MFD Fire Safety & Prevention Open House Sun 10/5 12-3PM

Middleboro Fire Department Educates Local Families on

Fire Safety and Prevention

The Middleboro Fire Department, 125 N. Main Street, invites local families to a free Open House on Sunday, October 5, 2014 from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM to learn more about fire safety.  October is National Fire Safety Month and during the open house, families will learn about fire prevention, participate in fire safety activities and enjoy free Papa Gino’s pizza.  For more information call Firefighter Larry Fahey, 508-946-2461.

MPS Health&Wellness Committee Meeting Oct. 21 at 3:45 in HBB Auditorium

MIDDLEBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

COMMITTEE

Please join us at our next meeting.

Henry B. Burkland School Auditorium

3:45 – 4:45pm

October 21, 2014

RSVP by October 17, 2014
Laurie Perkins

508-946-2020 x4415

lperkins@middleboro.k12.ma.us

MISSION

To be sure all students, staff, and community members are provided with a school environment that promotes lifelong wellness.

NMS Picture Day is Wednesday, October 1st

Picture Day

Wednesday, October 1, is picture day for all of our NMS students.

Reminder from Lifetouch:

Picture Day flyers have been distributed. 

If you don't get one, please just check with the Main Office.

1. Fill out your Picture Day flyer.
2. Go to mylifetouch.com
3. Pay online.

Satisfaction guarantee: Love your portrait or Lifetouch will retake it (or refund it).

Smile.

The Looks of Teaching and Learning in 2014 ... in NMS

Many Different Ways to See Schooling

In my travels this week and this morning around the building and into classrooms, it made me think about how we are "doing school" a whole lot differently than we have in the past.

Let me take you back a little ...

This month has been filled with presentations, questions, and committees, where parents, students, and community members are trying to get to know me and figure out my philosophy of education.

I am first and foremost open to always answering any and all questions about what we are trying to achieve here at the Nichols Middle School.

It is actually pretty simple:  We are trying to make the Nichols the best middle school in the country.  We want to see all of our students succeed in anything they put their minds to.  We know and believe as Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."  We want to raise achievement as we raise our students' ability to be successful in today's world.

So, as I was walking through classrooms, I could see our teachers utilizing the 21st Century skills we know our students will need in their futures, and when I say 21st Century skills, I don't just mean using technology.  Technology is a tool our teachers utilize to help our students, but it is not all of what we mean when we say, 21st Century.  When I say we see 21st Century skills in our classrooms, we see students collaborating with one another.  We see them communicating not only with each other but with their teachers and the world.  We see them having to critically think and engage with their own learning.  And we see them having to create and use their own creativity to solve problems.

This is 21st Century learning ... and as anyone who has listened to me has heard that we are 14 years into the 21st Century, so we should be doing it.

Just some thoughts I had this week as I see some of the great things going on here at NMS.  See some of the pictures and see for yourself.  School looks a little different, but there is a reason for that difference.  We have to change in order for our students to succeed.

Have a great weekend.

Grades 7 & 8 Open House

Grades 7 and 8 Open House from 9/11

What a fantastic turnout for last night's Parent Open House.  

Mr. McLaughlin and I were so happy to meet all of the parents, who turned out, to hear us talk about our vision and mission for the school year.

The comments from everyone on their way out was beyond positive.

Again, we thank everyone for coming and hope to continue this energy throughout the beginning of the school year, and continue to have a great connection to all of you parents for only all of us working together can we insure success for our students.

Check out some of the pictures from the evening.

NMS School Council, 1st Meeting, Wed September 17 (3rd Wed of Each Month)

2014-2015 John T. Nichols, Jr. Middle School Council

Are you interested in getting involved with your child’s education in another way besides PTA or fundraising?  Would you like to be more involved in the academic aspects and decision making of your child's education here at Nichols?  If you are, then seriously consider whether you would be interested in joining the Nichols Middle School Council (also called a School Improvement Council).  By law, every school in the country has to have a School Council.  

The law outlines four major areas of responsibility for councils.  School councils are to assist principals in:  

1. Adopting educational goals for the school that are consistent with local educational policies and statewide student performance standards; 
2. Identifying the educational needs of students attending the school; 
3. Reviewing the annual school building budget; and 
4. Formulating a school improvement plan.

We meet once a month on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month, except where specified below – starting Wednesday, September 17, for about an hour, beginning at 3:00 PM and ending around 4 PM, to discuss such items as our School Improvement Plan, parent involvement, how we are working with MCAS data, what we are doing to improve teaching and learning, different curricular ideas, courses, etc.  In all, the group is not like the “PTA”; it is more a group of people who are looking into school improvement and how we can get the improvement we are looking for.

The group is made up of parents, teachers, and at least one community member.  If you are interested or would just like to come and check it out, please come to the first meeting, Wednesday, October 16, at 3 PM, in the Media Center at NMS or email me at mgeoghegan@middleboro.k12.ma.us. If you have any questions, please let me know.  Thank you.

2014 – 2015 NMS School Council Meetings

October 15, 2014

November 19, 2014

December 17, 2014

January 21, 2015

**February 25, 2015

March 18, 2015

April 15, 2015

May 21, 2015

June 17,2015

** All dates are the 3^rd Wednesday of each month – except where specified

Grades 7 and 8 Open House on Thursday, Sept. 11, 6:30 to 8:30 PM, Starting in the Auditorium

Grade 7 and 8 Open House

Tonight, I will send out to all 7th and 8th Grade Parents an AlertNow message to invite them to our Open House for grades 7 and 8, Thursday night, September 11^th, similar to the Open House night we had for 6^th Grade students back in August prior to school opening.  

We will begin the evening at 6:30 PM in the Auditorium and end at 8:30 PM.  The introduction in the Auditorium will be done by Mr. McLaughlin and me.  

Here we will go over the many changes, which have occurred these past couple of school years and will be available to answer any questions.  

Our seventh and eighth grade teachers with our Unified Arts teachers will then have their opportunity to explain to you what their expectations are and what parents can expect to see for the school year for your children in terms of class work and homework.  

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Main Office.  Thank you, and we hope to see you Thursday night.

It's On ...

The 2014-2015 School Year Has Begun

Nichols Middle School Community,

Well, we have almost finished our first full cycle of A through G day here at Nichols (today is Day F) and the students, teachers, faculty, and staff are starting to get to know the new school year as it is absolutely on its way.

The students have gone to all of their academic classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, ELA, and our other ELA course of Read Your World [Gr.6], Journalism and the Media [Gr.7], and 21st Century Learning [Gr.8]) as well as their Unified Arts classes (with either Art, Health, or STEM, and Physical Education, Fitness, Technology, and Music [including Chorus, Band, and Orchestra]).

The students have begun to see the resource of the DIAL periods (Differentiated Instruction And Learning) as something that is established to support them in their learning either through remediation, support, or enrichment.  Or as most of the grades have done, as a place to introduce their students to having a growth mindset where everyone can learn and achieve.

The school year has definitely begun.

During the first day of school, Mr. McLaughlin and I were able to meet with the classes as a full grade in the auditorium.  There we explained to them our school’s mission and where we see us taking the students not only during this school year but during their whole time with us.  In essence, our mission is to make them the best students they can be.  Everything we do is geared towards this mission of making them successful.  When I spoke with the classes, I talked about how for many years the emphasis in schools has been on the "3 R’s" of Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic.  We certainly will continue to recognize the importance of this educational foundation by increasing students’ understanding of and interest in all of their academic subjects.  But we stressed to them that we were going to focus on “3 other R’s.”  Today, learners also need to master the "3 R’s" of Responsibility, Respect, and Reputation in order to be successful life long learners.  It is these 3 R’s which will enable them to have access to our mission to make them the best students they can be in school and in life.

In relation to our mission, I have begun to tell the students during our morning announcements for them to “Do the best you can in everything you do today.”  If they do their part in doing their best, and we as a school do our best, only great things can and will happen.

Please note that if you ever need to get in touch with any of your child's teachers, email is probably the best avenue for this communication.  It can be as easy as an email to have the teacher call you, but our teachers typically have their email system open at the ready to see your message.  When emailing, most of our teachers have their address set-up by our Technology Department as their first initial with last name (one word) @middleboro.k12.ma.us; for example, my email address is mgeoghegan@middleboro.k12.ma.us.  

Again, most of the teachers are set-up in this manner, but some may have a different variation, so you can check here to make sure: http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/Page/1386 This is the spot where you will select on the drop-down list, our school, NMS, and it will list all of our teachers in alphabetical order, or enter the name of the teacher and it will find that person for you.

Some news and notes:

Please make sure you sign up for email updates when this blog is updated.  The spot is in the right hand column to enter your email address.  Also, you can check the Twitter feed, which will post many of the Daily Announcements about Clubs and Activities.

7th and 8th Grade Open House:  Next Thursday, September 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, we have our 7th and 8th Grade Open House.  I will be sending out an Alert Now to remind you, but please make sure you put it on your calendar.  (Our 6th Grade Open House was in August prior to the start of the school year.)  We will start the evening with an introduction to the new year with Mr. McLaughlin and myself in the Auditorium at 6:30 PM.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the school year; the students here at NMS seem to be falling into a great routine for their own learning and, in turn, their success.

