W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
Nov. 15 – Nov. 19, 2021
Note from the Principal:
Thank you for all that you do to make sure the students are ready for learning at school. Partnership with families is the key to good schooling, and we pride ourselves in trying to communicate well and be a team with families. It is clear to us that you do what you can to make sure students are ready for learning: get rest, set clear expectations, listen to concerns and interests. I just wanted to share our appreciation for the collaboration. The educators here at Du Bois show up every day and put in a gargantuan effort to keep the learning moving ahead–difficult in a pandemic and still looking to recover from a difficult year and half. I am impressed and humbled by the commitment of my colleagues. If you get a chance, thank an educator, as every appreciation counts!
At this point we are humming along with technology. Every 5-6 grade student has access to a ChromeBook when needed in classes. Every 7-8 grader either has a loaned school ChromeBook or a computer from home. We do not use them all the time nor all day–we had a lot of screentime in remote and hybrid learning, and students get enough screen time on their own. But we are teaching 21st century skills, which require students to do learning as digital natives, and for us to teach to that future. The balance between authentic, face to face, human interaction and mediated digital connection is important, and our job–the school and the home–is to help students understand what is a healthy balance!
Please see below for a repeat and clarification on our protocols for when students are exposed to Covid in the community or at school, and what to do if there is a concern about being a close contact or if a student has a positive Covid test.
Please drop me a note if you have feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Have a great weekend!
Ben Doren
Principal
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Monday, November 15
Regular School Day
Tuesday, November 16
Regular School Day
Wednesday, November 17
Regular School Day
Thursday, November 18
Regular School Day
Friday, November 19
Regular School Day
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Safety and the Pandemic: How to navigate symptoms at home
We are serious about safety here at Du Bois, and appreciate all you do to coach the students on how to keep it safe while here at school and in the community. So far we are in school and able to come every day. Much of that depends on you abiding by our community safety norms–thank you for your help so far and in the future! One way you can do that is to check in with the school nurse, Hilary Bashara, if you are not sure about symptoms and whether to keep your kid home. She can advise on covid protocols, testing and other health questions. When your kid is home sick, please make sure they rest, and we will catch them up on school work when they return: the best cure for being sick is rest, and not worrying about falling behind. For unvaccinated students, if there is a concern about exposure to Covid and the student is symptomless, we are able to support learning during quarantine with materials as the school is directing the student to be home. If a vaccinated student is a close contact they can continue to attend school, while connecting with pediatricians and our health office to ensure the safety of all. If a student, regardless of vaccination status, is positive for Covid we are able to support learning remotely until quarantine is complete and they can safely return.
Long Term Absences
Long term absences are difficult to manage as our curriculum depends on students being present for instruction every day. If you take a student on vacation or on an extended family visit it really interrupts the learning cycle, as we are set up for in-person, community based learning. Please let us know if you are planning a longer absence, as there are Massachusetts rules about extended absences and attendance laws that we have to follow. If a student is out of school for a non-medical reason we will support as best we can when they return. We are not set up to provide learning materials for this, again, as we are an in-person learning community.
Student Led Conferences in December
Last year we piloted this format for conferences with several Crews, and they went really well. I have coordinated conferences as a teacher advisor and principal in the past, and I love them. It is a way for students to learn how to reflect on their own learning and how they learn best, and what they need to do to be successful in the future. We coach them on collecting examples of their work to discuss, and showing how they learn and where they want to grow. We will hold these conferences in mid-December, giving students some time to collect, reflect and prepare to share with you. I will share more information as we get closer, and want you to know well ahead of time how exciting this engagement will be!
27th Annual Winter Outerwear Drive
We happy to announce we will be holding the 27th Annual Winter Outerwear Drive, after a one year hiatus due to the pandemic. We are seeing a greater need than ever to provide an opportunity for warm, free clothing to our neighbors. We will be collecting winter clothing during the month of October and November at Monument Mountain, W.E.B. Du Bois and Muddy Brook Schools. A box will be located in the front of each school. We will be collecting COATS, HATS, MITTENS, GLOVES, SNOW PANTS, SCARVES, BOOTS, BLANKETS, etc. Please be sure donated clothing is in “wearable condition”, with working zippers, untorn, unstained and without mildew! We will distribute the collected clothing at Berkshire South Community Center (15 Crissey Rd.) in GB on Saturday, Nov. 13th and Sunday, Nov. 14th. Please mark your calendars! The mission continues to be, “Every person in Southern Berkshire County will have a warm winter coat!” We will collect many more items than coats, really anything warm! Our goal continues to collect at least 1000 coats! Thank you for your generous and ongoing support! If you have any questions, please contact Carol Brunnschweiller at 429-6204 or email at cbrunnschie@yahoo.com
Railroad Street (RSYP) Parent Groups
Railroad Street Youth Project (RSYP) is hosting ongoing groups to help parents support their teens and young adults who use substances. Weekly in person meetings are held at the RSYP Drop in Center at 60 Bridge Street in Great Barrington and are every Monday from 6:30 – 8:00. Participants are required to wear masks in the building.Online meetings occur every Wednesday on Zoom from 6:30 – 7:30. Email jaime@rsyp.org for the link.You may come to either or both meetings, at any point, attend whenever works for you, and for as long as it’s helpful to you! In the groups we will agree to hold confidentiality for one another. A Spanish interpreter will be present at all meetings. Group learning is based on the Invitation to Change (ITC) approach created by CMC:Foundation for Change. The approach provides perspectives and skills to help you encourage your loved one towards recovery while increasing your own wellbeing. To find out about ITC visit: https://cmcffc.org/our-approach. Meetings are facilitated by Jaime Cooper. Email jaime@rsyp.org with any questions* These groups are for parents who live in Southern Berkshire County and have children between the ages of 13 – 25 years who use substances and alcohol.
Health and Safety reminders
Please help us maintain a safe place for students and staff. A big part of that is keeping your child home if they have symptoms, and alerting the school. We will likely advise you to reach out to your pediatrician to review the symptoms, and the doctor will likely have your child get a covid test. This helps us keep Covid out of the schools, and stops the spread. If your child is home sick we will catch them up when they return. And if your child is directed by the school or doctor to quarantine we will provide work once they feel well. Let’s all do our part to keep it safe!
Pool Testing
We will do Pool Testing again this coming week! If you have signed up, thank you!!! Please sign up if you want your student to participate. Pool Testing allows us to stop the spread and know where Covid is in the community. The more who participate, the better we can keep our community safe. If your student or members of your household are unvaccinated, we strongly encourage your student’s participation, and anyone can participate in the pool testing regardless of vaccination status. Please use this LINK for more details and to complete the electronic consent form. Each student in your household will require an individual consent. The link defaults to Muddy Brook. Select the drop down for your child’s school — Muddy Brook, Du Bois, or Monument Mountain. The video is available in multiple languages–click the link on the top right to choose the language you want.
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Flyers and School Letters
Flyers and School letters are available on our website at this link: https://dbrms.bhrsd.org/category/families/flyers/
This week’s flyers:
- No new flyers this week
Recent flyers:
- Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccine Information Session
- Community Thanks Supper: BSRCC
- Participate in a Williams College Study on Children’s Thinking
- Girls Basketball Free Clinic Grades 5 and 6
- Fall Arts & Crafts Festival – BSRCC
- Yearbook Club
- Casting Untitled Annie Baker Film
- Housatonic Youth Basketball Registration
- 27th Annual Winter Outerwear Drive
- Ski Butternut Student Application
- FUNK BOX BREAKING: Berkshire Pulse
- Golden Knights House League Registration
- American Red Cross Swim Lessons: BSRCC
- Oct. 2 ThinkFOOD Conference FREE for all students
- Talking to Teens so that they Talk Back
- Flying Cloud Institute: SMArt Kit Flyer
- Parent Child+: Equal Possibilities from the Start
- Yearbook Cover Contest
- Project Connection Fall Packet
Older flyers:
- Action Adventures Out of School @ BSRCC
- Ballet Ages 5-8 @ BSRCC
- Berkshire Hills Youth Soccer House League Registration
- Ski Butternut Student & Family Season Pass Application