Weekly Newsletter | March 11, 2026
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Dear Bromfield Middle School Families,
PowerSchool Access
This week I want to share a concern that has emerged around student access to PowerSchool and the steps we are taking to address it.
Over the course of my 26 years in education, I have witnessed a significant shift in access to teacher gradebooks. When I began teaching, gradebooks were literal books and were guarded carefully - usually tucked into a locked desk drawer like a small state secret. In the early 2000s, the move to electronic gradebooks made calculations easier for teachers, but at first those gradebooks were still considered private. Eventually that mindset shifted. Grades belong to students, and opening gradebooks to students and families was seen as a way to increase transparency and allow everyone to monitor academic progress in real time.
In recent years, however, we have begun to see some unintended consequences of constant grade access. Because PowerSchool can be checked at any moment, some students check their grades extremely frequently - in some cases dozens or even hundreds of times a day. Several parents have shared that this dynamic can start to resemble the kind of dopamine-driven checking behavior we see with social media. One parent described it as a kind of “gamification” of grades.
We have also heard clearly from families that this constant access can contribute to increased anxiety around grades. Students who previously approached report cards with healthy perspective can become fixated on small fluctuations in grades throughout the day. Grades - which are meant to reflect learning and progress at a particular moment in time - can begin to feel like a running scorecard tied to a student’s self-esteem.
While it is important for students and families to know where they stand academically and which assignments may be missing, access to that information should not come at the cost of students’ well-being. For that reason, we will be experimenting with limiting student access to PowerSchool beginning at the end of this week. We are finalizing the details, but the plan is to restrict student logins except during designated windows that will be communicated in advance.
At this time, we do not anticipate any change to parent and caregiver access to PowerSchool. We encourage families to continue using the platform to stay informed about academic progress and to have conversations with their children about healthy and balanced ways to monitor grades and manage schoolwork.
Lunch Rotation
This coming Tuesday, March 17, marks the beginning of our third and final lunch rotation of the year. Starting on that day, the lunch order will be as follows:
1st lunch: grade 7
2nd lunch: grade 8
3rd lunch: grade 6
Morning Drop-Off Reminder
A quick reminder about our morning drop-off procedures. The drop-off lane works best when it functions as a continuous, moving line. When cars stop for extended periods - or when students need additional time to gather materials, finish conversations, or retrieve items from the trunk - it can quickly create a backup that affects many other families trying to drop off their children.
If your child needs extra time to get organized, or if a parent needs to get out of the vehicle, please pull into a parking space rather than using the drop-off lane. The drop-off lane is intended for quick goodbyes so that traffic can move safely and efficiently for everyone.
Thank you for helping make arrival at TBMS smooth and safe for all students and families.
Mamma Mia! - Correction
One quick correction from last week’s newsletter regarding the upcoming Bromfield Theater production of Mamma Mia!
In addition to the Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, evening performances at 7:00 PM, there will also be a Sunday, March 29, matinee at 2:00 PM. I apologize for the earlier mistake and hope you will consider coming out to support our talented students in this Grades 6–12 production. It promises to be a wonderful show!
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mr. Daniel Hudder
Bromfield Middle School Principal
Upcoming Events:
Mon, Mar 16 No school Mar 27-29 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) Wed Apr 15 Half day Apr 20-24 April break
Upcoming Celebrations & Observances:
Sun, Mar 15 Lailat al-Qadr (Muslim) Tue, Mar 17 St. Patrick’s Day (Christian) Tue, Mar 17 Evacuation Day (Massachusetts)
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WEEKLY UPDATES
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SIXTH GRADE
Students are finishing their animal research essays this week in ELA, a project that connects with the excitement of following March Mammal Madness, an annual competition hosted by Arizona State University that brings scientific storytelling about animals to life. As we close Unit 4, we will begin our next unit centered on Simeon's Story, the memoir of Simeon Wright, cousin of Emmett Till. To help students build the background knowledge needed to understand this text, they will research a historical topic connected to the memoir and present their findings to the class. This is the most challenging text we read this year, both in terms of reading level and the seriousness of its content, but I am confident in our students’ ability to thoughtfully engage with and access the memoir with appropriate support.
The sixth-grade team also wanted to share a quick update about the recent changes to our FLEX structure. The response from students has been very positive. The new framework has provided students with greater stability, structure, and routine during this block of the day.
Students are benefiting from the clearer expectations and the opportunity to use this time productively, whether that involves catching up on work, getting extra help from teachers, or taking part in structured activities.
Thank you for your continued support.
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SEVENTH GRADE
In world geography, we began a new unit on East Asia. Students completed an outline map of the region and explored examples of human–environment interaction in China, with a strong focus on how people have used and adapted to the country’s rivers. They considered how rivers influence settlement, farming, transportation, and other human activities.
During one of our FLEX lessons, small groups will demonstrate their understanding of these concepts by designing their own river systems. Other FLEX activities this week include academic support, team-building through games, and a lesson focused on the elements and impact of snarky comments and microaggressions.
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EIGHTH GRADE
In civics, students are finishing up a deep dive into the Institutions of US Government, exploring the balance between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The highlight of the unit for many students was a hands-on legislative simulation. Each student drafted a bill to make a positive improvement in the TBMS community, which then faced student-led "committees." After intense debate and voting, only 2 out of 80 proposed bills passed. This was a powerful lesson in how difficult it truly is to turn an idea into law. But now that the unit has wrapped up, students are preparing for a unit assessment at the end of this week. The study guide has been distributed and study resources are up on Google Classroom.
Despite last week’s flex schedule being shortened due to no flex time on the half-day Wednesday and the two-hour delay Friday, we are looking ahead to the final third of the year. To prepare our 8th graders for the transition to high school, we are increasing academic expectations during flex. Moving forward, students will take more ownership of their time during academic flexes. Rather than receiving a teacher-created list of work, students will now practice vital executive functioning skills by creating and prioritizing their own to-do lists. This shift is designed to build the independence they’ll need to thrive next year on the other side of the building.
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UNIFIED ARTS
This week's Unified Arts highlight is in our Digital Literacy class where students are making progress on their journey to understand the nuances of using their devices both inside and outside of the classroom.
In Sixth grade we are transitioning from the visual coding unit into our digital citizenship lessons. We focus primarily on basic concepts, such as healthy device habits and then into more privacy related areas, such as phishing and data privacy. I find that our naturally curious class has driven these lessons through engagement and shared experiences. The classes draw from seemingly endless personal experience. If you have a sixth grader at home, they have gone above and beyond!
In the Seventh grade we are exiting a coding and robotics hybrid unit, which I feel was a highlight for most of them. We had many robots be created, named, and requested to be kept as pets. By and large, a good section of classes culminated in a more open- ended design project where they prototyped and improved on a design of their choice. Shout out to our students who made the Lebron-Dunk-Bot. Which, as you might imagine, could dunk a ball(ish) lego into a hoop with extreme fervor and grace; just like its namesake. Similarly to the sixth grade, we have moved on to a unit focused on digital citizenship, but a bit more targeted at personal impact. This unit focuses on how an individual can impact others through their use of devices, and the quantification of their "Digital Footprint".
The Eighth graders are an exciting sphere of positivity in my class; and we move quickly! We've been through a few units already, but I think the most noteworthy one is the current coding unit- we started with a research project on coding languages, and then went right into a more advanced unit of the robotics program that the seventh graders were using. At the Eighth grade level, the demands of coding are harder and we focus on syntax quite a lot more than before. I have been noticing a strong emphasis on teamwork in my class, which I enjoy greatly. Many students will offer to help one another before I even have to intercede to explain code or hardware malfunctions.
All in all, Digital literacy has been going great, and I look forward to each and every class.
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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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