W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School
Week at a Glance, News and Notes
January 6, 2023
Note from the Principal:
It was great to have the kids back in school after a nice vacation. I hope you got some time well spent with friends and family over this break.
We had a second round of New Year’s resolutions and goals, which we did right before the pandemic hit, and we got to do it again this year. It is a fabulous activity. In Crew, students and Crew Leaders write down their aspirations and goals on paper, then seal all of the Crew’s ideas in an envelope. Mr. Wheat made a fire in a big metal container in the bus loop–the whole school comes out, makes a ring around the fire (with appropriate distance from the flames), and their Crew Leader comes up to the fire and places the wishes in there–the aspirations rise into the air as heat and are consumed as we see them off into the new year. It is a really nice community activity, and it feels good to be a part of it again. Many thanks to our Du Bois Family Crew for helping organize and bringing the energy to revive the activity!
In the next few weeks you will be contacted by the teacher who is facilitating your child’s Student Led Conference. See below (Student Led Conferences–SLC reminders”) for more details. Every student is preparing a presentation to their family, so please respond as soon as you can to secure an in-person or virtual slot.
Please drop me a note if you have feedback or questions at ben.doren@bhrsd.org.
Be well!
Ben Doren
Principal
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Monday, January 9
Regular School Day
Tuesday, January 10
Regular School Day
Wednesday, January 11
Regular School Day
Thursday, January 12
Regular School Day
Friday, January 13
Regular School Day
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Stage Crew for Musical
Interested in building sets, painting, making props, creating costumes, or designing lights? Calling all interested Stage Crew Club members! The Du Bois Musical is holding an official interest meeting this coming Monday, Jan. 9th from 2:45-3:30 PM after school in the chorus room for students who would like to join Stage Crew or learn more about it. We’ll see you after school on Monday! Email duboismusical@bhrsd.org for questions.
Project Connection Winter Session
Link To Program Enrollment Form/Enlace al formulario de inscripción al programa: https://forms.gle/e9oeXFSouGB2JfLu5
Link To Program Descriptions in English: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Umtumxo07wiuirZfK4mnMTpZ90Kkcnpg953nq0YwgAg/edit?usp=sharing
Enlace a las descripciones del programa en español: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YbE2yJtatHnwSJ-4VYNKplWdPD9sAS3OjcOyMsE27Hc/edit?usp=sharing
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REMINDERS:
Student Led Conferences (SLC reminders)
At the end of January we will hold our Student Led Conferences, the evening of 1/24 and the afternoon of 1/25. We are proud of this process, as it allows our students–your children–to reflect on who they are as a learner, what they have accomplished, and where they are going. This past month and into the new year students are reflecting on what and how they have learned in their subject area classes. Once we return from break they will take all of those reflections and bring them to their Crew. There they will work with their Crew peers and Crew Leader to put all of the reflections together into a presentation for you. The presentation will consist of three parts. The introduction will tell you about themselves, a reflection on who they are as a learner. The second part will be a quick review of what they have accomplished in each class–an example of the proficiencies they need to meet through the year in the subject–and a deeper dive into one project of their choice from a class to show details of their proficiency. The last will be a look ahead–goals and areas of development. The seventh and eighth graders will present to you facilitated by their Crew Leader, and the fifth and sixth graders will be with their Crew Leader or an Exploratory teacher so we can focus the preparation on each student with enough time and attention for all. This is a full school endeavor! The conferences will generally be in person, a full twenty minutes for the presentation and time for questions and dialogue with the student. You also have the option to hold the conference over video for health reasons, remote family members or convenience. Right after the vacation the teacher who is facilitating the conference will reach out to you to schedule a slot for the afternoon or evening sessions.
Concerning Screen Time presentation
Thank you to those who attended the Concerning Screen Time presentation on Nov 15, 2022. Please see below, a link of the video and a pdf of the presentation in the flyers. Note that there are additional resources included at the end of the presentation. The video and slides are the property of the Southern Berkshire Community Health Coalition and Jaime Cooper. They are for personal use only and may not be posted, shared or used without permission of SBCHC and Jaime Cooper. Please reach out to Jaime Cooper for parent support or ITC info, jaime@rsyp.org, to Laura Rodriguez director of SBCHC laura@rsyp.org or the Du Bois family crew with any questions or needs
Video: https://vimeo.com/776226301/73f196552c
Message from the Superintendent
Dear BHRSD Families and Staff: I hope you are doing well. We are noticing an uptick in COVID-19 cases, flu, and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). Please continue to monitor your children for potential symptoms and reach out to school nurses and/or your own health care providers for advice. If a student doesn’t feel well, please keep them home and consider testing. We have masks available and encourage students and staff to use them. Please notify the school immediately if your student tests positive. They should stay home for 5 days and wear a mask for 5 days upon their return. The school nurses will help on the timelines. Hoping we can navigate this well together. –Peter Dillon, Superintendent
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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:
- Project Safe Childhood
- Overcoming Overwhelm & Stress: Online workshop for parents and caregivers of adolescents
- Great Barrington Libraries “For the Love of Reading” 2023 Reading Challenge https://gblibraries.org/event/beanstack-reading-challenge-for-the-love-of-reading/
Recent flyers:
- Berkshire Children’s Chorus: Now enrolling singers Grades 3-8
- CHP Special Virtual Event: The Secret Life of Autism
Older flyers:
- Night Wood An Outdoor Sound & Light Experience @ The Mount
- GB Libraries December Newsletter and Gingerbread House take home kits
- CHP December playgroup Schedule
- Stateline Youth Wrestling 2022-2023
- Winter Workshops @ Berkshire HorseWorks
- DBM Musical Information Session Nov. 28, 3-3:45
- Berkshire Children’s Chorus Fall 2022
- BRTA FREE! Nov. 25-Dec 31
- Community Thanks Supper @ BSRCC
- Shining Star Supplemental Holiday Program@ BSRCC
- Holiday Shop, Sip & Stroll
- Concerning Screen Time: A Workshop for Middle School Parents
- Movie Night Fundraiser for Class of 2024 @ MMRHS for district students, parents and staff
- Dine to Donate Nov. 9 and 10 for MMRHS Class of 2024
- “Shine The Light” A Screening and Conversation about Youth Mental Illness and Suicide Prevention
- Project Connection Food Drive
- CHP Family Services November Playgroup Schedule
- Girl Scouts
- Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP
- Ski Butternut 22/23 Lesson Program Application
- Ski Butternut 22/23 Student & Family Pass Application
- Southern Berkshire Winter Coat Drive
- Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
- Housatonic Youth Basketball Registration
- Teen Chefs: Learn & Master
- Great Barrington Libraries Newsletter
- CHP Family Resources Oct 2022 Paygroup Schedule
- Truck Day
- Berkshire County Steam Challenge Night
- Community Boxing Gym
- An afternoon of Outdoor Fun for the Special Needs Community Oct. 9
- Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) Tiered Focused Monitoring Review
- YA Author Barbara Newman @ The Mount
- Southern Berkshire Winter Coat Drive
- Cub Scouting for Boys and Girls K-5
- Yearbook staff needed
- Halloween Painting Contest
- Housatonic Party in the Park
- Festival Latino
- Latinx Festival–English and Spanish versions
- RSYP Bilingual Club–English and Spanish versions
- Great Barrington Libraries Newsletter
- Du Bois Yearbook Cover Contest for 8th Grade Students
- Babysitter Training: BSRCC
- Free Story Walk and Live Bilingual Concert @ The Mount, Sun. 9/11/22
- Heart and Sole
- Berkshire HorseWorks Fall Programs
- Ski Butternut Student & Family Season Pass Application
- BCAC Elf Warm Clothing Program applications due 9/30
- Free School Supplies from Berkshire Money Management
- School Supply Lists
- Bus Routes
- Family Forum in Spanish
- Family Forum in English
- Blue Rider Pony Rides for Rico
- Read-Learn-Play: Wingmaster’s
- The Children’s Attic Fall/Winter Consignment Sale