
Benjamin O. Davis Sr. was the first Black general in the American military. He served for 50 years as a temporary first lieutenant at an all-Black unit during the Spanish American War. Throughout his service, Davis Sr. was as a professor of military science at Tuskegee and Wilberforce University, a commander of the 369th Regiment, New York National Guard, and special assistant to the Secretary of the Army. When he retired in 1948, President Harry Truman oversaw the public ceremony. Davis Sr. is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. #BlackHistoryMonth

Despite being the first licensed Black pilot in the world, Coleman wasn’t recognized as a pioneer in aviation until after her death. Though history has favored Amelia Earhart or the Wright brothers, Coleman—who went to flight school in France in 1919—paved the way for a new generation of diverse fliers like the Tuskegee airmen, Blackbirds, and Flying Hobos. #BlackHistoryMonth

Cohort A will return to Knox Trail on Monday, February 22nd. See you then!

Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. His story is the American story - values from the heartland, a middle-class upbringing in a strong family, hard work and education as the means of getting ahead, and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. #MondayMotivation #BlackHistoryMonth

Faculty Spotlight! Pamela Gunsalus has been teaching STEM for 6 years, 2 of which have been at Knox Trail Middle School. She has created innovative units like: Tiny House Challenge, Solar Sails Designs, Rocket Designs, Hot Air Balloons, Unbreakable Bridges, Vehicle Designs for travel over Ice and Snow, and Building a Water Tower that can withstand an earthquake to name a few.
During her Manufacturing unit she had students design an assembly line to create Teacher Appreciation Gifts. Each unit provides a real life challenge that they must find a way to solve. Most years students worked in teams to solve a problem. This year has been unique but students are still challenged. They test their designs; recording their results for example: recording time traveled, distanct, speed, altitude, and/or total live load it could handle and calculate efficiencies. She has started creating videos that provide students in class as well as remote students the ability to learn at their own pace and keep her students engaged.
During each unit students can choose to compete to see who's names will be added to her "Wall of Fame". This is where Mrs. Gunsalus displays the students' names and their accomplishments. For example, who's bridge was the strongest, or has the best design. In addition, she has also been the lead Robotics and coding teacher for any 5th to 8th grader who wishes to join the Robotics/Coding club. Mrs. Gunsalus has been preparing the student's at Knox Trail to compete at the state level with Vex IQ robots. Unfortunately, we have not been able to compete this year or last because of Covid19. Next year, we will purchase a competition table and kit in July 2021; and start the preparation by mid-September of 2021 for the fall and winter competitions. #KnoxTrailRocks @MASchoolsK12 @MASCSchoolComm

A VACATION REMINDER:
With February vacation fast approaching (Feb. 15-19), we recognize the potential challenge that our staff and students may face in attempts to limit exposure to COVID-19. We encourage everyone to do their best to adhere to State and Board of Health guidelines, including limiting the size of gatherings, limiting get-togethers to only people who live together or to a small group of individuals with whom they are regularly in contact, and avoiding travel. If you do travel, please follow Massachusetts travel orders, and quarantine upon return if traveling to a high-risk state. Please contact any of our school nurses with questions.
We appreciate all that our staff, students, and families are doing to limit their risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19.
Stay healthy and safe!
-SEBRSD Health Services Department

Two Spencer- East Brookfield Regional School District teachers have been awarded scholarships by the Massachusetts Computer Using Educators (MassCUE) and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (M.A.S.S.) organizations. The scholarships provide Ms. MaryEllen Amodeo, a 3rd grade teacher at Wire Village School, and Ms. Pam Gunsalus, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) teacher at Knox Trail Middle School, the opportunity to attend three days of high quality professional development.
The three day MassCUE conference they will attend this month offers more than 250 workshops, presentations and keynote presentations focused on bringing the best educational technology and teaching practices into the classroom. "Lessons learned from this professional development will be shared with all staff across the district to keep all our classrooms on the forefront of effective educational practices," said Director of Academic Affairs Matthew Bolduc.
Ms. Gunsalus and Ms. Amodeo were selected for these scholarships based on their relentless commitment to instilling teaching and learning with the most engaging and supportive practices while also maximizing the impact of educational technologies. These two teachers exemplify the many SEBRSD teachers who consistently go above and beyond expectations to give their students and the families they serve the best education found anywhere on the globe. "The learning community is fortunate to have such dedicated and highly skilled professionals on our faculty at the Knox Trail Middle School and Wire Village School. We wish them all the best in their pursuit of honing their professional knowledge base and skills in digital citizenry and technology integration," said Superintendent of Schools Paul Haughey.

PIZZA KIT PICKUP DELAYED
Due to the impending weather, pizza kit pickup will be delayed. As soon as we have more information we will provide an update.

Little Caesars Pizza Kits are arriving on Monday February 1.
Orders can be picked up right after school at 12:45 until 3 pm.
Pickup will be in the back parking lot. You will see us out there. Please email Mrs. Raphael with any questions or concerns at raphaels@sebrsd.org.
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Our February Meal Menu is now live on the website! https://5il.co/oyu7 Pre-order: Delivery (https://forms.gle/D3WfCB5yH1B77rDt8)
Pick-up (https://forms.gle/EU4cZeeREm82BjaaA)
During the week of Feb. vacation, meal pickup is unavailable. Delivery for the week will be on 2/16.

Want to argue with your friends?
Then think about joining the new Speech & Debate Club!
Through speech and debate, you will not only have fun and make connections with other students during this time of social distancing, but also improve your speaking and thinking skills!
This club will take place virtually once a week for up to an hour, and is open to ALL KT students. If you have never done anything like this before, that's even better!
To join the club, please contact Mr. Lewis. We will start next week!

Good Afternoon,
District administration was notified by our nursing team that a district-wide staff member, a Village School staff member, and another staff member at David Prouty High School have tested positive for COVID-19. The staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 have not been in any of our school buildings. However, they will not return to their buildings for at least 14 days, unless they provide evidence of negative test results.
Primary symptoms of COVID-19 include shortness of breath, coughing, and fever or chills. Other symptoms include congestion, sore throat, diarrhea, abdominal pain, body aches, and loss of taste or smell. If anyone in your home begins to demonstrate any of these symptoms, please keep your child home and consult your primary care physician.
The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority. We are following sound protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect your health. We also want to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of wearing masks, staying six feet apart from others, and regularly washing your hands.
If you have questions or need to report a positive case of Covid-19, please contact Mrs. Carrie Cashman, Lead Nurse at (508) 885-8536 or via electronic mail at: cashmanc@sebrsd.org.
Sincerely Yours,
Paul S. Haughey, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Dear SEBRSD Parents/Guardians,
The state of Massachusetts is suspending its requirement which necessitates students to get the flu vaccine. Please click the following link to see information from SEBRSD Health Services.
https://5il.co/orot

A note from our Tuition-Based Program & Billing Coordinator:
Dear PK & B/ASP Families,
End-of-year statements were emailed out over the last week to families that made payments during 2020. If you have not received yours, please check your spam folder. This year's statements look different and contain a list of all charges, credits/refunds and payments received in order to account for the refunds issued due to COVID. You will need to manually calculate your payments made and deduct the refund amount issued to determine how much you can claim for your child care expenses. Please disregard the amount listed in the TOTAL field.
Hoping you are healthy & well!
Melissa Pervier

We are proud to honor Josh LaCasse & Tim Millett as our David Prouty HS "Staff of the Month" for January 2021! They have responded to the challenges of keeping our building sanitized by working harder and smarter than ever. They always keep our building clean and shiny, and do so with good humor and Prouty Pride! It is wonderful to have custodians who understand the importance of keeping the building safe for students and adults alike, especially now that we are dealing with the pandemic.
Josh is a proud David Prouty HS graduate, who is happy to be making a difference in his own alma mater. Tim worked as a custodian in the Leicester Public Schools for many years, but has made a great transition to David Prouty HS & our regional school district! We greatly appreciate all that they do. #Congratulations #ThankYou #ProutyPride

We would like to recognize our "ENTIRE STAFF" for the month of January & publicly wish them ALL the very best in 2021! They have worked relentlessly in meeting the needs of ALL students; have extended themselves to our families; & given to the greater good of our community. They have demonstrated the flexibility & creativity to provide lessons in person & remotely; and make a pivot to either model appear seamless. We could never have been so successful nor more proud of any staff! It is our honor to support them daily in all they do. Thank You & Happy New Year! #WireVillageRocks #Progress #Unity #Knowledge

Good morning Knox Trail families,
If your address or phone numbers have changed, please let Mrs. Proulx (proulxn@sebrsd.org) or Mrs. Leach (leachk@sebrsd.org) know as soon as possible. If you just want to use another email than what we already have in the system, please let us know as well. Thank you everyone and please stay safe.

SEBRSD Food Service will be providing a trial meal delivery system the week of January 11th-15th, 2021.
If families would like meals delivered to their homes on Monday January 11th and Wednesday January 13th this form must be filled out by 1 PM Friday January 8th. https://forms.gle/mit2vj5PHUVKEzNb8
Meals will be already assembled; they will just need to be heated and served. Daily breakfast and lunches are together in a paper bag.
(Foil packaging cannot go in the microwave)
If you have any questions please reach out to the Food Service Director, Brianne Pulver by calling 774-200-7162 or via Emai pulverb@sebrsd.org

Dear Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District Learning Community Members,
I hope you are well and made time to enjoy the holiday break safely.
In an abundance of caution we will be full remote on Monday January 4 due to an increase in COVID 19 cases in both of our towns and with concerns of staffing levels. We will reassess Monday afternoon to determine if we need to be remote for an extended period of time beyond January 8th, 2021. Thank you for your patience, support and understanding during this very challenging time.
Please take care; follow public health guidelines; and remain safe!
Sincerely Yours,
Paul S. Haughey, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Remote after Break
Just a reminder that after the break, starting January 4th-8th our district is FULLY REMOTE.
We will be following our regular hybrid/remote schedule that we use now.
Then the week after, January 11-15 Cohort B will come to Knox.
Cohort A will come January 19th-22nd.
No school on Monday January 18th for MLK Jr. day.
A lot to remember!

Pamela Higgins is a licensed Registered Occupational Therapist. She has enjoyed working with the students and teachers as part of the special education team for 33 years. Ms. Higgins will be retiring from the district this year. She has been an integral part of the SEB students and families, providing high-quality therapies.
Wendy Ryan is a licensed COTA who has been a dedicated member of our school family for the past 20 years. She has enjoyed helping the children here be the most successful and independent students they can be.
They both feel honored to be able to serve the children and their families, along with the wonderful and amazing staff in all schools of the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District and the communities-at-large. Please join us in recognizing Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Ryan as our Department of Students Services "Staff of the Month" for December 2020! Thank you both for all you do!! @MASchoolsK12 @MassTeacher @MASCSchoolComm

Our "Staffulty" of the month for December 2020 are Lynn White & Beth Shaughnessy, our David Prouty HS School Secretaries! Their friendly faces & voices greet every visitor to our school. Their calm demeanor puts people at ease. Their professional approach to helping every member of our community with every problem conceivable is appreciated by all of us here at the high school. Through the uncertainty of this past spring, Mrs. White & Mrs. Shaughnessy helped make school feel "real," highlighted by putting together a truly beautiful graduation for the Class of 2020.
Mrs. White is in her sixth year at Prouty. She is the loving mom of two daughters: one a college freshman, the other a high school sophomore. She is co-advisor of this year's senior class, & she is determined to see them all have a great senior year!
Mrs. Shaughnessy is in her third year at Prouty. She is the loving mom of a third-grade daughter, and twin boys who are in second grade. Mrs. Shaughnessy loves running and walking outdoors in nature, & is a fierce soccer player.
Thank you to Mrs. White & Mrs. Shaughnessy for all you do! #ProutyPride @MASchoolsK12 @MassTeacher @MASCSchoolComm

Knox Trail Report Cards
Grades 5 & 6 will be mailed out this week.
Grades 7 & 8 will be mailed the following week.
You can also look on PowerSchool for that information.

FROM THE NURSE
Use the following link for information regarding the flu vaccination requirement for students.
https://5il.co/n6jj

Knox Trail
Grade 5 Art students. Check Schoology for the Art assignments.
Lessons 1-3 should be completed

The Spencer Special Town Meeting will begin at 7pm tonight in the David Prouty HS McDonough Gymnasium. To review the warrant in advance, click here: https://www.spencerma.gov/home/news/special-town-meeting-nov-12-7-pm-dphs @SpencerCable @CitizenChron @MassLive @telegramdotcom

This year we will hold Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, December 3, 2020.
Grades 5 & 6 conferences will occur from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Grades 7 & 8 will occur from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Conferences will be conducted virtually this year with few exceptions. As we did last year, sign up will be conducted online using "Sign Up Genius." You should get your invitation in the next week to two weeks. If you have any questions, reach out to your child's teacher.

Family Responsibilities for Health & Safety
https://5il.co/mrj9
Travel Ban Reminder
https://5il.co/mpom

COVID 19 Travel Ban Information
https://5il.co/mpom

Kiara Pond obtained her Bachelor degree in Applied Psychology and Child Advocacy in 2015. She immediately began an accelerated program for her Masters degree in Science, Applied Behavior Analysis. While going through graduate school, Kiara worked and gained intensive fieldwork experience hours as a Special Education Paraprofessional. In May 2018, she graduated from the program, and in August 2018, sat for her boards. She passed thus becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). This is her third year as a public school BCBA, second at SEBRSD. As a result of her hard work and dedication to her students, Kiara Pond is our Student Services Staff Member of the Month for November 2020! Thank you Kiara for all of you do! #Progress #Unity #Knowledge

Dear Knox Trail Families;
First of all, we're having a fantastic first week with students back in the building. I couldn't be happier with how well things have gone! Thank you all so much for your patience as we adjust to having kids back in the building.
Now that Knox Trail Middle School has transitioned to a hybrid platform, Fridays will look slightly different from what they have before. Fridays will be a remote day as it has been from the beginning of the year. However, there will be some minor changes as we advance.
Fridays will be a regular remote school day for students. Teachers will provide work for their students just as they would any other day. Students will have access to teachers. Fridays shall be self-directed remote teaching and learning – asynchronously or synchronously for hybrid teachers. I've asked each of our teachers to communicate to families their intentions for Friday instruction as it may vary from one teacher to the next.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your student's teacher via email.
Respectfully,
Ralph

KNOX TRAIL FAMILIES
If you have not received an email or text regarding your student's cohort. Please contact the school at 508-885-8550.

Here are some important tips for coming back to Knox Trail MS - Hybrid style! #Progress #Unity #Knowledge @maschoolsk12 @MASCSchoolComm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm3IG_rI21M&t=2s

FREE Breakfast and Lunch through June 2021! When ordering using the Google Form you are helping reduce food waste & supporting the SEBRSD Food Service Program! The order form resets on Thursdays so you can order for the next week, https://forms.gle/aWRx94fDMpcqxTiq6 @snamass

SUPERINTENDENT UPDATE: NEXT STEPS TO REOPENING 10.08.2020! Click here: https://www.sebrsd.org/article/323633?org=sebrsd #Progress #Unity #Knowledge @MASchoolsk12 @massteacher @MASCSchoolComm @SpencerCable @telegramdotcom @masslivenews @citizenchronicles @TheCitizenChron

IMPORTANT!
Starting Monday Morning students MUST be on one of our upgraded Zoom accounts in order to access their classroom meetings.
Click the following link for instructions https://5il.co/lpzb

THREE WEEKS IN NOW!
Please ensure that students are using the zoom links in their Schoology courses.

SCHOOLOGY INFORMATION
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Your child is now using Schoology, an integrated learning management solution that provides course management, mobile learning, and support for system-wide communication. Schoology enables our students, parents and teachers to engage with learning materials and their school community from the classroom and beyond. We’ve been using Schoology in our classrooms from the beginning of the year to enhance connectivity and communication across our school.
With Schoology students can digitally submit homework assignments, review grades, participate in interactive discussions, receive announcements and feedback, take tests, write academic blogs, and more. As a parent, you will be able to view your child’s activity with the platform.
You and your child will be given login credential via email from your first period teacher to access the Knox Trail Middle School Schoology system. We value your participation in your child’s education, and we encourage you to read Schoology’s Privacy Policy & Terms of Use at https://www.schoology.com/privacy. Student progress and activity will be monitored by faculty to ensure a safe, secure, and controlled environment.
If you have questions or feedback regarding Schoology, please email your students teacher.
Sincerely,
Ralph Borseth
Principal
Knox Trail Middle School

School & Community Based Intervention Program
Knox Trail Middle School
https://5il.co/lbg0

SEL Resources
Use this link for Movies for Social Emotional Learning
https://5il.co/l432

Technical Issues?
email: technology@sebrsd.org
call: 508-885-8509

Attention Parents: Families, Here's information from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) to activate your (PIN) P-EBT Card! https://5il.co/gyqj