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Dear HKMS Families,  

On January 27, we will have a special event here at Keller.  One of of local residents will be presenting her family's Holocaust story to our students.  Mrs. Renee Pessin's impressive presentation is entitled, The Holocaust Through the Bronner Family Story and includes pictures, artifacts, video clips of her mother’s Shoah Foundation testimony and primary source information about the Holocaust, it’s antecedents and relevant subsequent history.  Over the past two years, she has presented at several area middle schools (including JRMS), high schools, public libraries, and places of worship.  The goal of the presentation is to enhance understanding of the impacts of prejudice, hatred, and indifference, and the importance of collective responsibility, human rights, and taking action against oppression.  The presentation connects to the genocide units in each grade level's social studies classes and teachers have designed wrap-around activities to support students' understanding of these atrocities.   Should you have any questions about this presentation, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

More big eighth grade news! Last week we featured all the high school transition and scheduling activities happening for 8th graders over the next few weeks.  This week we are excited to announce that one of the keystone learning experiences in grade eight has launched, the Personal Interest Project (or PIP).  The PIP is a student driven original research and design project designed to ignite and enflame passion within a student related to their self-selected topic of interest.   Through a series of reflections and coaching from their advisors, students select an area of interest, develop and answer research questions, and ultimately design and create a product that represents their learning.  Over the past three years students researched and developed projects that include: a catcher's mitt that gives biofeedback, learning how to weld, sew, crochet, raise ducks, make a baseball bat and a hockey stick, build a motorcycle, make custom fishing lures, writing and directing a short film, binding books, and a hundred other original projects.   Our library media specialist, Mrs. Allison Gale is the lead teacher for the PIP and has created a great website with further explanations and examples from the past.  This will be a true culmination of their learning at Easton Public Schools.  You will all be invited to attend student presentations in May, with some of the best being featured at Barlow Palooza! 

As we head into Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, I hope you and your family have a chance to reflect on the importance of his leadership, impact, and legacy.  I challenge you all to think of Monday as a community service "Day On" rather than a "Day Off."  The national theme for Dr. King's birthday is "A dream bigger than him, bigger than us," which emphasizes that Dr. King’s vision was a collective one that continues to grow through every generation.  Here are a few challenges for you to consider that honor this legacy:

The "Day On" Service Challenge:

Getting involved in a hands-on service project: For middle schoolers, seeing the immediate impact of their work is vital for building empathy.  Consider trying:

• The "Pantry Pivot": Ask families to check their own pantries for unexpired goods or shop together for a local food bank.

• Neighborhood Beautification: A simple 30-minute family walk with gloves and trash bags to clean up a local park or street.

• Virtual Volunteering: For families staying home, suggest transcribing historical documents for the Smithsonian Digital Volunteer program or the Library of Congress.

• Family Discussion Starter: Ask one simple question at dinner: "Dr. King spoke about the 'Beloved Community.' What is one thing our family or our neighborhood is missing that would make it feel more like a 'Beloved Community'?"

"Kitchen Table" Oral Histories. Middle school is an ideal time for students to practice interviewing and active listening. This activity bridges the gap between "textbook history" and lived experience, helping students realize that the struggle for justice is part of their own family and community story.

• Suggest that students interview a grandparent, an elderly neighbor, or a family friend about their memories of the Civil Rights Movement or a time they witnessed a positive change in their community.

Beyond the Dream: While the "I Have a Dream" speech is iconic, middle schoolers are ready for Dr. King's more complex ideas.

• • • Watch or Listen: Consider listening to a lesser-known speech, such as the "The Drum Major Instinct" or his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. 

    • Read and Discuss: A Letter from a Birmingham Jail was perhaps his most important writing and outlines the conditions under Jim Crow and his vision of how America must continue to fulfill it's promise for equality.  It is complex text, but one our students should be able to tackle.  

Creative "Dream" Expressions: Middle schoolers often express themselves best through digital or visual media.

• Digital Vision Board: Encourage students to create a collage (using Canva, Pinterest or, even better, a physical poster) representing their "Dream for 2026."

• Artistic Dreams: Break out the art supplies and have your students create a piece of art reflecting their dream of a more equal society. 

Wishing you a great weekend and a fulfilling "Day On" this Monday.  

Sincerely,

Steve Clapp, Ed.D.

Principal

Rome wasn't built in a day, but in one day Mr. Bernardi's students learned how the Roman Republic became an Empire, then a dictatorship, then splintered chaos.  While all roads lead to Rome, all learning was centered around students' reading and note taking skills! 

Made of only drinking straws, pipe cleaners, and a few strips of tape our young engineers are making towers that must support a tennis ball.  Students are designing and testing their tennis ball tower and conferring with Mr. Fearn on what is working, what is challenging, and how their design can be improved.