Bulldog Weekly Update
May 23rd- May 27th
Monthly CRP Quote
“In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about the reasons behind the low performance of many students of color, English learners, and poor students. Rather than examine school policies and teacher practices, some attribute it to a “culture of poverty” or different community values toward education. The reality is that they struggle not because of their race, language, or poverty. They struggle because we don’t offer them sufficient opportunities in the classroom to develop the cognitive skills and habits of mind that would prepare them to take on more advanced academic tasks (Boykin & Noguera, 2011; Jackson, 2011). That’s the achievement gap in action. The reasons they are not offered more opportunities for rigor are rooted in the education system’s legacy of “separate and unequal” (Kozol, 2006; Oakes, 2005).”
― Zaretta L. Hammond, Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
We Are America
Hold on to your hats, folks--this issue is a doozy. America is in the wake of yet another racially driven mass shooting. On May 14th, 2022, Peyton Gendron entered a grocery mart and fired off open rounds, killing 10 people and injuring 13. Of the total number of people shot, 11 were People of Color.
Following the shooting, we have we learned quite a bit about Gendron. He was 18 years old. He belonged to a local high school. He felt isolated at school. He made threatening statements to other students which they reported to school personnel as bizarre or uncomfortable. He had undergone a mental evaluation in 2021. He documented his visits to Tops Market, noting the number of people, their races, and operational details. He left a digital footprint online of his plans leading up to the event on the Discord website. He spent hours and hours of his leisure time reviewing mass shootings to plan for this attack. He targeted a supermarket in a predominantly Black neighborhood. He opened fire with the intention of eliminating Black people. He intended to kill more than he was able. This is what media has told us.
There remains the added stories of the lives he took. The stories that will go unfinished. The ones whose chapters end mid-sentence as they picked up lettuce, and cheese, and milk, moving about their day like any one of us that Saturday afternoon. Through the media we learned that the youngest of those taken was Roberta Drury. At just 32, she had endless hopes and aspirations for a future she will never see. The eldest to pass was 86 year old Ruth Whitfield. A mother and grandmother, she was heralded by her family. A giver to many, she was also respected and revered in her community. Again, Ruth was 86 years old. Her family described her as the "unapologetic African Princess." She lived passionately in support of the betterment of Black lives in America. Across her lifespan, she has seen decades of rapid change juxtapose woeful inertia. The manner of her untimely death signifies to us again the pendulum swing of progress in our country.
While mass shootings in the US have become an unsavory reality, we cannot allow ourselves to be desensitized. The true bridge for this issue of the bulletin is in our obligation and our professional duty to recognize, acknowledge and help process significant events for ourselves and for the students in our classrooms. We cannot shy away from the difficult conversation of yet another racially driven mass murder which was executed by a school-age boy and which took the lives of everyday people who had families, dreams, goals... and who just wanted to pick up some items for Sunday dinner.
Our students are not impervious to the devastation happening outside school walls. These walls are permeable. The take in and out all that we carry with us each day. While we might, as Rita Pierson states, make great actors and actresses in front of the class at times, we are also wholly human and we must help our students to understand the echelon and complexities of human emotion. We must also use such occurrences to strengthen our own convictions and our drives to become resolute. We are an anti-racist, anti-bias school. We leave no space for hate. We admonish racially-driven violence. We stand for increased mental health services and interventions for troubled youth. We send out our deepest condolences to the families who suffer right now. We may also believe in changes to gun control laws such that responsible use and legal access are the only types available. These truths must be articulated in ways that open the door for students to ask questions while also providing clarification around what we believe and stand for as individuals and as a school. The worst position we can put students in is to tolerate silence around such egregious violence and pain. What do we teach all of our students when we say nothing about the indelible scars this country carries? What meaning-making is happening among our youth around national events that directly erode the values we say we stand for? We will never know if we are too afraid to ask.
JEDI Students Discuss Race and Identity at LHS Event
JEDI Students Discuss Race and Identity at LHS Event
JEDI Students Discuss Race and Identity at LHS Event
Butler JEDI Team Explores Race and Identity at LHS
Butler JEDI Team Explores Race and Identity at LHS
Congrats to the Poetry Chapbook Recipients Who Received Their Poems in Publication This Week
Students in 7th Grade Math Work Together on Problem Solving
Students in 7th Grade Math Work Together on Problem Solving
Students in 7th Grade Math Work Together on Problem Solving
Students Had a Fun, Memorable Field Day on Friday
Students Had a Fun, Memorable Field Day on Friday
Students Had a Fun, Memorable Field Day on Friday
Intramural Basketball Kicked Off This Week: Go Orange Team!
