Family Weekly Update

Please take a moment to review the following schedule changes for the upcoming week. We have a few adjustments to our normal routine to accommodate our Student-Led Conferences.

Upcoming Schedule Changes

• Monday, March 16: No School for Students. Staff and students will be participating in Student-Led Conferences throughout the day.

• Tuesday, March 17: Early Release. Students will be dismissed early (please refer to the newsletter for your specific grade-level dismissal times).

• Wednesday – Friday: Regular school hours resume.

Action Items

• Review the Newsletter: Please read through the latest digital newsletter sent earlier today for detailed updates and specific conference instructions.

• Conference Times: If you haven’t already, ensure you have confirmed your scheduled time slot for Monday.

We are looking forward to seeing our students showcase their hard work and progress! Thank you for your continued support in making these conferences a success.

Gavin Softic (he, him)
Principal
Collins Middle School

Monday - No School

Tuesday - Early Release - 11:50am

Wednesday - 3

Thursday - 4

Friday - 5

Student-Led Conferences will be held on March 16th and March 17th at Collins Middle School. These conferences are an important opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and share their progress with families.

Cluster leads for each grade level will be sending out conference sign-up information. Please be on the lookout for these sign-ups through ParentSquare in the coming days.

Conference times will be:

• March 16th: Held during the school day

• March 17th: Evening conferences from 5:00–7:00 PM

We look forward to partnering with families as students share their growth and learning.

Please see the flyers below which outline our spring offerings for clubs and enrichment through our after school Expanding Horizons program. This is a great opportunity for your student(s) to get involved in extracurricular activities along with homework help as needed. Use the QR code or click on the flyer to bring you to a link to sign up your child!

April 6th to June 11th.

Sign Up Here: https://leap4ed.formtitan.com/ftproject/middleschool-eng

Our Sewing Project During this activity, students didn't just learn a new skill; they practiced patience, teamwork, and communication.

• The Scarves: Were crafted with care, with students helping each other navigate patterns and stitches.

The pride on the students' faces as they completed their work was a testament to the power of inclusion. We have attached a few photos from the session so you can see the creativity in action!

March Attendance Madness is about to begin starting on Monday with some motivating prizes! $25 gift cards to raffle off for the winning homeroom.

Hello 8th grade families,

As we look forward to the end of the year we are beginning to think about celebrating our graduates. I am working on this year's yearbook!

Please email us:

• baby picture (0-3 years old)

Example:
Hooray, Joseph! We are so proud of you! Love, Mom & Dad
OR
Congratulations, 8th graders! Work Hard & Play Hard. Your 7th grade teachers.

The cost of each message is $10. Please limit your message to 80 characters.
Email your lines to lpena@salemk12.org
Checks: Made out to Collins Middle School, and turned in to Liliana Pena in the main office.
Cash: Exact change only please.
ALL messages must be in by Friday, April 3rd. We will respond with confirmation once message and payment have been received.

Thank you, we really appreciate your collaboration, as we look to make our 8th graders final year at CMS special.

Traffic & Parking Reminders:

• Flagpole Driveway & Circle: Access to the flagpole circle is strictly reserved for students in our sub-separate special education programming.

• No Parking/Waiting: There is no parking or waiting permitted in the red zones or red-circled areas on the flagpole side of the school. These areas, including the fire lanes leading into the gate, must remain clear at all times to allow our special education buses to safely pick up and depart.

• Recommended Routes: We ask that all families use designated parking and waiting areas. We strongly recommend avoiding Powderhouse Lane; instead, please use Jackson Street when waiting for your students.

Thank you for your cooperation and for doing your part to keep our dismissal process safe and efficient for all students and staff.

We understand that families may want to check in on student progress throughout the school year. This year, we introduced student-led conferences, and we will be holding another round of student-led conferences in March.

In addition, we want to continue providing opportunities for family outreach and support. If you are interested in meeting with your child’s teachers or grade-level team, please feel free to contact our City Connects Coordinators using the information below:

• 6th Grade: Elana Pizzotti — epizzotti@salemk12.org

• 7th Grade: Johanna Rodriguez — jhrodriguez@salemk12.org

• 8th Grade: Christina Sakelakos — csakelakos@salemk12.org

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

• ELA - April 2nd and 3rd - 6th Grade
• ELA - April 7th and 8th - 8th Grade
• ELA - April 9th and 10th - 7th Grade
• Science - May 5th and 6th - 8th Grade
• Math- May 7th and 8th - 7th Grade
• Math - May 11th and 12th - 6th - Grade
• Math - May 14th and 15th - 8th - Grade
• CIVICS - May 21st, 26th and 27th - 8th Grade

The main office hours are 8:15am 3:30pm. We do close our doors at this time as the school transitions to after-school activities.

Please use this QR code:

Spring Athletics Calendar (Subject to change)

Unified Basketball

• Game: Wednesday, Away @ Thurgood Marshal, Lynn - 4:30

• Practice: Thursday, 3:25-4:15 in the gym

Intramural Volleyball

• Practice: Wednesday, 3:25-4:15 in the gym (7th grade ONLY)

• Practice: Friday, 3:25-4:15 in the gym (6th grade ONLY)

• Important Reminder: Students MUST be wearing sneakers to participate.

• Please note: ONLY Grade 8 will practice on 3/12 - this is a change from last week!

Track and Field

• Practice: Wednesday, 3:25-4:30 @ Bertram

• Practice: Thursday, 3:25-4:30 @ Bertram

• Reminder: Students must be registered in Family ID (see below)

FAMILY ID Reminder for Families:

• All students participating in Track and Field must be signed up on Family ID with an updated physical within the last 13 months.

• No players will be allowed to participate without being registered on FAMILY ID or without a Physical on file

• The link to sign up is linked here: Sports Registration

• Need help registering? Use these steps!

It is that time of year again! Spring athletic programs at Salem High School and Collins Middle School officially began their season on Monday, March 16.

To ensure our student-athletes have the space they need to succeed, we ask the community to respect the following schedule and guidelines regarding Bertram Field:

Field Usage Policy

After school dismissal, Bertram Field is strictly reserved for athletic practices, games, and events ONLY.

Important Reminders for Students

If you are not currently participating in a Spring sport, you should not be at Bertram Field after school. This includes:

• The Field & Track: Reserved for SHS Lacrosse and SHS/CMS Track and Field.

• The Stands: No "hanging out" during practice times.

• Facilities: Students are not permitted to hang out in the parking lot or near the locker rooms.

Our athletes and coaches need this time to focus on training and teamwork without outside distractions. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in keeping our programs running smoothly!

We want to invite you to the Salem Public Schools’ first-ever Design Day on March 14, a community-centered, collaborative opportunity to help imagine and shape the future of learning in Salem.

Design Day is part of an ongoing effort to develop a 10-year Vision & Innovation Agenda alongside the district’s next three-year strategic plan. Designed by members of the Innovation Advisory Committee, the day will feature interactive activities and small-group conversations that invite the Salem community to dream big together about topics like:

• What “school” should look like in Salem in 2036 and beyond

• How AI and other new technology should be used in our schools

• How to recruit, train, and grow our best educators, and the roles they should play

• How to prepare our students for success after high school

Design Day will be on March 14 from 11 am to 2 pm at Collins Middle School, and everyone is welcome to drop in at any time. We will have snacks, childcare, hands-on activities, and multiple ways for people to contribute.

Change is Simple (hands-on science experiments) and Derby the Police Dog will be there - you should be too! Your perspective, experience, ideas, and questions truly matter to this work. We hope to see you there. RSVP to bit.ly/SPSDesignDayRSVP.

Summer Eats offers free, nutritious meals and coordinated enrichment activities to all children ages 0–18. Our goal this year is to thoughtfully plan site locations and service times that align with community needs while maximizing routing efficiency so we can reach as many children as possible across Salem. Community feedback is critical to this process. By completing the survey, families help us identify the neighborhoods and times that are most convenient and accessible. This ensures we are in the right locations to provide nutritious, locally sourced meals and meaningful summer engagement opportunities. survey

The goal of this document is to support families, staff, and students in outlining clear and consistent expectations for the Collins Middle School.

We recognize that clarity is necessary in setting a strong foundation for the positive school culture and climate at Collins Middle School. Collins Middle School is committed to providing an equitable environment for all students, and to ensuring that all students are able to access their right to a free appropriate public education. For this reason, it is vital that students and families understand the rights and responsibilities of a student of Collins Middle School. For a full overview of the areas addressed below, please refer to the Collins Middle School Handbook, which is in adherence to the Salem Public Schools Code of Conduct.

This document provides an overview of our expectations and provides details on our response to infractions in the event that situations arise over the course of the school year.

CMS School-Based Rules and Agreements

Ms Tep's Site

Art Website: Please check out student work captured on the website set up by Ms. Tep below featuring student work! CMS Student Work Art Website

• Salem Park, Recreation and Community Services Newsletter: Please find and distribute January newsletter- English/Spanish

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollinsMiddleSchoolSalemMA/

Instagram: Cmshappenings

Website: spscollins.salemk12.org