Our furry friends

This morning, we discovered a litter of six fox kits in front of the school building. We contacted Braintree's Animal Control officer, who reassured us that their behavior is perfectly normal for this time of year. I am alerting families because it is important to speak with your kids about leaving wildlife alone. 

• Do not feed the kits or they may not leave the den as they are naturally supposed to do.
• Do not try to pick up or touch a wild animal!
• Stay aware of your surroundings, especially if waiting before or after school. If an animal approaches, it is probably just curious, and a loud noise should be enough to scare it off.
• Stay on the marked walkways and sidewalks.

These kits are incredibly cute, but we need all members of the community to cut them a wide berth. About 8 weeks old now, they are starting to emerge from the den and explore on their own. Within days, they will leave the den and establish their own territories, probably in the many wooded areas around the school. For the remainder of the week, it is important for folks to let them finish up their growth and development so they can move on out!
The Animal Control Officer has been working with our senior custodian, Frank Reynolds, since the building opened, to monitor and manage the wildlife whose habitats were disrupted when we cleared fields & forest for the new construction. He is going to use natural deterrents to help ensure the animals move along, but he is not able to relocate them at their current age. He will continue to monitor the den to ensure our students' and staff's safety.
While this message is specifically about our adorable fox family, please also talk to your kids about respecting other creatures, too. This is not a time of year to chase geese or to allow dogs off leash to chase geese, ducks, or swans. The females are carrying eggs, the parents are protecting nests, and soon there will be baby birds. 
If you're outside, especially around dusk or dawn (for example, any students who walk to school through the Town Forest), don't just put your headphones on and tune out! Stay aware of your surroundings as a lot of animals will be out and about, looking for food or habitat. Walking my dogs this morning, my path was crossed by 2 deer, a fox, and a turkey--and those were just the animals I saw! Imagine what skulked away before I could notice them.

Life lessons from Ranger Rainie!