Student & Family Update

I hope that you have had a great week and are looking forward to the start of the new school year next Wednesday at 7:45am.

I hope that this newsletter outlines some of the things students and families need to do before the first day and also explains what students will be doing on their first day.

Please see below for information relating to:

• Start of year packets
• Cell phone policy
• Regular and Late Bus information
• Chrome book use
• What to do on day 1
• Important upcoming dates
• District updates

Students in grades 8-12, please note that if you have a question in relation to schedules, please contact your guidance counselor by email in the first instance:

Grade 8 - Ms. Ruggeri: truggeri@mtrsd.org

Grade 9-12 - Ms. Desarro: ldesarro@mtrsd.org

Please reach out to the office with any questions or concerns.

See you next week!

Best wishes

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
• 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
  
• May 29th: Senior Awards
  
• May 30th: Class of 2025 Graduation

Bell Schedule

District (Calendar for 24/25)

Student Handbook

Live course catalog 2024/25

Food Services Information

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

Students in different grades will receive different packets. For students in Grade 7, please find the supplies list, here. It is also on our website under Quicklinks/ Students: Link

MOHAWK TRAIL REGIONAL MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

ROUTE #1 6:28 Stone Hill Rd. 6:36 Ford Hill Rd. 6:37 Ford Hill Rd/Potter Rd. 6:38 Ford Hill/Middletown Rd. 6:40 Newell Cross Rd. 6:41 Hazelton RD/ Pine Hill Dr. 6:42 Hazelton Rd. 6:44 Zoar Rd/Kings Hwy. 6:47 Zoar Rd. 6:48 Zoar Rd/Brittingham Hill Rd. 6:55 Zoar Rd (trailer park). 6:59 Mohawk Trail (Tea St.) 7:03 Main St. 7:04 Hawlemont School. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #2 6:26 Dodge Rd/South River Rd. 6:27 South River Rd. 6:40 Crn of Savoy Rd/West Hawley Rd. 6:54 West Hawley Rd. 7:00-7:05 East Hawley Rd. 7:07 Hunt Rd/East Hawley Rd. 7:08 Ashfield Rd/East Hawley Rd. (Hawley Fire Station). 7:09 Plainfield Rd. 7:14 Buckland Rd (Hawley) Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE: #3 6:26 Colrain Stage Rd/Waterfall Dr. 6:31 Branch Hill Rd. 6:33 Rte. 8A. 6:34 Sumner Stetson Rd/Rt8A. 6:37 Sumner Stetson Rd. 6:38 Underwood Hill Rd. 6:39 Sadoga Rd. 6:40 Rte. 8A. 6:43 8A/West Branch Rd. 6:51 Number Nine Rd. 6:52 Crn Groll Rd/ Number Nine Rd. 6:53 Number Nine Rd. 6:58 Rte. 8A. 7:00 Rte.8A/Long Hill Rd. 7:05 8A/Rowe Rd. 7:07 8A/Sherman Dr. 7:10 West Main St. 7:13 South Rd/East Main St. 7:15 Burrington Rd. 7:18 Mohawk Trail 7:20 Crn of Heath Stage Terrace/Mohawk Trail. 7:22 Mohawk Trail. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE: #6 6:40 Plainfield Rd. 6:44 Old South/Gloyd St. 6:51 North Union. 6:58 North St. 7:00 Bow St. 7:01 East Main St. (Rte.116). 7:05 John Ford Rd/Plainfield Rd. 7:08 Spruce Corner Rd. 7:10 Crn Route 116/Stonewall Rd.7:14 Flora Tatro Rd/ Steady Lane 7:15 Steady Lane/Norton Hill 7:17 Smith Rd/Rt112, 7:19 Strohecker Rd/Rt/112, 7:23 Transfer Route 88 bottom of Ashfield Mt. 7:30 Rte.112/Purinton RD. 7:31 Ashfield Rd. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE # 8 6:58 Ludwig Rd./Williamsburg Rd. 7:00 West Rd. 7:06 Creamery Rd. 7:08 116/Hill Rd. 7:10 Conway Rd (Rt.116). 7:14 Ashfield House 7:15 Ashfield Neighbors. 7:17 Cape St. 7:26 Upper St. 7:27 Crn of Old Upper St/Upper St. 7:29 Crn of Upper St/Charlemont Rd. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #9 6:37 Apple Valley Rd/Clark Rd. 6:44 Old Stage Rd/Hawley Rd. 6:45 Brown Rd/Hawley Rd. 6:46 Hawley Rd. 6:59 Turn around at Old Stage Rd/Hawley Rd. 7:04 Baptist Crn Rd. 7:09 North Warger Rd/Baptist Crn Rd. 7:14 Conway Rd. 7:15 Garners Falls Rd/Conway Rd.7:16 South St. 7:18 Conway St. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #11 6:30 Clesson Brook Rd. 6:35 Clesson Brook/Dodge Rd. 6:44 Lower St. 6:46-6:52 East Buckland Rd. 6:54 Howes Rd. 6:58 Bray Rd 7:01 Bray/Stone Rd. 7:04 Bray Rd.7:06 Walker Rd & Bray Rd. 7:07 Crn Bray/Ashfield St. 7:08 Ashfield St/Franklin St. 7:10 Birch St./Elm St. 7:12 Elm St./Dungarvin Dr. 7:11 Pine/Elm St. 7:14 Ashfield St/School St. 7:15 McCusker’s. 7:16 State St/North St. 7:17 State St. 7:19 Old State St./State St. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School

ROUTE #12 6:46 Foundry Village Rd. 6:48 York Rd/Foundry Village Rd. 6:53 Adamsville/Hillman Rd. 7:00 Adamsville Rd. 7:06 Adamsville Rd/Maxam Rd, 7:10 Crn Heath Rd/Maxam Rd. 7:12 Crn Heath Rd/Dwight Crossing Rd. 7:15 Catamount Rd/Heath Rd. 7:18 Heath Rd. 7:21 East Catamount Rd/Adamsville Rd (Lively Lane). 7:22 Adamsville Rd. 7:24 Main Rd/Church St. 7:25 Main Rd/Griswoldville St. 7:26-7:29 Main Rd. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #13 6:29-6:39 Wilson Hill Rd. 6:43 Christian Hill Rd/Ed Clark Rd. 6:44 Ed Clark. 6:45 Thompson Rd. 6:52 Crn of Thompson Rd/Stranahan Dr. 6:58 Jacksonville Rd. 7:02 Main Rd. 7:05 Lyonsville Rd/Main Rd. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #14 6:44 Fiske Mil Rd/Brook Rd. 6:47 Shelburne Line Rd. 6:50 Vans Nuys Rd. 6:53 East Colrain Rd. 7:05 West Leyden Rd/Avery Hill Rd. 7:10 West Leyden Rd. 7:13 Crn of Provolich Rd/Greenfield Rd. 7:27 Church St./Mechanic St. 7:30 Mechanic St. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE # 15 7:11 Coombs Hill Rd, 7:15 Little Mohawk Rd. 7:17 Patten Rd/Little Mohawk Rd. 7:18 Little Mohawk Rd/ Frank Williams Rd. 7:19 Frank Willias RD. 7:20 Crn. of Skinner Rd/Frank Williams. 7:24 Skinner Rd. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE #18 6:45 Shelburne Summit 7:11 South Shelburne Rd. 7:13 Lucy Fiske Rd/South Shelburne. 7:15 Old Greenfield Rd. 7:18 Shelburne Ctr Rd/ Bardwell Ferry Rd. 7:19 Shelburne Center Rd. 7:22 Cooper Lane. 7:24 Mohawk Trail. 7:27 Creamery Lane. 7:29 Rand Rd/Rt 11. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School.

ROUTE # 81 6:40 Legate Hill Rd. 6:43 Crn Phipps Rd/ Legate Hill 6:52 Main St. 6:53 Crn South St/Main St. 6:56-7:00 Mohawk Trail. 7:05 West Oxbow Rd. 7:12 Hawk Hill/Deer Run. 7:14 Mohawk Trail. Continue to Mohawk Trail Regional School

ROUTE # 88 6:28 West St. (Plainfield) 6:31 West St/ Rt. 116. 6:36 W. Main 6:43 Prospect St. 6:49 West Hill Rd. 7:05 Watson Spr Crn. 7:06 Watson Spr/Bug Hill/Old Stage. 7:09 Bear Swamp Rd. 7:20 Transfer to Route 6 @ Rest Area at the Buckland/Ashfield town line.

Robin Pease

Director of Facilities & Transportation

Mohawk Trail Regional School District

Hawlemont Regional District

rpease@mtrsd.org

Phone 413-625-0192 ext 1021

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

Grade 7: Students will go to the gym when they arrive. Once in the gym, the 7th grade team does introductions and students will receive schedules and locker combinations.

8th graders meet the 8th grade team in the cafeteria. This is when they will be given locker combinations and schedules.

Grade 9: The first day of school the 9th grade students meet in the auditorium after they arrive. They are welcomed by the Administration and their Advisors before receiving schedules.

Grades 10, 11, 12 all received their schedules in Aspen already and should report to advisory as soon as they enter the building.

WOW! School starts next week! The building is shiny, there are new lights in the gym (I think it looks like you are entering a portal to the new realm!), and a new bell schedule awaits!

Some changes have taken place with the schedule for the high school.

• Friday will look like the rest of the week. This was by overwhelming request of the student body in a survey about scheduling!

• There is no more “stuff” time. Instead you have longer advisory periods and two days a week you will be able to ask your advisory teacher to schedule you to clubs, extra help, make up a test, etc.

• On 11:30 dismissal days the high school has the last lunch of the day!

Restorative Practices SubCorner!

Once a month or more I will bring you up to date on what is happening with Restorative Practices. Here is what you can expect this fall!

• In early October advisory teachers will begin training. This training will allow them to start using restorative circles in advisory. Restorative circles at the basic level are used to build community, learn more about peers, and build standards for the group.

• Any student returning to school after a long absence (i.e. suspension, illness, etc) will participate in a re-entry meeting. Although this practice has been in place, it will look a bit different with specific questions to go through, more counseling interaction, and the possibility of teacher and staff involvement.

• Students may see staff from Suffolk University Center for Restorative Justice in the building. They are helping our staff with restorative practices. They may attend your advisory and assemblies.

Chrome books will be distributed to Grades 9-12 on 8/29.

Please make sure that you have completed the user form and made a payment for the protection fee (check, cash or online) before this time. Please note that if your student accepts a device without protection, the family is liable for the cost of repairs for any damages related to that device during the school year.

This year Grade 7 & 8 will not be issued chrome books at the start of the school year. Instead, they will access have access to chrome books which are stored in their content classes. We hope that in the second semester we will be able to issue chrome books to grade 8 in preparation for their move into high school.

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

I am delighted that we have several new staff joining us this year. Thanks in advance for making them feel welcome and part of the MTRS family!

• Linda Desarro (HS Guidance)

• Alia Woofenden (MS Climate Resilience)

• )

• Elizabeth Burnette (ASL)

• Robin Jenkins (Guidance and Student Registrar)

We are recruiting for paraprofessional staff and hope to be fully staffed for the first day of the year!

Finally, we are sad to see Ms Eva and Mr Todd leave from our Musical and Drama team. The after-school position of Musical Director and Producer has been advertised for 24-25 and any interested applicants are encouraged to email me directly: cbuckland@mtrsd.org

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 first meeting will take place on September 11th.

The virtual joining information is as follows:

Meeting ID

meet.google.com/gzo-toke-ibz

Phone Numbers

(‪US‬)‪+1 813-435-9650‬

PIN: ‪741 012 215#‬

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. The first drop in will take place on September 13th.

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

Official pre-season practices for fall sports are underway! This fall our student athletes are participating in these team sports:

Volleyball

Field Hockey

Cross Country

Middle School Football

Middle School Soccer

High School Soccer (Cooperative Team w/ Greenfield High School)

High School Football (Cooperative Team w/ Greenfield High School)

Before hitting the field or court, student athletes must be registered, take a baseline concussion online test, and provide an up-to-date physical from the last 12 months to be placed on file with the school nurse. Athletes will not be allowed to participate until their registration is complete. Register your student athlete online at: https://mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org/Athletics. Fees may apply.

As always, sport schedules may be found here: https://arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=14937

PRACTICE SCHEDULES (prior to school starting on 8/28; once school begins coaches will communicate updated practice schedules) are as follow:

Golf (@ Greenfield Country Club)

8/23, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

8/24, no practice

8/25, no practice

8/28, 3 p.m., Away against South Hadley

Cross Country (all teams)

4:00 - 6:00 p.m., Monday - Friday until school starts

High School Volleyball

4:30 - 6:30 p.m., Monday - Friday until school starts

Field Hockey

5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Monday - Friday until school starts

Middle School Football

5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday until school starts

Middle School Soccer

5:00 - 6:30 p.m., Monday - Friday until school starts

Middle School Volleyball

2:30 - 4:00 p.m., starting on Monday, 8/26

For information regarding high school soccer and football, please reach out to GHS Athletic Director Mike Kuchieski at mickuc1@gpsk12.org.

Otherwise, please reach out to District Athletic Director Greg Lilly at glillyAD@mtrsd.org.

Go, Warriors!

Mohawk Trail SEPAC Member and Parent

Follow us on Facebook

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.

Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional