Student & Family Update
April 29, 2022
December 2nd, 2022
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope that you enjoyed a restful break and are looking forward to the many things going on at MTRS in the next few weeks!
Just a few reminders:
- School Photos are in and students will be able to pick them up by grade level from the office from Tuesday. Instructions on ordering retakes will be included with photos and in the newsletter next week.
- Tickets for the Winter Play can be purchased right up to day of performance on Friday and Saturday of next week
- The late bus does not start again until Dec 5th
- Wednesday 7th and 14th of December are 12:50 pm release days
Best wishes
Chris
Dean Colleen's Culture Corner
MTRS Shark Tank!
Ms Basal's economics class pitched their ideas to a selection of staff "Sharks!"
Next week, we will reveal the winning idea...
Student Services
Important Dates to Remember
Upcoming dates
December 9th and 10th - Winter Play: 7:30pm both days
December 15th - Photo retakes (This is a change from the November date previously shared)
Dec 16th - Parents’ night out at MTSC 4-8pm
December 21st - MTRS Winter Concert: 7pm
December 23rd - 11:30am dismissal for Winter Break
January 3rd (Tuesday) - First day of school after the Winter Break
CPR and First Aid Course
Workforce certification at MTRS
Some of our students participated in a CPR and First Aid course run by Institute for Wild Med.
MTRS Equity Council at Monty's March
Monty’s March: Nov 22nd
Equity Council staff and students participated in Monty's March for the Foodbank on November 22nd! We had so much fun, despite some blisters and chilly noses, and we exceeded our goal - raising $2,315.
You can still donate! http://engage.foodbankwma.org/goto/MTRS
Light up the Fairgrounds
MTRS has created a display for Light Up the Fairgrounds at the Greenfield Fairgrounds. Come see the display lit up and help raise money for local charities like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County. The event opens the weekend after Thanksgiving and runs for 3 weekends.
A big congrats to 11th grader Eliandra Snape for her student leadership on this project!
Superintendent's Award recipient 2022-23
The Mohawk Trail Regional High School is proud to announce that the 2022-2023 Superintendent’s Award recipient is Emery King. Emery is currently ranked second in his class and is very active in extracurricular and community service activities.
As vice president of the National Honor Society, section leader of the Select/After School Chorus, captain of the volleyball team, and president of the Mohawk Trail Equity Alliance, it is safe to say Emery is actively involved in the school community in a variety of ways.
Emery excels academically, ranked second in his class with a 4.42 GPA. More impressive is Emery’s course selection, a sampling of which includes AP Computer Science, AP English and Composition, and a course through UMass Amherst in business ethics.
Emery has earned recognition with a number of awards and honors, including Best Soloist, and Outstanding Leader in Chorus, the Traprocks Young Peacemaker Award, Most Spirited, and Most Improved awards in volleyball.
He also gives back to his school community, spending an hour each week with a middle schoo homeroom to aid in behavior guidance. As a member of the Mohawk Trail Key Club, Emery helps new students feel comfortable in school and as a member of the Valley Playwright Mentoring program, he helps students write and perform plays inspired by their life experiences.
Most of all, teachers and students alike say Emery is genuine, caring, generous, and a friend to many. Mohawk Trail is proud to recognize Emery as this year’s recipient of the Superintendent’s Award.
Theatre
Have you bought your tickets yet???
We are one week away from our Winter show and our cast and crew are excited to see you at one of their performances next Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm. This show is going to be so fun for our audience because it's almost impossible to know "who did what to who!"
Tickets are available for purchase now and will be available at the door as well.
We are always in need of volunteers so please consider lending a hand. More information about this and future shows can be found at this link on the school website.
Please email stagemanager@mtrsd.org with any questions and see you next week!
Write and perform YOUR own stories...and get paid for it!
Teen Theatre - Your Show, Your Way!
Through playwright mentoring, students aged 13-19 are supported with writing and performing scenes and monologues based on their own stories. As an actor, you can also earn a stipend of 200$ for your participation!
See flyer for more information
Library Updates
Winter Music Concerts
December 21st at MTRS
Next week MTRS musicians will be starting their grand tour of elementary schools to play tasters for the MTRS Winter Concert.
