Week 15 Update: Graduation Date Set!

Families,

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather. For our underclassman, YOU MADE IT! The year is officially over!!! I am really proud of the effort that you made over the last 3 months. For the vast majority of you that kept up with your schoolwork, you put yourself in a great position to graduate next year. For the very few that did not,well, we have some serious work to do in September. This will be the last update of the school year. I wish you and your families a relaxing summer break. Here is the last bit of news you need to know.

WE HAVE A DATE FOR GRADUATION!! We will celebrate our Seniors on Sunday Evening, August 2nd. PVMHS Graduation will be the night before. If you have not submitted a video, I will give you until THIS FRIDAY JUNE 26TH. I would encourage all of you to participate in both events. 

Underclassman: If you have anything that needs to be turned in, you can stop by Peabody High this Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 8-2. Let me know if you have any questions.

It was one of the craziest school years of my 15 year career. Hopefully we will be back in September to a somewhat normal school year. If things change, I will reach out. Until then, Enjoy the break.

Mr. B

Week 14 Update! Almost Done!!!!!!!!

Families,

Well, we are almost there!!! We are down to our last week of remote learning. I encourage all of my students to give it your best effort and complete as much as you can. We can make next year that much easier by completing the work now. For my Seniors, here is some news.

• All Seniors except THALLYS SIMAO have picked up their cap and gown. I have reached out to Thallys and his family several times a day for the last 2 weeks. If anyone has contact with him, please tell him to email me ASAP! 
• Senior Video: I need your video's this week. In last week's memo, I asked for a clip of you saying the pledge of allegiance.  Several people reached out inquiring if I was trying to make a political statement with this request. The answer to that is no, plain and simple. My intentions were to edit the students in the introduction of the video saying the pledge. I have seen this done in other video's and thought it would be a cool feature. With all that is going on in the world right now, I guess my timing was off. If you do not want to participate in this feature, I will leave it out. However, this is what I need: You ( in your cap & gown) saying a few words. It can be anything you want. Please keep it under 1 minute. I would recommend thanking your loved ones, and the Northshore Mall for their support. I need the video's BY FRIDAY! If you do not want to submit a video, just email me saying you are not interested. However, the more people that participate, the COOLER THIS VIDEO WILL BE! I have a lot of "special guests" that have submitted video's. Trust me, this is going to be really cool. Please submit something to me! 
• I should have a date for graduation within the next week or 2. I will send it your way when I have it.

Reach out if you have any questions.

-Mr. B 

Week 13: Weekly Update & New Info for Graduation

Families,

Hope everyone enjoyed your weekend.  For our Underclassman, only 2 more weeks left. I am not sure if anyone watched the news and saw the guidelines for reentry to school next year. If not, Channel 5 did a great job of highlighting the major points. 10 students per class and wearing a face mask may be the new norm. I will be honest, I would not be shocked if we start the year in remote learning. With that being said, our Jr's need to make a better effort from here on out. You all have a wonderful opportunity to finish your classes. Your effort as a whole needs to be better.  Now for our SENIORS!!

• It was really great to see most of you on Friday as you picked up your Cap & Gowns. I really missed seeing you all each day ( even those of you that drove me crazy!). For the handful of you that missed out, I will be at the Mall School on THURSDAY @ 8:30 SHARP!! I only plan on spending 15 minutes there so make sure you are on time and I will get you your Cap & Gown.
• I have been planning Graduation. It will not be exactly the same as normal. However, I have a really cool idea on how to make this day somewhat normal and very special for our graduates. However, I have an assignment for every graduate.....
• First: I need each student to film themselves saying the pledge of allegiance in the cap & Gown ( Trust me)...
• Then: I would like each student to film themselves ( in Cap & Gown) thanking their loved ones, the special people in their lives, and anyone that they believe helped them make graduating possible.  Also, thank the Northshore Mall for their support!
• Finally: Students have the opportunity to film themselves saying anything that they would like. Tell a story, Share the importance of the day, tell their favorite memory of their tie at the Academy. Just try to make it under 1 minute. 

I need the video shared with me by Friday July 19th.  I really think that everyone will really enjoy what I have planned. As long as everyone contributes something, this day will be very memorable.. Stay tuned for more details..

That's it for now. My underclassmen, FINISH UP STRONG!!

Mr. B 

Week 12. IMPORTANT INFO FOR ALL GRADUATES!!!!!!!!

Students & Families,

It was REALLY AWESOME to see some of our students come to the school last Monday. It was the happiest I have been in a long time. Every Senior with the exception of 2 ( You know who you are!)  is completely done! My 2 stragglers are working with me and should be done next week. To all of our seniors, I could not be more proud of you! You have faced many challenges throughout your 12 years of school. When the biggest challenge arose, you overcame it! You EARNED YOUR DIPLOMA. No one can ever take away that from you. Continue to use the lessons you have learned with us and you will all have very bright futures. I am working on a plan for graduation and hope to have something finalized in the coming weeks.  For now, this is what you all need to know!

