FBMS Weekly Newsletter
March 8, 2024 #wearemarshfield
A GLANCE AT MARCH
Progress Reports were posted this week on ASPEN. Check out your child's progress. Contact your child's teacher with any concerns. Don't forget that students can stay after school for extra help, and late buses are available M-Thur.
MCAS TESTING IN APRIL & MAY
All students will be taking the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in April and May. MCAS Testing is required for all students who attend public schools. Additionally it is a graduation requirement. Every opportunity to test before Grade 10 is additional practice for this graduation requirement. The data from the tests also helps us to make important decisions about curriculum.
As we plan ahead, please take note of testing on the following dates. Any students who is absent will make up testing upon returning.
- ELA: All grades: Tuesday 4/2 and Thursday 4/4.
- MATH: All grades: Wednesday 5/8 and Thursday 5/9.
- STEM: Grade 8 only: Tuesday 5/14 and Wednesday 5/15.
- CIVICS: Grade 8 only: Tuesday 5/21 and Wednesday 5/22.
VIKING CLUSTER AWARDS
LAST CHANCE!
RESERVE YOUR YEARBOOK TODAY BEFORE WE SUBMIT OUR FINAL ORDER
Time is running out to purchase the 2024 Furnace Brook Middle School yearbook. Reserve yours! TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to guarantee your student a copy and to save the memories of this special year. This is the final call before we submit our order for printing. A payment plan is available at checkout when you order on jostensyearbooks.com. Reach out to Sarah O’Donnell at sodonnell@mpsd.org with any questions.
Spread the Word to End the Word
Our Project 351 Ambassador, Nick Roht, is hard at work here at Furnace Brook. This week at FBMS Nick helped kick off the the 'Spread the Word to end the Word' campaign to eliminate the use of a slang term (r-word) that is hurtful to people with special needs and those that love them. HUNDREDS of our students took a pledge to eliminate the "r-word" from their language and stand up for those that are targeted. About 70% of our students took this pledge voluntarily. Additionally, many students wrote about people that they knew, family members or otherwise, who had special needs. It was touching to read their heartfelt stories.
A big thank you to Nick and his team of Grade 8 helpers, Cam, Brett, Abby, Tim, and Georgia, who ran this event. It had a big impact on our student body. Well done!
SPREAD THE WORD PLEDGE
The Spread the Word initiative is a campaign to help shape a more inclusive world. it signifies a stance against derogatory language targeted at individuals with intellectual disabilities.
EDUCATOR OF THE WEEK
Once a week, Superintendent Granatino recognizes a staff member in the district whose contributions are exemplary. This week our own Mrs. Silva was recognized. Mrs. Silva has been at FBMS for 18 years and teaches Grade 7 math on the Whales Cluster. She has a strong reputation as being an amazing educator who builds great relationships and connections with students, families, and staff. She is creative and enthusiastic about teaching math and her passion is infectious. No one celebrates Pi Day (3/14) like Mrs. Silva!
As a Math Teacher Mrs. Silva works tirelessly to help her students build strong math skills while also helping them to see the connections to real life situations. She frequently offers extra help sessions and works tirelessly with students until they grasp difficult concepts. One parent recently emailed the FBMS Principal and stated, “My husband and I truly appreciate the way she went above and beyond to help him and encourage him to take advantage of this exciting opportunity. She is a gem!” We absolutely agree!
Congratulations, Mrs. Silva! We are grateful for all you do for our students!
OFFERINGS OF WORLD LANGUAGE AT FBMS
Over the course of this week, the district French team visited with our 6th-grade clusters to promote the grade 7-12 French program. Furnace Brook's Jon Morisseau, alongside MHS's Karen Lehmann and Karen Kronewitter, shared their backgrounds, their passion for teaching French, and their desire to inspire students through cultural awareness and interpersonal communication. Some highlights of the French program include digital penpals for future FBMS French students, as well as travel and exchange programs with Quebec and France at Marshfield High School. Not discussed yet, but important at the high-school level, is the opportunity to earn Advanced Placement credit and the Seal of Biliteracy certificate at MHS. A big thank you to Grade 7 & 8 French teacher Mr. Morisseau for sharing your enthusiasm, and thank you also to 7th-grade French students Beau, Chloe, Brenna, Natalee, Brooke, and PJ for sharing about their French experience at FBMS. Grade 6 students have a choice of taking Spanish or French in Grade 7.
