Sixth Grade Flash Mob Lunch

6th Grade Flash Mob Lunch for Mr. McLaughlin

The lunch routines at NMS have been different this year than the past thanks in large part to the initiatives of the new administration, but more specifically, Mr. Tim McLaughlin.

This particular lunch, though, was even more different than anything Mr. McLaughlin could have ever imagined.

In Ms. Kelly Rich, Ms. Paula Joyce, and Mr. Tommy Thompson's PE classes, the students had been learning and designing their own dances.  Ms. Rich had the idea to have the sixth grade students perform a Flash Mob Dance for Mr. McLaughlin during lunch.

What ensued was beyond classic.

Please check out the video.  And special thank you to Mr. Adam Pelletier and his TV Production students from MHS.

6th Grade Flash Mob Lunch Video

Blog Up Again

For the last couple of weeks, it has been very difficult to get pictures and videos up on the Blog because of a battle between Microsoft and Google.

With the help of Mr. Derek Thompson, Principal at HBB, I am now able to put much of the Posts that I have wanted to do for the last month here for you to see.

So, if it looks like this blog is very active right now, that is the reason.  Enjoy.

2nd Quarter Report Cards Issued

Second Term Report Cards Issued Today, February 1

Yesterday afternoon an Alert Now message went out to make sure that everyone knew that Report Cards for Second Quarter will be issued today, Friday, February 1.  They will go home with your child with a small sheet saying you received and saw the Report Card, which will need to be signed and returned to your child’s homeroom teacher on Monday, February 4.

I have said this before, but I will continue to say 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 find on the 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 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.  We are halfway through the year, so we now have a pretty good idea about where your child may be as a student in each of her/his classes.  This is the time to take a look at studying practices, homework preparation, and what modifications everyone (including the student, teacher, and parent) could do to improve the situation.  We are here to help with any of this.

With your child’s Report Card is a letter about this Nichols Middle School blog.  This letter will direct parents on how they can go on this blog to see all the updates, activities, and events we are having at Nichols.  The sheet also directs on how one can be kept up-to-date on all these happenings by getting an email by signing up on the right-hand sidebar.

We are over 90 days through the school year already.  It is unbelievable to fathom, but there is still much time to make improvements in any and all areas.

A report card is only one communication component but it is not our only one, which is why this blog should help in keeping parents up-to-date on everything Nichols Middle.  If there are elements you find that we are not communicating to you, please let us know.  Again, we are here to help on this incredible educational journey for your child and you.

A January Reflection from Mr. Geoghegan

Keep Changing for the Better

English author, Arnold Bennett, once wrote:  “Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.”  This is so true.  Each year brings new beginnings and with it new challenges as well.  January may be the start of 2013, but we are well into our school year already.  Sixth graders are more than halfway to becoming seventh graders, and at the other end of the spectrum our eighth graders are soon going to be entering their high school careers.  It is at this time we can look back and see what we are doing well but we can also make some resolutions for change.

I was trying to think of a resolution I would like to see myself accomplish during the rest of this school year.  There are many things for the school as well as for myself that need to keep improving.  I believe for the school we need to keep making great progress.  We keep tweaking and playing with what we have in order to try to make everything better for the students of NMS.  We have started since September looking at different aspects of the school and began committees to study how we might change things for the better.  Mr. McLaughlin and myself have led many of these committees, but we have an incredible group of teachers and faculty members who want to help and support as well.  There is so much that we hope we can do, and when this school year is over, I hope you will also be proud of what we have done . . . just so far.  We will continue to put little things in motion and who knows what the next school year may look like.  Every improvement we are looking at, though, we are doing so to see how it can correlate into more student achievement.

With resolutions and changes, everything is done with the hope that things improve.  I hope the New Year, 2013, brings you everything you hope for and, for me, I hope that the changes we keep making bring even greater success for the students at the Nichols Middle School.

Thank you,

M. R. Geoghegan

Mathletes Compete In First Math Meet

Mathletes Compete at Somerset

Our NMS Math Team successfully competed for the first time this past Friday, January 25, at Somerset Middle School.

Ms. Nettie Macquarrie and Mr. Marty Rader, our Math Team Co-Advisors, led this wonderful group of seventh and eighth graders in their first competition.  Ms. Macquarrie and Mr. Rader have been having practices with the kids each week since the beginning of the school year.

The students have been studying hard and their learned knowledge didn't pay off with a Championship in this particular meet, but the experience the students had I am sure was something to treasure just as much.

Our NMS Mathletes:
Olivia Briggs
Micah D'Amato
Matthew Davieau
Melissa Foley
Valerie Gaoette
Alina Parker
Kaitlyn Perkins
Kathleen Perkins
Daniel Seifert
Nicholas Villalobo
Lindsay Woodward

I don't know, if you ask me, it just adds up to something to celebrate.

Congratulations, Mathletes and Advisors!  You represented us well and we appreciate all your hard work!  Great job!

Skate for a Cure

Skate for a Cure
I have been asked to share with everyone that we have a couple of parents who will be running the Boston Marathon to raise money for the Dana-Farber Cancer research team, and on February 16th they are hosting a fundraiser at the Silver City Skate Complex in Taunton.

Admission is $10 and includes skate rental. This is a great way to get out with your family to have some fun, and help a good cause. There will be a 50/50 drawing and other prizes. For more information call Jennifer Stadelmann at (617) 281-1564 or Melissa Bowers at (508) 901-0165. For directions to the Skate Complex go to http://www.silvercitysportscomplex.com/     Hope to see you there!

Hoops for Heart

Hoops for Heart

During the week of February 11-15^th, all physical education students will be participating in Hoops for Heart.  This is a fundraiser to help the American Heart Association fund research to help combat heart conditions, and also promote heart health education.  Hoops for heart will be a fun experience for the students to partake in while making a difference in the lives of others.

The donation envelopes will be sent home February 4^th and we ask that they be returned by Thursday, February 28^th.  Fundraising will be optional, although we do hope all students can contribute to the cause.

Any questions, please contact our PE/Health teachers:  Ms. Kelly Rich, Ms. Paula Joyce, Mr. Tommy Thompson, and Ms. Liz McNamara.