W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
September 16, 2022
Note from the Principal:
We are excited to see all of you at the Meet the Teams night this coming Tuesday, September 20, from 6:30-8:00 pm. Join us for an informative evening on the school programs for your child’s grade, meet the educators working with your student, and connect with other families. We will start at 6:30 pm in the cafeteria with a short introduction to the school and school year by Ben Doren, our principal, and Miles Wheat, our assistant principal. Then you will go to the neighborhood for your kid’s grade team for a presentation followed by an informal Q&A time with the educators. There will also be time for you to visit Exploratory and Performance Music educators. The night will end at 8:00 pm and Ben will remain for any follow up questions you may have. It is always an informative and enjoyable engagement–we want to meet you!
At the introduction to the evening on Tuesday I will be sharing my thoughts and our work this year on Proficiency Based Learning. All of our educators are helping students be leaders of their own learning by coaching them on what they need to learn by the end of the year. Teachers will make time in the curriculum for students to choose examples of their work to show how they are meeting learning outcomes, called proficiencies in general (and performance indicators in edu-speak!), and reflect on how they did by the end of October. Students will then take those reflections to their Crew, and their Crew Leader will help them put together a presentation that they will share with you at the Student Led Conferences in mid-December. We did this process last year, and got overwhelmingly positive feedback about how helpful it was to have kids explain their learning journey and goals to their family.
We will also take a few minutes to explain our approach this year to Social Emotional Learning. Crew is the center of our program, and is where we discuss important issues relevant to teens and tweens. Later this month we will start a school-wide training for students and staff in Restorative Justice. This is a practice that teaches kids and adults how to talk openly and honestly about difficult topics. We use these restorative practices a lot in Crew so we can learn how to use them in other situations. Most importantly when students disrupt community norms we use these restorative practices to address the harm and repair the hurt–very important skills to learn and practice in middle school!
Please drop me a note if you have feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Be well!
Ben Doren
Principal
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Monday, Sept. 19
Regular School Day
Tuesday, Sept. 20
Regular School Day
Wednesday, Sept. 21
½ Day of School Today–Dismissal at 11:25
Professional Development
Thursday, September 22
Regular School Day
Friday, September 23
Regular School Day
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Project Connection
Fall Project Connection will run from September 26 – December 1. The program descriptions, bus schedules and enrollment form are available to download here:
PC Fall 2022 Descriptions in English
PC Otono 2022 Programes en Espanol
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE ONLINE APPLICATION
Parent Square
Many of you signed up for the new communication system last spring. There is a lot more functionality in the system now that we are using it. I will send a reminder about the system early next week. If you already receive these message, like the Week at a Glance, in the format you like, then you do not have to do anything. But you can change how you get information from the school: these messages can come in an email, or go to your texts, or you can download the ParentSquare app and get alerts. You can choose to get messages immediately, or as a daily digest all at once, at the time you want. ANd you can get messages in any language you choose! Be on the lookout for the update on ParentSquare!
W.E.B. Du Bois Middle School Family Crew
Community Events for Students & Families coming up soon!
¡Eventos comunitarios para estudiantes y familias próximamente!
* Free Webinar with Professor Loretta Ross — Thurs. September 22 @ 6:00 pm – 7:15 pm
“Calling In Not Calling Out: A Conversation for Divided Times”
Register online to receive the Zoom link — https://www.berkshireahec.org/training-event/calling-in-not-calling-out-a-conversation-for-divided-times/
Loretta Ross is a human rights activist and professor at Smith College in Northampton, MA. Her talk will address the problems of “cancel culture” in social media, news media, local and national politics, and will introduce her idea of “calling in” to create learning opportunities, growth and connection during times of conflict.
Watch her TED Talk on “Calling In” here — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_720iQDss
* Youth Latinx Festival – THIS Sat. 9/17 @ Great Barrington Skate Park, 60 Bridge St. 1:00 – 7:00pm
* Festival Latino of the Berkshires – NEXT Sat. 9/24 @ GB Town Hall Green Park & St. James Place arts center 12:00 – 6:00p
Scholastic Book Fair is here!!
