Burbank Bulletin

Dear Luther Burbank Families,

We want to emphasize the importance of hearing directly from our students, as highlighted in the Nashoba Regional School District Strategic Plan. Strategic Objective #3, Culture and Belonging, guides our efforts to integrate social-emotional best practices into daily instruction and student life. By listening to our students and understanding their needs and experiences, we can identify what is working well and areas that require improvement.

As we enter the summer break, we have the opportunity to reflect and analyze various data points to determine our goals for the upcoming school year. The Panorama survey, along with MCAS scores, Star benchmark assessments, and other touchpoints, will assist our staff in creating a shared vision and setting measurable goals for the next academic year.

We are sharing these survey results to provide families with insights into how Luther Burbank Middle School students perceive themselves and their learning environment. The survey focused on six key categories: Sense of Belonging, Self Management, Social Awareness, Growth Mindset, Emotional Regulation, and Grit. Our overall rankings in each category were calculated based on a subset of ten questions. Additionally, the data is compared to other schools across the country.

Here are the results for each category:

• Sense of Belonging: 72% of students responded positively. No national comparison is available.
• Self-Management: 74% of students responded positively. LBMS ranked in the 80th percentile among middle schools nationally.
• Social Awareness: 63% of students responded positively. LBMS ranked in the 70th percentile among middle schools nationally.
• Growth Mindset: 49% of students responded positively. LBMS ranked in the 30th percentile among middle schools nationally.
• Emotional Regulation: 49% of students responded positively. LBMS ranked in the 70th percentile among all schools nationally.
• Grit: 52% of students responded positively. LBMS ranked in the 20th percentile among all middle schools nationally.

Like any set of data, these results highlight areas of strength and areas for improvement. Despite the relatively higher scores, there is still work to be done to enhance students' sense of belonging. We also need to focus on developing grit and fostering a growth mindset.

Overall, this data provides a snapshot of how students currently feel. We are eager to use this information in conjunction with other data points to refine our School Improvement Plan and develop actionable goals for the upcoming year.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in creating a positive learning environment for our students.

Sincerely,

Sean O’Shea

August 30: First Day of School for Students!

September 4: Labor Day, No School

September 14: Picture Day, LBMS and MRE

September 14: Open House, Time TBA

September 15: Early Release Professional Development, 11:30 Dismissal

Trimester 3 report cards are available for online viewing through PowerSchool Parent Access. You will be able to view all information that is included on a traditional report card through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you do not currently have access to the Portal, and you would like access, and/or you would like a hard copy of your child's report card, please contact Judy Ursuliak, jursuliak@nrsd.net, for assistance.

To access your child's report card, log in to PowerSchool, navigate to Grades and Attendance. There you will see attendance details and letter grades. Choose the Standards Grades tab to view standards grades and comments.

If your student receives Special Education or EL services, you will receive a separate email with the trimester 3 progress reports attached.

The Nashoba Regional School District is committed to providing high quality instruction and feedback on progress toward grade-level expectations. If you have any questions regarding this year’s standards-based reporting process or what additional expectations comprise the reporting standards, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher directly.

Similar to years past, we have provided students with summer work to keep their learning intact through the summer weeks. This summer, summer work for students entering grades 6-8 includes work for math, reading, and science. Summer work may be found on our LBMS Summer Learning Website, and in the folders that were sent home with students on Move Up Day.

The Summer Learning Website can be found on the homepage of the Luther Burbank website under "Important Updates," it can also be found here. Supply Lists are also available!

Congratulations to our second and third trimester recipients of the Luther Burbank Award. Recipients are selected by their teachers for demonstrating the qualities of citizenship, respect, and kindness. These qualities are ones that epitomize the vision set forth by our school’s namesake, Luther Burbank. Please join us as we recognize these award recipients trimester 2: Emma Cannon (gr. 6), Jacob Lonnqvist (gr. 6), Sophia Alves (gr. 7), Owen Potter (gr. 7), Emma Hudak (gr. 8), and Paige King (gr. 8); trimester 3: Isabel Martel (gr. 6), Alise Suarez (gr. 6), Claire Kavanagh (gr. 7), Sophia Wing (gr. 7), Ryan Carr (gr. 8), and Samantha Giannattasio (gr. 8)

Pictured left to right: Isabel, Emma, Paige, Claire, Samantha, Sophia, Ryan, Alise, Jacob, Emma, and Owen (missing: Sophia)

We always want to bring talented and enthusiastic substitute teachers on board at Luther Burbank. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a substitute teacher and/or are interested in applying to become a substitute teacher, please email Judy Ursuliak jursuliak@nrsd.net or call our main office at 978-365-4558. Substitute teaching offers flexibility and a direct interface with our awesome students. It also offers interested community members a way to contribute to our school.

Email: jursuliak@nrsd.net
Website: https://burbank.nrsd.net/
Location: Lancaster, MA, USA
Phone: 978-365-4558
Twitter: @LBMSPrincipal