Burbank Bulletin

Dear Luther Burbank Families,

Welcome back! I hope that you were all able to enjoy the vacation last week! I also hope that our students were able to find time to catch their breath, relax, sleep in, and have some fun. Warm days are definitely on the horizon, and, before you know it, summer vacation will be on our doorstep. It’s hard to believe, but there are only 8 weeks left to the school year! Yowza! Time is zinging by! Our quickly passing time is yet another reminder for us to slow down and enjoy each day. We are already starting to miss our 8th graders. Their preparations for the high school are already underway and our send-off preparations for them are definitely in full swing. Until then, we will be certain to enjoy every day we have with them.

Looking ahead, May is scheduled to be a very busy month. Our students will complete this year’s state-wide testing with math MCAS and science technology engineering MCAS for our 8th graders. Testing will take place from May 3-18. Thank you, in advance, for supporting your child with positive encouragement and ensuring your child’s timely attendance on his/her testing days. Your support REALLY matters!

End-of-year events are also around the corner. Please refer to this Bulletin for a list of days/times for these events and mark your calendars accordingly.

With gratitude,

Laura

April 26: Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

April 27-28: District Targeted Review Team Visits LBMS

April 28: LBMS School Council, 3:00 PM

April 28: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Bolton Memorial Field

April 29: Track & Field, 4:00 @ Lunenburg

May 2: Lancaster Annual Town Meeting, 7:00 PM, MRE Auditorium

May 2 - 5: Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week!

May 3: Baseball, 3:30 @ Maynard

May 3: Track & Field, 3:30 @ NRHS

May 5: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Hale

May 5: SEPAC Event, In Person End of Year Social (more information to follow)

May 10: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Clinton

May 10: SEPAC Meeting & Elections (more information to follow)

May 12: Baseball, 3:30 @ Tahanto

May 12: Softball, 4:00 @ Home

May 12: Track & Field, 3:30 @ Clinton

May 16: Track & Field, 4:00 @ Groton-Dunstable

May 17: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

May 19: LBMS School Council, 3:00 PM

May 19: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

May 20: Early Release Professional Development, 11:30 Dismissal

May 23: Track & Field, 3:30 @ NRHS

May 24: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

May 26: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

May 26: Memorial Day Assembly, 9:00 AM (tentative)

May 27: Great East Music Festival

May 30: Memorial Day Parade, Time TBA

May 30: Holiday, No School

May 31: Softball, 3:45 @ Shrewsbury

June 1: Softball & Baseball, 3:30 @ Home

June 1: Track & Field District Meet, 3:30 @ NRHS

June 8: Lancaster PTO, 6:30 PM

June 9: 8th Grade Field Trip to Boston (Full Day)

June 14: Field Day/Minute to Win It (All Day School Event), Rain Date, 6/13

June 16: 8th Grade Recognition Night, 6:00 PM (more information to follow)

June 17: 8th Grade - DAY OF FUN!

June 17: Move-Up Day

June 20: Holiday, No School

June 21: Last Day of School (as of today), Early Release (no lunch served)

Link to NRSD 2021-2022 School Calendar

Congratulations to our second trimester recipients of the Luther Burbank Award. Recipients are selected by their teachers for demonstrating the qualities of citizenship, respect, and kindness. These qualities are ones that epitomize the vision set forth by our school’s namesake, Luther Burbank. Please take a look at our video monitor in the main hallway where we recognize these award recipients: Miles Brunelle (gr. 6), Charlotte Witti (gr. 6), Anthony Salvatelli (gr. 7), Aaron Ethier (gr. 7), Roman Phillips (gr. 8), and Kira Novak (gr. 8).

Pictured left: Kira Novak, Miles Brunelle, Roman Phillips, Anthony Salvatelli, Aaron Ethier. No photo available: Charlotte Witti

This week, we welcome important visitors to our district and to Luther Burbank. As part of the District Targeted Review, interviewers and observers from the American Institute for Research will be onsite to speak with us and observe in classrooms. Classroom visits at LBMS will occur on Thursday, April 28th. These observations will be guided by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System, a system that was developed by the Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at the University of Virginia.

The district’s participation in this review, which is required by DESE, will result in a culminating report that provides information about the strengths and challenges of current practices. Making these determinations requires on-site data collection, including interviews and focus groups and classroom observations, in addition to the collection and review of documents.

Prior to April vacation, we had 3 Covid positive cases. Since the week of February 14th, our positive Covid cases remain very low (6 positive cases since 2/14).

For those students participating in our At Home Covid Testing program, students will receive their next testing kit this Thursday, April 28th.

Testing Schedule for us at LBMS:

• Wednesdays: Weekly PCR Covid "Pool Testing" Safety Checks - in school
• Every other Thursday: Students take home Rapid Antigen Testing Kit (kit includes 2 tests/1 test to be administered at home each Saturday. It's not too late to sign up (see link below).

• Saturdays: At Home Rapid Antigen Testing (at home).

• At Home Testing Schedule through the month of May, as follows:

  • April 30
    

  • May 7

  • May 14

  • May 21

  • May 28

Links:

• To sign up for Weekly Covid "Pool Testing" Safety Checks on Wednesdays
• To sign up to receive Rapid Antigen Test Kits for At Home Testing every Saturday
• NRSD COVID Data Dashboard.

The German Honor Society at Nashoba RHS is excited to bring a new after-school opportunity to Luther Burbank Middle School.

SPARK for German is a bilingual STEM program, where middle schoolers learn about a variety of topics from different STEM fields while also getting an introduction to the German language.

We will run our pilot program for 6th and 7th graders on the three Wednesdays following April vacation (4/27, 5/4, 5/11). The lessons will build on each other, so ideally, students would attend all three. The program is free of charge and no materials or prior knowledge is necessary.

You can use this form to sign your child up for the 3-week pilot program. We are hoping to gain some insights and feedback to help us launch the full program in the coming school year 22-23. In the form you will also have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have or you can reach out directly to Frau van Toorn: svantoorn@nrsd.net.

Dollars for Scholars is a group of volunteers responsible for raising and awarding many

thousands of dollars each year in scholarships to high school seniors of Nashoba Regional High School. Nashoba Dollars for Scholars will be awarding over $30,000 to graduates this Spring.

The group is looking for parents across the district with children in grade school, middle school and/or high school who want to get involved with a meaningful organization that directly impacts Nashoba students. Please see the flyer below, or contact the chapter president at nashobaregionaldfs@gmail.com, to learn more about the opportunity!

The substitute rate is now $100/day for teachers and instructional assistants. If you know of anyone who may be available/interested in substitute teaching, please send them our way. We are happy to work with schedules and allow for flexibility where we can.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a substitute teacher and/or are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher, please email Laura Friend at lfriend@nrsd.net or call our main office at 978-365-4558. Substitute teaching offers flexibility and a direct interface with our awesome students. It also offers interested community members a way to contribute to our school.

Email: lfriend@nrsd.net
Website: burbank.nrsd.net
Location: 1 Hollywood Drive, Lancaster, MA, USA
Phone: 978-365-4558
Twitter: @LBMSPrincipal

The Innovation School in Cambridge brings creative education to students around the world. Their mission is to empower the next generation of young designers, entrepreneurs, makers and inventors who will impact their communities and world through their work and ideas. Currently, registration has begun for their in-person summer camp program. Click on this link for more information:

https://cambridge.nuvustudio.com/pages/summer-2022