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March, 2010
Dear Parents:
With winter hopefully winding down, it is time to think spring! As our students begin to settle in for the third quarter, there will be a lot to do! Presently, our students are preparing for the English Language Arts MCAS test which will be given over the next few weeks. While we recognize that this is only a small part of what we teach in school, it is important that our students try their best on these exams, as it will help us monitor their academic growth and potential as well as prepare them for test-taking strategies that they will need to apply at the high school and college level.
Thank you to those parents who took a few minutes to complete our on-line survey to give feedback on student-led conferences (Grades 6-8). Even though we only received a small percentage of responses, we were able to get some excellent feedback/suggestions. Overall, many of you indicated that you found this type of conference very informative and helpful. My staff and I will now review the results and determine the best conference model for next school year.
For those of you who may not know, Mr. Branco has accepted a principalship at Littleton Middle School. Mr. Branco has been an Assistant Principal at GDRMS for the past five years and has been an instrumental part of the Administrative Team. As much as we will miss him at the middle school, we wish him nothing but happiness and success in his new administrative position.
I am very pleased to inform you that the middle school raised a grand total of $1458.62 to donate to the American Red Cross to help the needy people in Haiti.
During our upcoming early release day on March 17th, our staff will continue to work with the Turning Points Coach from CCE. Teachers are presently learning how to use a variety of protocols for LASW (Looking at Student Work). LASW is a process in which teachers present student work (i.e. students' writing, math problems, science projects, artwork, etc.) to their colleagues during their planning period in order to better understand student progress and their own instructional practices. Teachers do not usually provide any information or context for the student work until the group responds to various questions such as, “What do you see or hear?,” “What questions does this work raise for you?” and “What do you think the students understand?” Teachers then give feedback and suggestions. The process of looking at student work is collaborative and helps teachers learn about the effectiveness of their instruction, while at the same time, allows them to enhance students' learning and development.
Finally, I would like to sing a song of praise for the students/parents who showed up on Friday evening, February 19th to practice Instant Challenges in preparation for the Destination ImagiNation Competition on Saturday, March 20th! The dedication that these students showed by coming in on a Friday evening during their vacation week is highly recognized and commendable! I enjoyed seeing them think “out of the box” to solve some of the instant challenges!
As you will see, the next few months of school will be packed with learning and social opportunities for your children. I appreciate your continued support and encourage you to keep involved in your child’s middle school experience!
The following is a list of upcoming dates and events for the month of March. Please call my office if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Steven M. Silverman
Principal