Student & Family Update
April 29, 2022
Good afternoon everyone,
It was fantastic to see students and staff back in the building this week and it feels like we have had a really positive start to the school year.
When I spoke to students at the first whole school meeting of the year, I reminded them all about seeing their time at MTRS as an opportunity to take advantage of the variety of classes, clubs and community activities that we offer. I also let them know that 70% of the Class of 2024 are about to start at a two year or four year college very shortly and that the majority of them will be taking some of the $100,000 in scholarships that the MTRS Community awarded for academic, character and sporting achievements last year.
Thank you in advance for emphasizing that the 180 days of school each year are 180 opportunities to take advantage of. We also look forward to welcoming many of you at our community events throughout the year. We want you to be on board with and a part of student journeys through MTRS and beyond!
Please read on for information and news related to our busy school. This includes:
- Athletics updates
- Teaching and Learning updates
- Student Clubs
- Attendance information to be aware of for this year
- AP Brault's Culture Corner
- Cell phone pilot information
- Regular and Late Bus information
- Important upcoming dates
- Community involvement and outreach opportunities
- District updates
If you are reading this newsletter on a phone or laptop, don't forget to click on "read entire message" in order to see the complete newsletter.
Finally, we do our best to convey information to our community from a variety of sources, lots of them community rather than school based organizations. Unfortunately we are not able to share images and posters with live links through Smore but always ensure there is an email for inquiries. If you would like an e-copy of a poster with live links, please feel free to reach out to the office directly.
Enjoy the long weekend and see you all on Tuesday!
Best
Chris
Upcoming dates
- August 19th: New and returning student registration packets will be available to collect from MTRS
August 28th: First day of school 7:45-11:30am (Breakfast available from 7:20)
August 29th: Chromebook issue to students in Grades 9-12
Sept 2nd: Labor day: Sept 2nd (No school)
- September 25th: Grade 7 Open House & Official Outdoor Classroom opening
- October 9th: School photos
- Oct 15-18: Booster week (Dance on Sat 19th)
- October 30th: SLC for Grade 8-12 & Mary Lyon Resource Fair
- November 14th: Grades 5-8 STEAM Fair
- April 2nd: SLC for grades 7,8,9,10,11,12
- April/ May:TBD Capstone Community Celebration (The new version of Celebration of Learning)
- May 29th: Senior Awards
- May 30th: Class of 2025 Graduation
District (Calendar for 24/25)
Quarter 1 45 days
First Day: Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Last Day: Thursday, October 31st, 2024
Q1 progress report grades close on: Friday, September 27, 2024
Q1 progress report grading window: Weds, September 25 - Weds, October 2nd, at 11:59 pm
Q1 progress reports will be distributed on: Thursday, October 3rd, 2024
Q1 grading window: Tuesday October 29 - Wednesday November 6th at 11:59 pm
Q1 report cards will be distributed on: Thursday, November 7, 2024
Our Mission, Vision, Pilars, Values and our focus for this year
At the whole school meeting I shared our focus and goals for the year with students, faculty and staff. We will continue to build a positive, inclusive and supportive school culture through our advisory program, community activities. We will continue to do this through celebrating and supporting as many opportunities as possible for students to be seen and heard and to drive our initiatives forward. In classes we will continue to move our teaching practices towards Standards Based Teaching and Learning and a clear focus on class content and conceptual knowledge, mastery of skills and the application of these skills outside of the classroom. Families and caregivers will continue to be invited to be a part of the student experience through events such as the Student-Led-Conferences and community events throughout the year. Over the next few weeks and months I will share with families our progress towards these goals through this section of the weekly newsletter, as well as in the monthly reports shared to the School Committee. There will be additional opportunities for students, staff and caregivers to provide input and feedback through participation in surveys and the Local Education Committee and the monthly virtual drop-ins/ virtual office hours - see below. As some context for all of this, it is worth reminding students and families of our shared purpose at MTRS. This is best summarized in our Vision, Mission, Pillars and Values. MTRS Vision, Mission, Pillars and Values Vision We are a community of happy and flourishing students who embrace diversity, have a passion for lifelong learning, and become responsible, engaged citizens. Mission We strive to provide opportunities for all students to lead their own learning, to be thoroughly supported for success in college or career after high school and to help them develop character habits that enable them to be positive and active member of our broader community Pillars Our Community pillars which help create a safe and supportive community for everyone. These pillars are: I am part of this community I can contribute in a positive way I will be accountable for my words and actions Core Values These are at the heart of what students, staff and faculty strive for every day of the school year. Student agency, responsibility and accountability Equity, empathy and inclusion Rigorous academic achievement, reflection and application of skills Building and supporting positive community relationships
The late Bus picks up at Mohawk Trail at 5:30 pm (Starting Sept 3rd)
Schedule dates for the late bus
Fall - Sept. 5th and runs to November 3rd.