Incoming Grade 5 Presentation
On Thursday night our Leadership Team presented to incoming Grade 5 parents who were interested in learning about all of the fantastic programs at FBMS. Thank you, parents, for attending. So many great things happen here! We look forward to meeting your children in June when they come to tour our building!
8th GRADE PARENT VOLUNTEERS MEETING 3/13 6PM
Attention families of 8th graders! Grade 8 advisors Meaghan Segalla and Sean Baldwin are looking to meet with adult volunteers to plan 8th Grade Class Night. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, March 13th at 6:00 pm at FBMS. Lobby doors will be open, and we will greet you in the lobby before meeting for about an hour in Rm. 6. During this informational meeting, you will help us to select a theme for the Grade 8 dance and begin to form groups for decorating the cafeteria. This event is always a meaningful one for our 8th grade students, and we always try to make it as special as possible for them. PTO representative Megan O'Brien has been working with us. She is the parent liaison should questions arise. Megan can be reached at megobrien1@comcast.net .
If you cannot attend the meeting but would still like to help with the event, we will share informational slides with you after March 13th. Thank you for your time, consideration, and effort. We truly appreciate any help, and we are excited to celebrate our wonderful 8th grade students!
AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT HIGHLIGHTS
After School Enrichment is off to a great start. A special shout out to Mrs. Bacon for putting this program together and to all of our teachers involved. Students are cooking, mastering chess, and making crafts!
FUN FRIDAY FUNDRASING FOR 8th GRADE STUDENTS
Our 8th grade "Hat Day" fundraiser will be held on the first Friday of each month. Hats must still be appropriate for school and should not take away from the learning of any class. Students pay $1 in HR.
All profits from these fundraisers support 8th grade events!
FBMS TRACK- REGISTER TODAY
FBMS Track & Field begins in April, and registration is open now! For those looking to learn a little more about the team, we will have an opening informational meeting for all on Tuesday, April 2nd, after school in the cafeteria.
All the information on the team is available in our Spring 2024 Track & Field Welcome Letter and can be always be found on the team web page: https://www.mpsd.org/o/fbms/page/fbms-xc-track-field
Any questions, please contact us at fbmsxctrack@gmail.com .
FROM THE LIBRARY
In this monthly program, choose any FBMS Library book (print or from the FBMS Sora catalog). Read it and fill out the character comparison sheet found here. for a chance at the March Prize...a three months customized book subscription box* mailed directly to your home!
Each month comes with a surprise too 😃 Swing by the library for more information!
FRIENDS OF MUSIC FESTIVAL
The MHS & FBMS students are participating in the Junior SEMSBA Festival this weekend. Stay tuned for highlights. Congratulations on being selected!
Inside the Middle School Mind...
8th GRADE SWEET FROG FUNDRAISER- 3/19
Attention families of 8th graders! 8th grade PTO and school advisors are hosting a fundraiser at Sweet Frog in Marshfield Center on Tuesday, March 19th from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. A portion of the profits will be given to support 8th grade events this school year. Raffle tickets will be sold at the event and in school for the week leading up to the event, for $5. Winning tickets will receive free froyo at Sweet Frog for one year. Anything we sell beyond 50 tickets will go directly toward our fundraising efforts. Please consider attending the event or purchasing a raffle ticket. We look forward to seeing you and to celebrating our amazing 8th graders at the end of the school year. Thank you for your time, consideration and support!
LAWN SIGNS- 8th GRADERS MOVING UP
The PTO is selling lawn signs as a fundraiser to acknowledge the accomplishments of our 8th Graders before they head off to the high school. Signs are $15 each. Image of sign is on the left, "8th Grader Stepping up to High School." Scan the QR code below to order signs.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ON TIME
General Law 76 requires that all public schools have plans in place to achieve the highest attendance possible. We want our students here every day and on time to make the most of the learning opportunities available. Please see our handbook for more detailed information.
Our policy for arrival to school:
- Students must be in homeroom by 7:50 AM.
- Students who are not in homeroom by 7:50 AM must stop in the front office to receive a tardy slip.
- Tardy students must provide the office with a note from a parent or guardian or be accompanied into the school building by a parent. This allows us to check that you know your child was elsewhere and not here on time.
- Students with more than three unexcused tardies in a quarter are subject to after school detentions for each and every tardy.
What does this mean for my child? Students need to either take a bus or be dropped off by 7:45AM. They also need to be seated in homeroom by 7:50AM in order to be considered on time. If a student has an appointment, he/she/they should bring in a slip from the provider to excuse the tardy.
Students who are tardy to school miss learning opportunities. Additionally, now is the time to teach accountability and the importance of being on time. We take a full attendance at exactly 7:50AM, and we would like it to be as accurate as possible. If we can help you with getting your child to school on time, please reach out to our guidance department. Along with administration, we can work together to help you and your child.
CHROMEBOOK INFORMATION
Please remind your child to charge his/her/their Chromebook daily. It is important for our students to school prepared for the day, and it is difficult when many students are not able to participate since their Chromebook is not charged. It is helpful for most students to have one location where they can plug in and that the location is consistent so that it become routine. If you child struggles with this, purchasing a second charging cord would be helpful for your child to carry during the day. Does your child need another or replacement Chromebook charger? If so, click here. Cost is $35.
Additionally, Chromebook insurance covers one incident only. After that, there is a charge for repair. More information here. It is therefore of great importance that students take good and safe care of their Chromebook.
A CHANGE TO START TIMES IN 2024/25
From the Superintendent:
Last year the District Transportation Sub-Committee initiated the process of creating greater efficiency with our bus transportation with a stated goal of creating a later start time for Marshfield High School and aligning our five elementary schools on the same schedule. Last spring, the School Committee voted to approve the combining of High School and Middle School transportation for the 2024-2025 school year, at a yet to be determined start time.
This past month the District School Start Time Sub-Committee recommended the following school hours for the 2024-2025 school year:
Marshfield High School 8:00 – 2:32
Furnace Brook Middle School 8:05 – 2:35
All Elementary Schools 8:40 – 3:20
Pre-School 9:00 – 11:30; 12:25 – 2:55
The District’s goal is to establish these school hours through more efficient bus routes, enabled by the bus registration process that was implemented this school year. Presently, these times are not official, they must be approved by the School Committee, however we are providing this information now so that all are aware. Bus registration for the 2024-2025 school year will take place in the month of March. Once registration is concluded, the District will be able to make the determination on the establishment of the singular Elementary school tier and a vote on school hours is expected to be taken by the School Committee in April.
If, after the conclusion of bus registration, it is determined that the District is unable to create the singular Elementary school hours, the recommendation will be made for the following school hours for the 2024-2025 school year:
Marshfield High School 7:45 – 2:17
Furnace Brook Middle School 7:50 – 2:20
Daniel Webster, Governor Winslow, Eames Way 8:20 – 3:00
Martinson, South River 8:50 – 3:30
Pre-School 9:00 – 11:30; 12:25 – 2:55
More information will be shared regarding final decisions in the future.
MEF ST. PATRICK'S 5K- 3/16
Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day at "America's Most Irish Road Race"! Wear your green and join 4,000 runners, walkers, and crawlers at the South Shore's premier road race! Flat, fast, USATF certified 5K ocean course with cash prizes ($683, $250, $100) for the top three overall male and female, along with $317 ($1,000 total!) for a new male or female course record! (M-14:39 & F-16:15). Age group awards for those who place first through third. Great celebrations at the restaurants of Brant Rock! A fun day for all!
