashara, if you are not sure about symptoms and whether to keep your kid home. She can advise on covid protocols, testing and other health questions. When your kid is home sick, please make sure they rest, and we will catch them up on school work when they return: the best cure for being sick is rest, and not worrying about falling behind. For unvaccinated students, if there is a concern about exposure to Covid and the student is symptomless, we are able to support learning during quarantine with materials as the school is directing the student to be home. If a vaccinated student is a close contact they can continue to attend school, while connecting with pediatricians and our health office to ensure the safety of all. If a student, regardless of vaccination status, is positive for Covid we are able to support learning remotely until quarantine is complete and they can safely return.
Long Term Absences
Long term absences are difficult to manage as our curriculum depends on students being present for instruction every day. If you take a student on vacation or on an extended family visit it really interrupts the learning cycle, as we are set up for in-person, community based learning. Please let us know if you are planning a longer absence, as there are Massachusetts rules about extended absences and attendance laws that we have to follow. If a student is out of school for a non-medical reason we will support as best we can when they return. We are not set up to provide learning materials for this as we are an in-person learning community.
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Flyers and School Letters
Flyers and School letters are available on our website at this link: https://mvrms.bhrsd.org/category/families/flyers/
This week’s flyers:
- FREE Family Social-Emotional-Learning Session (Virtual): 2/17/22 at 12 pm
- FREE Glee Club Class–Grades 1-5
Recent flyers:
- YMCA Camp Hi-Rock Virtual Information Session Flyer
- BRIDGE: Lesson Plan and Project for MLK Day 2022
- Winter Project Connection Packet
- Winter Project Connection Packet – en Espanol
- Stateline Youth Wrestling
- Du Bois Middle School 2022 Musical: THE WIZARD OF OZ! (English & Spanish versions)
- Winter Farmer’s Market
- Hancock Holiday Nights
Older flyers:
- Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Information Session
- Community Thanks Supper: BSRCC
- Participate in a Williams College Study on Children’s Thinking
- Girls Basketball Free Clinic Grades 5 and 6
- Fall Arts & Crafts Festival – BSRCC
- Yearbook Club
- Casting Untitled Annie Baker Film
- Housatonic Youth Basketball Registration
- 27th Annual Winter Outerwear Drive
- Ski Butternut Student Application
- FUNK BOX BREAKING: Berkshire Pulse
- Golden Knights House League Registration
- American Red Cross Swim Lessons: BSRCC
- Oct. 2 ThinkFOOD Conference FREE for all students
- Talking to Teens so that they Talk Back
- Flying Cloud Institute: SMArt Kit Flyer
- Parent Child+: Equal Possibilities from the Start
- Yearbook Cover Contest
- Project Connection Fall Packet
- Action Adventures Out of School @ BSRCC
- Ballet Ages 5-8 @ BSRCC
- Berkshire Hills Youth Soccer House League Registration
- Ski Butternut Student & Family Season Pass Application