Sherwood Middle School
January 31, 2021 Update
This Week's Messages
Friendly February
To practice these daily goals at home, download or print the calendar here.
Good Morning Sherwood Families,
I hope you and your family are enjoying your weekend so far. Thank you again to our students, staff, and families for your help as we continue to adjust to the Time on Learning changes the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has put in place.
As a reminder
- Students, both in school and at home, will be required to attend Morning Meeting from 8:00 to 8:30. Students who are at home should log on to their Remote Morning Meeting Zoom to watch the morning announcements together with their Morning Meeting teacher.
- Academic Focus Time period (AFT) for all teams on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday will be increased from 15 minutes of live time to 45 minutes for remote students attending via Zoom from home. Allied Arts teachers and team teachers will work together to coordinate the engagement of students who are both in person and at home for the full 45 minute period. Students are required to attend AFT for the entire period.
The goal of these changes is to increase live connections for students on their remote days, which allows for more social opportunities and targeted academic practice and supports. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your child’s teacher with any questions.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Kelly
Principal
A Message From Mr. Kelly
This Week's Schedule
Monday, February 1st and Tuesday, February 2nd
Cohort A & B in person
Cohort C will follow their typical Monday/Tuesday asynchronous learning plans.
Cohort D will follow their typical schedule.
Wednesday, February 3rd
Cohort A1 in person 1/2 day
Cohorts A2, B & C will follow their typical live classes via Zoom in the morning and then have asynchronous learning in the afternoon.
Cohort D will follow their typical schedule.
Thursday, February 4th & Friday, February 5th
Cohort A & C in person
Cohort B will follow their typical Thursday/Friday asynchronous learning plans.
Cohort D will follow their typical schedule.
What's For Lunch?
Living Out Our Core Values
It is always great to see our students living out our core values of Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Integrity! Thank you to Adhav from Grade 5 Silver and his brother, along with a few other friends from Westborough & Shrewsbury for delivering food to the Worcester Food Shelter this past week!
Student Art Work on Display
Fantastic art work on display by 5 Red, 5 Gold, 6 Blue and 6 Teal!
Thank you for brightening up our hallways and sharing your creativity and talent with us
Sherwood Counseling Team
For More Information or to Contact Us, View Our Information Below, or Open this link.
From the PTO
Join us (on Zoom) for the next SMS PTO Meeting. Use this link to join us. Hope to see you there!
During February & March the SMS PTO will be doing Team Shout Outs to recognize all 29 teams at both Sherwood and Oak. We want to include quotes from students highlighting what makes their teachers and team so awesome!
Please have your student(s) help complete this form to add their own team highlights and shout outs to this fun event.
Thank you!
JOIN US FOR VIRTUAL TRIVIA NIGHT: 2/26/21
Join us for a spirited game of Trivia that should provide lots of laughs too - something we all sorely need these days! Our game will start at 7:00 pm on Friday, February 26th and all you need is Zoom and a great attitude! We will be providing prizes for our top team as well as a few others - including best team name and best team beverage and/or snack!
Please use the form linked here for more information and to register (registration is $15 per person).
Winter Walk 2021 is Coming!!!
Did you know that increasing your amount of daily exercise and physical activity may:
- Improve your mental health and mood. During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. This can help you deal with stress and reduce your risk of depression.
- Help keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. Exercise stimulates your body to release proteins and other chemicals that improve the structure and function of your brain.
- Strengthen your bones and muscles. Regular exercise can help kids and teens build strong bones. Later in life, it can also slow the loss of bone density that comes with age. Doing muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain your muscle mass and strength.
- Improve your sleep. Exercise can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
- Increase your chances of living longer. Studies show that physical activity can reduce your risk of dying early from the leading causes of death, like heart disease and some cancers.
From the Main Office
Attendance
Attendance is taken every morning during Morning Meeting. Please make sure your child is present and ready to go by 8:00am. Thank you!
Student Absence
Any child, regardless of hybrid or remote learning program, must inform the office if their child will be absent or late to school. SPS requires that you telephone us either the night before or first thing in the morning on the day of the child’s absence at 508-841-8690. If we have not received a call to report an absence, the school will be in contact with the parent to confirm the child’s safety.
Technology Support
If students or families are having trouble with Schoology or Zoom, you can get tech support at ParentTechSupport@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us. Please remember that Team teachers are not immediately available for this support as they have students in class.
If students or families have other questions or concerns abut technology please go to this link: Frequently Asked Questions about Technology. This link includes parent access for Schoology; password help; school email help, broken iPad, and more!
District News
Online Enrichment Classes Coming Soon!
Online enrichment classes begin in February - Registration opens 1/20/21
The After School Activities Program is moving to Zoom! District staff will be teaching hour-long enrichment classes for students in grades K-8. The classes will meet weekly, for 6 weeks, via zoom. Topics include art, science, coding, crafts, gardening, yoga and much more. SPS students from all cohorts are welcome to register. Visit the ASAP web page for a list of all classes. https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/extendedlearning/after-school-activities-program
Registration opens in the parent portal on Wednesday, January 20th at 7:00AM. Class size is limited and classes fill quickly. Each class costs $30 for the six-week session. Payment must be made through SchoolPay at the time of registration. Your seat in the class is not reserved until payment is received.
Calling All Student Performers
Does your child sing, dance or play a musical instrument? Would they like to perform in our virtual telethon? The Shrewsbury Public Schools Colonial Fund is hosting a telethon to benefit the Performing Arts Program across all of our schools. The event will be broadcast locally on March 5 and March 6 from 7:00 - 9:00pm. We want to showcase 12 student performances and we’d love to include yours! Please visit the telethon website for more information and to learn how to submit your child’s performance. We welcome dance, instrumental performances, singing, acting, even comedy or improv. Let’s celebrate the wonderful talents of our students! Questions? Please contact us at development@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us.
SORA READING APP
The media centers across the district are excited to share that we now have a K-12 subscription to an iPad app called SORA that provides access to ebooks and audiobooks that students can read or listen to on their iPads. SORA enables users to borrow up to 3 books at a time. Users can also place holds on an additional 3 books at a time.
Here is a video overview of SORA.
Here is the link to a step-by-step tutorial that explains how to get started using SORA on your child's iPad: https://bit.ly/2JZa2SZ
Meal Access: Remote Learners & Hybrid Students on “At-Home” Learning Days
Students who have opted for remote learning and hybrid students on their “at-home learning days” may pick-up meals at Shrewsbury High School on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-11am at the main driveway. Please contact Beth Nichols at bnichols@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us if you need meals delivered.
Meal Access: Snow Days and Delays
- Snow Days If there is no School on a Tuesday, due to inclement weather, meal pick up will be on Wednesday ,same time ,10-11 and place ,main driveway at the High School. Meal Deliveries will be on Wednesday ,the same time 10-11. If there is no School on a Thursday due to inclement weather, meal pick up will be on Friday ,same time ,10-11 and place ,main driveway at the High School. Meal Deliveries will be on Friday, the same time,10-11.
- Delays If there is a 1 hour delay on a Tuesday or a Thursday, Meal pick up will be 11-12 at the main driveway of the High School. Meal delivery will be 11-12.If there is a 2 hour delay on a Tuesday or a Thursday, Meal pick up will be 12-1 at the main driveway of the High School. Meal delivery will be 12-1.
Mindfulness Programs for SPS Caregivers
Shrewsbury Public Schools will kick off our monthly community meditation and mindfulness practice group in December. This is a support tool for parents and caregivers offered freely through our mindfulness partnership with the Mindfulness Director Initiative (MDI).
All adults caring for a child attending Shrewsbury Public Schools are welcome. No registration or preparation is required, but it is helpful to have some basic experience with meditation to get the most out of these sessions. (If you are new to mindfulness practices or want some additional practice, we are offering a free 4-week virtual workshop series this fall - register and get more info here).
Monthly meetings will take place on Zoom on the first Monday and Thursday - dates/times are listed on the flyer. You may download this flyer to your device to keep the dates + zoom link handy. Each monthly meeting will include: time to check in with ourselves and as a community, a 20 minute guided meditation (with some periods of silence), and support through resources and reflections for living a life of resilience and wellbeing.
Zoom Meeting Link:
https://shrewsburyps.zoom.us/j/81441385078?pwd=WVlXc1FaR01QbTFlOXJlOVkxb2NsZz09
Meeting ID: 814 4138 5078
Passcode: 118939
28 Sherwood Ave
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
508-841-8670