The Woof

Live theater is back at South this year! Come see  South Middle School The Musical: The Musical Revue 2022.  Featuring new favorites, as well as Broadway classics, this show follows a group of students auditioning to be part of their school musical. Who will get the lead? Who will learn to get along? Who will find confidence? How will the show turn out? You will have to see to the show to find out! Tickets are available online and cost $10. Use the QR code or the link ( https://southms.seatyourself.biz )  to order tickets. Students can also buy tickets from Ms. Proulx in Room 202.  Contact Ms. Proulx ( kelly.proulx@braintreeschools.org ) with any questions.   Today's informational session for the BHS Girls' Lacrosse team had to be postponed as the ladies are preparing for their postseason. Congratulations & good luck, girls!  Meetings will be held immediately after dismissal. 6/1 - Cross Country, track & field 6/2 - Girls Lacrosse; Boys Soccer As the Superintendent info

Today, we were thrilled to invite back to Braintree's veterans and town dignitaries to South's Memorial Day Assembly. This is a long-standing tradition, pausing before the long weekend to reflect on the sacrifices that were made to secure our personal freedoms. The weather cooperated, and kudos to 8th grade Social Studies teachers Jim Joyce and Kyle O'Brien for coordinating this wonderful, inspiring, student-directed event. This week, steel beams started being placed for the South construction project. The area on the left behind the crane is going to be part of the cafeteria and stage area, and the area on the right with the lower roof is going to be the Library/Media Center. The small section of beams that jut out under the roofline on the right is a roof overhang in what will become the large, central courtyard. The construction is coming along quickly and looking great! Got a reader in your family? Or, want a little help inspiring someone to take up the habit? Check out

Last week, Students of the Term for term 3 were recognized by their teachers and classmates. Deserving students are nominated by their teachers in recognition for positive characteristics such as consistent effort, positive participation, respect for others, and contributions to the climate in the school or classroom. Every student is eligible to be nominated, and we applaud those who were recognized in term 3! With the seniors completing coursework at Braintree High and more and more siblings returning from college, we have had a few instances when food or drinks were delivered for students during the day. Food and drink are only permitted in the cafeteria during lunch or breakfast, and outside deliveries increase the risk of allergic reactions at school. If you want to treat your child and/or their friends to a tasty delight, please refrain until after school. Similarly, all outside drinks that students bring into school in the morning must be consumed or thrown away before they go u

Tonight is the ArtFest reception to appreciate the creative talents of students in all Braintree. Below, please find the list of featured South artists. We hope to see you all there! Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 25th to hear a presentation entitled “ VAPING 411”. It will be held at East Middle school in the auditorium and will start at 6:30 pm. For more information please see the  Vaping 411.pdf  flier.  All middle school adult caregivers who attend will be given a homework pass to give to their child(ren).  The homework pass can be used by your student(s). Please remind your student that the teacher has full discretion as to what the “homework” pass can be used for and it can only be used once.  This presentation is for adults only. Your student does NOT need to attend to receive the homework pass.  We are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, May 25th! Last week, the South Ambassadors Club celebrated Inclusion Week by hosting a daily challenge. All students had

This week has been National Police Week. South students held a moment of silence on 5/13 in preparation for Peace Officers Memorial Day on Sunday, 5/15, to recognize the daily dangers faced by our law enforcement officers and to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our peace at home. At South, we are proud to partner with the Braintree Police Department, who make immeasurable sacrifices in the line of duty to protect our town, its residents and visitors, and bravely step to the line every day. In particular, the Braintree Police are devoted to our kids' sense of safety, and we can't thank them enough for everything they do to ensure that Braintree is a great place to grow up! Live theater is back at South this year!  Come see  South Middle School The Musical: The Musical Revue 2022!  Featuring new favorites as well as Broadway classics, this show follows a group of students auditioning to be part of their school musical. Who will get the lead? Who will learn to get a

At South, we were saddened to hear of the violent killings in Buffalo last weekend, and horrified to learn of the racist motivations of the attacker. At times like these, we focus on our daily mantra for all members of our community:  Be good to yourself. Take care of each other. Take care of your school.  During the pandemic-enforced separation, we adapted this last line to say, "Take care of your space." For our middle schoolers, we want them to be mindful of their own needs to be healthy and happy, but also to be doubly attentive to the needs of others: those in their immediate circle and in their community. As you look at your middle schooler, it's tempting to ignore "heavy" topics or not to bring up something that you worry could be traumatic, but it's important to discuss these events with them. For one thing, they'll find out some information anyway--from half-heard conversations, social media, or on the bus--and it's essential to make sure th

