Student & Family Update
April 29, 2022
June 2nd, 2023
Good afternoon everyone,
It has been another busy week at MTRS. Here are some quick bits of info:
- Early Release: June 14th (12:50 dismissal)
- District Concert - Thanks to everyone who came. Mr. Herrera was kind enough to film and edit our district concert (multiple angles!) Here is the video.
Finals schedule for grades 7-11 on June 20, 21 & 22nd June:
- Tuesday June 20th - two hour delay: 9:45-2:20
- Wednesday June 21st - two hour delay: 9:45-2:20
- Thursday - June 22nd - early release: 7:45-11:30am
- The schedule in detail can be found, here: Link
- HS: 1-2:30 on Weds 21st June
- MS: 8-10 am on Thursday 22nd June
Chrome book and charger must be handed in. If you are leaving the school and do not return your device and charger, you will be sent an invoice and your final transcript will be withheld until payment is made.
If you are in grades 7-11 and do not return either your device or charger, you will not be issued a new device next year. Additionally, your current device will be shut down remotely so you can't use it anyway!
- Graduation - This is scheduled for 1-3pm, outside at MTRS. I will send an email and a post on social media at 8am, tomorrow, to confirm if it is to be outside/ inside!
- Q4 Caregiver survey: May 15 - 26th: Thanks for your feedback - a summary of responses can be read, here.
- Please note, for those of you planning summer activities, the first day of school for 23/24 is Wednesday August 30th. This is a half day - 7:45-11:30am. The link to our full calendar can be found below in the Important dates and information, section.
- Finally, it is recruiting season at many of our schools. Please look at the Vacancies section of the newsletter (Community section) to see our current openings
Please read on to see what else has been happening at MTRS this week!
Enjoy your weekend
Best wishes
Chris
Yearbooks are here!!!!!
These arrived earlier this week and were distributed today during lunch.
If you would like a copy, you can still order one! Use this Link
Important Dates & Information
Upcoming dates
June 3rd - Graduation (Saturday: 1-3pm Outside. Confirmation at 8am if this moves into the auditorium)
June 9th - Step up day
June 9th - 6;30-9 Grade 8 Semi-Formal
June 10th - MTAA Spring Fling
June 15th - Grade 9 Field Trip
June 16th - HS Civic Action projects and Field Day
June 19th - Juneteenth (no school)
June 20th - Grade 8 Field Trip
June 22nd - Last day of school for students
AP and MCAS Schedule :Link
Academic Calendar: Link (Please note that Q3 started on January 25th and subsequent dates have yet to be adjusted for snow days. Thanks for your understanding.)
District Calendar for 2023/24: Link (First day of school 23/24 - August 30th: 7:45-11:30am)
End of Year dates:
Finals Schedule
20, 21, 22ndJune: 2 hour delay 20 & 21st, 22nd is a ½ day: 11:30 dismissal
Schedule feedback
We are imagining what an MTRS schedule might look like for August 2024!
We are looking at getting your feedback on possible changes to the schedule for MTRS. We would like to have your input into what you think is working/ not working/ could be improved or added to our schedule.
This is your chance to let us know about anything to do with the schedule. As we are gathering initial feedback, anything really does mean anything and could include: Start times, course offerings, elective offerings, technology, outdoor learning, block schedules... Whatever you would like to comment on in relation to the schedule, we want to hear about it!
Thanks in advance for sharing your feedback.
Your feedback will help with our next steps in looking at possible schedule changes and we will keep students and families updated in the process.
Franklin County Pride Parade
Mohawk Trail students, staff, and family members are invited once again to march in the Franklin County Pride Parade in Greenfield on Saturday, June 10th. We will have participants from the middle, high school, and several elementary schools joining together to represent our district!
All participants must arrive at Greenfield Middle School at 11AM to lineup for the parade which begins at 12pm. The parade route goes down Federal Street and finishes at Energy Park where there will be celebration and rally featuring performers and speakers from 1-3pm.
Student-led-conferences
On Wednesday June 7, the 11th Graders will be piloting our first Student-led conferences.
What is a student-led conference?
A student-led conference is essentially a parent/teacher conference led by the student. Caregivers, the Advisory teacher, and the student meet together to look at student work and discuss the student’s progress towards academic and behavior standards . The student facilitates the meeting from start to finish.
Why are we holding student-led conferences?
Preparation for this conference creates an opportunity for students to work on organizational and communication skills for a real audience. It also helps students build a sense of responsibility and accountability for their own learning.
When are they happening?
All 11th graders will be hosting a conference on Wednesday June 7 sometime between 8:30 AM and 2:00 PM. Each student’s conference will take about 25 minutes. Parents/Caregivers of 11th graders will be receiving an email from their student’s Advisor instructing them how to sign-up. Meetings can be attended either in person or virtually.
We are excited about this pilot and hope all 11th grade parents/caregivers will be able to attend!
Library updates
2025 School Trip announced!!!
Student Services updates
Are you interested in a career in FASHION?
Class of 2023 updates!
This has been a busy week for Seniors....
- Final Report Cards were issued on Thursday
- Junior/ Senior Prom took place last week
- Senior Send off took place this past Wednesday
- Elementary school visits happened this past Wednesday
- Staff cookout also happened this past Wednesday
- Awards took place on Thursday
- Graduation will take place on Saturday (1-3pm Rain venue: MTRS auditorium. Confirmation of venue by 8 am on Saturday morning via social media and email to Class of 2023)
Social Hosting information
With the upcoming prom and graduation season, the Northwestern District Attorney’s office has produced a social host law informational flier for parents/ caregivers who may be hosting a graduation/ celebration party. Social Host laws do apply to both alcohol and cannabis. Please explore the guidance, here:: Link
Please also note that the school is working with local and state police to prepare an EMT/ DUI presentation for students in 10-12 for later in May. More information will be shared as details are confirmed.
Community Activities
Sensory Garden
The OAC is working on creating a Sensory Garden this spring in the newly created Mohawk Trail Outdoor Classroom (MTOC). This space is situated between our building walls creating easy access to the outdoors for staff and students to use during the school day. Our community felt creating a sensory garden would be beneficial to our students.
We are in need of plant and seed donations. We are looking for plants (and small bushes only) that are fun to touch, smell or taste as well as pretty plants to enjoy looking at. We prefer things that are native, but are open to plant ideas that don’t profusely spread. Some ideas are bee balm, chives, rosemary and yarrow (nothing taller than 5 feet).
Have something to donate? Are you interested in helping plant items this spring? Email Chris Buckland: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Civic Action Projects
Look what are students are doing!
Students in Grades 8 and 10 are working on their Civic Action projects at the moment. Here is what one group has been up to: Link
Can you help with a Civic Action project on creating a Skate park?
We are a group of 10th graders taking on the large problem of a lack of civic infrastructure like skateparks and parks in our general community. We are doing this as our civic action project and we are looking for people's general opinion on the idea and what they can see as possible deficits. We believe that this is an important problem to address because of the lack of attractions and activities open to the public in our general area whether that is in Shelburne or over in Charlemont or Buckland. Please give us your feedback, here: link
Key Club - Sharing is Caring!
Sharing is Caring room now open
Mohawk Trail Regional High School Key Club students, strongly believe that every student should have access to the basic needs of life. Therefore, any student who is struggling financially is welcome to the Key Club “Sharing is Caring” room to shop for free. Along with clothing items, the room is stocked with hygiene supplies too.
Ms. S starting to outline fish!
Planning out designs
More planning!
Staff development - Casco Bay
This week, funded by NGLC , four of our teachers (Catherine Glennon, Rachel Hoogstraten, Rachel Silverman, and Erik Sussbauer) took part in a Learning Excursion to Casco Bay High School in Portland, Maine. Casco Bay is a model campus for Expeditionary Learning with a strong, supportive, and diverse community that is successfully running many of the initiatives we've been developing here at Mohawk Trail. With teachers from Lowell and Andover, MA and Winooski, VT, our staff explored the campus, observed classes and community events, attended workshops with faculty and staff, and collaborated with each other. They returned full of inspiration and concrete ideas for how to better use Advisory to support student growth and reflection, ways to adjust our daily and yearly schedule to support student milestones and school traditions, and to have more engagement with the wider community.
