See You Next Year ...

December Reflections from Mr. Geoghegan

December is usually a time to reflect on what has happened in this past year.  Well, for me, I just want to say how great a start of the school year this has been so far.  I relish getting up each and every morning to come in.  

This year again saw us make some more tweaks and changes to the school, but I feel as though these adjustments are developments helping us achieve what we want for the students of the Nichols Middle School:  their success.  This is why we do everything we do, for their success.  I think we are moving in the right direction to having our students be the "leaders of their own learning" as the book we are studying as a faculty focuses us on.

The students have been incredible this year.  They have taken everything we have thrown at them in stride and see that even if things are getting a little tougher for them, as some of the changes might do, they understand what they are working for:  again, their success.  

The teachers and staff are amazing.  To come into a new school year with even more changes than the year before, they are truly professional.  It has been awesome to see all of us "rowing in the same direction" making sure we are improving each and every day.  It has been a joy to behold.  I have said this before, but I am just so appreciative of the whole Nichols community.  I have been so impressed by the dedication and determination of everyone to make sure that the Nichols is a first-class institution for learning from each and every stakeholder -- teacher, staff member, parent, community member and student.  

Mr. McLaughlin and I in our time here have made some modifications in and around the building, and we believe these shifts are helping the students to want to be here.  In the end, that is our goal.  If the students want to be here then the learning will follow with all the work the teachers and staff have done to make the learning engaging.  Again, we are going to continue to move in the right direction.

In the grand scheme of things, these really aren't many "reflections" other than it has been a sensational beginning to the school year, we remain steady in working hard to make NMS the best it can be, and we will be relentless in making sure we continue in this direction.

Enjoy the time with family and friends during this upcoming holiday break, and as teachers across the globe love to say on Tuesday, the last day before break, “See you next year.”

Have a wonderful, restful, and joyous holiday from everyone here at NMS; see you on January 5, 2015,

M. R. Geoghegan

November 2014 ROAR Award Winners

November 2014 ROAR Awards Handed Out

Last fall NMS, and specifically Mr. McLaughlin, began a new program, which recognizes student achievement each month.  The ROAR award is given by each cluster and Unified Arts to acknowledge students who have been Respectful, On-time,  (displaying a positive) Attitude, and Responsible.  The goal is to recognize students who not only take care of basic expectations in class but are good citizens and role models in our community.

Award winners receive a certificate, a coupon for a free book at the book fair, bumper stickers for their parents’ cars, and their individual picture displayed in the school for the month.

The November award winners received their certificates from Mr. McLaughlin in a brief ceremony on December 15.

The ROAR Award winners for November 2014 for each team were:

Grade 6 Challengers:  Leanne Melendy

Grade 6 Adventurers:  Sonya Rodriguez

Grade 7 Explorers:  Kevin Calabrese, Jr.

Grade 7 Beacons:  Kiera McQuillan

Grade 8 Apollos:  Jacob Studley

Grade 8 Comets:  Garrett Donohue
Unified Arts:  Amanda Davis (8th Grade)

Congratulations to all!  Thank you for all your efforts; you are ROARing to a sensational school year!

NMS School Council Meeting on Wed 12/17 at 3 in Media Center -- Input for Superintendent Search

NMS School Council Meeting on Wed, Dec. 17 at 3 PM in Media Center -- Time to Give Input for New Superintendent Search Committee

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 – with our next meeting on Wednesday, December 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.

This particular meeting will have some time to meet with MPS School Committee Member, Mr. Richard Young, who will be asking about what the NMS School Council and specifically our parents at this level would like to see in the search for the new superintendent of the Middleborough Public Schools.

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 next meeting, Wednesday, December 17, 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

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

Trimester 1 Report Cards Distributed 12/12

Trimester 1 Report Cards Distributed 12/12

Good morning,  

This afternoon all Nichols Middle School students will be heading home with their first trimester report cards, which were issued today, Friday, December 12.  They will go home with your child with a receipt saying you received and saw the Report Card, which will need to be signed and returned to your child’s homeroom teacher on Monday, December 15.  