CAP & GOWN PICK U IS WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3RD

. 

  (PLEASE HONOR SAFE PHYSICAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND COME TO THE SCHOOL DURING THE ALLOTTED TIME BASED ON LAST NAME. THANKS!)

• 8:00-9:00 Last Name A-D 
• 9:00-10:00 Last Name E-H 
• 10:00-11:00 Last Name I-L 
• 11:00-12:00 Last Name M-Q 
• 12:00-1:00 Last Name R-S 
• 1:00-2:00 Last Name T-Z  

 Seniors park in the teacher parking lot by the football stadium, or nearby. (Social gatherings around cars prohibited)

 All senior Chromebooks must be returned 

 Pick up graduation caps and gowns 

 Pick up yearbooks 

 Drop off senior pictures for teachers (place in sealed envelope - make sure teacher names are on pictures so they may be distributed)

Please reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns. Enjoy the weekend. 

Mr.B

Week 11. Important info for Seniors

We are almost there Seniors!!!! Most of you are done with your work. A few of you will finish by Friday. A small, small portion, well, If you don't figure if out quick you will be back next year.. Not good. Here is some very important info for Seniors

If any Senior owes a textbook, library book, or ROTC uniform, drop off is this Thursday 5/28/. Cap & Gown, all graduation material will be distributed next Wednesday, 6/3 Here is the schedule:

Thursday May 28 8:00-2:00 

Senior textbook and supplies drop off (PLEASE HONOR SAFE PHYSICAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES AND COME TO THE SCHOOL DURING THE ALLOTTED TIME BASED ON LAST NAME. THANKS!) 

8:00-9:00 Last Name A-D 

9:00-10:00 Last Name E-H 

10:00-11:00 Last Name I-L 

11:00-12:00 Last Name M-Q 

12:00-1:00 Last Name R-S 

1:00-2:00 Last Name T-Z 

 Seniors park in the teacher parking lot by the football stadium, or nearby. (Social gatherings around cars prohibited)  Each department will have an area set up for seniors to drop off textbooks, class supplies (such as cameras), library books, and ROTC uniforms  We will NOT be collecting Chromebooks at this time.  All school owned items must be returned, and food service accounts must be paid in order to receive your diploma

Wednesday June 3

 - Chromebook return,Cap & Gown, Graduation item pickup (Same Time Frames by Name as Above)  Seniors park in the teacher parking lot by the football stadium, or nearby. (Social gatherings around cars prohibited)  All senior Chromebooks must be returned  Pick up graduation caps and gowns  Pick up yearbooks  Drop off senior pictures for teachers (place in sealed envelope - make sure teacher names are on pictures so they may be distributed).

Let me know if you have any questions!
Mr. B

Week 10! The Final Countdown!!!

Families,

We are approaching the last days for our seniors! Despite the hardships, this is still a very exciting time for everyone. I want to keep everyone up to date on the latest. Here is what is new:

On Monday, the School Committee voted unanimously to postpone graduation. The hope is that we can have a ceremony as close to normal as possible. The new date for the High School Graduation is Friday, July 31st. For those of you on Facebook, I would highly recommend following Peabody Access Television ( PAT). They live stream the school committee meetings each week. It is a great way to keep up with things. 

Mall Graduation: I will follow suit with the High School Plans. However, I am not going to pick a date as of yet. I meet with Northshore General Manager Mark Whiting weekly to discuss the status of the Mall. As of now, the Mall has furloughed almost all of their staff and are awaiting work from Governor Baker in regards to reopening. I am exploring several options so please, try to be patient. 

Seniors: Most of you are basically done or in the process of finishing. The last day of school is next Friday, May 22. I will be at the Academy for students to clean out their lockers and get any last item they may want from 10-12. STUDENTS MUST WEAR A MASK AND HAVE GLOVES OF THEY WILL NOT BE ADMITTED INTO THE BUILDING! 

Cap & Gown will be distributed to students the following week via cube side pickup at PVMHS. I will release details of the event as soon as Dr. Lord makes his plan public. 

Please, reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Enjoy the weekend!

Mr. B

Week 9 & Graduation Info

Parents,

Hope you are all well. We are now looking into week 9 of online learning and for the most part, students have been doing well. On average, students are spending 12.5 working on school work each week, That is about 2.5 hours a day! Most of the Senior class is in great shape to get to the finish line. However, there is still a small number of Seniors that are really cutting this close. Remember, the "last day" for Seniors is May 22 and ALL CLASSES MUST BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY MAY 29TH. I have been emailing all students and parents almost daily so there should not be any confusion as to where each of you stand. If there is any confusion or if anyone has a question, just reach out to me and I will set a time where we can have a conversation on the phone. In other news:

Graduation: We are still having ongoing discussions as to how and when High School Graduation will be. During last week's school committee meeting, the consensus amongst the committee is that we have graduation on June 5th. That is not official. When we DO have a date I will reach out immediately. 

Mall Graduation: There are several factors that I am dealing with. One being the date and time of the High School graduation and the other being the status of the Northshore Mall. The Mall does not have a reopen date as of this week so that has made planning a bit more difficult. I ask for a little more patience. I will keep you all updated within the next few weeks. 

Cap/Gown & Yearbooks will be distributed via pickup at PVMHS. Right now, Dr. Lord is looking at the week after Memorial Day. Once Dr. Lord sets a date, I will let you know. 

Again, let me know if you have any additional questions. Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms! 

Mr. B 

Week 8! Seniors in the Final Stretch!!!

Happy Monday. THE SUN FINALLY CAME OUT!!!! It has been great to finally get outside and get some vitamin D. I hope you are well and staying healthy. Here is some important info as we head into week 8 of online learning. 

Seniors last day of school is still May 22nd with Finals being conducted between May 25-29. I am required to post all grades by June 1st.  I will be making an announcement of what I am expecting for school work within the next few days.

Most students are engaging in their school work regularly. However, with the weather finally turning warm, I expect that students may want to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. I completely understand as I am typing this out in my backyard! School work is still required so please, parents, check in with your kids. Students, I am keeping track so make the time and put in the effort! 

As always, reach out if you have any questions. Please be safe and enjoy this nice weather.
Mr. B

Welcome Back! Time to GET IT DONE!!!

Families,

Welcome back! I hope everyone was able to enjoy some outside time last week. Thanks to Governor Baker's impeccable timing, I spent my vacation figuring out how the rest of the year is going to play out ( He just had to call off the rest of the school year on the first day of vacation!!). First, I am so sorry that all of our seniors will miss out on sports and senior events. I know that this really stinks. I spoke to some of you and your parents on the phone over the weekend and one comment that I heard was " why bother doing work, we are not going to have a graduation so it's pointless". Well, if you take one thing and only one thing away from being a student at the Academy is that quitting is never an option. I hope I have been able to teach you that sometimes we have to pick ourselves up and overcome adversity. As much as this stinks, the ENTIRE COMMUNITY is behind you. You really have two options, quit or take the next few weeks and work harder than you ever have. I can promise you this, you will have a graduation. It may not be when we traditionally hold a graduation, but we will celebrate you. Work hard and get your school work done so we can have the biggest celebration the city has ever seen. Hard work ALWAYS pays off. Don't quit, you must keep going!!

As I first mentioned, the Governor made his decision on the first day of break and some of the city administrators took time away from school. This really has been a 24/7 job over the last month so the time off was much deserved. In the conversations I was able to have with the Superintendent, here is what I know:

1). We are not sure when or how the High School graduation will be. Again, there will be something but we are meeting this week to begin discussions.

2). Same holds true with the Academy graduation. Again, I PROMISE we will celebrate your accomplishments. Just worry about what we can control and that is ALL OF YOU COMPLETING YOUR WORK! 

3). Online work will continue. We are in a good spot.  A vast majority of you are doing some work however we really gotta pick it up. I have spoken to some of you and your parents this weekend. I plan on calling all students and your parents this week to check in and clarify what it is you need to complete before the last day of school.

4). I am planning a Google Hangout session for Wednesday at 10:00 am. I think it would be nice to see all of you and catch up. I will send the invite out Monday afternoon.

As I get more information, I will pass it along to you. Just remember, the community is rooting for you. It's up to all of us to work together and make them really proud. Time to get it done!

-Mr. B

COVID-19 Update: Week 5 and Sliding into Vacation

Families,

We survived week 5! Hope you are all doing well. I wanted to touch base with you regarding a few things:

1). Students are engaging in their work daily, some more than others. Next week is April vacation and students ARE NOT REQUITED TO DO WORK!  However, If you are a senior that is behind it may not be a bad idea to continue working.

2). For seniors, we only have a few weeks to go when we return ( like 20 days). Most of you are in great shape. However, there are a few that are in some trouble. I can tell you that I had several meetings with Dr. Lord and our Superintendent Dr. Kerble. It was made clear, if students ( either at the Academy or PVMHS)  do not complete their work they will be expected to go to summer school. Please do not think there will be a break given because of the circumstances. If you are having troubles at home, please reach out, we are willing to work with you and your family. I have not received any indication from anyone that there are any issues with getting the work done so please reach out ASAP so we can help if it is needed.

3). Overall, I am EXTREMELY EXTREMELY PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!! Parents included. This has been really difficult on many levels. I can tell you, I am going out of my mind and I know how you all feel. Take some time next week and try to enjoy yourself. I am planning a Google Hangout the week we get back so we can all catch up with each other. 

Please, be safe and enjoy some time off next week.

Mr. B 

COVID-19 Update: Week 4 is over, Pep Talk from Mr. B

Families,

I hope everyone is not going stir crazy! This has been tough to say the least. We have completed 4 weeks and I have a few things I would like to address. 

The Massachusetts Department of Education came out with a document title "Remote Learning Recommendations"   If you have not done so, please read. If you do not want to read the whole document, I will share what I believe is the most important recommendation "We recommend that districts support students to engage in meaningful and productive learning for approximately half the length of a regular school day. We expect this learning to take place via a combination of educator-directed learning and student self-directed learning". Basically, the state wants the students to spend about 4 hours per day doing school work. It is good to see that students are logging in and doing some work. However, STUDENTS ARE NOT COMING CLOSE TO THIS!  Where I see this being an immediate problem will be with some of our seniors. I will be upfront and honest, if a senior does not complete the required work they will risk having to go to summer school and not graduating! 

I understand everyone is inconvenienced by this situation, including myself and my teachers. I have 2 children myself in elementary school and my wife ( whom is still working from home) and I are spending 6-7 hours a day teaching them, balancing our jobs, and  trying to stay sane! Believe me, I get it, this is not ideal for anyone. However, the students need to make a better effort going forward or they may risk paying a price at the end of this. Parents, I know you are stressed to the max, but I really need you to please check on your child. I have called many of you several times. Please reach out to me if you need help connecting with your child in any way. Lets work as a team to make sure we get through this together. Tomorrow is Good Friday and students are not required to work. Please, enjoy the weekend. Happy Passover or Easter to all of you that celebrate. Again, I am here to help anyone that may be in need, just reach out. Again, we need a better effort from our kids next week.

Stay Safe.

Mr. B

COVID-19 Update: Day 15 Week 3 in the Books!

Families,

We have made it through week 3! I want to first thank all of you for your support. I have made countless phone calls and have sent countless emails. You all have been such great team players, I really can't thank you enough for your patience, communication, and going the extra mile to make sure your son or daughter is keeping up with their studies. Some positives this week are that 27 of our 28 students did work! That is truly amazing. The not so good news is that very few are doing 4 hours a day. Please try to encourage your child to do just a little more next week, especially seniors. Let's make it our goal to get most of our school work done now so we can enjoy the last few weeks together in May. In other news:

• Any student that receives counseling services: Ms Dunne has made herself available for check-ins. When I spoke with her, no one had reached out. If anyone would like to set up a time with her, email me or reach out to her at dunnem@peabody.k12.ma.us. Students that receive services with Ms. Laura, please reach out to me or her at Mayerl@peabody,k12.ma.us. We are all here to help and support you. We all care very much about you and your well being, reach out if you need us.
• Our Yoga & Wellness Teacher, Anna Finklestein is also offering yoga Fridays on her Facebook page. She has also offered to conduct a Google Hangout session for all of you. It may be fun for all of us to jump in just to connect and say hi. If you are all interested, reach out to me and I will set up a time next week.
• If anyone received free or reduced lunch and is not taking advantage of the free meals offered by the school, please reach out. I want to be sure you all have food if you are in need. 

As always, we are here for you all if you need anything, and we mean ANYTHING. Please be safe in the coming week ahead and remember to get your school work done next week. I hope to hear from you all real soon.

Have a great weekend!

-Mr.B & the entire Academy Staff

COVID-19 Update: Day 10 Home Schooling Continues..

Family,

As predicted, we will be out longer than expected. Governor Baker made the decision last night to keep up out of school until May 4th. I can not say this enough, WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE! More and more of you are logging in and doing some work. As pleased as I am to see more of you doing work, the amount of work and the time online NEEDS TO IMPROVE!! A reminder, starting Monday we are expecting to spend 1 hour each day per class that you are in. If you are having difficulty meeting this, email me and we can work something out. 

Mrs. Murray & Mr. T have been AWESOME and are working really hard to make sure things are going to be okay regarding academics. If you have not checked your email, please do ASAP. Mrs. Murray and Mr T, wrote you emails outlining how the next month is going to work. I will also attach the content of the email at the end of this blog post. Besides academics here is some other helpful information:

1. If anyone needs anything from the Academy, I will open the School on Monday from 10 am -12 pm. If you need anything, make sure you visit
2. If your family need food, there are some great resources. Mr. Hochman from the School Committee oversees a program in town called No-Child Goes Hungry. Please take a look at the information Here . I have worked with Mr. Canty from the Community High School with delivering food to many families. It is a great program if you are in need. 
3. I have been putting up extra credit assignments on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. I have a few people taking advantage. I will eliminate some sections from Edgenuity for anyone that completes every assignment. They are fun and should only take you 10 minutes each to complete. 
4. If you need anything and I mean ANYTHING we are here for you. Always keep that in mind. We are just an email away.

I will be in touch with you early next week. Please be safe and try to enjoy the nice weather.

Mr. B

A Message from Mr. Tanglis:

Hey guys

Hope all of you guys are doing well and staying at home - listen to the scientists! I just wanted to check in with everyone and make myself available if you guys need anything.  While this is definitely not the best situation for all of us we are really lucky that as long as you guys have internet access you should be able to get your work done.  I have been checking edgenuity and some of you guys have been doing a lot of work - and some have not.  People who haven't been working (you know who you are) especially seniors you really need to step it up.

Anyone who was planning to graduate this year should still be able to - do NOT use this as an excuse! The only legitimate excuse would be lack of internet or computer - and if this is an issue contact Mr. B and he will find a way to help you out.

As far as work completed here is what I am expecting you guys to complete:

Science/Sociology/Math Edgenuity courses

• I am expecting you guys to complete 4 quizzes or 3 quizzes and 1 test per week. (very reasonable right?)
• Keep taking notes as you normally would (use enotes if you don't have your notebook)

Blended Geometry class

• I placed everyone in edgenuity geometry 
• Right now you are to complete the current chapter I assigned by next Friday
• For the chapter tests any grade 64 or higher will be accepted after 2 attempts - you don't need an 80
• I will add the next chapter sometime next week

I would recommend working on one class each day. In other words, pick a day to work on your science or sociology and just bang it out - get through 4 sections (or 3 sections plus a Test) and you will be done for the week! Just a suggestion that I think would work for a lot of you guys. Please email me if you guys have any questions about anything - I am here to help! Miss all of you guys and please do your schoolwork!!!! 

Mr T.

A Message to Seniors from Mrs. Murray:

Hello, Seniors!

Well, I bet you didn't think you'd be finishing up school QUITE so much earlier than your underclassmen peers. In case you are living under a rock, or are on a Fortnite binge to end all Fortnite binges, or have been napping all afternoon and are just joining us (Good Evening, Nick!), Governor Baker ordered all schools in Massachusetts to stay closed through May 4th. That's right, April vacation is now like, 6 weeks long.

Not to worry, though! I know you were all thinking, "But what about that super interesting lesson on euthanasia and that poem 'Shawn' that Ms. Murray had just started teaching us...now I'll never get to see what happened to Shawn! And I have to know!!"  It's okay, you guys. I would never leave you hanging like that. We are going...to the internet! 

I am setting up a Google Classroom as we speak (err, as I type) where I will post lessons and questions and quizzes and anything else your curious little minds need to know to complete this class and reach self-actualization (hopefully! Maslow would be so proud!). I know I seem so youthful in class, but I'm actually an old lady, so bear with me while I tackle getting everything up and running. You'll get an invite from me to join that group soon. But FOR NOW, I would love for you to get your hands/ears on a copy of the book, Stuck in Neutral by Terry Trueman. I don't care if you are listening to an audiobook versus reading the "real" thing. Either works. But please do so by this weekend as the assignments for this book are going to start coming in hot next Monday. To get the book, you have a few options:

1. If you have a Kindle or Audible account (or if someone in your family does) and you can get the book for free, go this route. It's definitely the path of least resistance. 

2. Sign up for a free Boston Public Library eCard here: https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4197886/eCard-Registration and then you can use it sign-in here: https://bpl.overdrive.com/  They have a few audiobooks available and a few eBooks available for this title. There's enough that everyone could go the eBook route if they wanted.

3. I have so many hard copies of this book at school. If this is what you prefer, email me directly, and I can bring a copy to your house. I promise I will spray it down in Lysol or something first. 

I miss you guys! Please stay safe and healthy!

Best,

Ms. Murray

A Message to all Juniors from Mrs. Murray:

Hello my junior cherubs!

So, it looks like it'll be several weeks longer before we get back to the brick and mortar PLA. In case you missed it, Governor Baker announced today that we will be out of school until at least May 4th. So we are going to switch our Blended Learning class to an online learning class via Google Classroom. Bear with me while I inevitably make some techie mistakes for the next few weeks.

First and foremost, please accept my invitation to the Google Classroom group. I'll be posting all of your classwork and materials there while we are out and communicating primarily via email. I have already uploaded all of our materials from our "This is America" lesson, and we will jump off from there with new assignments starting Monday. Check in early and often. I'll be putting up new assignments every couple of days, and I don't want you to miss anything. There's an assignment up already that you can start doing asap if you'd like! It isn't technically due until Wednesday because we aren't technically "starting" online until Monday, but head over and check it out.  It'd be great if you could get an online discussion happening (you should be able to comment on each other's submissions).

Miss you guys! I hope everyone is doing okay stuck at home. 

COVID-19 Update: Day 6 & What to Expect Next Week!

Family,

I hope you all are well. I wanted to thank all of you for being patient and getting through last week. This has been extremely difficult for everyone. I did see that 18 of our 28 students did some work last week. That needs to get better. If you need a laptop or internet service I can help you. You all have smartphones and have the ability to email me. Please do!

 Superintendent, Dr. Kerble sent out a notice yesterday indicating that he believes ( as do I ) that this may last longer than three weeks already planned. I have spent countless hours working with him as well as all of the District Leaders and we are finalizing a plan that will begin next Monday, March 30th. Beginning on Monday, student expectation are a follows:

1). Students will be expected to log on and complete work each day. Daily attendance will be taken through ASPEN & Edgenuity. You will be expected to complete 1 hour of work each day in your Edgenuity class. Failure to do so will count as an absence from the class and will effect your grade. 

2). Students in Ms. Murray's Blended class will work with Ms. Murray to meet daily requirements. This may include attending virtual class via Google Hangout, passing in your Independent Reading Assignment Virtually, etc.  She will follow up with an email outlining her daily expectations.

3). 4th Quarter grades will be of Pass/Fail. Teachers will outline what this means for their Blended Class. 

4). Your 3rd quarter grades will include all work up until the last time we meet 

(3/13). If you owe Mr. T and/or Mrs. Murray any work you need to email them and make it up before Monday.

I understand that that this is not ideal. However, you are all better prepared for this than anyone at PVMHS. You all have phones and have the ability to reach out to any of us and complete the required work. If you need a Chromebook or internet, just email me and I will get it taken care of. Please, if anyone has any questions please feel free to email me. Be safe and I look forward to seeing you all real soon.

Mr. B

COVID-19 Update: Day 3, Mr. T's Geometry & a Message from Ms. Murray

Students & Families,
It was really nice talking to some of you over the last few days. If you have not heard from me, I will be calling over the next few days checking in on everyone. I hope everyone is hanging in there the best that they can. I have an update for anyone taking Mr. T's Geometry class. If you were in his blended Geometry class, Mr. T created a special Geometry class on Edgenuity. Just log in and jump right into the class. If you have any issues, just email him at Tanglisk@peabody.k12.ma.us. He can make arrangements to help you via email or through Google Hangouts. Again, I expect that everyone is working each and every day! My recommendation is that each students spends at least 4 hours online working. I would also recommend reading at least 1 hour each night if you need to complete Ms. Murray's reading assignment. If you have not looked at your email, Ms. Murray sent out a fantastic email last night that I am including as part of this update. Please take a minute and read through. Again, please reach out if you have any questions. Be safe!
-Mr. B
From Ms. Murray:

Hello All!

Well, Alek was right...schools actually closed! Alek, I am sorry for doubting you! I will spend these next three weeks getting better at the internet.

All joking aside, I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. I wanted to reach out to make sure you all were comfortable with our academic goals for you in the next few weeks, and also make sure that everyone has everything they need (both academically and otherwise) for our time off.

1. We are in a better position than most schools in the state. You can already complete most of your work online at home! Please be signing into Edgenuity to stay on track in your classes (especially you, seniors!). I know many of you have already been doing this. Bravo! If you do not have internet at home, I do know that Comcast is offering free wifi during this pandemic if you haven't looked into it already. Details about that here.

2. If you are in my Blended English classes, you have an independent reading assignment that you can be working on. Mr. B sent out a link to that assignment over the weekend, but in case you missed it, you can find it here. Many of you have picked books already, but if not, check out the Peabody Public Library website for resources. The library is closed but you can still check out audiobooks! I'm finishing up a book I loved called Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I'll try to put together a book talk demo video to give you guys an idea of what you should be preparing for this assignment. 

3. Mr. B is giving out extra credit! Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Insta; he is posting one extra credit assignment each day, and if you complete it, you can get either 3 extra points on a final class grade, skip three assignments in a class, or makeup three absences! 

4. Lastly, I know some of the students at our school get free or reduced lunch (and probably other qualify). If you are feeling food insecure during this time out of school, please shoot me an email. There are a lot of resources for those who qualify for free or reduced lunch during this time out of school, and you do NOT need to go without a meal. I know as of Monday, breakfasts/lunches were being delivered all over the city. Other cities and towns are doing pickup points. Just let us know if you aren't sure who to ask!

5. Did I miss anything?

Whew! Thanks for sticking with me through that wall of text. I guess I miss you, my cherubs! Please be well, and I'll see you all in a few weeks.

