LIFE AT THE LOCKE … Issue #11 2024-2025
November 11, 2024
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all those who have served to protect our country. We are back with only 4 DAYS OF LEARNING this week, but we still have a busy schedule ahead as usual. Let’s see what’s happening …
FOLLOW US ON X @LockeMiddle and INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears their country’s cause.” – Abraham Lincoln
SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday – No School, Veterans Day
Tuesday – C Day
Wednesday – D Day – Advisory Schedule, HW Club, Activities, Parent Conferences 6:00-8:00 PM (in-person)
Thursday – A Day – HW Club, Activities, PTO Meeting 6:30 PM
Friday – B Day
TALENT SHOW
We will be having a talent show on Wednesday, November 20th at 6:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased at the door.
PARENT CONFERENCES
Parent conferences for the Locke and Marshall will be held Wednesday, November 13th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. We have many openings still available for Wednesday night. All conferences are in-person.
We are using a computer program called PTC Wizard to schedule conferences.
The link to schedule conferences is open. See the link below.
https://app.ptcwizard.com/
If you already have an account from last year, you can log-in. If you do not have an account, you will need to register and create an account.
- You will need to know your child’s teachers’ names in order to schedule the meetings. The site will provide a list of names for you to choose from.
- For ensembles, the teachers will split the days between the Locke and Marshall.
- Orchestra – Ms. Cardella will not be available, Ms. Harmon Locke on 11/6, Marshall 11/13
- Band -- Locke on 11/13, Marshall 11/6
- Chorus -- Locke on 11/6, Marshall 11/13
- If you have any questions or difficulty scheduling conferences, please contact me – tgaras@billericak12.com
THE TURKEY TOSS IS COMING ...
Turkeys will be flying again in the Locke gym. We are raising money for the Billerica Food Pantry and Hurricane Relief in Florida. We are starting to collect donations next week. Please see the attached for more information.
QUARTER 1 ENDS
Thursday, November 7th was the forty-fifth day of school and the end of the first quarter. The following courses are on a 45-day schedule this year: art, drama, health, music, shop, and computer science. Students have begun their quarter two classes. Final grades for quarter 1 classes will be posted to ASPEN by Thursday, November 14th and will appear on the trimester 1 report card issued in December.
LOCKE HOLIDAY TREE
The PTO is looking for donations for the Locke tree at the Billerica Holiday Tree Raffle. The theme is musicals. Please see the attached flyer for more details.
HOMEWORK CLUB
HW Club will continue throughout the 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. Parent pick-up at 2:45 is required.
LOCKE SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL
Our school council met on November 4th last week. Please see the minutes of the meeting. All related documents for the council can be found on our website.
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION
Our school is participating in Box Tops for Education, which means that you can earn cash with the products you already buy that can be used for our students! Here’s how you can help:
1. Download the Box Tops app on your phone and follow instructions on how to set up an account and sign up to support our school. Use referral code TD580QUF to earn bonus box tops which means extra money for our school!
2. Shop as you normally would. There are hundreds of participating products that help our school earn money! Look for the Box Tops logo on product packages and download a full list of participating products at BTFE.com/products.
3. Use the app to snap a photo of your receipt or submit it digitally within 14 days of purchase. The app will identify any Box Tops participating products and credit them to our school. You can also connect your Box Tops and Walmart accounts. Once your accounts are connected, your school will get credit for any Box Tops products you buy at Walmart when you pay with the saved payment method in your Walmart wallet.
4. Twice a year, our school will get a check! Help us give students what they need to succeed. Let’s see how much we can earn!
SEE THE ATTACHED FLYER FOR MORE INFORMATION
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 see the minutes from our last meeting. Our future meeting dates have been set. Please see the attached list. Our next meeting is Thursday, November 14th at 6:30 PM in the Locke Library.
Our board members are:
Andrea Toomey -- President
Amit Gandhi -- Vice-President
Jacqui Chaffins -- Treasurer
Katie Malone – Secretary
We also have a new Facebook page – “Billerica Locke PTO”. Click on the link below to take you there:
https://www.facebook.com/
LOCKE GEAR FOR SALE
The PTO is now selling Locke gear. Please see the attached flyer with the link to the store.
BILLERICA PRIDE APPAREL
Billerica Apparel just in time for the holidays! All orders must be in by November 18th. Please see the attached flyer to be directed to the online store link. If you have any questions please reach out to Nicole Viselli nviselli@billericak12.
MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK #8
Mini-Golf
Gerry is going mini golfing at Kimball’s Farm with his family. For his family of 5 to play it costs $34. They were charged for three student tickets and two adult tickets. If a student ticket costs 3/4 as much as an adult ticket costs, how much does one student ticket cost and how much is an adult ticket?
