Dear Families,

February was a busy month! We held our second annual high school science fair, as well as kicked off our inaugural middle school science fair. The quality of the students' research, analysis, and findings were highly impressive. Congratulations to Brianna Sheehan and Hason Khan who tied for first prize in the high school and to Nora Kingman for winning the middle school fair. Please check out the following links for a list of all participants and award winners - middle school and high school. Thank you to Mr. Yates-Berg, Mr. Pavao, and Ms. Kraus for their tremendous leadership in making these events so successful.

One of our fourth grade traditions during the month of February is our African American Wax Museum project. Each student selects an influential African American figure who has served as an inspiration and had a positive impact on our society. Students research the life of their historical figure, produce a meaningful biography, and dress and perform their part as if they were wax figures in a museum. This year's fourth grade presentations were exceptional. Congratulations to our 4th grade students and teachers, Ms. Gimler, Mr. Keaney, Mr. Texeira, and Ms. West-Smith, on a job well done!

This week, I was honored to lead students and staff to the State House in Boston to meet with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Robert DeLeo. It was a tremendous honor to showcase our school accomplishments, such as our Spanish language program, service and leadership best practices, and other high levels of achievement, to such an influential leader. We were also fortunate to meet with FRCS friend, State Representative Jay Barrows. In addition to meeting with our elected officials, the day included an education into the legislative and public policy process and a tour of our state capital building. Of course, our students represented our school with the utmost professionalism and respect!

Today, March 2nd, we are kicking off our annual Art Show from 3:30 to 5:30 at Option Realty on West Street in Mansfield. The opening reception will highlight a month-long display of several exceptional works by our middle and high school students. As you may recall, many of our students demonstrate their talents throughout the year and consistently win awards in a variety of competitions. If you are unable to attend today's event, please contact our off-site "studio" at Option Realty for viewing times.

As a reminder, the school will continue its commitment to supporting exceptional teachers with a full day of staff development on Friday, March 9, 2012. Continuous and focused professional development is critical to help all students achieve to their potential. We take our role in providing the most qualified and professional staff seriously, as we coordinate a thoughtful and comprehensive annual plan. Training occurs throughout the year, including during the summer months, at our week-long orientation for all staff, through monthly meetings held during school hours and through after school initiatives.   As a result of this staff development day, there will be no student attendance on Friday, March 9th.

Finally, March not only brings spring, it also launches the standardized testing season. Over the next four months, students in various grades will take MCAS, SATs, PSATs, and/or AP exams. First up: English Language Arts MCAS later this month. Please click for the testing schedule, including some important tips to help prepare your children at home.

Sincerely,

Mark Logan, Ph.D.