Boyden Weekly Update

Dear Boyden Families,

It was a short and very cold week at Boyden. Unfortunately, the cold temperatures required us to have indoor recess all week. We are hopeful that warmer weather is ahead so students can return to outdoor recess next week.

We would also like to thank our custodians—Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Urrea, and Mr. Velasquez—for their hard work on Monday and Tuesday clearing sidewalks, doorways, and other areas to ensure the building was ready for Wednesday. As you know, there was a significant amount of snow, and finding places to move it was a challenge.

Reminder: Friday, February 6th is an early release (11:55 Dismissal)

Have a nice weekend!

Brendan

Today families have access to their child's Elementary Standard Based Report Cards and Special Education Progress Report (if applicable) in the Aspen Family Portal

The Term I report card communicates student progress toward meeting end-of-the-year learning standards. The slight, but important, change we made several years ago to the descriptors of the Academic Performance Levels is the phrase “at this time”. The purpose of including this phrase is to share with families where their students are academically, at this time of the year.

Teachers assess student performance against these learning standards, which are specific and observable grade-level skills. Our report cards reflect the learning standards as outlined in the current Massachusetts State Frameworks. Teachers assess by measuring individual student performance against the identified concrete learning standards, rather than in relation to the performance of other students.

Please check out the Parent/Guardian Guide by CLICKING HERE

The New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl! We will once again be celebrating them and wishing them luck by having a Patriots Spirit Day. Students are encouraged to wear Patriots gear or team colors (red, white, and blue) to school on Friday, February 6th.

Our students have been busy checking out books this school year. To help keep our collection available for everyone, please note that overdue notices will be sent home via email.

If your child has a book that is past its due date, please help them place it into their backpack to return to school. However, if they aren’t quite finished with their story, they are always welcome to visit Mrs. Moses to renew it!

Because we circulate thousands of books, we know that mistakes can occasionally happen. If you receive a notice for a book you believe has already been returned, or if you have any questions at all, please reach out to our Media/STEM teacher, Mrs. Moses, at kmoses@walpole.k12.ma.us.

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a love of reading and helping our media center run smoothly!

Boyden’s Sweetheart Dance is almost here, and we truly want to keep this sweet tradition going for our kids!

• Friday, February 6

• 6:30–8:00 PM

• In the Boyden Gymnasium

This event is open to all Boyden students. Many students invite a special adult (parent/guardian, grandparent, aunt/uncle, or family friend) to attend with them, while others come with friends and enjoy the night. Either way, it’s a fun, memory-making Boyden tradition!

Tickets: $5 per person / $25 family cap (purchase in advance)

• CLICK HERE to order

PLEASE READ: VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED NOW

We are at the point where we cannot hold the Sweetheart Dance without more volunteers. If we don’t get enough families signed up to help, we will have to cancel the event. Even one short shift makes a huge difference. If you can spare 30–60 minutes, please jump in and grab a spot today so we can keep this event running for our students.

• Sign up to volunteer here

• $10 per digital copy

• 6:30–7:30 PM | Cash only | First-come, first-served (All photos will be placed in one gallery)

Important reminders:

• This is NOT a drop-off event. Students must be accompanied by an adult.
• Families are responsible for their student and their behavior throughout the event.
• Guests must remain in the gym or cafeteria. Classrooms and hallways (other than the main hallways) are off limits.
• We reserve the right to ask any student and their family to leave if unsafe or disrespectful behavior occurs.

We have entered the time of year that research has shown is the most impactful for student learning. The weeks between January and February break, along with the month of March have fewer interruptions and more focused learning. Students are past the midway point of the year and are working to reach their end of year standards. It is the time to build stamina and perseverance.

What does it mean to have Math stamina? Math stamina is the ability to stay engaged with a math problem even when it is difficult or the solution doesn’t come quickly. For younger students it could be taking the time to draw a picture or create a number bond to help them with a story problem; for our older students it could mean trying a different approach when things get challenging or checking their work by doing a problem in two different ways to prove their accuracy and understanding. Students willing to take that extra step are not only building their conceptual understanding, but also their confidence for future problems.

When students rush to finish, avoid effort, shut down after making a mistake or give up midway through challenging problems it may not be frustration or avoidance, it could be a sign of mental fatigue. There are steps students, parents and teachers can take to build stamina and help students persevere when they feel stuck.

• Break problems down into smaller, more manageable steps

• Use tools, visuals or manipulatives to make things more concrete

• Writing out steps on a whiteboard or in a notebook

• Dice, number lines, base ten blocks, number racks, coins are all examples of manipulatives that might help.

• Math Learning Center provides free digital manipulatives for student use

• Remind students that mistakes are part of the process and help build understanding, better awareness, and show misconceptions for reteaching.

• Try to make connections to real life situations and give them an opportunity to talk about the problem out loud. When students can see the purpose of the math and connect it to something familiar to them, it helps them stick with it.

Having a growth mindset is directly related to stamina growth and perseverance. You can check out our Family Website Page around Growth Mindset if you are looking for more ideas on how to help your child in this area. In our fast-paced world where AI is making it easier to answer things quickly, we must remember that students still need to build stamina, engage in perseverance and build a growth mindset.

The next Boyden PAC Meeting is Febraruy 11th at 7:00 PM in the Boyden Media Center.

• Virtual Link

February 6th - Early Release (11:55 Dismissal)

February 11th - Boyden School Council (3:15 - 4:15 PM)

Boyden PAC Meeting (7:00 PM)

February 16th through 20th - No school (Vacation)

February 23rd - Students/Staff Return

Click Here for Walpole Public Schools School Year Calendar

Email: bdearborn@walpole.k12.ma.us
Website: http://walpolebs.ss5.sharpschool.com/
Location: 1852 Washington Street, South Walpole, MA, USA
Phone: 508-660-7216
Instagram: @BoydenBuzz