Student & Family Update
April 29, 2022
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope that you have had a great week. Things have been busy as usual at MTRS with events taking place in classes, on the sports fields and on field trips around the region.
As a reminder, whilst we are a public school and we are situated on public land, thank you for not using the track or trails when the school day is in session.
Late Bus - Last run 11-1-24 until it starts again on December 2nd
On Thursday we held our Student Led Conferences & Mary Lyon Resource Fair
30 vendors and over 300 visitors came to meet, speak and eat at the resource fair and the Middle School football game. Before this, we held our first Student-Led-Conference of the year for grades 8-12.
Thanks in advance for providing your feedback on the SLC by completing these forms: Students by Nov 4th, Caregivers by Nov 11th.
Our next SLC will be on April 2nd when there will be another 11:30am dismissal. This will be for Grades 7-12.
We are looking forward to grades 5 & 6 coming to MTRS to join up with grades 7 & 8 for our Biannual STEAM Fair on November 14th. More information will be shared on social media and in the newsletter next week.
Daylight savings reminder!
Daylight saving time ends this weekend! The time will "fall back" one hour on Sunday November 3rd.
The Winter Play needs you!
We need three more actors for the Winter play! Please email Director Paul with any questions! stagedirector@mtrsd.org
Quarter 1 Report Cards
The last day of quarter 1 is Thursday, October 31st. Reports will be available in Aspen after November 7th. If you need help logging into Aspen, please email support@twinlakesconsulting.zendesk.com
Financial Aid Planning Night
MTRS is hosting Amy Proiette, Coordinator of Financial Aid, GCC on Monday, November 4th, 6:00 PM in the auditorium.
Grade 11 and 12 students and their Parent/Guardian should plan on attending.
PSAT
The grade 10 and 11 students took the PSAT on October 24th. The score will be released on November 14th. If a student put their cell phone number and email address in the registration, they will receive them directly. If they did not, they will have to get them from the school. With their scores, they can decide if they want to study for the SAT (or the 11th grade sitting of the PSAT) and start thinking about whether they will be applying to colleges as a test optional student (their grades and activities are weighted more heavily) or include test scores to strengthen their applications.
https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/scores/release-dates
Can you help? We are looking for caregivers who might be interested in being paid to help monitor school lunches between 11:10am & 12:40pm. Please email me for more details: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Please read on for information and news related to our busy school. This includes:
- Athletics Updates
- Winter Play news
- AP Brault's Culture Corner
- Student Voice
- Community involvement and outreach opportunities
- District updates
- SEPAC updates
- Welcome to MTRS... Margaret Miller
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.
See you next week!
Best
Chris
Upcoming dates
- November 5th - Staff PD, no school for students
- November 11th: Veterans Day, no school for students
- November 14th: Grades 5-8 STEAM Fair
- November 20th: Photo retake day
- November 27th: 11:30 release (Thanksgiving break, 28th & 29th November)
- Dec 13 & 14th: Winter Play 6:30pm
- Dec 19: Winter Concert 6:30pm
- December 21st: Last day of school - 2:20 release
- December 23 - 31st: Winter Break
- January 1: No school
- January 2nd: School starts again
- 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
MCAS and AP schedule for 2024/25
District (Calendar for 24/25)
Live Solar Panel Energy Information
Twin Lakes has taken over from Suzor as our IT company. support@twinlakesconsulting.zendesk.com
Quarter 2: 45 days
First Day: Friday, November 1st, 2024
Last Day: Tues, January 21, 2024
Q2 progress report grades close on: Friday, December 6, 2024
Q2 progress report grading window: Thursday, Dec 5 - Thursday Dec 12 at 11:59pm
Q2 progress reports will be distributed on: Friday, December 13, 2024
Q2 grading window: Thursday, January 16th - Fri, Jan 24th 2024 at 11:59pm
Q2 report cards will be available in Aspen on: Monday, January 27th, 2024
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIRST WMASS TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY!
WINTER SPORTS REGISTRATION IS OPEN!!!!!
