Sunday, December 16, 2012

Q2 Progress Reports Coming Home Friday 12/14

Hello everyone,

   Just a quick update that 2nd quarter progress reports were sent home with your child this past Friday 12/14. Please take the time to review your child's progress report with them over the weekend and discuss areas they have done well, areas for improvement, and developing plans for improving their work for the remainder of the 2nd quarter.
   Please also sign the sheet stating you have seen the progress report and send this back through your child to their homeroom teacher. If you lose the sheet you may send along a hand-written note or an email to your child's homeroom teacher saying you have in fact seen the progress report.

    Signed confirmation of progress reports are due back through your child by Wednesday December 19th.

Friday, December 7, 2012

8th Grade Community Service Day

Thank you to everyone for helping to make our community service day a great success!  Through the hard work of our 8th graders, the generous donations of our families and the dedication of our staff, we were able to prepare 10 meals for local families who are need.  Students baked cookies, brownies and corn bread during our house block today and each 8th grade homeroom prepared the meals during our homeroom period this morning.  It was truly a team effort - Congratulations to all!

During our house block this morning we continued our community service by writing letters and making cards for soldiers serving our country. Forty eighth graders visited Loker School, read stories to Kindergarteners, and assisted in the classrooms.  Fifteen senior residents from Sunrise Assisted Living and Traditions visited our school for a social hour that included games, BINGO and story telling.  Three hundred sandwiches were made and then donated to the Salvation Army in Framingham.  Finally, students crafted origami boxes which will be donated to children in the hospital.  It is hard to believe all of this was accomplished in one hour!

Each and every 8th grader played an important role in today's event and for this we are very thankful.  We are hopeful that it was a rewarding experience for everyone.  Enjoy the weekend.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Martin Cluster Community Service Project

Thank you to everyone who has signed up to bring in items for our project this coming Friday.  If you would like to still help out, there are items and ingredients that are needed.  Please click here to fill out the on-line sign-up form.  Once you are at the site, click on your child's homeroom teacher.  Thanks again for all of your help.


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Martin Cluster Community Service Project:

The Martin Cluster will be preparing meals for five families in our community who need some assistance during these difficult times.  This activity will take place during our house block on Friday, December 7th. We are asking students from each homeroom to bring in the ingredients and then we will use slow cookers to prepare the food.  The meals will be picked up by Parmenter on Friday afternoon.  Please help out by signing up for an item by going to Mr. Farley's website (instructions below).   The Martin Cluster appreciates your help and support with this project.

In addition to the meals, students will also have the opportunity to work with some "friends of our community" during this house block day.  Some residents from Sunrise Assisted Living and Traditions of Wayland will be visiting us to listen to some music, play games and tell stories.  Some of our middle school students will be visiting Kindergarten classes and will share a story and some crafts.  In addition, students will also be making friendship bracelets and origami boxes for children in the hospital, holiday cards for soldiers and sandwiches for the Salvation Army.  We are hopeful that these activities will enhance the students’ awareness of the importance of community service.

Thanks in advance for your help with this important project.  Please click on this link http://sites.google.com/a/wayland.k12.ma.us/farley/ to visit the sign up sheet.

Once at the site, please click on your child's homeroom teacher and select an item to bring to school on Friday, December 9th for our project.  The document will automatically update and save; however, you must wait approximately 5 seconds after you type for the changes to be officially updated.  If you have any questions or problems, please contact us.  We are all looking forward to our community service house block one week from Friday.  Thanks for your help.

The Martin Cluster Staff

Monday, November 19, 2012

Q1 Report Cards, Calendar Drive, Thanksgiving

Hello everyone,

  Just a few brief notes for Thanksgiving week for you, on behalf of your child's teachers we wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving break. Safe travels for those who will be on the road or in the air during the break!

1. Q1 Report Cards: 1st quarter report cards went home with your child this past Friday. If you have not yet done so please sign the front sheet stating you have seen and reviewed your child's 1st quarter grades. This sheet should be sent back through your child to their homeroom teacher by TUESDAY November 20th. Thank you for seeing to this.

2. Calendar Drive Fundraiser: Thanks to all parents and children who have been able to go out and sell raffle calendars for our annual fundraiser. We hope that many students will be able to make an effort to sell some calendars over the Thanksgiving break. We appreciate your support with this important fundraiser. All proceeds from our calendar raffle go to funding financial assistance packages for our students for middle school trips (Particularly the Washington DC 8th grade trip!). Thank you in advance for any efforts you have made to sell our raffle calendars!

3. Payment #1 for the Washington DC trip: A reminder that the 1st payment (if you are paying in installments) for the DC trip is Friday November 30th ($267.00). Payments can be made by check, over the phone or online at the Worldstrides website - please see the Worldstrides page  created at the top of this blog for directions for payments and registration.

4. Financial Assistance for the DC Trip: If you are in need of financial assistance for the DC trip please contact me directly (email is best :kevin_farley@wayland.k12.ma.us) or you can leave me a message at the middle school by phone 508-655-6670.

Thanks and have an enjoyable Thanksgiving,

Friday, November 9, 2012

Calendar Drive Fundraiser Begins!!!

Hello everyone,

  On Friday November 9th the Wayland Middle School's annual raffle calendar drive begins. This drive is our annual trip fundraiser with all money raised going to providing financial assistance (tripships) for families of students for our middle school trips (especially for the 8th grade Washington DC trip). As many of you know we can only provide an experience like the Washington DC trip if every student is given the opportunity to go, even if they cannot afford the cost of the trip. This fundraiser is vital to being able to continue this culminating middle school experience in our Wayland community.

  The calendar drive will run from November 9th through December 3rd. On Friday November 9th your child will be coming home with a packet of 5 raffle calendars and are encouraged to help support students who may be in need of financial assistance for our DC trip by selling raffle calendars. More raffle calendars are available through each child's homeroom teacher.

Raffle Calendars are $10.00 each. The raffle calendar enters the buyer of the calendar into 31 chances to win a different gift card seen on the calendar. Entrants can win multiple times throughout the raffle. The raffle will occur each day in January. Calendar sales and selling tips will be explained to students on Friday through their homeroom teachers.

  Thank you in advance for any support you can give to your child with this fundraiser.

Below are some safe selling tips for children



Gift Calendar: Selling and Safety Tips
Please post on your refrigerator at home
You are responsible for your calendars. Keep them in a safe place and do not lose them. Bring in your returns daily.
Selling tips
·      Be polite, cheerful, and have some fun. Say thank you to all of your customers, even if they don’t buy a calendar.
·      Tell them the sale is a Wayland Middle School Fundraiser for student trips.
·      The cost is $10.00 per calendar; customers may purchase as many calendars as they wish.
·      Donations are accepted. Encourage customers to write checks to Wayland Middle School.
Safety Tips
·     Go around with a friend.
·      Tell your parents where you are going, or ask them to take you around on your selling route.
·     Sell in your neighborhood and go to houses where you know the people.
·      Sell calendars at your parents’ work place (when possible)
·     Cross streets cautiously; use intersections and crosswalks
·     Never enter anyone’s house.
Do not give your phone number. Use the WMS number 508-655-6670

Thanks and enjoy the long weekend!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A message from Ms. Peirce and More DC Info...


Dear Families,
As part of our reading and study of Bruiser, students have been thinking and talking about the role of empathy in our lives.  In support of this exploration, we are reaching out to the community with a food drive for Parmenter Food Pantry.  Each of our ten English classrooms will collect non-perishable food and household items for the next week, until November 8th.  We have begun a lively and friendly competition among the classes, with class co-captains encouraging their classmates and organizing the donations.
Below is a list of food and household items Parmenter Food Pantry needs for local families. 
 
Non-perishable food items:
   Canned Fruits and Vegetables
   Canned Soup
   Cereals and Baking Mixes
   Ground Coffee and Tea
   Pasta and Spaghetti Sauce
   Peanut Butter and Jelly
   Tuna and other Canned   Meats
            Non-food items:
   Dish and Laundry Detergent
   Mouthwash
   Napkins
   Paper Towels
   Soap
   Toilet Paper
   Toothpaste
We appreciate any donations you can provide.  Thank you for your generosity.
Meeghan Peirce
Grade 8 English Teacher

DC Registration and 1st Payment for trip


  Thank you to all the families who have registered your child with Worldstrides for our Washington DC Trip. If you have not yet registered your child for the trip please do so as soon as possible as we were hoping to get everyone registered by October 29th. Students must be registered for the trip in order for us to be able to get train tickets, hotel rooms, meal allotments for each individual.

  You can register by mail using the registration form in your DC folder you picked up at Back to School Night or was brought home by your child the day after back to school night.

  Online registration is also available and it is fast and easy. You can pay the $99.00 registration fee which goes to your child's trip by credit card. Follow the directions on the Worldstrides page I set up at the top of this blog: WORLDSTRIDES REGISTRATION

  A reminder that the 1st payment for the trip (if you are paying in installments) is November 30th ($267). You can do this by mail or online on the Worldstrides website.

 

Thanks

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Final Cave Notes

Final NY Trip Updates

Hi everyone,

  Just a few final reminders for this week's NY Geology Trips on Thursday and Friday.


1. Drop off is at 5:45 AM at WMS: When you drop off your child in the morning please park in the teacher parking lot. DO NOT drive up the bus driveway. Students will be loading their bags onto the bays under the bus on both sides of the bus and we do not want any traffic coming up the driveway at this time

2. Snacks and Food: Please remember as you are packing your child's food for the day to not pack any foods with peanuts or any kind of nuts as well as any shellfish. We have children on the bus with food allergies and would like to avoid any emergencies due to food allergies. Thank you for your cooperation with this. Please also remember that your child must bring with them their food for breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Students must also bring their own drinks and a water bottle. No Caffeinated beverages allowed.

3. Cave clothing: Please remember that if your child is going into the cave they must be wearing long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and a helmet with a light attached. There are no exceptions to this rule - safety is of the utmost importance. Please also remember that they must wear gym shorts and a t-shirt underneath their clothes so they can change outside the bus after exiting the cave.

4. Dinner: Dinner is at the Lee rest area on the Mass. Pike. Students may bring their own dinner or no more than $10.00 for fast food at the rest area.

5. Phone chain: Your child has brought home a copy of the phone chain for you. It is in their science class folder. I will activate the phone chain upon leaving dinner - we will be approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes away at this point.

6. Pick up at the end of the trip at WMS: When you pick up your child please again park your car in the teacher lot and do not drive up the bus driveway. Same as the morning kids will be going around to both sides of the bus to get their bags from underneath the bus when they return.

Thanks for your support from home, trips like this cannot happen without parent support.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Cave Trip Info...

Phone Chains -   Ms. Nichols sent home a copy of the cave trip phone chain list today with all students (except black block students who will receive the list on Tuesday).  Please check in with your child about the list so that everyone will be contacted when we are on our way home from NY.  If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Nichols.  Thanks.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Cave Trip Information

Hi All,

Your child has an extra copy of the packing list for the NY geology trip which is next Thursday or Friday.  Please check over the packing list and make sure you have all the materials necessary.  When planning food for your child, please DO NOT pack anything with NUTS or PEANUTS.  We have children with life threatening allergies on the bus.  Thank you for your help.

Your child will need breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and either money for dinner at the Lee Rest Area or a brown bag dinner.


Also your child must have a helmet with two small flashlights or headlamp attached for the trip.  No helmet, No cave.  Safety matters.  We have extra helmets if you need one.

Your child must dress for the trip in shorts and t-shirt under sweats because when we leave the cave we strip off our outer clothing and put it in a trash bag under the bus and take out clean clothing to wear on the bus ride home.  We change in an open parking lot and so no privacy is available.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Updates

Hello everyone,

   Just a few brief updates for you this week:

  • Progress Report slips: Please review your child's progress reports and sign the slip stating you have done so. This slip should be returned through your child to their homeroom teacher as soon as possible. Thank you.

  • DC Registration: If you have not yet done so please review the DC Trip Information Folder you either received at Back to School Night or through your child the following day. We would like to get all students registered for the DC trip by the end of the month. You can view the DC registration instructions in the post below this one. We have also added a link at the top of this page called "DC Information - Worldstrides" which has registration information and a link to their website for online registration and account access.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

DC Trip Information and Registration

Hello everyone,
  This post contains important information regarding the registration process for your child and the Washington D.C. trip. Thank you in advance for reading this as well as your DC information packet and getting your child registered by October 29th.

DC Trip Information Folders - For those of you who attended or Washington D.C. trip presentation at Back to School Night you brought home with you the trip information folder. If you were not able to attend please note that your child was given your trip information folder during a second homeroom this past Friday. Please ask your child for this folder (Orange) as it contains important information presented  during the DC presentation.
DC Trip Registration Process (Please Read) - As explained at the DC Night Presentation we would like to get all the 8th graders registered with our travel agency Worldstrides by October 29th. 
Every student participating in the trip must be registered with Worldstrides in order for us to reserve a hotel room, meals, evening activities, and transportation accommodations for your child. Please note that you will include a $99.00 deposit towards your child's trip when completing the registration process. In your DC Information Folder you have an envelope inside from Worldstrides with a registration sheet that contains all the important information regarding our DC trip. Registration can be done one of three ways:

  1. Online registration: Registration can be done quickly online by going to the Worldstrides website. At the site you will see a link in the right hand corner saying "Ready to Register? Visit Online registration now!" Clicking on this link will take you to the process to get your child registered for the trip and with Wayland Middle School. You can pay the $99.00 deposit by credit card when completing the registration online. Online registration allows you to access your child's account over the course of the year up to the trip to manage payments and view balances.

      • For online registration our TRIP ID# is 81279

  1. Registration by mail: Use the registration form included in your DC Information folder to register by mail. Simply fill out the form and include a check or money order for $99.00 payable to Worldstrides. This can be sent by mail using the enclosed envelope in your trip folder.
  2. Registration by phone: You can also register directly over the phone by calling the Worldstrides customer service department at 800-468-5899

Trip Payments: As explained at DC Night these are the trip payment dates and amounts for this year's trip

  1. Registration fee of $99 due by October 29th
  2. Payment #1 of $267 due by November 30th
  3. Payment #2 of $267 due by January 15th
  4. Payment #3 of $266 due by February 11th

  We have also added a link to the Worldstrides website at the top of this blog for easy access over the course of the year for you.

If you have any questions about the registration process please feel free to email me us with any questions.  We are looking forward to a great trip!

 Rob Reddington and Kevin Farley

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Cave Trip

New York Geology Trip and Forms 

Hello everyone,

This will be a longer post as it pertains to our science geology trip coming up at the end of October - thanks for reading.

  Our 8th grade science trip (New York Geology Trip) is scheduled for October 25th OR October 26th, depending on your child's science class color. For the past 20 years we have taken the science classroom into the field to learn about the geologic history of western Massachusetts and eastern New York (Albany area). We are excited to bring this year's class into the field to see the geologic features they are currently learning about in our current science unit.

  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the trip please note that this is an extended day trip due to the driving distances involved. Students arrive at WMS at 5:45 AM on the day of their trip for a 6:00 AM departure on coach buses. We return to the middle school between 8:00 and 9:00 PM (exact arrival time is confirmed using a phone tree).

  Your child recently came home with the trip information/permission slip packet for this trip. The forms should be filled out completely and returned through your child directly to Ms. Nichols during science class by Friday October 5th.

  Your child's packet will either be blue or yellow. A blue packet means your child will be going with his/her science class on Thursday October 25. A yellow packet means your child will be going with his/her science class on Friday October 26.

   Your child's safety is of the utmost importance to the staff on this trip. For that reason we ask that you complete each form carefully and completely so we have the most up to date contact information/medical history as possible. Thank you in advance for filling these forms out.

    The cost of the trip is $45.00. Please make the check payable to Wayland Middle School and return along with the forms through your child to me during science class.

Included in the packet are the following forms:


Cover Sheet - The cover sheet has an overview of the trip and summarizes all of the forms in the packet. Please read and detach and leave at home this cover sheet.

2nd Page "Permission Slip for NY Geology Trip" - Please fill out the permission slip completely and sign on the line giving permission for your child to attend. Please also include your name and a phone number to be included in the phone chain so that we may notify you the exact time of our arrival back to WMS in the evening. If your are willing to be a Phone Tree Captain we would greatly appreciate this - you will be asked to call 5-8 other parents on the evening of the trip and let them know when the bus will be returning to the middle school.

Back of 2nd Page "Emergency Contact Information" - Please fill this form out completely, including up to date health insurance information at the bottom of this sheet. In the event of an emergency and we need to reach you we will use the numbers/people on this form to contact you.

3rd page "Medical Information Form" - This is a 2-sided form that asks you to fill out the most recent health information about your child. Please fill this form completely so that we can deal with any medical issues that may arise with your child in a timely manner and with the most information possible. The back of this page also includes information about the administration of tylenol and ibuprofen by WMS staff. Please note you should also sign this sheet at the bottom of the back of the page.

4th Page "Field Trip Medication Order/Consent Form" - This is a 2-sided form. If your child takes any prescription medication that must be administered during the hours of our geology trip then this form must be filled out by your child's pediatrician and returned to school. This form also applies to inhalers and epipens as well. Please note that if any prescription medication can be administered prior to drop off and upon return to Wayland that would be preferable. If needed however WMS staff will be able to administer prescription medication in a discreet manner during the trip itself.

  • Please note that this form only is necessary if your child has an inhaler or epipen, or if WMS staff must administer prescription medication during the trip.
  • This form can be faxed directly to WMS from your child's pediatrician office. WMS Fax # 508-655-2548 ATTN: Jennifer Nichols    

5th Page "Electronics Policy" - Please read over and sign the electronics policy that we have for this trip. Students and parents must sign the policy at the bottom of this sheet.

6th Page "Clarksville Cave Waiver Form" - We have visited and entered the Clarksville Cave in upstate New York for the past 20 years. Along with the geologic history and teaching we can do while inside the cave it also offers a valuable bonding/team building opportunity for our 8th graders. The cave itself has large passageways where we can walk standing straight up. There are a few sections where we crouch down but never any passageways that involve crawling on hands and knees or lying down. Students go into the cave in groups of 10-12 with 3 WMS staff and are in the cave for approximately 30 minutes.

  • The cave was recently purchased and is now overseen by the Northeastern Cave Conservacy who are in charge of the preservation of this rich geologic resource. Because of this any person entering the cave (including students) must complete the cave waiver form if they choose to participate in this part of the trip
  • More information about Clarksville Cave can be found here (including Cave Photos): CLARKSVILLE CAVE
  • Entrance into the cave is optional for all students. Students can decide up to the moment of entering the cave whether or not they would like to go in.
7th Page "Trip packing form and Trip Itinerary" - The last page is the packing list and itinerary for the trip. You can remove this sheet and keep at home along with the cover sheet of the trip packet.
Wow - that was a lot! Thanks for taking the time to read it and fill in the forms. We will continue to update you about our trip through posts on this blog.
Thanks

Friday, September 28, 2012

  Here are a few updates for you for the coming week:

1. Back to School Night - 8th Grade Back to School Night for parents and guardians is scheduled from 6:45 PM until 8:50 PM next Thursday, October 4th. The cluster is looking forward to meeting all of you and to give you a brief overview of our respective classes and our collective mission socially and academically for all the kids in our cluster. Your child will be bringing a schedule home with them on Wednesday which will outline how the night will unfold.  See you on Thursday!

2. DC Trip Information Presentation at the end of Back to School Night:
After your last class of the evening next Thursday we would like to invite you to an important presentation about our Washington DC Trip scheduled for this coming April. The presentation will run from 8:55PM until 9:30PM in the middle school theater. We will be providing you with a folder with general trip information and the registration form so that you can register your child with Worldstrides, our travel agent. Worldstrides is a student travel group we have worked closely with for several years with planning and organizing this trip. All students going on the trip must register with Worldstrides. More information about the trip will be shared with you at this presentation such as itineraries, pricing, accommodations, and pre-trip steps for students and parents.

As usual, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Martin Cluster Update

Hello everyone,


Thanks for visiting our new blog.  Hopefully this blog will provide you with useful information about the happenings of the Martin Cluster.

On the right side of the page you will find a place to enter your email address.  Please enter your email address so that you can receive a message each time the blog is updated.  We plan on updating the blog a few times each week throughout the school year.  It is our goal that this will be a useful tool for families.

Below you will find some information about Martin Cluster News.

Thank you to all who have shared with us the Million Word Assignment. If you have not yet done this and would like to share a bit of information about your child from your perspective you can email it to us at kevin_farley@wayland.k12.ma.us


1. HW Club - After a one week delay homework club will begin this week on Tuesday, September 18th and then again on Thursday, September 20th. HW Club will run through the year every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 until 3:15. It is an excellent place for students to practice putting their best effective effort and hard work into their homework. It also gives students an opportunity to check in one-on-one with many of their subject teachers. All students are welcome to attend.

2. Online HW Calendars - Students received training this past week on setting up their google calendars  and syncing them with each of their teacher's homework calendars. If students forget their planner in school or forget to write down their homework they can view their homework online by logging into their student gmail account and viewing their calendar. Each subject teacher in the cluster will update the homework electronically by the end of the school day. You can also view each teacher's homework online at the cluster HW calendar page off of the middle school website and through this link - Martin Cluster HW Calendars.

 4. Picture Day - Forms for Picture Day will be coming home with your child today. You can look over the order forms this weekend. Picture Day. Picture Day is Wednesday September 19th.  Students should bring their picture forms and payment with them to school on the 19th. Thanks

3. TAG/HR Time - We wanted to also share an activity the cluster homeroom teachers did this week in our TAG(Teacher Advisory Groups) as an example of the traits and positive environment we try and create among homerooms in the 8th grade. Each homeroom participated in a "Silent Conversation" where they went around the room silently writing their responses to several key questions about the role of our TAG time in the the 8th grade. They also silently went around and responded to their peers thoughts by silently writing responses on the same chart paper. Silent Conversations ensure that everyone has a voice and is given the opportunity to share their thoughts/opinions/feelings in a equal manner.