Tomorrow will be an early release day, so the faculty can attend professional development activities in the afternoon. Dismissal will be at 11:45 for middle schools, and students will follow a shortened Day 3 schedule tomorrow. Students may order a bag lunch from the cafeteria  before 7 AM tomorrow  by  clicking here , and pick it up in the Main Office at dismissal. Braintree High School is starting to prepare for our 8th graders to move up next September! There will be a number of opportunities for prospective athletes to hear about the different programs they offer. All meetings are optional and will begin after dismissal. Tuesday, 5/24 - Dance Team - Cafeteria @ 2:45pm Wednesday, 5/25 - Cheerleading - Gym @ 2:30pm Thursday, 5/26 - Girls Soccer, Volleyball, Field Hockey - Cafeteria @ 2:45pm These meetings are open to all 8th graders interested in these teams. Students may take the late bus, but will ideally arrange for a ride/carpool since the meetings usually don't last 45 minut

Trees are leafing out and the flowers are blooming, an always-welcome sign of happy times to come as we move into summer. We've been talking a lot about kids' mental health, and one concrete recommendation is:  plant something.  Whether you start a garden or bring home a potted plant from the grocery store, gardening is a great activity to start with your middle schooler. It's exciting to watch something grow.  The simple act of planting something--or setting it up just right in your home, yard, or space--gives an immediate sense of satisfaction in a job well done. As it takes root and blooms or grows, the reward will return week after week. For a young person, the ritual of watering a plant, checking it, weeding, can be a valuable experience of  taking responsibility for something outside themselves.  Watching that responsibility pay off can provide a strong sense of pride and confidence. Plant a tree or a shrub and take a selfie in front of it together. At the end of the

Thank you for all the love and appreciation shown to our faculty and staff last week. Our school nurses were also celebrated, but they get their own day too,  a day dedicated to the special role of the school nurse:  tomorrow , Wednesday, 5/11/2022!  If Nurse Driscoll or Nurse McDonough has made a difference for you, we encourage you to write them a quick note or a kind email thanking them and celebrating their special approach. The Braintree Public Schools'  METCO program  is holding a design contest to create a unique, expressive new logo! Submissions can be sent to  braintreemetco@braintreeschools.org . Contact  METCO Director Renée Smith  with any questions. June is Pride Month, and the  South GSA  is coordinating a Book Club to close out the school year.  Order your copy of  The Witch Boy  by Molly Knox Ostertag  and feel free to join in the conversation on Tuesday, June 14, after school in Room 109. All are welcome! (Caregivers can check out  a Common Sense Media review of th

With the return of springtime weather, it's a good opportunity to revisit some of the school rules, to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy those sunny afternoons and the team days, field trips, and recess blocks without having to worry about any behavior mishaps. (1.) DRESS CODE - Warm temperatures are predicted for the end of this week. Please take some time to review the  Braintree Middle Schools' Dress Code  with your child (PDF attached). Some of these expectations are a bit outdated (and, in some cases, hard to shop for!) so the general rule around here is: shorts/skirts/dresses have to be "long enough" to not be revealing. This is particularly tricky in the spring, when kids have grown more than they think, so make sure to try on those outfits the night before, so you're not scrambling in the morning if something turns out to be too tight, too short, etc.  The golden rule for school attire is that clothing should cover the things that are supposed t

Tomorrow is Playoff Day!  The Community Service Club invites all students to  wear Celtics or Bruins gear  to show your spirit for our Boston teams as they head into a busy weekend, and donate $1-$5 for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, in honor of Memorial Day. Teacher Appreciation Week  continued today with South PTO's jukebox theme: today was Def Leppard, "Pour Some Sugar On Me"! Teachers were greeted by buckets and buckets of candy and a cake donated from Montillio's! On top of that, the Cobbetts sent in Cinco de Mayo inspired snacks for "Nacho Average Teachers" and the Riley family sent another round of pizzas! South's teachers are feeling the love! Thank you to everyone who supported South PTO at the Chateau dine-out fundraiser yesterday.  Over $330  was raised to support PTO projects. The April Calendar Raffle wrapped up last week, and congratulations to all our winners. Over  $1,400  was raised by the PTO Calendar Raffle. Thank you to all the familie

Technology can be a huge distraction and expose our middle schoolers to risks, but it can also be a tremendous resource and opportunity. Cell phone bans are being actively discussed, as schools have noticed a  huge  increase in cell phone use in school. At the same time, schools like ours have adopted BYOD policies and increased the screen time for kids' schoolwork throughout the day. Smart phones do offer a lot of tools to help keep kids engaged too, but there may be some resources you're not aware of. Here are three! Google Read & Write - for Kids Who Hate Typing or Reading Online All Braintree students have a Google account through the school. Included with that account is a license to use the  Google Read & Write extension . Google Read & Write can be added to your child's Chrome browser toolbar and by clicking on it they can have text read to them, or they can dictate their work and have it typed out for them.  If your child is a struggling reader or just a