Student & Family Update
April 29, 2022
October 27th 2023
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope you have had a great week.
Please find news and updates from MTRS.
- Every U.S. household interested in placing an order to receive four more free Covid-19 rapid tests delivered directly to your homes, please click on this link for details and information: https://www.covid.gov/tests
Solar Panel launch/ Solar Celebration on November 6th - please see poster below
Here is the Draft MCAS & AP Testing Schedule for 23/24
You are able to order your yearbook for 23/24 - see below
Anyone who missed photo day, retakes have been scheduled for November 28th
Finally, we do our best to convey information to our community from a variety of sources, lots of them community rather than school based organizations. Unfortunately we are not able to share images and posters with live links through Smore but always ensure there is an email for inquiries. If you would like an e-copy of a poster with live links, please feel free to reach out to the office directly.
Have a great weekend
Best
Chris
Important Dates & Information
Upcoming dates
Solar Panel launch - November 6th
Capstone Formative Presentations: November 2nd and 3rd
No school - Staff PD: November 7th
No School - Veterans Day: November 10th
May 31st (Friday) -6-8pm: High School Graduation. Indoors at MTRS (This is a correction to the published date of June 1st)
District Calendar for 2023/24: Link
Quarter 1 45 days
First Day: Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Last Day: Thursday, November 2, 2023
Q1 progress report grades close on: Friday, September 29, 2023
Q1 progress report grading window: Wednesday, September 27 - Wednesday, October
4, at 11:59 pm
Q1 progress reports will be distributed on: Thursday, October 5, 2023
Q1 grading window: Tuesday October 31 - Wednesday November 8 at 11:59 pm Q1 report cards will be distributed on: Thursday, November 9, 2023
Student Newspaper - Edition 2 out now!
Click on the Link to read the latest student newspaper from Mr L's Multimedia Journalism class!
Student Council - Rake and Run, November 4th
The student council is interested to know if community members in the Shelburne Falls area would be interested in having volunteer students come to rake up leaves in their yard!
Please reach out to StuCo advisor, Mr. Mastorakis: rmastorakis@mtrsd.org
Welcome to MTRS...
Brett Billings
Over the past 15 years, I have worked in outdoor education and leadership in youth development, carceral, and therapeutic spaces. Before Mohawk Trail, I most recently worked at an addiction treatment center for adults, and before that, I led an environmental education program in Berkshire County for NYC middle and high schoolers. I am also an EMT on ski patrol and in backcountry settings. I have lived in seven states and enjoy road biking, hiking, skiing, reading, and cooking when not at school. This year, I'm excited to bring my background in the outdoors to help students succeed at Mohawk Trail.
Please reach out if you need me, and I look forward to staying connected over the coming year!
Dean Brault's Student Culture Corner
Our students have been doing a fabulous job at taking charge of the all-school assemblies! So far the “crews” from Mr. Mastorakis, Mr. Sussbauer, and Ms. Elani/Ms. Camarda have taken charge. Keep up the great work! They have even found a way to honor students and staff who are going above and beyond with the “Studly Awards.”
We seem to have an ongoing problem with students spending too much time in bathrooms. This has led to some poor behaviors. Please remind students to check in with teachers to get permission to use the bathroom, do what they need to do, and go back to class quickly!
The District Perspective
It is parent/teacher conference season at the elementary schools! Families and caregivers have signed up for time slots on Thursday, November 2nd and Friday, November 3rd. Please give yourself a reminder for your time slot or, if it’s missing from your calendar, inquire with your student’s teacher.
Also, there are a couple of vacation days coming up:
Tuesday, November 7 is a professional development day
Friday, November 10 is Veterans’ Day Observed
Solar Celebration, November 6 from 10 am to 11 am
Join together at Mohawk Trail Regional to celebrate MTRSD “going solar.” You’ll hear from the commercial solar installer team from Solect Energy that took the project from start to finish, as well as members of the Mohawk Trail community. Also in attendance will be Director of Rural Affairs Anne Gobi, MA State Senator Paul Mark, and MA State Representative Natalie Blais. To RSVP, please click here.
Sanderson Academy Sugar Rush on Tuesday!
The Sugar Rush 5K will take place on Tuesday, October 31 starting at 9:30. The course starts at Sanderson Academy and runs down to the old school, and back. Caregivers are welcome to attend. Be sure the permission slip is returned so your child(ren) may participate, and that runners wear appropriate footwear!
