Student & Family Update
April 8, 2022
April 8, 2022
Good afternoon, everyone!
It was great to speak with caregivers at the Local Education Council (LEC) meeting on Wednesday and also at my principal drop-in earlier today.
A lot has been going on this week at MTRS. In addition to Grade 7 students taking MCAS earlier this week, our high school students listened to career speakers from a variety of industries including emergency room medicine, business and finance, information technology, and graphic design and animation. We are excited to host MTRS alumni speakers on May 16.
Good luck to Grade 8 students with their MCAS testing next week - make sure you sleep well on Sunday night! Also next Friday, the Student Council is organizing a whole school Spring Scavenger hunt for students…watch this space for more details!
Finally, don’t forget to mark your calendars for a virtual Trailblazer event on Tuesday, April 12 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and JOIN US to hear from our incredible students as they host an MTRS student arts panel.
Have a great weekend
Best
Chris
Background image of one of our Grade 10 Civics classes planning their international civics project with our partner school in Brazil!
Important Dates to Remember
Upcoming dates
April 13: Early Release
April 18-22: April vacation
May 15: Student Council Tag Sale and Mohawk Trail Athletic Association Spring Fling
May 19: Trailblazer District Wide Celebration of Learning
May 20 and May 21 at 5:30 p.m. and May 22 at 2:30 p.m. - Bits of Broadway MTRS Musical
May 26: Spring Concert
May 27: Prom
Student Voice
Project 351 Clothing Drive
A group of 8th graders at MTRSD are working with Project 351 and Cradles to Crayons to hold a clothing drive. To make sure we’re able to donate your clothing make sure your clothes fit the following:
New/ like new
Sizes: newborn - adult small
If you want to donate socks, underwear, pajamas, or things in that category, make sure they’re brand new
From the dates April 4th - 8th we are going to have clothing bins where you drop off your clothing. We are going to have bins here at Mohawk Trail in the lobby and outside the front door.
If you have any questions you can contact Zorah Miller at zorah.miller@mtrsd.org, Zariah Stone-Bedford at zariah.stone-bedford@mtrsd.org, or Nikki Garofalo at nikki.garofalo@mtrsd.org
Student Activities
NHS
On Tuesday, April 5 new NHS members chose which committees they would like to join. We ask the new members to join the committees as a way of helping out the school community. Our committees consist of recycling, middle school advisories, and newsletter. New members can also create any committees they think would be beneficial. We are so happy and grateful to welcome these new members to these groups!
A special thanks to our newsletter committee: including Paige King, Myah Grant, Savannah Simmons, Clare Wasileski, and Gracie Hicks. We are also welcoming Sophia Goodnow to our group! We are so happy to take part in our school community!
Franklin County Teen Arts Show
This year selected artworks by Will VanVleet, Percy Snow, Ashalyn Duval, Charlotte Curtis, and Owen Lake will be featured in the annual Franklin County Teen Art Show hosted by ArtSpace in Greenfield.
Trailblazer News
April 12 - MTRS Student Arts Panel
How do the arts play a role in the Trailblazer Model? What opportunities do students have to experience arts education at MTRS? How are MTRS students supported in building a creative community?
Please join us for a VIRTUAL student-led panel discussion on Tuesday, April 12 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Our talented students will be leading this event to share their artistry and educational experiences. Take a virtual tour of our arts spaces! Enjoy a sampling of student work in vocal and instrumental music, studio and digital arts, and theater. We hope you will join us! Caregiver and Community, please RSVP using this form.
May 19: Trailblazer Districtwide Celebration of Learning, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Mark your calendars and please join us for a great night of showcasing our students’ work! For current and prospective MTRS students and families in grades 5 - 12:
Learn how our students are blazing their trails at MTRS and our Trailblazer model (lobby)
Grade 5 and 6 celebration of learning (Projects) in the gym
Elementary school literacy event in the library
MS & HS displays of what goes on in their classes
Trailblazer ambassadors to meet and greet
It Takes A Village will be set-up in the gym
Grade 7 Caregivers - Get a chance to talk with the Grade 7 Team
Excerpts from the musical and Spring Concert
Food: TBD
Trailblazer RAFFLE drawing!
We're still seeking community members with food contacts and need your help! We’re looking for those interested in participating / providing food for our event. Interested? Know someone? Please contact Principal Buckland at cbuckland@mtrsd.org.
STUCO TAG SALE
YOU have stuff to sell and WE have space for you!
JOIN US on for the Mohawk Trail Regional School Student Council TAG SALE on Sunday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the MTRS field hockey field (26 Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls). Help us FILL THE FIELD and sign-up to be a vendor today!
VENDOR INFORMATION:
$20 per space (spaces approx. 10' x 15')
$10 table rental (limited amount, first come first serve)
*Bringing your own pop-up/EZ up tent is encouraged*
Sign-ups are due by APRIL 29
To sign-up, email: MTRSstuco@mtrsd.org and include subject line: "May Tag Sale"
**Vendors: To sign up, please CLICK HERE and complete the form to reserve your space.**
Graphic by STUCO member and communications intern Sophia Goodnow
Academic News
Please click here for the most recent Student Services updates
Title 1 MTRS math intervention program updates
April - 7th and 8th Grade Math Intervention
We have begun our next cycle of targeted math intervention during the Extension/Intervention period for 7th and 8th grade. We are playing games and working on different activities. Every student can practice two skills that are useful in math and across disciplines: identifying patterns and using those patterns to make predictions. Below are some ways to help your student find patterns and make predictions!
Patterns
Mathematicians notice and describe patterns. These skills can prove useful in math when students model contexts. Help your student look for patterns in the world around them! Look for patterns in pictures (search online for images of patterns or math patterns), in nature (e.g. growth of spring plants), in text/articles (e.g. growth patterns or trends), in stores (e.g. sales or prices), in music, in sports or in numbers. Some students might be able to tell you more about the patterns (e.g. if the patterns are linear or nonlinear). Numerical examples that your students might have seen in 7th or 8th grade are:
1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32,... or 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50,...
You could ask your student:
What do you notice?
Can you describe the pattern you see?
What is the same?
What is different?
What does this pattern tell you?
How could identifying/noticing this pattern be useful?
Predictions
Mathematicians use their observations to make predictions. Students can use this skill to predict possible outcomes or to make sense of their world. They can form a hypothesis and, in some cases, check if their hypothesis is true. After finding a pattern, ask your student to use that information to make predictions.
You could ask:
What do you think will come next?
What do you think will happen if this pattern continues?
Laura Rubinaccio, M.Ed.
MTRS Title 1 Teacher
8th Grade Math Teacher
Zamer's Corner ~ Highlights from our Assistant Principal
Zamer’s Corner
It’s MCAS time across the state and our 7th graders completed their English Language Arts MCAS this week. They worked hard and should feel proud of their perseverance. MTRS 8th graders will be taking their English Language Arts test next Monday and Tuesday. Please be sure your 8th grader comes to school on Monday rested and with a charged Chromebook.
Students in Rachel Hoogstraten’s How To Think class are working through a unit on Postcolonialism. Yesterday they hosted a discussion to understand the theoretical framework of decolonization by reading the academic paper, “Decolonization is not a metaphor.” The reading is complex, rigorous, and rich and our students were thoughtful participants in the discussion. Studets discussed how the history of United States settlers shapes society today. Way to go, students, using your critical thinking skills and connecting our past to now.
Music is in the air!
Our 7th graders are learning guitar basics with Nick and were happy to show off their skills when I stopped by. Here are some of our musicians this morning.
Community Activities & Engagement
How can you get involved at MTRS?
Bike Building event
On Saturday morning, Alia Woofenden (commonly referred to as “Mrs. Woof” by students), and Heath/Colrain native and MTRS parent Chris Gilbert (proud alumni, MTRS ‘01), together with members from our community will host a bike build day.
Mrs. Woof has assembled a team of community members that includes students, parents, avid community bikers, and staff to work with Mr. Gilbert’s team of bike mechanics, youth mountain bike coaches, and competitive mountain bikers.
The volunteers will work together to assemble 25 mountain bikes the school recently received through a Riding To Focus grant from Outride that will be used in programming during the 2022-2023 school year.
Thank you to Mrs. Woof, Mr. Gilbert, Outride, and all of the volunteers!
Local Education Committee (LEC)
The team met on Wednesday. The talking points are below:
WIN block and ELA and Math interventions and supports in MS
Equity endorsement for graduates
Pathways and exploratory rotations in MS
Regular SEL surveys of students and staff for more immediate supports
Our next virtual meeting will be May 4th. Joining details are below:
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 601-514-2090
PIN: 431 513 473#
Outdoor Advisory Committee meeting
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey for the Outdoor Advisory Committee. Please find linked a list of suggestions from the survey: Link.
The committee will discuss these suggestions at the next virtual meeting on April 13. Please feel free to join if you are free:
April 13, 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Join by phone
(US) +1 470-210-0524 PIN: 190 585 623#
MTRSD Community Engagement & Enrichment Programs
Check out our Summer Explorers website to see an outline for our summer program. Enrollment details are coming soon.
We are excited to offer a new after school program for high school students this year called Broadcasting Basics. Students can participate using their phones from school or home to learn how to make high quality videos and pictures for online content. Check out the flyer for more information which will be offered on Mondays starting April 25.
MTRS International Trip
Please click here for information on Mrs. Camarda’s trip to Italy and Greece in June of 2024. Email Mrs. Camarda for more information: lcamarda@mtrsd.org
Athletics Updates
Click HERE to access this weeks MTRS Athletics Newsletter!
The Spring Sports schedule is underway! Boys & Girls Outdoor Track opened their schedule last Friday at Mahar, and are at home today 4/8 vs Athol - 3:30 at MTRS! Tennis begins their match schedule on Monday 4/11 vs Greenfield - 3:30 at MTRS! Despite some wet conditions both Baseball and Softball were both able to open their schedules on the road this week and will both host games in the next two weeks - Baseball 4/12 vs FCTS - Softball 4/19 vs Mahar!
MTRS will once again host the Division 2 Track Championships Saturday May 21 starting with field events at 9:30 AM!
MTRS game schedules available on ARBITER SPORTS App!
Download the APP via the App Store or Google Play and add MTRS as a favorite for quick access to all of our teams’ game schedules. You can also access our schedules by visiting the “Arbiter Live” website:
https://www.arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=14937
If you need any help or have any questions don't hesitate to reach out to Athletic Director Greg Vouros for more information at gvouros@mtrsd.org
Pop-in for a chat ~ Virtual office hours with Principal Buckland
Have a virtual coffee or tea with me! Pop-by and tell me about your experiences at MTRS and the Trailblazer model. Each month I'll host two virtual drop-in hours for caregivers and hope you'll stop by to say hello!
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.
Meeting ID: meet.google.com/sru-mshz-rht
Phone Number: (US)+1 (218) 301-2866
PIN: 136 064 523
The Health Library
The Heath Free Public Library is interested in learning more about what community members most enjoy about the library, and how we can make the library even better in the coming years.
Initially, the library is seeking teenagers, young adults, and parents of children and teens to participate in small, informal discussion groups. There are two upcoming time slots: Wednesday, April 13th from 7-8:30 p.m., and Saturday, April 16th, from 10:30-noon.
Additional groups for adults and seniors will be held on Thursday, April 28th 7-8:30p.m. and Saturday, April 30th 10:30-noon.
*Please contact the library at heath.library@gmail.com or 413-337-4934, ext.7 to sign up.
The discussion groups will be held at 18 Jacobs Rd and masking will be required while indoors.
Not able to make it to one of these in-person meetings? Do not despair, there will be more ways for you to provide feedback over the next couple of months!
Thank you so much!
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.
Chris Buckland
Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional