143 Day...an update! SB 5-21-21
This weekend includes the 143rd day of the calendar year. Today was crazy socks day. In honor of 143 Day, I wore my crazy Mr. Rogers’ socks. It was nice that so many students noticed and acknowledged my Mr. Rogers’ socks. Noticing and appreciating others is nice.
Translations via Google Meet
The 8th graders gathered in our newly reclaimed amphitheater to enjoy the SBTA production of Baazlebub this morning during their first class. We are looking forward to all of the other uses of this new outdoor learning space and appreciate all of the hard work that has gone into making this space a reality.
Tonight, SBTA will be doing a live in person public performance of their show. There will also be a recorded version of the show available for streaming on Saturday, May 29th at 7:30pm. Tickets for both performances are available online at stonybrook.booktix.com If attending in person, please bring a lawn chair or other seating.
Baalzebub is a response to the classic novel, Lord of the Flies. What would a group of girls do if they were abandoned alone, at a refugee camp, in an unnamed war zone, away from adults and civilization? As time passes without rescue, the girls face the adult challenges of creating and maintaining a working society, as they struggle to cooperate, understand their differences, define themselves, and survive. Will they establish civility or fall apart?
Because of more mature themes, Baalzebub may not be appropriate for younger children. Parental discretion is advised.
Speaking of classic novels, our Librarian, Mrs. Smith, asked that we let everyone know that there are no fines for overdue books! Please return any school library books you find at your house. Mrs. Smith is happy to return books to other schools, as well. Thank you so much for your help!
Recently, three of our Gr6 students had their artwork selected as either a winner or runner up in the Extreme Weather Art Contest, in which all 6th grade students participated.
- Anushka, Team Curiosity
- Benjamin, Team Discovery
- Leo, Team Imagination
- Sherry, Team Curiosity
https://www.coolscience.net/merrimackvalleyhonorees-1
In other news, Trolley took me to the Neighborhood of Make Believe and I couldn’t find an MCAS exam anywhere. My Airbnb was only available for a short visit. Fortunately, on my way back, I saw the familiar sign to MCASLand so I knew the exit was soon approaching. The assessments are shorter this year and each content area is only one session long. That’s promising. Gr6, Gr7 and Gr8 will have the opportunity to take the ELA assessment on May 25 and the math assessment on May 27. Sorry, Gr6 and Gr7 but only Gr8 students are invited to participate in the Science and Technology assessment on June 2.
This week’s notes from the clinic are brought to you by WQED…
Westford has been given a unique opportunity to provide the Pfizer vaccine to students ages 12 and over and their respective families who are in need of the vaccine. Please access this registration information. When you register your child, be sure to register them for both doses. You will be provided a time slot that will be between 2:30 and 5:30. The dates of the clinics at Westford Academy will be on Wednesday May 26th for the first dose and the second dose will be on Wednesday June 16th. I will be administering vaccines along with other school nurses and staff from the Medical Reserve Corp. We would appreciate it if you could sign up as soon as possible. There is a limited amount of vaccines available. Thank you to Jeff Stephens, Westford Health Director, for making this possible. (EMS will be available onsite both days.)
Speaking of the vaccine, many students have received their first vaccine. You do not need to keep your child home if they are getting vaccinated. Side effects for the first vaccine are typically minimal. You can remind them to see the nurse if they are feeling unwell after being vaccinated. If they need to be dismissed, I will call you.
Just a reminder to all parents-the drinking fountains are not open-the refill stations are. Please make sure to send in a water bottle with your child everyday. I have seen many students on a daily basis for water because they did not bring in a water bottle. With the nice weather and the ability to be without masks when outside, there will be more and more time spent outdoors. I do not stock allergy medications in the clinic or suntan lotion. If your child takes claritin, allegra or zyrtec on a daily basis, feel free to send some in that I can leave in the medicine cabinet in case of a missed dose. I do have benadryl but do not like to administer that for seasonal allergies. And please put a small suntan lotion in your child’s backpack that they can safely administer when outside.
Thank you for the physicals coming in from 6th grade parents. Please continue to send them in. The last time a physical was required was in 3rd grade. Very often parents will say to me, I know I sent it in. If you are not sure whether or not there is a current physical and immunization record on file, email or call and I can let you know what is in your child’s medical record. Also, very often, although you may have given it to your child, documentation doesn’t always make its way to the clinic! Faxing a record to 978-692-5391 or emailing it to shanly@westfordk12.us will ensure that I do get it!
Finally, students who are not feeling well should be coming to see me and not texting you. Please do not just show up at the school if your child texts you. Encourage them to come to the clinic and if they do need to go home, I will call you from my office phone.
As always, call or email with any questions or concerns. Happy Friday!
Sue Hanly, MSN, RN, NCSN
978-392-6974 (direct line)
Looking towards next year, for all of our current Gr6 families, please take a moment to access the following link that includes information about the Gr7 PBL Team Socrates and our Team Structure Survey to help with determining placement for next year’s Gr7 teams: Gr7 PBL Lottery Information Letter
We will be sharing the Gr6 PBL Team Imagination information with our incoming families during next week’s Incoming Families Webinar. So, if you have friends or neighbors anxiously waiting for the secret handshake to all of the joy that comes with joining the Stony Brook community, the wait will be over soon :-)
As Mr. Rogers always said, “You've made this day a special day, by just your being you. There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”
Have a snappy weekend!
Chris
Dr. Christopher Chew
Principal
Stony Brook School
Superintendent Olsen’s Retirement Celebration: You are invited to attend Superintendent Olsen's Retirement Celebration on Thursday night, June 17 from 5:00 to 8:00. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis through June 1. Please click HERE for details and ticket information.
Attention all middle school students and families!
The Westford Academy Ghostwriter will be hosting its second annual journalism camp for 6th to 8th graders this summer from August 23-27. This camp will be held in-person with social distancing guidelines at Westford Academy from 9am - 12pm each day. Students will explore a variety of different disciplines within journalism, including photography, interviewing techniques, news/feature writing, videography, social media design, and sportswriting.
If you are interested in signing up, please fill out this Google Form and mail payment to Westford Academy before June 1st. Please check out our website for more details on camp dates and information where we will be providing updates about the camp specifics as we sort through more information or email us at thewaghostwriter@gmail.com if you have any questions. Thank you and we hope to see some of you this summer!
The WA Ghostwriter Staff
journopromovid.mp4
Westford Summer Music Program - The Westford Summer Music program is pleased to return to in person music ensembles this July! We are now accepting registrations for band and orchestra students entering grades 5 through 9 in September 2021. Come join the fun for a week-long program where band and orchestra ensembles will rehearse daily from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Stony Brook School on July 12th through July 16th . During the week, the students will prepare new music and give a free outdoor performance (if the weather cooperates) on Friday, July 16th at 11 a.m. in the newly restored Stony Brook amphitheater!
· Summer Band directed by Ms. Trish Gately
· Summer Orchestra directed by Mr. Todd Hamelin
For more information and registration please visit: www.westfordk12.us/summermusic
For questions, please contact:
Julie Ottesen - jottesen@westfordk12.us