Student and Family Update
6/11/21
Dear Students and Families,
This week brought our first week without the Class of 2021 - we are so proud of their accomplishments and wish them the best on the next chapter of their lives. Two more weeks of school for grades 7-11 with our last day of school, Friday, June 25. Thursday, June 24 and the 25th will both be ½ days with dismissal at 11:30.
MTRS End of Year Communication & Connection Survey
This fall we asked for feedback regarding how we communicate with you; the platforms we use; and more. We need YOUR help again! Through our Trailblazer Model, we've worked hard this year to listen to feedback and improve our processes. We continue to want to learn more about you and how you're connecting with our school as it will help us to continually improve and deliver information in the ways you need it.
Caregivers, please take a moment to complete this brief survey which will continue to guide us as we continue with this work. Your feedback is valued and important and we truly appreciate your time!
**The survey will be open through Wednesday, June 16 (closing at midnight).** Thank you in advance!
Wednesday, June 16 is an early release day for MTRS.
Chromebook Collection
Suzor IT will be collecting all Chromebooks from students in Grades 7-10 during the week of June 21. 7th and 8th grade students will turn Chromebooks in on Tuesday, June 22 and students in grades 9, 10 and 11 will turn devices in on Wednesday, June 23. Students must turn in their Chromebook and charger. Devices will be returned in the fall.
Remote students must return their Chromebook and charger to the main office on either Friday, June 25 between 12 and 3PM or on Monday, June 28 from 7:10AM-3PM. Chromebooks cannot be kept over the summer.
Student Services
Yearbooks
Yearbooks will be distributed on June 24 and 25. Graduates will be asked to stop by campus to pick up their copy from Ms. Willis in the library.
MTRS Athletics
Please click here for the weekly athletics newsletter.
Fall Sports Registration is OPEN! Please click here to follow the link to register for Fall Sports via the Family ID Website. If this is your first time signing up you will need to create an account. All student-athletes need to have an updated sports physical on file with the MTRS Nurse’s Office. Physicals need to be updated every 13 months.
Fall Sports: Boys & Girls Cross-Country, Varsity Football (COOP at Greenfield), Middle School Football (HERE at MTRS), Field Hockey, Golf, Boys & Girls Soccer, Volleyball
UPDATE to mask mandate for our Student-Athletes and Visitors:
Masks will continue to be worn when students are on the benches / sidelines and transitioning from the bench to the field. However, masks can be pulled down while actively playing in a position where physical distancing is possible (ex: outfield in baseball/softball).
Visitors:
All visitors must continue to wear a mask when walking on school grounds (to / from parking) and adhere to physical distancing standards (and should be watching from designated spectator areas). We’re really excited to welcome guests back to our fields and know that adhering to the FAB FOUR and following these procedures will help to keep our athletes playing this season!
Library News
Click here for the June edition of the Student Newsletter!
Check out our summer reading program and touch base with Ms. Willis if you have any questions. ewillis@mtrsd.org
International Student Trip to Spain and Italy - Summer 2023
Have you ever wanted to travel abroad? Interested in seeing Spain and Italy? Mrs. Camarda will be hosting a student trip to Spain and Italy in June of 2023! Please read this flyer for more information and contact Mrs. Camarda at lcamarda@mtrsd.org with any questions.
SEPAC MEETING INFO
The next Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) meeting will be held virtually on June 16 at 6 p.m.
Meeting details can be found in their newsletter, on the district website (www.mtrsd.org/Pupil-Services), and their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/events/513445623112442
MTRS CELEBRATIONS
Class of 2021 Graduation: It was a beautiful day to celebrate our incredible graduates! This year, 52 students blazed their trail to graduation on Saturday, June 5. We are so excited for their future and what’s to come next. GRADUATES - please remember to keep in touch! Keep following our social pages and come back home to MTRS to visit and share all the amazing things you’re doing! Congratulations!
And if you haven’t had a chance to check out our photo gallery, head over to our Facebook page (@mohawktrailregional):
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=mohawktrailregional&set=a.2982079102116789
An update from Falls Cable regarding graduation video and live stream: We are sorry to report that Falls Cable experienced some technical issues during the filming and live streaming of our graduation ceremony. We were very sorry to hear of this unfortunate situation and will not have a link to a recorded ceremony.
CONGRATULATIONS to our 2021 Junior Book Award recipients! Head over to Vimeo to see the ceremony held on Thursday, June 10. https://vimeo.com/561613573
Comfort Dogs visit 7th grade!
District Updates
District Strategic Planning - Caregiver Focus Group
Over the past several months, we have been working hard to develop our strategic plan to guide our district forward over the next 3-5 years. Using initial feedback from our community survey; insight from our district's leadership team, strategic planning team, and led by our strategic planning consultant, we've established four key priorities for our district. Now, we need YOUR feedback and insight!
We're looking for district caregivers to participate in either a virtual or in-person focus group meeting. The meetings will provide you, our valued caregivers, with an opportunity to hear about our priority areas and targets, and share your initial impressions--What's meaningful to you? What's exciting? And you'll have an opportunity to share what you feel is a focus/priority for our district.
Virtual Caregiver meetings will be held on Monday, June 21 and Wednesday, June 23. An In-Person Caregiver meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 22. More details will follow soon.
Please use this form to RSVP and join us for our focus group! Be sure to check the Superintendent’s weekly update for additional updates and details.
Superintendent Updates
As a reminder, don’t miss important information and updates from Superintendent Stanton -- weekly updates can always be found on our website www.mtrsd.org/news and on the MTRS website (found on the News page).
Registration for summer Explorers Program NOW OPEN!
Registration for the district’s summer Explorers Program opened last week. Information and links to online registration or print registration forms can be found on the district website: www.mtrsd.org/Explorers-Program
Programs for our K-6 program will run from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (tentative) with an extended day option until 5:30 p.m. (limited spots). Transportation from Colrain Central, Hawlemont Regional, and Ashfield House is available (pre-sign ups will be required) for the following weeks:
July 12–16
July 19–23
July 26–30
August 2–6
August 9–13
Background information from Summer Program Coordinator Alia Woofenden: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted students across the nation this past year. With students spending last spring and a good portion of this school year in remote and hybrid models, we know many students felt disconnected and struggled with social-emotional connections. As a result, the state made funding available and mandated districts specifically provide summer educational and enrichment opportunities to help re-establish these social-emotional connections and strengthen their educational foundations. These programs, while incredibly fun and interactive, are educational programs not structured as a child care/aftercare and differ significantly from summer camp offerings.
Our district's Explorers Program builds a bridge between academic school years and is aimed at true educational experiences through hands-on learning and outdoor exploration, while meeting students’ academic and social needs. They are not intended to compete with area summer camps, but aim to fill gaps for our district students. Due to requirements for meeting the academic and social needs of our district students, and limited grant funding, space is limited for these free programs.
Need more information or have questions about our summer Explorers Program? Contact Alia Woofenden at awoofenden@mtrsd.org.
Marisa