Jonas Clarke Middle
News and Notes | April 2019
From the Principal
Dear Clarke Community,
I hope that you had a wonderful and relaxing April Break! We are now into the 4th quarter and Spring has sprung! As we have all experienced, the next few weeks will go by incredibly quickly.
MCAS
We are well aware of the stress that MCAS creates for some students and families, and while we certainly want students to do their best we also want you to know that we are proud of all the hard work that our students put in all year and this should not be a stressful testing experience. That said, we do think that it's important to remind students of upcoming test dates to ensure good attendance and getting lots of rest (really those are good reminders for EVERY school day - not just for MCAS!)
Upcoming MCAS Dates:
- May 8th and May 9th; Math MCAS - all grades
- May 13th and May 14th; Science MCAS - 8th grade Only
Recently we sent out letters, information and timelines about course registration to current 6th and 7th grade families. Please take a look at the information and let us know if you have any questions. In addition, we have a section of our website dedicated to all communication that has been sent out. Click here for more info on course registration and forms.
End Of Year Activities:
We have a lot of activities coming up over the next few months. For your planning purposes here are a few important dates to highlight:
- May 22nd - May 31 - 8th Grade Spanish trip to Spain
- May 28 - May 31 - 8th Grade French trip to Quebec
- June 5th & 6th 8th grade trip to NYC (There will be day trips for those not going to NYC)
- June 7th is the 8th grade Step Up day to LHS (1:30 - 3:30 pm More info to follow)
- June 14th - 6th grade trip to Maine
- June 17th - 7th grade trip to Canobie Lake Park
- June 17th - 8th grade Moving on Ceremony @ the LHS auditorium
- June 18th - Last Day of school for all students - this is a half day with dismissal at 11:45AM
We look forward to all of these events and more as we enjoy end of year celebrations, activities and concerts. On that note, In connection with the upcoming Ramadan holiday that includes daily fasting, or for any holidays that your family celebrates, we encourage you to reach out to your us if your child/ren need(s) an accommodation related to the holiday, including a separate location from the cafeteria during lunch. It is our goal for everyone to feel welcome, comfortable and safe in our school. Thank you for all of your support!
Math Placement Determinations - A letter from the MS Mathematics Department Head
Dear Families of Current 6th and 7th grade students,
Over the course of the next few weeks your child’s mathematics teacher will be talking with your child on math placement. Please know that, while these discussions are specific to May, the placement process is ongoing and placement determinations are made based on a series of assessments and performance tasks scheduled throughout the academic year. Our teachers are very careful to review and revise these assessments each year to ensure all students have equal opportunity to participate in the placement process. These assessments, and our placement determination algorithms, are also normed across the district to ensure that we are truly placing every child in the level that is appropriate for their readiness and ability.
Should you have questions on your child’s placement, please reach out to their mathematics teacher or myself for clarity. Should you have questions on the placement process or course sequence for mathematics courses, please feel free to contact me directly to discuss.
Respectfully,
Stephanie Burroughs
Middle School Mathematics Department Head
Lexington Public Schools
Clarke Staff Participate in PTO Trivia Night
Clarke Drama Students Take on London!
Ms. Brown, Clarke's Drama teacher took 31 students to London over the April Break! With the help and support of Ms. Alexander and Ms. Martin, these brave teachers explored so much of London and gave our students an incredible learning experience they will never forget. Some of the highlights included a Harry Potter themed walking tour, visiting Buckingham Palace, The Globe Theatre, The London Eye, Windsor Palace, A visit to Stratford-upon-Avon to visit Shakespeare's birthplace, and a production of Matilda!
Clarke's Ocean Science Club
A Message from the LHS Athletics Department
The 2019 Fall Sports Student-Athlete/Parent Pre-Season Meeting will be held TUESDAY, June 4th, 2019 at 6:00pm in the Auditorium at LHS. This meeting is required for all LHS student-athletes, and incoming freshman who are interested in participating in an interscholastic fall sport at Lexington High School. All student-athletes interested in playing a fall sport should attend the meeting with a parent or guardian. At the large group session in the auditorium, the requirements for fall high school athletic participation (on-line forms, user fees, physicals, eligibility), will be discussed.
Immediately following the large group session, we will break down into sport specific meetings so that student-athletes and parents can meet with the coaching staff of their respective fall sports. In the sport specific meetings, our coaches will introduce their staff, talk about practice and game schedules for the fall season, expectations for tryouts, as well as other key elements of the season. This is a fantastic opportunity for student-athletes and parents to hear from our head coaches about their expectations for the upcoming season.
Should you have any questions, regarding this meeting, please contact the athletic office at (781) 861-2320 ext. 69902 We look forward to seeing you on June 4th!
Fall Sports Start August 22, 2019
Football Starts August 16, 2019
GO Minutemen!
Good Luck to the Clarke Team at the National Science Bowl in Washington DC this weekend!
Dates to Remember
Wednesday May 1 | Early Release for Middle School Students |5th Grade Move Up
11:45 Dismissal
Thursday May 2 | Clarke PTO Coffee for 5th grade parents
8:30 AM - Cafeteria
Thursday May 2 | Clarke Drama Production; The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet
4:00 & 7:30PM
Friday May 3 | Clarke Drama Production; The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet
7:30 PM
Wednesday May 8 | Math MCAS
All Grades
Thursday May 9 | Math MCAS
All Grades
Friday May 10 | 6th Grade Social
3:00 - 4:30 PM (Permission Slip Required)
Monday May 13 | Science MCAS
8th grade only
Tuesday May 14 | Science MCAS
8th grade only
Thursday May 16 | Early Release | Teacher Professional Development
11:45 dismissal for all middle school students
Monday June 3 | Clarke Orchestra Concert
7:00PM Clarke Auditorium
Tuesday June 4 | Clarke Band Concert
6:30PM Clarke Auditorium
Monday June 10 | Clarke 6th and 7th Grade Chorus Concert
7:00PM Clarke Auditorium
Tuesday June 11 | Clarke 8th grade and Middle C's Chorus Concert
7:00PM - Clarke Auditorium
Monday June 17 | Clarke 8th grade Moving On Ceremony
6:30PM LHS Auditorium