Weekly Newsletter | March 4, 2026
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Dear Bromfield Middle School Families,
What an amazing weather day we had today! It seems like only yesterday I was driving home in a horrible snow storm…
Mamma Mia!
The Bromfield Theater Department is hard at work preparing for this year’s spring musical, Mamma Mia!, which will take the stage on March 27 and 28. This year’s production brings together students from grades 6–12, and rehearsals are well underway as the cast, crew, and directors put the finishing touches on what promises to be a joyful, high-energy show filled with great music and lots of fun. I hope you will consider coming out to support our talented students and enjoy a wonderful night of theater at Bromfield!
TBMS MCAS Testing Dates
Below you will find the 2026 Bromfield Middle School MCAS testing schedule. MCAS provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and growth. While we encourage students to approach these assessments with focus and effort, the most helpful things families can do are simple - make sure students get a good night’s sleep, arrive at school on time, and bring their fully charged school device on testing days. Thank you for your support in helping our students feel prepared and confident.
Subject |
Grade(s) |
Date |
ELA Session 1 |
6-8 |
4/14 |
ELA Session 2 |
6-8 |
4/16 |
Math Session 1 |
6-8 |
5/13 |
Math Session 2 |
6-8 |
5/14 |
STE Session 1 & 2 |
8 |
5/21 |
Civics |
8 |
6/4 |
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mr. Daniel Hudder
Bromfield Middle School Principal
Upcoming Events:
Mon, Mar 16 No school Fri, Mar 27 & Sat, Mar 28 TBS production of Mamma Mia! Fri, Apr 3, No school Wed, Apr 8 Half day Fri, Apr 10, 7:00-9:00 PM TBMS Glow Dance (grades 6-8) (NEW DATE) Wed Apr 15 Half day Apr 20-24 April break
Upcoming Celebrations & Observances:
Sun, Mar 8 Daylight Savings Time begins
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WEEKLY UPDATES
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SIXTH GRADE
Over the past few weeks in science, students have been exploring the theory of continental drift and the work of Alfred Wegener. We learned how Wegener proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea and examined the evidence he used to support his ideas, including fossil records, rock formations, and the way continents appear to fit together like puzzle pieces.
Students also investigated the theory of plate tectonics, which explains how Earth’s lithospheric plates move and interact. We discussed the different types of plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, and transform) and the landforms and events they create, such as mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
Finally, we explored convection currents in Earth’s mantle and how the movement of heat within Earth drives plate motion. Through discussions, models, and hands-on activities, students developed a deeper understanding of how Earth’s surface is constantly changing over time.
The sixth-grade team wanted to provide a quick update about the adjustments we’ve made to our FLEX period. With the introduction of TSM (Teacher Support/Missing Work), FLEX has become a more structured and purposeful time in our schedule. This change is helping students stay organized, catch up on missing assignments, and take greater ownership of their learning.
In addition to academic support, students are participating in non-technology brain breaks and are given opportunities for student choice. These structured breaks help students recharge while remaining productive. Most importantly, FLEX now offers increased access to teachers for extra help, homework assistance, or clarification on challenging concepts.
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SEVENTH GRADE
Upon our return to school from February break, we started our fifth biology topic of the year: evolution. The topic of evolution breaks down into two parts: mechanisms and evidence. First we will learn about mechanisms of evolution, focusing on how evolution works by means of natural selection. The second half focuses on evidence for evolution, specifically types of evidence such as fossils and DNA. Labs and activities for this topic include a hands-on simulation of bird beak evolution, building a timeline of major events in the history of life on Earth, observing living examples of biodiversity across the six kingdoms of life with each student participating in one of 16 different investigations and a variety of virtual simulations on the iPad. The GIF below shows a preview of the materials students will be using.
This week in Flex, in addition to two academic support periods, students will have a science-plus lesson to watch the second half of a science video about the Galapagos Islands in connection with our study of evolution. There will also be an ELA-plus lesson.
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EIGHTH GRADE
In math, students are wrapping up their exponents unit where they learn about the product rules, quotient rule, power to a power rule, and the negative exponent rule. Students have been completing challenging problems by working together and independently. Soon, we will segway into learning about the Pythagorean Theorem and how to use operations with scientific notation. Early next week, students will have a summative assessment regarding these topics. Extra practice problems and class notes/resources are shared on Google Classroom to help students prepare! Join the fun and become your students’ study buddy!
In flex this week, students had an assembly that provided information regarding their high school course choice options for next school year, AKA their first year of high school. Students will have individual meetings with their high school counselor at the end of the month to answer questions they may have. On Tuesday, students continued last week’s ELA flex lesson. There was no flex on Wednesday due to the half day schedule. On Thursday, students will have an academic day and will have a math lesson on Friday.
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UNIFIED ARTS
Since we last checked in, Bromfield MS PE has been extremely active in and around our school, and mostly spending our time outside of the gym. Thanks to copious amounts of snow, students have been able to truly experience the value of snowshoes, as classes walked down Barba’s Pt Trail to the pond and back in up to 2 feet of snow for some groups.
Students were also introduced to/or refreshed on how to use the weight machines in our very own Bromfield fitness room. As many of us can attest to, walking into a gym and self-starting a quality workout can be the hardest part of fitness, and this is especially true for total-body weight training. Through our fitness unit students should now know how to safely use weight machines to isolate desired muscle groups and should also be more familiar with lifting for muscular endurance using lower weights and higher repetitions.
Spending the winter inside the same space for months can be repetitive for a PE program and our ability to get out of the gym for various fitness activities has been a welcome change. Thank you to The Harvard Schools Trust for their generous grant to buy snowshoes back in 2022, which makes our outdoor exploring possible each winter (when there’s snow).
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PTO NEWS AND EVENTS
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Use THIS LINK to pre-order your BINGO cards!
Harvard Public Schools PTO – Annual Spring Soirée Fundraiser (2026)
Theme: School Spirit!
Get ready for a fun night out with friends, neighbors, and the Harvard school community! The Harvard Public Schools PTO invites you to our Annual Spring Soirée Fundraiser—a high-energy evening celebrating School Spirit while raising critical funds for PTO programs that support our students and teachers all year long.
Wear your favorite school colors, college gear, spirit wear, or your best “school pride” look and join us for a night of food, drinks, and fundraising for a great cause.
Friday, May 29, 2026
5:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Craft Food Halls, Boxborough
Tickets on sale now!
Buy early and save! https://secure.givelively.org/event/harvard-pto-inc/2026-pto-spring-soiree-tickets
$100 Early Bird (Feb 23 – April 13)
$115 Regular Price (April 14 – May 15)
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
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COMMUNITY NEWS AND EVENTS
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Your Feedback Needed: Take the Commission on Disabilities Survey
In an effort to assess the impact of the improvements and continued challenges to accessibility in town, the Commission on Disabilities is seeking your input by launching this SURVEY . We want to and need to hear from all of you living with and without a disability: students, elders, families, teachers, caregivers, friends, employers, and employees. Please take a few minutes today to share your experiences and thoughts.
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Upcoming family-relevant events at Fivesparks:
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Join the annual Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Walk for Hunger on May 3rd from 1–3 PM!
This community event is more than just a walk, it’s a powerful way to stand alongside neighbors facing food insecurity and make a tangible difference right here at home. Every step taken and every dollar raised helps provide healthy, nutritious food to individuals and families in need.
Whether you walk as a team, with family, or on your own, your participation matters. Lace up your sneakers, invite a friend, and be part of something meaningful on May 3rd. Together, we can help ensure no one in our community goes hungry.
Register here: Register - Loaves & Fishes Walk to Feed Our Neighbors
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As part of our commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across our district, we continue to prioritize meaningful family and community engagement that promotes the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff. We are excited to invite you to join us for Harvard’s Festival of Cultures, hosted by the BIPOC Family Advisory Group, on Tuesday, March 24, from 5:30–7:00 PM. This family event celebrates the rich diversity of our community and depends on family participation to make it a success.
If you are interested in hosting a table, sign up here: https://forms.gle/T9UYXs2DK6qcyGRt8.
If you are interested in performing, sign up here: https://forms.gle/U4xziy15LtYMgMFv9.
Please respond by March 1, 2026, and contact Dana Labb with any questions.
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Pre-register for Comprehensive Curbside Composting with Black Earth Compost
Only a few more pre-registrations are needed for this service to open in Harvard. Black Earth accepts all food scraps including meat, bones, dairy, fish, shells, oils, cooked foods, processed foods, and certified compostable tableware. Many add-on services are available including for yard waste, plastic film, coffee pods, and styrofoam. The cost is $94.99 for curbside pickup every other week for 6 months. A one time cost for your bin and starter bags is $39.50. Please visit www.blackearthcompost.com for more information and to pre-register. Thank you, the Harvard Climate Initiative.
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Harvard’s Repair Café Rescheduled for March 14
Bad weather delayed the Harvard Climate Initiative’s Repair Café to Saturday, March 14th with Sunday, March 15th as a snow day. This event will be held at the Harvard Senior Center/COA, 16 Lancaster County Road, 1:00-3:00 pm.
Volunteer repair experts will be available to make repairs free of charge for small electrical appliances, clothing, furniture, toys, and many other broken items. Visitors are asked to bring an item from home, plus one or two spares. If time permits, our repair experts will try to fix them all.
Repairs of broken items will reduce the volumes of waste that fill our landfills, will save money, and will build community with neighbors helping neighbors.
For more information or to pre-register (highly encouraged!), please visit https://harvardmaclimateinitiative.org.
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https://route2apparel.com/fofranny/shop/home
Did you know that Franny is fully funded through donations?
Franny apparel is available for purchase for the first time ever! Franny and Officer Tim are raising funds to help with Franny's care and continued training. A portion of all proceeds from this fundraiser come back to benefit Franny and her comfort dog endeavors.
Click the link above to check out the items available for purchase . Once done you will be able to choose to pick up your items at J and S Business Solutions on Main Street in Ayer or have them shipped.
Thank you for your continued support.
Officer Tim Schaeffer
SRO/ Patrol Officer
Harvard Police Department
40 Ayer Rd.
Harvard, MA. 01451
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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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