From: Mary C. Gormley
To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
Re: E-blast Update
Date: Friday, January 15, 2016
FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
I would like to be sure that all Milton Public School families know about a wonderful event taking place in our community on Monday evening to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event, which is sponsored by the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, will be held at the Concord Baptist Church in Milton. This year’s Keynote Speaker – LaTrelle Easterling will discuss the evening’s theme: Just Us or Justice? The Choice is Ours. The evening event will begin at 6:30pm and will feature the Milton High School Gospel Chorus, St. Mary of the Hills Liturgical Dancers, Tucker and Glover Elementary School Singers, a presentation by Milton High Students, a display of student poems & artwork, presentation of MICA Scholarship Winners and a reaffirmation of the Milton “No Place for Hate” Resolution of Respect. Coffee, tea and dessert will be served. This is a perfect event for families, as all ages are welcome. Please make an effort to attend.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE UPDATE
There has been one School Committee meetings since my last E-blast, held on January 6th. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20th at 7 pm in the Milton Access TV Studio at Milton High School. This meeting is summarized below:
January 6th: As part of the Superintendent’s Report, this meeting began with a presentation from the Tucker Site Council. Tucker Principal Dr. Elaine McNeil-Girmai, along with members of the school’s Site Council, presented the School Improvement Plan. Tucker students helped with the presentation, as well. As part of the Finance Subcommittee Report, members voted on School Committee Priorities for Additions to the FY17 Contingent Budget, per Warrant Committee Request. The Policy Subcommittee Report included a Second Reading, on the Weapons in School Policy; and a first reading on Student Activities Policy, Field Trip Policy and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Policy before the meeting adjourned to executive session.
CURRICULUM NEWS
It’s Kindergarten Registration Time! The following are three easy steps in the pre-registration & registration process for the 2016-2017 school year:
1) Go to the link below to pre-register your child for Kindergarten before January 15, 2016.
http://goo.gl/forms/MD0HlaFHtK
2) Attend the Kindergarten Information Night.
Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. in the Milton High School Charles C. Winchester Auditorium, 25 Gile Rd.
3) Registration will take place by appointment only on February 23rd, 24th & 25th.
Those who pre-register by January 15th will receive their registration appointment and packet at the Kindergarten Information Night.
If you have additional questions about Kindergarten Registration, please contact Laurie Dunn at ldunn@miltonps.org
Parents of pre-school aged children, please note, we are currently undergoing Preschool Registration for fall of 2016. Last night, more than 100 parents and guardians attended our Preschool Information Night at the Milton High School auditorium. To view the presentation, click here: http://www.miltonps.org/documents/PreschoolInformationNight2016.pdf
To get more information about our Preschool programs, click here:
http://www.miltonps.org/FactSheetforPreschoolInformationNight
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Each year the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recognizes and honors outstanding educators through various recognition programs. One way to recognize these educators is to nominate them to the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year program. Anyone (students, colleagues, parents, supervisors, community members) may nominate teachers to the program. If you are interested in nominating a Milton Public School teacher, please click on the link below. Please note, nominations are due Friday, January 22nd, 2016.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/educators/recognition/toy/#Nominate
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Please see the following item from MPS Fine Arts & Family/Consumer Studies Director Dr. Noreen Diamond Burdett:
I am very thrilled to announce that we have 28 students accepted to perform in the All State Treble Chorus this year! That equals 14% of the entire chorus!!!! Congratulations to the following students and to their chorus directors, Dawyn Sykes, April Allegrezza and Colleen Martin, for preparing them for the audition!
Collicot School: Brynne Mershon, Charlotte Dangel and Nic Maldonato.
Cunningham School: Lily McLaughlin, Anya Weinstein, Kiera Glazer and Lily Lane.
Tucker School: Isabella Baylon, Priya Shaw, Ian Wick, Logan Do, Timothy Fay, Onosetale Odion-Ukpebor and Kaitlin Schleicher.
Glover School: Anna Dembowski, Sampreeti Fitton, Sadie Leggett, Fiona McCarthy and Isabella Fiske.
Pierce Middle School: Christopher Barrett, Jordan Elliott, Delia Gaff, Ian Gravallese, Ava Lundbohm, Rohan Meier, Anna Radley, Brendan Reardon and Victoria Williams
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Please see the following item submitted by our Elementary Science Coordinator Bernadette Moonan:
As the cold weather approaches, many of us are searching for fun and enriching indoor activities for our children. There are so many educational and fun museums and exhibits in and around Boston that can be taken advantage of, and the Milton Public Library offers a fantastic free/discounted museum pass program that many residents are unaware of! Giving young children rich experiences that build their background knowledge about science and other content areas can improve their interest and achievement in school! To take advantage of the free/discounted passes, you must be a Milton resident and have a Milton Public Library card. Some museums in the library program include: Boston Children’s Museum, Museum of Science, local zoos, and more. Passes can be reserved up to a month in advance and can be reserved online or in person at the library. To learn more about the Museum Pass Program, follow this link: http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=MILTONPL&curApp=passes
UPCOMING MPS EVENTS
We are pleased to announce the Pierce Players’ upcoming production of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS. This musical comedy will be performed on Thursday, January 21st and Friday, January 22nd at 7pm & January 23rd at 2pm in the Pierce Middle School Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door for $10 for adults and $8 for children. To purchase tickets in advance, download the order form at www.pierceplayers.org
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Please save the date! Milton will be holding its first Winter Walk to School Day on Wednesday, February 3rd. More information will be posted in subsequent E-blasts!
FOOD SERVICE
The following item was submitted by our Food Service Intern, Kristin Sementelli:
Milton Public Schools Gets a Smarter Lunchroom Makeover: The Department of Food Services is happy to announce that Milton Public Schools is participating in the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement in an effort to encourage children to make healthy choices. Smarter Lunchrooms was developed by the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs (the BEN Center) with the goal of equipping school lunchrooms with evidence-based tools that improve child eating behaviors and thus improve the health of children. The BEN Center has driven the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement through lab research focused on child health and behavioral sciences in the school environment. By using environmental cues such as better product placement and using creative names for healthier foods, these practical, research-based techniques increase student selection of healthier items. Milton Public Schools have already begun to utilize many of the techniques encouraged by Smarter Lunchrooms such as having fruit options available near all registers and encouraging students to select healthy choices, but hope to further implement these techniques in the coming year.
We have developed new signage for our daily menus and our food service managers are using fun names to describe our fruits and vegetable daily selections. Calling carrot sticks, “X-ray vision carrot sticks”, has been proven to help the child to not only select the carrot sticks but increase their consumption by up to 27%. The Milton School Food Service Program is so fortunate to have been selected by USDA to be part of this cutting edge study. Our four elementary school food service staff participated in on site visits at the end of last school year and will be visited again this spring to continue with the training tools that have been provided to us. Our dietetic intern will be doing more on-site training at each elementary school in the next few weeks and bringing this new program to our middle and high schools in February 2015. The staff is so excited with the new changes and has really noticed that the students are selecting more fruits and vegetables with their meals.
NEWS AROUND TOWN
Please join us in celebrating The Milton Community’s Annual Memorial Celebration to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This event, sponsored by Milton Interfaith Clergy Association, will be held Monday Evening, January 18th from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at the Concord Baptist Church, 180 Blue Hill Ave in Milton. Please click here for more information.
The following item was sent to us by the Milton Early Childhood Alliance:
Learning Through Play Toddler and Preschool Play Group: Our free Learning Through Play Toddler and Preschool Play Group returns! A facilitator led, language and literacy play group for moms, dads, and grandparents with their children will be held on Thursday mornings from 9-10am, February 4 to March 10, 2016, at Discovery School-house, 101 Blue Hills Parkway in Milton. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Milton residents will be prioritized. For more information, click here or visit the MECA website.
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The following item was sent to us by a new group in town, the Milton Playground Planners:
Please join the Milton Playground Planners on Tuesday, January 26th at Steel & Rye restaurant for a Kick Off Event. Be among the first to see initial design proposals for the new playgrounds. We’ll have food, raffles and a sneak peek at equipment renderings. The event is from 7-10pm and Steel & Rye is located at 95 Eliot Street in Milton. Tickets to this fundraising event are $50 at the door or $40 in advance by visiting
http://www.miltonplaygroundplanners.com/events.html
MILTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Milton Reads 2016 is Revealed! The votes are tallied and the results are in. By popular choice, the 2016 selection for Milton Reads is Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. Dead Wake is the true story of the attack on the luxury ocean liner Lusitania by a German submarine during World War I. It is a suspenseful story that switches between hunter and hunted while painting a larger portrait of America during the period.
“We are delighted that so many Milton readers were involved in the Milton Reads selection process for their next book,” says Library Director Will Adamczyk. “The library has ordered lots of extra copies, so everybody can read Dead Wake now and be ready to celebrate it in March!”
The public is encouraged to check out the book from the library (it is also available as an audio book), and then enjoy the cultural events for adults and families throughout the month of March.
Last spring, the Milton Reads Committee, which includes library staff, trustees, and Friends of the Library, solicited book ideas from the public. “Over the summer, we read, read, read, explains library trustee Frank Schroth, who founded the program. “We narrowed the list down to five books, on which the public voted, and we had a clear winner,” says Schroth.
Look for upcoming events in March related to Milton Reads 2016. Milton Reads and its programming are sponsored by the Friends of the Milton Public Library.
Monday, January 18, 2016
LIBRARY CLOSED
Friday, January 22, 2016 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon
Free Play Friday, Ages 0-5
Drop by and enjoy puzzles, games and activities in the Story Hour room. The room will be open for two hours in the morning for you to enjoy with your little ones (ages 0-5). In partnership with the Milton Early Childhood Alliance.
Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 10:00 – 10:30 am
Sensory Storytime, All Ages
If other storytimes have not been the right fit for your child, this may be just what you are looking for! Join presenter Miss Kerri for fine/gross motor activities, songs and wonderful stories. A predictable, visual schedule will guide our sessions. This program is created for children with Sensory Integration Issues, Autism Spectrum Disorders or other Developmental Delays ALONG WITH their typically developing peers and siblings. All ages welcome, with parent or caregiver; no registration required.
Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 2:30 – 3:30 pm
Art with Ginny, Grades K-3
Children in grades K-3 can join Ginny Brearley and create an artistic masterpiece to take home. Registration is required. Sponsored by the Friends of the Milton Library.
Don’t forget to check the library web calendar for a listing of the many programs we offer year-round. Information about and registration for all of our programs can always be found on our online calendar at www.miltonlibrary.org, or by calling the Children’s Room at 617-898-4957 during business hours. Also, like the Milton Public Library on Facebook and get updates right in your news feed! Please contact the Children’s Room if you have questions about any of our programs or services.
To see a complete listing of library events, please click here:
http://www.eventkeeper.com/code/events.cfm?curOrg=MILTONPL
ATHLETICS
The following item was submitted by Athletic Director Alex Campea:
Girls Indoor Track
The girls’ track team beat Natick 62-38 last Thursday. They were led by the school-record-breaking performance of the 4x400m relay team Colette O’Leary, Elise O’Leary, Bridget Mitchell and Alexis Belash. The team also finished second at the Div IV Relay Championships last Friday. At this meet, the team broke SIX school records during the meet! The highlight was the Distance Medley Relay team (Colette O’Leary, Elise O’Leary, Bridget Mitchell and Sophie Cousineau), who broke the D4 meet record and qualified for Nationals.
Boys Indoor Track
The boys’ track team remains undefeated with two regular season meets left. Last Friday, the team won second place overall in the D4 State Relay track meet, setting two records in the process. The 4×50 team broke the D4 meet record with a time of 22:38; and the 4×200 relay team also broke the meet record, but finished second to Norton. The boys look forward to capturing the Bay State League title within the next two weeks.
Wrestling
It was an excellent showing for Milton last weekend as we competed in the Cohasset Tournament. Zack Fischer took 1st place, Pat MacDonnell 2nd place, Miles Easterling 2nd place, Matt Labelle 3rd place and Mark Labelle 3rd place. Several other wrestlers won matches overall as a team we finished in 4th place. At the Framingham meet, Milton faced one of the top teams in the state, Framingham and lost 51-21. Still it was a positive showing as we competed very hard against them. This Saturday, Milton travels to Canton High for a quad meet to face, Canton, Malden and Malden Catholic.
Ski
The weather is finally starting to cooperate and the MHS Boys & Girls Ski Teams are training very hard at Blue Hills. Georgia Bell looks like she is ready to ski to her first appearance in the Mass. State Ski Championships while Owen Walsh, Aiden Walsh, & Kyle Loria all show championship promise. The varsity racers will have a light week of racing and practice due to the league’s rule of not scheduling races during the mid-year exam period.
Cheer
The Varsity & JV Squads are preparing to cheer for our MHS basketball team’s games against Dedham tonight. We were also visited by Mr. Collyer, who will be preparing a strength and conditioning program for our all our athletes … this will be very exciting. Please remember our Sweet Frog Fundraiser on January 26th. Hope to see you there!
Girls Basketball
The girls basketball team improved to 2-5 record with a 50-34 win at Framingham on Tuesday night. Joanna Needham and Jeanmarie Fallon led the team with 10 points each. The team will travel to Dedham tonight looking for their third win.
Boys Basketball
The Wildcats are currently 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the Bay State Conference. Last week saw victories on the road at Walpole and Wellesley. Milton lost at Framingham on Tuesday 53-59. Tonight, the Wildcats host the Dedham Marauders at 630pm.
Swim
The Varsity Swim Team has competed in two very tough meets against Needham and Natick during the past week. Our coed team competed against all-male teams, yet placed and scored very well. Against Needham, Emma Heller placed second and Noel McCampbell placed third in the 100 free, Alex Rene placed third in the 50 free, Grace Curran placed third in the 100 back; and Emme Schewe placed third in the 100 breaststroke. In the 200 Yard Medley Relay, Maia Adley, Grace Curran, Emma Heller, and Emme Schewe took third place. In the 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, Grace Curran, Leah Corcoran, Della Jrolf, and Noel McCampbell took third place. In the meet against Natick, Emme Schewe took third in the 100 butterfly, Grace Dwyer took third in the 500 free, Maia Adley placed second and Grace Curran placed third in the 100 backstroke, Grace Curran also placed third in the 200 free, and in our 400 Free Relay, Grace Dwyer, Maia Adley, Noel McCampelle and Alex Rene took second place. The team has been working very hard and the competition has been strong.
Girls Ice Hockey
Last Tuesday night’s final score was Milton 6 & Framingham 6. It was a big comeback after being down 4-0 early in the game. Our League Record is 3-1-2 & Overall Record 4-2-2. Top scores are Elena Kapolis with 11 Goals, 12 Assists; Julia Scannell with 8 Goals, 10 Assists; Laura Hill with 7 Goals, 11 Assists. This line is one of the top lines in the league and the state. Defense is playing well, with Meghan McDougall, Kate Driscoll, Caroline Johnson, Bella Calcagno and Bella Simeone. Goalie Mary O’Connell is getting better every day. The next game will be Saturday 1-16-16 vs. Dedham at Nobles at 11:45am. Hope to see some fans out to support the Girls Varsity Hockey Team.
Boys Hockey
Boys’ Hockey Team is competing but coming up short on the scoreboard. We lost to Framingham, 2-0, despite an excellent 35 save performance by Junior Bobby Lesenechal. Our record is now; 2 wins, 5 losses and 1 tie.
Pierce Middle School Basketball
The Pierce Boys basketball team lost a close game to Stoughton on Tuesday 51-49. Pierce trailed for most of the game but fought back to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Stoughton hit a difficult long range three pointer as time ran out for the win. Kevin Swanton, Zach Vaughan, and Earl Tucker led the way for Pierce. The three of them controlled the rebounding on both ends of the floor and played tenacious defense the entire game. Pierce looks to bounce back tonight when it travels to Pembroke. The first home game will be Tuesday 1/19 vs. Calvary Chapel Academy.
For sports schedules for all MHS teams, please click here: http://schedules.schedulestar.com/Milton-High-School-Milton-MA/season/08-28-2015/
The Milton Public School system is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the provision of quality educational programs for all students. The Milton Public School system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, age or sexual orientation.