Weekly Newsletter | January 21, 2026
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Dear Bromfield Middle School Families,
I want to begin this week’s update with some well-deserved gratitude for two organizations who provide such unbelievable support to our school community: the Harvard PTO and the Harvard Schools Trust. Because of their generosity, our students and staff continue to benefit from opportunities and experiences that meaningfully enrich learning and strengthen belonging across the district - from school-wide performances and author visits, to field trips, classroom resources, and targeted supports for students. This year alone, their grant funding has helped bring incredible experiences to life, including cultural and arts programming, expanded science exploration, new recess and classroom materials, and - something I’ll be sharing more about next week - ongoing work to support inclusivity at TBMS. We are deeply grateful for the time, energy, and investment these two organizations make in our schools, and for the many community members who make their work possible.
Every newsletter includes a section devoted to upcoming PTO events, and this week the Community News & Events section also includes information from the Harvard Schools Trust. If you are able to do so, please consider supporting these two outstanding organizations that do so much for our schools. And, again, thank you to everyone who already contributes time, energy, and resources to strengthen the Harvard Public Schools through these groups.
I also want to highlight an event that I am very much looking forward to: TBMS’s production of High School Musical! Our very talented performers have been working hard in rehearsals since November to put on a wonderful show. Performances will take place Friday, Feb 6, and Saturday, Feb 7, at 7:00 PM, along with a Sunday matinee on Feb 8 at 12:00 PM. Tickets are available now at this link. I will see you there with (at least) two of my own kids!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mr. Daniel Hudder
Bromfield Middle School Principal
Upcoming Events:
Wed, Feb 4 Half day Feb 16-20 February break
Upcoming Celebrations & Observances:
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WEEKLY UPDATES
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SIXTH GRADE
Over the past several weeks in social studies, students researched an ancient Egyptian artifact of their choice. They used their findings to create three components: a digital or visual presentation, a museum-style placard, and a replica model of the artifact. This project challenged students to practice research skills, organize information clearly, and demonstrate their understanding in creative ways.
Students are now presenting their work to their peers, and they have shown strong preparation, confidence, and pride in their work. It has been wonderful to see students explain the historical significance of their artifacts and answer questions from classmates.
Thank you for your continued support at home. Please ask your student(s) about the artifact they researched and what they enjoyed most about the project.
During FLEX class, students will participate in a community-building project designed to promote kindness, responsibility, and connection within our school and the broader community. Students will choose from several activities, such as baking or preparing no-bake treats for faculty and staff, creating motivational messages to start the day on a positive note, crafting items for senior citizens, assisting with school clean-up efforts, or spreading kindness through written compliments. Each activity emphasizes teamwork, empathy, and contributing positively to others. Students will work collaboratively and reflect on how their actions impact the community around them. Overall, this project helps strengthen students’ sense of belonging and connection to their community.
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SEVENTH GRADE
Since returning to school in 2026, seventh grade English students have begun to read The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer. This autobiographical narrative tells the story of William Kamkwamba who, after facing a terrible famine and receiving insufficient education due to an inability to pay secondary school tuition, uses his innate curiosity and intelligence to build a windmill from recycled materials and bring electricity to his village in Malawi, Africa. As we read this inspiring true story, students are working on the literary skills of determining main ideas, identifying nonfiction text structures, and analyzing the author’s use of figurative language. Be on the lookout for a midbook quiz within the next week or so (advanced notice and review will occur in class prior to the assessment).
In flex, students had an opportunity to review with their math classes for their upcoming unit assessment. On Tuesday, the students completed a murder mystery activity where they solved equations to reveal the clues that were then used to complete the “Whodunit” logic puzzle. Additionally, an upcoming activity of note in flex is a first semester jeopardy game where flex rooms will compete in a class jeopardy game to review learning across content areas from first semester. The remaining two flex days this week are earmarked for student academic support.
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EIGHTH GRADE
In science, students have completed Unit #3, “Motion.” Pulling carts in the hallway to find the mass being pulled, making a collision GIF and presenting to classmates Newton’s laws of motion, and walking in front of a motion detector to try to match a line on a distance-time graph were some highlights of the unit. Now we are on to Unit #4, “Density and Buoyancy.” Kids will be making a boat out of Silly Putty to try to prove Archimede’s Principle and disprove a statement in a Bill Nye video about buoyancy. In this unit, some other highlights will be proving Pi does not change for any size circle, the ideal gas law demonstrations, and a Cartesian Diver competition.
There are about 10 grade 8 groups getting ready for the annual Bromfield Science Fair. This fair includes grades 8-12 and will be Friday March 6 open to the public from about 6-7pm.
In Flex, students have been getting STAR testing done to see if skills are improving in math and ELA, and they are improving! Kids are using academic support time well and are maturing as good students. We are looking forward to a great second half of the year.
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UNIFIED ARTS
Digital Literacy
6th Grade just wrapped up their stop-motion videos and we've moved on to Scratch! It's a great introduction to programming because students can see their results instantly. It’s also perfect for our classes because it lets students work at their own comfort level, from beginners to more advanced coders, which has been great to see. We continue to make trips to the library and learn more about Informational Literacy in 6th grade. Ask your student about advanced google searching with Boolean Operators.
Our 7th graders just wrapped up an exciting unit on Artificial Intelligence! Students dove into how AI actually works, discussed the importance of ethics and bias, and discovered the many different ways AI is shaping our world today.
8th grade students completed two units: Website Design and Media Production. Learners studied web design principles and learned how to build custom sites using Google Sites. Then, they transitioned into the world of broadcasting. With professional training from the Harvard TV cable studio and collaboration with our high school counterpart Mrs. Fontaine, students produced future segments for the school's morning news. They managed the entire production cycle - from storyboarding and scriptwriting, to filming with real studio equipment, to final editing and publishing.
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PTO NEWS AND EVENTS
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The PTO supports the whole Harvard Public School community. Even when your children transition to TBMS and TBS, the PTO is still hard at work supporting them! From academic enrichment and classroom resources to student programs and special events, PTO-funded grants make a real impact at every grade level. We invite all school community members to be part of this work. Curious how PTO funds are used? Check out recently funded grants here. Ready to make a difference today? Join the PTO and help continue these valuable programs by becoming a member here. Want to get involved, or have questions? Email info@harvardpto.org
Discounted Ticket Link:
https://www.gofevo.com/event/harvardps
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COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
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Harvard Schools Trust
Each month the Board of Directors for the Harvard Schools Trust (HST) grants funds to the Harvard Public School Community. Since the start of this school year we have granted funds for the following projects in the Harvard Public Schools:
Mobile Cubbies for the Life Skills Classroom, requested by Sammy Barrett Every Rock Has a Story with Ethan Baxter, requested by Tammy Route and Pam Chapman Exploring French Culture Through Art at the Museum of FIne Arts, Boston, requested by Gaelle Serichard-Ward TBMS Inclusivity: Partnership with Jamele Adams, requested by Julie Horton and Dan Hudder Defibrillators for Athletic Program, requested by Katelyn Russell and Dave Boisvert Bromfield FIRST Tech Challenge Team, requested by Julie Burton Field Trip to the Museum of Science, requested by Andrew Wright Harvard Model United Nations Conference, requested by Bryce Mattie TBHS Music Department Hanover Theater Field Trip, requested by Emily Trainor and Sarah Rutkiewicz Nature's Classroom Scholarships, requested by Marie Phillips Field Trip Scholarships, requested by Lauren Crittendon TBHS Faculty Book Study, requested by Kim Murphy Dramatic Play Furniture, requested by Erin Newbould Music with Mr. Vic for the pre-school, requested by Meghan Lowe, Lauren Campeanello, and Samantha Barrett
Our funding comes directly from members and donors. We invite each family in the Harvard Public Schools to become a member and help support enrichment for the young people of Harvard. To become a member, please click here. You can find more information about HST here.
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Scan the QR code or go to www.jostens.com/yearbooks to order your yearbook now. When selecting your school, be sure to select THE BROMFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL for a middle school yearbook. Act now to secure the current sale price of $35. The price will increase to $40 on January 31, 2026, so don’t wait!
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Greetings from the Bromfield Science Department!
Consider being a judge at the 2026 Science Fair. The annual Bromfield Science Fair will take place in person at The Bromfield School, 14 Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard, MA on Friday, March 7 at 3:30 pm. What could be more fun than interacting with some enthusiastic and energetic young scientists on a topic they’re passionate about?
Prior experience is not required; training and guidance will be provided. A background in science is helpful but not essential. What’s more important is a love of learning and an interest in interacting with young scientists. Judging at the science fair requires about 1½ to 2 hours. We ask judges to arrive at 3:00 pm, so we can start with a brief training session. Judging will finish around 5:45 pm, depending upon the number of projects that are in your panel.
If you are interested and available to judge at this year’s science fair, please complete this form (link: https://forms.gle/XnuYJE7xxUzgm7pp8) with your contact information as well as the subjects and grade levels you prefer to judge. We will determine judging assignments based on the number and types of projects and do our best to match your preferences. Please contact Kristen Vanderveen, the Bromfield science department leader, with any questions or changes to your availability.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
The Bromfield Science Department
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Harvard Youth Lacrosse spring registration is open until February 1st!
Girls: In-town ministix for pre-K & K and travel teams for grades 1-6.
Boys: Our boys program is back! After a three-year hiatus, we are thrilled to welcome back boys lacrosse with a new Learn to Play program.
We want every child in Harvard to have the opportunity to try lacrosse, so HYL provides financial aid for those in need. For information and to register please visit: https://harvardlax.org/
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Ticket Link
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The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will be hosting a Webex Webinar Keeping Kids Safe and Secure Online: A Project Safe Childhood Presentation .
The webinar will take place on the evening of Tuesday, February 3, at 6:30 pm in a partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations Digital Forensics/Child Exploitation/Cyber Crime Unit. Advanced registration is required, and the capacity of the Webex webinar platform is 1000. In the event we reach capacity, those who are unable to register can email USAMA.PSCOutreach@usa.doj.gov to be put on the list for the next webinar.
Register link:
https://usao.webex.com/weblink/register/r83f7d49f6565b65bce8bb420f1cfef7c
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THE BROMFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Daniel Hudder, Principal
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| 14 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard MA, 01451 | (978) 456 - 4145 |
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