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.
Grade 8 MTRS High School Experience at MTRS
We are excited to communicate that counselors Ruggeri and Desarro will present Grade 8 students with classroom, independent study, Capstone, Internship and Work Based Learning options for students in Grade 8 who are looking at staying starting Grade 9 at MTRS next year.
This event will be followed by two further events for all Grade 8 students:
- Dec 4th - Grade 8 will spend the day in G9-12 classes
- Dec 19th - MTRS alumni currently in college will speak to all students in G8-12 about using high school experiences at MTRS as a launching pad for life after Grade 12.
Student-led-conference feedback
Please see the section on Teaching and Learning for a summary of SLC feedback from students, families and teachers
Quarter 1 Report Cards
Report Cards are available to view in Aspen through 11/28/24:
- login to Aspen https://ma-mohawk.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do
- look for "Published Reports" (right side of the screen, mid-way down)
- click on the icon
First day of Quarter 2: Friday, November 1, 2024
Last day of Quarter 2: Tuesday, January 2, 2025
Quarter 2 Progress Reports are scheduled to be available on Friday, December 13, 2024
Aspen
Aspen Login page can also be found on the MTRS website under Quick Links
Please contact Twin Lakes Technology with questions related to Aspen access:
https://www.twinlakesllc.org/support
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
- Teaching and Learning: SLC feedback
- Winter Play news
- AP Brault's Culture Corner
- District updates: STEAM Fair & BERK12 updates
- SEPAC 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.
Have a great weekend!
Best
Chris
Upcoming dates
- November 20th: Photo retake day
- November 27th: 11:30 release (Thanksgiving break, 28th & 29th November)
- Dec 4th: Grade 8 students experience high school
- Dec 13 & 14th: Winter Play 6:30pm
- Dec 19th: College and Alumni conversations with current MTRS students
- 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 (11:30 dismissal for all students!)
- 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
This week the High School student council has been busy planning our upcoming projects!
On November 27th we will be having a hot chocolate fundraiser along with a game of turkey bingo during advisory. Hot chocolate will be $1 with a mug from home or $3 without a mug.
We are also beginning to plan our annual teacher appreciation luncheon which will be held on December 11th to show our thanks to the staff who do so much for us.
MOHAWK TRAIL ATHLETES RACK UP POSTSEASON HONORS!!!
After arguably the most successful fall athletic season in over a decade, many Mohawk Trail athletes are being awarded for their individual excellence on the field!
After winning the first WMass Volleyball Championship in school history, our Warriors had three of their players earn All-League honors. Senior Palmer King, Junior Emma Canaday, and Freshman Abby Moffat were all recognized for their individual excellence on the court!
In addition to qualifying for the MIAA State Golf Tournament, first year coach Sean Doyle had four of his players earn All-League honors. Seniors Phineas Tuttman, Logan Moore, and Douglas Wilcox were joined by 8th grader Conor Bergeron in receiving these individual accolades.
Mohawk Trail field hockey players were also invited to the party as Seniors Sofiya Slocik-Gritzner and Avery Johnston were awarded All-League honors to cap off their final fall campaigns.
Rounding out the All-League awards are soccer players Addie Loomis and Zephyr Jetzon for their outstanding seasons on the Greenfield Varsity Girls Soccer team! Both ladies will be returning next year to help lead the Green Wave in their bid for a Western Mass Championship.
We are so fortunate to have a fantastic group of educators at MTRS. They go above and beyond in trying to create learning opportunities for our students. This is one that took place this week:
French Field Trip
On Friday November 8th the high school French 1 class went on a field trip to visit the Clark art museum. While there they observed French exhibits of some of the artists they studied. Some of the artists included Renoir, Degas, and Cassatt. After observing paintings and other art many students walked the trails surrounding the Clark. On the way back, the class stopped at McDonald’s for lunch. The class had a great Time and very much enjoyed the Clark!
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
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 feedback
Thank you to students, caregivers and staff for participating in the SLC on October 30th. The feedback below in the hyperlinks was shared at the most recent LEC and school committee meeting.
As a reminder, SLCS are a vital part of our shift towards Standards Based Teaching and Learning as they provide students an opportunity to reflect on the content concepts and skills they have developed and applied so far at MTRS.
This round of SLC was also an opportunity for students to share their goals and next steps for the rest of the academic year and beyond with caregivers and teachers. In April, the second round of SLC will be a chance for students in 8-12 to look back at their year and how they have grown and developed since October. It is also an opportunity for students to make specific action plans on how to best use the rest of the school year and the summer break too!
For Grade 7, the April SLC is an opportunity for students to reflect on their first year at MTRS and start to make plans for Grade 8 and beyond in order to become leaders of their own learning.
For advanced planning purposes, we will run April 2nd as an 11:30 dismissal for all students. There will not be any athletic practices or events scheduled for April 2nd, so all students should plan to take the bus home at 11:30. Students and caregivers should plan to either return to school at their SLC time or attend remotely via google meet. More details will be shared at the start of semester 2 in 2025!
Financial Aid information for college applications
Financial Aid Information for students and families thinking of college applications: Handout from 11-4: Link
Explore the student services updates for more information!
From catapults to iron forging to cooperative games and a 6 foot Kinex Ferris Wheel, the students participating in the STEAM Fair had a great time. They also enjoyed a magician and information about our solar panels throughout the day.
I had a wonderful opportunity to attend the Western Massachusetts Counselor Association Meeting last night where Mohawk was a featured program for students looking for interns! There was a large amount of interest for some of our open positions as well as completing their internships with us! See pictures below.
The STEAM Fair was Full of Energy!
More than 300 district students participated in the highly anticipated STEAM Fair at Mohawk Trail Regional. Fifth and sixth grade students traveled from Buckland Shelburne Elementary, Colrain Central, Hawlemont Regional, Sanderson Academy and Rowe Elementary to learn and grow with middle school students as they were entertained by STEM magician Peter Boie, worked on a community weaving project, participated in a hands-on sessions, and learned about solar energy.
Individual STEAM sessions included shark dissection, dramatic expression, bugs and disease in trees, canine therapy, the science of cheesemaking, and more. The energy in the auditorium and gyms was palpable. And in smaller groups, students were curious and brave!
We offer our thanks to the middle school, food service and custodial teams; other teachers and staff including those from the elementary schools; high school student volunteers; and helpers from the community, who really made it all come together.
Sustainability Study Progress Update #2
Thirty two people joined together to hear the latest update on the sustainability study on Thursday night. After Jake Eberwein of BERK12 presented the most up-to-date slide deck, participants asked questions about how the word is getting out, the timeline, the finances related to the 5 models being explored, whether staging a transition would be possible, and more. With lots of chatter about related expenses and responsibilities, Jake asked the group to consider “thinking like a region” instead of as individual towns, especially where town-based tax structures complicate a district wide decision. He went on to admit that “everyone will have to concede and gain something at the same time.”
Superintendent Sheryl Stanton agreed that getting the message out and engaging as many people in the community is “so very important” and that there will be another round of community-based meetings once the models and their financial realities are better defined.
A recording will be made available on the 2District8Towns.org website in the coming days. Please continue your engagement with this project as we move closer to actionable items.
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 December 11th
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