Current vacancies at MTRSD
Reception and Attendance at MTRS
Middle School Drama Teacher
Grade 5 Teacher at Hawlemont
Community Events
Can you help???
How can you get involved at MTRS?
We want to hear your voice!
Local Education Council (LEC)
This meets virtually every second Wednesday of the month between 3:45 and 4:30pm. More information can be found here. The last meeting of the year will be on June 14th.
The virtual joining information is as follows:
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 813-435-9650
PIN: 741 012 215#
Outdoor Advisory Committee (OAC)
The OAC has become a sub-committee of the LEC and OAC issues and ideas will be discussed at the scheduled LEC meetings.
Please explore the OAC page on the website and have a look at the list of initial projects we gathered from surveying students, staff and community as well as OAC priorities created from this initial list.
Principal Drop-ins
As was the case last year, I will hold regular virtual office hours. You don’t need an appointment to come and talk with me and share your thoughts on what goes on at MTRS. I will try to be available for the whole 60 minutes but can't always guarantee it at our busy school.
Second Friday of each month: 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.
Meeting ID: meet.google.com/jtz-yhet-ipo
Phone Number: (US)+1 (813) 773-5581
PIN: 636 883 303
Athletics News
Welcome back Mohawk Trail Superfans! MIAA State Tournaments are in full swing, so let’s dive right in!
This past Wednesday our Tennis team made the long trek to Cape Cod to face Sturgis Charter School West in the opening round of their State Tournament! After splitting the first four matches, it all came down to our first doubles team of Lauryn Lovett and Yassen Abdelgawad. After dropping the first set, they battled back to win set number 2, but ultimately lost 6-4 in the third. A very dramatic way to end a very successful season for Coach Caity Mans and her squad. In defeat, Paige King and Hazel Foucault both had convincing two set victories in #2 and #3 singles, respectively. Great season folks, and we are looking forward to next year!
Coach Lannon and her softball squad drew the #25 seed in their State Tournament and have the pleasure of hosting #40 seed Tech Boston Academy on Friday, June 2nd at 2:30. This is a preliminary round game in which the victor will be traveling to North Adams on Sunday to face the #8 seeded Drury Blue Devils in the round of 32! Best of luck ladies!
Senior Awards Night!
This past Thursday was our annual Senior Awards Night in which countless scholarships and accolades were bestowed upon our incredible senior class! On the athletics end, a huge congratulations goes out to Deven Buchanan, the winner of Outstanding Male Athlete, and Paige King and Savannah Simmons, the co-winners of Outstanding Female Athlete! These three athletes have made the Mohawk Trail community incredibly proud over the last 6 years, and their contributions to the Mohawk Trail Athletic Department have been immeasurable!
Other winners on the night included…
Bobby Wells Award) SETH HEALY
Lisa Burdick Memorial Award) PAIGE KING
Bunker Martin Award) DEVEN BUCHANAN
Malah Murray Award) AILEEN MOFFATT
Philip Toy Memorial Scholarship) MYAH GRANT
William Pollard Memorial Scholarships) HANNAH PLESNAR
AILEEN MOFFATT
Congratulations to all of our senior athletes on incredible athletic careers here at Mohawk Trail!
(insert some photos from last night please!)
Bunker Martin Award winner
Tennis team at the Cape
William Pollard Memorial Scholarship Award winners
Special Education Updates
Mohawk Trail SEPAC Member and Parent
Do you have a question about your child, their services, or resources specific to your needs? If you or someone you know would like to be added to the private list and receive emails and event notifications, please send an email to: MOHAWKSEPAC@gmail.com Please indicate your email, title (such as parent of a student with IEP/504), District, Interested Party or other)
Disclosure: SEPAC maintains the list of contacts and keeps the information private. This email is maintained by a parent and volunteer. Our goal is to respond in a timely manner. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.
Chris Buckland
Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional
MTRSD Director of Communications