W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
November 4, 2022
Note from the Principal:
We have completed a quarter of the school year, 45 days, this week. In some ways it feels like the school year is just starting, and in other it feels like we have been in the groove for months. Students are moving along through the curriculum, and we are giving them feedback on how they are growing. That is a big part of our program: getting students to be the leaders of their own learning. It is an important growing up process, and takes time, effort and commitment, on the part of the educators and families, and especially the students themselves. We know that students are better learners when they have some control and understanding about their own growth and direction. This is part of the reason we are moving into a way of educating called proficiency based learning. You all heard me talk about it in the Meet the Teams night in September, and in a few missives over the past months. In a few weeks you will be getting a summative report, called our report card, on how your kid has been doing these past nine weeks. Some of the reporting will look familiar–grades and comments–and some will be feedback in a new format–proficiency statements and comments. This approach on feedback is where the district is heading, following in the groove of districts and schools around our state and states that have been doing this for years and even decades. In the coming weeks I will be sharing more reflections on this shift in engaging and supporting students, and always welcome your questions and feedback.
Please drop me a note if you have feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Be well!
Ben Doren
Principal
*****
Monday, November 7
Regular School Day
Tuesday, November 8
No School Today–Full day professional development
Wednesday, November 9
Regular School Day
Thursday, November 10
Regular School Day
Friday, November 11
No School Today–Veterans Day Holiday
*****
Food Drive
Project connection is holding a food drive from now through November 17 to benefit the People’s Pantry in their Great Community Pass. They are taking donations of non-perishable food in cans, jars, and boxes. The donation bin is located next to the main office. Food is a human right and is a great way to help someone immediately. Any donations are greatly appreciated.
W.E.B. Du Bois Middle School Family Crew
Join the monthly Zoom meeting — Wed. 11/9 @ 7pm
All parents & guardians welcome! ¡Todos los padres y tutores son bienvenidos!
Here’s what we’ll be talking about at the Family Crew meeting next week —
- An online parenting workshop on changing screen time behaviors with tweens/teens, led by facilitator Jaime Cooper of Railroad Street Youth Project — join by Zoom for live presentation and Q&A on Tues. 11/15 at 6pm, or watch/listen to a recording later!
(Link to Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86011337202?pwd=emNFYzBqcmdjZXE4WXdQaDZKVTdNdz09
Meeting ID: 860 1133 7202 Passcode: 879243)
- Planning a family social night around the end of the year, a midwinter school-wide community art project, and potential events to coordinate with Du Bois Legacy Days in Jan/Feb.
- Upcoming film screening/discussion of “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” documentary, cosponsored by BHRSD, Lee and Lenox public schools, Tues. 11/29 at 6:30 at Lee H.S.
(link to watch the trailer & sign up to attend — https://www.eventbrite.com/e/who-we-are-film-screening-discussion-tickets-440666664857)
¡Todos son bienvenidos, únete a nosotros! All are welcome — please join us!
Follow this link to join Family Crew online; Siga este enlace para unirse a Family Crew en línea:
Email duboisfamilycrew@gmail.com anytime with questions, ideas, concerns
“Children learn more from what you are than what you teach.” * “Los niños aprenden más de lo que eres que de lo que enseñas.” — Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois
SEPAC/District Online Posting for Parent Orientation
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council, in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be hosting a parent orientation to learn about the upcoming Special Education and Civil Rights review in our district. The parent orientation will
be held at the Berkshire Hills District Office in Stockbridge at 4:00pm on November 10, 2022. Please join us! You may contact Kate Burdsall at Kathryn.burdsall@bhrsd.org with questions about the parent orientation or the review. You may also find this information on our district website. Thank you.
7-8th grade Halloween Harvest Dance
October 28th
6-8 pm at Berkshire South
$5.00 tickets, snacks available for purchase
Costumes welcome – no gore/violence, weapons, or non-medical masks allowed
Tickets will be sold at lunch starting Monday, October 24th by the student council.
Du Bois Library on Instagram
Parents, if you have an Instagram account, please follow the Du Bois Middle School Library! Our handle is @du_bois_ms_library. Here, you’ll find updates and fun posts on exhibits and student work, library lessons and new materials, and all things DBM. Encourage your kids to follow us, too, so they can be in the loop about contests and prizes in the library. It is our policy not to follow back any individual student accounts. – Ms. Guerin, School librarian
*****
REMINDERS:
Bus Routes
Here is a link to the bus routes.
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
*****
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:
- Movie Night Fundraiser for Class of 2024 @ MMRHS for district students, parents and staff
Dine to Donate Nov. 9 and 10 for MMRHS Class of 2024
- “Shine The Light” A Screening and Conversation about Youth Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention
- Project Connection Food Drive
Recent flyers:
- CHP Family Services November Playgroup Schedule
- Girl Scouts
- Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP
- Ski Butternut 22/23 Lesson Program Application
- Ski Butternut 22/23 Student & Family Pass Application
- Southern Berkshire Winter Coat Drive
- Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
- Housatonic Youth Basketball Registration
- Teen Chefs: Learn & Master
- Great Barrington Libraries Newsletter
- CHP Family Resources Oct 2022 Paygroup Schedule
- Truck Day
- Berkshire County Steam Challenge Night
- Community Boxing Gym
- An afternoon of Outdoor Fun for the Special Needs Community Oct. 9
- Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) Tiered Focused Monitoring Review
- YA Author Barbara Newman @ The Mount
- Southern Berkshire Winter Coat Drive
- Cub Scouting for Boys and Girls K-5
- Yearbook staff needed
- Halloween Painting Contest
- Housatonic Party in the Park
Older flyers:
- Festival Latino
- Latinx Festival–English and Spanish versions
- RSYP Bilingual Club–English and Spanish versions
- 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
- 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