News and Announcements
Our students are making headlines, and we want to share all the great news with you. We will keep this page updated with important announcements, news stories, and student shout outs. Please check in often and help us celebrate our students’ many achievements.
We encourage you to stay up to date with everything happening at Mohawk Trail Regional School! Please check out our weekly school newsletters. They are posted underneath the MTRS Student and Family Update heading.
Recently, eighth-grade students dove deeper into their unit on Native American culture as they participated in a historical performance by Annawon Weeden who has deep roots in the Pequot/Narragansett tribes and is an enrolled member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe.
Weeden dressed in traditional clothes and acted out a history lesson that spanned hundreds of years. He spoke in his native language, inviting responses from the students. He also encouraged participation in a traditional dance that has endured since the Wampanoag tribe’s beginning. Holding hands, stepping to the beat of a drum, and moving in a circle, dancers connect with each other in kinship.
He went on to walk the audience through the 1400s and the first encounters between native and non-native people. Speaking in his native language, Weeden demonstrated the difficulty in communication and understanding whether those who encountered each other were friends or enemies. Moving through to the early 1600s, Weeden’s main character, Squanto, was recognized, perhaps, for his role in the Thanksgiving story. He served as an ambassador and interpreter for native-white relations and was instrumental in teaching the Europeans how to communicate, grow native crops, conduct trade, and more.
The history becomes dark through the 1700s and 1800s as native people were enslaved. Loss of language and culture due to the influence of the Europeans resulted in a dramatic erasure of history and knowledge. Weeden’s mission is to educate so that the traditions and stories of the native cultures may not be forgotten. His emotional performance offered a glimpse into what native people have endured, and continue to endure.
Students appreciated the interactive presentation and the intersections of what is taught in the classroom and “lived and told” history and experience. They found Weeden “funny” and “interesting,” but most of all, impactful. One student shared that, “the more points of view you see in history, the more you can understand it, and Annawon shared a different perspective than we often hear.”
During the first week of December, three MTRS teachers took off to New York City for a whirlwind tour of several schools doing innovative work with standards-based teaching and learning, early college, and computer science. Brendan Leowolf (HS Photography, G8 Computer Science), Judy Licht (HS Science), and Cait Mans (G8 Math) visited Energy Tech, The Young Women's Leadership School of Astoria, and The Urban Assembly Maker Academy in conjunction with Springpoint schools.
Each of the schools shared some of their developments implementing SBTL, with our staff witnessing some impressive Student-Led Conferences. They also saw different models of what technical education can offer and how early college programs can help kids take steps toward future achievements.
While not all of the programs running in a New York City school can work at our small rural campus, there were enough similarities for our staff to come back energized with new ideas and perspectives to share.
There is no school on Monday, December 23 through Wednesday, January 1 for our winter break. School resumes on Thursday, January 2. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday season!
Starting in January, all eighth-grade students will be issued Chromebooks as part of an initiative to help prepare them for high school. These devices will support students in developing essential digital skills and managing academic responsibilities.
Students will be responsible for charging their Chromebooks, bringing them to and from school daily, and keeping them in good condition.
For more details, including expectations and a timeline for distribution, refer to our latest newsletter. Let’s get ready for an exciting step toward enhancing learning through technology!
After arguably the most successful fall athletic season in over a decade, many Mohawk Trail athletes are being awarded for their individual excellence on the field!
After winning the first WMass Volleyball Championship in school history, our Warriors had three of their players earn all-league honors. Senior Palmer King, junior Emma Canaday, and freshman Abby Moffat were all recognized for their individual excellence on the court!
In addition to qualifying for the MIAA State Golf Tournament, first-year coach Sean Doyle had four of his players earn all-league honors. Seniors Phineas Tuttman, Logan Moore, and Douglas Wilcox were joined by eighth-grader Conor Bergeron in receiving these individual accolades.
Mohawk Trail field hockey players were also invited to the party as seniors Sofiya Slocik-Gritzner and Avery Johnston were awarded all-league honors to cap off their final fall campaigns.
Rounding out the all-league awards are soccer players Addie Loomis and Zephyr Jetzon for their outstanding seasons on the Greenfield Varsity Girls Soccer Team! Both ladies will be returning next year to help lead the Green Wave in their bid for a Western Mass Championship.
We are so fortunate to have a fantastic group of educators at MTRS. They go above and beyond in trying to create learning opportunities for our students. This is one that took place this week:
French Field Trip
On Friday, November 8, the high school French 1 class went on a field trip to visit the Clark Art Museum. While there, they observed French exhibits of some of the artists they studied. Some of the artists included Renoir, Degas, and Cassatt. After observing paintings and other art, many students walked the trails surrounding the Clark. On the way back, the class stopped at McDonald’s for lunch. The class had a great time and very much enjoyed the Clark!
Our district updates have a new name! We hope you'll find our regular MTRSD S'Updates to help keep you informed throughout the school year. Check back often for the latest going on in our schools.
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