While it may feel like the fall athletic season has just begun, it is time to start thinking about
Winter sports! Here at Mohawk Trail we offer….
Basketball
Wrestling
Indoor Track
Nordic Skiing
Alpine Skiing
As always, the winter athletic season begins the Monday after Thanksgiving and runs through the end of February. The link to registration can be found HERE. Please remember that in order to participate, every student must have a current physical on file with the health office (last 13 months) and have completed a Baseline Concussion Test within the last two years. The link to the Baseline Concussion Test can be found within the registration link. Please reach out to District Athletic Director Greg Lilly HERE with any and all questions regarding your student’s participation in winter athletics.
VOLLEYBALL WINS FIRST WMASS TITLE IN SCHOOL HISTORY!
After going down two sets to one heading into a critical fourth set against top seeded Lee, the Mohawk Trail Volleyball Team ferociously battled back to win sets four and five to claim the first WMass Volleyball championship in school history! The team was led by the incredible play of senior Palmer King as well as phenomenal serving and defense from freshman Abby Moffatt and junior Megan Gabaree. Coach Lannon and her crew will now head on to the MIAA State Tournament beginning this Saturday as they travel to Turners Falls for 1:00 start. Come on out to support your Warriors!
CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS SHINE AT WMASS CHAMPIONSHIPS!
The Mohawk Trail Boys and Girls Cross Country teams took advantage of the beautiful weather this past weekend at Stanley Park in Westfield and took home countless PR’s in route to 8th place and 7th place finishes, respectively. On the girls side, sophomore Virginia Krezmien continued her great season by finishing 4th overall out of 140 racers! Not far behind, Junior Anya Read finished 10th and sophomore Natalie Lanoue finished 22nd.
On the boys side, the Warriors were paced by Junior Peter Healy with a 12th place finish, followed by freshman Rex Kuoppala (31st) and freshman Aymeric Loucka (55th). Both squads will now travel to the Wrentham Development Center on November 9th to compete in the MIAA Sectional Meet! Good luck to both teams!
MOHAWK TRAIL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Please remember that the Mohawk Trail Athletic Association meets the first Monday of each month at 6:30 in the Superintendent’s Conference Room. These meetings are open to anyone interested in helping support Mohawk Trail Athletics through community events and fundraising. Please reach out to District Athletic Director Greg Lilly HERE with any questions!
Middle School
The Middle School Student Council met last week to discuss plans for the rest of the year. Students brainstormed ideas including fundraisers, teacher appreciation events, and community service initiatives. Students are considering leadership positions within the Middle School Student Council and will be giving speeches to run for officer positions at our next meeting.
High School
We grossed about $2200 and netted around $1500 with the dance. We had over 150 students attend the dance. Our next meeting with the HS council will be in two Tuesdays, and we will talk about what went well and what could be improved for next year's booster week.
We will put together a survey seeking student response to Booster week at this meeting.
Congrats to the MTRS Dungeons and Dragons Club, which received a $200 grant from the Sly Flourish After-School TTRPG Grant Program. Founded by author Mike Shea and his wife Michelle, the program awards after-school roleplaying game programs with funds they can use for the club.
The D&D club used this money to buy dice! Every time a new student joins the club they are given a set of dice for D&D that are theirs to keep. This grant let the club load up for the next year or two of new adventurers.
Thank you Mike and Michelle!
Director Paul and the cast and crew are pleased to announce that the Winter play will be And Then There was One, by Micheal Druce.
The play is about Ten people who are brought together by mysterious invitation to a tiny, isolated island. Not one of them knows the host, who is nowhere to be found. One by one, the guests begin to die one by one. Luckily, Inspector Miles is among the guests, but even he is stymied as to who the murderer could be.
Caregivers, students and fans of drama are encouraged to come to a performance on December 13th or December 14th.
As a reminder for Cast and Crew, here is the rehearsal schedule moving forward: https://mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org/Performing-Arts
Margaret Miller
Mohawk Trail SEPAC Member and Parent
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.
Student-Led-Conferences
This past Wednesday, teaching advisors held over 204 conferences either virtually or in-person with a combination of student and caregiver in-person and or virtually.
