LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #9 2020-2021
November 8, 2020
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
What a beautiful weekend! I hope you were able to get outside and enjoy the warm temperatures. It was just last week we were talking about snow. Only in New England … A quick thank you to staff and families as we continue to adapt to new ways of learning during the pandemic. We appreciate your continued patience and support. We are back this week with 4 DAYS OF LEARNING! We have a lot going on. Let’s see what’s happening …
REMINDERS
We have been doing a great job with wearing our masks and social distancing. Please continue to follow our protocols as we enter late fall and the upcoming winter. Thank you so much for your cooperation.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.
– Malala Yousafzai
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th – No School
There will be no school on Wednesday, November 11th – Veterans Day – Thank you to all of our veterans for their dedicated service to our country.
VIRTUAL TURKEY TOSS
Every year we have a fundraiser for the Billerica Food Pantry. We gather in the gym to fling turkeys through the air for fun and prizes! This year we are going virtual, of course. Please see the attached flyer for more details.
STUDENT COUNCIL
Students, if you are interested in being on the student council please see the attached information and fill out the form.
I-READY ASSESSMENT
Thank you so much to parents for your help with students taking the assessments at home. Your assistance I greatly appreciated. We have almost 100% participation. If students have not finished their I-ready assessments, they must complete them this week.
MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
Last Week’s Answer: December 2, 2021 20211202 and March 2, 2030 20300302
Number Trick!
Try this and see how it works:
Step 1: | Pick a number |
Step 2: | Double it |
Step 3: | Add 5 |
Step 4: | Multiply by 50 |
Step 5: | If you've had your birthday this year, add 1770, or, if you've not yet had your birthday this year, add 1769 |
Step 6: | Subtract the year of your birth |
You should end up with a number that is a combination of the number you started with followed by your age. For example, if you are 12 and you start with the number 27, the result you should end up with is 2712. Try this on someone else. Can you explain why it always works?
Thank you for so many answers last week! Congratulations to Andrew Quinn and Antoun Saadeh for winning the drawing 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!
PTO UPDATE AND FALL FUNDRAISER
Our next PTO meeting is on Wednesday, November 18th at 6:30. Please join us! A Zoom link to the meeting will be sent out soon.
Tuesday, November 10th kicks off our Fall Fundraiser with Raise Craze! Get pledges for Random Acts of Kindness! Help your neighbor with yard work, bake cookies for the teachers, lift someone's spirits this November - we definitely all need it this year!
If we reach our goal of 1000 random acts of kindness and/or $5k pledged, Mr. Garas has something Craze- y up his sleeve!
Look out for your email on Tuesday for more information! I can't wait to see what we can do as a school!!!
PARENT RESOURCES
Parents, please see the link for a video with some great tips for motivating students in the remote environment.
7 Tips for Motivating Students During Remote Learning
FLU SHOTS
As you know, all students are required to have a flu shot by December 31, 2020. Please send your child’s flu shot information to our school nurse: Janice Roberts, jroberts@billericak12.com
TRANSITIONS
We are establishing a more structured timeframe for making student transitions between models of instruction. (hybrid to remote or remote to hybrid) Transitions will now take place on the Monday of the 1st week of each month. Any requests that are submitted prior to the 15th of the month will take place on the 1st of the following month. Please send requests to Mr. Garas, tgaras@billericak12.com
Requests Submitted | Transition Date |
October 26 – November 15 | November 30 |
November 16 – December 15 | January 4 |
December 16 – January 15 | February 1 |
January 16 – February 15 | March 1 |
February 16 – March 15 | March 29 |
March 16 – April 15 | May 3 |
No requests accepted after April 15 | |
PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION FOOD DRIVE
Billerica Partners for Education (BPE) is not hosting a Billerica Turkey Trot this year due to the current conditions. However, rather than cancel this event, BPE decided to use the platform to help families in need.
To that end, BPE is partnering with the Billerica Community Food Pantry to host a Giving Thanks Food Drive!
Saturday, November 14, 2020
10 AM - 1 PM
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
70 Concord Rd, Billerica, MA 01821
Please see the link for more information and to sign-up to donate items. We are having a friendly competition between schools to see who can donate the most items. Go Locke!
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
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://
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
UPCOMING DATES
- Veteran’s Day (Holiday- No School)...Wednesday, November 11, 2020
- Turkey Toss sales in homeroom 11/12 – 11/17 (see flyer attached)
- 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