W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
March 21-25, 2022
Note from the Principal:
Spring weather arrived this week, and it was great to be outside for recess many of the days this week. We are looking forward to the sense of hope and possibility that spring brings! The second week of optional masking went really well again–students seem to be respecting the idea of choice, and it is having a nice effect on the tone of the school.
Thank you for supporting this day of professional learning for the educators. Today was a really excellent collaboration between our district learning and teaching leadership, our educators, community partners, and the Stoke Collective. Stoke joined us last year to help promote our vision of equity in the community, and they started the day framing out our work on equity for the next few years. Today we had many of our own teachers and administrators leading sessions on how to get better at teaching and valuing all students, in addition to a continuing partnership with the Collaborative for Educational Services. These were hands-on workshops that helped our staff see the value of designing learning spaces and experiences that see all students, that are challenging to everyone, and that strive for our ideals of an equitable community. I am proud to be a leader in a district that values equity, and we are all committed to the hard work of figuring out what that looks like in practice, and not just in words. Having a day like today really helps us, so your support is appreciated.
Please drop me a note if you have other feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Have a good weekend!
Ben Doren
Principal
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Monday, March 21
Regular School Day
Tuesday, March 22
Regular School Day
Wednesday, March 23
Regular School Day
Thursday, March 24
Regular School Day
Friday, March 25
Regular School Day
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Humanitarian Aid Collection for Ukraine
TurnPark Art Space, a cultural and recreational space located in West Stockbridge, is requesting donations to ship and distribute to Ukrainian charitable organizations. Starting Monday, March 21st, there will be a container to collect donated supplies at Du Bois Middle School. Supplies will be delivered to TurnPark Art Space on Saturday, March 26th.
You can read details about TurnPark Art Space on their website, https://turnpark.com. The direct link to the requested supply list is https://turnpark.com/aid_for_ukraine.php.
Supplies can also be directly dropped off at TurnPark Art Space or at the West Stockbridge Post Office. Details for direct drop off are as follows:
Items can be dropped off at TurnPark’s Gatehouse Gallery at 2 Moscow Road in West Stockbridge every weekend in March from 10am–5pm. To arrange a drop-off at another time, please write to Jared Gelormino, Site Manager, at jg@turnpark.com. You can also drop items off at the West Stockbridge Post Office, 4 Center Street, during regular hours of operation.
Thank you for your help in this effort!
Local Student Mask Access Program
In partnership with the Rural Health Network and with support from a state Rural Vaccine Equity grant, we are working to ensure fair access across our community to current information about COVID-19, as well as the availability of effective masks for those at high risk for severe outcomes from this disease. Below is a brief survey for families in your districts. It asks whether they identify their student, a household member, or nearby loved one as being at high risk for severe COVID outcomes. Those who answer yes are asked if they want to receive tailored masking guidance and/or a supply of free youth-sized KN95 masks. If they do, they may confidentially submit their name and phone number or email address. Our public health nurses would reach out to those families directly within a week or so, and if masks are needed, coordinate distribution via the schools.
Student health and well being
In an effort to promote the health and well being of students in WEB Du Bois Middle School, students will be periodically provided with questionnaires, surveys, and screeners that address issues related to mental health. The information gained will support the school’s ability to provide comprehensive and timely support for your child if they require any assistance. Families can opt-out students from filling out any questionnaire, survey, or screener that they are not interested in taking and you can opt-out your child at any time by contacting the school or by filling out this opt-out form.
En un esfuerzo por promover la salud y el bienestar de los estudiantes en la escuela WEB Du Bois, se les proporcionará periódicamente cuestionarios, encuestas y exámenes que abordan temas relacionados con la salud mental. La información obtenida apoyará la capacidad del distrito para proporcionar un apoyo integral y oportuno a su hijo o hija en caso de que requiera alguna ayuda. Las familias pueden optar por no rellenar cualquier cuestionario, encuesta o cuestionario que no estén interesados en tomar y usted puede optar por su hijo o hija en cualquier momento poniéndose en contacto con la escuela o rellenando este formulario de exclusión.
Message from the Library
The DBM library is going to clean up its records by deleting all books lost during the pandemic. Please help us ensure our records are accurate by doing a quick sweep of your home to check for school library books that may have been forgotten or neglected since our return to in-person school. Send found items into school to be returned to Ms.Guerin before March 22, if possible. Every book returned frees up resources to buy new titles for the library–thank you!
Project Connection
Para leer este mensaje en español, desplácese hacia abajo hasta el texto GRANATE.
Just a reminder that the Winter session of Project Connection ended yesterday. The Spring session will begin on March 28th.
Please click on the links below for class descriptions and registration information for the Spring session which will run from March 28th – June 2nd. Please complete registration online if possible, and sign up as soon as possible. Registrations received by Tuesday, March 15th at 5:00 PM will have priority in preferences of days and classes, but does not guarantee enrollment. Confirmations of enrollment will be sent the week of 3/21.
Students involved in the Spring Musical should still enroll now if they would like to participate in any PC programs once the Musical is over.
W.E.B. Du Bois Spring 2022 PC Class Descriptions – Click Here
W.E.B. Du Bois Spring 2022 Online Registration – Click Here
Solo un recordatorio de que la sesión de invierno de Project Connection terminó ayer. La sesión de primavera comenzará el 28 de marzo.
Haga clic en los enlaces a continuación para ver las descripciones de las clases y la información de registro para la sesión de primavera que se llevará a cabo del 28 de marzo al 2 de junio. Complete el registro en línea si es posible e inscríbase lo antes posible. Las inscripciones recibidas hasta el martes 15 de marzo a las 17:00 horas tendrán prioridad en las preferencias de días y clases, pero no garantiza la inscripción. Las confirmaciones de inscripción se enviarán la semana del 21/03.
Los estudiantes involucrados en el musical de primavera aún deben inscribirse ahora si desean participar en cualquier programa de computadora una vez que finalice el musical.
WEB. Descripciones de la clase de PC Du Bois Spring 2022 – Haga clic aquí
WEB. Du Bois Primavera 2022 Registro en línea – Haga clic aquí
REMINDERS:
LAST CALL TO PRE-ORDER the YEARBOOK
The 2022 W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School yearbook is happy to report that we are filling this year’s book with all the memories and moments we can capture. If by some chance, you have not purchased a yearbook yet, please reserve your copy today at https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A03463230.
We want to make sure everyone that wants a yearbook has one. Please know that we only produce yearbooks based upon those pre-ordered. Any that we happen to get above and beyond are on a first come first served basis. We have sold out in the past. Don’t miss out. Thank you for your time and attention!!
Pool Testing
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.
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 as we are an in-person learning community. We have also seen an uptick in students being out of school for family vacations. This is a reminder that when when kids return from extended absences and vacations they should be
- checking in with teachers,
- getting make up assignments,
- staying in or after school for help, and
- checking their email and online class sites.
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Flyers and School Letters
Flyers and School letters are available on our website at this link: https://mvrms.bhrsd.org/category/families/flyers/
This week’s flyers:
- FREE Adult ESOL Classes: English and Spanish versions
- Babe Ruth Softball Registration
- 2022-2023 Butternut BHRSD Student Season Pass-paper applications are also available in the school office
- World Down Syndrome Awareness Day March 21, 2022
- World Autism Awareness Day April 2, 2022
Recent flyers:
- 2022 Spring Lacrosse
- Berkshire Busk
- 5th Annual Spotlight on the Arts
- 2022 South Berkshire Babe Ruth Spring Sign Ups
- GB Girls Softball Registration 2022
- Bilingual Computer LIteracy Workshop
- CHP March Playgroup Schedule
- Read Across America: GB Libraries
- Gt. Barrington Little League RegistrationMMRHS Ski Team Dine to Donate Event at Marketplace Wed. 2/9/22
- Young People and Anxiety, Depression and Stress Free Forum Tues., 2/15 6:30pm
- Young People and Anxiety, Depression and Stress Forum–Spanish version
- Community Health Programs: Virtual Parent Workshop
- FREE Family Social-Emotional-Learning Session (Virtual): 2/17/22 at 12 pm
- FREE Glee Club Class–Grades 1-5
- YMCA Camp Hi-Rock Virtual Information Session Flyer
- BRIDGE: Lesson Plan and Project for MLK Day 2022
- Winter Project Connection Packet
- Winter Project Connection Packet – en Espanol
- Stateline Youth Wrestling
- Du Bois Middle School 2022 Musical: THE WIZARD OF OZ! (English & Spanish versions)
- Winter Farmer’s Market
- Hancock Holiday Nights
Older 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
- 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