Flower Inspection by Third Graders at Sanderson
This week third graders spent some science time taking apart expired flower heads to discover what happens to flowers when they are done flowering. They looked at goldenrod, zinnia, marigold, aster, feverfew, and black-eyed susan flowers to discover the source of seeds. They discussed the importance of the over-abundance of seeds that plants create, and why they don’t all become new plants. If you are out wandering in a field this fall, see if you can get a few seeds stuck to you and ponder aloud, “Why does Nature do that?” A third grader from Sanderson could tell you the answer.
Mass Audubon Recognized BSE Teachers for Connecting Students to Nature
Mass Audubon notified us that Buckland-Shelburne Elementary 4th grade teachers Jackie Fuller and Lisa Kuerzel were selected as 2023 recipients of Mass Audubon’s Conservation Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by the New England Farm and Garden Association. This important award acknowledges their commitment and contribution to connecting students to their local environment. The award language highlights: “Your example of finding innovative ways to connect students to nature and its conservation is a key component of ensuring that the nature of Massachusetts continues to be valued and protected long into the future. Your dedication to fostering a sense of stewardship and curiosity will inevitably give your students a love of the natural world. Integrating the Science of Massachusetts into your teaching and your inclusion of journaling in all your science projects is exemplary.” They will be honored during the Annual Meeting of Mass Audubon held at the GBH Headquarters in Brighton on November 2, 2023. As part of their recognition, they will receive a $1,000.00 gift to be used toward furthering their commitment to building conservation leaders. Congratulations, Ms. Fuller and Ms. Kuerzel!
Plant Trees at Buckland Shelburne Elementary School on October 29
BSE is looking for volunteers to help plant trees on Sunday, October 29 from 10am – 2pm.
Bring a shovel, gloves, bucket and a water bottle to BSE, 75 Mechanic Street, Shelburne Falls. This project is supported by the Massachusetts Woodlands Partnership. This is another way the BSE community is showing their commitment to conservation.
High Ledges Welcomed Colrain Central Students
On October 18, Colrain Central students left the school grounds at 9 a.m. for their annual hike. Grades 1 through 4 headed for High Ledges, while grades 5 and 6 hiked to the fire tower. All students landed at High Ledges for lunch and returned to the school at 1:30. Students encountered salamanders, toads, worms and heard many different kinds of birds. Learning happened along the trail, including the 3rd and 4th grade classes learning about jumping worms!
Hawlemont Students Better Understand “Our Changing Forests”
Sixth grade students had the opportunity to go on a field trip as part of the Our Changing Forests research project at the Harvard Forest School with Mr. Bruffee. Students were engaged in the study of how the landscape in their town and region has changed in the past, and how current-day forests are changing over time. Activities included data collection, measurement, plant identification, and data analysis, including calculation of carbon storage.
In other news, The Hawlemont HAY classroom is looking donations of:
empty 5 gallon water bottle
old reusable plastic shopping bags (not disposable)
metal coat hangers that may be re-formed into ovals or circles
Have Van(s), Will Travel
On Wednesday Principal Buckland announced that Mohawk Trail Regional has acquired two vans, both 2023 Ford Transit 350 XLTs, that can each transport 10 students and one driver. Budget dollars matched with an anonymous donation made acquiring them possible. They may be used for field trips and athletic contests, and may be driven with a standard motor vehicle license. The MTRS golf team was the first to benefit from having the vans in-house. And field trips are in the queue to put them to good use.
Access to transportation has been a major barrier to blazing the trail from the school building to opportunities that have been just out of reach, until now. Having these vehicles as a resource will make a world of difference to what our teachers and staff can make available to our Mohawk Trail Regional students. We offer our thanks for the allocation, donation, and commitment from all those who made securing this transportation resource possible.
Teaching and Learning
How can care providers help support students?
Quarter 1 ends on Thursday 11/2, report cards will be available in Aspen on Thursday 11/9 and I wanted to reach out to let you know how you could help your student/s ensure they are on track to pass their classes.
What can you do?
1. Talk with your student about their classes and what they need to do in order to pass.
2. Check that you have access to Aspen so that you can see their grades. (Caregivers, if you have questions about the login process, please contact Suzor IT:
Email: help@suzorit.com, Virtual Office: help.suzorit.com)
3. If your student is currently failing, encourage them to reach out to teachers by email or in person and find out what they have to do.
4. You can also reach out to your student's teacher in the first instance: email addresses can be found here
5. You can also reach out to the guidance team: Grades 7 & 8: Truggeri@mtrsd.org, Grades 9-12: acairney@mtrsd.org
What are teachers doing?