Best, 

Ms. Murray

COVID-19 Update: Day 2

Students & Families,

Hope everyone is well. I just attended a virtual meeting with the Districts Leadership Team and City Officials. Other than everyone being upset that Tom Brady will no longer be playing with the Patriots ( Bummer), I have no new news to report. I would like to update you regarding students learning. Thus far, we have a small number of students logging onto Edgenuity to do work. THIS MUST IMPROVE! If a student has a computer and internet access, we are expecting them to spend a few hours a day completing work. I will be making phone calls this week updating each parent of their child's participation. Our students are in an ideal situation in which they can continue to learn and complete school work even though we are not meeting daily. Collectively, we need to do a better job of taking advantage of the situation. Please reach out if there are any concerns.  Also, I am posting extra credit activities for all students on social media. This is a great way for students to make up unexcused absences, make up missing work, and boost their grades. It does not get any easier than this! Hope you are all safe and healthy. I will follow up with more news in the coming days. Be well.

Mr. B

COVID-19 Update: Day 1

Academy Students & Families,

I hope everyone is starting to find some normalcy during day 1 of what is now are 3 week hiatus. I wanted to give you a brief update to what is happening. Governor Baker announced a mandatory closing of all schools for three weeks. We will now be expected back to school on Tuesday, April 7th. We did not know or expect any decision from Governor Baker until he made the announcement last night. Information is coming fast and is constantly changing. I ask that you please be patient during this time. I will pass along any information as soon as I receive it.  I plan on meeting with Mayor Bettencourt, city officials and all school personnel tomorrow morning. I will relay any news to you immediately after my meeting. As for now, I would recommend trying to help your child structure the day the best you can. Here is an example of how you may want to structure your child's day:

8-9 am	Wake up	Eat, get dressed
9-11 am	School Work	Log onto Edgenuity & work
11-12 pm	Lunch	Eat Lunch, Take a walk, Look at your phone
12-2 pm	Back to Work!!	Log onto Edgenuity & get some more work done!!
2-3 pm	Break Time	Take some time away from school work. Go outside and get some fresh air!
3-4 pm	Read	Spend time reading your Independent Reading Book for Ms. Murray.
4-7 pm	Dinner & Family Time	Eat dinner and spend time with your family.
7-8 pm	Extra Credit	Take a look at the Academy Facebook page, Twitter feed, or Instagram Account. Mr. B will assign extra credit assignments daily that could be used to make up absences, eliminate some school work when we get back, or boost your overall grade in any subject!
8-10 pm	TV Time	TV, Video games, phone, etc
10 pm	Bed Time	Lights out! Big day tomorrow!!!

I have 2 kids of my own and my wife and I are using a template similar to this. Granted, I have little kids and it will be easier to implement, it is always good to try and organize their school day. I will be at the school until 2 if you or your child needs to pick anything up. Also, I will be posting extra credit assignments for the students to complete. These assignments will be found on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. If a student completes each of my assignments, I will allow students to use the credits towards making up an absence, eliminating some school work from Edgenuity, or boosting their grade in a certain class. Please be safe and feel free to email if you have any questions.

Mr. B 

Lets Do This!!!

Academy Students & Families,

Good evening. As you all now know, school will not be is session for the next 2 weeks. Fortunately, our students are in the best situation of anyone in the state! Because we already utilize digital learning, we have the ability to continue working at home. Although we will not be meeting daily, I am asking students that have a computer and access to the internet to log on to Edgenuity daily and complete school work. Ms. Murray, Mr. Tanglis, and myself will be logged in and available throughout the school day. If a student needs to be reset, just email any of us and we will take care of it immediately. 

Normally, we do not allow students to take tests at home. However, under the circumstances, we will unlock tests so students can do them at home.  In doing so, we are trusting that students will NOT USE GOOGLE OR ANY OTHER SEARCH ENGINE TO LOOK UP TEST ANSWERS. If a student is having issues passing test, simply email any of the teachers and we will do our best to help you via email. 

Students that are in Ms. Murray's blended English classes will be expected to read and complete their quarterly Independent Reading Assignment. If students left their book at the Academy, they can pick it up on Monday between 10-2. If they are unable to pick it up, please email me and I will make arrangements to bring it to them.  Students are expected to read their book and complete this form . All of Ms. Murray's Blended English students will report on their book on Monday, March 30th ( the day we report back to school).  We are currently working on emailing Mr. Tanglis' math videos out to students so they can continue working as well. I will send out more information early next week. Any student in need of a chrome book please reach out to me ASAP and I will work with our IT department to obtain a device so you can use it over the next 2 weeks. 

As I said, our students are in the best possible position to succeed during this situation. Now, it is up to all of us, students, teachers, and families to be sure students are taking advantage of this opportunity to get their work done. I am always available for questions or concerns so please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. Please, all be safe and smart in the coming days. I wish everyone good health and I look forward to seeing you all very soon. 

Mr. B

It's Almost Spring!!!

I hope everyone has has been able to get back into the swing of things after February break. We have a lot happening around here and I want to make sure everyone is caught up. 

Parents Night:

Parents night is on, Thursday March 12th from 6-8 pm at the Academy. This is a great opportunity to speak to your child's teacher. We hope to see you there! 

Grades:
As we begin to countdown the end of the school year, many of our students are in the process of trying to finish up all of their classes in order to participate in graduation in June. If you have any questions, please log into the ASPEN portal or call Mr. Bedard if you have any questions. Students need to accumulate 115 credits along with passing 4 years of English, 3 years of History & Math, 2 Years of Science, 3 semesters of Gym and 40 hours of community service. Please to come in on parents night if you have any great concerns. 

North Shore Community College:

Back in January, a representative from North Shore Community College came to the Academy and conducted on site admissions to the college. Students that attended that session were admitted into the college during the meeting. We will follow up with a field trip to the campus on Thursday, March 19th for placement testing. It is important that all students expecting to go to NSCC come on this trip and perform well on this test. Our teachers will begin preparing the students for this test over the next few weeks.

Community Service:

Reminder that all seniors are required to complete 40 hours of community service in order to graduate. We have completed well over 50 this year alone. However, there are few new students that have not been here to begin the year that need to make sure this is complete. This is a GRADUATION REQUIREMENT AND MUST BE COMPETE IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.

We are in the process of scheduling several other trips before the year is over .

Academy Graduation: 

The Academy graduation will be held on Friday, June 12th at 10 am. This is a great event and I hope to see you all there. 

I hope you all stay warm over the next few weeks. Spring is right around the corner!!

Mr. Bedard

Half Way Home!!!!

Well, we made it. We are now more than halfway through the 2019-20 school year! The students have accomplished so much and have lots to be proud of. For our seniors, the clock is now ticking as we head into the final countdown until the big day, GRADUATION!!  Here are some things we have to look forward to.

Report Cards:
Report Cards were uploaded to ASPEN last week and are available for you to look at. Being at the halfway point, students should have completed the 5 courses they were enrolled into on the first day of school. This means that they should have completed 25 credits of coursework. Unfortunately, there are still a few students that have not completed these courses. It should be of great importance that they spend time after school or at home working towards finishing these classes. Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

Cap & Gown/ Graduation:
Seniors will be visiting Peabody High School on Thursday 2/6 to get measured for their cap & gown. PVMHS graduation is on Friday, June 5th while ours is on Friday, June 12th.

Scholarships:
The Simon Youth Foundation Scholarship application is due on Friday, February 14th. We have provided students the opportunity to apply for the scholarship during school time. However, there are not to many students that have completed the application. If your child is planning on attending any college or trade school next year, I would encourage them to complete the application. It could be easy money!

February Break:
A reminder that February begins on Saturday, February 15 and ends Sunday February 23!

Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions. 

Mr. B

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year! I hope everyone was able to stay warm over the last few weeks. We have lots to anticipate this new year. I hope this will bring you all up to speed. 

Community Service:

Our blanket drive for Childrens Hospital was a huge success. We didn’t quite meet our goal. However, we finished with just under 100 blanket kits! The students really enjoyed putting them together and did a really nice job with the project. I have posted pictures on all of our social media outlets, check them out! Thanks to the many people that donated a blanket for the cause. We also had a chance to visit the Torigian Life Center and spent time serving lunch to the senior citizens in the community at their annual Holiday Party. It was a great event and the Senior’s really enjoyed the company of our students.

Graduation:

Believe it or not, that time of year is vastly approaching! Peabody Veterans Memorial High School’s graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, June 5th at 5 pm. Our Ceremony will be the following Friday, June 12 at 10 am here at the Northshore Mall. We have many guest speakers and as always, the students all have a chance to be valedictorian! We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the ceremony! 

Armed Forces Testing:

On Thursday, February 13th, we will be administering the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) exam to interested students. The ASVAB exam is part of a Career Exploration Program that can help you take the steps towards finding a career that is right for you. You can benefit from the ASVAB exam whether you plan to go to college, join the military or enter the workforce. There is NO COST to take the exam. If any student is  interested in taking the ASVAB exam, please see or contact Mr. Bedard. Students must sign up for the exam by Wednesday, Feb 6th

Mid Terms/Finals:

On January 21-24, students at Peabody High School are scheduled to take their mid term examinations. Here at the Academy, Students are expected to be finishing their classes or Taking their Final Exam. If you have not been doing so, Please look at the weekly emails from Edgenuity and see where your child's progress is. If they are behind, please encourage them to either stay after school with the teachers and/or do some work at home.

Scholarships:

Just another reminder that students at the Academy have the opportunity to apply and receive many different scholarships. One of these is exclusively for Academy students. the Simon Youth Foundation, the organization that has partnered with Peabody High School to offer this program, offers a scholarship program just for us. Students can receive up to $36,000.00 for college. Each of the last 9 years, we have at least one recipient of this type of scholarship at graduation. Students can apply now for one of these scholarships at: http://syf.org/scholarships/  .  The Deadline is vastly approaching ( February 15th).  I encourage all seniors planning on attending any 2-4 years school to apply for the scholarship.