Our Durfee Students are SOOOOOOOOO excited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Field trip on 5/20/16)!

Happy Friday, Fine and Performing Arts Family!
   This week, we have been bustling in the fine and performing arts classrooms, preparing for end of year events such as concerts and/or art shows...  Senior students at Durfee High School are preparing for their last week of school with final exams ahead, and 8th graders at Morton, Kuss, Doran and Talbot are heading into their last month with you!  Elementary students are preparing for end of year festivities and the excitement is difficult to hide!  
   The Durfee Fine and Performing Arts Staff met on Wednesday at the Fall River Historical Society for a change of scenery and a little inspiration..  It's always nice at this time of year to take time to take in new ideas, new environments and meet new future prospective professional friends!  We met with one of the guides who showed us a sample of what is available for view- paintings, artifacts and other objects of historical significance.  Teachers, please continue to consider tapping into this historically rich resource as you begin thinking about next year's curriculum mapping!
   Finally, congratulations go out to Ms. Heather Periera at the John J. Doran Community School, as she is one of 64 educators across the country who have been awarded the 2016 Ezra Jack Keats Mini-Grants.  $270.00 has been awarded to her for her creative project, and I commend her for her hard work and insight in preparing this grant proposal!  Yay Heather!

Evaluation Nuts and Bolts:

• Many of you will be meeting with me next week for your summative evaluation.  I thank you for uploading evidence one week prior to these meetings, and choosing evidence that are the best sources to support your standards and goals.  These artifacts will serve as springboards in our conversations as we discuss your progress in achieving Student Learning Goals and Professional Practice Goals.  
• The summative meeting window was from 5/16 to 5/27 and the formative (for two year plans) is from 6/1 to 6/10.  I have scheduled meetings with the Durfee, Itinerant and Kuss Fine and Performing Arts teachers.  Please let me know if you have any questions prior to heading into these meeting times.
• I truly enjoy sitting with you and listening to you discuss your practice- both your challenges and your accomplishments, as these details are what will help me form my professional development for next year.  As you conclude the year and reflect on what you would like to learn more about, implement or focus on for next year, I am taking note so that my planning can be more informed.

The BMC Durfee Band, Orchestra and Chorus participated in the 2016 High Note Festival, an adjudicated festival where they performed with hundreds of other students from districts across New England, and guess what?!  They received a SUPERIOR RATING.  This is the highest rating one can achieve in this adjudicated festival.  

June Monthly Meetings: 

• 6/2/16- Elementary Music- 3:45 at Durfee
• 6/9/16- Elementary Art- 3:45 at Durfee
• 6/16/16- Middle School Art, Music and Theater- 3:45 at Tequila Lime 

Agenda:

• Due to evaluation deadlines and meetings, I will not be able to attend the Talbot and Kuss CPT for the week.  I will be back on schedule the following week.  
• Monday: School Committee Meeting
• Tuesday: Senior Awards Night at Durfee- 6PM
• Wednesday: Kuss Concert- 7PM
• Thursday: Durfee PLC- not meeting formally this week (eval week)
• Friday: Itinerant meeting- 12:30

Have a wonderful weekend!

Jackie