Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Opening Day Assembly For Staff

Prior to the 1st day of school for students, our faculty and staff had a chance to come together in our annual opening day assembly on Monday.  We heard words of hope and inspiration from our SC Chair, Sean Costello.  In addition, I had the opportunity to talk to the team of educators about themes that we will focus on throughout the year.  The most important one being that "All Means All".  We also looked briefly at our new District Strategic Plan and spent a while investigating how we will incorporate Social Emotional Learning into our schools.  It was a great morning, that brought together close to 800 educators and support staff and we had a chance to smile and laugh as well.  In the end, they were able to meet as teachers and then transitioned to variety of events and meetings back in their schools.

It is always a fun and important day, where our team of educators can come together and make sure their oars are all moving in the same direction as we get ready to greet our students.


Don't Forget: Overdose Awareness Vigil, August 31st


7 School + 7 First Days = 1 District

The first day of school is always a memorable one.  Lots of smiling faces, new sneakers and few tears here and there.  I've been traveling around to all of our wonderful schools here in Marshfield and here are a few snapshots that help paint a picture of this special day.












Thursday, August 17, 2017

Senator Warren Hosts Town Hall Meeting at FBMS on August 24th

Senator Elizabeth Warren will host a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, August 24th at Furnace Brook Middle School.  The doors will open at 5:30 PM with the event to begin at 6:30 PM.

K-5 Teachers Take Part in PD Institute

Over the past two days, over 70 K-5 teachers took part in a wonderful Professional Development Institute that was facilitated by some of our very talented teachers who were working in conjunction with TLA Consultants.

The workshop was entitled: Exemplary K-5 Literacy Instruction: Launching and Refining Readers' Workshop.  It built off the great work that a number of "pilot" teachers did last year with Readers's Workshop as we get ready to expand the program this coming school year.

Below are a few picture





s of our educators actively engaged in the process:

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

New MHS Asst. Principal Introduces Herself to the Community

Below is a introductory letter sent to the MHS community from their newest Asst. Principal, Kristin Brandt.  We are excited to have her join the MHS team.

Dear Parents, Guardians, Families, and Members of the Marshfield High Community:

I wanted to reach out to you directly to express how excited I am to be joining the Marshfield High School leadership team this year.  As I continue to learn more about Ram Nation during these first few weeks, I often find myself anticipating mid-August, when our students and teachers return to the MHS hallways, classrooms, athletic fields, studios, and performance spaces, and MHS is once again buzzing with activity. I cannot wait to see Marshfield High School in action!

I come to Marshfield from Franklin High School, where I was a Spanish teacher for the past four years.  I am a proud graduate of Boston College, Boston College Law School, and Bridgewater State University.  In the past, I also taught high school Spanish in Randolph, Massachusetts, and served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office at Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown, MA.  

As you might imagine, it is impossible to capture exactly who I am in a written letter, so I hope that we will meet in person soon enough.  In the meantime, however, I want to share with you the following snapshot from my classroom experience, because it represents who I am as an educator and a leader.  

During the first few days of each new school year, I always discuss with my students the importance of being a respectful member of any community. I highlight six words that I prioritize: Respeto (Respect), ComunicaciĆ³n (Communication), ColaboraciĆ³n (Collaboration), Esfuerzo (Effort), Integridad (Integrity), Responsabilidad (Responsibility).  Then, I ask them to consider the following scenario.  In twenty years, when I am very old, I bump into them in the parking lot of a local grocery store. We make small talk for a while and then go our separate ways.  When this happens, what do they want me to remember about them? It is highly unlikely that I will remember how well they performed on a particular assignment. Nor will I remember what grade they earned on the final exam in my class. Undoubtedly, though, I will recall how they treated all members of the MHS community, how well they collaborated with their peers, and how supportive they were of their classmates. Obviously, the mastery of academic standards is extremely important.  But our character is of equal, if not more, importance.  I always challenge my students to leave behind a legacy of which they will be proud.  

I already can see that Marshfield High School faculty, staff, and students are friendly, passionate, engaged, and high-achieving.  I look forward to joining in the mission of Marshfield High School, as we all work together to develop and strengthen the skills that we need to engage with others in a 21st century global society.  I seek to support our students as they follow their own academic and extracurricular path at MHS.  I also recognize the value in students’ development of their whole person.  I embrace this opportunity to help students practice the informed, considerate decision-making that will guide them in the future and shape their lasting legacy.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns.  My email address is kbrandt@mpsd.org and my phone number is 781-319-3806.  Also, please feel free to follow me on Twitter: @MHSAPKB. Finally, I would like to invite you to stop by the High School library on August 15, 2017 any time between 10:00AM and 12:00PM so that we can meet before the school year begins.

I sincerely appreciate your ongoing support and cooperation during my transition and in the months and years ahead. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

Sincerely,

Kristin M. Brandt
Assistant Principal

Marshfield High School

Summer Curriculum Work

While the school year is over and many our out enjoying the great summer weather, there have been a number of MPSD educators who have curtailed their time off to come back and work on curriculum development.  Over the past few weeks we have had a few dozen teachers and administrators meet upstairs at the Ventress Building, to work on ELA and Science Curriculum.  The work they do will not only benefit them, but it will have a huge impact on all of their fellow teachers and most importantly, it will have a lasting effect on their students.

Here's a few snapshots from the work being done by our dedicated teachers.









FBMS Names New Assistant Principal

FBMS English Teacher, Lisa Lynch, became the school's newest Assistant Principal.  She took over the role that was previously occupied by Maureen Kemmett prior to her becoming the school's Principal.

We are very excited to have Ms. Lynch join the leadership team.

Below is a notice that Principal Kemmett sent out to the FBMS team about the hiring:

FBMS Faculty and Staff,

I am excited to announce that Lisa Lynch has accepted the position of Assistant Principal of FBMS.  As you know, Lisa comes to us with a wealth of experience and credentials in education and building leadership, including chairing the FBMS Literacy Committee and Faculty Collegiate.  Lisa is dedicated to the entire FBMS community, very much values the Marshfield educational experience, and is excited to join our FBMS Leadership team.  Lisa will start her new position on Tuesday, August 1, 2017. Please join me in welcoming Lisa to her new role in our great school community.  

This is an exciting new chapter in FBMS as I take on my new role as FBMS Principal and Lisa joins John, Jeanine and I in the newly configured FBMS Leadership Team.  We would like to invite faculty and staff members to join the FBMS Leadership Team for a voluntary “Meet and Greet” on August 16th from 12:30 - 1:30 in the FBMS Library, right after our student book talk on Wonder.


A big thank you goes out to everyone who served on the hiring committee.  Well done!


Enjoy the beautiful summer!