Next week, teachers will email students who are currently failing to let them know what they need to do in order to remain on track to pass. Caregivers will be cc'd. There is still time to complete work at home or in school!
Failing due to attendance?
Also next week, Dean Brault will reach out to families of students who are currently failing due to attendance issues. Handbook p12. Initial letters to students of concern in relation to attendance have already been sent out.
For students in grades 7-12, absences exceeding 10% of class time will result in a loss of credit. Any student who misses ten (10) classes in any semester course (either a course that meets daily for one semester or meets every other day for a full year) will not receive credit for that course. The course must be retaken for credit. For a course that meets on alternating days for a semester, any student who misses five (5) classes will not receive credit for that course; missing 19 classes for a yearlong course (one that meets every day for the full year) will also result in loss of credit. Students in grades 7-12 who miss 30% or more of a class on a given day will be considered absent from that class. This is due to the requirements of the time on learning standards set by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as managed by our student attendance system.
Student-led-Conferences
I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you about our gradual shift towards Standards Based Teaching and Learning and the implementation of Student-Led-Conferences this year which has been mentioned already in newsletters home. Instead of finals, at the end of each semester, with the support of their advisory teachers, all students (7-12) will facilitate a 10-15 minute student-led conference to reflect on the learning in their content classes and to identify areas to focus on moving forwards. We would like to invite a family member to be a part of this process, virtually or in-person, during the school day. More information will be forthcoming shortly and in the meantime, please be aware of the dates for the conferences:
Semester 1: 24, 25, 26th January
Semester 2: 5,6,7th June (Grade 12 will have a traditional final instead of a student-led-conference as they typically finish school in late May)
Thanks in advance for working with us to support your student.
Fall Winter Play - Ticket information
Please get your tickets early for our fall production GRACIE'S PLACE.
It is perfect for families and children of all ages.
Our story has so many messages like, Family matters, self doubt and
how to work through that, the importance of hard work, friendships
last have lasted decades, how to resolve conflicts, being competitive
and how that is a benefit in certain cases and of course community.
How to do a little , and see how it means a lot.
There are so many things to see and hear in GRACIE'S PLACE, you won't
want to miss bringing your family!
Speaking of community- we are also asking folks to donate a new
children's book. The books will be donated to The Mary Lyons
Foundation. They will distribute them throughout the community on our
behalf.
Hope to see you December 9th or 10th at 7:00pm for GRACIE'S PLACE!
Thank you in advance,
Miss Eva
Director
Performing Arts
Mohawk Trail Regional School
Comic Con
Ms Willis took several students to Comic Con at Greenfield High School earlier this week. A great time was had by all. Watch this space for news of how MTRS students can get involved!
Additional Opportunities for Social/Emotional/Personal Growth and Support
MTRS is partnering with CHD to provide a DBT Skills Group and the Brick House to provide the Project AMP Mentoring program. Both opportunities are being offered during the school day. Interested students & families should contact their school counselor for consent forms and additional information.
DBT Skills Group: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skill building group will teach specific skills related to mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. The group will meet weekly during the school day, for 8 weeks, October-December. It will be facilitated by two therapists from The Center for Human Development (CHD). Participation in this group will be billed through insurance:
MassHealth, Fallon, BMC/Wellsense, Tufts, Health New England, Aetna are accepted insurances. If your insurance is not covered, the private pay rate is $55, but they do have a sliding fee scale with rates as low as $10.
Project AMP: A brief, youth-driven, strengths-based mentorship program. Students meet with mentor, Hannah Bertrand, of the Brick House over 4-6 weeks, for 45 minute sessions during the school day. Youth explore interests, develop goals, and navigate through pressures and risks that might impact their well-being. There is no cost to participate.
Student Services
Save the Date
Who: Juniors and Seniors and their families
What: College Financial Aid 101 with GCC’s Coordinator of Financial Aid
When: Tuesday, November 28th at 6 pm
Where: MTRS Auditorium
College Application to-dos and Financial Aid
Application and Recommendation Materials
Senior Brag Sheet (make a copy and share with me)
Parent/Guardian Brag Sheet (make a copy and share with me)
Transcript Request Form (colleges you are applying to)
Instructions on how to request a teacher recommendation in Naviance
Mrs. Cairney's PPT (I will continue to add to this)
SAT/ACT - you are responsible for sending your scores to colleges
College Deadlines drive the process/timeline for you (Early, Regular, Rolling). The next wave of early deadlines are November 1, November 5, November 15 and December 1. If you have any of these deadlines, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can write your letter of recommendation and prepare other materials.
Financial Aid
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is being revamped this year and is expected to become available in December 2023
The CSS Profile (a separate financial aid application required by some private colleges)
Check college financial aid deadlines
MEFA - Amazing Financial Aid resources/videos and tutorials
Here is a comprehensive Guide to College Admissions.
Students and parents, please reach out with any specific questions - happy to help! Mrs. Cairney acariney@mtrsd.org Students to book an appt visit: https://acairney.youcanbook.me/
Bus Schedules and Questions
Please make sure that you check the Bus routes on district site. Care providers can call Dawn at the bus company on 413-489-3195 at ext 3304 or call the school and ask to speak to Robin Pease.
Community Events
How can you get involved at MTRS?
We want to hear your voice!
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 take place on November 8th.
The virtual joining information is as follows:
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 813-435-9650
PIN: 741 012 215#
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. The next drop in will take place on October 10th.
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
Athletics News
While most of our teams have wrapped up their respective fall campaigns, others are in “hurry up and wait” mode eagerly awaiting their postseason fates!
The Mohawk Trail Varsity Volleyball team wrapped up their regular season with a 12-5 record and are currently ranked #13 in the state for Division 5! State tournament matchups will be set on Sunday, 10/29, and our Warriors will find out who they will be squaring off against! Stay close to the Mohawk Trail Athletics Facebook page for postseason updates!
After a very respectable showing last weekend at the Dick Atkinson Invitational, our Boys and Girls Cross Country squads are primed for their Western Mass Championships this Saturday at Stanley Park in Westfield. While the boys are led by standout and lone senior Vincent Gauthier, our ladies will be represented by the young four headed monster of Natalie Lanoue, Valerie Bzomowski, Virginia Krezmien, and Anya Read! Good luck to all of our runners!
Our Middle School Warrior Football team continues to leave their competition in the dust with a 32-0 drubbing of Athol Middle School this past Tuesday on the road! This leaves our gentleman at 5-0 on the season with a tough rematch next Wednesday against The Eaglebrook School, in what will be the last home game of the season. Gametime is set for 3:30 on William Pollard field, here at Mohawk Trail. Come out and support your Warriors!
Our Mohawk Trail Field Hockey program ended their season on a very positive note with consecutive wins! A JV victory against The Bement School on Wednesday, and a 2-0 Varsity victory against Palmer High School on Thursday! NIce season ladies!
WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!!!!
Winter sports registration has been moved up slightly in order to get a better idea of what we will have for teams this year! The link for registration can be found HERE. Please remember that all athletes MUST have an up-to-date physical on file with our district nurse leader Donna Weber, and have a current concussion baseline test. Please reach out to District Athletic Director Greg Lilly at glillyAD@mtrsd.org with any questions!
This winter we will be offering….
ALPINE SKIING
NORDIC SKIING
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS AND GIRLS BASKETBALL
INDOOR TRACK
WRESTLING
Special Education Updates
Mohawk Trail SEPAC Member and Parent
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.
Special Education Contact Information
Person
Role
Contact Information
Leann Loomis
Director of Pupil Personnel Services
413-625-0192 x1025
Melissa Plesnar
Assistant to Director of Pupil Personnel Services
413-625-0192 x1015
Erin Beaudet
7-12 Liaison
413-625-9811 x1314
Carolyn Goodnow
1-6 Liaison
Mohawk Trail District
413-625-2521
Kate Dwyer
1-6 Liaison
Hawlemont District
413-339-8316
Amy Socquet
Early Childhood Coordinator and Liaison
413-625-6194
About Mohawk Trail SEPAC
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council is an advisory group led by parents within our community. We are looking to support each other and help the school district to better serve its students. The SEPAC is open to all caregivers within the district with an IEP or 504 plan, and to interested members of the community. Please reach out to us to learn more!
SEPAC meetings
We meet monthly via Zoom. Upcoming meetings: Sept 28, Oct 23, Nov 27 at 6:30 pm
We welcome caregivers, staff, and interested members of the community to learn about SEPAC and meet local families. The public meeting will be followed by a private caregiver support discussion.
Email us to learn more: mohawksepac@gmail.com
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MohawktrailSEPAC
Chris Buckland
Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional
MTRSD Director of Communications