Date:
Saturday, March 16, 2024 - 10:00am
Registration Fee:
$25.00 Race Fee + $3.45 SignUp Fee
Where:
Brant Rock 277 Ocean Street, Marshfield, MA
CLICK TO REGISTER TODAY!
https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Marshfield/MarshfieldStPatricksDay5k
FROM THE CLINIC- SCREENING MARCH 2024
7th Grade: SBIRT SCREENING in March, 2024
This March, Grade 7 students will participate in an evidence-based screening that will be implemented as required by MA Law (Chapter 52, Acts of 2016). This screening, known as SBIRT, (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) is a public health prevention model aimed at preventing the use of alcohol, marijuana, and/or other substances. Our primary goal is to let students know that nursing and counseling staff are available to reinforce healthy decision-making behaviors and to assist students in obtaining additional support, if needed, for any substance use or related issue.
As with any health screening, you have the right to opt out of this process. If you have not already, we request that you send a signed, dated note to the FBMS health office as soon as possible if you wish to opt out. Additionally, screening is voluntary and students may choose not to answer any or all of the screening questions.
Annual Physicals:
Students in Grade 7 are required to submit an updated physical with proof of immunizations for their health record at the beginning of the school year. Please send in via scan/email or Fax
Medication:
All medications must be hand delivered by the parent and be given directly to the Nurse. Medications are not permitted to be sent in with students---this is unsafe as medication could get lost or contaminated. Guidelines PRIOR to bringing in medication, please have: A current Physician’s order, the Parent Consent Form Filled out, and the medication in its original container with pharmacy label if applicable.
Absences / Injuries:
Please provide up to date information and indicate that students are receiving adequate care at home and by their pediatrician, and clearance for participation in gym class. Please report any changes in health status e.g. health conditions, new medication, illnesses, and injuries to the clinic.
Guidelines as to when to keep your child home. Click here.
We look forward to assisting families and students in achieving optimal health and wellness during the academic school year. Please feel free to contact us at any time with concerns or questions. Be well.
Covid:
At this time, MPSD is deferring to the most recent covid guidelines provided by the Department of Public Health. We are no longer excusing absences surrounding COVID without a doctor's note. Please contact your child’s primary care physician for further guidance.
~FBMS Nurses: Maura Carrol, RN, BSN, Karen Mellen, RN, BSN & Megan Owren, RN, BSN
Clinic Contact Information: Phone: (781)-319-3965 / Fax: (781)-319-1780
FBMS WEEKLY ROTATION OF DAYS
We run on a six day cycle at FBMS. This allows all of our students to not only receive instructino in their core subjects daily but also gives them the opportunity to take several electives. Please see the calendar below which states what day # it is for the year.
Also note: Our last day of school is now June 13th due to 2 days of inclement weather. This date could change again...
MARSHFIELD EDUCATION FOUNDATION (MEF) IS LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS
The Marshfield Education Foundation is always looking for new members to join our organization. The MEF is currently seeking a new Treasurer to begin the 2024/25 school year. We would ideally like to have this role filled before our current Treasurer ends their term at the end of the 2023/24 school year. If you are interested, please send an email to info@marshfieldfoundation.org. Following is a brief description of the role:
The Treasurer shall maintain accurate accounts of all monies of the MEF received or disbursed. The Treasurer shall carry out all MEF financial transactions at banks and depositories designated by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall have the authority to endorse all drafts received by the MEF, and render as required, an account of all transactions and of the financial condition of the MEF. The Treasurer will cause to prepare any financial statements required including tax forms. The Treasurer shall perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer. The books and accounts of the Treasurer shall at all times be open to the inspection of the Directors and Officers of MEF and of any authorized auditor.
WANT TO BE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER?
Our district is always looking for Substitute Teachers, and Furnace Brook is a great place to work. As a substitute teacher, you choose the number of days you would like to work and when. There is great flexibility. The pay rate is $125 per day, and the requirement is that you love kids, have patience (and a sense of humor), and can manage large groups. We tend to see a lot of retirees, folks looking for part time work, and people interested in teaching and the school environment.
If any of this interests you, please call Central Office at 781-834-5000. The people at Central Office will have you come in to complete an application, which requires a CORI (background) check and fingerprinting.
Come join us!
If you are interested in other specific roles within our district, click here. Jobs are always posted.