Hi Middle School families, I hope you have a wonderful weekend and break time with your middle schoolers :
What does community look, feel and sound like? This week’s response comes to us from anonymous, it didn’t say in our announcements, Community looks like a respectful, caring place. Community feels like a safe place to learn. Community sounds like a quiet place to pay attention.
New Information:
April is Autism Acceptance Month! Autism Acceptance Month kicks off with World Autism Acceptance Day on April 2nd each year. The goal of this month is to bring not just awareness of autism, but acceptance of those who are autistic for all the things that make them unique, creative, and wonderfully AU-tistic. Today, most people are aware of autism, with 1 in 36 children being diagnosed with Autism in 2022, and roughly 2.2% of adults in the US being autistic. The point of GDs Autism Acceptance Week is to bring attention to the wonderful aspects of autism, the ability to deep dive on interests, the unique way that all our brains work, and remember, that like element gold, all AU-tistics are unique treasures in and of themselves.
Our community SEPAC has been awesome in sending resources and advocating for events. We discussed Autism Acceptance Week and we are excited to let you know that we will be doing so the week of April 24th through the 28th! Here is a flier describing the week, providing information, and showing where you can learn more: Autism Acceptance Week.png
Here is an article as well! https://www.usatoday.com/story...
We will be sending more information over the over break, but we wanted to make sure you had this information and could be ready to show your support!
Busing: If your child misses the bus please do not drive behind that bus and have you child get out of the car and run to a bus at another stop. This is very dangerous. If your child misses the bus please drive them to school.
Best Buddies Walk, Join us in supporting the Best Buddies Friendship Walk!
This year, we are participating in the Best Buddies Friendship Walk to raise money to support Best Buddies' programs of inclusion for people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with IDD. Help us build a more inclusive world by joining our team or making a donation today — every dollar makes a difference!
Even if you are not yet a member of the Best Buddies program here at the Middle School, we would love to have you join our team and walk with us on May 13, 2023 at 10:00 in Worcester. If you would like to join, please click this link: https://www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/centralmass/supporting/#GDRMSchool
With Spring in the air this past week I wanted to draw your attention to our middle school dress code.
The student dress code supports our goal of inspiring students to learn while leaving primary decisions around student clothing and style to students and their parents/guardians. Our expectation is that parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring student compliance with the school’s dress code, and students are responsible for knowing the student dress code and for complying during school hours and school activities. To ensure effective and equitable enforcement of this dress code, school staff shall enforce the dress code consistently and in a manner that does not reinforce or increase marginalization or oppression of any group based on race, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion,cultural observance, household income or body type/size.
1. Certain body parts must be covered for all students at all times. Students Must Wear:
A Shirt (with fabric in the front, back, and on the sides under the arms), AND
Pants/jeans or the equivalent (for example, a skirt, sweatpants, leggings, a dress or shorts), AND
Shoes.
2. Students Cannot Wear:
Violent language or images.
Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal item or activity).
Hate speech, profanity, pornography.
Images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class or marginalized groups.
Any clothing that reveals visible undergarments (visible waistbands and visible straps are allowed)
Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon.
Any item that obscures the face or ears (except as a religious observance).
3. Dress Code Enforcement
Students will only be removed from spaces, hallways, or classrooms as a result of a dress code violation as outlined above. Students in violation of Section 1 and/or 2 will be provided three (3) options to be dressed more to code during the school day:
Students will be asked to put on their own alternative clothing, if already available at school, to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day.
Students will be provided with temporary school clothing to be dressed more to code for the remainder of the day.
If necessary, students’ parents may be called during the school day to bring alternative clothing for the student to wear for the remainder of the day.
I appreciate your partnership with this topic.
Reminders for all grades:
Groton Dunstable Softball is selling custom GD Pura Vida adjustable bracelets. Great to buy for yourself or as a gift! Please help our players raise money to build protective softball dugouts.
GD Softball Protective Dugouts Fundraiser Custom GD Pura Vida Bracelet Order Form
As we head into the busy months of MCAS, it’s important to remind our students about calming strategies when they are feeling stressed, worried or anxious. Here is a 5 minute relaxation you can try together. Another fun way to explore calming strategies is to use the virtual calming room on our website.
Scholarships and Clubs. We want to make sure that all families know that if you wish for your student to participate in an afterschool club there are always opportunities for assistance. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or your student’s school counselor if you need some financial assistance. We would never want a student to not play because of cost.
Dates to remember:
3rd term ended April 6th
Grade 5&6 Assembly April 10th
Grade 6 Assembly April 12th
Grade 7 SBIRT April 13th
MCAS this month, you can check our website for exact dates
April Vacation 4/17- 4/21
Term 4 info Gradebook updates 4/14 5/5 5/19 6/2
Term 4 ends June 16, Grades are due June 14th.
Dates to remember for end of year
Moving up ceremony Thursday June 15th
Grade 8 to New Hampshire May 30th
Grade 8 to New York June 1st
Grade 7 to Boundless Adventures June 1st
Grade 6 Greek Olympics June 9th
Band Concert June 8th
Chorus Concert June 6th
Sincerely your Groton Dunstable Regional Middle School Principal
Wendy Salvatore wsalvatore@gdrsd.org