September 7, 2025
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
We had a successful opening week at the Locke. Students and staff made it through locker combinations, bus numbers, schedules, and the lunch line! It was great to see all of our staff and students excited to be back and ready for an incredible year. I hope everyone is having a restful weekend as we prepare for our first full week of …
5 DAYS OF LEARNING!
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“You must do the things you think you cannot do.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday – A Day – Boys and Girls Club Pick-up Starts
Tuesday – B Day
Wednesday – C Day
Thursday – D Day — Back-to-School Night 6:00 PM
Friday – A Day – Picture Day
BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT
On Thursday, September 11th from 6:00-8:00 PM, we will be having our annual Back-to-School night. The evening is for parents to follow their child’s schedule and receive an overview of classroom curriculum and procedures from each teacher. At 6:00 PM you will report to your child’s homeroom and then follow their “A Day” schedule with each class being about 15 minutes. We ask that you arrive early as the program begins promptly at 6:00 and parking spaces are limited. We look forward to seeing you on the 11th. Again, when you arrive please report to your child’s homeroom.
PICTURE DAY
Picture Day is Friday, September 12th. All students will have their picture taken for our database. Order forms will be sent home on Tuesday. Please see the attached form to order photos online. Smile!
CROSS COUNTRY Team/Registration Info
What: Cross country is a long-distance running sport. All students are welcome to join regardless of prior running experience, with the goal of all team members running an entire 3K (1.86 mi) by the end of the season. The Locke team will receive a uniform and compete against other middle schools in the Middlesex League (including away meets with bus transport).
Contact ksharkey@billericak12.com with further questions.
Season Start Date: Wed, Sept 10 1:45-3pm (Practice at Locke field)
Season End Date: Thurs, Oct 30
Practices: Mon-Thurs 1:45-3:00 pm (on non-meet days); all practices held at Locke field
Meets: First meet is Sept 24. Course distance is 1.86 mi (3K).
Meet times: Approximate 3:30-5:00 pm (start/end times will vary depending on home/away and location of away meets)
Registration: Deadline is Tuesday, Sept 9
The cost to participate is $140.00 (paid online during Community Pass registration).
Locke Cross Country – Registration Directions/Information (online using “Community Pass” Account)
- If you have NOT used Community Pass before and do NOT know your login information, please email: communitypass@billericak12.com and include the following:
- Request your family’s Community Pass login information
- Child’s first/last name
- Child’s grade level
- School (Locke Middle)
- After receiving your account information, go to the Community Pass Billerica registration website: https://register.communitypass.net/reg/login.cfm?cuBOCv%2FQ0p4trnasCJNBkrfRqB5bBsM1ugTdgJwcwr%2BLxIFL2ZCtvf%2Fw
Register: Click 2025-2026 Athletic Programs and then “Locke Middle School Cross Country”
LOCKE FALL PLAY AND TALENT SHOW
Please see the attached flyer for information regarding these upcoming programs. Please contact Ms. Crowley – acrowley@billericak12.com with any questions.
RIDDLE/JOKE OF THE WEEK
1. How did the music teacher get locked out of her classroom? 2. How do you fix a broken tuba? Last week’s answer: What is a math teacher’s favorite season? – Sum -mer
IT’S BACK — MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
Back-to-School Shopping
When paying for her back-to-school clothing purchase, Donna learned that it was the final day of her state’s tax-free holiday. Donna decided to purchase a pair of earrings using the $15 she would have paid in taxes on her original purchase. If the tax rate is 6.25% what is the total purchase price Donna paid for the back-to-school clothing and the earrings?
Send your answers to Mr. Garas – tgaras@billericak12.com – Show your work! You can win a Dunkin gift card and the highly coveted math certificate!!
CELL PHONE POLICY
Our cell phone policy is that all student phones/smart watches are to be kept in student lockers and turned off for the duration of the school day. If parents need to contact students, please contact the main office.
SCHOOL TIMES
School starts promptly at 7:30. Students should be in their homeroom at 7:30. The car drop-off time for students is 7:10 — 7:25. Students will be allowed to enter the building at 7:10. From 7:10 – 7:20, students who enter the building will be supervised in the cafeteria. Students will not be allowed in before 7:10 AM.
