FWHMS Family Newsletter
Connecting Families to School - November 2020
Early Release Days Information - From Dr. Defalco
BMRHS- 10:45am
FWHMS- 11am
JFK/AFM Complex- 11:35am
Millville ES - 11:35am
- 11/18
- 11/25 (already scheduled)
- 12/9
- 12/23 (already scheduled)
- 1/27
- 2/10
- 2/24
- 3/10
- 3/24
- 4/7
- 4/28
- 5/5
- 5/19
- 6/9
Thank you for understanding the need for this additional planning time as we continue to work to meet the needs of full in-person, full remote and hybrid learners.
For families that are in need of child care or additional support on the 11/18 and 12/9 early release days, we will be sending out soon a survey at the school building level to assist you with your needs.
News from the School Nurse
Your children have been doing a great job here at school wearing their masks and social distancing. I have been so impressed with how they have adapted to attending school during this COVID-19 Pandemic. At the beginning of the school year you were given our district’s COVID-19 Protocol for sending your child to school. I want to remind you that every day we need you to assess your child for illness. Below are potential COVID symptoms. Even if your child has only one of these symptoms they need to be kept home. If you are keeping your child home because they have one of these symptoms, please call the school to let us know and I will follow up with you. If it is a day that your child is remote, it is still important that you notify me. It does not matter if your child has a history of allergies or you think it is “just a cold”. If they have any symptom listed below they need to stay home and you need to notify me. It is very important that we all be extra cautious to keep our students, staff and families safe and healthy. If your child has to stay home on an in-person day, they will be able to attend school virtually.
When should I keep my child home from school?
If your child has ANY of the following potential Covid-19 symptoms:
Fever of 100.0 °F or higher
Cough
Chills
Muscle aches or body aches
Sore throat
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
New loss of taste or smell
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Headache, when in combination with other symptoms
Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies), when in combination with other symptoms
New onset of unexplained skin rash
Thank you for your continued diligence!
Sue Wiegers BSN,RN,NCSN
508-876-0193, option #3
Attendance - Parent/Guardian Calls Needed
Student Assignments/Teacher Websites
On our school website,. under student assignments are details for all major graded work for students and families to know what was assigned by your child's teacher. All work will be graded as usual. We are not using credit/no credit.
Teachers update the grades in the parent portal on a bi-weekly basis. They also add comments as needed. Please use this information and the new teacher websites to know and track what work your child must complete.
Teachers Available for Extra Help After School on In Person Days and Virtual
Teams 6Gold and 6Purple
The sixth graders have adjusted well to the middle school and are improving with getting to know their schedules, both in person and online.
Kindly help your child remember a few things. Pack your materials - notebooks, pencils… the night before in-school classes. We have noticed several students forgetting their notebooks or other supplies and their chromebooks are not charged. Please be sure your child’s chromebook is charged every night.
Students should leave their Math hardcover book as well as the Humanities workbook at home.
There are two online platforms currently used by all 6th grade students. In Humanities 1, Hartnett Middle School students are using Amplify. This online program develops the essential skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening through compelling texts. Each unit targets what is most powerful about each text, engaging students in a variety of activities that put the text at the center of instruction. Sixth graders are currently working in the unit name “Dahl and Narrative” focusing on text by author Roald Dahl.
For more information about the Amplify program, please visit Amplify Caregiver Resources.
In math, students are using the Big Ideas program along with IXL. Students are familiar with both programs and are able to log in to both. As noted earlier PLEASE be sure your child brings their Math notebook and Math soft cover journal (the Journal cover reads: “Record and Practice Journal) everyday they come to school. Please check the “Student Assignments” link on the school web page for daily assignments, HW, and projects. Students are currently working on lessons reviewing Greatest Common Factor (GCF) and Least Common Multiples (LCM) which concludes Chapter 1.
Our Science classes use a variety of online resources to supplement the curriculum. Students must have their notebook every day - whether in person or online. The science notebook is vital to their learning and studying. We have finished a basic introduction to “What is Science?” and how scientists think and work. Next, we will be exploring the nature of rocks, how they are formed and hold the history of the Earth within them.
PTO News
Our Pumpkin Decorating contest was a great success. The pumpkins came out awesome, and our students enjoyed voting on their favorite. Congratulations to Taylor T. for her winning pumpkin!
The PTO is sponsoring a Photography Club this Fall. Stay tuned to our Facebook account, (like us at https://www.facebook.com/fwhmspto) where we will share our students' artistic photos!
