Grey Matters
A weekly blog by RJ Grey's principal Andrew Shen

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October 2018 - Posts

Hi Everyone,


I had originally intended to begin this week’s edition of Grey Matters with a whole host of fun and playful Halloween and Red Sox-themed information and commentary.  Tempting as it was to stick to the original plan, I’m convinced it would have been fairly tone deaf, if not negligent, of me if I failed to prioritize the seemingly never-ending sequence of headlines from last week describing the latest and devastating series of hate-filled violence in our country.  It feels important to offer at least an acknowledgment about its impact on members of our community and a few thoughts about what our kids might think, wonder, know, or think they know about all of this.  


Maurice Stallard and Vickie Lee Jones, two African Americans, were shot and killed at a grocery store in Kentucky by an alleged gunman motivated by racial hatred.  Then there was the series of pipe bombs being sent by mail to prominent Democratic politicians and other outspoken public figures.  And then on Saturday, a man with known anti-Semitic beliefs entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh and killed 11 congregants and wounded several others. The one-after-the-other sequence of incidents of the past week are surely upsetting and heartbreaking to most of us, and I also want to recognize that there are those within our community for whom those incidents understandably land more directly, personally, and painfully, and where the result is a deepening feeling of vulnerability.  


I have little doubt that our kids are quite aware of these incidents, and many are likely exposed to all manner of storylines and competing theories (and conspiracies) propagated online and through social media. To believe otherwise would be naive on our part. To also hope that they can, on their own, make sense of the history, political posturing, and trauma that orbits these types of moments would, in my opinion, be a phenomenal mistake on the part of adults.  A hope that I do have, and that I’d like to think is a realistics one, is that members of our community share the belief that both parents and educators alike have the important responsibility of modeling for our children the behaviors that we hope they will adopt and practice. It’s crucial for them to hear messages of acceptance and pluralism in all different settings, including at home and in school. At school, we will continue to devote ourselves to the goal I shared with RJ Grey families a few years ago, which is helping students elevate beyond the notion of mere tolerance and develop an ability to exercise and model empathy, compassion, and sincere acceptance.  We pursue this work through our daily engagement with students and through the curriculum. Our 7th and 8th grade Social Studies curriculum is not the only arena where we advance this goal, but it certainly continues to serve as an anchor in this endeavor. This year, our efforts will, among other activities and lessons, include an assembly for 8th grade students that will feature speakers from the local Muslim community that will complement classroom discussions about Islam. We are also grateful that Janet Applefield, a Holocaust survivor, will again be visiting RJ Grey this year, and speaking to the entire 7th grade about her personal experiences and making direct connections to the themes and messages described above.  As part of this year’s anti-bullying mini-workshops, lessons about homophobia and homophobic language will be included thanks to the hard work and advocacy of students in our Common Ground student group.  While there is likely a diversity of opinions within our community when it comes to the many topics dominating the national and political landscape, I hope that the goals and expectations I have articulated above are ones that you accept and endorse as important for all of our students.  Thank you for the efforts you’ve already made towards this work, and for the ones that you will take moving forward.


Ok, deep breath. I’m going to make an abrupt pivot here and return to what one might consider “regularly scheduled programming” since there are still a number of updates that need to be shared.  I hope the transition isn’t too jarring or awkward for everyone. I’ll save the Red Sox and trick-or-treating-themed material for next week since I think they’ll still be relevant and timely, and that conversation may even benefit (hopefully) from a favorable conclusion to the World Series.


Halloween Dress Up Day is this Wednesday and we’re looking forward to the parade of costumes that will likely enter the building.  Please remember that participation is completely optional and the rate of student (and teacher) participation is typically around 50%, so no student should feel compelled to come in a costume.  During any costume planning, please continue to help your child keep in mind that we must avoid including props that mimic weapons (swords, firearms, knives, etc.), clothing that includes profanity and/or might be overly revealing or minimalist in nature, and no masks (we need to see your faces!).  It’s a great tradition, and we all look forward to a fun and spirited day.


The RJ Grey cafeteria staff is looking for input from our students. Jean Tibbetts, the Cafe Manager, and Kirsten Nelson, the Food Service Director, would like to partner with about 20 students, and meet monthly to discuss the lunch menu. They have set aside the following dates to meet with students: November 14th, December 12th, January 16th and February 13th at 2:40 in the small cafe. This is a chance for students to give input into what they like, to let them know if there is something they would like Food Services to offer, as well as the occasional taste testing session where new items may be introduced. If your child is interested in participating please email [email protected].  Your child can earn community service time for these sessions.  


Here are additional reminders and update for the next few weeks:


A friendly reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 6 for our District’s Professional Learning Day.  On the evening of November 6, Peter Light will be holding a forum for Junior High and High School parents/guardians where he hopes to provide an opportunity for you to offer ideas and perspective about our schools and priorities for the next few years.  This session is open to any Junior High and High School parent/guardian and will be held in the Junior High Library at 7pm.  


I shared a save-the-date in mid-September for an event with Dr. Sharon Maxwell who will be presenting “Who's Raising Our Kids? Nurturing Human Values in a Digital World”, focusing on the impact that “digital saturation” is having on how our children think about themselves, and how it’s changing the way children socialize and communicate. This districtwide event will be held in the RJ Grey Auditorium on Monday, November 5 from 7:00 to 9:00pm and is open to all members of the A-B community.


There is also NO SCHOOL on Monday, November 12 for Veteran’s Day.


Now that Winter is soon approaching, it is time to think about dusting off those skis and

snowboards. Ski and Board Club will start Tuesday, January 8, 2019. It will run for 6 weeks on Tuesdays. If your child would like to sign up for the club,​ have them ask for a Ski/Board Club packet at the main office.  Please direct any questions to the club advisor, Lana Paone ([email protected]).  The deadline for registration is December 15.  


This week we are concluding the Fall season for our school sports programs.  Congratulations to our Field Hockey, Soccer, and Cross Country teams on a great season - both individually and collectively. We hope the students who participated in these programs found it to be a worthwhile experience.  As we prepare to enter the Winter season, I wanted to provide a few friendly reminders about extracurricular activities. First, our Winter sports program includes Boys and Girls Basketball teams (with separate teams for 7th and 8th grade), and Cheerleading. The tryout schedule will be posted within the next few weeks with start dates planned for shortly after the Thanksgiving Break. Starting this summer, we have shifted to an online signup for our athletic teams using a site called FamilyID.  This process has taken the place of the paper “Green Forms” but still requires submission of an updated physical. You can view the tryout schedule (when it’s up) and review the FamilyID process on the Athletics page of our website.  For students who participated in a Fall sport and might now have a bit more time after school, we encourage them to consider joining one of our extracurricular clubs and activities.  Students are welcome to join these programs throughout the year and can review the many options by visiting the Clubs and Activities page of our website.  


We have, unbelievably enough, already reached the point in the year where some of our RJ Grey students and families are exploring private schools as options for next year, and I’d like to re-send the following note that I share each year:  Our Counseling Office works with families on the application process, and they have created a number of documents and guides to assist families.  You can download the following information by clicking on the following links: (1) Private School Application Procedures; (2) Private School Tracking Form; (3) Consent for Release of Student Records; (4) Activity and Employment Record.  These documents will also be posted on our RJ Grey website shortly.  One aspect of the application process that I’d like to highlight is the writing of teacher/counselor recommendations.  Our teachers and counselors are happy to support students in their applications, and take seriously the crafting of a recommendation.  With that in mind, we ask that families honor the request that teachers be approached about letters of recommendation at least 4 weeks in advance of when those letters are due.  In many situations, parents initially reach out to teachers on behalf of their child, which is perfectly fine.  It’s also important for the student to speak in person with their teachers about their interest in private schools.  This is valuable for a few reasons. First, hearing a bit more about the student’s interest in the schools to which they are applying gives the teacher a better sense of what might be useful to include in the letter.  Secondly, having a teacher find recommendation forms on her desk without any prior explanation from a student or parent is never the ideal way to start the conversation about a recommendation. By no means are teachers and counselors expecting students to feel indebted to them for writing a letter, and forever genuflect whenever they enter the room. However, speaking directly to the teacher is, I think, central to showing an appropriate level of appreciation for this additional task the students are asking their teacher to complete on their behalf.  If you think your child may be a bit nervous with this task, you might encourage them to speak with the counselor, who can offer some tips and even help them practice. Your child’s counselor is also, in general, a great resource for various aspects of the application process.


Finally, Poetry Fridays took place at the end of last week.  Last week’s selection was “Waitingby American short story writer and poet Ray Carver.  Click here if you’d like to read the poem.  


Have a great week, everyone.  


Cheers,

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Posted by ashen  On Oct 28, 2018 at 7:31 PM
  

Hi Everyone,


Most of the time I had this weekend that wasn’t spent planning how I’ll spend my soon-to-be $1.6 billion Mega Millions lottery winnings (my lifelong irrational belief that I am destined to win the lottery is a subject for a different Grey Matters) was actually spent thinking about raising, and living with, teenage boys.  The mental headspace I devoted to this topic was mostly due to the teenage boy who currently resides in our house and the time spent this weekend watching him socializing with a few of his friends, all of whom are also 8th grade boys.  I took my son and four of his friends to Witch’s Woods at the Nashoba Ski area on Saturday night and I treated the car rides, the pizza dinner, and brief moments when they interacted with me in a public setting, as reconnaissance to gather more intelligence (and maybe become slightly more intelligent) about my son’s world as he currently sees it.  Given that they also attended a school dance the evening prior, I might have also been hoping to score a few nuggets of information about anything that might have transpired there. My earlier attempts to ask aggressively worded and confusing questions like, “so how was the dance?” didn’t get me very far. While I was able to confirm the tendency to still take exaggerated pleasure in foolish moments (which I really like about them), and unapologetic about bodily functions that involve noise and smell (don’t like as much about them), I wasn’t terribly successful with getting anything more substantive. Or perhaps I did witness something of importance but didn’t understand any of the coded language to know what was said in my presence.  And then there were the three hours I spent completely solo at Witch’s Woods, except for the briefest of moments later in the evening when my firstborn rushed up to me and breathlessly said “Dad, I love you need money.”  But I digress. Back to the subject at hand, my recent efforts to observe and engage in a bit of well-intentioned eavesdropping on my son and his friends reminded me of a few articles and pieces about adolescent development that I’ve shared with families in previous years and wanted to offer again for those whose curiosities about our kids overlap with mine.  First, here is this article in the Wall Street Journal entitled, “What Parents of Early Teen Boys Need to Know”.  This article spent time looking at which skills develop more slowly in boys, and where they may demonstrate certain strengths earlier on.  Additionally, it offered a bit of initial insight into ways parents can offer some guidance and modeling in areas related to language, attention, and empathy (including something called mentalizing).  And secondly, I am re-sharing an article in the Washington Post that I highlighted at the start of this year that offers suggestions for how parents (and guardians) can stay connected and engaged with their teenage sons.


The Wall Street Journal article has often reminded me of the work of Dr. Abigail Baird who visited Acton-Boxborough a few years ago.  Dr. Baird teaches at Vassar and conducts research on adolescent brain development. I really like Dr. Baird because she has a way of presenting information on adolescent brain development (and explaining behaviors) in a way that is accessible and relatable.  She’s also a diehard Red Sox fan so she must currently be enjoying the playoffs as much as the rest of us. By the way, thanks for the “congratulations” I received last week when my personal Red Sox playoff curse was broken.  I am hoping that we’ll be able to invite Dr. Baird back for a return visit, and in the meantime for those of you interested in this topic can watch this video of an interview that she did with Lisa Kudrow of “Friends” fame (and a Vassar alum). They spend time talking about the interplay between emotions and decision making and a whole host of other really interesting topics - including some important differences in how boys and girls develop during adolescence. The interview is a bit long (about an hour) but if you’ve got the time it’s one of those videos that I have personally viewed several times, and might watch again soon in an effort to decode some of this weekend’s observations.    

Ok, now for some reminders about the next few weeks:


School pictures will be distributed to students at the start of this week. We have 
scheduled a picture retake day for this Tuesday, October 23rd.  If your child ordered a photo package and you would like to retake the photo, please have your child bring in the original package on that day (and to come dressed for the re-take!).  If your student missed Picture Day earlier this year, this is also the time for him or her to have a photo taken.  Even if you don’t have plans to order a photo package, it is important to have everyone’s photo taken so they will be included in this year’s yearbook.  


Halloween is a week from Wednesday.  A friendly reminder that dressing in costume is optional and that not all students (nor staff) participate, so each individual should feel comfortable making the choice that’s right for that student.  If your student does choose to arrive in costume, please be sure to review the expectations that I shared with families in last week’s Grey Matters.


I shared a save-the-date in mid-September for an event with Dr. Sharon Maxwell who will be presenting “Who's Raising Our Kids? Nurturing Human Values in a Digital World”, focusing on the impact that “digital saturation” is having on how our children think about themselves, and how it’s changing the way children socialize and communicate. This districtwide event will be held in the RJ Grey Auditorium on Monday, November 5 from 7:00 to 9:00pm and is open to all members of the A-B community.  


A reminder for 8th grade families that tomorrow morning 8th grade students will be attending a presentation by the organization Minding Your Mind as an opportunity to remind and expand our students’ familiarity with signs and symptoms of depression and suicidal thinking, and reinforce the message that our students can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of taking to a responsible adult about their concerns.  


I wanted to take a moment to highlight (and thank) ABSAF,  a community-based organization that has a long-standing partnership with the schools, and have made efforts every year to raise funds that support extracurricular activities at both RJ Grey and the high school.  Without fail ABSAF has helped both schools with their ability to provide a wide-range of rich and meaningful programs that span athletics, performing arts, and student interest clubs. One of the main ways that families can and do support ABSAF is by purchasing an annual ABSAF Pass which entitles you and your immediate family to free admission to many extracurricular events that involve an entry fee.  Some examples of events where an ABSAF Pass gives you free admission are home athletic events (except postseason games), and the annual musical/theatrical productions at both RJ Grey and the high school.  They’ve recently completed their annual phone-a-thon (photo above), and recently posted a Fall update that you can view here.  To learn more about ABSAF and its history of support for our school, you can visit their site by clicking here.


Speaking of clubs and activities, I wanted to briefly profile and celebrate Creating Change, one of our new clubs this year that blends visual art with community service.  Their first project of the year included leaving little notes for anyone and everyone at RJ Grey to find.  The notes are meant to be a “source of happiness and a general mood lifter” and students or staff who came across a note were encouraged to take it as a little gift that hopefully added a bit of color to what might otherwise have been an ordinary Wednesday.  An important reminder, especially as we get closer to the conclusion of the Fall sports season, that students are welcome to join any of our clubs and activities throughout the year. New members are encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting of a club to see if it might be a match for their interests.  You can review the list of clubs and activities here.  


Several years ago, we began a small recognition program called “Everyday Leaders” as one way for us to celebrate and put a brighter spotlight on students who, in a variety of ways, demonstrates leadership through daily acts of kindness, enthusiasm, and being respectful towards peers and teachers. Twice a trimester, our teams (and each grade’s exploratory, elective, and physical education teachers) identify a student who they have observed modeling some element of good citizenship within their classes and team. Every year, the cohort of students who are identified by the teachers is incredibly diverse in terms of the qualities that are being celebrated.  Sitting next to students who are more comfortable with the spotlight, there are always many students whose kindness and contributions present themselves in less obvious and nuanced ways. This past Thursday, I met with our first group of Everyday Leaders for a small lunch in the main office - this lunch actually doubled as an opportunity for our new Superintendent to connect with current RJ Grey students and learn more about the Junior High from the perspective of a few students. Congratulations to the following students who were part of this first group: Jackson Chandler, AJ Korka, Josie Hanlon, Eduardo da Matta, Sophie Pearo, Taylor Lammey, Evan Couke, Nate Lubets, Zachary Parodos, Emma Harrington, and Bobby Elliott.  


Have a great week, everyone.


Cheers,

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Posted by ashen  On Oct 21, 2018 at 6:33 PM
  