Intramural Basketball Kicked Off This Week: Go Blue Team!
Intramural Basketball Kicked Off This Week: Go Green Team!
Notes from the Principal's Desk
This section of the bulletin is typically allocated to introducing all the wonderful events taking place in our school each week. While today is no different, the tone is a bit more serious. Yes, our school has had another busy, brilliant week. We finished MCAS testing--a tremendous feat. We had our field day. Intramural Basketball kicked off. Students and teachers collaborated on new projects and reached new academic heights. These are among what continue to the incredible attributes of our school. Still, we start this week in review with the work of the JEDI group. JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) includes students of color from across the building working to address and raise awareness around issues of race, identity, inequality, fairness and justice. Through internal coaches and outside experts, students examine who they are, how they operate through this world, how they are perceived and how this school does and does not support their developing identities. They are working to be the change they want to see.
This week, JEDI students had an opportunity to participate in an acute learning exercise at the high school that, for many, hit close to home. 5th grade ELA teacher, Mrs. Swepson, who leads the JEDI group, shared these insights:
"This past Thursday JEDI students met with the creators and several writers from the WE ARE AMERICA PROJECT. The program originated at Lowell High School in 2018 under the direction of Jessica Lander, who teaches a course called "American Diversity", in conjunction with 17 former students. Each year high school students in the course write and edit personal stories of self, keeping in mind the question: What does it mean to be American? The project originated to spark local conversations about identity and belonging and it has gone national, giving other teens a voice and opportunity to share their stories.
During the visit to Lowell High School, students read stories written by the authors of WE ARE AMERICA, as well as engaged in conversation and discussion about the writing process. They listened and asked questions about the various stories the authors had written. High school students led a community circle discussion as a group which included the creation of a collaborative poem Titled "Our American Skin." Many students expressed that they are excited to read additional stories from the series. Authors who spoke to the group include: Lilly Heartquist, Joylyn Ndundu, Matheus R. Villarinho, Lillyanna Yim and Amy Lam." Before moving through the rest of the weekly newsletter, take some time to look closely at the photos of our JEDI students engaging in learning opportunities that ask them to evaluate their experiences in the skin they are in.
Take a Bath in Math
7th grade math hit a couple homeruns this week with special attention and planning placed on group and community work. Students stayed connected as they participated in stations together or math games, facilitated by their teachers. A word of advice to our math game players: don't worry about going easy on your teachers--they can handle a little competition!
Intramural Sports in Full Flight
Sports Commissioner, Clarzell Pearl, organized an intense basketball league for the students to close out the year. Six teams: Red, Blue, Orange, Black, Green and Purple play against one another in a series of short games followed by one feature game that allows all six teams to play against one another before the playoffs. Coaches (Gibson, Capezio, Francis, Ms. A, her brother Xavier, and Mr. Mohammed) oversee the six teams independently and underwent a draft facilitated by Commissioner Pearl wherein first-round picks were elected team captains and coaches made decisions with their players about future trades and drafting free agents (of which there were many). Games will continue into June, as teams make final decisions about their rosters and play one another in consecutive games, fine-tuning necessary technical skills as well as good sportsmanship and positive conduct. See Commissioner Pearl for the game schedule and join us to cheer on these amazing players.
Curran's Clean Up
Mrs. Curran is doing quite a bit to reshape the front of our building. Not only is she eliciting support from our 8th grade students but she is also hosting a Gardening Club which teaches students about soil preparation, planting, and care. The seasons do a number on the grass and shrubbery, not to mention the raised garden-boxes on our front lawn. The front of the school is the first thing guests see when they come to our building. In addition to planting crops and flowers, kudos to Curran for prioritizing the school's appearance and for getting students involved in this community up-keep endeavor.
After School Heads for the Stars
Olu Ibrahim teaches a technology/engineering program during after school hours. In that time, she has taught her students about the mechanics of rockets. Students have taken turns building several small scale rockets--discussing what it takes to propel a rocket not only 20 feet in the air but hundreds and thousands of miles through the Earth's atmosphere and out into space. While most of the students in her group are young males, she provides a strong example of women excelling in STEM. Hopefully the group will attract a range of students in the coming school year.
