Student & Family Update

I hope that you are looking forward to a restful weekend. Cross fingers for our first full week of 2023 next week!!!!

Here are updates and news for this week:

• Parent's Night Out cancelled for tonight - we will communicate when this will be rescheduled.
• Monday, January 30th report cards in Aspen
• It is time to ask for Q2 Care provider/ Family feedback - How is MTRS doing? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts: Link . This survey was shared in the newsletter last week and was emailed to all families on Tuesday of this week. It will be open until Feb 1st. Summative results will be shared at the school committee meeting on February 8th.
• Students and care providers have already been contacted but as a reminder, Grade 9 Semester 1 will be taking MCAS Biology on Feb 1st. & 2nd. Grade 9 Semester 2 students will take Biology MCAS in June (See the MCAS schedule below)

Best wishes

Chris

Upcoming dates

• Jan 30th: Q2 and S1 reports in Aspen

• Feb 1st - First day of Black History Month

• Feb 15th - College and Career Future Fair Event at MTRS

• Feb 20-24 - No School: February break

• March 29th - District Celebration of Learning

AP and MCAS Schedule :Link

Academic Calendar: Link (Please note that Q3 started on January 25th and subsequent dates have yet to be adjusted for snow days. Thanks for your understanding.)

Theatre Updates: For more information and news on Guys and Dolls: Link

The most important part of a classroom experience isn't the setting or course materials, it is the talent of the teacher in front of the student.

Students in grades 7, 8, 9 and 10 will participate in hands-on learning designed to help them make the most of their time in high school and set themselves up for a bright future.

Through an expo-style fair, students will "choose their own adventure", exploring different pathways to college and career, and learn about opportunities in high school that will open doors to new pursuits.

The event will include a select panel of diverse college representatives that will answer everything from, "What kinds of colleges exist, and how do I choose the right one?" to "How do I pay for college?" to "What should I be doing now to figure out what I want to do later?"

Throughout the event students will have the chance to meet:

• Representatives from public, private, community and technical colleges

• Career professionals and nonprofit leaders from a wide-range of industries and government agencies

• High school teachers that will highlight impactful programming for student development, such as the Senior Capstone and Civics Project

• Guidance counselors to share about scholarships, course selection, and college-planning

• Coaches, club advisers and student leaders showcasing activities that enrich the secondary experience

• Vocational school representatives detailing secondary programs

• Junior Achievement to talk about financial planning

• MassHire to share internships and employment opportunities

• Arts' program leaders highlighting courses and activities in music, visual and performing arts

• Trailblazer leaders - to learn about specialized graduation endorsements and MTRS opportunities

• And more!

If you are interested in volunteering for the day to represent your organization or industry, please reach out to Carol Foote at cfoote@mtrsd.org

We were delighted to welcome community guests and current 9-11 students to see Capstone projects from our senior class. Students shared their work and answered questions on their projects and the capstone process. At 9:30am, the whole high school gathered in the auditorium for performance projects - theater, music, and film.

The Senior Capstone course is a culminating academic experience that takes place during the fall semester. All seniors take the course and learn how to direct their own learning on a topic of their choice to encourage you to think critically, solve challenging problems, and develop skills such as

oral communication, public speaking, research skills, media literacy, teamwork, planning, self-sufficiency, and goal setting—i.e., skills that will help prepare you for college, modern careers, and adult life! Capstone projects also encourage students to connect their learning to community issues or problems, and to integrate outside-of-school learning experiences, including activities such as interviews, scientific observations, creative events or internships. Over the course of the semester students propose, design, research, execute, present, and reflect on their project. All students also take part in the Capstone Presentation Event which is attended by the community at large. This is a team-taught course with a number of faculty directly involved.

Updates

There will be a COVID/flu vaccine clinic on Saturday Feb 4th from 12-3pm at Buckland Public Library, on Upper St in Buckland. Please see this flyer for more information.

The Mohawk Trail Regional School is excited to announce the reboot of our analog photography darkroom with generous support from the Mass Cultural Council and Local Cultural Councils of Charlemont-Hawley, Rowe, Shelburne, Ashfield, Buckland, Colrain, and Heath. Beginning in Spring 2023, students will be introduced to the world of black and white film photography, from using analog SLR cameras to processing film and printing their images. However, we are looking for one last piece of the puzzle.

We are asking if any of our community members have 35mm film cameras they no longer use, and that they are open to donating to our program. Any 35mm SLR camera that is mechanically functional (shutter, film advance, rewind, and light meter all in working order) and has fully manual controls, would be a welcome addition to the program. We would take those cameras and put them in the hands of open-minded, creative young people, ready to explore the wide world of darkroom photography.

Please contact Brendan Leowolf, Photography Instructor at MTRS, at bleowolf@mtrsd.org with any questions or how to arrange your donation.

We appreciate your consideration and support!

CEEP

Here is the latest CEEP newsletter with 2 new elementary offers and information about the Hilltown Scout camp offered during February Vacation.

Alia Woofenden "Mrs. Woof"

Liaison for Community Engagement and Enrichment Programs

Mohawk Trail Regional School District

24 Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370

She/Her/Hers

https://www.mtrsd.org/ceep

https://www.facebook.com/MTRSDCEEP/

Sign up here:www.growgreenfield.com

Attention parents! Are your kids interested in learning about business and entrepreneurship? Do you wake up on some Saturdays looking for something to do? Look no further!

Join us at Greenspace Cowork on January 28th from 10am - 12pm for an interactive workshop designed to teach kids valuable skills and inspire their entrepreneurial spirit. This workshop is perfect for children curious about how businesses work and want to learn how to make money.

Space is limited to only 12 kids, so don't wait to register! Give your child the opportunity to learn and grow while having fun.

Local Education Council (LEC)

This meets virtually every second Wednesday of the month between 3:45 and 4:30pm. More information can be found here. The next meeting will be on Feb 8th.

The virtual joining information is as follows:

Meeting ID

meet.google.com/gzo-toke-ibz

Phone Numbers

(‪US‬)‪+1 813-435-9650‬

PIN: ‪741 012 215#‬

Outdoor Advisory Committee (OAC)

This meets every second Wednesday of the month between 5 and 6pm. In the winter we will be virtual. In the Spring and Fall we will be in-person. The next meeting will be on Feb 8th.

Outdoor Advisory Committee- Virtual

Wednesday, December 21st· 5:00 – 6:00pm

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ysh-dgqv-jvz

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 470-210-0524‬ PIN: ‪190 585 623‬#

Please explore the OAC page on the website and have a look at the list of initial projects we gathered from surveying students, staff and community as well as OAC priorities created from this initial list.

Principal Drop-ins

As was the case last year, I will hold regular virtual office hours. You don’t need an appointment to come and talk with me and share your thoughts on what goes on at MTRS. I will try to be available for the whole 60 minutes but can't always guarantee it at our busy school.

Second Friday of each month: 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.

Meeting ID: meet.google.com/jtz-yhet-ipo

Phone Number: (US)+1 (813) 773-5581

PIN: 636 883 303

Third Friday of each month: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (Jan 20th has been cancelled due to the snow day)

Meeting ID: meet.google.com/sru-mshz-rht

Phone Number: (US)+1 (218) 301-2866

PIN: 136 064 523

Mohawk Trail SEPAC Member and Parent

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Do you have a question about your child, their services, or resources specific to your needs? If you or someone you know would like to be added to the private list and receive emails and event notifications, please send an email to: MOHAWKSEPAC@gmail.com Please indicate your email, title (such as parent of a student with IEP/504), District, Interested Party or other)

Disclosure: SEPAC maintains the list of contacts and keeps the information private. This email is maintained by a parent and volunteer. Our goal is to respond in a timely manner. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional