Furnace Brook Middle School February 3, 2017 1

Sea Life’s Beauty! FBMS Drama Presents Once on This Island The FBMS Drama Club will present this year's musical, Once On This Island , tonight, February 3rd at 7pm and Saturday, February 4th at 2pm and 7pm.

Once On This Island follows the story of Ti Moune(pronounced Tea Moon) as she goes on her quest to prove that love is stronger than death. It is a fairy tale celebration of love, hope, life and death. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors and $10 for adults. Tickets can be purchase online at showtix4u.com. They can also be purchased at the door. We are very excited for the show!

Parent Drop Off Reminders Parents who are dropping children off in the morning are asked to pull all the way up to the second traffic cone so that we can safely unload as many students as possible from each group of cars. Our goal is for students to be able to unload safely and efficiently so that parents can get to work, etc. on time!

1

Honor Rolls

Congratulations to all the students who earned honor roll status this semester. Letters will be mailed before break congratulating these students on their accomplishment. Included in the letter is an FBMS Honor Roll Student Sticker. Please display these stickers proudly, as making the honor roll is a great accomplishment.

We have three honor roll periods throughout the year: After First Semester (including semester and core class grades) After Second Trimester (core class grades only) After Second Semester (including semester and core class grades)

7th Grade Field Trip Explores Peace and Equality?

All seventh grade students are exploring peace, equality and opportunity through the curriculum and a field trip to see the new movie Hidden Figures . The movie has drawn critical acclaim and is based on the true story of a team of segregation-era African-American women who provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions. The movie underscores the themes of equality of opportunity and the importance of diversity and connects the disciplines of math, science and social studies.

2

ELA students are connecting their reading of I Am Malala, our school-wide One Book, One School summer reading to their current reading of The Watsons Go to Birmingham which tells the story of a couple and their three children taking a road trip to Birmingham, Ala., where history unfolds during the civil-rights movement in 1963. The students have also examined the Harlem Renaissance poetry of Langston Hughes. Through the literature, students examine, recognize and celebrate those who have risked wealth, reputation, and even life, to speak up about injustice. All students will demonstrate their mastery of the learning objectives through the creation of a Peace Flag project which further reinforces each person's individual responsibility to help make the world a more peaceful place.

Author Casey Sherman to Perform to Benefit 8th Grade DC Field Trip! New York Times Bestselling Author Casey Sherman brings his acclaimed one man show TALES OF SUSPENSE to Marshfield with all proceeds going to help fund Furnace Brook Middle School's annual 8th Grade Field Trip to Washington, D.C. The show will take place in the Marshfield High School Auditorium on Wednesday evening, March 8 beginning at 7:00PM. Tickets will be on sale for $15 at the door and will also be made available before the show. Details will follow soon regarding the process for purchasing tickets before the show. Casey Sherman has been called one of the “greatest storytellers in America today.” In TALES OF SUSPENSE, a thrilling one man show, Sherman will share the dramatic, terrifying, heart wrenching and inspirational stories captured in his acclaimed books including the blockbuster The Finest Hours, about the greatest small boat rescue in American history and now an epic film from Walt Disney Studios starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck and Eric Bana which was filmed in Marshfield. Sherman will also take you into the heart of darkness with his history making re-investigation of the notorious Boston Strangler case chronicled in his true crime classic SEARCH FOR THE STRANGLER. Casey will also shine the spotlight on the extraordinary heroes and survivors of the Boston Marathon Bombings detailed in his national bestseller BOSTON STRONG, which inspired the new film PATRIOTS DAY starring Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon & John Goodman. “Casey Sherman was so mesmerizing that you could not hear a sound from the audience for ninety minutes with Tales of Suspense. Casey’s dogged pursuit of the truth, prowess as a writer, powerful delivery skills, and magnetic stage presence all blend together to make one captivating performance. Kudos to Casey!” - Sara Murphy, on behalf of the Historic Sweetser Lecture Series Advisory Committee Casey Sherman has appeared on more than 100 television programs including CNN, FOX News, The Today Show, C-SPAN, Unsolved Mysteries, The History Channel, ABC World News Tonight, The CBS Evening News, Discovery, The Travel Channel and even The View. Mr. Sherman is a commanding speaker and gifted storyteller and has performed his one man show Tales of Suspense at venues around the country including the historic Wilbur Theatre. Sherman's youngest daughter Mia is an 8th Grader at FBMS and his eldest daughter Bella is a sophomore at Marshfield High School.

3

School Committee Policy on Riding Buses other than assigned Bus Please note that for safety reasons we cannot allow a student to ride a friend’s bus, unless there is an emergent need. In case of an emergency, permission must be granted by FBMS administration. The school committee policy regarding this reads as follows: “Students may only ride their assigned buses. Requests to change a student’s permanent bus assignment may be approved by the Principal, or designee, if the request is received in writing a minimum of five days in advance. If there is a family emergency, or medical situation, parents should notify the school Principal and other transportation arrangements may be made.” It is paramount to us that all students ride the appropriate bus and that you feel confident that we are upholding this rule. Thank you for your understanding.

The Book Fair is coming! Feb. 6th - 10thh The theme will be Boston Proud with a focus on Boston sports, history, and events which make us so

proud to live here. Instead of hosting the Teacher Wish list this year - we are supporting a local nonprofit organization which supports disenfranchised teens who have dropped out of school, been homeless, or gone through Boston's foster care system. More Than Words was created by a teacher to reach out to these kids and offer them a second chance by having them run two bookstores located in South Boston and Waltham, and an online book store. She has had amazing success with students getting their GEDs and continuing to college or trade school. See the video at: http://vimeo.com/31489876

VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME AT THE BOOK FAIR! The Online Volunteer Sign Up is: https://volunteer.scholastic.com/#/signup/jHUOtO71 Adults can book the time(s) online: http://bit.ly/2jCr0mW FBMS YEARBOOKS ON SALEE Yearbooks are now on sale. Cost is $25. You may order them online by going to the following website: coffeepond.com ( https://www.coffeepond.com/order_yb1.aspx ) please include your child's name and homeroom. The password is: fbms. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Damphousse at ldamphousse@mpsd.org

4

HOMEWORK HELPERSR Homework Helpers will run every Wednesday immediately after school in the library for one hour. This program is available to all students without charge due to the generosity of the PTO. There is no need to pre-register, your student should just plan to arrive in the library with all of their work (they are not allowed to go back to classes or lockers). Once they sign in, students are expected to stay in the

library for the full hour. This is a great opportunity for students to get a little extra support with any homework they find challenging.

MCAS Updatesi

● Our FBMS MCAS Report Card was sent to all in a connect ed this past week. The information can also be found under "Important Links and Documents" on our homepage.

2017 FBMS MCAS Testing Dates ● ELA: April 4-5 (Grades 6-8) ● Math: May 8-9 (Grades 6-8) ● Science: May 17-18 (Grade 8 only)

After School Programi The FBMS After School Winter Program offerings will take place for two more Wednesdays: February 8 & 15. It has been a very successful program. More on this in next week’s newsletter.

February marks American Heart Month. This month-long recognition serves as a reminder to all of us of the importance of healthy living through exercise and healthy food choices.

Check out the top five facts about heart disease and heart health that you may already know ... but may need to be reminded.

1. BMI shouldn’t be the primary gauge of heart health risk. Over the past few years, multiple studies and expert opinions have affirmed that Body Mass Index (BMI) is not an exact health measure or a great gauge of obesity. However, a high BMI is still commonly

5

associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and risk of heart attack or stroke. The best way to learn about your risk is to discuss your concerns with your primary doctor. 2. Heart function is linked to brain function. Poor heart function leads to many different medical problems including clogged arteries, which can lead to cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia.. 3. A vegetarian diet is good for your heart. If you’re not ready to give up all meat and dairy products, try easing into a more vegetable-rich diet.

4. Walking more is one of the best things you can do for heart health.

Working out regularly and getting a tough cardiovascular workout is really good for you, but don’t underestimate the power of walking.

5. Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease isn’t complicated.

Start slowly if necessary, but start. There are many different avenues you can take to start making yourself heart-healthy. February is also National Children's Dental Health Month. Free dental health screenings are offered in our area during February; one in Boston and the other in Plymouth. For further information and to register for their services, please go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/harbor-health-services-inc-6180119113

After a week's hiatus, postural screenings will be starting up again this week for all grades in the school. This screening is a Massachusetts of Public Health initiative and is mandated for all students who attend public schools. A parent or guardian may opt out of this screening for their child only with a written note (no emails or phone calls) to the school nurse.

Unfortunately, the flu has hit FBMS. We have a few student diagnosed cases, as well as a couple of our staff members. Symptoms are usually headaches, body aches, and occasionally a temperature over 100. Occasionally GI symptoms are present - nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, though these are usually associated with a virus. Please be aware of your child's physical complaints when they leave for school everyday. If your child has any combination of these symptoms, please keep him/her home from school until your child is symptom-free for 24 hours. Thank you.

If you receive a text message from your child at school requesting that you pick him or her up because he/she is not feeling well, please let your child know he/she must go to the school nurse first. If the nurse feels your child is sick enough to be dismissed, you will receive a phone call directly from the nurse asking you to pick him/her up. If you pick up your child during the day because they have texted you, the dismissal is not considered a nurse dismissal. A reminder that if your child has had a concussion, musculoskeletal injury or for some other reason has not been able to participate in PE or any other activity, please make sure you send in a doctor's note when he/she has been cleared. Your child may not return to PE without a doctor's note.

6

Please feel free to call the health office with any questions or concerns.

PTO UPDATESS Boost Donations Make your donation today to take advantage of the tax deduction for 2016! Remember to take advantage of any matching gifts your employer may offer. · Visit our PTO website to get a Boost form or use a Paypal button via the following link:

7th Annual Marshfield St. Patrick's Day 5K and 2 Mile Walk

Registration is now open for the 7th Annual Marshfield St. Patrick's Day 5k and 2 Mile Walk on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Over the last six years, over 15,500 runners, walkers, and crawlers have descended upon Brant Rock, raising over $400,000 for the Marshfield Education Foundation, with every

penny going to enhancing the Marshfield Public Schools.

Register today! www.marshfieldstpatricksday5k.racewire.com

Don’t delay in registering; everyone that registers by February 18, 2017 will receive the outstanding long sleeve race shirt free with registration! Please check out our race website: marshfieldstpatricksday5k.com , where you will be able to find all the information on the race. Don’t forget to like our facebook page: www.facebook.com/Patty5k for up to date race information and share our facebook event page: www.facebook.com/events/702890863200252 Please let everyone know you’re attending and forward to all your friends! You can also follow the race on Twitter: twitter.com/StPatricksDay5K Don't forget about team registration; create or join a team with friends and family! Teams have been created for all seven Marshfield schools!

Not interested in running or walking? Be part of the tradition! We are always looking for sponsors, committee members and volunteers! To find out more about these opportunities, please contact the Race Committee at stpatricksday5k@marshfieldfoundation.org . Looking forward to seeing you on March 18, 2017!

7

8