Life at the Locke #2 2026-2027

September 6, 2026

Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,

We had a successful opening week at the Locke. Students and staff made it through locker combinations, bus numbers, schedules, and the lunch line! It was great to see all of our staff and students excited to be back and ready for an incredible year. I hope everyone is having a restful Labor Day weekend as we prepare for 4 DAYS OF LEARNING!

Warmest Regards,

Mr. Garas, Principal

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." —Albert Einstein

Monday -- Labor Day, No School

Tuesday -- C Day, Boys and Girls Club Starts

Wednesday -- D Day

Thursday -- A Day, Student Assemblies, Back to School Night 6:00-8:00 PM

Friday -- B Day

Back to School night will be Thursday, September 10th from 6:00 -- 8:00 PM. Parents will have the opportunity to follow their child’s schedule and hear the course expectations from teachers. At 6:00 you will report to your child’s homeroom and then follow their “A Day” schedule with each class being about 15 minutes. We ask that you arrive early as the program begins promptly at 6:00 and parking spaces are limited. We look forward to seeing you on the 10th. Again, when you arrive please report to your child’s homeroom.

School Picture Day will be on Friday, September 11th. We ask that all students have a photo taken for our database. We use Geskus as our photo company. Please see the attached flyer to order pictures.

Cross country is a distance-running sport. All students are welcome to join regardless of prior running experience, with the goal of running an entire 3K (1.86 mi) by the end of the season. The Locke team will receive a uniform and compete against other middle schools in the Middlesex League (including away meets with bus transport). For meets, the Locke and Marshall combine as 1 Billerica team.

During the season, students will learn running and stretching techniques to help improve endurance/stamina. In addition, a primary goal of the season will be to build a strong team culture focused on: belonging, kindness, goal setting, overcoming challenges, and support of teammates.

Please email Mr. Sharkey (ksharkey@billericak12.com) with any specific questions regarding practices, meets, or registration.

• Season Start Date: Wed, Sept 9 1:45-3pm (Practice at Locke field)
• Season End Date: Oct 29th
• Equipment Needed: Running shoes, appropriate running clothing (based on weather), water bottle
• Fee: The cost to participate is $140.00 (paid online during Community Pass registration)
• Registration: See below info

Locke Cross Country - Registration Information (online using "Community Pass" Account)

• If you have NOT used Community Pass before and do NOT know your login information, please email: communitypass@billericak12.com and include the following:

1. Request your family's Community Pass login information
2. Child's first/last name
3. Child's grade level
4. School (Locke Middle)

• After receiving your account information, go to the Community Pass Billerica registration website: https://register.communitypass.net/reg/login.cfm?cuBOCv%2FQ0p4trnasCJNBkrfRqB5bBsM1ugTdgJwcwr%2BLxIFL2ZCtvf%2Fw

Register: Click 2026-2027 Athletic Programs and then "Locke Middle School Cross Country"

We are offering Chromebook Insurance again this year.

For 5th grade students with new Chromebooks -- please see the attached link for a three year plan

For 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students -- there is a one year plan option also -- see attached link

Last Week's Answers:

1. What's the difference between teachers and trains? -- A teacher says, “Spit out your gum!” and a train says, “Chew! Chew!”

2. What state has the most math teachers? -- Mathachusetts!

This week:

1. How many letters in the alphabet?

2. Why is 2+2=5 like your left foot?

I Otter do my math homework

Happy Space toy store bought 50 plush toy otters for $8.00 each for resale. They also paid a $30 shipping fee. They priced the toy otters at $10.00 each throughout December, after which they sold the remainder at a reduced sale price.

(a) If they sold 30 toy otters in December for $10.00 each, what must the reduced sale price per otter be in order that they break even on this item (that is, they have no net profit nor loss)?

(b) For each otter, what percentage of the $10.00 price is the savings from the reduced price?

Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! You can win a Dunkin gift card and the highly coveted math certificate!!

School starts promptly at 7:30. Students should be in their homeroom at 7:30. The car drop-off time for students is 7:10 -- 7:25. Students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:10. From 7:10 – 7:20, students that enter the building will be supervised in the cafeteria. Students will not be allowed in before 7:10 AM.

Student car drop-off will be in the lower lot beginning at 7:10. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIT CARS UNTIL 7:10. Parents are to enter VIA URBAN ST (off Baldwin Road), drop students off at the sidewalk, make a U-turn, and exit via Urban Street.

Parents, please do not enter from Allen Road in the morning. The Allen road entrance is only for school buses.

Walkers and pick-ups are dismissed at 1:50 after the buses depart.

TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR DISMISSAL

Parents enter via Urban Street and line up in lower circle. After the buses leave, parents are to pull around circle in a SINGLE file line to pick up children. The pick-up zone is between the two cross walks. This is the only place we would like children picked up. We do not want children stepping in front of cars to be picked up. Please keep the line single file.

PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP STUDENTS IN THE LOWER LOT.

If your child is going to be absent or dismissed, please call 978-528-8650 to report the absence or dismissal. You can leave a voicemail at this number which goes directly to our secretary. You may also email our secretaries, Christina McLaughlin cmclaughlin@billericak12.com and Lucy O’Brien at lobrien@billericak12.com

On the first day, students received the following forms to be filled out and returned. Please return as soon as possible. Thank you.

• Emergency form
• Medical form
• Signed agenda book (p.17)
• Technology Release
• Communication Preference
• Photo-opt form (only send back if you need to)

Students are required to bring their school-issued Chromebooks to school every day beginning on the 1st day of school. Students should charge their Chromebooks overnight. All teachers will be setting up a google classroom for their students where assignments will be posted and where assignments can be turned in electronically. If your child does not have a Chromebook, please contact the main office at 978-528-8650. Fifth grade students that did not pick up a Chromebook will be sent home with the paperwork for parents to sign. Please return it with your child and we will issue them a Chromebook.

Students who ride the bus can only ride on their assigned bus in the morning and afternoon. Students are not allowed to ride different buses to be with friends after school.

The bus routes for the year are listed at this link.

If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com -- 978-528-8654

Electronic Devices Policy

Cellphones, smart watches or any other electronic communication devices are not permitted to be used during the school day, or on the buses. In the event that it can be demonstrated that the use of a device is a necessity during the day or on the bus the Principal/Assistant Principal may waive this policy to accommodate the needs of a particular student. All phone calls to or from students should be made through the main office, parents are requested to refrain from calling or texting their child during the school day.

Students are discouraged from bringing cellphones to school at all. Students who bring cellphones to school must keep them off and in their backpacks. Cellphones that are taken out of backpacks can be confiscated and released only to parents. The school is not responsible for the loss of electronic devices and or cellphones. Click HERE to read the full policy: JICI - Student Use of Personal Electronic Devices.

• Cell phones/ smart watches should be turned off and kept in lockers.

• If a student needs to call home, they will use the office phone. If you need to contact your child, please call the office.

• Please monitor social media accounts.

The locker policy is as follows:

• All students will be assigned a lock and a locker. (Students will be given lockers on the 1st day)
• Backpacks will be kept in lockers throughout the day. Phones/I-watches should be in lockers turned off for the entire school day.
• Students can go to lockers in the morning, after period 3, before PE, before last period special, and at the end of the day.

Here is a video that shows how to open a combination lock. Remember right, left, right!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDJYuWtUR3E&t=16s

Our school nurse is Janice Roberts – jroberts@billericak12.com

· Students may drop off EpiPens, inhalers, and any over the counter medications.

· A parent or guardian must drop off any prescription medications.

· All medications need to be accompanied by a medication order from the student's physician and with either an Anaphylaxis Action Plan or Asthma Action Plan as applicable

· If families need copies of these forms they can be found on the Billerica Public Schools website: https://billericak12.com/school-nursing/

Also, as a reminder:

ALL 7th GRADE STUDENTS must submit proof of TDaP (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) and MCV4 (meningitis) vaccines, as well as an UPDATED physical exam, by 9/30/26

All breakfast and lunches are free to all students again this year. Breakfast will be served beginning on the first day. It will be “grab and go”. Students can grab a breakfast in the cafeteria when they come in and then report to homeroom. They can eat breakfast in homeroom. Students are not allowed to bring in breakfast/drinks from Dunkin, Starbucks, etc.

Please see the attached lunch menu for September.

The district is looking for cafeteria workers. Please see the attached flyer for information.

We are happy to announce that we will be offering after school programs again this year. We will have further details over the next few weeks.

The PTO welcomes all families to the Locke. We will be meeting monthly to plan several events throughout the year. We are always looking for volunteers to help plan great programs that will benefit our students. We will have meeting dates soon.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has created an MCAS portal for families to review MCAS scores. Preliminary results for Spring 2026 are now available on the portal. Please see the attached letter for instructions on how to access the portal.

All Dates are also on our master calendar on the Locke website

• Monday, September 7th -- No School, Labor Day
• Wednesday, September 9th -- Cross Country Starts
• Tuesday, September 8th -- Return to School, C Day, Boys and Girls Club transportation starts
• Thursday, September 10th – Grade Level Assemblies
• Thursday, September 10th – Back-to-School Night 6:00-8:00
• Friday, September 11th – Picture Day

• Friday, September 17th – All forms due
• Wednesday, September 30th – Early Release, 11:40 Dismissal

If you have any questions, please contact me at tgaras@billericak12.com or call at 978-528-8655

I look forward to a great school year!!

Please see the attached link for an event at the Billerica Public Library.