September 14, 2025
Dear Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students,
I hope you are all enjoying the weekend. We completed our 1st full week back and it was a busy one. We had a successful picture day and back-to-school night; we continue to work on our routines, and are starting to settle in. We have another busy week ahead with …
5 DAYS OF LEARNING!
FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: locke_middle_school
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
SCHEDULE THIS WEEK
Monday – B Day
Tuesday – C Day
Wednesday – D Day – Early Release Day, 11:40 Dismissal
Thursday – A Day – PTO Meeting, 6:30 PM
Friday – B Day – All Forms Due
EARLY RELEASE – Wednesday, September 17th
Wednesday, September 17th, is an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 11:40 AM.
CROSS COUNTRY Team/Registration Info
We have a few openings left on our cross-country team.
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 End Date: Thurs, Oct 30
Practices: Mon-Thurs 1:45-3 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 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:
1. Request your family’s Community Pass login information
2. Child’s first/last name
3. Child’s grade level
4. 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
Science Jokes: 1. What do you call a biologist’s self-portrait? 2. What did the scientist think about the book on helium?
Last week’s answers: 1. How did the music teacher get locked out of her classroom? – Because the keys were on the piano 2. How do you fix a broken tuba? With a tuba glue
MATH PROBLEM OF THE WEEK
Lunch at the Locke!
Our cafeteria workers provide so many awesome lunch options for our students. On Monday, there will be 5 main dish options, 6 side item options and 4 drink options. If a student chooses 1 main dish item, 2 different side items and 1 drink for lunch, how many combinations are possible for the student’s lunch?
Last Week’s Answer: $255
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!! We will have prizes on Friday this week.
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. Our first meeting is this Thursday, September 18th at 6:30 PM in the Locke library.
Our PTO Facebook page is: “Billerica Locke PTO”. Click on the link below to take you there:
REMINDERS
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)
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.
The bus routes for the year are listed at this link.
If you have any questions regarding bus assignments, please contact our assistant principal: Phillip Peters: ppeters@billericak12.com — 978-528-8654
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.
UPCOMING DATES
All Dates are also on our master calendar on the Locke website.
· Wednesday, September 17th – Early Release, 11:40 Dismissal
· Thursday, September 18th – PTO Meeting, 6:30 Library
· 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