Big Premiere...update!SB 5-8-2020
The excitement in the air is tangible. While the performances aren’t live, the butterflies are real and the viewing can certainly be synchronous.
The highly anticipated Virtual Westford in Tune talent show premieres tonight on YouTube at 7:30pm for anyone who wants to watch "live".
Here is the link: https://youtu.be/THD4p9lvzQ4
The Westford In Tune Talent Show was started as a service project by Emily Blagg in 2016. Every year since, our Stony Brook Theatre Arts 8th grade students have taken on the project: organizing, auditioning, emceeing, and choosing a cause where we can donate the proceeds. This year, the schools were shut down one week before our Talent Show would have taken place. Our students jumped into action, ready for a new challenge, and the Virtual Westford In Tune Talent Show was born. This year, the 8th graders chose to support LaCoste Strong. If we were performing live, we would be asking for an $8 donation at the door to go to the LaCoste family, so we hope those viewing will consider making a comparable donation here: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lacostestrong/support
We are so proud of our students for putting this together and showcasing the talents of Stony Brook students and staff for a fantastic cause!
Students submitted pictures to Mrs. Schultz last week to be included in the premiere of our first round of SB at Home student videos. In order to watch it, students will need to signed in to their google account to access the video link: https://bit.ly/SBstudentvideo01
As a different type of premiere, we were ready to introduce our sign-up genius for students to access their lockers if they would like to retrieve any belongings from the school. Ms. Mucci did an excellent job organizing it so that each team has one slot at a time as we continue to support physical distancing. As lockers are organized by teams, this keeps even the few students within each time slot separated while in the building. In my efforts to be “helpful”, I may or may not have complicated the set-up with the dates and now the link is no longer ready for public view. We will send it out to everyone on Monday of next week. The dates will be Tuesday, May 19, Wednesday, May 20 & Thursday, May 21. Remember this is not mandatory, any items left in the lockers will be donated, recycled or discarded in an appropriate manner.
Sooner than you know it, we will be able to premiere the Stony Brook 2019-2020 Yearbook. The final, final deadline for custom pages in this year’s Yearbook is now Friday, May 15th. Yes, yearbooks will still be able to be purchased after May 15th, but NOT with customizable spreads. Families must change their address here if they would like it shipped to their home: (INSTRUCTIONS HERE: https://treering.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041258011-How-to-Update-the-Shipping-Address-for-Previously-Placed-Orders-that-are-Shipping-to-Home)
Digital signing (INSTRUCTIONS HERE: https://treering.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000019203-Sending-and-Requesting-Signatures)
Letters with information about the math placement process were sent home via email Monday, April 27 by Krissy Bold, the math curriculum coordinator. If you did not receive an email from her, please reach out to her at kbold@westfordk12.us as soon as possible. If your child is eligible for the testing process, please remember that the Practice Test is a required first step that your child must complete by May 11. The Placement Test will be live on May 13 at 2pm.
As a reminder, Gr6 students can still participate in the World Language Survey to select their choices for Gr7 WL classes. Click here (t.ly/1FFM) to access the Language Preference form. The deadline to complete this form is Monday, May 11, 2020. Students who submit forms after the deadline are subject to space availability.
Another reminder from last week, as we look to the future and prepare for next school year, Mr. McElhinney is organizing the cover contest for next year’s Student Agendas. You can get all of the directions and information about the contest here: 2020-2021 Agenda Cover Contest
There was discussion this week about the results from the recent Remote Learning Feedback Surveys. One of the very interesting things that came up a few times were requests for things to not be due on Fridays. As we have been engaged with Challenge Success for a few years now, I know many of our teachers were still focused on the mindset of not assigning homework over the weekends. That is the spirit with which many intended Friday due dates, so that students did not need to think about Remote Learning over the weekend. Please know that we continue to remain flexible through this period and students are not penalized for not having work done by a specific date as we know everyone has different things competing for their time and resources right now.
Finally, I would like to share these resources with you again as they are very valuable during this time period. If you haven’t already seen the Social Emotional Health & Wellbeing site created by the wonderful WPS Psychologists, it is posted on all of the WPS schools’ homepages. Also, don’t forget about SB COVID-19 Student Support page curated by our fantastic SB Guidance Counselors. Both have helpful resources indeed.
Although it is not as warm as I would like it to be, I know that all of the student performances in tonight’s Virtual Westford in Tune will warm my heart.
See you there,
Chris
Dr. Christopher Chew
Principal
Stony Brook School