LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #29 2022-2023
April 2, 2023
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
I hope you are having a great weekend as we started the month of April. I hope you didn’t get fooled on Saturday! We are back with another busy week and 5 DAYS OF LEARNING! Let’s see what’s happening …
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“On World Autism Awareness Day, there is a global recognition not only of autism, but also the immense potential of persons with autism” — Imran Khan
SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday – D Day – Autism Awareness Day (wear blue or rainbow colors), HW Club, Late Buses
Tuesday – A Day – MCAS, ELA SESSION I
Wednesday – B Day – MCAS, ELA SESSION II, HW Club, Late Buses
Thursday – C Day – No after-school programs or late buses
Friday – No School
MCAS TESTING BEGINS THIS WEEK
Parents, Guardians, and Students,
It is that time of year again and students will be taking the MCAS exam this week in English Language Arts. All MCAS testing will be done on Chromebooks.
The MCAS exam gives all students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned and how much they have grown as learners. It is important for our school and community to ensure that all students do their best work. The testing can be stressful for students and as a staff we work diligently to provide a positive environment. Here are some reminders for parents and students:
- Be Positive
- Make sure your child attends school on every testing day
- Make sure your child arrives on time at 7:30 AM
- Students need to charge Chromebooks every night.
- Students need to bring their school-issued Chromebook and charger to school each day.
- Emphasize that the tests are important and give students a chance to demonstrate learning.
- Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast prior to testing.
MCAS is based on the common core and all of our curricula have been aligned to ensure that the work being done in our classrooms every day meets the standards. If you have any questions regarding MCAS, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I thank you once again in advance for helping our students navigate through the testing season and demonstrating that the Locke is a great place to learn and grow.
AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THIS WEEK
Due to no school on Friday, there are no after-school programs or late buses on Thursday, April 6th.
7th GRADE – YEARBOOK INFORMATION
The Grade 7 yearbook google classroom is open for all 7th-grade students to submit information for the book. ( in 20 years and remember when)
Please join the google classroom The code is: mxyxkys
Anyone who would like to work on the yearbook can email Ms. Milner @ Dmilner@billericak12.com by Friday, April 7.
TRIMESTER 2 REPORT CARDS
Report Cards were published to Aspen on Monday, March 27th at 2:00 PM. We ask parents to sign the report card envelope to indicate that they have seen the report.
PTO FUNDRAISERS
The Penny War is over! Thank you for your donations. The results are in! The homeroom winners are:
Grade 5 -- Ms. Gagne, 245
Grade 6 -- Ms. Ternullo, 114
Grade 7 -- Ms. Fournier, 231
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
MCAS CALENDAR 2023
Please see the attached calendar for MCAS testing dates this year.
MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
April Fools!
Follow the steps:
- Write down a three-digit number.
The first and third digits must differ by more than one. - Now reverse the digits to form a second number.
- Subtract the smaller number from the larger one.
- Now reverse the digits in the answer you got in step 3 and add it to that number.
- Multiply the number by one million.
- Subtract 733,361,573
- Magic code
Under each of the digits in your answer, write the letter which corresponds to it using the following table:
0 - Y
1 - M
2 - P
3 - L
4 - R
5 - O
6 - F
7 - A
8 - I
9 – B - What does it spell when you read it backward?
Last Week’s Answer: 9 different combinations of flavors
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 Why is everyone so tired on April 1? – Beacuse they just finished a 31-day March!
This Week: What did the donkey say on April 1st?
7th GRADE FAMILIES
Hello Current Grade 7 Families,
Your student is cordially invited to join me on an exciting educational trip to Belize in 2025 with our partners at "Education First". Space is limited and comes on a first-come, first-serve basis for these trips. Our trip had 25 spots reserved by EF and they had already started to fill up, so we do expect the remaining spots to be claimed very quickly. The most important thing to note is that the early enrollment discount and Risk-Free Enrollment is available until Friday, April 7th at midnight. To sign-up with just a $95 deposit, please visit the tour website below or call EF’s Traveler Support team at (800) 665-5364 M-F, 9 am – 5:00 pm. As a reminder, under our Risk-Free Enrollment period, you can sign up with the option to change your mind and get a 100% refund for 14 days after enrollment. This is a great opportunity to lock in your spot and the best pricing before the trip fills, and then take the weekend/week to think on it. All of the trip information and details can be found in the link below...
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out - EF's help center website is a great resource to get started or you can always call them directly at their Traveler Support number: 800-665-5364 with questions or help enrolling.
Thank you all so much – I am so excited for this adventure and to having something to look forward to!
Sincerely,
Dawn Gardner
Science Teacher at BMHS
NEWSLETTER REMINDERS
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.
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.
- Clean-up/Green Up is on April 22, 2023. Please see the attached flyer.
UPCOMING DATES – ALL DATES ARE ON OUR WEBSITE
- Monday, March 27th – Trimester 2 Grades Published
- Tuesday, April 4th – ELA MCAS SESSION 1 – ALL Grades
- Wednesday, April 5th – ELA MCAS SESSION 2 – ALL Grades
- Friday, April 7th – No School
- Monday, April 10th – Locke Site Council Meeting, 5:00 PM, Library
- Tuesday, April 11th – Day 135, Last day of quarter 3
- Wednesday, April 12th – Start quarter 4 unified arts classes
- Wednesday, April 12th – Group Pictures
- Wednesday, April 12th – PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM-Library
- April 17th- April 21st – Spring Break, No School
- Monday, April 24th – Return to School
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