I have said this before, that communication is a powerful tool in closing the gap between home and school and ensuring success for all of our students.  The marks that you have found on this report card should never be a surprise to either you or your child.  If you feel that discussion regarding your child’s progress or lack of it is needed, please call the school to talk to the teacher, to then make an appointment to schedule a time that would offer both you and the teacher enough time to adequately discuss your child's present situation. 

Please make sure that you also pay attention to the comments section of the report card.  Many of our teachers have begun to pilot standards based reporting, where they will have a comment that says where your child is with the standards.  In studying and researching better educational techniques, standards based grading is a much better means to focus on "learning."  This is our goal here at NMS; we want our students to learn the material, and not continue with a system that doesn't really explain where your child is with their learning.

Please follow this LINK  to an excellent article on the reasons for changing to standards based grading.   

Also, check out this VIDEO which explains what standards based grading is.  

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.  

Thank you and have a great weekend,
M R Geoghegan

NMS Winter Concert Musical Performances

NMS Chorus, Band, and Orchestra Concerts

This past week, NMS celebrated the holiday season with our Chorus, Band, and Orchestra concerts on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.

We truly packed the house both nights.  (On a side note:  We will be looking into breaking these concerts into three nights in the future.  This is a great problem to have for we had so many spectators that there were traffic jams getting in and out.  Again, this is a positive problem that our participation in our musical programming is growing.  We have lived and learned and so we will make changes for the Spring Concerts.)

On Tuesday night, Ms. Beth Anne Young stepped in and led the NMS Orchestra through its numbers as Ms. Santos, who is in for Ms. Thornton, was too sick to come.  It is a team effort in the Fine Arts Department and we are ever so happy to see how we can all work together.

Ms. Young's Chorus did a fabulous job filling the stage and risers singing their hearts out for this first concert of the school year.

On Wednesday night, Ms. Melanie Santos, our long term substitute, led our Band through some difficult holiday songs as the three grades played together for the first time all together.

It is always so awesome to celebrate our artistic, musical students in their work on stage.

Thank you to Ms. Young and Ms. Santos for your leadership.  Special thanks to Ms. Amy Anderson, Ms. Kate Hetu, Ms. Debbie Walgreen, Ms. Gabby Charbonneau, Ms. Jeriann Tucker, Ms. Robin Maxwell, and Ms. Chelsea Santos for lending a helpful hand.

They were two excellent nights of music.  Congrats to all of our NMS musical talents.

NMS Peter Pan & Wendy Phenomenal Performances

The NMS Theatrical Players Presented

Peter Pan & Wendy

On Friday, December 5, and Saturday, December 6, the Nichols Middle School Theatrical Players presented Peter Pan & Wendy to packed houses.

The production was directed excellently by Ms. Sally Weaver.

Over 80 six through eighth grade students participated as either cast, crew, or student directors.

It was a full school-community effort.

In the lead, Mason Pina-Sousa and Tori Warner amazed as Peter and Wendy, while Kallista Goodwin starred as the notorious Captain Hook.

Whether it was the sets, sound, lighting, Pirates, Lost Boys, Native Americans, Mermaids, Crocodile, Neverbird, Tinker Bell, Narrators, or Darlings, students wowed the crowd with their participation, preparation, and precision.

It was a phenomenal three shows that left everyone in the crowd wishing that they too never had to grow up.

Bravo to all who worked so hard to put on such a fabulous show!

A very proud Show Director Ms. Weaver letting the students get all the spotlight at the end of the show. 

Celebration of Learning -- Ms. Fisher's Students' Perseverance Walk Projects

NMS 6th Grade Students Take Over Media Center with "Grit"

On Wednesday evening, December 3, Ms. Fisher's ELA 2 "Read Your World" classes took over the NMS Media Center with their "Perseverance Walk" projects.

Ms. Fisher had her sixth grade students interview and put together a project on a person, who worked through adversity, showing perseverance and grit to reach a goal.

Students had to put together their 21st Century skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity to complete this project.

Parents and community members came out on a wet and windy Wednesday night to see their students' work and effort.

Students interviewed family members, neighbors, acquaintances, Dr. Weiss, Ms. Tobey Eugenio, and others.  

This school year, as we embrace the students being "Leaders of their Own Learning" we hope to have more celebrations of learning like these Perseverance Walk projects to highlight and showcase how our students are learning and experiencing their education, not just sitting back and getting it, but going out and doing it.