Friday, March 11, 2022

March 11, 2022 - Week 26

 Hello Dale Street Community! 

What a fantastic week here at #beproudbedale!  This week's blog is jammed packed full of awesomeness and contains helpful information and dates for our students and families.  Take a peek...

Congratulations to this week's Positive Referrals! 

Amelia was recognized for showing kindness and compassion!  


Anna was recognized for showing kindness and concern for a peer! 

Asher was recognized for always being helpful and collaborative! 

This week, students in Mrs. Scott's fourth-grade class polled their classmates to collect data and create line plots. Students developed creative ideas for the polls.  One example...How messy is your desk?





How can I design a visual message to help keep my community safe? 

Ideas may include but are not limited to bicycle safety, pedestrian safety, playground safety, sports safety, police, and fire safety. 

Winning drawings will be made into car magnets and be displayed on Medfield Police cruisers and Medfield Fire trucks. Students will also get their picture taken with the drawing displayed.

Please see Mrs. Delaney for an entry form. Entries will be accepted through April 8th. 

Check this out...students in Ms. Plympton's fourth-grade class used Guess Who?? to dive deeper into metric and customary measurement.  What a fun way to learn!  



We will be holding virtual parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, March 17th from 12:15 - 3:30 p.m., and Tuesday, March 22nd from 12:00-3:30 p.m.  Here is the letter that was sent out to families.  These are early release days and students will be dismissed at 11:40 a.m.  Please be sure to update School Dismissal Manager to reflect your child's dismissal plans on these days.

Positive Sign Thursday!
WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES! 




Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2022
March 21 - March 27

Neurodiversity Celebration Week provides schools with the opportunity to acknowledge the many strengths and advantages of being neurodivergent. By flipping the narrative, schools can create a more inclusive and equitable environment. We will be focusing on the many strengths and positive aspects that being Neurodivergent brings.  The week will look like this:  

Monday - We will start by recognizing Down’s Syndrome on Monday, March 21st.  We are encouraging the Dale Street Community to wear mismatched socks to school on this day. 

Tuesday - I will be recording a story that will be added to Tuesday’s Daily Dale.

Wednesday - Wear Blue to celebrate Autism Awareness.

Thursday - Positive Sign Thursday - ‘WE ARE INCLUSIVE!’  Additionally, I am asking for classrooms to share a video highlighting Neurodiversity.  

Don't forget to sign up for the MCPE Spelling Bee to enjoy all the fun!

Thursday, March 24, 2022
High School Auditorium
Grades 2 & 3: 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Grades 4 & 5: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Gather your TEAM of 2-4 kids and register here: https://www.medfieldcoalition.org/spellingbee or take a look at this year's new SOLO speller option.
If two or more solo spellers sign up from the same school, we will combine the spellers into a new team.


Thank you to our event sponsor: Medfield Orthodontics
A bee blast from the past! Enjoy these spelling bee team photos from 2017!!

This week, fifth graders had the opportunity to demonstrate their engineering skills in the makerspace with Mr. Ahern. Students worked collaboratively to plan and build a small spaceship model using parts from the new VexGo kits. Creativity was very evident in the design process!  These awesome tools were funded by our very generous MCPE.  



2022 TESTING SCHEDULE

Dale Street's testing schedule is set for the spring.  As always it is most important that students attend school on the days of testing, so please plan appointments in a way that does not interfere with your child being in school on the following testing dates:

English Language Arts - Next-Generation MCAS

Who:  Grades 4 (computer-based)

April 6th and April 7th

Who: Grade 5 (computer-based)

April 12th and April 13th

ELA Make-ups for grades 4 and 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

Math - Next-Generation MCAS

Who:  Grades 4 (computer-based)

May 17th and May 18th

Who: Grade 5 (computer-based)

May 11th and May 12th

Math Make-ups for grades 4 and 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

Science, Technology, and Engineering

Who:  Grade 5 (computer-based)

May 19th and May 20th

STE Make-ups for grade 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

Congratulations to our Math Challenge Winners: Alex and Harrison! Special thanks to Mrs. Perachi for overseeing this enrichment opportunity.   

This week, Grade 5 students tried to trap a Zhu Zhu.  Students researched, designed, tested, and redesigned traps.  Students had to research, design, test, and redesign traps and do so on a strict budget.  These scientists were commended for their perseverance and trap designs!  Special thanks to the very generous MCPE for funding this opportunity.






