LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #6 2020-2021

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October 18, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,

I hope you are enjoying another beautiful fall weekend. We are back this week with a full 5 DAYS OF LEARNING!  Let’s see what’s happening …  

PARENT CONFERENCES

Parent conferences will be held virtually on Tuesday, October 27th and Thursday, October 29th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. We are using a computer program called PTC wizard to schedule conferences. Conferences will be 5 minutes long and each teacher will have 48 openings. There is a possibility that a teacher will be booked and you will not be able to schedule a conference with a particular teacher. If that does occur, I encourage you to utilize email, meet individually with the teacher at another time, or schedule a team meeting. I will provide you with a link tomorrow, Monday, October 19th in a separate email that will take you to the website to schedule your parent meetings. You will have until Friday, October 23rd at 3:00 PM to schedule your conferences. If you already have an account, you can log-in. If you do not have an account, you will need to register and create an account. (Instructions will be provided in the email) You will also need to know your child’s teachers’ names in order to schedule the meetings. The site will provide a list of names for you to choose from. Once the teachers have their schedules, they will set up a zoom meeting with you. If you have any questions, please contact me. The site is now open to schedule conferences. Here is the link:

VIRTUAL BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT VIDEOS

Please see the link below for our back to school night videos.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lCrBgc1l-QMIvLggC6JEJRHISbIrdRjdjLOLWkA10yM/edit?usp=sharing

VIRTUAL ABSENCES

We are accounting for all students both when they are in school or at home.

On Wednesdays, attendance will be taken for both cohorts in homeroom at 9:15 on a google meet.

On the days that the cohorts are home, students must attend the support staff meeting with Ms. Rogers for 6th and 7th grade or Mr. Smith for 5th grade. Homeroom teachers will also send out a quick question to ensure that students are present. Attendance will be posted by 2:00 on those days. If your child has been marked “virtually” absent, you will be notified via email the next day.

If your child is going to be absent either virtually or live, please call 978-528-8650 to report the absence. You can leave a voicemail at this number which goes directly to our secretary. Please leave a reason for the absence. You may also email our secretary, Ms. Brewster at nbrewster@billericak12.com 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look but don’t tell you what to see.”
Alexandra K. Trenfor

MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK

Last Week’s Answer: Heather’s math classes are 96 minutes long.

How do like them apples?

The Farmers Market sells apples by the bushel, and each bushel of apples weighs 42 lbs. A bushel of large apples contains 84 apples. If a bushel of small apples contains twice as many apples as a bushel of large apples, how many small apples are in 1 lb. of small apples? 

Thank you for so many answers last week! Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! Your answers will be put into a drawing for a dunkins card!

Congratulations to Gabriella Moreira and Brooke Baldwin for winning the drawing!

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Monday, Tuesday 10/19 and 10/20 – Cohort 1 in school

Wednesday, 10/21– Both Cohorts follow remote schedule (same as last week, see below)

Thursday, Friday 10/22 and 10/23 – Cohort 2 in school

A reminder when hybrid students are home much of the work is asynchronous (not on a google meet). Students should be following their regular schedule. For example, if they have math period 1, they should be doing math work at that time, but they will not be on a google meet. Students should be checking their google classrooms for assignments that have been posted.

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE

On Wednesdays hybrid students in both cohorts will participate in google meets with their classroom teachers. They will follow a similar schedule to their regular in-person one with classes being 30 minutes in length. Our Wednesday schedule will always be the same with students always starting at 9:15. See the attached schedule. Wednesday Student Schedule

 

NEW LIBRARY INFORMATION –Books are still available!

Check out library books from the Locke library! The process for requesting library books online has become even simpler! Using Destiny Discover in your BPS Quick Links, you no longer need to log into the library catalog. Please see Ms. Cabral's updated instruction video on the Locke library website: https://lockemiddlelibrary.weebly.com/video-tutorials.html

Returning library books: Students who still have library books that were checked out last year should please return them to the main office. There will be a library book bin for you to return the books. Late slips will be going out for overdue books this week. Any books that are from elementary school can still be returned in the bin. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Cabral at pcabral@billericak12.com

PTO UPDATE

Our next PTO meeting is on Wednesday, October 21st at 6:30. Please join us! A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent out soon. 

You can keep your family safe while supporting the Locke by ordering one of these handmade masks. They are comfortable, very breathable, and can even be customized! 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/14wR39nyYn6P3oWxdTmSp1TccroW6XEdJkBUdM_OL8dY/edit?usp=drivesdk

UPCOMING DATES

  • PTO Meeting – Wednesday, October 21st, 6:30 PM
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences…October 27 and 29, 2020 – 6:00-8:00 PM
  • Election Day (Staff Development, No School)…Tuesday November 3, 2020
  • School Picture Day – make-ups and remote students … November 4th
  • Veteran’s Day (Holiday- No School)...Wednesday, November 11, 2020
  • Quarter 1 ends (Last day for unified Arts Classes) … November 17, 2020
  • Quarter 2 begins (Unified Arts Classes Change)... November 18, 2020 
  • Half-Day (Staff and Students)......Wednesday, November 25, 2020
  • Thanksgiving Day (Holiday- No School)....Thursday, November 26, 2020
  • Thanksgiving Recess (Holiday- No School)...Friday, November 27, 2020
  • Trimester 1 Ends...Thursday, December 10, 2020
  • Report Cards Published (Trimester 1  & Quarter 1)...December 17, 2020
  • Half-Day (Staff and Students)......Wednesday, December 23, 2020
  • Winter Break (No School).....December 24, 2020 to January 1, 2021)
  • Schools Resume…..Monday, January 4, 2021
  • Quarter 2 ends (Last day for unified Arts Classes)...….January 29, 2021
  • Quarter 3 begins (Unified Arts Classes Change)...February 1, 2021 

If you have any questions, please contact me at tgaras@billericak12.com or call at 978-528-8655. Have a great week!

Warmest regards,

Tony Garas, Principal

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