LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #25 2021-2022

-

March 6, 2022

Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,

I hope you had a great weekend. It is a busy time of year as we wait for Spring to arrive. We are back with 5 DAYS OF LEARNING this week! Let’s see what’s happening …

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school

LOCKE WEBSITE

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Accentuate the positive, not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.” — Betty White

UPDATE -- COVID 19 PROTOCOLS

  • IMPORTANT – NEW MASK GUIDELINES
    • DESE and the Billerica Public Schools have lifted the mask mandate in school and on the bus effective Monday, February 28th. We will continue to have discussions with students to ensure that all students and staff feel safe with respect to their mask choices. Our conversations will emphasize our core values of Respect, Responsibility, and Safety. Students can revisit our expectations on pages 2, 3, and 4 of the agenda book.
    • Students that return to school after having COVID-19 will be required to wear a mask in school for 5 days (or until day 10 from symptom onset) and isolate during lunch.
  • Every 2 weeks we will pass out COVID tests to students to take home. The box contains 2 tests. We recommend that students test each Sunday moving forward. If you did not sign up already and want to receive a test kit on the next distribution, please complete the form by clicking on the link below.
  • Our weekly routine COVID testing continues in school on Tuesdays. If you gave consent for your child to be tested, this will occur every Tuesday moving forward. If you have not completed the consent form and wish your child to be tested, please see the link:
  • We will no longer be tracing close contacts in school.
  • Please report all positive cases to our school nurse Ms. Roberts (jroberts@billericak12.com ) and Mr. Garas. (tgaras@billericak12.com ). Test results can be sent in by paper copy, e-mailed after scanning, sending screenshots, or taking pictures of at-home tests. Students can return to school following a positive test result after isolating for a minimum of 5 days following either symptom onset or a positive test result via a PCR or antigen test (this is day 0 of quarantine). This includes over the counter home tests; please e-mail an image of at-home tests. Students can return on day 6 if they are fever-free (and diarrhea, vomiting, headache-free, etc.) for 24 hours without the use of medication, have improving symptoms, or have been asymptomatic.
  • If on Day 6, your child is still not feeling well, please do not send them to school. Please keep them home until they have improved symptoms.  Also, please do not send your student to school in the morning to receive a Covid test if they are not feeling well. School nurses cannot function as testing sites during this time.

EARLY RELEASE – Tuesday, March 8th  

Tuesday, March 8th is an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 11:40 AM

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Monday – A Day, Activities, HW Club, late buses

Tuesday – B Day, Early Release Dismissal at 11:40, Pool Testing, 7th grade assemblies

Wednesday – C Day – Activities, HW Club, late buses, Locke Council – 5:00 PM, PTO 6:30 PM

Thursday – D Day – Activities, HW Club, late buses

Friday – A Day

7th GRADE ASSEMBLIES

On Tuesday, March 8th BMHS representatives will talk with 7th grade students about the transition to 8th grade.

AUTISM ACCEPTANCE T-SHIRTS – NEW DESIGN

Friday, April 1st is Autism Acceptance Day at the Locke. Please see the attached flyer if you would like to order a t-shirt to celebrate the occasion. Send the form to the main office.

LATE BUSES

Late buses continue this week and will run on every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The buses usually arrive at the Locke at 3:10 PM. We have 3 late buses. Please see the attached routes. Please let students know their bus number. Students will wait in the cafeteria until buses arrive.

 

STUDENT REMINDERS

  • Charge Chromebooks at night and bring them to school every day – We only have a few extras left in the office for students to borrow.
  • Bring in a pair of inexpensive headphones to leave in school or your backpack.

 

BUS POLICY

Students that ride the bus can only ride on their assigned bus in the morning and afternoon. Students are not allowed to ride different buses to be with friends after school.

If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com -- 978-528-8654

MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #20

Don’t Lose Your Marbles

Frankie is packing marbles into boxes. She needs to pack away 815 marbles. She has boxes that can hold 10, 25, 50, or 100 marbles. If Frankie can use at most 5 boxes of each size and must fill each box she uses, what is the minimum number of boxes she needs to pack all her marbles?

Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work and explain! I’m still taking answers for last week’s problem. You can win a Dunkins gift card and the highly coveted math certificate!!

PTO CORNER

Our next PTO meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 9th at 6:30 in the library. 

The PTO will sponsor the Book Fair from March 21-March 25. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Tricia LaFauci at Tlafauci@msn.com

We are also looking for help with the following programs:

Special Programs Coordinator

Labels Program (Box Tops, etc.)

School Time Fundraisers 

Scrip Gift Card Program

Scholastic Book Fair

If you are interested in any of these positions, please contact the Locke PTO

Email: billericalockepto@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Locke-PTO-353081482315/

  

ABSENCES

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

UPCOMING DATES

  • Tuesday, March 8th – Early Release, 11:40 Dismissal
  • Tuesday, March 8th – 7th-grade  assemblies with BMHS
  • Wednesday, March 9th – Locke Site Council, 5:00 PM – Library
  • Wednesday, March 9th – PTO Meeting, 6:30 -- Library
  • Friday, March 18th – Trimester 2 Ends
  • After School Activities End – March 21-25
  • Book Fair – March 21-25
  • Friday, March 25th – Report Cards Published

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

Warmest regards,

Tony Garas, Principal

Popular posts from this blog

LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #39 2024-2025

-
June 15, 2025 FINAL EDITION!! Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students, Final Thoughts ...  We are completing another fantastic year at the Locke Middle School. To our families, thank you for the support and commitment that you have given to our staff and your children this year. The educational partnership between home and school is what helps students to grow academically and emotionally. Reflecting on this past school year, I am proud of the accomplishments and growth that our students have made. This year has been filled with learning, discovery, and countless moments of achievement. Whether it was through academic challenges, extracurricular activities, community service, or building meaningful friendships, our students have shown remarkable resilience, curiosity, and character. I wish all of our 7 th  graders (class of 2030!) the best of luck as they move on to BMHS and new learning experiences. It has been an honor and a pleasure working with you for the last three y...
Read more

LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #38 2024-2025

-
June 8, 2025 Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students, I hope you are enjoying the weekend. We are back to work with our last full  5 DAYS OF LEARNING  this week! It is a busy time of year as we head to the end of the school year. Let’s see what’s happening … FOLLOW US ON X @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school LOCKE WEBSITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK “What feels like the end is often the beginning.” – Unknown SCHEDULE THIS WEEK Monday –  A Day  – 5A2 Field Trip, 7 th  Grade to BMHS Tuesday –  B Day  – Field Day! Wednesday –  C Day  –  5A1 Field Trip, Bionic Project for 6 th  grade, PTO Meeting 6:30 PM Thursday –  D Day  – Bionic Project for 6 th  Grade, 7 th  Grade to Canobie Friday –    A Day IMPORTANT PARENT SURVEY Our Locke school council recently presented our school improvement plan to the school committee.  As we developed this plan, we utilized feedback from parents and guardians. ...
Read more

LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #37 2024-2025

-
June 1, 2025 Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students, Happy June! I hope you are enjoying the weekend. We are back with  5 DAYS OF LEARNING  this week! It is a busy time of year as we enter the home stretch. Let’s see what’s happening … FOLLOW US ON X @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school LOCKE WEBSITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. – James Baldwin SCHEDULE THIS WEEK Monday –  D Day  – 5B1 Field Trip Tuesday –  A Day  – 4 th  Grade Step-up day Wednesday –  B Day  –  5B2 Field Trip, 4 th  Grade Step-Up Day, 4 th  Grade parent Orientation 6:00 PM Thursday –  C Day Friday –    D Day  -- BMHS Graduation IMPORTANT PARENT SURVEY Our Locke school council recently presented our school improvement plan to the school committee.  As we developed this plan, we utilized feedback from parents and guardians. Every Spring we ask...
Read more