Winter - Starts on November 27th and runs to Feb 16th
Spring - Starts on March 18th and runs to May 31st.
Roads traveled
Route 2 west (Mohawk Trail)
Stops at Wells Prevision ( Crn of Rt2/8A) in Charlemont
Continues down Route 2 west taking a right onto Zoar Rd
Stops at the Rowe Town Hall
Turns right onto Pond RD (Rowe)
Turns right onto Cyrus Stage Rd (Rowe
Turns right onto Number nine RD ( Heath)
Turns right onto Route 8A (Heath)
Turns left onto Branch Hill Rd (Heath)
Route Ends on Branch Hill Rd
Please contact:
Dawn Brown, Operations Manager, Tel: 413-489-3195 ext. 3304 F. M. Kuzmeskus, Inc., 635 Mohawk Trail, Shelburne Falls, MA 01370
MTRSD Transportation and Facilities: rpease@mtrsd.org
WOW! First week of school is in the books! What a fantastic feeling to have students back in the building after the summer break. Some highlights:
Seniors have learned about their new opportunities for Senior Privileges.
The Golf Team had their first outing of the season and fared well.
The pilot for the high school “Off and Away During the School Day” cell phone plan is off to a great start with minimal infractions.
7th Grade is settling in and learning about life as Trailblazing Warriors!
We are looking forward to starting high school clubs the week of September 9th. This year clubs will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays during the advisory period in the morning. This will also be a time students can get help from a teacher or work on class (Senior, Junior, etc) activities. More to come as this progresses!
As always, feel free to reach out and ask questions about your student’s experience at Mohawk Trail.
"Off and Away All Day" phone pilot from 23-24 has been extended through grades 7-12 for 24-25
Many other schools in the region have looked at a program like Yondr as a solution to combat excessive phone use in schools. As an alternative, we developed our own pilot program earlier this year which intends to support students with appropriate phone use during the school day.
As a result of the pilot which has been in place in grades 7 and 8 during S2, we have seen a reduction in behavior referrals and issues between Middle school students in school in relation to social media usage. Consequently, for the school year 24/25, we are going to extend this pilot into high school in order to maximize student and staff time on learning, free of digital distraction.
We hope that this pilot provides a supported approach for grades 7-12 to use their phones in a responsible way whilst also removing technological distraction from the learning environment.
We will include a specific section on the phone pilot as part of the student, staff and family feedback surveys during 2024/25.
Short version
- Phones and earbuds should be off and away from 7:45-2:20 each day for all students in grades 7-12
- Grades 9-12 will be allowed to use phones at lunch time only. Grade 7 and 8 will remain unable to use phones during breaks or lunch
- No phone use will be permitted during transitions
- Caregivers can communicate with their student by calling the office. Students are permitted to call home by using the phone in the front office.
Progressive discipline
Students will be informed of this policy on the first day of school. There will be no “warnings” and as such, no student is excused from the policy and the offenses as outlined below.
1st offense: Teacher will take the phone for the remainder of the class, returning it at the end of class. Teacher will also make a behavior referral report to administration.