September 19-23 – in the school library (but you can start purchasing online 9/16). Students can visit during crew time and some classes. The Fair is also open during MEET THE TEAMS night on Tuesday, 9/20. A portion of all proceeds help us buy more books for the school library!
To support your student’s love of books:
- Visit the Book Fair homepage for info about all things book fair: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/duboisrms
- Please set up an e-wallet for your child to eliminate the need to bring cash to school! This also makes purchases faster and easier for the library staff.
- Families who wish to may also donate to the DBM “Book Fairy” account–money used to be sure EVERY child in grades 5-8 who wants a book can buy one. (The account here says it’s for DBM Teacher 8th grade, but it’s actually for everyone!). We already have $115 in this account–thank you, book fairies!!
- To volunteer, please fill out this form!
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REMINDERS:
Lunch Menu https://dbrms.bhrsd.org/food/lunch/
School Calendar 2022-2023 https://www.bhrsd.org/school-calendar-2022-23/
Heart and Sole
Calling 5th-7th grade girls!! Heart & Sole is back! Let’s grow and learn about ourselves while strengthening our minds and bodies. Practices are on Tuesday & Thursday from 3-5pm, beginning on September 13th.
For any questions email:
Coach April- ashoskeer@gmail.com
Coach Ullrich- Krista.ullrich@bhrsd.org
Handicapped parking spaces
In the front of our building we have a designated parking spot for people with disabilities. People who park or idle in that spot must have a plate or placard allowing them to park in this designated spot. Please do not park or idle in this spot, or block it, if you do not have a permit.
Student Information Report
It is very important that you review the student information report enclosed in the mailing we sent to you. Make any necessary changes by crossing out incorrect information and adding updated information. Then sign the report, whether you have made changes or not. Please return to the main office before school starts or to your child’s Crew Leader on the first day of school. We will make any updates in PowerSchool. On the first day of school you will receive a folder with information and forms, picture packages, and more.
Bus Routes
Here is a link to the bus routes.
Team School Supply Lists
Message from Massini Bus Company
Transportation is provided for in district students from home to school and back. Some students may need to gather at group stops.
Family choice for student name and identity
Massachusetts now allows for families to tell their child’s school to use a different name for a student that is not the same as the name on the birth certificate and other legal documents. Please use this form to tell us at the middle school that you want us to use a name for your child that is different from the legal documents we have from when you enrolled them at the school or in the district. We will update our Student Information System, PowerSchool, with the information you tell us to use, so your child’s name appears as you direct. If this is a legal name change, please provide the documents to us so we can make the update for the legal name of the student. Email ben.doren@bhrsd.org if you have any questions about this form or this process.
Form in English: https://forms.gle/PALB99wyuE29gW1Z7
Forma en Español: https://forms.gle/jcFoaQAB8KkGPWhH6
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Flyers and School Letters
Flyers and School letters are available on our website at this link: https://dbrms.bhrsd.org/category/families/flyers/
This week’s flyers:
- Festival Latino
- Latinx Festival–English and Spanish versions
- RSYP Bilingual Club–English and Spanish versions
Recent flyers:
- Great Barrington Libraries Newsletter
- Du Bois Yearbook Cover Contest for 8th Grade Students
- Babysitter Training: BSRCC
- Free Story Walk and Live Bilingual Concert @ The Mount, Sun. 9/11/22
- Heart and Sole
- Berkshire HorseWorks Fall Programs
- Ski Butternut Student & Family Season Pass Application
- BCAC Elf Warm Clothing Program applications due 9/30
Older flyers:
- Free School Supplies from Berkshire Money Management
- School Supply Lists
- Bus Routes
- Family Forum in Spanish
- Family Forum in English
- Blue Rider Pony Rides for Rico
- Read-Learn-Play: Wingmaster’s
- The Children’s Attic Fall/Winter Consignment Sale