Last Week’s Answer: 8120 leaves are in the pile Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! Congrats to last week’s winners: Samantha Shubin, Diego Nanda, Gianna Maragioglio, Stanley Tran
RIDDLE/JOKE OF THE WEEK
This week – 1. What did the beach say when the tide came in? 2. What happened when the teacher told a bad chemistry joke?
Last week’s Answer -- 1. Which month of the year are bakers the busiest of all? Dough – vember 2. What is the best month to go boating? – Row – vember!
BMHS ROBOTICS – Opportunity for K-5th graders
On Saturday, November 16th, the BMHS robotics team is sponsoring an event for K-5th graders. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
REMINDERS
SCHOOL TIMES
School starts promptly at 7:30. Students should be in their homeroom at 7:30. The car drop-off time for students is 7:10 -- 7:25. Students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:10. From 7:10 – 7:20, students that enter the building will be supervised in the cafeteria. Students will not be allowed in before 7:10 AM.
CAR DROP-OFF
Student car drop-off will be in the lower lot beginning at 7:10. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIT CARS UNTIL 7:10. Parents are to enter VIA URBAN ST (off Baldwin Road), drop students off at the sidewalk, make a U-turn, and exit via Urban Street.
Parents, please do not enter from Allen Road in the morning. The Allen Road entrance is only for school buses.
DISMISSAL
Walkers and pick-ups are dismissed at 1:50 after the buses depart.
TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR DISMISSAL
Parents enter via Urban Street and line up in lower circle. After the buses leave, parents are to pull around circle in a SINGLE file line to pick up children. The pick-up zone is between the two crosswalks. This is the only place we would like children picked up. We do not want children stepping in front of cars to be picked up. Please keep the line single file.
PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP STUDENTS IN THE LOWER LOT.
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 secretaries, Ms. Brewster at nbrewster@billericak12.com and Lucy O’Brien at lobrien@billericak12.com
CELL PHONE POLICY
Our cell phone policy is that all student phones/smart watches are to be kept in student lockers and turned off for the duration of the school day. If parents need to contact students, please contact the main office.
CHROMEBOOKS AND GOOGLE CLASSROOMS
Students are required to bring their school-issued Chromebooks to school every day beginning on the 1st day of school. 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. Fifth-grade students who did not pick up a Chromebook will be sent home with the paperwork for parents to sign. Please return it with your child and we will issue them a Chromebook.
BUS ASSIGNMENTS
Students who 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.
The bus routes for the year are listed at this link.
If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com -- 978-528-8654
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Our school nurse is Janice Roberts – jroberts@billericak12.com
- Students may drop off EpiPens, inhalers, and any over-the-counter medications.
- A parent or guardian must drop off any prescription medications.
- All medications need to be accompanied by a medication order from the student's physician and with either an Anaphylaxis Action Plan or Asthma Action Plan as applicable
- If families need copies of these forms they can be found on the Billerica Public Schools website: https://www.
billericak12.com/departments/ health-services-wellness/ school-nursing
Also, as a reminder:
ALL 7th GRADE STUDENTS must submit proof of TDaP (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) and MCV4 (meningitis) vaccines, as well as an UPDATED physical exam, by 9/30/24
LUNCH/BREAKFAST
All breakfast and lunches are free to all students again this year. Students will be receiving a 4 digit pin code that they will need to use when they get breakfast or lunch. Breakfast will be served every day and it will be “grab and go”. Students can grab a breakfast in the cafeteria when they come in and then report to homeroom. They can eat breakfast in homeroom.
UPCOMING DATES
- Monday, November 11th – No School, Veterans Day
- Wednesday, November 13th – Parent Conferences 6:00-8:00 PM
- Wednesday, November 20th – Talent Show, 6:00 PM Auditorium
- Thursday, November 14th – PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM Library
- Thursday, November 21st – Ice Cream Social, 6:00 Cafeteria
- Wednesday, November 27th – Half Day, 10:40 Dismissal, Turkey Toss
- Thursday, Friday November 28th and 29th – Thanksgiving Recess, No School
- Monday, December 2nd – School Council Meeting, 5:00 PM Library
- Tuesday, December 3rd – Day 60 End of Trimester 1
- Monday, December 9th – Orchestra Concert at Marshall 7:00 PM
- Tuesday, December 10th – Student School Committee Presentation 6:00 PM
- Wednesday, December 11th – PTO Meeting 6:30 PM Library
- Wednesday, December 11th – Band Concert at Marshall 7:00 PM
- Thursday, December 12th – Chorus Concert at BMHS 7:00 PM
- Thursday, December 12th – Trimester 1 Report Cards Published
- December 16th through 20th – Book Fair
- Thursday, December 19th – 7th Grade Field Trip
- Friday, December 20th – Half Day 10:40 Dismissal
- December 23rd through January 1st – Holiday Recess
- Thursday, January 2nd – 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