Another way of putting it is that 86% of all students and caregivers met with advisors to hear students lead conversations about their own learning so far this year. This is amazing and shows how we continue to facilitate and support students in accessing content knowledge and mastering conceptual skills that they can use beyond MTRS in the future. It also shows how caregivers and students themselves have continued to move with us on this learning journey.
The next scheduled SLC for grades 7-12 will be on April 2nd and we will have an 11:30am dismissal. Thank you in advance for sharing feedback on your experience this week:
SLC feedback: Students by Nov 4th, Caregivers by Nov 11th.
Renewable Energy Careers & Dual Enrollment opportunities
Career of the Month - Renewable Energy Careers
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/renewable-energy-careersAs more people become environmentally conscious, the renewable energy industry continues to increase in popularity. By exploring the different kinds of roles available in this industry, you can find one that aligns with your interests and values. Renewable energy careers are roles in which you provide services, research or analysis for anything related to natural and renewable energy sources. Renewable energy is energy that comes from nature or the planet's natural sources that replenish themselves. You can most commonly find renewable energy in solar, water and electric. For example, a homeowner who installs solar panels to heat their swimming pool uses renewable energy, and the individual who installs or designs the solar panels is a renewable energy worker.
Dual Enrollment at Greenfield Community College
GCC will be hosting an Open House next week on November 7th from 5pm-7pm. This will be a great opportunity for students exploring community college as an option for Dual Enrollment or after graduation! Students will have the opportunity to meet faculty and staff and learn about different academic programs and student services as well as career and transfer opportunities at GCC. We will also offer campus tours and workshops on admission and financial aid.
Students can find out more information or sign up for a reminder here: https://go.gcc.mass.edu/open-house/
Free Dual Enrollment Course
Click here to visit the Dual Enrollment Webpage
Explore the student services updates for more information!
Welcome November! There are so many great events coming up!
Congratulations to the Volleyball Team on their Western Mass Championship and best wishes as they play Turners in the round of 32 toward the state championship.
The STEAM fair for grades 5-8 is coming up on November 14 where our middle grades students will be able to learn through all kinds of science, math, and arts activities!
There are many field trips on the horizon including to Symphony Hall in Boston and Double Edge Theater.
On the day before Thanksgiving, we are having the second annual Turkey Bingo during advisory. This was a huge hit last year.
And of course the holidays are soon upon us!
Gratitude for the Mary Lyon Foundation
We want to offer our thanks to the Mary Lyon Foundation for bringing the Resource Fair to our building and community once again. Local support organizations offered information about their services and programs. MA State Representative Natalie Blais attended and made the observation that the event demonstrated the strong spirit of support we have locally across our county.
Our facilities staff deserve a round of applause for their role in preparing for and breaking down the event. Thanks are also due to Jay Mankita and his wife Susan who led the Playful Engineers chain reactions session, and to district literacy coach Val Vasti who ran a glow-in-the-dark literacy event and facilitated the book giveaway from the Mary Lyon Foundation.
What an effort! Again, thanks to the Mary Lyon Foundation for all that you do!
Mark Your Calendar - Days In November to Note!
No School:
Tuesday, November 5: In-Service day for District Staff
Monday, November 11: Holiday, Veterans Day
Thursday, November 28: Holiday, Thanksgiving Day
Friday, November 29: Holiday Thanksgiving Break
Early releases are as follow:
Thursday, November 7: Elementary Only, 12:30 release, Conferences
Friday, November 7: Elementary Only, 12:30 release, Conferences
Wednesday, November 20: MS/HS 12:50 release; Elementary 1:50 release
Wednesday, November 27: MS/HS 11:30 release; Elementary 12:30 release
Basketball Sign Ups
With the fall sport season coming to close, basketball is on the horizon. The Youth Basketball League is figuring out details for a great season ahead.
BSE and Sanderson Basketball
Keep an eye out for details coming out soon!
Colrain Basketball
See the registration form in the weekly newsletter and register by November 15th. Practices will be 2 days a week at the Colrain Central School Gym (day and times TBD) with games on Saturday mornings at Mohawk Trail Regional. Volunteer coaches are needed! The registration fee is $50 to cover uniform shirts, equipment and referees. Make checks out to Kristin Richardson and mail to 204 Shelburne Line Rd, Colrain MA 01340. To volunteer, ask questions, or make other arrangements for payment call/text Kristin at 413-695-1574 or send an email to colrain.ma.sports@gmail.com. Thank you.
Hawlemont and Rowe Basketball
Students in grades 3 though 6 may register
Practices will be held 2 days a week starting after Thanksgiving (days/times TBD)
Games will be held Saturday mornings (schedule will be distributed when it is finalized)
Registration and Payment of $50 due no later than Friday, November 15th. Checks may be made payable to Luke Inman and sent to the school office with your child by Friday, November 15th. Venmo payment can be sent to @Amanda-Inman-13
Fee of $50 covers uniform shirt, equipment and referee fees for games.
Like the Charlemont Athletics Facebook page to stay informed quickly and easily
Contact Luke Inman (413-475-0121) by calling or text with any questions.
BSE: Veterans Welcome
Vice Principal Joe Moynihan invites area veterans to attend the Buckland-Shelburne Elementary annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, November 8, at 9:30 a.m. Servicemen and women with connections to students or families of those attending BSE are especially welcomed. There is no need for attendees to wear a uniform.
During the ceremony, which will feature a reading about the origin of Veterans Day, patriotic singing, and the playing of Taps, veterans will be able to introduce themselves and share a short story about their experience. (See photo from last year’s gathering.)
Moynihan, a veteran himself, shares that this event is meant to express appreciation and recognize the contributions made by the men, women, and families of those who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Confirm attendance by calling us at (413) 625-2521. We look forward to seeing you!
Colrain Central: From Schoolhouse to Schoolhouse
Anne Naughton’s third grade class recently visited the Little Red Schoolhouse in East Charlemont to learn more about local significance related to its architecture and education. This structure is included in the National Register of Historic places due to its local significance in architecture and education (reference # SG100000721). Wikipedia states, “The school was built in 1828, at a time when there was a small village surrounding the property. It was built largely by the efforts of East Charlemont villagers, its bricks manufactured at a nearby brickyard. The school remained in active use as a school until 1944, by which time a significant number of the village buildings had been demolished, and it served only a small number of students. Its interior has remained remarkably unchanged since its closure, in part due to a decision by the town to preserve the building, using it only for local meetings and educational tours for children.”
They also visited the former Four Corners School in East Colrain.
Hawlemont:
Hawlemont 4-H Clubs have started to meet. There are still openings in Weaving, Rabbit Club, and Farm Animal Science. Forms and fee must be returned to the school office BEFORE a student can participate.
Pumpkin Smash will be held Saturday, November 2 from 10 to 2 at Hager's Farm Market. Bring your Halloween pumpkins and enter them in the Smash and Splat contest. This is a major fundraising event for Franklin County 4-H. Hawlemont 4-H members and friends will be offering face painting.
Sanderson Academy: Sugar Rush, The Tradition Continues
For the last 5 or 6 years on the day after Halloween, the Sanderson Academy community comes together for a fun run. This year the event took place on the grounds of Sanderson Academy and filled a .8 mile loop. The classes lined up in front of the school with 6th graders at the front of the pack. Staff and parents joined in the fun. Runners were permitted to complete as many loops as long as they returned by 11:15 am. A 6th grade student completed the most laps and amped up the spirit by wearing a chicken hat!
A related initiative is the reignition of the “100 Mile Club.” This program, led by Ms. Sue, aims to make running fun and encourage lifelong commitment to health and wellness.
We want to hear your voice!
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 next meeting will take place on November 13th
The virtual joining information is as follows:
Meeting ID
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 next drop in will take place on November 22nd- the fourth Friday of each month!
Fourth 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
Chris Buckland
Email: cbuckland@mtrsd.org
Website: www.mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org
Phone: 413-625-9811
Facebook: facebook.com/mohawktrailregional