
Burbank Bulletin
March 28, 2022
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Luther Burbank Families,
Beginning this week, our students will commence state testing with MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). If you are interested in reviewing a sample ELA, math, or STE practice test for your child’s grade level, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has posted practice tests and tutorials here. The practice tests provide a glimpse into the MCAS assessment and are informative in providing insight into what, and how, your child will be assessed. All students, in grades 6-8, will take their MCAS test on their district provided Chromebook. Students will be asked to leave their Chromebooks, along with their power cord, at school the night before each testing day. This will help ensure that all Chromebooks are charged and ready to go the morning of the test.
All in all, the MCAS is designed to measure student performance based on the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework learning standards and to provide information on the performance of individual students, schools, and districts.
This year's results will be especially important. Our teachers and students have been working very hard to accelerate learning and fill in learning gaps that likely resulted from interrupted learning as a result of the pandemic. We have encouraged all of our students to do their very, very best on MCAS. The information we receive from this year's assessment will provide us with critical information about student growth and learning need as step into the 2022-2023 school year.
As parents/guardians, we ask for your help:
- Continue your normal daily routine at home by ensuring a stress-free environment filled with lots of positive encouragement. Tell your child to try their very best. They've got this!
- Ensure that your child attends school promptly on the scheduled testing day(s) for his/her grade level;
- Be sure that your child has had lots of rest prior to each test. A good night’s sleep does wonders for the brain;
- Provide your child with a well-balanced, protein-packed breakfast on the morning of each test. We will not be providing a morning snack this year, so a healthy and hearty breakfast is especially key;
- Send your child to school with a bottle of water to stay hydrated;
- Ensure that your child leaves his/her wearable technology (eg., Smartwatch/FitBit) at home. They will not be allowed in the classroom during MCAS;
- Remind your child that they MUST keep their cell phone in their locker (turned off);
- Our testing schedule for March, April, and May is listed below. All testing sessions begin promptly at 8:00 AM.
With gratitude,
Laura
2022 LBMS MCAS Testing Schedule
Dates to Remember
March 28: Softball & Baseball Parent/Student Meetings, 6:00 PM (Virtual Event)
March 28: SEPAC Event, Executive Functioning with Sarah Ward, 7:00 PM (Virtual Event/Pre-Registration Required)
March 30: Grade 6 ELA MCAS Testing
March 30: Parent Teacher Book Group, 6:00 PM (Virtual Event)
March 31: Grade 7 ELA MCAS Testing
March 31: SEPAC Event, Taking Care of Yourself - Parenting During Covid-19 & into the New Normal with Robin B. Bratica, 6:30 PM (Virtual Event)
April 5: Grade 6 ELA MCAS Testing
April 5: Track & Field Parent/Student Meeting, 6:00 PM (Virtual Event)
April 5: SEPAC Event, Growing up as a Girl/Woman on the Autism Spectrum with Rachel Barcellona, 7:00 PM (Virtual Event)
April 6: Grade 7 ELA MCAS Testing
April 7: SEPAC Event, Ask the Advocate with Special Education Advocate Cynthia Moore, 7:00 PM (Virtual Event)
April 8: Early Release, Professional Development for Teachers, Dismissal 11:30 AM
April 12: Grade 8 ELA MCAS Testing
April 12: LBMS Spring Concert @ NRHS Auditorium, 6:30 PM
April 13: Grade 8 ELA MCAS Testing
April 13: Lancaster PTO Monthly Meeting, 6:30 PM (Virtual Event)
April 18-22: April Vacation, No School
Link to NRSD 2021-2022 School Calendar
Seussical, Jr. - A Huge Hit
Spring Intramurals
Spring Intramurals have begun! Intramurals are a great way to engage in physical activity and meet new friends.
Mondays and Wednesdays: Walking Club (2:15-3:15)
Tuesdays and Thursdays: Badminton (2:15-3:15)
Wednesdays: Floor Hockey (2:15-3:15)
Permission slips can be found on the website and in the school office.
Spring Interscholastic Season: Baseball, Softball, and Track and Field
Online Registration for Spring Sports has started, please follow this link to register: Burbank Registration Link
We are pleased to announce this year's coaches for the upcoming spring sports season. Melissa Hourihan will serve as the coach for our softball team. Coach Hourihan coached our girls basketball team to a winning season and brings with her extensive softball coaching experience having coached at both the recreational and competitive levels. Also returning to the coaching ranks are Dave Dillon and Mike Gormley. Coach Dillon will once again serve as the coach for our baseball team, and Coach Gormley will return as our cross country coach. We look forward to an exciting spring season all the way around.
Parent meetings for our 2021-2022 spring sports season will be held virtually with links to be shared prior to the meeting. During these parent meetings, information about tryouts, the spring schedule, and what to expect will be shared. Please mark your calendars for the following dates:
- Softball (Coach Hourihan, mhourihan@nrsd.net) – Monday, March 28 at 6:00 pm
- Baseball (Coach Dillon, ddillon@nrsd.net) – Monday, March 28 at 6:00 pm
- Track and Field (Coach Gormley, mgormley@nrsd.net) – Tuesday, April 5 at 6:00 pm
Should you be unable to attend the meeting please contact the coach directly via email.
Clay Lanterns, A STEAM Connection for 7th Graders
At Home Covid Testing Program Continues
I am happy to report that we had no newly identified positive Covid cases at Luther Burbank last week! We have had 2 positive Covid cases in the past four weeks (since 2/28).
For those students participating in our At Home Covid Testing program, students will receive their next testing kit on Thursday, April 7th.
Testing Schedule for us at LBMS:
- Wednesdays: Weekly PCR Covid "Pool Testing" Safety Checks - in school
- Every other Thursday: Students take home Rapid Antigen Testing Kit (kit includes 2 tests/1 test to be administered at home each Saturday. It's not too late to sign up (see link below).
- Saturdays: At Home Rapid Antigen Testing (at home).
- Saturday Testing Schedule Until April Vacation as Follows: 4/2, 4/9
Links:
Cradles to Crayons - Donate Your Gently Used/New clothing, A Message from Caroline Pinto, Project 351 Ambassador
Project 351 is a non-profit organization that teaches 8th graders, such as myself, important leadership skills that can help us impact our communities in a positive way. This spring I am partnering with an organization called Cradles to Crayons. This is a non-profit organization that works to help children in economically disadvantaged families get the clothes and footwear they need to be successful in their day-to-day activities. In Massachusetts, there are over 305,000 children in their target age range. Also, last year there were 36,626 requests for footwear and over 9,000 children did not get a pair of shoes. We are looking for your help. We are seeking donations for new or gently used clothing, specifically pajamas, and socks. Other useful donations could be clothing, coats, new socks, new pajamas, new underwear, books, shoes, and sneakers. Youth sizes (0-20) and some adults sizes such as small and mediums. Please send in your items to Luther Burbank by April 8, 2022.
If you are unable to donate any clothes and are still looking to help the cause there is a QR code in the flyer below that you can scan. This code will bring you to the Cradles to Crayons Amazon wishlist and you can purchase new clothes there. Thank you for your support!
If you have any questions email: cpinto03@icloud.com.
Dollars for Scholars
Dollars for Scholars is a group of volunteers responsible for raising and awarding many
thousands of dollars each year in scholarships to high school seniors of Nashoba Regional High School. Nashoba Dollars for Scholars will be awarding over $30,000 to graduates this Spring.
The group is looking for parents across the district with children in grade school, middle school and/or high school who want to get involved with a meaningful organization that directly impacts Nashoba students. Please see the flyer below, or contact the chapter president at nashobaregionaldfs@gmail.com, to learn more about the opportunity!
Check Out What our Students are Reading...
Substitute Teacher Pay Increase
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a substitute teacher and/or are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher, please email Laura Friend at lfriend@nrsd.net or call our main office at 978-365-4558. Substitute teaching offers flexibility and a direct interface with our awesome students. It also offers interested community members a way to contribute to our school.
Luther Burbank Middle School
Email: lfriend@nrsd.net
Website: burbank.nrsd.net
Location: 1 Hollywood Drive, Lancaster, MA, USA
Phone: 978-365-4558
Twitter: @LBMSPrincipal
COMMUNITY UPDATES
SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES
Innovation School - Summer Camp Opportunity
The Innovation School in Cambridge brings creative education to students around the world. Their mission is to empower the next generation of young designers, entrepreneurs, makers and inventors who will impact their communities and world through their work and ideas. Currently, registration has begun for their in-person summer camp program. Click on this link for more information: