March 27 Update

 Dear McCall Parents and Caregivers,

 

I hope this message finds you well.  As you know, the student body submitted a petition advocating to amend the Locker Policy to allow for students to choose between using their lockers or their backpacks to me this week.  I am impressed with the fact that the students are taking the initiative to advocate for themselves and to do so with well thought out arguments.  I do not agree with everything that the students brought forth, but I do see this as an opportunity to make sure their voices are heard and to teach them about how to advocate for their needs in manners that are consistent with our processes, policies, and values

 

My thoughts about the petition are as follows:

 

Most of the concerns that the students raised in the petition are those many past students have experienced when they first transitioned to using lockers.  Those concerns include figuring out how to go to and from lockers to retrieve belongings in a time efficient manner, accidentally dropping belongings in the hallways, fitting large amounts of belongings into their lockers, and securing valuables in the lockers.  It is important for all of us to remember that lockers are new to our 6^th and 7^th graders.  Even our 8^th graders who learned how to use lockers two years ago are now out of practice with those skills.  They will need time to adjust, and they will need the teachers and staff to help them negotiate these challenges.  McCall teachers and staff are experienced with these matters, and I am confident they will assist the students now just like they have done prior to the pandemic.

 

Our Handbook currently includes a policy that requires students to store their belongings in their lockers.  Changes to any Handbook policies require the approval of the School Committee.  The process we follow is to first bring any policy change proposal to the School Council.  The Council determines whether to bring the proposal to the School Committee.  The School Committee will determine whether to bring the question up for discussion and then whether to vote to determine if the policy will be changed. 

 

My plan is to meet with the students who initiated the petition right before April Break.  This will give students enough time to adjust to using lockers and for our teachers and staff to help them overcome the challenges they are currently facing with this transition.  If the students inform me at that time that using lockers remains to be a major problem despite the support adults have provided them during these upcoming weeks, I will invite them to attend the April School Council meeting.  The Council can discuss at that time whether to bring this matter to the School Committee. 

 

The students did bring up some good points that we all should consider.  For example, how do we uphold the dignity of students who are biologically female and help them carry around menstruation products during the school day in a discreet manner if they do not have access to backpacks.  My hope is we can all work together to figure out how to better implement the policies that are currently in place instead of reverting back to the ways we always do things without considering students’ concerns or throwing away the policies only to have to endure the problems that they were designed to address such as hallway and classroom congestion.

 

I have written a response to the student’s petition.  It has been emailed to the students, and you can find it here.

 

I know several students who had trouble adjusting to using lockers had figured out how to use them effectively by the end of last week after a few days of practicing.  I am also certain there will be students who will need more time to sort all of this out.  I recommend you reach out to the teachers or the counselors if your student continue to struggle with managing their belongings with the lockers.  I am sure our staff will help your students as I mentioned earlier in this message.

 

Thank you,

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

March 6 Update

Dear McCall Parents and Caregivers,

 

I hope this message finds you well.  As Superintendent Hackett noted in his update sent out this weekend, the District is currently negotiating with the WEA, the teacher union, on the issue of making masks optional.  The day to make that transition has not come yet, so it is important to remind all students that although masking is no longer required in other schools or in other public indoor settings, it is still required when they are in McCall Middle School.

 

Although the decision about the transition to a mask optional learning environment is yet to be made, it appears the move toward that direction will be coming.  Therefore, I would like to share with you this Boston Globe article that I believe does a great job of outlining the complications about this transition for students and their families that you may or may not have considered (please click here). 

 

As the author of the article noted, many students may have little trouble adjusting to a mask optional environment.  However, some students will struggle adapting to yet another change.  I think it is important for adults to check in with their own students to probe their thinking and feeling about this this matter and not assume every child is feeling okay with this transition.  When the time does come for us to move to a mask optional environment, the message my staff and I will emphasize to the students are the following:

 

·      We all have different needs, and we may not completely know or understand what are driving people’s masking decisions.  Therefore, we should all remind our students to refrain from making judgments about other people’s decisions and pressuring them to take steps they do not feel comfortable taking. 

 

·      Our goal is to create an environment where everyone is free to make their own masking decisions.  Our goal is not to make everyone agree with or even fully understand other people’s decisions.

 

·      I also encourage everyone to remind students about the idea of intent versus impact.  For example, I can foresee situations where behaviors such as asking others about their masking decisions were intended to fulfill feelings of curiosity.  However, the way that the questions are asked and the persistent way those questions are being asked may create a negative impact on those who are receiving the questions.

 

Thank you, and I hope I can count on everyone’s support as we transition to yet another “new normal”.

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

February 24 Update

Dear McCall Parents and Caregivers,

 

I write this message with a heavy heart as I watch TV news reports covering the war that is breaking out in Ukraine.  The misery and human suffering that is resulting from this crisis is heartbreaking, and I offer all of you who have connections to Ukraine my best wishes.  Even though we are far away from Eastern Europe, we are still affected in one way or another by this terrible event.  This is particularly the case with our students who may be getting bits and pieces of information about this war from various forms of media and drawing their own conclusions about what may or may not be happening.  My own children are asking questions about the invasion of Ukraine.  Some of them are coming from a place of curiosity such as “What is NATO?” and “What is the Soviet Union?”  Other questions are signs of legitimate worry such as, “Will the US institute a military draft if we get drawn into a war with Russia?” and “Is a nuclear war likely?”  Your children may be having similar thoughts whether they are talking about it or not.  I would like to offer you the following blog post from the organization Common Sense Media which provides good information about how to speak with children at various developmental levels about war, crime, and other violent events.

 

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-violence-crime-and-war

 

It is important to remember middle school aged students will find out information from different sources, and there is always chance what they gathered on their own are incomplete or come from unreliable sources.  Therefore, I encourage you t to check in with your children about what they are thinking and feeling about this event and make sure the information they have is factual.

 

As always, our staff are available to help if you believe we can assist you and your students navigate through what may be difficult conversations.

 

Thank you, and I wish you peace and comfort.

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

February 13 Update

 Dear Parents and Caregivers,

 

I hope you are well.  I would like to share with you some information about our Child Study Team (CST) process.  This process may be called other names such as Student Support Team, Intervention Team, or School Based Problem-Solving Team in other schools and districts.  Despite the different terms used to describe this team and process, the purpose and function are the same.  The goal is to bring together a group of teachers, school administrator, and staff regularly to examine and address problems that may occur with a particular student or a group of students.  The CST process existed at McCall prior to my arrival four years ago, and one of the goals I set for the school is to create a formalized structure focused on data collection for this process to occur.  COVID delayed our progress toward meeting this goal during the last two years, but this year we are able to consistently follow the CST structure we have put in place three years ago.

 

The core team of the CST is comprised of an administrator (i.e, Assistant Principal) who chairs CST meetings, a school psychologist, our school’s Instructional Coach, our school’s Social Emotional Coach, and a consultant who is social worker and advises our staff who works with students with high levels of social emotional and behavioral needs.  A guidance counselor is typically the staff member who becomes aware of a problem with a student.  Therefore, the first step of the CST is for that staff member to bring the case forward to the CST core meeting.  The counselor will bring to the meeting a problem statement that summarizes the student’s struggles and pertinent data related to it.  The data may include, but is not excluded to, student’s current grades, performances on standardized tests, attendance record, and past interventions that have been put in place to support this student.  The core CST members will examine the problem statement and the accompanying data and take one of the two following steps:

 

·      Determine that additional data needs to be gathered and decide what is that data, the appropriate mechanism to gather that information, and who to gather that data.  The CST may also recommend other professionals (e.g., nurses, EL teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist) to consult on the case if the problem matches those colleagues’ expertise.  The team will reconvene and take the step described below.

 

·      Determine an intervention that would support the student and decide what data needs to be collected to determine whether progress is being made.

 

Once an intervention has been put in place, the CST will hold follow up meetings to examine the data collected.  If the problem is resolved or the student is consistently making gains, the case may be closed out.  If no progress is being made or the problem worsens, the CST may make a Special Education evaluation referral or consult other professionals.

 

It is important to note that parents and caregivers will be notified once the initial CST referral is made.  The team members will work collaboratively with the families to address the problem that was put forth for consultation.  The CST will not proceed with any data gathering or intervention if the parents do not consent for the school to do so. 

 

Another frequently asked question about the CST process is its relationship with the Special Education evaluation process.  The school will begin the Special Education testing process based on the timeline and process established by the special education regulations once a parent or caregiver formally requests the school to do so.  The CST process may cease if the Special Education evaluation is going to gather the same information that the CST members recommend to the gathered.  Conversely, the CST may continue alongside the Special Education evaluation process if the CST recommends interventions that can help the student while the evaluation process is proceeding.  CST will not replace the Special Education evaluation process unless the parents request that to happen.

 

The CST is designed not only to support our students, but it is in place to advance the practices of our school, teachers, and staff.  This year several cases that were put to Child Study involved school refusal and school avoidance.  The work of the CST resulted in the determination of several strategies that helped our students who struggle with anxiety to consistently attend school and their classes.  We are in the process of compiling those strategies and intervention in one document that can be used as a “go to guide” for future students who may experience similar struggles.

 

I am pleased with the progress of our CST process, and I am impressed with the work that CST core members have been doing.   I am hopeful that the CST will continue to support our struggling students and also to improve our school and staff’s practices.

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

January 23 Update

Dear McCall Parents and Caregivers,

 

I would like to use this opportunity to discuss the topic of homework because we are at the middle of the school year when the contents of the courses are becoming more rigorous and academic demands are increasing.  The winter and the pandemic may also be wearing on your students, so it may be harder for some to stay motivated on their work.  Therefore, I would like to share some thoughts on this topic in the event that your students are struggling with getting their assignments done.

 

As stated in our Student Handbook, the typical amounts of time students are recommended to be spending doing homework are as follows:

 

6^th graders – 1 to 1 ½ hours per day

7^th graders – 1 ½ to 2 hours per day

8^th graders – 2 to 2 ½ hours per day

 

If your students consistently spend more than the recommended time on homework, it is important for you to communicate with their students’ teachers or guidance counselors to let them know this is happening.  Or better yet, I suggest parents and or caregivers encourage the students themselves to connect with their teachers or guidance counselors that they are spending too much time doing homework if the students are ready to do so.  Please remember our teachers and staff are not at home with your students, so what they are able to observe are the completed assignments not the struggles your students go through to get their work done.

 

When parents and caregivers do discuss their students’ homework completion difficulties with teachers and staff, I have often found that the conversation is focused on how much homework the teachers are assigning per day.  However, there are many factors that may contribute to a student’s homework struggles beside the amount of work that is assigned.  They include the following:

 

• Student does not understand the teacher’s expectation for the assignment.  For example, a teacher asked the class to study for the upcoming test by completing a Study Guide.  The student completed the Study Guide and spent an additional hour studying for the test by reviewing her notes when completing the Study Guide was sufficient. 
  

• Student does not understand the directions for the assignment.  For example, a teacher assigned students to create four Google Slides for a presentation and the inclusion of animated graphics are optional.  The student spent a lot of time focusing on creating the graphics because she thought they were required. 
  

• Student often does his homework in an environment that is full of distractions. 
  

• Student often starts the homework process when she is not in a physical or mental state to be productive.  For example, the student often scheduled her homework time after taking part in extracurricular activities when she is hungry and tired.

 

Since the homework completion issue can be complicated, I suggest all parents collect some data by observing how their students' do their assignments before meeting with the staff to problem-solve through the issue.  Important information for the teachers and staff to know include the following:

 

• What time during the day does your student begin doing his homework?
• What is the environment in which your student is doing his homework?  Are there distraction-inducing elements in that environment?
• How much time does your student spend doing assignments from each subject?  
•  How does your student prioritize the assignments each night?  Does he do the assignments that he finds more challenging first or later in the process?
• How much time does your student spend getting herself organized before starting to do her homework?
• Does your student know where to find the directions for each assignment?
  

 

Homework battles with your students are no fun.  I, as a parent, have experienced them and know firsthand these conflicts can negatively impact the entire family’s emotional well-being.  Our teachers and staff want to help you work through these difficulties.  However, we need your insights into how the homework process in order to make the problem-solving process productive.  I encourage you to gather the information based on the questions I have posed previously to help guide your discussions with our teachers and staff.

 

Thank you,

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

Happy Holidays!

Dear McCall Parents and Guardians,

Many of you are probably feeling like the following right now.

 

I know I do. Holiday stress is real and can take a toll on all of us. Holiday stress compounded by COVID stress can make everything seem overwhelming. One of the consultants who work with the school’s mental health professionals recently told me that the advice he often offers to his clients when they feel overwhelmed is “decrease the expectations and increase the structure”.  A recent poll conducted by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital of the University of Michigan found the following:

"One in five parents (20%) believe their child has unrealistic expectations for the holiday season, while 1 in 4 parents (28%) feel they have unrealistic expectations of themselves. Overall, 20% of the parents acknowledge their own stress negatively affects their children’s enjoyment of the holidays." 

During this time when there are so much going on and things are changing so fast, I think it is important for all of us to remember we don’t have to do everything or fix everything to do right by our children and families. It is important for all of us to adjust our expectations so we are focusing on one or two of the most essential things and forgiving ourselves if we don’t get to the others that are not quite as important.

I would also like to remind everyone not to forget about structure during vacation week. Although a break from school means we don’t have to rush in the mornings and pressure ourselves to get homework done, it is a good idea to still have schedules in place so students are getting enough sleep and good nutrition. I understand household rules like those related to screen time may be relaxed during vacation, but I encourage everyone to maintain structures so your children’s access to digital devices are kept to a reasonable amount and their activities on social media are monitored.

I wish everyone a wonderful break that is focused on rest and rejuvenation. The year 2022 will inevitably be filled with many wonderful events as well as big challenges. I am hoping to see everyone prepared and ready to go after the break, so we can enjoy those wonderful things to the fullest and meet all obstacles that may come our way.


Happy holidays!

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School

December 12 Update

 Dear McCall Parents and Guardians,

 

I hope this email finds you well.  I am reaching out this week to discuss the topic of student behavior.  After a year of hybrid/fully remote education, we are all excited to have all the students back in the building.  Our school felt incomplete when our hallways, cafeterias, and classrooms were eerily quiet due to the fact that only half of the student body was on campus at a time, and none of the students were able to socialize with each other in ways they were used to doing.  Now that we’ve all returned, McCall staff and I are finding out many students have forgotten how to behave appropriately when they are in a more typical school setting after a year of isolation.  Teachers and staff are spending more time addressing student behaviors that they had to manage seldomly prior to last year including behaviors that disrupt our classrooms and hallways.

 

The faculty and I have decided to address these student behavior issues by conducting “Behavior Reset” Assemblies.  Given that we wanted to avoid a large gathering of students for long periods of time, the assemblies involved me Zooming into the Homerooms to discuss student behavior expectations.  The faculty and I also believe running one assembly during which students are lectured about a laundry list of behaviors would not be effective.  Therefore, we decided to run multiple assemblies to be held throughout the year, and each session will focus on one behavior for improvement during a period of two to three weeks.

 

We held one such assembly this past Tuesday during homeroom, so no class time was impacted.  The behavior we targeted was proper mask usage.  Specifically, I spoke to the students through Zoom about the importance of wearing masks in manners that minimize virus transmission.  In addition, I reminded students about proper disposal of used masks and their associated product (e.g., plastic overs that seals in individual disposable masks). 

 

Lastly, I talked to the students about the disciplinary process that is outlined in our Student Handbook – particularly the Progressive Discipline process we implement to address all problematic behaviors.  The Progressive Discipline process involves the adult who initially observes the behavior addressing the matter with the student.  This step usually includes reminders and may involve adults holding conversations with the students to work out a mutually agreeable plan to address the problematic behavior.  The second step if the behavioral issue continues will involve communication with the students’ parents and caregivers so adults at school and home can all work collaboratively to address the issue.  If the interventions mentioned above do not resolve the problem, we will implement more involved disciplinary measures such as meeting with administrators and/or assignment of detentions.

 

It is important to remember that the school may immediately assign disciplinary consequences that are at a higher level of our progressive disciplinary process if the type of offensive is severe – especially if the behavior impacts the safety of other members of the community. 

 

I would like to end this message by emphasizing the fact that the increase in frequency of these problematic behaviors does not mean our students are no longer the kind and well-meaning people that they were prior to the pandemic.  The behavior issues we are observing are natural consequences of last year’s pandemic schooling and the school closure that occurred the year before.  These problems are being felt by all schools across the country, and they are not impossible to solve.  We will address these behavior issues just as we approach teaching and learning.  That is, we set reasonable goals for our students and take incremental steps toward those goals.  As mentioned previously, our objective for next few weeks is to target behaviors related to appropriate mask wearing.  McCall staff and teachers will spend more time focusing on addressing these types of behaviors with the students.  We are hoping we can count on your support by reminding students to bring multiple clean masks to school, wear them appropriately during the school day, and to dispose of all mask related trash appropriately.

 

Thank you,

 

James Lin

Principal

McCall Middle School