DNA - District News & Announcements
April 2023
OVERVIEW & DNA INTRODUCTION
This newsletter is affectionately called the DNA because it's a beautiful collection of unique stories and experiences contributing to the development and function of our school communities. (Also it's an acronym for District News and Announcements ;) )
We hope you enjoy seeing some of these behind the scenes stories and will join your fellow community members at upcoming events!
Framingham Public Schools (FPS) is excited to launch the Pa’lante Framingham Talent Acquisition Program which aims to strengthen the Dual Language English and Spanish programs at all levels. As part of this program, FPS is hosting a two-day recruiting event in San Juan, Puerto Rico to interview and hire bilingual Dual Language Spanish Elementary Teachers and Special Education Teachers for the 2023-2024 school year.
If you have educator friends or family members in Puerto Rico, please help spread the word about this amazing opportunity! You can read the trilingual press release: Framingham Public Schools Launches ¡Pa’Lante Framingham!, a Talent Acquisition Program to Recruit Bilingual Teachers from Puerto Rico
Cameron Middle School
Capoeira, pronounced 'ka-poo-eyh-rah', is a martial arts form with African-Brazilian roots. It's a unique style that combines mesmerizing aspects from acrobatics, dance, music, and rhythmic songs. Martial Artists from Mass Capoeira Culture Center recently demonstrated enchanting songs and movements at Cameron Middle School, including student volunteers, and captivating the entire auditorium. Students were highly engaged, clapping and singing, as instructors performed impressive kicks and acrobatics. They also learned & practiced new skills!
Thank you to the Martial Artists from the Mass Capoeira Cultural Center for uniting our student body with a sense of cultural pride and appreciation!
Barbieri Mural Unveiling
In the March DNA, we shared a teaser about the Barbieri mural which started in 2020, but was sadly interrupted when schools closed. Visual arts teachers Jillian Marcelin and Dania Caballero-Dillon along with muralist David Fichter are proud to share that they've completed the Artist in Residence Program! On Tuesday, April 25th, all students were able to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony and the unveiling of the new mural. The theme of the mural, Celebrating Diversity, highlights the diverse Barbieri community. Additional event planning is underway that will allow the broader community to see and learn about the mural, as well as events for the now middle school students who helped in the early days. More to come on this incredible masterpiece!
CONGRATULATIONS to Sky Fuller, a nine-year-old Potter Road student, who was recently nominated for the 40th Elliot Norton Award for her performance as Matilda Wormwood in the musical "Matilda" at Wheelock Family Theater. This is one of the most prestigious theater awards in Boston which she earned for her 'Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical'. Sky has already made a name for herself with her incredible talent and captivating performances on stage, making her the youngest current nominee. Sky is also looking forward to her upcoming opportunity in the performance "Evita" at the A.R.T, which she portrays a young child. The show is expected to run from May 25- July 30th.
Community Connections - Immigrant Experience at Fuller
On March 15th, 2023, Fuller hosted three guest speakers who are immigrants themselves to support the current sixth grade ELA unit The Immigrant Experience. The book that sixth graders are reading, 'Inside Out and Back Again' by Thanhha Lai, is a story about a Vietnamese refugee who comes to the United States
The three speakers included Antonio Massa Viana, a Brazilian immigration lawyer, Rekanz (prefers to just use first name, and referred by Jewish Family Services,) a Syrian refugee, and Audelina Ordonez Barrios, a former Fuller student and FHS graduate. Each speaker shared a prepared speech with the Fuller sixth grade community which was followed by a Q&A. Students asked questions like, “Why did you come to the United States?,” “What was your life like before you came to the United States?,” and “Were you bullied?” Fuller students were well behaved and gave rapt attention throughout this assembly and still had lingering questions when the time was up.
David Behrstock, Fuller’s Sage teacher, works with teachers to help make the curriculum more relevant and engaging to our students. By, among other things, inviting speakers who can bring the ideas they are reading about to life. David collaborated with sixth grade ELA teachers and the ELA Department Chair to create this rich experience for Fuller students on the Lime and Opal teams.
After this assembly, some of the bilingual students chatted with the speakers in their native language and got to share their own immigration experiences. We are exploring a way to bring the speakers back to present to students in the TBE Program directly so that students can engage at a higher level in their native languages. David is also now working with the 8th grade ELA team, to bring speakers related to the book they are reading, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.
Staff Sisters from Fuller and Dunning Support the Special Olympics
Kudos to Sisters Jaimie Dobson (Language Development Coach at Dunning Elementary) and Lori Flaherty (SPED Social Studies Teacher at Fuller Middle School) who participated in the Massachusetts Special Olympics Polar Plunge on March 19, 2023 and raised $500 for the Special Olympics!
FHS
In Applied Physics, after learning about sound waves and how materials can be manipulated to change the frequency of the sound that moves through them, students built their own wind chimes using recyclables. They had to use at least 5 different materials and their wind chimes had to play at least five different notes. We hung the completed wind chimes in the trees in one of the high school courtyards.
Under the direction of the Principal or their designee, the campus aide provides supervision and direction to students in areas of the school campus and maintains classroom continuity to ensure that students continue to learn in their teacher’s absence in order to promote a safe environment for students and staff during classroom and non-classroom activities and to deliver Framingham Public Schools’ high expectations for achievement, equal access to high levels of instruction, the achievement of academic proficiency for all students, and the closing of the achievement gap among subgroups within the schools.
The mission of the Framingham Public Schools is to educate each student to learn and live productively as a critically-thinking, responsible citizen in a multicultural, democratic society by providing academically challenging instructional programs taught by highly-qualified staff and supported by comprehensive services in partnership with our entire community. For news, updates, and announcements, follow Framingham Public Schools (@FraminghamPS) on Facebook, Twitter, and (@framinghamschools) on Instagram. You can also join the conversation using #FraminghamSchools.