2nd offense: Administration is notified and the device is confiscated and taken to the main office, where it can be collected at the end of the school day. Caregiver is notified. (Note: students who disobey this policy with more than one teacher in a day are also subject to 2nd and subsequent offense actions.)
A further infraction will result in the phone being taken to the office and the caregiver will be required to come into school to speak with administration and to pick up the phone. In addition, the student will go onto a Phone Plan for 10 school days. The Plan will require the student to drop off the phone in the front office at the start of the school day and collect it from the office at the end of the day.
Any additional infraction after successfully completing a Phone Plan will result in the student being unable to have a phone in their possession for the remainder of the current grading period or, in the case of repeated offenses, for the remainder of the school year.
Welcome to our new Pupil Services Director & Sustainability updates
Lignori Chosen for the Director of Pupil Personnel Services
We are proud to announce that longtime district employee Julia Lignori has been selected as the next Director of Pupil Personnel Services.
Since 2012, Julia has been employed by the Mohawk Trail Regional School District, first at Buckland-Shelburne Elementary where she taught 5th and 6th grade, and most recently at the middle school, where she worked as the learning specialist for the 7th grade team.
In 2003, Julia earned a BA in psychology from Brown University. Continuing her education she earned an M.Ed. in Special Education from Northeastern University in 2008, and an Ed.S. in Special Education Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2022.
Julia is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in special education administration under the direction of Dr. Mary Lynn Boscardin at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests lie in the interconnectedness of disability and poverty, the multicausal factors which yield to the disproportionate representation of low income students in special education, and what leadership demands of administrators of special education in rural schools. Related to this work, in 2021, she received a scholarship through the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Personnel Development Program through a grant-funded project titled Preparing the Next Generation of Culturally Responsive Leaders for the Administration of Special Education.
Additionally, in 2023, Julia was one of 10 doctoral students selected from over 90 universities in the country to attend a policy course and summit in Washington, DC, hosted by the Higher Education Consortium for Special Education (HECSE). HECSE has been the primary advocate at the federal level for the interests of institutions of higher education with personnel preparation, leadership preparation, and research programs in special education since 1982.
Julia’s teaching experience, coupled with her graduate studies at UMASS, inspired her to pursue this leadership position. She is passionate about improving the experiences of students with disabilities. Her hope is to extend her expertise from the classroom, and to build the capacity of special education and general education teachers alike in order to effectively utilize inclusive practices across classroom settings, providing instruction that is equitable, accessible, and engaging to all students.
Julia shares, “When we advocate for policies that support and improve the lives of students with disabilities, we are advocating for all our students, and for public education at large. The reason that I became a special education teacher is because of the strong research to practice connection that informs the field. Additionally, special education focuses on how students learn, rather than what students learn. Research in this field can therefore inform best practices for all students, learning in any discipline, and at every level.”
We appreciate Julia’s approach and have confidence in how students and teachers will be stewarded by her expertise. She has hit the ground running and we are thrilled that Julia brings such a strong vision for students’ learning and growth to her new position.
ABOUT THE POSITION
The Director of Pupil Personnel Services supervises the districts’ special education programs to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Additionally, they are responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities who reside in the districts are identified and screened, including students who attend private or charter schools, and students who are homeschooled. The Director also establishes protocol and procedures for resolving complaints and disputes involving students with disabilities, develops the annual budget for the special education program, manages associated federal and state grants, supports the Special Education Advisory Committee, assesses special education program needs related to equipment, materials, personnel and curriculum, and reports to the school committee on special education programming within the schools. Additionally, the Director serves as Title IX Coordinator and the McKinney-Vento Liaison on behalf of students who are homeless within the two districts.