March Madness started this week and continues next week for those players/teams that have not yet taken their first-round shots.  Teams advancing to Round 2 will be notified on Wednesday.  

First-round shots (10 per player) must be taken between 7:50 am-8:25 a.m. in the gym by Tuesday, March 8th (the next time to shoot) for both grade 4 and grade 5 students/teams who have not shot their first-round shots yet.  As a reminder, here are the rules:
  • Each team takes 30 free throws per round
  • All team members do not need to be present to shoot free throws
  • The teams with the most free throws (out of 30) will move on to the next round
  • Anyone wearing Medfield apparel will get 1 bonus shot per article of clothing (max 2 items).  No sharing clothing. No drawings or stickers.
  • Get up-to-date information in the cafeteria    
Thank you to all of our students and their families for supporting our food drive.  You are crushing it!! The cupboard is overwhelmed by the support. 

We are adding items to the 5 Point category.  The following items will be worth 5 points starting next week:

Canned tuna
Canned Pasta
Hearty Soups
Jelly
 
Keep up the good work!  The compassion shown to the food cupboard is amazing!

What does student-led look like?  How about a gallery walk in Ms. Isaacson's fourth-grade class where students left notes asking questions along with complimentary notes/comments. 

 

Tuesday, 3/15 - Dale Street String Fling (Medfield HS) - 7 p.m.

Wednesday, 3/16 - Band-o-Rama (Medfield HS) - 7 p.m. 

Thursday, 3/17 - Parent/Teacher Conferences - 11:40 a.m. Early Release Day

Tuesday, 3/22 - Parent/Teacher Conferences - 11:40 a.m. Early Release Day

Friday, 3/25 - No student day (Teacher PD Day)

Tuesday, 3/30 - Elementary Principal Webinar: Placement Process for 2022-2023 (details to follow)

Friday, 4/15 - No School (Good Friday)


Daylight Saving Time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 13th. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour.

Have a great weekend, 
Steve

Respect * Compassion * Collaboration * Continuous Growth



Friday, March 4, 2022

March 4, 2022 - Week 25

Hello Dale Street,

We had a great first week back after February break.  It was awesome to have students back in the building and start to take another step towards normalcy. It was great to see many student faces without masks but what was truly amazing was how all of the students really respected each other's choices. Please take a minute to scroll through to see some of the highlights and keep updated about important and upcoming dates.  

Congratulations and thank you to Ms. Isaacson's and Mrs. Scott's classes for facilitating today’s SEL assembly. Students shared an acrostic poem and a song that highlight the importance of collaboration. Wonderful job, everyone!     

On Wednesday, February 16th Dale Street held an Adolescent Changes webinar.  Thank you to all the families who attended.  If you were unable to make the live presentation, the meeting recording link is listed below.  As a reminder, to view the presentation you have to type in the access passcode - it will not work if you try and copy and paste it.   

Adolescent Changes Webinar

Access Passcode: @yF3p=QP

Webinar Slideshow

This week volume robots took over Mrs. Hayes' fifth-grade class!  Students focused on being able to find the volume of rectangular prisms.  Students worked hard to create and calculate the volume of each part of their robot.  Well done, young learners.   




Positive Sign Thursday!

'WE ARE READERS!' 



March Madness started this week and continues next week for those players/teams that have not yet taken their first-round shots.  Teams advancing to Round 2 will be notified on Wednesday (top 32 scores).  

First-round shots (10 per player) must be taken between 7:50 am-8:25 a.m. in the gym on Tuesday, March 8th for both grade 4 and grade 5 students/teams who have not shot their first-round shots yet.  As a reminder, here are the rules:
  • Each team takes 30 free throws per round
  • All team members do not need to be present to shoot free throws
  • The teams with the most free throws (out of 30) will move on to the next round
  • Anyone wearing Medfield apparel will get 1 bonus shot per article of clothing (max 2 items).  No sharing clothing. No drawings or stickers.
  • Get up-to-date information in the cafeteria    
This week all grade 5 classrooms participated in a hands-on learning experience about density.  Students had a chance to work collaboratively to design a boat that could float while holding a weighted object. Special thanks to the always supportive MCPE for funding this great opportunity.  




2022 TESTING SCHEDULE
Dale Street's testing schedule is set for the spring.  As always it is most important that students attend school on the days of testing, so please plan appointments in a way that does not interfere with your child being in school on the following testing dates:

English Language Arts - Next-Generation MCAS

Who:  Grades 4 (computer-based)
April 6th and April 7th

Who: Grade 5 (computer-based)
April 12th and April 13th

ELA Make-ups for grades 4 and 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

Math - Next-Generation MCAS

Who:  Grades 4 (computer-based)
May 17th and May 18th

Who: Grade 5 (computer-based)
May 11th and May 12th

Math Make-ups for grades 4 and 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

Science, Technology, and Engineering

Who:  Grade 5 (computer-based)
May 19th and May 20th

STE Make-ups for grade 5 will take place on a rolling basis as needed

It was a treat to visit Ms. Johnson's fifth-grade class this week.  During my visit, students were comparing and contrasting multiple texts and describing how a narrator’s point of view influences how the text is described. 

The MHS Theatre Society is very excited to perform Annie, a well-known musical for ALL audiences. Set during the Great Depression, Annie is the story of a young girl living in an NYC orphanage run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. Annie’s life is transformed when she is selected by billionaire Oliver Warbucks and his secretary Grace Farrell to live at his mansion for the Christmas Holiday. For her part, Annie still longs to find her real parents. With only a broken locket and aging note as clues, Warbucks joins in on the search for Annie’s parents. Will Annie finally find the family she’s been hoping for? Make sure to buy your tickets here:  https://medfielddrama.weebly.com/ordering-tickets.html ANNIE is presented through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com




Don't forget to sign up for the MCPE Spelling Bee to enjoy all the fun!

Thursday, March 24, 2022
High School Auditorium
Grades 2 & 3: 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Grades 4 & 5: 6:00 - 7:30 PM

Gather your TEAM of 2-4 kids and register here: https://www.medfieldcoalition.org/spellingbee
or take a look at this year's new SOLO speller option. If two or more solo spellers sign up from the same school, we will combine the spellers into a new team. See the SOLO speller info here: https://www.medfieldcoalition.org/solo-spelling-bee

Thank you to our event sponsor: Medfield Orthodontics

We will be holding virtual parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, March 17th from 12:15 - 3:30 p.m., and Tuesday, March 22nd from 12:00-3:30 p.m.  Here is the letter that was sent out yesterday.  These are early release days and students will be dismissed at 11:40 a.m.  Please be sure to update School Dismissal Manager to reflect your child's dismissal plans on these days.


For the month of March Dale Street School is having a food drive for the Medfield Food Cupboard! 

The Student Council, in collaboration with the PTO, is asking students to bring in non-perishable items. Each non-perishable item will be worth one point. The items on the Medfield Food Cupboard's most needed list earn 5 points each. 

These items are: 
mayonnaise
ketchup
taco kits and salsa
jarred pasta sauce ( tomato, alfredo, pesto) 
canola, vegetable, olive, and coconut oils.
  
The classroom with the most points at the end of March will earn a pizza party from the PTO! 

This week Grade 4 students learned about the westward expansion. Students had fun learning about the Oregon Trail and the hardships of going west.  




Save the date! Massachusetts Miss Amazing is coming to Medfield High School for its ninth annual event! Miss Amazing’s mission statement reads, “Miss Amazing provides opportunities for girls and women with disabilities to build confidence and self-esteem in a supportive environment.” Join us in supporting this goal and giving these girls and young women an opportunity to shine. This full-day event is Saturday, April 9th, 2022 and the show will be held in the Medfield High School Auditorium at 6 PM. If you want to volunteer with the event, you can sign up to be a buddy, half-day volunteer (helping hand), or a right-hand man online at https://missamazing.org/volunteer/. If you know a girl or young woman who might want to participate in this event, refer them to the Miss Amazing website so they can learn more! Sign up a participant at https://missamazing.org/participate/. See you there! 

Have a great weekend, 
Steve

Respect * Compassion * Collaboration * Continuous Growth

Friday, February 18, 2022

February 18, 2022 - Week 24

 Greetings Dale Street Families! 

We are so excited for Read Across America Week, which starts right after February vacation! To celebrate, we will be having book-themed spirit days all week, from 2/28-3/4. Click here for information about all the fun dress-up days Medfield's PreK-Grade 5 students can choose to participate in! We'll also be celebrating our love of reading with virtual guest readers and our annual Tournament of Books contest!

This week, Mrs. Hayes' fifth-grade class used some time to find the volume of irregular prisms during math - Well done! 



Congratulations to these Positive Referrals! 

Natalie was recognized for her patience and compassion! 

Kacey was recognized for going out of her way to help a peer!

Colin was recognized for his demonstration of continuous growth!

