Ayer Shirley Middle School
March Newsletter
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Principal's Corner
Dear Panther families,
I’m excited that we can already see signs of Spring this year! Along with a few warm, sunny days we’re preparing for all of the events that come with the final trimester.
As you know, we navigated significant changes to our guidelines surrounding Covid-19. I was pleased to see our students adapt to these changes with ease. Teachers held a special advisory discussing empathy and respecting personal choices around masking. Students did a great job managing themselves and recognizing everyone’s right to feel safe and healthy. Their maturity and thoughtfulness during the change was really impressive.
In the classroom, March is a huge month for learning. At this time of year we have a very consistent calendar so we can really dig into the curriculum. Students have also developed many of the skills they need to have robust conversations and engaging activities. In April and May we’ll be completing the full MCAS schedule. Teachers are making that final push to address all of the curriculum and skills that will be on the assessment. During our last Faculty Meeting, we reviewed student performance data and worked on grouping our students. Teachers will now be working to provide the individualized instruction our kids need.
In extra-curricular activities we also have a lot to look forward to. Spring sports are right around the corner so keep an eye out for opportunities to sign up and get involved. Our new Unified Basketball is starting this week. This program partners students with and without intellectual disabilities to have fun and get active. Unified Sports have been very successful at the high school level and it’s an awesome opportunity to be involved in its launch at select middle school schools. We also have myriad events such as field trips, dances, tours and end of the year festivities that we’re planning out now. With improved health circumstances and outdoor space opening up, I’m excited to see our students getting to socialize and have fun.
Coming out of these winter months, it's fantastic to have so much to look forward to. We want our students to take advantage of every moment. With everything we have going on in the next few months there will be a lot to learn and grow doing!
Sincerely,
Bryan Oelerich
Important Dates
3/8 - PTO meeting
3/9 - 90 min early release
3/16 - half day
3/28 - report cards go home
Trimester 1
- Start - 9/1
- Progress Reports Issued - 10/25
- End - 12/3
- Report Cards Issued - 12/13
10/28 & 10/29 Parent Teacher Conferences
Trimester 2
- Start - 12/6
- Progress Reports issued - 2/7/22
- End - 3/18/22
- Report Cards Issued - 3/28/22
Trimester 3
- Start - 3/21/22
- Progress Reports Issued - 5/9/22
- Report Cards Issued - Last Day of School
2/10 & 2/11 Parent Teacher Conferences
March Lunch Menu
School Musical
~Annie Jr~
Friday 4/8 @ 7pm
Saturday 4/9 @ 7pm
Sunday 4/10 @ 29m
Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children/student/senior
Half Day Lunches
There will be a take home bag lunch available to students on half days. You will receive an email to sign up prior to the half day.
Reusable Water Bottles
Student Council Updates
Penny Wars
Our Penny Wars competition was a huge success. Thank you to all who participated.
The Ayer Shirley Middle School raised $1500, 3 times our goal. We donated $500 each to Loaves and Fishes and the Ayer Shirley Middle School Family Fund. The remaining funds are being dedicated to future student council projects.
The Penny Wars winning class was 6th grade. They are in possession of the Golden Panther and will have an extra recess once the weather warms.
Thank you to Chloe Woodward who headed up the project with help from Molly Cormier, Devon Perwak, Lily Mayorga, Evelyn Balmos, J’aliyah Mayes and Kiana Star-Cuevas.
Spirit Week
Let’s have a little fun with Spirit Week for March 21st. Use the information below to guide your outfit for the day. As always, dress must be school appropriate.
Monday - favorite color day
Tuesday - hat day
Wednesday - jersey/sports day
Thursday - tye dye day
Friday - pajama day.
Upcoming Events
We are busy planning programming to support April Autism Awareness month, an outdoor Spring Fling, a Summer Bash and a clothing drive in partnership with Project 351. We will keep you posted as plans get finalized.
Panther Apparel
We have opened an online store for gear and spirit wear. Only open a short time, so place your orders now!
A Note From the School Nurse
ASMS School Counselors
Summer enrichment programs are beginning to be advertised and are available to some middle school students. Below is one local program. The costs range significantly. Contact the program for details.
WPI summer STEM program for rising grade 9 and 10 students: https://www.wpi.edu/academics/pre-collegiate/summer-programs/launch
New BRYT resources to share with you:
Family Exchange: Peer Networking for Family Leaders who Foster and Support Family Engagement
Information from Find Your Funds on how to access your tax credits https://www.findyourfunds.org/
Also, stay tuned for our next live event coming up at the end of April called 'Ready to Launch'. This panel of experts will talk with us about post-graduation options and setting our students up for success after high school. This is free and open to ALL families, not just BRYT.
BRYT Parent-to-parent supports. Open to ALL families of students who are navigating mental health difficulties. Please share!
FACEBOOK GROUP FOR BRYT FAMILIES
This closed FB group is only for BRYT caregivers. To join, just search 'BRYT FAMILY SUPPORT' on Facebook and ask to be added. The group is managed by the Family Engagement Coordinators and caregivers will find posts about events, parenting articles, support from other parents, and more.
Career exploration lessons with MassCIS have been underway for sixth and seventh grade students who now have Computers after the UA switch. By the end of March, all sixth and seventh grade students will have completed the career cluster inventory on the MassCIS website. The result of the inventory will identify each student’s top career clusters that fit their interests. Each student will have selected a career they are interested in to create a profile about their chosen occupation. This lesson has been a great way to introduce students to career exploration and career planning as they advance closer to highschool and postsecondary education. It has been wonderful to see our students’ curiosity about the world of work and to guide them to begin the planning process for their future.
Students who have applied to Nashoba Tech will be receiving decisions in early march. Our school counseling intern Mr. Caissie will be meeting with students who have applied to help them plan their next steps toward high school.
I am not typically one to share things about my personal life, but my job and role is to support those who need it, anyway I can, and now I'm doing that but on a personal level.
My sister was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) in October of 2021.
We are hosting a blood drive, and fundraising event here at ASRMS in her honor.
We would love any support you'd be willing or able to provide!
Come to give blood, and stay for the raffles and snacks! (Or just come for the raffles and snacks!)
- Jessa Brine
Grade 6 - Green Team
Grade 6/7 - Purple Team
ELA:
6th Grade:
We are cruising along in our class novel, A Night Divided and enjoying the building of suspense from author Jennifer Neilsen. Students have also worked on informational articles and short stories that correspond with the time period of the novel. We will soon be working on a narrative essay while also continuing to work on vocabulary, Greek/Latin roots and grammar.
7th Grade:
Students are about half way through The Giver and have many questions about the strange, dystopian world the novel is based on. We also took a brief detour from the novel to read the short story “The Lottery” where we focused on symbolism and theme. Just like the sixth graders, the next step will be to begin working on a narrative of their own.
Math:
6th Grade:
Students are busy simplifying algebraic expressions and solving one-step equations. We will build on this knowledge in our next topic: Solving and Graphing One-Step Inequalities.
7th Grade:
Students are reviewing types of angles and learning new vocabulary regarding angle relationships. We will incorporate these concepts with our previous work on solving two-step equations; then work on solving and graphing two-step inequalities.
Social Studies:
6th Grade:
Students have transitioned from the civilizations of the Fertile Crescent to Ancient Egypt. This is a very exciting time for students to examine all aspects of Egyptian history a la Indiana Jones through a more project-based learning approach using small group instruction and much more. This unit will also shift the balance from a traditional classroom setup into a more student-centered pedagogy.
7th Grade:
The seventh grade students are now shifting away from a Eurocentric curriculum. Currently, we are wrapping up our brief, but informative unit on the origins of Islam. Moving forward, and for the rest of the year, our focus will center around Asian civilizations. As a result, students will engage in Multicultural learning when studying the rich, and luxe historical contributions to the modern day world. In particular, I will emphasize anthropology, social sciences, and infuse humanities into the curriculum to better understand these cultures’ faiths, languages, customs, government, social classes, art, and cuisine (yum!). Parents from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, and Japanese backgrounds are all encouraged to be active participants in these units. Feel free to reach out and contribute to my classroom so we can all connect to each other’s culture!!!
Science:
6th grade:
We are wrapping up our investigation on fossils and Earth’s past, and will begin to explore the basic structure and function of living things in the next couple weeks.
7th grade:
We are working on constructing an explanation based on evidence for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures increase the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants.
Grade 7 - Blue Team
Math with Mr. Batinsey - In math, we are working on one and two step equations and will move into inequalities very soon. Also, Mr. Batinsey hosts a math club which meets on Wednesdays from 3:15pm-4:30. All are welcome to attend for snacks, friendly competition, and fun!
Science with Mrs. Kauppi - Our Ecologists are still studying the flow of energy through an ecosystem. The mechanism that allows the flow energy to travel through the system are photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Ecologists have been charged to memorize the chemical equations for both.
Social Studies/History with Dr. Pataky - Assalamu alaikum! We will have our Islam vocabulary quiz on Friday, March 11th. I highly encourage all students to study for a few minutes each day. We will be reading a lot about the rise of Islam and Arabic culture and contributions. We will be creating mini-plays from the stories in the Book of 1001 Nights at the end of the unit. Allahu Akbar!
World Language
Mrs. Atwood (French and Spanish) - Bonjour and Hola! Students in French and Spanish are continuing their study of the building blocks of language. In the first week of March, we’re tackling the alphabet and numbers 1-100. We’ve also launched our new Rosetta Stone software, which enables students to move through interactive lessons at their own pace. Students continue to practice basic dialogues daily in class, so feel free to quiz your language learner with a “Comment ça va?” or a “¿Cómo estás?” for some real-world language practice!
Mrs. Couture (Spanish 1, WL Spanish and French) - Greetings! As we enter the month of March we are going to be practicing numbers with numerous games and activities. We will continue working on our best Spanish pronunciation and daily greetings and conversation. We will also be introduced to a new Rosetta Stone program that allows students to access the language they are learning in and outside the classroom by reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Mr. Nessman & Ms. Sergi’s Corner - In Enrichment, we are doing March benchmarks. Students have until March 12th to complete them.
Grade 8 - Maroon Team
In math we are learning how to write the equation of the line. Next we will be learning how to graph the equation. After that, we will be applying our equation writing skills to real life word problems. Students will be given quizzes back this week and have the opportunity to make quiz corrections. Corrections will be due 3/11.
This month in Civics, students will be looking at the executive and judicial branches of government, the history of Supreme Court nominations as well as the system of checks and balances the founders created and the reasons for these checks and balances.
In science, students have just finished a unit on natural and artificial selection and have begun the chemistry unit. In this unit, students will become familiar with the periodic table, understand the difference between elements, compounds, and mixtures, and be able to identify changes in properties after chemical reactions have occurred.
In English Language Arts we are starting a new unit centered around the novel Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. The book is written in verse and students will study poetry around themes of identity while gaining background information on the Civil Rights era. Students are also saying farewell to narrative and begin flexing their analysis writing muscles!
Hola and Bonjour. In Spanish 1 we are beginning the wonderful world of verb conjugation so that we can truly begin to communicate in meaningful ways. Students will be able to describe themselves and others, talk about what they do, and how they feel! In French World Language we are reviewing the basics and perfecting our numbers. We are also piloting a new in-school and at-home online language learning platform: Rosetta Stone. Stay tuned for more details to access.
Technology Corner
Band
ASRSD Athletics
After School Clubs
Homework Club - Mondays
Art Club - Mondays
Games Club - Wednesdays
Student Council - Wednesdays
Diversity Club - Fridays
Guitar Club - Fridays
District Calendar - UPDATED
2021-2022 COVID Dashboard
Spirit Wear
https://route2apparel.com/ASRSD/shop/products/middle_school?page=1
ASPTO Meeting Schedule 2021-2022
Second Tuesday of each month at 7:15 pm in the Middle School Library
October 12th
November 9th
December 14th
January 11th
February 8th
March 8th
April 12th
May 10th
June 14th
“Together We Can Do More”
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/aspto
ASPTO Monthly Events
March
3/8 - PTO meeting - ASRMS Library & via Zoom6:30pm - executive board (open to public)
7:00pm - LAW elementary committee
7:30pm - Middle school committee
3/16 - Super Wheel Raffle
ASPTO Spirit Wear: https://ayershirleypto.launchcart.store/
Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry provides food and support to any residents of Ayer, Devens, Groton, Harvard, Littleton and Shirley who need help.
DRIVE-THRU PANTRY SCHEDULE
Open 9:00am to 12:00pm on the following days:
September 1, 8, 10, 15, 18, 22, 24, 29
October 1, 6, 8, 13, 16, 20, 22, 27, 29
November 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 20, *22, 24
December 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 18, *20, 22, 29
*Special Events:
Thanksgiving Dinner Distribution
November 22 – 10am-1pm and 4pm-6pm
Holiday Dinner Distribution
December 20 – 10am-1pm and 4pm-6pm
Weather Related Closings
For weather-related closings, please check for news posts here on the website, follow us on Facebook or call us at 978-772-4627 to listen to a recorded message.
234 Barnum Road Call us or come see us.
Devens, MA 01434 We can help.
(978) 772-4627 x312
Hannaford Helps Schools
Raising money for your school is as easy as 1 2 3 and A B C
1. Shop. Choose from more than 1200 participating products to help earn money for your school!
2. Check Out. Get 3 school dollars for every 4 participating products you purchase.
3. Submit. Deposit your school dollars in the collection tower in the Lunenburg Hannaford store, located at the front of the registers with our school name on it. And / Or you can send them into the Middle School.
***NOTE*** You can still shop at any Hannaford and receive school dollars, but you will need
to bring your receipt into school. The ASRMS is registered at the Lunenburg loaction.
Please click on this link for more information and a full list of participating products: http://www.hannaford.com/assets/hf/assets/pdf/cms/abouthannaford/HHS_Shopping_Companion.pdf
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terri Rollins at ext. 1202