LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #23 2022-2023
February 12, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
I hope you are enjoying the warm weather this weekend. What a difference a week makes. Happy Super Bowl Sunday and Happy Valentine’s Day! We have one more week until winter break and we have a busy 5 DAYS OF LEARNING ahead this week! Let’s see what’s happening …
We will not publish the newsletter next week. Have a great vacation!!
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The soul that is within me no man can degrade.” – Frederick Douglass (an abolitionist who fought against slavery)
SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday – B Day – Activities, HW Club, Late Buses
Tuesday – C Day
Wednesday – D Day – Activities, HW Club, Late Buses
Thursday – A Day – Activities, HW Club, Late Buses
Friday – B Day – Faculty/Student Basketball Game
SPIRIT WEEK IS HERE!
Spirit week will be the week of February 13th – 17th. Please see the attached themes for the week.
CARNATION SALES
Carnations will be sold on Monday and Tuesday during lunch. The cost is $2 each.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY CAR PICK-UP
Car pick-up for after-school activities will be at 2:45. If you are picking up, enter and exit via Urban Street and loop around the circle as we do for regular car pick-up. Students can enter cars between the two crosswalks.
QUARTER 2 UNIFIED ARTS GRADES
Quarter 2 ended on January 27th. The following courses are on a 45-day schedule this year: art, drama, health, music, shop, and technology. Final grades for quarter 2 classes were posted to ASPEN and will appear on the trimester 2 report card issued in March.
LATE BUS PICK-UP
Students will report to the cafeteria for late bus pick-up. Late bus runs will run on every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The buses usually arrive at the Locke at 3:10 PM. We have 3 late buses. The late buses have different stops than the usual routes. Please review the attached routes with students.
HOOPS FOR HEART TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER
Our Physical Education staff is having a fundraiser for the American Heart Association. Our annual basketball tournament is back during spirit week. Students were sent home with collection forms this week.
MCAS CALENDAR 2023
Please see the attached calendar for MCAS testing dates this year.
LOCKE FAMILY NIGHTS
Please see the attached flyer for Locke family night for the Harlem Globetrotters.
PTO CORNER
The PTO welcomes all families to the Locke. We will be meeting monthly to plan several events throughout the year. We are always looking for volunteers to help plan great programs that will benefit our students. Please email us at billericalockepto@gmail.com
MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
Same problem as last week – We need more answers!
A Dicey Situation
Jamie made up a new dice game. Two players each roll an ordinary six-sided die. Of the two numbers showing, the smaller is subtracted from the larger.
Scoring:
- If the difference is 0, 1, or 2, player A gets 1 point.
- If the difference is 3, 4, or 5, player B gets 1 point.
The game ends after 12 rounds. The player with the most points wins the game. If you were given the choice of being Player A or Player B, which would you pick, assuming you want to win? Hint: There are 36 ways the dice can be rolled. Remember to explain all the steps you use in making your decision.
Last week’s answer: -- 24,000 feet
Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! You can win a Dunkins gift card and the highly coveted math certificate!!
RIDDLE OF THE WEEK
Last week’s answer: What do snowmen eat for lunch? – Icebergers!
This Week: "What do you tell a pig on February 14?"
NEWSLETTER REMINDERS
HOMEWORK CLUB
HW club will continue throughout the school year. It will meet in the library every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:45 – 2:45. Students do not need to sign up ahead of time for HW club. Students will report to the library immediately after school and sign in. Students can attend as many days as the parent/student believes are necessary. Students are expected to stay for the full hour.
CHROMEBOOKS
Students are required to bring their school-issued Chromebooks to school every day. It is important that students remember to bring their Chromebooks every day. We have only a few in the office to let students borrow. Students should charge their Chromebooks overnight. All teachers will be setting up a google classroom for their students where assignments will be posted and where assignments can be turned in electronically. If your child does not have a Chromebook, please contact the main office at 978-528-8650. We also highly recommend purchasing a protective case for the Chromebook.
BUS ASSIGNMENTS
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 there is an emergency reason that a student needs to ride another bus, please contact Mr. Peters.
The bus routes for the year are located on the district website:
https://www.billericak12.com/
If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com -- 978-528-8654
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
FROM THE BILLERICA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Wanted! Substitute Teachers!
If you are looking to earn additional income and need a flexible schedule, then Substitute Teaching may be the perfect part-time job for you! Please visit our website at www.billericak12.com and go under 'Human Resources' and 'Employment Opportunities" to apply.
Wanted! Paraprofessionals!
We are looking for full-time paraprofessionals to provide hands-on support to teachers when preparing lessons. These are full-time positions with benefits. Please visit our website at www.billericak12.com and go under 'Human Resources' and 'Employment Opportunities" to apply.
Wanted! Substitute Cafeteria Workers!
Great opportunity for on-call part-time work. These positions are approximately 3 hours a day and perfect hours for those who need a flexible schedule. Please visit our website at www.billericak12.com and go under 'Human Resources' and 'Employment Opportunities" to apply.
FROM THE COMMUNITY
- The Billerica Recreation Department has many great programs for all ages. Please see the department website.
- The boys and girls club has great opportunities for our students. Please see the club website.
UPCOMING DATES – ALL DATES ARE ON OUR WEBSITE
- Monday, February 13th – Locke School Site Council, 5:00 PM – Library
- February 13th, 14th – Carnation Sales --$2 each
- Monday, February 13th -- Globetrotter Game
- February 13th – 17th – Spirit Week, Hoops for Heart
- February 20th – 24th – Winter Break
- Monday, February 27th – Return to School
- Wednesday, March 1st – 6A Field Trip
- Thursday, March 2nd – 6B Field Trip
- Tuesday, March 7th – Early Release Day – 11:40 AM Dismissal
- Monday, March 13th – School Site Council, 5:00 PM – Library
- Monday, March 13th – PTO, 6:30 PM – Library
- Tuesday, March 14th – 7th grade BMHS assembly
- Friday, March 17th – Day 120, Last Day of Trimester 2
- March 20th -- 24th – Book Fair
- Week of March 20th – Last week of Activities
- Friday, March 24th – Spring Dance
- Friday, March 24th – Trimester 2 Grades Published
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