Thanks; have an excellent weekend,
M R Geoghegan

NMS Clubs and Activities Page on NMS Website

NMS Clubs and Activities

We have updated an Informational Page on the NMS website on our clubs and activities.

This "What's Happening" section gives a description of the clubs/activities we have to start the year.  We will be updating this page as the year progresses with Winter and Spring Sports as well as the Spring Musical, etc.

The link is our NMS website front page:  http://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/NMS

I will also attach the information below.  Our Google Calendar here on the blog will have the Clubs and Activities meeting dates as well.

Any questions about specific clubs or activities, please get in touch with the listed Advisor, or contact us in the Main Office.

Thank you.

NMS CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

  

STUDENT COUNCIL

Advisors - Ms. Laperriere, Mr. Rothemich

Student Council meets the third Tuesday of each month except  in September and November those dates are 9/12 and 11/14.  Meetings are located in the 7th grade A cluster. We encourage students to be  school leaders by raising awareness through fundraisers, food drives as well as helping students find ways to help out in their community.  Additionally, planning of hat days, school functions, etc... Any questions please contact:

nlaperriere@middleboro.k12.ma.us     

drothemich@middleboro.k12.ma.us

 

YEARBOOK COMMITTEE 

Advisor - Ms. Walgreen 

Yearbook committee meets after school on Mondays starting in October in the media center. 5-10 students are selected by Ms. Walgreen to help create the Nichols Middle School yearbook.  Jobs include taking photos, creating and editing pages, interviewing staff and students, writing and promoting yearbook sales.  Students who are interested should pick up an application from Ms. Walgreen in the media center. Any questions please contact:

Dwalgreen@middleboro.k12.ma.us 

 

BUILDERS CLUB 

Advisor - Mr. Redpath 

Builders club meets twice a month beginning Wednesday, September 10, after school in room A100.  Builders club is a community service club.  It is the middle school version of the Kiwanis Club and is sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club.  Our mission is to help students gain leadership skills while providing service to the community and stressing the value and importance of volunteering. Sign up at lunch or after school.  Any questions contact:

Sredpath@middleboro..k12.ma.us 

 

ART CLUB 

Advisor - Ms. Tucker 

Art club meets every Wednesday after school in the art room.  Since there are so many after school opportunities offered to our middle school students, I do not expect art club members to meet each time.  Art club is a chance for students to explore art beyond the general curriculum. Students are invited to participate in the cultural or seasonal art projects presented each time, or to work on projects they choose independently. We also have a student led Anime group that meets at the same time for students interested in the art of Japanese cartooning. Any questions contact:

Jtucker@middleboro.k12.ma.us 

 

SPELLING TEAM

Advisor - Ms. Conant

Spelling team meets two days a week for practice starting in late September/early October in room B302 specific days of the week will be determined later.  There are two math meets each year and we will travel to two schools. The team is limited to 12 students, for more information contact:

Wconant@middleboro.k12.ma.us

 

MATH TEAM 

Advisor - Mr. Rader

Math Team Meets two days a week starting in late September in room C 306 and is available only for 7th and 8th graders. we will travel to other schools for those meets please see Mr. Rader for further information or contact:

Mrader@middleboro.k12.ma.us 

 

 DRAMA CLUB

Advisor - Ms. Weaver  

Drama club will meet will meet Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Starting September 10, 2014 in room C206. This years production will be a comedy " Peter Pan and Wendy" any student who would like to be onstage or work behind the scenes during the production please see Ms. Weaver or contact her at:

Sweaver@middleboro.k12.ma.us 

 

INTRAMURALS   Click here for intramural application

Advisor - Mr. Thompson

Four sessions of  intramurals will be offered on Monday and Wednesdays to all students throughout the year.  First session flag football will begin on September 24.  For further information see Mr. Thompson or contact:

tthompso@middleboro.k12.ma.us

NMS PTA Meeting -- Wed. 9/3 at 7 PM in NMS Media Center

First Meeting of the Year for NMS PTA

The NMS PTA will hold its first meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 3, in the NMS Media Center at 7 PM.

Please come and support NMS.

Hear from Mr. Geoghegan, and hear about all the great things NMS PTA does support all of our students year-round.

Visit the NMS PTA website as well:  NMS PTA Blog

Come meet this helpful group of parents, who are working hard to make sure the Nichols Middle School is a sensational experience for each and every student.

7 PM in the NMS Media Center on Wednesday, September 3!  Be There.

Talking with Your Kids ... Maybe Even Getting to Hear about School

25 Ways to Ask Your Teens “How Was School Today?” WITHOUT asking them “How Was School Today?”

I just caught this article today from Twitter from another middle school principal I know in the Commonwealth.  

I just thought how perfect it was considering, we as parents (myself included) might be running out of questions to ask our own children, with the standby of "How was school today?" to only get a shrug or "I don't know" or "Good" with the "let's move on now" look.

The website for the post was:  Simple Simon and Company with the link being:  http://www.simplesimonandco.com/2014/08/25-ways-ask-teens-school-today-without-asking-school-today.html

Again, I hope you find the post helpful, for I did, and I was going to use some of the prompts tonight with my own two.

Thanks,

M. R. Geoghegan

25 Ways to Ask Your Teens “How Was School Today?” WITHOUT asking them “How Was School Today?”

AUGUST 29, 2014

On Wednesday I posted 25 ways to askyour kids “How was school today?” without asking them “How was school today?” and the questions came from a list that I made to ask my own children who are in elementary school.

But all of those questions are geared toward elementary school aged kids….and I started to think…if I think it’s hard for me to get school stories from my 10 year old boy now what is it going to be like 5 years from now?!?

And then I remembered that I know what its going to be like.  I taught either junior high or high school for almost a decade and I get that communication with that age group is an art.  BUT when you get dialogue, engaged dialogue with a teen it’s never disappointing, it’s guaranteed to be interesting, sometimes it can be very enlightening, and it’s ALWAYS worth the work.  ALWAYS.

So tonight my husband (who also teaches high school) and I sat down and made a list of 25 ways to ask your teens “How Was School Today?” without asking them “How Was School Today?”…in an effort to get some sort of engaged, interesting dialog…even if it only lasts in that brief time in between them texting friends…

#1.  Where in the school do you hang out the most?  (Like a particular hall, classroom, parking lot, etc.)  Where in the school do you never hang out?

#2.  What would your school be better with?  What would your school be better without?

#3.  If you were a teacher what class would you teach?  What class would be the worst to teach?  Why?

#4.  What was the coolest (saddest, funniest, scariest) thing that you saw today.

#5.  Tell me one thing that you learned today.

#6.  If your day at school today was a movie what movie would it be?

#7.  Besides walking to their next classes, what else do people do in the halls in between classes?

#8.  Who do you think you could be nicer to?

#9.  What is your easiest class?  What is your hardest class?  OR  What class are your learning the most in?  What class are you learning the least in?

#10.  If they played music in the halls at school what would everyone want them to play over the loudspeaker?

#11.  If you could read minds what teachers mind would you read?  What classmates mind would you read?  Whose mind would you NOT want to read?

#12.  If today had a theme song what would it be?

#13.  Which class has your favorite group of students in it?  Which class has the worst group of students?

#14.  What do you think you should do more of at school?  What do you think you should do less of?

#15.  What are the top 3 (or 5) things that you hear people say in the halls?

#16.  What do you think the most important part of school is?

#17.  Tell me one question that you had today…even if it wasn’t answered….actually, especially if it wasn’t answered…

#18.  What class has the most cute boys/girls in it?

#19.  If an alien space ship landed at your school who would you like them to beam aboard and take back to their home planet?

#20.  Who did you help today?  Who helped you today?

#21.  If you could be invisible for the day at school what would you do?

#22.  What part of the day do you look forward to?  What part of the day do you dread?

#23.  What would you change about school lunch?

#24.  What classmate is most likely to be arrested, made president, become a millionaire, be in movies, let loose a flock of wild chickens in the library, etc.

#25.  If you had to go to only one class every day which class would it be?

#26.  Tell me one thing you read at school today.

#27.  If your day at school was an emoticon which one would it be?

#28.  What do you think your teachers talked about in the faculty room today after school?

*****

Ok, so I know there were a few more than 25…but with teenagers…we all need all the help we can get! 

Good luck with those teens and happy conversing!

-liZ

*NOTE:

I don’t have teenagers of my own but I’ve worked with my fair share of them….and one thing that I’ve found is that when you want them to open up just sitting them down and asking questions isn’t really effective.  BUT, if you….say….trap them in the car…and talk to them while you are driving…and they don’t have to make eye contact… they are more willing to offer up more information or ask more questions.

This also happens while you are working with them on things like making dinner, folding laundry, rearranging furniture, etc.  You can casually talk and ask questions without making them feel like you are grilling them.

When I taught school sometimes I would make up work project jobs to do with students that I was worried about just so that we could have some heart to hearts while scrubbing desks or cleaning out closets.  It sounds lame, but I’m telling you, it works.