Due to Covid restrictions, we are unable to hold our Color Run fundraiser this fall. In order to ensure the PTO can keep funding what we normally do - for this year and in the years to come - we are running a direct donation campaign. Click here to read more about our fundraiser, or here to make a donation today!
On November 12, 2020, there will be a fundraising night at Goodstuff Smokehouse. Forget cooking and enjoy a meal from one of Blackstone's most beloved establishments - while helping out the PTO! Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details. (https://www.facebook.com/fwhmspto)
Our next meeting will be on November 16th from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Location TBD.
Blackstone Public Library Event - Holiday Etiquette
Wednesday, November 4 at 6:30 PM
Table Manners that Make Fun & Family the Focus at Thanksgiving Dinner
Do you wish good table manners could be on the menu for Thanksgiving Dinner? Table manners help prevent distractions and disasters; this allows everyone to focus on the company and conversation at hand instead of the careening glass of milk or arm stretching for the butter dish. Adults and children will brush up on skills that include the following:
- How to set the table, tricks to remembering, and reasons this matters
- The welcome - how to offer a toast and respond
- When to start eating
- The way to cut food that prevents disruptions
- “Seconds, please”. how to ask and respond to a request for food to be passed
- How to butter a roll
- How to handle common dining dilemmas such as foods you don’t like and spills
This webinar is designed for adults as well as children ages 8 and up. To gain the most from this event, bring along plate, fork, knife, spoon, napkin, glass, and piece of bread or roll and prepare to practice!
Presenter: Janet Parnes, social conversation & etiquette consultant. Visit her web site at www.EtiquetteForToday.com
Register below to receive the Zoom link:
https://www.eventkeeper.com/code/ekform.cfm?curOrg=BSTONE&curID=470893
Calendar of Events
- Virtural Meet the Teacher Presentation - emailed home
Monday, November 9th
- School Photo Retakes/Make-ups
- Veteran's Day - No School
Thursday, November 12th
- School Photo Retakes/Make-ups
- 6 pm - School Committee - School Improvement Plan Presented
Wednesday, November 18th
- First Quarter Ends
- 11 am dismissal - Half Day
Tuesday, November 24th
- Report Cards Distributed to Hybrid Students - Mailed home to Full Remote
Wednesday, November 25th
- Report Cards Distributed to Hybrid Students - Mailed home to Full Remote
- 11 am dismissal - Half Day
Thursday, November 26th
- Thanksgiving Recess - No School
Friday, November 27th
- Thanksgiving Recess - No School
School Lunch and Breakfast - Free for the ENTIRE School Year
Last Wednesday was our last week of food boxes BUT the food bags for children ages 0-21 will continue through the entire school year. November is a little different because of Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving ~ our pickup day will be Tuesday on those 2 weeks. So, for the month of November these are our pickup dates: Wednesday, November 4th Tuesday, November 10th Wednesday, November 18th Tuesday, November 24th Pickup times remain 11:00-12:00 and 4:00-5:00 If you cannot make those dates, please email me at mgonsalves@bmrsd.net and I will set up an alternate day for you.
School-wide Ongoing Fundraisers
Stop & Shop A Plus Program - Register your rewards card to help us earn $$. Log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus to register online USE SCHOOL ID: 07080 or dial 1-877-275-2758 to register your card over the phone.
Amazon - Please click here to shop on Amazon.com. A small percentage of what you purchase will go to the Hartnett Middle School PTO to help support field trips, assemblies, special events, and after school programming. It is the same Amazon.com you may use, with a small percentage supporting middle school students.
FWHMS Communication and Happenings
Our website is the main hub of information. The following is key information you will find:
- Daily Intercom Announcements
- Monthly School Calendar
- Homework Page
- Monthly Family Newsletter Links
- After-school Program Information/Registration
- BMR Athletes Information/Registration Details
- Staff names and emails
OneCall will be used in the following ways:
Robocalls
For Emergency only - such as unplanned early dismissals or information on an emergency in the building. They will be sent after 3:30 pm and end before 8 pm.
Roboemails - On Tuesdays and Fridays only (as needed)
For standard communication - such as portal access to progress reports, report card distribution, the monthly newsletter release, registration information for sports/after-school clubs, field trip information, and other information as needed. The emails may be by whole school or by grade level depending on the communication needs.
Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat
We use all our social media to share special happenings after they have happened so that families can see what we are doing. You can find us on all platforms at @fwhms2003
About FWHMS
Email: tcurt@bmrsd.net
Website: https://www.bmrsd.net/o/fwhms
Location: 35 Federal St, Blackstone, MA, United States
Phone: 508-876-0190
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/middleschoolofwoonsocket
Twitter: @fwhms2003