Hi Everyone,


Those that know me well know that in most situations I tend to be a fairly risk-averse kind of person.  I’m not much of a gambler nor do I have the stomach to go all-in on high-risk/high-reward types of endeavors.  However, for reasons I can’t quite explain, I am going to throw caution to the wind this evening and attend Game 2 of the American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and the Houston Astros.  This is despite the now documented history of my personal losing streak related to attending Red Sox playoff games, and the fact that David Price is once again scheduled to pitch in the game I plan to attend tonight.  I mentioned my plans to Mrs. Frey (our Executive Director of Main Office Affairs) and let’s just say that if the Red Sox lose tonight, I’m in for a giant helping of “you’re a giant fool” looks from the Main Office staff on Monday morning.  My current thinking is that between Mr. Price and I, one of us is due for a change in luck since streaks like these are meant to be broken. Famous last words, I know.  If his and my streak are both extended by a loss on Sunday evening, it might inspire me to divert my energy and attention to the growing industry of esports, which is the term to describe organized competitive video gaming.  The photo to the right is actually from a competitive video gaming tournament where the stadium was filled to capacity with spectators who went to watch contestants play video games. Perhaps some of you are much more familiar with this growing sector (that of course also has a money-making element to it).  I hadn’t really read much about esports until a few weeks ago when I received an email from a company that was inviting local school principals to attend a presentation about creating/joining interscholastic esports leagues. Perhaps I shouldn’t be entirely surprised given my kids’ fixation on multiplayer video games, but the degree to which esports programs have found a home in colleges and secondary schools was a bit startling.  I started scouring the internet to learn a bit more and found numerous articles about public schools (mostly high schools) throughout the country joining state association-sanctioned leagues for esports, including 25 high schools in Massachusetts.  While I declined the invitation to attend the presentation about competitive gaming leagues, I do get the impression that I’ll need be prepared in the not-too-distant future to better understand this rapidly growing and evolving sector of youth-focused competitions.  Even if I gain a better understanding and even an appreciation for esports, it is more than likely that I’ll still reach a point each month where I look at my own childrens’ XBox console and picture what it would look like floating in the middle of the family pool.


Here are some reminders and notes for the next few weeks:


We have scheduled a picture re-take day for Tuesday, October 23.  If your child ordered a photo package and you would like for to re-take the photo, please have your child bring in the original package on that day (and to come dressed for the re-take!).  If your student missed Picture Day earlier this year, this is also the time for him or her to have a photo taken. Even if you don’t have plans to order a photo package, it is important to have everyone’s photo taken so they will be included in this year’s yearbook.  

We have recently received a few more
donations of tissue boxes from RJ Grey families, thank you!  As the weather gets a bit chillier and we have more and more runny noses at school, our need for tissues will likely increase.  If and when you’ve got an extra box or two lying around, we’d certainly welcome ongoing donations for our classrooms.  


It’s a few weeks away, but a friendly reminder that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 6 for our District’s Professional Learning Day.  On the evening of November 6, Peter Light will be holding a forum for Junior High and High School parents/guardians where he hopes to provide an opportunity for you to offer ideas and perspective about our schools and priorities for the next few years.  This session is open to any Junior High and High School parent/guardian and will be held in the Junior High Library at 7pm.  


The District’s Late Bus program continues to provide a transportation option for those who participate in after school activities and we’re pleased that it’s been a helpful resource/option for a number of our families.  With the Winter season on the horizon, new activities, sports programs and other after-school opportunities might be on your child’s radar. If the Late Bus might be something you want to consider, you can click here for the original letter and list of stops that are part of the two Late Bus routes.  


Early next week, we will be emailing to families mid-trimester interims.  For those new to RJ Grey, a brief explanation.  “Interims” is the term that we use for what others might call “progress reports”, or “warnings”.  Teachers submit interims for any students who might be struggling in their class - this could be based on performances on tests and quizzes, consistency of homework, or other assessments and observations.  In addition, there are a number of teachers who provide interims as a way to update families, and this could also include feedback about how well a student is performing in a particular class. This is all to say that there are number of reasons why you might receive an interim from your child’s teachers (note: you may also not receive anything).  If and when you do receive one, please read the information and comments carefully and consider using it as a way to begin a dialogue with your child.  Please also keep in mind that a letter grade is attached to each interim from a teacher, but that letter grade may or may not represent a significant body of assessments and graded work.  I would encourage you to place greater focus on the narrative that the teacher provides and the areas of concern and suggestions for improvement that are offered. If there is information that you would like clarified, please contact the teacher and begin a dialogue with him or her.  The Fall Trimester does not close until the week of Thanksgiving, so there is plenty of time for students to use this feedback to make adjustments.


Beginning last year the Junior High and High School moved to electronic grading reports.  Interim reports are now sent by email to the parent/guardian contacts listed on your student’s Emergency Card on the parent portal. Given the sensitive nature of these transmissions, we strongly encourage you to review the email addresses you have provided in the parent portal and that the only email addresses listed are for parents/guardians with joint legal, physical, and/or shared custody and who should have access to these records.  For more detailed instructions on how to verify your email, please click here.  


Halloween is a little over two weeks away, and my guess is that many of your children are thinking about possible costumes not only for an evening of trick or treating, but also for our school’s annual Dress Up Day (which is always scheduled for the day of, or around, Halloween).  I’d like to include here my typical overview of our Dress Up Day to help families with any planning that is currently underway.  We have a tradition at RJ Grey where many students (and teachers) choose to attend school dressed up in costumes on the day of Halloween. Our Student Council officers also organize a fun and lighthearted contest where each homeroom nominates a student/costume and the staff will vote for a winner.  We want to emphasize our intention to keep this light-hearted and good-natured, and to showcase student creativity. We do not want anyone to invest money in this activity.  Please also note that not all students and staff --including yours truly--always dress up, which is perfectly fine.  There are always many students who do not come to school in costume.


We do have general guidelines that we expect all students to follow when considering their outfit for the day.  Student costumes must avoid props that mimic weapons (swords, firearms, knives, etc.), and clothing that includes profanity and/or might be overly revealing or minimalist in nature. In addition, we must see our students’ faces throughout the day, so wearing a face mask can not be a part of a costume.  We see a restriction on face masks as a reasonable limitation to address physical safety and the fact that lessons are still being taught! There’s nothing quite like watching a teacher, often dressed in costume as well, providing instruction to a room that includes Mario, Luigi, Harry Potter, a giant bunny rabbit, and Flo the Progressive Insurance spokesperson.  I am asking our parents and guardians to please have a conversation with their children about their costume plans, and to keep the above guidelines in mind.  

Halloween Dress Up Day has always been a fun opportunity for our students (and staff) to be playful and maybe showcase another side of their personality.  Our students have always been thoughtful about the event and it makes for one of the more colorful days of the school year. I’m looking forward to seeing the parade of costumes that enters RJ Grey that morning.  


Finally, we had another edition of Poetry Fridays at the end of last week.  Mr. Malloy read the classic piece by poet William Butler Yeats, “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven” and offered the students a bit of the backstory behind that particular piece.  Click here to read the poem.  


Have a great week, everyone.


Cheers,

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Posted by ashen  On Oct 14, 2018 at 2:16 PM
  

Hi Everyone,


This past weekend the topic of losing, and losing streaks in particular, has been on my mind a bit for reasons that are mostly light-hearted and fun, but also includes one that generated some food for thought related to the world of youth sports.  Starting with the most silly reason I thought about losing streaks this weekend - every year I share through Grey Matters the announcement of that year’s winners of the annual MacArthur Genius Grant.  Here’s a list for this current year’s recipients and a description of their notable deeds and pursuits.  And every year I also tell myself and all of you (completely in jest if you had any doubts) that I was probably once again choice #26 for a prize awarded to 25 individuals and lamenting aloud what I could have done at and for RJ Grey with the no-strings $625,000 check that accompanies the prize.  Shifting to a losing streak that is actually real and a bit painful, but still not terribly important in the grand scheme of things, is my personal experience with attending postseason Red Sox games at Fenway. This past Saturday I had the good fortune to attend Game 2 of the ALDS series between the Red Sox and Yankees. This was the fourth postseason Red Sox game I’ve now attended and the Red Sox have now lost all four of those games (the first was in 2003 in the game where Pedro Martinez grabbed then 72-year old Don Zimmer by the face and threw him to the ground).  If the Red Sox make it through this series, I’ll actually have the chance to attend a game during the League Championship series and I am giving serious thought to staying home for the sake of Red Sox Nation.  Then again, my personal playoff losing streak doesn’t compare to Red Sox pitcher David Price’s now record-setting and more significant playoff woes, where the game I attended on Saturday was his 9th straight postseason loss.  Another, and my favorite, story of “loss” this weekend was about the recently auctioned off painting by anonymous street artist Banksy.  Immediately after one of his Girl with Balloon pieces was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $1.4 million, the piece “self-destructed” in front of the entire room of bidders by way of a shredder that was apparently hidden within the frame (see above photo to the right).  When I read the news story, I immediately wondered if the anonymous buyer gets a refund. But as the New York Times notes, the shredding prank may actually serve to elevate the value of the piece itself, along with other future Bansky pieces.  So maybe not really a loss after all for the buyer.


And finally, a story that I’ve been following recently and wanted to share is about parents in St. Louis who sued their school district when their son did not make the school’s soccer team.  Unlike the previous playful items I’ve discussed above, I mention this story because I think it offers some opportunity for ongoing self-reflection about the world of youth sports - an arena in which many of us within the community are deeply invested and entrenched.  Case in point: I know that Melisa’s and my weekend of dividing and conquering eight youth sports matches/tournaments was likely very similar to how many of you spent your time. The decision by the parents in St. Louis to file a lawsuit over their son’s soccer tryouts can probably still be considered on the extreme end of parental responses to this kind of “loss”, and I wonder how many of us aren’t shocked by the story.  The arguments and feelings presented by all involved (the parents, the school, the coach) that are described within the article will, I predict, seem fairly familiar to many of us and speaks to the intensity and high-stakes nature that has been attached to youth sports and represents competing ideas about what’s in the best interest of kids. This a larger topic with a lot of layers and probably a longer conversation for another time, and I wanted to pass along the article as something you might consider discussing when sitting on the sidelines with other parents and guardians.  


Here’s a few reminders and updates to keep in mind for the next few weeks:


Interim reports for the Fall Trimester are scheduled to be sent around October 22 or 23.  I will include in next week’s Grey Matters a summary of the intent of interims and what families might expect as part of those forms.  


Halloween is Wednesday, October 31 and so I’ll include a note in an upcoming Grey Matters about our school’s Halloween Dress Up Day tradition.  This will include a reminder about how to help your students enjoy the event (should they choose to participate) while also being thoughtful in their choice of costume/outfit.


Remember that this week RJ Grey is serving as a drop-off location for bath towels and hand towels that you want to donate to Household Goods of Acton, an organization that provides a full range of donated furniture and household items, free of charge, to help people in need make a home. Household Goods is hoping that members of our community can help them collect enough towels to give to 2,500 families this year. Throughout this week you can bring gently used towels to RJ Grey and drop them off in the collection bins located in our front lobby.  For more information about Household Goods, you can visit them at 530 Main Street in Acton, or view their website at householdgoods.org.


Students from 8 Gold are sponsoring a bake sale this Friday, inspired by their "In the News" question last week. The bake sale will support UNICEF's tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia, including reuniting children with their families and providing food and water to those in need.  All items at Friday's bake sale will cost $1, and there will be gluten free and nut free options available.


A quick correction from last week’s Grey Matters.  Our current Artist of the Month is Mariana Maranga - I incorrectly listed Mariana’s first name.  Apologies and congrats (again), Mariana!


Tomorrow morning, parents and guardians of 8th grade students will be getting an email from me about an upcoming assembly on October 22 that is intended to strengthen our efforts in the area of suicide prevention and education.  Along with continuing the Signs of Suicide lesson and screening in 7th grade, we are planning to include this presentation by the organization Minding Your Mind as an opportunity to remind and expand our students’ familiarity with signs and symptoms of depression and suicidal thinking, and reinforce the message that our students can help themselves or a friend by taking the simple step of taking to a responsible adult about their concerns.  When you receive the email tomorrow (8th grade parents/guardians), I would appreciate your taking a few minutes to read and review.




Finally, I want to continue to highlight for families our ongoing work to provide meaningful outdoor spaces at RJ Grey for our students and staff.  Two years ago we converted one of our inner courtyards into a space that is now the site of eight raised beds where our students have helped us plant and harvest a variety of items ranging from arugula and cherry tomatoes, to kale and carrots.  We’re continuing to find ways that our students can be involved in the garden as part of their classroom and extracurricular experiences. In addition to the garden, we are thrilled that the inner courtyard now has a “Zen Garden” that was designed and built entirely by 8 Red Science teacher Andy Thompson. Andy and I admittedly took the “if you build it, they will come approach” and hoping that teachers will bring students to this space when being outside can offer a bit of extra inspiration, or just a bit of calm, while finishing a book, starting a journal entry, or sketching a design for an art class.  Many thanks to Mr. Thompson for his vision and physical labor this summer when it came to actually clearing the shrubs, digging the trenches, and building this newest addition to our school landscape.



Have a great week, everyone.


Cheers,

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Posted by ashen  On Oct 08, 2018 at 2:04 PM
  
 
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