Hear that roar...update!SB 3-1-19

Was it a lion or just the wind? How many more weeks of winter at this point?  It seems like someone might not have heard Phil’s prediction. Well, it seems like we will have a ways to go before benefiting from March's more sheepish characteristics.

March will also bring more opportunities for students to strut their stuff and show off all of their mad skills.  Our MathCounts team won the chapter competitions a few weeks ago for the second year in a row and are advancing to the state competition later in the month.  Max X. ranked first place in the individual round while Andria B., Ada T., Max X, and Derek Z. will compete together in team competition.

Other great news that we have heard recently was the fantastic results of the Stony Brook students participating in the FIRST Lego League robotics competition.  Their proud coach shared this information with me regarding the experience:

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an international youth organization that operates amazing STEM programs for children all over the world. The Pajama Llamas compete in the FLL or FIRST Lego League level together with other 40,000 teams in 98 countries. During each season, the teams need to design, build, and program a robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology, then compete on a table-top playing field. They also must research a real-world problem and are challenged to develop a solution. It all adds up to tons of fun while they learn to apply science, technology, engineering, and math concepts, plus a big dose of imagination, to solve a problem. Along their discovery journey, they develop critical thinking and team-building skills, basic STEM applications, and even presentation skills, as they must present their solutions with a dash of creativity to judges. Throughout their experience, teams operate under the FIRST signature set of Core Values, celebrating discovery, teamwork, and Gracious Professionalism.

The challenge this past year was called “Into Orbit”, and for their project, the Pajama Llamas worked on creating new ways to counter the effects of social isolation for astronauts that are in space for a year or longer. They worked together with experts psychologists from Harvard, the University of Central Lancashire in UK, and a NASA engineer, and all of this was done while creating and programming a robot to solve missions using gyro and color sensors, while supporting the creation of new teams in New England and mentoring a brand new team in Argentina.

All their hard work paid off tremendously in their competitions. In their local Tournament, the girls ended with a 1st Place Champions, 1st Place robot score, and 1st Place Lighting Challenge. In the State Tournament, they finish 2nd Place Robot Score Alliance, and 3st Place Champions (out of the 420 teams in Massachusetts), and  they are now preparing to represent Massachusetts and the USA in the Legoland International Tournament in California in May.

Congratulations to The Pajama Llamas from Stony Brook: 6th graders Lara R. & Ananya A. and 7th grader Amita V.

With that, I wish everyone a cozy, relaxing weekend!

Chris

Dr. Christopher Chew

Principal

Stony Brook School

Westford Middle School PTO Updates

Blanchard and Stony Brook will compete in their first annual 8th Grade Volleyball Game, taking place Friday, March 29th at the Blanchard gym from 6-9pm.  Our awesome middle school gym teachers will have sign up sheets for any interested students to dive, dig, and ace to win the TROPHY (and bragging rights).  Parents - if you have referee experience, WMSPTO would love to hear from you to ref! westfordmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com.

There are still some exciting ways to support WMSPTO (okay, maybe not exciting... but beneficial.  Rewarding).

1. The Shoebox Recycling program has boxes at the entrances to both Stony Brook and Blanchard schools.  Visit https://westford.org/wmspto/index.php/support-the-pto/

2. We still need your support, yes still, to meet our fundraising goal that supports the middle school AEPs, agenda books, teacher appreciation events.  You are NOT too late... people are still donating, a few a week, we are always happy to see checks or paypal donations, you're not too late. If you have donated and need a tax statement for a write off, email us.  

Westford Challenge Success Presents

Finding the Right Fit: a conversation about the college search

With Maria Furtado, executive director of Colleges the Change Lives ( CTCL.org)

March 16, 2019 @ 10:00am in the Stony Brook Auditorium 

This event is great for both students and parents, of high schoolers, middle schoolers (and possibly younger if the word c-o-l-l-e-g-e brings fear and anxiety to mind already).

This talk paves the college road to sanity and adventure -- not a detour down the lane of stress and confusion. Planning ahead -- just knowing what the road map looks like -- will help middle school families be able to either do some casual research, or know it's "safe" to put it aside and hopefully plan high school years more with more interest-focus vs. number-driven goals. For high schoolers, Maria Furtado can share some realistic and encouraging insights about just how many opportunities lie just ahead for those worried about name brands, assessments and resumes.

For more info visit www.facebook.com/WestfordChallengeSuccess