Addie was recognized for the compassion she showed recently! 

Leila was recognized for being an amazing role model and modeling all of our Core Values!


Amelia was recognized for working so hard and modeling Continuous Growth! 

Ben was recognized for demonstrating our Core Value of Collaboration! 

Will was recognized for being super responsible and a strong leader!

We started the week with some great Valentine's Day fun!  Special thanks to all the parents who helped organize activities and run centers.  Check out some snapshots.






Special thanks to Ella's (in Mrs. Flynn's class) dad who visited Dale Street on Thursday to talk about the design process for creating his card game.  Mr. Llavina also took questions and explained how to play Cardtropolis. The students loved the visit! 


Recess creativity = Recess FUN! 


Attention all Dale Street girls: Girls On The Run Spring 2022 registration will open on March 1!

Girls on the Run is a national nonprofit dedicated to inspiring girls to be joyful, confident, and healthy using a fun curriculum that integrates running.

We have 24 spots open for the spring, available on a first-come, first-served basis. The team will meet after school at Dale Street from 3 - 4:15pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 5 through June 9th.  The girls will also run a celebratory 5K on June 11th!

Registration is $225, and there is financial aid available. The link to register is below.  Please reach out to Coach Danielle Tata (danielletata@gmail.com) if you have questions! Hope to see your girl there! 🙂



Check it out...Dale Street students have been working on self-portraits. #talent 



On Thursday, students in Mrs. Chamblin's fifth-grade class started their Web of Life unit.  Students collaborated on Biosphere 2 in the Arizona desert. So exciting!  



Over the last few weeks, all classrooms have been participating in the PTO's sponsored Winter Door Decorating Contest.  Students and staff had a chance to vote this week for the door at each grade level that they thought was the most creative.  Here is a look at the classroom doors.  


Although they are all amazing, the winners for each grade are...

Grade 4 - Mrs. Dowd's classroom

Grade 5 - Mrs. Ross'/Mrs. Seaver's classroom

To support discussions at home, listed below is information Grade 4 and Grade 5 students will be concentrating on during their upcoming Sanford Harmony Problem Solving unit.  

Grade 4 Family Letter

Grade 4 Home Activities 

Grade 5 Family Letter

Grade 5 Home Activities 

Positive Sign Thursday!
'OUR VOICES HAVE VALUE!' 



The library recently added a puzzle table. The collaborative puzzle was a big hit - it was started on Tuesday, and students from across the school worked together during their WIN times to finish it by Thursday afternoon. Because it was so popular, the library is starting a reverse puzzle library! If you have a puzzle you would like to lend to the library, have your student drop it off with Ms. Sweeney. Once each puzzle is completed it will be returned to the student who brought it in. 300-750 piece puzzles are ideal. If you would like to donate a puzzle, please include a note indicating that you don't want it returned to you.  



I have thoroughly enjoyed reading in all of the classrooms over the past few weeks.  This term, I selected the book Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson.  This book highlights the importance of being kind to someone when you have the chance and the importance of doing something nice for people every day.  Connecting with the kids is the best part of the job!  



#beproudbedale students emulated the USA hockey teams this week in PE with Mrs. Nawrocki.  


Students are already utilizing the amazing games/activities donated by families for the PTO Recess initiative.  


MCPE is thrilled to announce that Dr. Jodi Parker and the team at Medfield Orthodontics is on board as the Premier Event Sponsor for this year's Spelling Bee! Bee registration is NOW OPEN for kids in grades 2-5. Visit our website for all the details and to register your team: 



Thinking about applying to MCPE but not quite sure what we do? It's pretty simple! This all-volunteer group raises money through a series of community events and then we grant the money to fund Teacher Requested programs, curriculum, and enrichment for the Medfield Public School system. Apply here:



As a reminder, students and staff in PreK through Grade 8 will transition to a mask optional environment beginning on Monday, February 28, 2022. This is consistent with the recommendations of DESE and MDPH.  It is the expectation that all students, teachers, and staff who choose to keep their masks on will be supported and respected by all members of our school community. Each family has its own unique circumstances and we must support each other. All of our other current COVID-19 protocols will remain in effect, including students/staff must wear a mask during days 6-10 when returning from a positive test.

We hope that you enjoy some time with your family during the February break.  There will be no school for students on Monday, February 21st through Friday, February 25th. Students will return to school on Monday, February 28, 2022.

Have an awesome vacation!

Best, 
Steve

Respect * Compassion * Collaboration * Continuous Growth