AUGUST UPDATE
Mohawk Trail/Hawlemont Regional School Districts Sustainability Study
August 29, 2024
The 2districts8towns Steering Committee, charged with overseeing the Sustainability Study for the Mohawk Trail Regional School District (MTRSD) and Hawlemont Regional School District (HRSD), has been busy at work this summer, meeting to review informational reports generated by the Berkshire Educational Resources K-12 (BERK12) research team, while also identifying promising options for addressing the districts’ challenges. The purpose of the Sustainability Study is to identify the best options for delivering the highest quality educational experiences for students in the 8 towns (preparing them for college, career, and life) while reflecting the fiscal realities of our towns/residents.
Through a series of extended working sessions this summer (links to slide decks HERE under presentations), the Steering Committee evaluated a comprehensive list of potential options and opportunities to determine which ones best address the desired outcomes of the Sustainability Study. Steering Committee members considered the potential impact of each option, how easy or difficult each option will be to implement, and how well the options address challenges (financial, educational, operational) faced by the districts. A list of the “most promising” options is in the final stages of development and will be presented for further discussion at the next Steering Committee meeting on September 19. Once approved, the research team will develop models that look more closely at each option and identify benefits and challenges to the districts.
A number of “working” reports have been developed by the Berkshire Educational Resources K12 research with the support of the 2D8T Committee. Several have been released and are available on the website, while others are in review by the advisory teams:
RELEASED REPORTS AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE
● Facilities Report - Provides an inventory and analysis of the five MTRSD and HRSD school buildings, considering factors such as enrollment capacity, physical condition, travel distance between buildings, and possible reconfiguration or repurposing.
● Enrollment Report: Covers historical and projected enrollment trends by district, school, & town; patterns of student migration in/out of the district; and class size.
● Historical Review: Looks back at district formation, historical studies, state efforts around regionalization and rural issues, and best practices (nationally) in rural education.
● Regional Agreement Analysis: Provides a side-by-side look at the Hawlemont & Mohawk Trail regional agreements.
REPORTS UNDER REVIEW BY ADVISORY TEAMS
● Education Report - Reviews a range of educational indicators in the MTRSD and HRSD, considering factors such as educational staff, academic programming, assessments, co-curricular activities, post-secondary outcomes, and accountability to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
● Finance & Personnel Report - Examines financial and staffing data for the districts by looking at recent historical and current data and making projections five years into the future. Examines factors such as overall budgets, comparisons to other districts, per pupil spending, transportations costs, and town assessments.
● Community Outreach Report - Provides results of community outreach efforts that included gathering feedback and perspectives from students, teachers, school staff, families, select boards and town finance committees, and other community members through a mix of meetings, community outreach sessions, and surveys.
● Special Education Report - Examines special education in the districts, including program location, staffing (teachers and paraprofessionals), specialists, disability types, and various outcomes.
The next meeting of the 2Districts8Towns steering committee, to be held on September 19 at 5:30 pm, will include a discussion about developing detailed models for the most promising options. Members of the public are welcome to attend Steering Committee meetings either in person at Mohawk Trail Regional School (superintendent’s conference room) or virtually by accessing the meeting agenda posted on the website (2districts8towns.org).
Community members are encouraged to submit questions or comments through the CONTACT link on the website. For those just becoming familiar with the Sustainability Study, a one page project overview is available HERE.
For more information, contact project manager H. Jake Eberwein, jakeeberwein@gmail.com.
Welcome back Mohawk Trail families!
While the new athletic season is already underway, it is NOT TOO LATE to still register for your favorite fall sport!
We will be offering:
Middle School Football, MS Soccer, Middle School Volleyball, 7-12 Field Hockey, 7-12 Cross Country, 7-12 Golf, and High School Volleyball.
Our school is also a guest of the Greenfield High School Football and Soccer teams!
Follow the link below to register, or reach out to District Athletic Director Greg Lilly at mailto:GlillyAD@mtrsd.org with any questions!
Mohawk Trail Athletics Registration Page
Swag Stores are back!!! Follow the links below to order your favorite sport specific Mohawk Trail gear!
Also, a friendly reminder that all of our athletic game schedules can be found HERE.
Go Warriors!!!
Chris Buckland
Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional