A Busy Start to the School Year!

September 2017

We're excited about the important and meaningful work that is taking place at our schools as we begin the year.  Our staff members are focused on...

At the Elementary Schools - Introducing Caring School Community, our new social curriculum, into the classrooms.  Check out the program using this website: www.collaborativeclassroom.org.

Grade 5 - getting ready to begin a learning partnership with Fidelity Investments and educating our students early about fiscal responsibility.  

At the Middle School...A focus on D.E.E.R. (based on the model for PBIS) for all students in grades 6-8.  

At the High School - making Quinsigamond Community College courses available for students who want college credits.  

And don't forget - our first S.T.E.M. Advisory Board meeting is this coming Monday, September 11th from 7:00pm - 8:30pm in the Tahanto Multipurpose Room!

STEM Takes on Speed!

STEM continues to gain momentum in the Berlin-Boylston Public Schools.  On Tuesday, March 21st our Boylston fourth graders hosted their annual Invention Connection, creating new products using the engineering design process and some very good marketing strategies.

The first Girl Hackathon, dedicated to female students in grades 5-7, took place on Saturday, March 25th at Tahanto Regional Middle/High School.  The purpose of this hackathon was to promote the skills and strategies needed for coding to girls in a safe and enjoyable environment.  Sixteen participants and four high school student mentors worked collaboratively to design a game using the Hopscotch app.  Each team then presented their game features to their colleagues.

The feedback from all of the participants and mentors leads us to think about organizing more 'hackathon' events for both girls and boys in the future.  Thank you to the Tahanto PTO, our parent volunteers, Becker College, and their partner facilitators Shayne Gilbert and Kristen Collins for helping us launch this exciting educational event!

We are looking forward to hosting our first Girl Hackathon for our female students in grades 5, 6, and 7 this coming Saturday, March 25th at the Tahanto Regional Middle/High School.  We would like to thank our partner, Becker College, for all of their efforts in helping to launch this event.  The Hackathon provides an opportunity for students to learn how to code using a program called Hopscotch in a safe and supportive environment.  We will be sure to share some photos from the event!

Maker Spaces Come to the Elementary Schools While Science Opportunities at Tahanto Grow

In the spring of 2015, the Berlin-Boylston Public Schools received two STEM grants from the Biogen Foundation.  One grant funded materials that enabled both elementary schools, Berlin Memorial School and Boylston Elementary, to create a Maker Space in each building.  The second grant provided for materials for a course offering that delves into biogenics.

Please read below the summary letter that was submitted to the Biogen Grant Foundation on behalf of the Berlin-Boylston Schools, and enjoy the accompanying photos that show what the possibilities can be through grant funding and partnerships.
Letter:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2N0znTNn2p6U0wzNnZkSElQMy1FWkplT2RtdVdaSUhvMVVF

BMS STUDENTS TAKE TO THE GARDENS!

I'm so excited to share this link to Mrs. Tucker's photos of her students planting in the BMS garden.  This is a perfect example of project-based learning and ties into the new MA Science Frameworks for fourth grade.  In addition, produce from the garden will be used in the cafeteria preparation of healthy lunch choices.  What a valuable lesson for our students!
Check it out at: http://mtuckerbms.blogspot.com/2016/05/fourth-grade-plants-in-school-garden.html

STEM Meets Staff at Berlin Memorial School

Members of the Berlin-Boylston STEM Advisory Board presented at the Berlin staff meeting today.  The team of engineers brought their expertise to the table as they shared science kits they created with the group.  The STEM Advisory Board meets monthly at Tahanto Middle/High School and includes parents, community members, staff and administrators.  

Author Greg Mone Works with Fifth Graders on Persuasive Writing

Should the United States explore travel to Mars?  Why or why not?  If we do decide to make the journey, what would we need to take with us?  If we don't support Mars exploration, what are the factors that impact our decision?

This is the challenge question that fifth graders at Berlin Memorial School and Boylston Elementary School wrestled with as they prepared to write persuasive letters to NASA defending their position.

Author Greg Mone led the brainstorming discussion that merged facts with imagination to build a model draft from which students could launch their own writing piece.

Mr. Mone will return to both schools on January 21st to follow up with a revision session and culmination of the writing process.