ILT: Learning Starts with Us
The school's Instructional Leadership Team took time this week to examine data from the recent professional development hosted by Dan Costello on the use of the A-Net Dashboard and goals for assessment and learning. The "learning" starts with ILT developing necessary skills in data analytics and interpretation. AP, Jaime Moody, set up four essential questions to establish four unique lenses for looking at data. This inquiry-based approach is what some might call: A "Meaning-Making" Exercise with Data. ILT members shared observations, concerns, and insights under the advisement of suspending judgement and keeping an open-mind in how we view (and review) qualitative feedback shared by teachers who teach across subjects.
Field Day
Wow! Was field day a whirl wind or what? These students took the competition seriously and they understood the assignment. Big clap of congratulations to the teams and of course their fearless leaders who helped them through all the events. We all owe Mr. Scott Boyle a rousing round of applause for organizing this opportunity--an event which included nearly the entire school.
Go BUTLER BULLDOGS!!
(If you remember from our last newsletter--We ARE the "Wicked Smahtest School" of LPS).
What is new in your world? If you would like to make sure the Butler community is informed on new happenings and learning opportunities in your classroom, make sure to connect with the school's admin team. Just write “Bulletin” in the subject with your submission. Pictures are always a plus!
ILT Members Practiced "Meaning-Making" in a Data Analysis Exercise
ILT Members Practiced "Meaning-Making" in a Data Analysis Exercise
ILT Members Practiced "Meaning-Making" in a Data Analysis Exercise
After School Engineering Club Fires Rockets Outside
After School Engineering Club Fires Rockets Outside
Congratulations to our 8th Grade Student Essay Contest Winners with Jeanne D'Arc Credit Unions
5th Grade Book Prize Recipients Uphold the "Read to Succeed" Program This Month
5th Grade Book Prize Recipients Uphold the "Read to Succeed" Program This Month
Congratulations to our 8th Grade Student Essay Contest Winners with Jeanne D'Arc Credit Unions
Week at a Glance
Monday 5/23
9:30 Operations
SEL Morning Meeting
Tuesday 5/24
- 8:30 Student Support
- 3pm RJ
- 2:45 - 4:15 Equip For Success
Wednesday 5/25
- Admin CPT
Thursday 5/26
- 9 am Curriculum and Instruction Meeting
- 3 pm Special Education PLC
- Fun FriYay! Wear your Butler Pride Gear
Congrats to Mrs. Curran's Gardening Club & 8th Grade Helpers for Cleaning up the Gardens!
Congrats to Mrs. Curran's Gardening Club & 8th Grade Helpers for Cleaning up the Gardens!
Congrats to Mrs. Curran's Gardening Club & 8th Grade Helpers for Cleaning up the Gardens!
New One-Point Perspective Art Up in Front of the Main Office
New One-Point Perspective Art Up in Front of the Main Office
New One-Point Perspective Art Up in Front of the Main Office
ILT Updates
Next Team meeting - TBD
Check-in with your grade level team representatives for more information.
RJLT
Next Team meeting - TBA
Restorative Justice Implementation Note:
When we teach people to swim, we don't throw them out to the deep end, toss them all overboard, and shout "trust is the most important part" and wonder why they could not all make it back to shore without being harmed.
Rather, we scaffold the skills from small to large, empower them with recognition and encouragement, begin in low-risk spaces as we build trust, then move toward more challenging work when we all feel equipped to do so safely. Perhaps feeling challenged, but not feeling fear.
Do not wait until a disaster to begin implementing restorative practices. Begin now, work slowly, so that when the big moments come, we feel empowered, equipped, and prepared.
If you feel uncomfortable about the circle you are planning to lead, then stop. Do not move forward, take about six steps back and begin from there.
Ms. Casey is available to assist too!
PBIS
Level UP
A huge shout out to the PBIS members who endured a grueling process and saw it through to the end. Butler MS received an overall raving review from the MTSS coach. The work this year's team accomplished moved us for the first time to the next level of the PBIS Academy. New level New Challenges!
We are ready and excited for what's to come.
Check-in with your grade level team representatives for more information
Monthly Motivation
It's always great to start on an inspiring note. This month we will add speeches from the MLK Oratory competition.
Staff Birthday Shoutouts ~ May
Doungserey Chhim - 5/1
Teresa Soares Pena - 5/15
Julie Cooper - 5/22
Ann Early - 5/26
Butler Community
Email: jmoody@lowell.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.lowell.k12.ma.us/Domain/10
Location: 1140 Gorham Street, Lowell, MA, USA
Phone: 978-937-8973
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lpsdbutler/