Watch this space for updates and more information about the concert on December 21st!
Community Activities
CEEP Updates
Snow Club is back this year. Students who are new to snowboarding and skiing can get access to Berkshire East by signing up for this club. Check out the flyer below for more information.
Alia Woofenden "Mrs. Woof"
Liaison for Community Engagement and Enrichment Programs
Mohawk Trail Regional School District
24 Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
She/Her/Hers
Dec 16th - Parents’ night out at MTRS 4-8pm
If you have any elementary-aged children, or know someone who does, this is for you! Bring kids grades 1-6 up to MTRS on Friday, December 16th at 4pm for a night of food and fun. There will be games, crafting, and pizza followed by a showing of Ice Age. While there, parents should head over to Posada Grill in Shelburne to treat themselves to a quiet, child-free dinner. This is a free event, but donations are requested and will go towards the MTRS senior class, who are helping organize the event. Please contact bbasal@mtrsd.org or awoofenden@mtrsd.org with any questions.
Shelburne Families, we need your input!!!
Shelburne families and students – the Town would like your input! Shelburne’s Open Space Committee and Recreation Committee are preparing to update the 2014 Open Space and Recreation Plan. Please take a few minutes to fill out the community survey, either online or on paper. Your responses will help guide the plan’s priorities, which will bring new grant money into the community! With the town passing the Community Preservation Act in the midterm election, there will soon be a regular funding source for recreation & open space projects, so your survey choices will also be useful in guiding how the money is spent. Survey link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/ShelburneOSRP. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Shelburne Town Hall, Arms Library, and Shelburne Center Free Library. Thank you.
Thanks! Andrea
____________________________________
Andrea Donlon (she/her)
Senior Land Use & Natural Resources Planner
Franklin Regional Council of Governments
12 Olive Street, Suite 2
Greenfield, MA 01301
Office phone: 413-774-3167 x127
Cell phone: 413-325-4426
Email: adonlon@frcog.org
Web: www.frcog.org
How can you get involved in 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 virtual joining information is as follows:
Meeting ID
Phone Numbers
(US)+1 813-435-9650
PIN: 741 012 215#
Outdoor Advisory Committee (OAC)
This meets every second Wednesday of the month between 5 and 6pm. In the winter we will be virtual. In the Spring and Fall we will be in-person.
Outdoor Advisory Committee- Virtual
Wednesday, December 21st· 5:00 – 6:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/ysh-dgqv-jvz
Or dial: (US) +1 470-210-0524 PIN: 190 585 623#
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
Third Friday of each month: 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Meeting ID: meet.google.com/sru-mshz-rht
Phone Number: (US)+1 (218) 301-2866
PIN: 136 064 523
Athletics News
The Athletic Department has A LOT going on in the next couple of weeks!
The winter athletics season is off to a great start as all of our teams began practices on Monday! Athlete participation numbers are up over 10% from last winter as our student athletes are excited to compete in the post-pandemic era! We are returning all but one member of our coaching staff from last winter, and the position was quickly filled!
If your student has been on the fence about joining one of our teams this winter, it is still not too late to register! Please click HERE to start the registration process! Do not forget to make sure that the district has a copy of a current physical (last 13 months) on file at the nurse’s office. Please reach out to District Athletic Director GREG LILLY if you have any questions regarding Mohawk Trail Athletics! This winter we are offering…
Basketball
Wrestling
Indoor Track
Alpine Skiing
Nordic Skiing
Don’t forget to join us at the December Mohawk Trail Athletic Association meeting next week!
Monthly MTAA Meeting December 12th, 2022
Time: 6:30pm
Where: Superintendents conference room or virtual
Agenda:
Moonlight Magic and Alumni Fundraiser wrap up
Future Fundraising-Spring Fling
Greg Lilly Updates
Coach Request
Open Floor
Tiered Focused Monitoring Review
During the week of December 13, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Mohawk Trail and Hawlemont Regional School Districts. The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
Parents and other individuals may call Marc Oldenburg, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at 413-314-6703 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the (district or charter school) with a report with information about areas in which the (district or charter school) meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the (district or charter school) requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.
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