LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #26 2020-2021

March 21, 2021

Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,

Happy Spring!! I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weekend. It is a busy time of year at the Locke as the warmer weather approaches. We have a short week for students with 4 DAYS OF LEARNING! Let’s see what’s happening …

STATEMENT ON FULL RETURN

We are busy preparing for a full-return of students on Thursday, April 15^th. We are excited to welcome students back to a full five-day schedule. Of course, this brings with it many challenges regarding logistics, the social-emotional needs of students, and meeting all health and safety guidelines. Over the next few weeks as we prepare for the return, we will be communicating with families regarding your choice of model, transportation choices, and with general guidelines for students. We anticipate a safe and rewarding learning experience for all students as we enter this new phase of the school year. I appreciate the efforts of our staff and families as we navigated through many challenges to student learning this past year. As we move forward, please contact me with any questions or concerns.

IMPORTANT SURVEY – Complete by Wednesday, March 24^th

From the superintendent:

Parents/Guardians of Middle School Students:

At the March 15 meeting of the Billerica School Committee, the Committee voted unanimously to move our middle schools from the current hybrid model to a full in-person model, effective Thursday, April 15.  In this model, students attending school in-person will attend school for five (5) full days of school each week.  The district will also continue to run its current full remote model for students throughout the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.  For a further description, please see the letter sent to families at http://tinyurl.com/BPSLetter031321, or the presentation to the School Committee at http://tinyurl.com/BSCPres031521.

As families have a choice in educational model, this form asks families to make a binding choice about what model their children will be in, starting April 15:

INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

By default, students that are currently attending school in-person (either hybrid or 4 days) will move to the full in-person model; students that are currently in full remote will remain in full remote.

This form must be completed by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 24^th.  If the district does not receive a form from you by that time, your child will move to their default model on April 15.

If you have multiple children in middle school, please fill out a separate form for each child.

Thank you, and if you have questions please reach out to either your child’s principal or to me at tpiwowar@billericak12.com.

Tim Piwowar, Superintendent

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

There will be no school for students on Monday, March 22^nd. This is a professional development day for staff.

Tuesday, March 23^rd is the last day of Trimester 2.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." ― Madeleine Albright, 1^st woman Secretary of State

POOLED COVID TESTING

We will continue with Covid testing this week on Tuesday and Friday. Please complete the attached form if you would like your child to participate. For more details, please see the district’s website.

https://forms.gle/iyjDVcLKJQd4i2Np9

NEW CHROMEBOOKS – ALL STUDENTS

All students will be issued a new chromebook and will use it during their time at the Locke Middle School. For many reasons, we want all students to use the school-issued Chromebook. We consider it the same as a class textbook that all students need to have. We hope to issue new chromebooks to all students by the end of the month.

Cohort 1/Cohort 2:

If you have not picked up your Chromebook yet, please bring your paperwork to the main office when you are in school. Please return any district Chromebook and charger if one was issued.

Remote Students:

Remote parents can pick up new Chromebooks on the following Wednesdays in March: March 24^th and March 31^st.

Hours: 7:30 – 3:00.  Please return any district Chromebook and charger if one was issued.

If these days/times do not work for you, please contact the main office at 978-528-8650.

CHROMEBOOK CASES

We are selling cases for the new Chromebooks. Please see this form to order:

Chromebook Case Order Form

 

MCAS TESTING

The state has changed the dates for the MCAS testing window. 5^th graders will be tested between May 10^th and June 11^th. The dates for 6^th and 7^th grade are to be determined. We will have more specifics soon regarding the schedule and logistics. All students, including remote students, are expected to participate in MCAS testing.

SPIRIT WEEK!

We had a great spirit week! Check out some photos on the spirit week padlet:

https://padlet.com/mwells78/50lwozsysnqhnjja

MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK

Last week’s answer: 1. 0 hours (read carefully) 2. 3 3. $105

This week’s problem is the same as last week. We need more submissions!!

HAPPY p DAY!!!

Pi Day was March 14^th – 3.14 …

1. Pi is the ratio of ___________to ___________.
2. What kind of number is Pi? What does this mean?
3. What is the formula for the area of a circle?
4. Bonus: Charlize has a fence around her 15‐foot by 20‐foot garden. If she decides to reconfigure her garden into a circle and she only wants to use the fence she already has to enclose it, what is the area of the largest possible circular garden Charlize could create? Express your answer as a decimal to the nearest hundredth.

Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! Your answers will be put into a drawing for a dunkins card! (and the famous math certificate!)

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

March is Women’s history month. For some ideas on how to celebrate and discuss women’s history with your children, please see the following link:

https://womenshistorymonth.gov/

PTO UPDATE

Hello from the Locke PTO!

Our next PTO meeting is on Wednesday, March 24th at 6:30. 

Join us!

https://meet.google.com/ehf-xyuk-gsn

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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! 

PTO mask orders

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
March 16 – April 15	May 3
No requests accepted after April 15

 

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

UPCOMING DATES

• Professional Development Day – No School March 22^nd
• End of Trimester 2 – March 23^rd
• First Day of Trimester 2 – March 24^th
• PTO Meeting – 6:30 PM
• Report Cards Published – April 1^st
• Autism Awareness Days – March 30^th and April 1^st
• Good Friday – No School, April 2^nd
• Quarter 3 Ends for Unified Arts Classes – April 12^th
• Quarter 4 Begins for Unified Arts Classes – April 13^th
• Both cohorts return – April 15th
• Spring Break – April 19^th – April 23^rd

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