CAR DROP-OFF
Student car drop-off will be in the lower lot beginning at 7:10. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIT CARS UNTIL 7:10. Parents are to enter VIA URBAN ST (off Baldwin Road), drop students off at the sidewalk, make a U-turn, and exit via Urban Street.
Parents, please do not enter from Allen Road in the morning. The Allen Road entrance is only for school buses.
DISMISSAL
Walkers and pick-ups are dismissed at 1:50 after the buses depart.
TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR DISMISSAL
Parents enter via Urban Street and line up in lower circle. After the buses leave, parents are to pull around circle in a SINGLE file line to pick up children. The pick-up zone is between the two crosswalks. This is the only place we would like children picked up. We do not want children stepping in front of cars to be picked up. Please keep the line single-file.
PLEASE DO NOT PICK UP STUDENTS IN THE LOWER LOT.
ABSENCES
If your child is going to be absent, please call 978-528-8650 to report the absence. You can leave a voicemail at this number which goes directly to our secretary. You may also email our secretaries, Ms. Brewster at nbrewster@billericak12.com and/or Ms. O’Brien at lobrien@billericak12.com
FORMS – Parent Homework
On the first day, students will receive the following forms to be filled out and returned. Please return by Friday, September 19th.
- Emergency form
- Medical form
- Signed agenda book (p.17)
- Technology Release
- Communication Preference
- Photo-opt form (only send back if you need to)
CHROMEBOOKS AND GOOGLE CLASSROOMS
Students are required to bring their school-issued Chromebooks to school every day beginning on the 1st day of school. Students should charge their Chromebooks overnight. All teachers will be setting up a Google Classroom for their students where assignments will be posted and where assignments can be turned in electronically. If your child does not have a Chromebook, please contact the main office at 978-528-8650. Fifth grade students who did not pick up a Chromebook will be sent home with the paperwork for parents to sign. Please return it with your child and we will issue them a Chromebook.
BUS ASSIGNMENTS
Students who ride the bus can only ride on their assigned bus in the morning and afternoon. Students are not allowed to ride different buses to be with friends after school.
If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com — 978-528-8654
LOCKERS
The locker policy is as follows:
- All students will be assigned a lock and a locker. (Students will be given lockers on the 1st day)
- Backpacks will be kept in lockers throughout the day. Phones/I-watches should be in lockers turned off for the entire school day.
- Students can go to lockers in the morning, after period 3, before PE, before last period special, and at the end of the day.
Here is a video that shows how to open a combination lock. Remember right, left, right!
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Our school nurse is Janice Roberts – jroberts@billericak12.com
- Students may drop off EpiPens, inhalers, and any over the counter medications.
- A parent or guardian must drop off any prescription medications.
- All medications need to be accompanied by a medication order from the student’s physician and with either an Anaphylaxis Action Plan or Asthma Action Plan as applicable
- If families need copies of these forms they can be found on the Billerica Public Schools website: https://billericak12.com/school-nursing/
- Also, as a reminder:
ALL 7th GRADE STUDENTS must submit proof of TDaP (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) and MCV4 (meningitis) vaccines, as well as an UPDATED physical exam, by 9/30/25
LUNCH/BREAKFAST
All breakfast and lunches are free to all students again this year. Students will be receiving a 4 digit pin code that they will need to use when they get breakfast or lunch. Breakfast will be served beginning on the first day. It will be “grab and go”. Students can grab a breakfast in the cafeteria when they come in and then report to homeroom. They can eat breakfast in homeroom. Students are not allowed to bring in breakfast/drinks from Dunkin, Starbucks, etc.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
We are happy to announce that we will be offering after school programs again this year. We will have further details over the next few weeks.
PTO CORNER
The PTO welcomes all families to the Locke. We will be meeting monthly to plan several events throughout the year. We are always looking for volunteers to help plan great programs that will benefit our students. We will have meeting dates soon.
UPCOMING DATES
All Dates are also on our master calendar on the Locke website.
- Monday, September 8th – Boys and Girls Club transportation starts
- Thursday, September 11th – Back-to-School Night 6:00-8:00
- Friday, September 12th – Picture Day
- Wednesday, September 17th – Early Release, 11:40 Dismissal
- Friday, September 19th – All forms due
If you have any questions, please contact me at tgaras@billericak12.com or call at 978-528-8655. I look forward to a great school year!!
Warmest regards,
Tony Garas, Principal