Milton Public Schools

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: March 16, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Next Tuesday, March 21, we will celebrate World Down Syndrome Day in MPS. All MPS students and staff are encouraged to “Rock Your Socks” to show support and appreciation for people with Down Syndrome. March 21 (3/21) is symbolic because people with Down syndrome have 3 copies of their 21st chromosome. Wear your brightly colored, mismatched socks (a conversation starter and reminder that while things may be different, they are still wonderful) on 3/21 and celebrate people with Down syndrome and the many contributions they make to society.

In the coming weeks, we are administering our spring round of Intellispark screeners. If you opted your child out in the fall, your child will not participate this spring. You can read the fall Intellispark communication here. The  grades 6-12 screener is linked here and the grades K-5 screener is linked here. Elementary students will take the screener with their homeroom teachers. 

We hope all students will participate in the universal SEL screener as part of the SEL curriculum in the district.  If any family feels their student would be better served without taking part in it, please contact your child’s principal with your child’s name, grade, and homeroom teacher to opt out.

Today, students at Cunningham and Collicot enjoyed lunchtime Irish Step dancing performances by their fellow students, and Collicot students were welcomed by a bagpiper as they arrived at school. Thank you to our talented students who gave up their lunch and recess to entertain their classmates!

As a reminder, tomorrow March 17 is a Teacher Professional Development Day, with no school for students. 

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Mar 16 After School P/T Conferences 
• Mar 17 No School – Teacher PD Day
• Mar 20 Grade 5 Growth and Dev. Presentation 
• Mar 21 MIOSM Chorus Concert 6-12
• Mar 22 Milton School Committee 
• Mar 22 SEPAC Board Meeting 
• Mar 27 SEPAC Meeting 
• Mar 31 Late Start for Students 

Concert Updates: The Music in Our Schools Month Grades 5-12 Band Concert has been rescheduled to Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium. The Spring Jazz Night featuring Pierce and MHS Jazz Ensembles has been rescheduled to Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium.

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here. 

The School Committee has approved a draft of the 23-24 SY calendar. This calendar is intended as a guide ONLY. It may be necessary to change this schedule to better serve instructional purposes. 

MFE TEACHER OF THE YEAR

It’s the time of year when the Milton Foundation for Education recognizes the extraordinary contributions made by MPS educators! The MFE is asking for nominations for Teacher of the Year in each school. Please take a moment to nominate an exceptional teacher here. All details can be found at this link.

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION 

The MFE supports all six MPS schools in ways big and small, day in and day out, throughout the school year. MFE grants range from $500 worth of books to $25,000 worth of technology and everything in between! The MFE has funded larger projects like the Wildcat Wellness Center and MPS broadband expansion and smaller initiatives that support classrooms or grades. You can see the spring 2022 grant list here. They have been an incredible partner to MPS over the last two decades and we are grateful to the parents and guardians who volunteer their time in support of the MFE and our schools. 

How can you support the good work that the MFE does for our schools? Join the fun on May 6 at this year’s Celebration for Education! Celebration is a guaranteed good time and will take place at The Beat, 135 Morrissey Blvd. on May 6 at 5 pm. May 6 is Derby Day, so come for the early start, watch the Kentucky Derby, enjoy good food and drink and the company of hundreds of your MPS neighbors. Tickets and squares will be on sale in the coming weeks, so save the date and mark your calendar for Celebration for Education 2023! 

FIRST GRADE PROGRAM CHOICE

Thank you to all who attended First Grade Information Night this week. Parents and guardians of current MPS kindergarten students learned about our two first grade programs: The English Innovation Pathway (with STEM & Spanish) and French Immersion. We presented information on each program as well as the assignment plan, lottery (if needed), and timeline. The PDF of the presentation can be found here, and a recording of the presentation will be posted on the Milton Access TV Youtube page linked here. A link to make your program choice will be sent by your child’s principal. 

FIFTH GRADE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION 

5th Grade parents and guardians are invited to our district wide 5th Grade Growth and Development Program on Monday, March 20 at 7pm in the MHS Auditorium. This annual presentation is a wonderful opportunity for parents/guardians to preview the videos (The Puberty Workshop and Curriculum, Human Relations Media, Inc.) that will be shown to 5th grade students this spring. After the videos, there will be time for Q&A regarding the program. This is a powerful opportunity to gain knowledge and build skills to help engage your child in conversations about puberty. This program will be presented at your child’s school on March 31.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

Congratulations to MHS English teacher John Radosta, whose paper “The Loveliest and the Best: The Tapestry of Influence of Omar Khayyám’s Rubáiyat On the Works of Bob Dylan” has been accepted into the World of Bob Dylan Conference in Tulsa, OK. Mr. Radosta will present his work along with 125 other speakers across the four day conference in June. Congratulations on your accomplishment, and good luck in June! 

MILTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS HIRING

Milton Community Schools has immediate openings for Community Service and paid Counselor positions for high school students through the end of the school year. If you enjoy working with children, are ready to make a difference, are reliable and willing to learn, we want to hear from you! All details can be found here. 

SEPAC

Please see below from information from Milton SEPAC. 

Participate: We will soon be saying goodbye to the leaders of our Pupil and Personnel Services, Mark Harrison (March 31) and Susan Maselli (June 30)  This is a significant leadership transition for our community, and it is happening in conjunction with central leadership transition. Please stay tuned and engaged – this is an important time for us! 

SEPAC Board Member Darcy Maksou (Cunningham Rep) served on the search for Asst. Director of Pupil Personnel Services. Two SEPAC board members, Tracy Menoza (Collicot Rep) and Jennie Mulqueen (Co-Chair and MHS Rep) will serve on the search committee for the new Administrator for Pupil and Personnel Services. 

Advocate: Know your school rep: Find Your School Rep Here 

Educate: Attend the next SEPAC sponsored Federation for Children with Special Needs workshop: Evaluation and Eligibilty Monday, March 27th 6:30pm, followed by Parent Speak. This workshop is on Zoom and will be presented in the Tucker School Library, followed by a Parent Speak meeting from 7:30-8:30pm. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MHS AND PIERCE ORCHESTRA 

NATIONAL LATIN EXAM 

MHS and Pierce Latin students recently took the National Latin Exam (NLE). The NLE is a test given annually to Latin students across the United States and around the world. The NLE is not meant to be a competition but rather an opportunity for students to receive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments in the classroom. Depending upon their score, students may earn certificates and medals and may even qualify for scholarships. Pierce students also recently took the National Mythology exam. 

Thank you to World Language teachers Danielle Huebner, Meagan Crowley, Madeline Murphy and Pat Menard for their dedication to our students and good luck to all of our Latin students! 

COLLICOT 4TH GRADE SCIENCE

CUNNINGHAM GLOW RUN 

Thank you to all who supported our Cunningham Cougars on their very successful Glow Run this week! Funds raised will be used to promote the PTO mission of enhancing the school year for students, families, and staff.

MHS ATHLETICS 

MPS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following.  

Congratulations to our Winter All-Stars! Not all of them have been named, but take a look at those who have been below!

• Jeffrey Potter – Boys Basketball Honorable Mention
• Stephanie Needham – Girls Basketball
• Grace Henry – Girls Basketball Honorable Mention
• Katie O’Toole – Girls Indoor Track and Field 
• Gretel Schewe – Girls Indoor Track and Field Honorable Mention
• Fabrice Hippolyte-Midy – Boys Indoor Track and Field Honorable Mention 
• Lila Chamoun – Girls Ice Hockey – Herget MVP
• Kerry Balerna – Girls Ice Hockey
• Molly Murphy – Girls Ice Hockey
• Caelan Leddy – Girls Ice Hockey Honorable Mention
• Owen McHugh – Boys Ice Hockey
• Declan Walsh – Boys Ice Hockey Honorable Mention
• Mason Pellegri – Wrestling
• Ben Catudal – Alpine Ski
• Norah Walsh – Cheerleading
• Andrew Scapicchio – Cheerleading Honorable Mention
• Eowyn Young – Dance
• Julia Delaney – Dance Honorable Mention

Winter Sports families: If you have not done so already, please take a moment and complete the Athletics Parent/Guardian Feedback Survey linked at the bottom of the Athletics newsletter. While you have the option to remain anonymous, it is extremely helpful to leave your name and contact information. You will remain anonymous, but leaving that information allows the Athletic Director and Principal to follow up if necessary.

Senior MHS Athletes and Managers are encouraged to apply for a Boosters Athletic Scholarship.  Requirements include: 1) have competed (or managed) at the varsity level while at MHS; 2) be an active Booster member; 3) submit a complete application; 4) obtain a letter of reference if needed (see award instructions).  Applications (including letters of reference) are due April 14. More information and the application can be found here.

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities!

On Sunday, March 19 at 3pm, Milton Community Concerts presents Stuart Ryerse in a concert titled “Tunes and Tosses: An Afternoon with Virtuoso Musician and Juggler Stuart Ryerse (and friends)”. This concert will take place at First Parish of Milton, 535 Canton Avenue.  Tickets for this concert are $20 general, $10 senior, and free for 18 and under.  All details can be found here. 

Brookwood Community Farm, located at the base of the Blue Hills, on the Milton/Canton line, has CSA (community supported agriculture) shares and a farm stand.

We offer accessible 2023 shares through alternative payment options. Details can be          found here.  One option for the CSA is to use SNAP benefits ($40/month) which will be fully reimbursed by HIP.  These shares are available as half-veggie shares (every other week). The form for SNAP CSA can be found here. Pickup is at the farm, but if you do not have transportation, please contact us directly at president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org. so we can try to work it out. If you do not have EBT, we can consider a discounted share or offer a payment plan, so please email president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org.

Neponset Rowing Club Spring 2023 Registration for the Competitive Juniors (HS) program is now open. Registration for the spring high school rowing season is open to MPS and all local high schools.  Please sign up here: 2023 Spring – Neponset Rowing Club: Competitive Juniors (HS) Registration.

Summer Art Camp at the Milton Art Center is open for registration. The camps will run for nine weeks from June 26-August 24. Each session has a different theme and children can sign up for half day or full day sessions. Visit the website to find out more and register.

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Beantown Boston Youth Flag Football League is open for registration. All details can be found here. The website is here, go to the register tab at the top.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of March programs for kids can be found here.  To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with an Irish Step performance, demonstrated by Petrocelli Academy of Irish Dance, on March 17 at 2:30PM in the Keys Community Room!  No registration is required, and all ages are welcome.
• The Milton Teen Program is always looking for high school volunteers! If you’re interested in helping our Children’s Department out with some awesome programming and earning service hours along the way, please email Tyler Vachon at tvachon@ocln.org.

Learn more and register for these programs through the MPL Events Calendar. 

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: March 9, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Earlier today, under the direction of the Milton Police Department, each of our schools completed their spring lockdown drill. Each drill took between fifteen and thirty minutes to complete. While initial feedback from MPD was positive, we will continue to identify areas for improvement. The Safety and Security Advisory Committee will meet to discuss any findings, make necessary adjustments and plan for the future.

It was an exciting day at Cunningham today, as their new Book Vending Machine was unveiled! The Book Vending Machine was purchased through a grant from the Milton Foundation for Education and filled with tons of new books courtesy of the Cunningham PTO. Cunningham teachers nominated students to be among the first to deposit their gold coin and vend a brand new book. Students were nominated for their love of reading, excellent citizenship, and kindness and the excitement in the lobby was palpable.

The MFE supports all six MPS schools in ways big and small, day in and day out, throughout the school year. MFE grants range from $500 worth of books to $25,000 worth of technology and everything in between! The MFE has funded larger projects like the Wildcat Wellness Center and MPS broadband expansion and smaller initiatives that support classrooms or grades. You can see the spring 2022 grant list here. They have been an incredible partner to MPS over the last two decades and we are grateful to the parents and guardians who volunteer their time in support of the MFE and our schools. 

How can you support the good work that the MFE does for our schools? Join the fun on May 6 at this year’s Celebration for Education! Celebration is a guaranteed good time and will take place at The Beat, 135 Morrissey Blvd. on May 6 at 5 pm. May 6 is Derby Day, so come for the early start, watch the Kentucky Derby, enjoy good food and drink and the company of hundreds of your MPS neighbors. Tickets and squares will be on sale in the coming weeks, so save the date and mark your calendar for Celebration for Education 2023! 

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Mar 9 MIOSM Strings Concert 6-12
• Mar 14 MIOSM Band Concert 5-12
• Mar 15 1st Grade Info Night
• Mar 16 After School P/T Conferences 
• Mar 17 No School – Teacher PD Day
• Mar 20 Grade 5 Growth and Dev. Presentation 

As a reminder, March 17 is a Teacher Professional Development Day, with no school for students. 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here. 

The School Committee has approved a draft of the 23-24 SY calendar. This calendar is intended as a guide ONLY. It may be necessary to change this schedule to better serve instructional purposes. 

MHS CULTURE FAIR

This Friday, March 10 from 5-8 pm, Milton High School’s Asian Culture Club will be holding their second annual Culture Fair in the MHS library. All are invited to join the members of the Asian Culture Club, Hispanic Culture Club and French Club for a night of fun! 

Through games, activities, presentations, and performances, our club members hope to bring the Milton community together and provide an opportunity for everyone to deepen their understanding and appreciation of other cultures. Get ready for lion dancing, arts and crafts, traditional games, and more!

If you would like to support the hosting club, please consider buying a bubble tea drink or a raffle ticket while you’re there. All proceeds will be used to fund future events and go to supporting various charitable groups.

FIRST GRADE INFORMATION NIGHT

On Wednesday, March 15 at 6:30pm, we will be hosting First Grade Information Night in person in the Milton High School Auditorium. Parents and guardians of current MPS kindergarten students are invited to learn about our two first grade programs: The English Innovation Pathway (with STEM & Spanish) and French Immersion. We will present information on each program as well as the assignment plan, lottery (if needed), and timeline.

FIFTH GRADE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION 

5th Grade parents and guardians are invited to our district wide 5th Grade Growth and Development Program on Monday, March 20 at 7pm in the MHS Auditorium. This annual presentation is a wonderful opportunity for parents/guardians to preview the videos (The Puberty Workshop and Curriculum, Human Relations Media, Inc.) that will be shown to 5th grade students this spring. After the videos, there will be time for Q&A regarding the program. This is a powerful opportunity to gain knowledge and build skills to help engage your child in conversations about puberty. This program will be presented at your child’s school on March 31.

MHS COURSE REGISTRATION 

MHS Counselors have presented a course selection lesson to all students grades 8-11. If your student will be in grades 9-12 at MHS next year, their course selections are due by March 13 at 5pm (note new date). 

Please visit the Program of Studies website. On the first page is a link to a video explaining the process for current 8th graders, as well as a pdf of the process for students in grade 9-11.

Since we are implementing a new Student Information System, we are experiencing some growing pains.  If you tried to request courses and were told that you did not meet the prerequisite, please try again. If you already submitted your class registration and wish to make changes, you can still do so.  Log onto to Powerschool again and click “Class Registration” on the left. Students who do not submit class requests for next school year will have their courses chosen by their school counselors. 

We encourage students to follow their current teachers’ course recommendations. When selecting courses for next year, it is also important to consider the rigor of the entire schedule, and attempt to keep a work/life balance. Counselors at the high school are available by email and phone if you have questions or concerns with the course selection process.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

Congratulations are in order for many of our MHS students this week! 

Today we celebrated a select group of MHS students who have received the Student Achievement Award from DESE. This new award recognizes students for their performance on the 2022 MCAS or MCAS-Alt. Students received a Certificate of Excellence and a gift card. Congratulations to Oliver Jones, Elias Caros, Christopher Cunningham, Owen Creamer, Jasmine Bethea, Hilda Alexis, Jacob Claudomir, Chaliss Leoutsakos-Gustave, Frank Hawker, Iyla Kushnarev, David Nguyen, Joseph Taylor and Julia Levreaut on this recognition of their hard work and success! 

This week we also celebrated our music students who were inducted into Tri-M, the Music Honor Society. New inductees performed in small groups and the ceremony was led by Tri-M’s student officers. Congratulations to Lucy Asanza, Charlie Baltay, Sam Boucher, Eilie Boylan, Nate Brown, Greta Cardoza, Wyatt Changizi, Owen Creamer, Stephy Dai, Atticus D’Alessandro, Katherine Drozdick, Violet Figuerido, Malcolm Frank-McKnight, John Gillooly, Colin Glazer, Kevin Gomes, James Goodman, Niamh Guilderson, John Higgins, Elinor Johnson, Maxine Loranger-Milt, Molly Lovett, Lucie Lloyd-Farber, William Malec, Rory Martin, Rowan, McCullough, Mary Mullen, Maggie O’Connor, Louise O’Donoghue, Rogan Pater and Noel Vega on your induction into  Tri-M!  

MILTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS HIRING

Milton Community Schools has immediate openings for Community Service and paid Counselor positions for high school students through the end of the school year. If you enjoy working with children, are ready to make a difference, are reliable and willing to learn, we want to hear from you! All details can be found here. 

MPS SUMMER – CAMP CUNNINGHAM 

Registration for Camp Cunningham 2023 opens on Family ID at noon on Wednesday, March 15. For more information, including dates and rates, please see the Milton Community Schools website.

FORBES HOUSE MUSEUM ESSAY CONTEST

The Forbes House Museum 2023 Lincoln Essay and Drawing Contest is open. This year the drawing contest is open to students in grades 5-8 and the essay contest is open to students in grades 6-8. The contest is generously sponsored by BR Alexander & Co. If your child would like to participate, all details can be found here. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MPS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

On March 2, Food Service employees engaged in PD with Project Bread. After a discussion about what makes Food Service employees vital to school nutrition and the health of a school, Chef Sam and Chef Sherry began some cooking demos with the staff.  On the menu? Arroz con Pollo, Adobe Chicken Flatbread, and Cucumber Watermelon Mint Salad  – all delicious! We hope to bring these tasty creations to our school menus soon. Thanks to Chef Sam and Chef Sherry and a note of appreciation to Milton Food Service staff for their hard work in making sure kids are not going hungry and are getting nutritious meals, setting them up for success in school!

4th Grade teachers enjoyed attending a “Project Lead the Way” workshop at WPI this week!

PIERCE STEM FAIR

It was great to celebrate the hard work of our students at the Pierce STEM Fair in February! Thank you to the Pierce community for attending and showing such interest in so many fantastic projects.

We would like to recognize the following winning projects individuals and teams, who have been invited to represent Pierce at the Regional Science Fair at Regis College on March 18! 

• Outstanding Design Engineering Project: “Which electro-magnetic transformer is the most efficient: shell style vs. core style?” by Nina Shores – Grade 8
• Outstanding Experimental Project: “Investigating Crystals: How does light affect crystal growth?” By Eloise Martland, Grade 6
• Outstanding Solution to a Real World Problem: Going off the grid- A solar solution for energy independence” By Aidan Leschuk, AJ Murphy, Avery Squiciarino (“Squeech-a-rino”), Dan Winterberg, Grade 8
• Honorable Mention: Does color affect memory? By Sofia Nitolo, Claire Deren, Tyrese Blake, Grade 8

Good luck to all at the Regional Science Fair!

MHS FRENCH CLUB MOVIE NIGHT 

The MHS French Club hosted over 260 elementary students at MHS last weekend. Students enjoyed pizza and the movie Ratatouille, in French.  The elementary students enjoyed their time together and with the MHS students who oversaw the event. The evening was a huge success and the French Club thanks all the elementary teachers who volunteered their Saturday night to support the movie night!

COLLICOT AUTHOR VISIT

Author Deirdre Sullivan visited Collicot this week to kick off Literacy Month. Ms. Sullivan read two of her books, Ming Goes to School and Gussie and Max, to Collicot kindergarten classes. She later met with the fourth graders to discuss the writing process, how she edits her books and the process of publishing a book. Students were able to ask questions and thoroughly enjoyed hearing firsthand how to become a published author. Thank you to Ms. Sullivan for the visit!

MHS CLASS OF 2023! 

MHS ATHLETICS 

MPS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following.  

We are just about finished with the Winter Season! Track will participate in the New Balance Nationals this weekend, and Cheer will compete at States on Sunday at Worcester State University after taking home 3rd place at Regionals last weekend! 

Our Girls Hockey Team won the Bay State Conference for the first time since 2010, finishing 10-1-2 in league play and 18-2-4 overall. They lost to Canton 3-1 on Saturday night but fought until the very end. With several members of the team returning next season, they will look to continue their upward trajectory!

Spring Sports start Monday, March 20. Please see the link here for tryout information.

There will be a Spring Sports Parent/Guardian Meeting on Wednesday, March 15 at 6pm in the Field House. All student-athletes and parents/guardians are welcome to attend. 

Winter Sports families: If you have not done so already, please take a moment and complete the Athletics Parent/Guardian Feedback Survey linked at the bottom of the Athletics newsletter. While you have the option to remain anonymous, it is extremely helpful to leave your name and contact information. You will remain anonymous, but leaving information allows the Athletic Director and Principal to follow up if necessary.

Senior MHS Athletes and Managers are encouraged to apply for a Boosters Athletic Scholarship.  Requirements include: 1) have competed (or managed) at the varsity level while at MHS; 2) be an active Booster member; 3) submit a complete application; 4) obtain a letter of reference if needed (see award instructions).  Applications (including letters of reference) are due April 14. More information and the application can be found here.

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities!

Brookwood Community Farm, located at the base of the Blue Hills, on the Milton/Canton line, has CSA (community supported agriculture) shares and a farm stand.

We offer accessible 2023 shares through alternative payment options. Details can be          found here.  One option for the CSA is to use SNAP benefits ($40/month) which will be fully reimbursed by HIP.  These shares are available as half-veggie shares (every other week). The form for SNAP CSA can be found here. Pickup is at the farm, but if you do not have transportation, please contact us directly at president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org. so we can try to work it out. If you do not have EBT, we can consider a discounted share or offer a payment plan, so please email president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org.

There is an opportunity for families to attend a FREE classical music performance at Faneuil Hall in March and April. The Bach, Beethoven and Brahms Society Orchestra plays classical music at historic Faneuil Hall, under the direction of internationally acclaimed conductor, Steven Lipsitt. It is their mission to introduce young families to this music in an intimate setting. This offer is first come first served and is only available for a limited time.
Tickets are for unreserved side seating. Please use promo code ‘music’ at checkout for the free tickets. All details on this terrific opportunity can be found here.

Milton Sports for All has expanded its popular candle-pin bowling program to offer a high school session!  Bowling will take place at Cunningham Hall on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30, starting on March 8 and running through April 5.  This program is open to Milton residents in grades 9-12. No experience (or bowling shoes) necessary! Register here. 

Milton Sports for All is an inclusive recreational program that provides the opportunity for children of all abilities, experience, and backgrounds to participate in sporting activities in a fun, accessible way. 

Neponset Rowing Club Spring 2023 Registration for the Competitive Juniors (HS) program is now open. Registration for the spring high school rowing season is open to MPS and all local high schools.  Please sign up here: 2023 Spring – Neponset Rowing Club: Competitive Juniors (HS) Registration.

Summer Art Camp at the Milton Art Center is open for registration. The camps will run for nine weeks from June 26-August 24. Each session has a different theme and children can sign up for half day or full day sessions. Visit the website to find out more and register.

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of March programs for kids can be found here.  To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• The Milton Teen Program is always looking for high school volunteers! If you’re interested in helping our Children’s Department out with some awesome programming, and earning service hours along the way, please email Tyler Vachon at tvachon@ocln.org.

Learn more and register for these programs through the MPL Events Calendar. 

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: March 2, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

This week, MPS Leadership met with our partners in the Milton Police Department for our regularly scheduled Safety and Security Advisory Committee meeting. At these meetings, we debrief past events, discuss protocols, and plan for the future. Thank you to all who shared feedback on the recent MHS swatting incident and subsequent response. Each incident or drill identifies what we do well as well as areas for improvement, and our Principals take this information back to their buildings. As is our usual practice, each school will hold an unannounced Lockdown Drill before the end of the school year. Upon hearing the lockdown announcement, students and staff use the knowledge gained during previous training and drills and enter into lockdown. Milton Police personnel are on the scene and quickly assess the building, preparing feedback for each school. The entire drill takes under 3o minutes, and while the drill is unannounced, students and staff are aware the event is a drill shortly after the lockdown announcement.

While we all wish these drills were unnecessary, we have to work within the current reality facing schools today and prepare for these unlikely but potential events. As always, we appreciate our ongoing partnership with Milton Police and Fire and the support and understanding of MPS parents and guardians.

There are a few important “save the dates” that I would like to call your attention to below. 

TONIGHT: The MHS Program of Studies Night will be held on Thursday, March 2, at 6:30 pm in the MHS auditorium. All parents/guardians and students who will be in grades 9-12 next year are invited to join us this evening to learn about the MHS Program of Studies for the 23-24 school year. 

The Harlem Wizards are coming back to MPS! Join the fun on Wednesday, March 8 at 7pm at Copeland Field house at Milton High School. This evening of family fun is an easy way to  support the MHS Senior Class activities while enjoying a local night out with your kids. Come see the MPS Staff ‘Cats take on the Wizards!  Tickets are available at this link and watch the MPS Wizards video here.  

On Wednesday, March 15 at 6:30pm, we will be hosting First Grade Information Night in person in the Milton High School Auditorium. Parents and guardians of current MPS kindergarten students are invited to learn about our two first grade programs: The English Innovation Pathway (with STEM & Spanish) and French Immersion. We will present information on each program as well as the assignment plan, lottery (if needed), and timeline.

5th Grade parents and guardians are invited to our district wide 5th Grade Growth and Development Program on Monday, March 20 at 7pm in the MHS Auditorium. This annual presentation is a wonderful opportunity for parents/guardians to preview the videos (The Puberty Workshop and Curriculum, Human Relations Media, Inc.) that will be shown to 5th grade students this spring. After the videos, there will be time for Q&A regarding the program. This is a powerful opportunity to gain knowledge and build skills to help engage your child in conversations about puberty. This program will be presented at your child’s school on March 31.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Mar 2 MHS Program of Studies at MHS
• Mar 4 Cans for Cats at MHS 
• Mar 7 SEPAC Meeting 
• Mar 8 Harlem Wizards at MHS 
• Mar 9 MIOSM Strings Concert 6-12
• Mar 14 MIOSM Band Concert 5-12
• Mar 15 1st Grade Info Night
• Mar 16 After School P/T Conferences 
• Mar 17 No School – Teacher PD Day
• Mar 20 Grade 5 Growth and Dev. Presentation 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here. 

The School Committee has approved a draft of the 23-24 SY calendar. This calendar is intended as a guide ONLY. It may be necessary to change this schedule to better serve instructional purposes. 

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION

This year’s Celebration for Education at The Beat on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Beat is a fun, new event space located just 5 miles from Milton on Morrissey Boulevard, in Boston’s historic former headquarters of the Boston Globe. Save the date to join the fun!

MILTON SEPAC

Please see below from the Milton SEPAC Board.  SEPAC sponsored Federation for Children with Special Needs workshops have been scheduled.  

• Understanding the 504: Tuesday March 7, 6:30-8:30pm
• Evaluation and Eligibility Monday, March 27 6:30pm

Gather with Milton families for these free workshops chock full of essential information for families navigating special education. 

It is not too late to register for an all day FREE Visions of Community conference this Saturday with offerings on topics such as “The Science of Play”, “Building Bridges for the Voices and Experiences of BIPOC families navigating Disability Communities”, “IEP Schoolwide Strategies to Prevent Bullying of Students with Disabilities”, and so much more! Find out More and Register Here.  Everyone who registers ($15) has access to session recordings. 

Did you know you have a SEPAC school rep who meets monthly with your school principal to discuss staffing, programming, and issues of inclusion? Find Your School Rep Here 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

FORBES HOUSE MUSEUM ESSAY CONTEST

The Forbes House Museum 2023 Lincoln Essay and Drawing Contest is open. Mary Bowditch Forbes’s extensive Lincoln Collection is the inspiration behind the museum’s annual essay and drawing contest, which offers students different prompts each year through which to reflect on the life and times of President Lincoln. This year the drawing contest is open to students in grades 5-8 and the essay contest is open to students in grades 6-8.

The deadline is April 14, with the awards ceremony on May 13. Essay winners will be asked to read their entries, and the drawing winners will have their work displayed in the museum. The contest is generously sponsored by BR Alexander & Co. If your child would like to participate, all details can be found here. 

DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP DAY

Thank you to all who participated in our recent 4th annual elementary Digital Citizenship Day.  All elementary students took part in two engaging lessons, facilitated by family volunteers and staff on topics like digital footprints, internet privacy, copyright, cyberbullying, creating passwords and more.  The lessons were developed by Common Sense Media, modified by MPS Elementary Instructional Technology Specialists Jen Van Hill & Sara Doherty, and are intended to help our students better understand how to interact with digital technology and their peers in a healthy, respectful way. Each lesson takes on real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today, giving them the skills they need to succeed as learners, leaders, and citizens. 

Each lesson included an at-home exercise to help families continue the conversation and reinforce the guidance provided during Digital Citizenship Day. Please visit your student’s Technology Google Class page or visit the Digital Citizenship Day Volunteer Site for access to the at-home activities and  specific information about the lessons. Thank you to the family volunteers for supporting this important initiative.  Without your support, this day would not have been possible.

FREE CLASSICAL MUSIC OPPORTUNITY

There is an opportunity for families to attend a FREE classical music performance at Faneuil Hall in March and April. The Bach, Beethoven and Brahms Society Orchestra plays classical music at historic Faneuil Hall, under the direction of internationally acclaimed conductor, Steven Lipsitt. It is their mission to introduce young families to this music in an intimate setting. This offer is first come first served and is only available for a limited time.
Tickets are for unreserved side seating. Please use promo code ‘music’ at checkout for the free tickets. All details on this terrific opportunity can be found here.

MPS NICE TO KNOW

TUCKER UNITY NIGHT

Tucker Unity Night returned in full force on Thursday, February 16! Unity Night took place at MHS and featured the Tucker 4th grade Chorus and performances from every grade. Six Tucker 5th graders read essays reflecting on their time at Tucker, how they found their “Tucker Pride” and what they would take with them as they moved on from Tucker.  A special shout out to fifth grade student Penny Peters whose design was selected to be on our t-shirts and program this year. An enormous thank you is owed to:

• Ms. Karen Marsh, choreographer for grades K-5
• Ms. Nicole Davis, choreographer for Preschool
• Brother Dennis Slaughter, Grade 4 Choral Director
• Assistant Principal, Kirsten Driscoll, Unity Night Coordinator 
• The Tucker Diversity Committee and PTO for their ongoing support and volunteerism

Thank you to for your immeasurable contributions to our program and our community at large! This was a standing room only event in the MHS auditorium with fabulous grade level performances, beautiful music and meaningful essays all contributing to an amazing night for the Tucker community.

GLOVER DRUM PERFORMANCE

Glover students hit the ground running this week with fabulous and energetic Monday morning assemblies with “Fascinating Rhythms” drum performances by Cornell Coley, M. ED!

PIERCE AMPLIFY ARTS CONTEST

The Pierce Fine Arts Department is pleased to announce the winner of the AMPlify Arts Logo Design Contest! All Pierce students had the opportunity to create and submit a design, and teachers selected 4 finalists based on design criteria being met and the “readability” of the design for print on t-shirts. About half of the student body at Pierce voted on the four final designs and the vote was close but decisive. 

Congratulations to Faith Kelley, 7th grade ACE art student, for creating the winning logo design!  We would also like to congratulate Zara Tahir, 7th Grade ACE student for creating a winning design for a sticker.

TUCKER PRESCHOOL

Preschool has been spending lots of time outside this winter.  As they were mindfully walking by the Tucker garden beds, they noticed something white. A cotton plant which had been planted in the early summer had opened! The excited students harvested the plant it and admire it in the classroom. 

Preschoolers headed outside on Groundhog Day to observe their own groundhog. While the groundhog made a prediction that we will have 6 more weeks of winter, they are now wondering about that prediction!

PIERCE SPIRIT WEEK

Pierce spirits were high during a fun and vibrant Spirit Week!

MHS ATHLETICS 

MPS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following  recent winter sports highlights. Read his recent full newsletter here, with schedules, coaching news, parent feedback forms, and more. 

Good luck to the Girls Hockey Team tonight! MIAA DII Girls Hockey State Tourney #13 Milton v #20 Framingham Thurs, Mar 2, 7pm Get your Ulin Rink tickets here! #PackTheU

The MHS Girls Hockey team will be hosting Cans for Cats on Saturday, March 4, 9 am to noon at Milton High School.

Congratulations to Ben Catudal on his performance on the slopes at States this week. Ben placed 86th out of 146 boys in yesterday’s GS race! 

Winter Sports families: If you have not done so already, please take a moment and complete the Athletics Parent/Guardian Feedback Survey linked at the bottom of the Athletics newsletter. While you have the option to remain anonymous, it is extremely helpful to leave your name and contact information. You will remain anonymous, but leaving information allows the Athletic Director and Principal to follow up if necessary.

Spring Registration is OPEN! Be sure to register for sports this spring as we are just two weeks from tryouts! If you have already registered for a sport this year, all you need to do is update your registration and add the spring sport. You do not need to register again. Please find instructions and links here.

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Sports for All has expanded its popular candle-pin bowling program to offer a high school session!  Bowling will take place at Cunningham Hall on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30, starting on March 8 and running through April 5.  This program is open to Milton residents in grades 9-12. No experience (or bowling shoes) necessary! Register here. 

Milton Sports for All is an inclusive recreational program that provides the opportunity for children of all abilities, experience, and backgrounds to participate in sporting activities in a fun, accessible way. 

Neponset Rowing Club Spring 2023 Registration for the Competitive Juniors (HS) program is now open. Registration for the spring high school rowing season is open to MPS and all local high schools.  Please sign up here: 2023 Spring – Neponset Rowing Club: Competitive Juniors (HS) Registration.

Summer Art Camp at the Milton Art Center is open for registration. The camps will run for nine weeks from June 26-August 24. Each session has a different theme and children can sign up for half day or full day sessions. Visit the website to find out more and register.

Riverside Theatre Works is performing “Matilda” from March 3-19. Many of our MPS students are involved and there are nine show dates, including matinees on Sundays. The show is appropriate for ages 6+. All details are here.

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of March programs for kids can be found here.  To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Attention graphic novel fans: Join Ms. Tory in the Story Hour Room for Graphic Novel Book Club (Grades 3-5) on Wednesday, March 15 at 4:30PM! This month we are reading Time Shifters by Chris Grine. Pick up a reserved copy at the Children’s Desk and sign up today! 
• Check out our monthly Dial-A-Story! Call 617-915-1915 at any time to listen to stories (and a joke!) read to you by MPL Librarians This month, we have a very special guest reader: Titilayo Olusanya, a 3rd Grade Tucker student, reading the picture book biography Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed.

Learn more and register for these programs through the MPL Events Calendar. 

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: February 16, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Thank you to all in the MPS community for your cooperation during yesterdays lock down at Milton High School. School lockdowns have become all too familiar to our children and we know these episodes cause real and lasting stress for our young people and all involved. While society as a whole grapples with the larger issues, at MPS we will continue on the path of social and emotional support for all of our students and staff, while working to keep them physically safe in our buildings at all times.

While we now know that yesterday’s lockdown was an instance of the “swatting” phenomenon that is happening both locally and nationally, per our protocol, we immediately implemented our emergency lockdown procedures until any threat was ruled out by the Milton Police Department. There are important lessons to be learned after any emergency incident. Please know that Milton Police, Milton Fire and MPS staff and administrators meet regularly to discuss, adjust and reinforce our safety protocols. 

Thank you to Milton Police for the swift and capable response to yesterday’s “swatting” incident.  We are grateful for the ongoing collaboration as we work as a community to ensure the safety and security of all students and staff.

Throughout February, we have observed Black History Month across the district. Schools have shared morning announcements, classes have worked on research projects, read books, watched videos, listened to read alouds, and more, as students have learned about the achievements and contributions of both famous and lesser known Black Americans through U.S. history. A few highlights are shared below.

Let’s get Mr. Lew into the Basketball Hall of Fame!

Next week is February break, and there is no school in Milton from February 20-24. I wish all MPS staff and families a happy and healthy break and we’ll see all students and staff on Monday, February 27, 2023.  

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Feb 20-24 February Recess
• Feb 28 SEPAC Meeting 
• Feb 28 Pierce DEI Community Event 
• Mar 1 School Committee Meeting 
• Mar 2 Early Release Day – PD for Staff
• Mar 8 Harlem Wizards at MHS 
• Mar 15 1st Grade Info Night 

The School Committee has approved a draft of the 23-24 SY calendar. This calendar is intended as a guide ONLY. It may be necessary to change this schedule to better serve instructional purposes. 

PIERCE COMMUNITY EVENT

The Pierce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will host a community event open to all parents and caregivers on February 28th at 6:30 p.m. in the Pierce auditorium. The event will offer a series of short educational and skill building workshops for parents and caregivers that will focus on promoting and supporting the academic, social and emotional wellbeing of children and teens through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. The workshop sessions are as below:

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pierce & MPS facilitated by Claire Galloway-Jones, MPS Director of DEIB
• Restorative practices at Pierce Middle School facilitated by Adina Schecter, MPS Restorative Justice Coach
• LGBTQ+ hate speech lesson facilitated by Oliver Jones, MPS student

More details about the event can be found here. Parents and caregivers are asked to complete the pre-registration link in advance of the event on February 28th.

MHS PROGRAM OF STUDIES NIGHT

The MHS Program of Studies Night will be held on Thursday, March 2, at 6:30 pm in the MHS auditorium. All parents/guardians and students who will be in grades 9-12 next year are invited to join us this evening to learn about the MHS Program of Studies for the 23-24 school year. 

FIRST GRADE INFORMATION NIGHT 

On Wednesday, March 15 at 6:30pm, we will be hosting First Grade Information Night in person in the Milton High School Auditorium. Parents and guardians of current MPS kindergarten students are invited to learn about our two first grade programs: The English Innovation Pathway (with STEM & Spanish) and French Immersion. We will present information on each program as well as the assignment plan, lottery (if needed), and timeline. 

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION

This year’s Celebration for Education at The Beat on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Beat is a fun, new event space located just 5 miles from Milton on Morrissey Boulevard, in Boston’s historic former headquarters of the Boston Globe. Save the date to join the fun!

NEWS FROM HEALTH SERVICES 

With the winter break around the corner, our school nurses want to remind you that MPS continues to follow several health and wellness policies to ensure a safe and healthy return for our community.

• The MPS handbook states that students should be fever free without medication for 24 hours and 24 hours from their last episode of nausea/vomiting prior to returning.
• Students who have tested positive for COVID should isolate for 5 days and may return to school on day 6. (See the full COVID policy here). If you are unsure if your student should return to school after break, please keep them home until you speak to your school nurse on Monday, February 27.

Over the February break our health rooms will be closed from Friday, February 17 at 3pm until Monday, February 27 at 8am. If you have health questions during this time, please contact your pediatrician. Our MPS Nursing Department wishes you a safe, healthy February break.

Boston Children’s Hospital has reached out to MPS with a special opportunity for students to participate in a unique nutrition study on milk consumption and childhood health.

The study is being run by the Children’s Hospital team at the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center. They’re looking for 9 to 12-year-old boys and girls to participate in the trial.  The study will compare the effects of whole milk and nonfat milk on nutrition and health-related outcomes. 

Eligible children whose parents decide to enroll will receive free milk deliveries from Crescent Ridge Dairy in Sharon, MA, for a full year, with the possibility of financial compensation as well. All details and a link to sign up can be found here. 

DESE REVIEW OF MPS ELE PROGRAM 

During the week of February 27, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will review our English Learner Education (ELE) program at Milton Public Schools in a process called a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review. 

The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each school district’s English Language Education program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English Learners’ assessments; identification of English learners; what programs English Learners are placed in; parent and community involvement; curriculum and instruction; student support services; licensure requirements for faculty, staff, and administration; and program plans, evaluation and record keeping. Please see this link for information about parent outreach, how to contact DESE for a telephone interview and how to view the report after the Onsite Review. Details can be found here in English, Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, French, Haitian Creole, Spanish, Portuguese and Vietnamese. 

MILTON SEPAC 

Please see below from the Milton SEPAC Board. 

Our February board meeting has been changed to Monday, February 27, 6:30-8:30. Join us on Google meet at this link.  We encourage folks to attend the February 28th DEI Event at Pierce on February 28th!

Sustainable Milton is partnering with the Town of Milton and Milton Public Schools to implement a Food Waste Diversion and Recycling program in the Tucker and Glover Cafeterias. By reducing food waste in the schools, the Town of Milton can help the environment and save money on waste disposal by sending less trash to the landfill.

Can you help us make this initiative a success and a positive learning experience for the students? We need your help to oversee the students as they learn how to sort their waste! Starting Monday, February 27, we will be separating food waste into compost bins, liquid into pour off buckets, recyclable materials into recycling bins, and the remaining waste (hopefully very little) into the trash! All Milton volunteers are welcome – please consider signing up for a volunteer shift here. 

FOOD SERVICE – SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL

School Meals for All ensures that all students have equal access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive. Please consider asking your legislators to invest in the future of our children by supporting the Feed Kids MA bill. It’s easy to reach out to your legislators, all details are at this link.   

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MFE and MASSCUE GRANTS

Congratulations to MPS teachers Deanna Magill, Sara Doherty, and Jen Van Hill for being awarded MassCUE Grants!

Pierce Technology teacher Deanna Magill will be purchasing fifteen Sphero Bolts with the funds from the MassCUE grant. With the addition of the Sphero Bolts in her classroom, Mrs. Magill will be able to increase access to real world skills and problems, provide an initial understanding of the varied world of cybersecurity, and give her students the opportunity to create programs that will mimic real world cybersecurity topics. Mrs. Magill’s students have only ever known a digital world and they do not have an appreciation for keeping their information safe. Learning about Cybersecurity with these engaging lessons will bring more awareness to students regarding this important topic so they don’t fall victim to a security breach.  The lessons Mrs. Magill will incorporate into her curriculum include Ethics of Computing, Intro to Cryptography, and Types of Hackers.  

MPS’s Elementary Instructional Technology Specialists Sara Doherty and Jen Van Hill have been awarded two grants, one through the Milton Foundation for Education and the other MassCUE!  With the funds from both grants, they will be purchasing eight Kibo Robots to work with in their Kindergarten and first grade classes.  The goal of their project is to bring STEAM into the classroom in a screen free way that engages students to think critically while coding, practicing sequencing, and promoting early development of working with algorithms.

KIBO is an easy and fun way to bring robotics and coding to your young learners and spark their interest in STEAM. This hands on, screen-free robot kit for kids let 4 to 7-year-olds create, design, decorate and bring their own robot to life!  When children code with KIBO they are learning invaluable skills that will lead them on the path for success in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) skills and future careers.

Congratulations Mrs. Magill, Mrs. Doherty, and Mrs. Van Hill! We look forward to hearing about the impact the robots will have on student learning and seeing the student-designed robots in action!

CELEBRATING ANGELMAN DAY

On Wednesday, Cunningham celebrated International Angelman Day in honor of Kindergarten student Teddy Robinson. Teddy has Angelman Syndrome, a rare neurogenetic disorder that affects about 500,000 people worldwide. Cunningham staff and students wore blue and Teddy’s Kindergarten classmates and teachers sported ‘Team Teddy’ t-shirts. Students and staff learned about how Teddy communicates using his body and his augmentative device and the whole school came together to make a donation in Teddy’s name. It was a very special day in honor of a special student. Teddy is a superhero!

HARLEM WIZARDS AT MPS

The Harlem Wizards are coming back to MPS! Join the fun on Wednesday, March 8 at 7pm at Copeland Field house at Milton High School. This evening of family fun is an easy way to  support the MHS Senior Class activities while enjoying a local night out with your kids. Come see the MPS Staff ‘Cats take on the Wizards!  Tickets are available at this link and watch the MPS Wizards video here.  

The Wizards visited Pierce last week – this very short video shows the fun the kids of all ages will have on Wednesday, March 8 at MHS!

FRENCH UNIVERSITY WEBINAR 

The recording of the webinar for students to learn about the possibility of attending a French University can be found here. A PDF of the presentation can be found here. Listen to hear about Sciences Po Paris, Sorbonne University, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, and Université Paris Saclay and a discussion about possible paths to attendance. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

PIERCE ART

Pierce’s Mr. Manning shares these mid-year Art class updates. Our first semester 6th graders have now moved out of the art room but they left behind some amazing work,  including these animated characters. 6th grade artists learned about animation and how animators now use CGI to create characters.

8th graders finished Term 2 learning about “tagging” and graffiti. We looked at graffiti around the Quincy quarries and several other locations. Students used a 4 step process to create a full piece of graffiti and are now working on their final piece for the beginning of Term 3.

8th grade ACE classes took on the unique challenge of creating a model of a food truck. Students were hooked on this project after watching “ The Great Food Truck Race” across America. The challenge was open to more than just food themed truck and students ran with it,  creating trucks that sell music, beach supplies, clothing, and even flowers. These amazing truck designs took weeks to build from start to finish. 8th grade artists used cardboard, hot glue, razors, paint, and more to build their truck.

PIERCE DEBATE

Last weekend, the Pierce Debate Team participated in the February Lumos Invitational Debate Tournament. Students debated the benefits and harms of Right to Work Laws in The United States, using the Public Forum Debate format to discuss the positive and negative consequences of labor unions. Alicia Chan, Natalie Gallagher, John Griffin, Jonathan Hsu, Teddy Hsu, Artemis Jain, Ellis Lim, Ben Neugebauer, Kendra Oppong, Michaela Oppong, Sofia Serpa, Zara Tahir, Alisa Villar, and Ace Wetzner-Crothers competed in this tournament.

Sofia Serpa and Ace Wetzner-Crothers received Speaker Awards for delivering speeches in a clear and eloquent manner and Ellis Lim, Jonathan Hsu, and Teddy Hsu all won team awards in the novice division of the tournament. John Griffin and Ben Neugebauer won a team award in the veteran division of the tournament. The Pierce Debate Team was thrilled to participate in our third tournament of the school year. We look forward to competing again in March!

MHS MUSIC NEWS 

On Monday, February 13, the Tri-M Music Honor Society hosted their first ever Coffeehouse at Cunningham Hall! The evening included performances from various MHS Music Ensembles including the R&B Ensemble, A Cappella, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Choir, DoReMigoes and Pretty Sharp. Tri-M students helped throughout the evening serving audience members their choice of refreshments all to raise money for the organization to continue to provide musical opportunities for MPS students. We are looking forward to making this an annual event for the department!

On Wednesday, February 15, over 130 students from the MHS Music Department visited the Pierce Middle School and performed a concert for the eighth graders, showcasing all of the ensembles offered at MHS. The eighth graders were treated to performances by the Wildcat Marching Band, Mixed Chorus, Chamber Ensemble, A Cappella, String Orchestra, DoReMigoes, Concert Band, Pretty Sharp, R&B Ensemble, Jazz Choir, Jazz Ensemble and Treble Chorus. We look forward to welcoming the incoming 9th grade to the Music Department in the Fall!

CUNNINGHAM’S COUGAR CHRONICLE

Cunningham 5th grade Student Council invites you to “Read All About It” in this month’s edition of the Cougar Chronicle!  5th graders and Ms. Watrous brainstorm ideas, write content, edit, and design the layout of their monthly school newspaper. 

TUCKER ASE

Tucker ASE students teamed up with Ms. Mary Beth to show their “hearts” to everyone. ASE students filled the walls with hearts and wrote inspiring messages to share with the Tucker Community.

MHS UNIFIED PE FIELD TRIP 

A great time was had by all on this week’s Adaptive/Unified PE class trip to Cunningham Hall. Students had a great time bowling at the Cunningham lanes. Thank you to Cunningham Hall for hosting our students!

MHS ATHLETICS 

MPS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following recent winter sports highlights. Read his full newsletter here, with schedules, coaching news, parent feed back forms and more. 

The Girls Hockey Team are Bay State Conference Champions! They beat Weymouth 3-0 last night to earn the program’s first league title in over 12 years! Their lone loss this season (1-0 to Braintree) seems a very long time ago. They have two games remaining over February Vacation before they enter the MIAA Tournament, currently sitting at 16-1-3.

Five Wrestlers qualified for States this weekend, which we are very lucky to host in the beautiful Copeland Field House! Mason Pellegri, Conor Walsh, Isaac Remy, Alex Alexis and Kenny Heraldo all qualified by finishing in the Top 5 at Sectionals last weekend. Mason Pellegri  took home the Division II Central Sectional Championship at the 182lb weight class for the second straight year! He will look to defend his State Title this weekend!

The Cheer Team qualified for Regionals with their performance in the Bay State Conference Competition last Thursday! Congratulations on a second place finish. 

The Dance Team had their first ever competition last week in Weymouth. They turn their focus to the State Competition in March.

The Track Team had some excellent performances at the Bay State Competition last Wednesday. Highlights include:  2nd place in the 4×400 meter relay (Katie O’Toole, Marilyn Roche, Gretel Schewe, Margaret Glenn); 4th place in the 4×400 meter relay (Shane Olsen, Aidan Crummey, Luka Juric, Luka and Fabrice Hippolyte-Midy); Haydn Pierre 4th place in the High Jump; Moses Mann 5th place in the 600 meter; Gretel Schewe 5th place in the 600 meter; Katie O’Toole 5th place in the 1000 meter.

The Ski Team only has one week left in the regular season. A big congratulations to ALL Milton Racers who successfully finished last Thursday’s Slalom race at Blue Hill. In addition, Bowie Garvin (27th & 32nd) and Ben Catudal (10th & 12th) earned high quality points in both races. Let’s all keep cheering for Ben as he continues to climb towards a top-10 seeding in this years State Alpine Championship Race on Feb. 28 at Berkshire East!

Spring Registration is OPEN! Be sure to register for sports this spring as we are just over one month from tryouts! If you have already registered for a sport this year, all you need to do is update your registration and add the spring sport. You do not need to register again. Please find instructions and links here.

MHS BOOSTERS NEWS It’s time for the Booster’s General Membership drive! Become a Boosters member to support our student athletes. Last year we committed $40k to our sports teams and we’re looking to do even more with your support! Memberships start at just $25. All details are here. 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Neponset Rowing Club Spring 2023 Registration for the Competitive Juniors (HS) program is now open. Registration for the spring high school rowing season is open to MPS and all local high schools.  Please sign up here: 2023 Spring – Neponset Rowing Club: Competitive Juniors (HS) Registration.

Summer Art Camp at the Milton Art Center is open for registration. The camps will run for nine weeks from June 26-August 24. Each session has a different theme and children can sign up for half day or full day sessions. Visit the website to find out more and register.

Riverside Theatre Works is performing “Matilda” from March 3-19. Many of our MPS students are involved and there are nine show dates including matinees on Sundays. The show is appropriate for ages 6+. All details are here.

Milton Sports for All is expanding its popular candle-pin bowling program to offer a high school session. Bowling will take place at Cunningham Hall on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30 starting on March 1 .and running through April 5th. This program is open to Milton residents in grades 9-12. No experience (or bowling shoes) necessary! The fee is $20 registration is open now at this link. 

There is a maximum of 24 spots available, should the program be oversubscribed, participants will be selected by lottery and refunds will be given if not selected.  If you are interested in joining, please contact miltonsportsforall@gmail.com.

Milton Sports for All is an inclusive recreational program that provides the opportunity for children of all abilities, experience, and backgrounds to participate in sporting activities in a fun, accessible way. 

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of February programs for kids can be found here. Plan ahead and take a look at the March calendar here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

Check out the events you can enjoy during your February Vacation! Learn more and register for these programs through the MPL Events Calendar. 

• Tuesday, February 21 at 2:30PM: African and African-American Folktales with Eshu Bumpus, All Ages – join Eshu Bumpus, an award-winning storyteller and accomplished jazz vocalist, as he welcomes families for an entertaining hour of storytelling. Take a journey across Africa through a variety of  African and African-American folktales full of humor, music, and mystery.
• Wednesday, February 22 at 2:30PM: Dial-A-Story Recording Party, Ages 8-12 – We want to hear your voice on our Dial-A-Story for the month of March! Ms. Tory invites you to record a partial reading of a pre-selected children’s book alongside other Children’s Room Friends. When it uploads on March 1, call our Dial-A-Story at 617-915-1915 to hear your recording!
• Saturday, February 25 at 2:30PM: Historic New England: All About Herbs, Ages 5-12 – Join Historic New England in the Story Hour Room to learn how the land has changed through the centuries. Explore the way herbs were used by colonial families to make their food taste better, for medicinal purposes and for household uses. Kids will have the opportunity to decorate a pot, plant an herb seed and make an herbal sachet to take home.

Brookwood Community Farm, located at the base of the Blue Hills on the Milton/Canton border, has CSA shares available for purchase online. Check out the wide variety of choices under Our CSA. For anyone that might need assistance affording a share or want to use EBT (SNAP/HIP) please email president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: February 9, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

This week is National School Counseling Week, a week dedicated to focusing public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

L-R, MHS School Adjustment Counselors Mary-Bianca Mattocks, Jennie Beliveau, Kenny Adelman, and MHS Director of School Counseling 6-12 Barbara Meyer.

We are lucky to have dedicated and talented School Counselors in Milton. These professionals work with students in PreK-12 grade in a myriad of ways and School Counselors are in a unique position to assist children and help them cope with any number of issues through their unbiased ability to listen, support, and empathize.

At MHS, School Counselors work with students on class and scheduling issues, help facilitate academic issues and focus on post-high school plans with (especially) juniors and seniors. MHS, Pierce, and Elementary School Adjustment Counselors provide a supportive role to students as needs arise as well as provide whole class and whole school Social Emotional Learning support. School Counselors at every level support not only our students but also parents and guardians, teachers, and staff. We would be lost without these valued professionals on the MPS team and I know you join me in sharing your gratitude. In addition to the School Counselors who are pictured, thank you to Ramsey Cadet from Tucker and Brian Powers and Suyapa Allen from Glover! 

In February, we celebrate Black History Month in all of our schools. We’ll be sharing classroom and school highlights throughout the month, as our students learn about and pay tribute to a broad variety of Black Americans throughout US history. Glover students highlight a prominent and influential Black American each day during morning announcements, hearing about people like Sidney Poitier, John Lewis, Sojourner Truth, Muhammed Ali, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and many more. Classes use resources that include videos, read-alouds, and articles to learn more about a different person each day. At Tucker, the Reading Spirit Week theme is Elevating Black Authors. All week, Tucker students are enjoying books by Kelly Starling Lyons, Floyd Cooper, Amanda Gorman, Gaia Cornwell, to name just a few.

Today was the 100th day of school for our Kindergarten students and the 1000th day of school for our 5th graders! Cunningham staff sent their good wishes to our 5th graders in this video and kindergarteners across the district celebrated this milestone!

This week I transitioned into the role of Interim Superintendent until July 1, 2023, when Dr. Peter Burrows will begin his tenure at MPS. I want to thank Superintendent Janet Sheehan for her dedication to the Milton Public Schools over the last six months, as we are all so grateful for her leadership during this transition year. I look forward to overseeing the successful second half of this school year and to welcoming Dr. Burrows in July. Please reach out at any time via email or phone (627-696-4811 ext 5580), and my door at Central Office at Milton High School is always open.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Feb 15 School Committee Meeting 
• Feb 20-24 February Recess
• Feb 28 SEPAC Meeting 
• Feb 28 Pierce DEI Community Event 
• Mar 1 School Committee Meeting 
• Mar 2 Early Release Day – PD for Staff
• Mar 8 Harlem Wizards at MHS 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE FORUMS

Thank you to all who attended the School Committee Budget Forum last night. The Forum is posted on the Milton Access TV Youtube page.  If you missed the previous forums, Milton Access TV recordings can be found below. 

• School Committee Forum on Personalized Learning, November 9, 2022
• School Committee Forum on Safe and Supportive Schools, November 30, 2022 
• School Committee Forum on Equity in Learning, January 25, 2023

PIERCE COMMUNITY EVENT

The Pierce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee will host a community event open to all parents and caregivers on February 28th at 6:30 p.m. in the Pierce auditorium. The event will offer a series of short educational and skill building workshops for parents and caregivers that will focus on promoting and supporting the academic, social and emotional wellbeing of children and teens through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. The workshop sessions are as below:

• Diversity, equity, and inclusion at Pierce & MPS facilitated by Claire Galloway-Jones, MPS Director of DEIB
• Restorative practices at Pierce Middle School facilitated by Adina Schecter, MPS Restorative Justice Coach
• LGBTQ+ hate speech lesson facilitated by Oliver Jones, MPS student

More details about the event can be found here. Parents and caregivers are asked to complete the pre-registration link in advance of the event on February 28th.

DESE REVIEW OF MPS ENGLISH LEARNER EDUCATION PROGRAM 

During the week of February 27, 2023, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE’s) Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will review our English Learner Education (ELE) program at Milton Public Schools in a process called a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review. 

The Office of Language Acquisition reviews each school district’s English Language Education program every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state English learner education laws and regulations. Areas of review will include English Learners’ assessments; identification of English learners; what programs English Learners are placed in; parent and community involvement; curriculum and instruction; student support services; licensure requirements for faculty, staff, and administration; and program plans, evaluation and recordkeeping. Please see this link for information about parent outreach, how to contact DESE for a telephone interview and how to view the report after the Onsite Review. Details can be found here in English, Arabic, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, French, Haitian Creole, Spanish, Portuguese and Vietnamese. 

Sustainable Milton is partnering with the Town of Milton and Milton Public Schools to implement a Food Waste Diversion and Recycling program in the Tucker and Glover Cafeterias. By reducing food waste in the schools, the Town of Milton can help the environment and save money on waste disposal by sending less trash to the landfill.

Can you help us make this initiative a success and a positive learning experience for the students? We need your help to oversee the students as they learn how to sort their waste! Starting Monday, February 27, we will be separating food waste into compost bins, liquid into pour off buckets, recyclable materials into recycling bins, and the remaining waste (hopefully very little) into the trash! All Milton volunteers are welcome – please consider signing up for a volunteer shift here. 

FOOD SERVICE – SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL

School Meals for All ensures that all students have equal access to the nutrition they need to learn and thrive. Please consider asking your legislators to invest in the future of our children by supporting the Feed Kids MA bill. It’s easy to reach out to your legislators, all details are at this link.   

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

ELEMENTARY DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP 

Milton Public Schools continues to make digital citizenship a priority!  All students in elementary school are taught a robust digital citizenship curriculum developed by Common Sense Media and modified by our incredible Instructional Technology Specialists, Sara Doherty and Jen Van Hill.   We continue to find ways to embed digital citizenship topics into the core subjects at the secondary level.  In addition, we offer an elementary digital citizenship day in February and 9th grade Digital Citizenship Day each October.  If you are interested in volunteering for an upcoming Elementary Digital Citizenship Day, please sign-up here:

• Collicot: February 14 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Tucker: February 15 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Cunningham: February 16 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Glover: February 17 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.

FRENCH GENERAL CONSUL VISITS MPS

It’s been a big two weeks for the MPS French Immersion program! Two weeks ago, French Consul General Mr. Mustafa Soycurt visited Collicot and Cunningham’s French Immersion classrooms, playing games, watching a math lesson, listening to the French National Anthem, and chatting with students. With him were Educational and Cultural Project Manager for the Consulate Marceau Crespo and Valentine Lecocq of the Consulate’s cultural services in Boston.

The Consul General and his team were welcomed by Mme Segall, Mme Bourass El-Zein, Mlle Morton, Mme Kramer and Mme Saidj, Mme Muhsin, Mlle McGrath, Mme Theobald Grade, Mme Maugis and Mme. LeBigot. Mr. Soycurt remarked how impressed his team was with the french accent and language the students had as well as the level of cultural exposure our students receive. The visit was part of a collaboration with the French Consulate, the French Cultural Center in Boston, and MPS that kicked off a partnership that will help students find a pathway to studying in France after they graduate from high school.

This week, World Language Director Zeina Hamada helped to coordinate a webinar for students to learn about the possibility of attending a French University. Dozens of MHS students tuned in to hear about Sciences Po Paris, Sorbonne University, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, and Université Paris Saclay and discuss possible paths to attendance. MHS French teachers will be sending a recording of the webinar to their students in the coming days and we will post it to the MPS website. We look forward to continued collaboration with the French Consul General and his team!

HARLEM WIZARDS AT MPS

The Harlem Wizards are coming back to MPS! Join the fun on Wednesday, March 8 at 7pm at Copeland Field house at Milton High School. This evening of family fun is an easy way to  support the MHS Senior Class activities while enjoying a local night out with your kids. Come see the MPS Staff ‘Cats take on the Wizards!  Tickets are available at this link and watch the MPS Wizards video here.  Thanks to the Harlem Wizards for stopping by our elementary schools last week!

PROJECT LEAD THE WAY GRANT

We are excited to share that Cunningham and Glover have received grants from the One8 Foundation to expand our use of the Project Lead the Way curriculum to Grades 1-5 for our STEM curriculum for the English Innovation Program. Collicot and Tucker received the same grants last year, so we are now fully funded to purchase additional materials for all 4 elementary schools! Thanks to this funding our English Innovation 3rd graders have participated in the Programming Patterns module where they completed unplugged coding activities called Rosie’s Runtime and are now learning how to code using Scratch.

Project Lead The Way (PLTW)  is a nonprofit organization that provides a transformative learning experience for PreK-12 students and teachers through pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. With PLTW curriculum, students apply what they have learned to solve real-world problems.

MPS NICE TO KNOW

CUNNINGHAM PARTNER READING

Last weekend’s extreme cold snap impacted many around Milton, including students and staff at Cunningham, as two classes and two offices flooded due to a burst sprinkler pipe. Thank you to the many folks who have been working nonstop since early Sunday morning to minimize the impact on students. As you can see below, Ms. Schramm’s 2nd graders may have been disappointed to find their classroom was off-limits for now but they were all smiles for a visit to 5th grade for some fun partner reading!

GLOVER LEADERSHIP TEAM SERVICE PROJECT

Glover’s Fundraising Student Leadership Team (SLT) recently organized a fundraiser to benefit the Milton Animal Shelter. SLTs include 4th and 5th graders who choose to take on leadership roles within the Glover community. The team collected pet food, cleaning supplies, animal toys, and other necessities from the shelter’s wish list. Additionally, the team raised over 300 dollars to be donated to the shelter. 

KINDNESS MONTH 

The Cunningham School Spirit Gang kicked off Kindness Month with National Send A Friend a Card day this week. Students made cards for friends in their “partner” classes, and made decorative fish together to colorfully decorate the halls of Cunningham. The 5th grade School Spirit students have worked hard on these initiatives to help spread kindness and positivity throughout their school community!

Collicot has launched a school-wide kindness campaign and students are working together on special kind missions during lunch and recess.  During their kick off kindness assembly students focused on ways to show kindness at school, including volunteering, giving compliments, donating to charities, saying thank you, and performing random acts of kindness. Classes have signed up for secret kindness missions to complete during lunch and recess.

GLOVER AND TUCKER READ-A-THON

Tucker and Glover are in the midst of their first joint Read-A-Thon! Between February 1-14, students are busy logging minutes read while families and friends have the chance to support the fundraising efforts on behalf of the readers. Funds raised will go towards author visits at both schools and increase access to diverse reading materials and other educational resources and experiences funded by the PTO. So far students have logged more than 267,743 minutes! 

To prepare for the Read-A-Thon, Glover, and Tucker each organized a book swap. Thanks to the many generous donations, students at both schools were able to select several books to take home and were excited about having “new to them” books just in time for the Read-A-Thon. Tucker also was able to stock its book vending machine with new books purchased through Scholastic dollars and each student picked out a new book this week. Keep reading, Glover Kids and Tucker Tigers!

COLLICOT FRENCH IMMERSION 

Mme Maugis’s Collicot 5th grade French Immersion students recently collaborated with Mme. McGrath’s 3rd grade French students. The 5th graders have been studying “Les Megaconstructions” or megastructures and each 5th grader chose one megastructure to study and write about in French. 5th graders presented to their 3rd grade peers who were able to learn many new facts and ask questions. Projects included The Colosseum and The Burj Khalifa.  3rd graders enjoyed learning from these 5th grade experts!

MPS MUSIC NEWS 

On Saturday, January 26th MHS and Pierce students auditioned for the MMEA Eastern District Junior Festival at Needham High School. We are happy to share that five students were accepted to the festival which will be held in March! Congratulations to MHS students Gwen Johnston and Melina Zullas and Pierce students Marcus Krueger, Sebastian Gobbi and Chloe Bergeron. 

This past weekend, over 40 music students from MHS and Pierce auditioned for the Junior and Senior SEMSBA festivals. We had great success and had 26 students accepted for both festivals! Congratulations to MHS Students Lucy Asanza, Emily Bohlin, Sam Boucher, Nate Brown, Stephy Dai, Camille Donovan, Tim Fay, Isabelle Feoney, Colin Glazer, Kevin Gomes, James Goodman, Niamh Guilderson, Nora Heggarty, Lucie Lloyd-Faber, Liam Manares, Rory Martin, Brynne Mershon, Ha-Yen Nguyen and Adrinana Villar who were accepted to the Sr. SEMSBA festival. MHS and Pierce Students Elliott Leeman-Weil, Chloe Bergeron, Cecelia Campbell-Stewart, Sebastian Gobbi, James Malec, Lacey O’Malley, and Nate Turner were accepted to the Jr. SEMSBA Festival. Bravo to all!

MHS ATHLETICS 

Spring Registration is OPEN! Be sure to register for sports this spring as we are just over one month from tryouts! If you have already registered for a sport this year, all you need to do is update your registration and add the spring sport. You do not need to register again. Please find instructions and links here.

MHS BOOSTERS NEWS 

It’s time for the Booster’s General Membership drive! Become a Boosters member to support our student athletes. Last year we committed $40k to our sports teams and we’re looking to do even more with your support! Memberships start at just $25. All details are here. 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Sports for All is expanding its popular candle-pin bowling program to offer a high school session. Bowling will take place at Cunningham Hall on Wednesdays from 4:30-5:30 starting on March 1 .and running through April 5th. This program is open to Milton residents in grades 9-12. No experience (or bowling shoes) necessary! Registration will be open soon at this link. 

The fee is $20, and registration will be open on February 13^th.  There is a maximum of 24 spots available, should the program be oversubscribed, participants will be selected by lottery and refunds will be given if not selected.  If you are interested in joining, please contact miltonsportsforall@gmail.com.

Milton Sports for All is an inclusive recreational program that provides the opportunity for children of all abilities, experience, and backgrounds to participate in sporting activities in a fun, accessible way. 

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

MECA offers Stories and Friends Meet Up: Signs of Winter. Meet and connect with other families with young children and enjoy some winter fun! We’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center at Houghton’s Pond, enjoy some stories and songs, look for animal tracks in the snow, and complete a fun, hands-on snowman activity. Children will have the opportunity to meet Ranger Dan, who will read the StoryWalk® posted on the grounds. Registration is not required; however, you will need to sign in upon arrival. Please dress for both indoor and outdoor weather. A free animal tracks activity will be distributed to the first 35 children who sign in that morning. This program will meet on Saturday, February 18th, at 10:30 AM at 860 Hillside Street in Milton. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program! All details can be found here. 

MECA Learning Through Play Preschool Playgroup 8-Week Series. Join us for a free 8-week preschool playgroup series beginning Saturday, March 18th! For children and their parent/guardian. Children must be 3 years old by March 18th, 4 years old, or 5 years old and missed the kindergarten entrance date last fall. This free playgroup series will focus on language, social/emotional, and fine and gross motor skills and be held in-person in a developmentally appropriate classroom with learning centers and fun learning activities throughout the space. This series is provided through a generous grant from Beth Israel Deaconess-Milton, Community Health Grant. Registration link can be found here and more details can be found here. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of February programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

Join local board game creator, Thato Mwosa, for Trivia on Saturday, February 11 at 2:30PM! SAWA Trivia is an African Trivia Pop Culture game that celebrates the diversity of the African continent and the contributions of African people. Registrants will start the program learning about African history, geography, Arts, and Culture, and then they will get the chance to test their knowledge in this inspiring and entertaining board game. Register today!

Check out the fun programs you can enjoy for every day of the week of February Vacation (2/21 – 2/25):

• Tuesday:  African and African-American Folktales with Eshu Bumpus, All Ages
• Wednesday:  Dial-A-Story Recording Party, Ages 8-12
• Thursday: Stuffed Animal Sleepover, Ages 4+
• Friday: Take-and-Make Craft: Stitched Heart Ornaments, Ages 6-11
• Saturday:  Historic New England: All About Herbs, Ages 5-12

Learn more and register for these programs through the MPL Events Calendar. 

Brookwood Community Farm, located at the base of the Blue Hills on the Milton/Canton border, has CSA shares available for purchase online. Check out the wide variety of choices under Our CSA. For anyone that might need assistance affording a share or want to use EBT (SNAP/HIP) please email president@brookwoodcommunityfarm.org.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: February 2, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we welcomed incoming Superintendent Peter Burrows for two days of transition planning. Dr. Burrows was able to informally visit several schools, stop by classrooms, and chat with students and staff. He also attended a Warrant Committee meeting, and was a Community Reader at Collicot’s World Read Aloud Day. His visit to Mme Saidj’s second grade class was a highlight of the day! Dr. Burrows will be in the district periodically throughout the spring in anticipation of his July 1, 2023 official start date. 

Thank you to Mme. Saidj’s class for welcoming Dr. Burrows (back row, center) to read!

Assistant Superintendent McKinney and I were also able to attend Collicot’s World Read Aloud Day and thoroughly enjoyed visiting Mrs. Hodgkin’s and Mr. Doyle’s 4th grade classes. For 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read-aloud. This global effort is about bringing people together through the shared connection of reading aloud in all of our communities. Seeing our students excited for community visitors and new books made World Read Aloud Day a joy to attend. Thank you to the Collicot PTO volunteers who organized such a successful day for our students and community. Below you can see photos from activities at Collicot, Cunningham, Glover, and Tucker this week, including book swaps, Reader’s Cafes, reading events, read-a-thons, Book Character Days and more!

As I wrote to staff earlier this week, I know many of us have heavy hearts right now over so many violent, racial and disturbing events that have occurred over the last month–both locally and across the country. Tragic events such as the Tyre Nichols murder, mass shootings in the California Asian community, and unspeakable incidents in our own South Shore communities have brought shock and sadness to all. We know these are difficult times for families and educators. 

I wanted to share that our schools have recently completed scheduled Crisis Team Training with Maria Trozzi. School-based Crisis Teams are reporting that they feel better prepared to address a variety of scenarios using protocols in their Crisis Plans and follow-up meetings with each school faculty and staff are being planned. As a district, we are trying our best to ensure that our students meet high academic standards while also supporting their social emotional needs and we appreciate the strong home-school partnership that is vital in the ongoing support of our students. 

Tomorrow, Friday, February 3, is my final day as Interim Superintendent. The district will finish the school year under the leadership of Interim Superintendent Dr. Garth McKinney, with support from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Glen Pavlicek, Central Office staff, Principals, the District Leadership Team, faculty and staff. While I leave with bittersweet feelings, it’s made much easier knowing that the district is in such experienced and capable hands. Dr. McKinney has indicated that he will continue to send you the weekly MPS blog post, to keep you informed of happenings across the district.

I would like to thank the Milton School Community for being so supportive over the past months. I am truly grateful to have had another opportunity to serve the students and families of Milton and to work with an incredible team of administrators, faculty and staff. I feel fortunate to have worked alongside a School Committee that advocates for excellence in education. Thank you to all who have reached out with good wishes and I wish you all a happy and successful second half of the school year. 

MPS NEED TO KNOW

EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES 

The forecast over the next few days indicates exceptionally cold temperatures, especially factoring in the windchill. Please plan for students to dress accordingly tomorrow, and if at all possible, minimize the time they spend outside walking to school or waiting for the bus. Students should enter the building upon arrival, and our elementary students will have indoor recess. Please stay warm and safe over the weekend.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Feb 2 SEPAC Meeting- DESE Presentation on Tiered Review Process
• Feb 3 MHS Theatre Performance 
• Feb 8 School Committee Forum on Budget
• Feb 15 School Committee Meeting 
• Feb 20-24 February Recess
• Feb 28 SEPAC Meeting 
• Mar 1 School Committee Meeting 
• Mar 2 Early Release Day – PD for Staff
• Mar 8 Harlem Wizards at MHS 

SEPAC MEETING – TONIGHT

Milton SEPAC shares the following information.

MHS THEATRE ONE ACT PERFORMANCE

MHS Theatre invites the community to a free benefit performance (donations welcome!) of four student directed scenes and a performance of their one act submission “Badger” for the METG Competition Festival. Please see the description of “Badger” below and please join us at MHS on Friday, February 3 at 7pm for an evening of theater. 

In 1944, four young women take newly available jobs at one of the largest munitions factories in the United States: the Badger Ordinance Works. Facing dangerous work with highly flammable powder as well as insidious sexism, the women form an unlikely friendship through joy and heartbreak. A vibrant ensemble brings the factory to life as each of the women confronts not only the challenges of entering the workforce in the darkest days of World War II, but also who she is and what she truly values. Unforgettable human stories make the era immediate in this captivating ensemble drama.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE BUDGET OPEN HEARING AND FORUM 

On Wednesday, February 8, from 7-8:30pm, the School Committee will host the final of four planned public forums for the Milton community. The forum will provide an overview and discussion of the Fiscal Year ’24 MPS Budget. Following the presentation, community members will be invited to ask questions and share comments, and MPS administrators and School Committee members will respond and share their perspectives on the MPS budget.

The public forum will be held at the Council on Aging, at 10 Walnut St, just behind Town Hall. The meeting will be hybrid, with attendees able to participate in person and through Zoom at this link (Passcode:168556). 

If you missed the previous forums, Milton Access TV recordings can be found below. 

• School Committee Forum on Personalized Learning, November 9, 2022
• School Committee Forum on Safe and Supportive Schools, November 30, 2022 
• School Committee Forum on Equity in Learning, January 25, 2023

FRENCH UNIVERSITY PRESENTATION FOR MHS STUDENTS 

We are excited to offer our MHS students (and others interested in French Universities) the exciting opportunity to hear directly from and learn more about four French Universities.  Students and families are invited to attend (in person or virtually) on Tuesday, February 7 at 6pm in the MHS Library (or via live webinar, register at this link). 

This Parcoursup Webinar will have two focuses: The first 30 minutes will be general admission information for all students, and the second 30 minutes will be admission information for students who have the French Baccalaureate (which does not include students from MHS).  This Webinar will have valuable information for general admission students and in addition, a follow-up Webinar will be scheduled later this winter with more information for general admission students. More information about admissions pathways for French higher education can be found here. Register for the Webinar here. The link to attend will be emailed by Institut Francais aux USA (please check spam if you don’t receive the link).

ELEMENTARY DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP 

While the current age to legally join social media applications is thirteen, this week, United States Surgeon General stated, “13 is ‘too early’ to join social media”.  You can read the CNN article on Surgeon General Murthy’s announcement here. Some of the key highlights and resources include:

• Research on the harm social media can cause adolescents.
• New research suggests habitually checking social media can alter the brain chemistry of adolescents.
• Social media releases a “dopamine dump” in the brain.
• Surgeon General Murthy states, “None of this is out of our control. When we had dangerous vehicles on the road, we passed laws to make those vehicles less dangerous.” 

Milton Public Schools continues to make digital citizenship a priority!  All students in elementary school are taught a robust digital citizenship curriculum developed by Common Sense Media and modified by our incredible Instructional Technology Specialists, Sara Doherty and Jen Van Hill.   We continue to find ways to embed digital citizenship topics into the core subjects at the secondary level.  In addition, we offer an elementary digital citizenship day in February and 9th grade Digital Citizenship Day each October.  If you are interested in volunteering for an upcoming Elementary Digital Citizenship Day, please sign-up here:

• Collicot: February 14 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Tucker: February 15 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Cunningham: February 16 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Glover: February 17 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

PERSONALIZED LEARNING WEBSITE 

Thank you to Director of Educational Technology AJ Melanson for building a new MPS Personalized Learning website. This website will house both general and MPS specific  information and data about Personalized Learning. It will be updated periodically and we invite you to visit the site at this link.

PIERCE 8TH GRADE IN DC 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MILTON HIGH SCHOOL MODEL UN 

Mme. Liddell shares that our MHS Model UN participants outdid themselves this past weekend at Harvard Model UN.  Ten students competed over this 4-day conference and five took awards home! This was the first time that many of our students competed at Harvard, so it was incredibly impressive that they had so much success. On the heels of the impressive accomplishment of the first Harvard Gavel in MHS history, keep your eyes peeled for more big news as the club heads into Boston Model UN in two weeks! 

Congratulations to Lawson Beaudoin, Sam Boucher, Kiera Glazer, Rachel McNulty, Moth Trafton, Sydney Burns – Honorable Delegate, Tucker Korman – Best Delegate, Rory Martin – Diplomatic Commendation, Alex McEttrick – Outstanding Delegate, and Ida Zoll – Diplomatic Commendation on their impressive showing! 

6TH GRADE SCHOOL COUNSELING LESSONS

Last month, Pierce 6th graders discovered their Holland Career Codes and learned about the kinds of careers best suited to them.  These lessons, taught by School Counselors through sixth grade seminar classes, represent a move toward the Massachusetts Model for School Counseling.  Counselors teaching lessons in the classroom is a tier 1 intervention and is recommended by the American School Counselor Association.  We are working towards Counselor taught lessons focused on Academic Strategies and interventions and Social Emotional learning.

COLLICOT 5TH GRADE SERVICE PROJECT

The Collicot 5th Grade Class gathered last week to assemble birthday boxes to donate to the Southwest Community Food Center in Quincy. Each box was decorated by our 5th graders and contained cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, decorative plates/napkins, and a homemade card. The students decorated and assembled a total of 50 boxes!. That is 50 children in the area who will have a better birthday thanks to the kindness and generosity of the 5th graders and their families. A special thank you to the 5th graders, their families, and the 5th grade staff who helped organize and encourage the students. An extra special thank you to the members of the 5th Grade Service Committee: Heather Bergin, Heidi Naumes, Christina Lang, and Sarah Ahearn who made this all happen! Way to kick off Kindness Month at Collicot!

MHS ATHLETICS 

Please see below from MPS AD Ryan Madden.

The Track Team showed well at the Bay State Conference Championship Meet last night at the Reggie Lewis Center! The Boys had 16 Top-10 finishes while the Girls had 7! Check out our Twitter for full results. They have just a couple invitationals and last chance meets before they go to the States before February Vacation!

The Girl’s Hockey Team beat Braintree last night to earn their 11th win of the season! Barring the COVID season, this is the first time in quite a while that they beat the Wamps! Caelan Leddy and Molly Murphy both scored in the win!

The Dance and Cheer Team will both travel to Weymouth High School next Thursday for the Bay State Conference Championships!

On February 17th and 18th, the Copeland Field House will host the MIAA Division II State Wrestling Championships. Our very own MHS Junior Mason Pellegri, will try to repeat as Division II Champ!

There will be no Cans for Cats collection on Saturday, February 4th, due to predicted extreme temperatures. Please save your cans and bottles for Girls’ Hockey on Saturday, March 4th.

MHS BOOSTERS NEWS 

The next Membership Meeting is Tuesday Feb 7th at 7pm. Please enter through field house doors. All are welcome – come learn how you can support our student athletes and be part of this fun and growing parent group! 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Field Hockey is open for registration for the Winter (K-8)  and Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division, there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

MECA offers Stories and Friends Meet Up: Signs of Winter. Meet and connect with other families with young children and enjoy some winter fun! We’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center at Houghton’s Pond, enjoy some stories and songs, look for animal tracks in the snow, and complete a fun, hands-on snowman activity. Children will have the opportunity to meet Ranger Dan, who will read the StoryWalk® posted on the grounds. Registration is not required; however, you will need to sign in upon arrival. Please dress for both indoor and outdoor weather. A free animal tracks activity will be distributed to the first 35 children who sign in that morning. This program will meet on Saturday, February 18th, at 10:30 AM at 860 Hillside Street in Milton. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program! All details can be found here. 

MECA Learning Through Play Preschool Playgroup 8-Week Series. Join us for a free 8-week preschool playgroup series beginning Saturday, March 18th! For children and their parent/guardian. Children must be 3 years old by March 18th, 4 years old, or 5 years old and missed the kindergarten entrance date last fall. This free playgroup series will focus on language, social/emotional, and fine and gross motor skills and be held in-person in a developmentally appropriate classroom with learning centers and fun learning activities throughout the space. This series is provided through a generous grant from Beth Israel Deaconess-Milton, Community Health Grant. Registration link can be found here and more details can be found here. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of February programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Join local board game creator, Thato Mwosa, for Trivia on Saturday, February 11 at 2:30PM! SAWA Trivia is an African Trivia Pop Culture game that celebrates the diversity of the African continent and the contributions of African people. Registrants will start the program learning about African history, geography, Arts, and Culture, and then they will get the chance to test their knowledge in this inspiring and entertaining board game. Register today!

• Attention graphic novel fans: Join Ms. Tory in the Story Hour Room for Graphic Novel Book Club (Grades 3-5) on Wednesday, February 15 at 4:30PM! This month we are reading Twins by Varian Johnson. Pick up a reserved copy at the Children’s Desk and sign up today! 

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: January 26, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

As many of you know (see the School Committee communication sent on Monday) the Milton School Committee unanimously approved a contract with Dr. Peter Burrows to become the new Superintendent of the Milton Public Schools effective July 1, 2023. Dr. Burrows will be visiting the district for several days next week, meeting with Central Office and District Leadership to ensure a smooth transition. Dr. Burrows has asked me to share the note below with the Milton community.

Dear Milton Community,

With my position becoming official, I wanted to share just how excited I am to come to Milton to be your superintendent. Having visited a family member in Milton for many years, I knew that Milton was an exceptional community. This was emphatically confirmed on my visits over the last month as I met with students, staff, and community who are all clearly invested in the real success of all students and are ready to do what it takes to maintain the excellence of the Milton school system while tackling the entrenched disproportionality of student outcomes that confronts us.

I will begin on July 1, and will be coming down to make the transition over the next months to facilitate that process. I look forward to meeting all members of the community over the next months and years, and will share further communication over the summer as I work to make connections and better understand the way forward. Thank you for the opportunity to lead in Milton. Go Wildcats!

With gratitude,

Peter Burrows

As the Interim Superintendent, it is my pleasure to be among the first to welcome Dr. Burrows to Milton.  I am confident that he will be an outstanding leader who works with all stakeholders towards the continued success of the Milton Public Schools. I  hope you will join me in welcoming Dr. Burrows to Milton!

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Jan 26 Kindergarten Information Night 
• Jan 27 Wildcat Fun Night
• Feb 1 Early Release Day 
• Feb 1 School Committee Meeting 
• Feb 2 SEPAC Meeting 
• Feb 8 School Committee Forum on Budget

MPS KINDERGARTEN – Welcome to the Class of 2036!

TONIGHT! Kindergarten Information Night is on Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 pm. This evening is virtual (please note the change from a previous announcement) and the link to attend is here. We ask all Kindergarten families to complete the Kindergarten pre-registration questionnaire at this link. At the presentation on January 26, MPS administrators will share information about school assignment, the kindergarten curriculum, important dates, and more.

MILTON FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION

We are so grateful to the MFE and the recent generous grants they have funded in each of our schools. As items arrive we look forward to sharing them with you. One recent arrival? 1475 headphones to be used in all six of our schools!  Quality headphones are an expensive item and this grant totaled $28,000! Students in the MHS Achieve class are busy preparing the headphones for each school. The sets of headphones will be distributed to Pierce Teams, elementary grades, multiple MHS departments, academic support teachers and technology teachers. Thank you to the MFE! 

How can you support the MFE and the work they do on behalf of our students? Attend this year’s Celebration for Education at The Beat on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Beat is a fun, new event space located just 5 miles from Milton on Morrissey Boulevard, in Boston’s historic former headquarters of the Boston Globe. Save the date to join the fun!

FRENCH UNIVERSITY PRESENTATION FOR MHS STUDENTS 

We are excited to offer our MHS students the exciting opportunity to hear directly from and learn more about four French Universities.  Students and families are invited to attend (in person or virtually) on Tuesday, February 7 at 6pm in the MHS Library (or via zoom, link to follow). This live webinar will be in English and will include representatives from: 

• Sciences Po Paris
• Sorbonne University
• Université Paris Sciences et Lettres
• Université Paris Saclay

This presentation is organized by MPS World Language Director, Ms. Zeina Hamada, in collaboration with the French Consulate and the French Cultural Center in Boston. Consul General Mr. Mustafa Soycourt and Marceau Crespo de Nogueira , the Consulate’s Educational and Cultural Project Manager have partnered to bring us this live webinar presentation. The Consul and his team will be attending the webinar from the Consulate and Ms. Hamada and other MHS teachers will be watching from the library. All are welcome to attend and the link to the webinar will be posted on the MPS website closer to the event. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW 

WILDCAT FUN NIGHT

Looking for a couple of hours to yourself without your kids? On Friday, January 27th from 6:30-8:30 p.m, drop MPS students in grades K-5 off at Wildcat Fun Night at the Glover Gym. (Glover Gym is located at the side of the building not the main entrance). What to expect? 

• DJ spinning tunes for the kids
• Learn some new dance moves led by MHS Dance Team
• Face Painting
• Make your own Valentine Card Station
• Gym Games led by Dance Team

Cost:  Only $10 per child! Cash or Venmo accepted at door.  Sign up here to guarantee a spot for your child Walk ins also welcome if space is available. Sponsored by the Milton High Dance Team. See you Friday for a fun night! 

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS 

Tucker, Glover, Cunningham and Collicot are holding cereal and soup drives this winter in support of our neighbors who utilize the Milton Community Food Pantry.

• During February, students are invited to donate soup.
• During March,  the schools are collecting cereal.

The Milton Food Pantry would appreciate it if donations could include healthy options. Students can bring their donation to school anytime throughout the month. The community is welcome to drop off donations to any elementary school lobby during school hours. Thank you to the PTO volunteers for organizing these food drives! 

The pantry serves an average of 106 families during each week they are open and is experiencing a shortage in these items. For families who may be in need of food assistance, the Milton Community Food Pantry will be open Feb 4 and 18 and March 4 and 18 from 9:15 – 11:15 am. The pantry is located in the Parkway Methodist Church, 158 Blue Hill Parkway.

SAVE THE DATE – HARLEM WIZARDS

The MHS Senior Class is hosting the Harlem Wizards at MHS on March 8, 2023 at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are available now at harlemwizards.com.

PRESCHOOL INFORMATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

• Information Night Recording from January 12, 2023
• PDF of Preschool Info Night Presentation 
• 2023-2024 Preschool Overview
• 2023-2024 Preschool Fact Sheet
• 2023-2024 Important Upcoming Preschool Dates
• 2023-2024 Tuition Assistance Information and Application
• 2023-2024 MPS Preschool Pre-registration Questionnaire (Must pre-reg by Jan 26)
• Preschool Lottery, if necessary – Friday, January 27, 2023

Children attending an MPS Preschool Program must be three years old on or before August 31, 2023. For more information, please call Marti O’Keefe McKenna, MPS Family Outreach Liaison, at 617 980 7343 or email Mrs. McKenna at preschool@miltonps.org

PIERCE 8TH GRADE IN DC 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MPS CELEBRATES THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

Thank you to MHS National Honor Society students Jamie Lo and Alicia Wong for kicking off the Lunar New Year celebration at Collicot with a read aloud about the holiday. In honor of the Year of the Rabbit, Collicot students created a traditional wishing tree in the first floor hallway. Students were given a Red Envelope containing a special token and a small piece of paper. Students took time with family to draw and share a wish for this year on the back of this paper and brought it back to school to hang up on the tree. Please take a moment to watch our Collicot students wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Pierce 6th grader Isabella Chiu helped her English class celebrate the Lunar New Year by bringing in an embossed envelope with $1 for every student in the class. Bella explained how her family celebrates, the meaning behind the envelopes and taught the class to say Happy New Year in Cantonese. Thank you to Bella for sharing your family’s holiday with your classmates! 

At Cunningham, Mrs. Qiu and Mrs. Chen taught Mrs. McKay’s 4th graders about the history of Chinese New Year and read a book about the Chinese Zodiac. They also brought crafts and activities for students to try. Students made lanterns, cut paper into Chinese characters, practiced writing Chinese characters, and practiced with chopsticks. Students also received lucky red envelopes!

Glover students enjoyed Mrs. McDavitt’s read-aloud “Chloe’s Lunar New Year” during morning announcements.

Ms. Watrous’ 5th grade Cunningham class was excited to welcome their classmate Jimmy’s parents, WeiLin Chen and Jie Huang, for a variety of interesting and exciting activities. Thank you for sharing your time and family traditions with the class.

MHS THEATRE ONE ACT PERFORMANCE

MHS Theatre invites the community to a free benefit performance (donations welcome!) of four student directed scenes and a performance of their one act submission “Badger” for the METG Competition Festival. Please see the description of “Badger” below and please join us at MHS on Friday, February 3 at 7pm for an evening of theater. 

In 1944, four young women take newly available jobs at one of the largest munitions factories in the United States: the Badger Ordinance Works. Facing dangerous work with highly flammable powder as well as insidious sexism, the women form an unlikely friendship through joy and heartbreak. A vibrant ensemble brings the factory to life as each of the women confronts not only the challenges of entering the workforce in the darkest days of World War II, but also who she is and what she truly values. Unforgettable human stories make the era immediate in this captivating ensemble drama.

COLLICOT 5TH GRADE VISITS KINDERGARTEN

Collicot 5th grade visits with Kindergarten buddies continue to be a highlight for both students and teachers. In the most recent visit, 5th graders used what they are learning in science and led a lesson on mixtures and solutions. Each group was given a variety of materials  (i.e. sequence, pom poms, paper clips, feathers, and bingo chips). The older students explained that each of the materials was going to be used to create a mixture. Kindergarten students then mixed all the materials, learning that a mixture is two or more materials mixed together. After creating the mixture, 5th graders talked about how the items could be sorted and separated. One of the tools students used to separate the materials was a magnetic wand. Kindergartners were quick to see that the materials could be separated by color, texture, size, and material (metal/non-metal). 

Not only are these visits with the Kindergartners fun and exciting but it allows time to assess fifth graders’ knowledge of science concepts in an organic way. Being able to explain what they learned to five and six-year-olds shows a great understanding of the material.

TUCKER 5TH GRADE IDIOMS 

Mrs. England’s Tucker 5th graders have displayed their understanding of idioms in the halls of Tucker with engaging and interactive posters. Colorful illustrations show the literal meaning of the idiom with a half sheet inviting students to lift and read the meaning of common idioms. The entire school is having fun learning what a variety of idioms mean. Can you match the idioms below with their meaning?

MILTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 

Our Winter Optional Enrichment classes have started and students are having a ball! 
Students are enjoying Ja Shin Do with Ms Camille , beginner Mandarin with Ms. Melody, Super Soccer Stars with Mr. Isaiah, and Lego Challenges, Lego Adventures, Business Sharks and Kids Newsroom through Right Brain Curriculum.

1ST GRADE ARTISTS 

Glover 1st graders had fun and showed off their art skills with royalty self portraits. All hail the Glover Kings and Queens!

Tucker 1st graders are proud of their flower pot paintings inspired by the artist Clementine Hunter. They read the book, “Art from her Heart”, about the artist and looked at her flower paintings.

MHS ATHLETICS 

Please see below from MPS AD Ryan Madden.

The Milton High School Boys & Girls Ski Team kick-off the 2023 race season with a roar! The Wildcats placed 5 boys and 3 girls in the top 3rd of Giant Slalom racers at Ski Ward on Tuesday evening.

• Top Milton Girls: Bowie Garvin – 31st, Alessandra Tuozzolo – 44th, & Abbe Taugher – 46th.
• Top Milton Boys: Ben Catudal – 12th, Liam Higgins – 30th, Casey Olsen – 36th, Dan Hipp – 44th & John Ghelli – 45th.

Tuesday’s Giant Slalom race at Ski Ward was the 1st time in over 5 years that the members of the boy’s team earned points in both races! The Ski Team’s next Giant Slalom race will be Tuesday, Jan. 31st at Ski Ward.

If you weren’t able to make the Basketball Game last Wednesday, you missed a great performance from the Dance Team at halftime! See Twitter for the video. Only a few weeks into their inaugural season as a Varsity Sport, Coach O’Toole has done a great job preparing them. The team is  excited for their first competition in two weeks!

Girls and Boys Hockey both beat Wellesley yesterday! The Girls won 4-0 behind a stellar showing in net from Lila Chamoun, earning their first win over Wellesley in 8 years. Sarah McGillivray scored twice and assisted as well. The Boys won 4-0, with two goals from Sean McDougall – against a previously undefeated Raider Team – to improve their chances of making the tournament! Thank you to Riley Donovan for the Girls Hockey pics below!

Headed to Nationals!

The Track Teams had a strong showing on Sunday evening with the girls taking home a team trophy for their runner up finish and the boys finishing in 13th out of 21 teams. Both teams fought for every point with many of our athletes performing season and personal bests. The team looks to continue their positive momentum. They are just one month from All-States!

Congratulations are in order for the Shuttle Relay Team (pictured above) of Claudia O’Neil, Donna Gauvin, Elana Pukel and Shakura Lynch! On their way to a victory the foursome also set a new school record (previous record was from 2008) and qualified for the New Balance Championships in Boston on March 11-12!

Girls Basketball loved having the Pierce Girls Basketball team join our practice this week.  MHS Captain Kate gave some words of advice to our future ‘Cats!

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

Congratulations to Atticus, Lucy, Claudia and Tim!

Congratulations to MHS students Atticus D’Alessandro, Tim Fay, Lucy Hays and Claudia O’Neill who auditioned for and were accepted to the MMEA All State Festival last week! This is a tremendous achievement as students first had to be accepted to the MMEA Eastern District Festival in November and then have high enough scores to qualify for All State Auditions. Atticus, Tim, Lucy and Claudia will be performing at the MMEA All State Concert at Symphony Hall in Boston on Saturday, March 4. Bravo!

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton American Baseball registration is now open for players ages 4-12. With T-ball through the Majors Division there is an opportunity for everyone to play and develop with friends. Please visit miltonamericanbaseball.org for more information. 

MECA offers Stories and Friends Meet Up: Signs of Winter. Meet and connect with other families with young children and enjoy some winter fun! We’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center at Houghton’s Pond, enjoy some stories and songs, look for animal tracks in the snow, and complete a fun, hands-on snowman activity. Children will have the opportunity to meet Ranger Dan, who will read the StoryWalk® posted on the grounds. Registration is not required; however, you will need to sign in upon arrival. Please dress for both indoor and outdoor weather. A free animal tracks activity will be distributed to the first 35 children who sign in that morning. This program will meet on Saturday, February 18th, at 10:30 AM at 860 Hillside Street in Milton. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of February programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Kids in Grades K-5 are invited to come meet and read to a lovable (and a very good listener!) volunteer dog on Saturday, February 4 at 2:30PM! Each child will have the opportunity to read to the dog in a private, 10 minute session to practice their reading aloud skills. Sign up today!

• Calling all teen cooks! The Milton Library Teen Program is hosting a hands-on vegetarian cooking class with local chef and cookbook author Didi Emmons on Thursday, February 23 at 3:30pm. Registration is required; visit our website for details. 

The Teen Program is also always looking for volunteers, If you’re a high schooler looking for some community service hours, please reach out to Tyler by email at tvachon@ocln.org, or swing by the Teen Room during after school hours to learn more.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: January 19, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

On Monday of this week, three of our MPS students attended the Project 351 Launch Day at Faneuil Hall. Pierce 8th grader and current Project 351 Ambassador Adam wrote to me about his experience and to spread awareness about Project 351 and its mission to empower and inspire young leaders in our state. I’m pleased to share some of Adam’s words below.

L-R Hokulani, Reilly, and Adam, past and present MPS Project 351 Ambassadors.

Adam writes, “I am writing to you today with the utmost excitement and energy, as I am still buzzing from the incredible experience that was the Project 351 Launch Day! The event, which took place yesterday at Faneuil Hall, was truly one to remember. I was selected for the Project 351 program by my teachers at Pierce, who recognized my leadership potential. I am honored to have been chosen and feel privileged to be a part of such an amazing program. I am also a member of the Martin Richard Service (sub)Team, led by Reilly Bergin, a Milton High School sophomore.

The launch day kicked off with a panel moderated by WBZ-TV’s Lisa Hughes, featuring Imari Paris Jeffries (Executive Director for Embrace Boston and the mastermind behind the new Embrace statue in the Boston Common), Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Palak Yadav, a 10th-grade Project 351 alumna from Medway. 

But the morning was just the beginning of the action-packed day. After the panel, I had the honor of participating in an afternoon of service alongside my fellow ambassadors from all 351 cities and towns in Mass. We worked tirelessly to make hygiene and mental health kits, tie fleece blankets to keep the unhoused warm, and package food for the Pine Street Inn. It was a truly humbling experience, and I am proud to say that our efforts impacted (a calculated) 6,152 lives on just the first day alone!”

Adam sent me several photos and shared that he particularly loves the group photo of all the Ambassadors. He felt that this powerful image (at right) speaks to the progress we have made in honoring and celebrating diversity. Thank you for your student leadership, Adam, and thank you to Adam, Hoku, and Reilly for representing MPS so well!

This weekend our Pierce Players will perform State Fair!  You can see State Fair on Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20 at 7pm and Saturday, January 21 at 2pm in the Pierce auditorium. The students in the cast and crew are excited to share their hard work, and they are looking forward to a packed house! Tickets are on sale now at this link.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

SCHOOL COMMITTEE 

At last night’s School Committee meeting, School Committee Chair Ada Rosmarin shared plans for the MPS leadership transition. 

The School Committee has reached a tentative agreement with Dr. Peter Burrows to become the next Superintendent of MPS. There is a meeting scheduled on January 23 at 7 am to ratify Dr. Burrows’ contract. Dr. Burrows will begin working in Milton on July 1, 2023. We are working with him on plans to come to Milton for a number of days before July 1 to begin work on his entry plan.

We have also been working with Central Office to plan for the period of time between now and July 1. Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan leaves on February 3, and we are pleased to share that Assistant Superintendent Garth McKinney has agreed to serve as Interim Superintendent between February 6 and July 1, 2023.

We are very appreciative of Dr. McKinney’s willingness to step up and lead during this period. We are working out additional details, but at our next regular meeting on February 1, we will take a vote on Dr. McKinney’s appointment and give our thanks to Janet Sheehan for all she’s done this year and throughout her career at MPS. Dr. McKinney, along with Assistant Superintendent for Business, Dr. Pavlicek, our Central Office team, and our strong district Leadership Team, will continue to provide stability, leadership, and a smooth transition for the district. 

We are excited about the future of MPS under the leadership of our incoming Superintendent, Dr. Peter Burrows. We are very thankful for the hard work and dedication to the success of all our students by our MPS staff.  And we are grateful for the continued goodwill of the entire MPS community during this 5 month transition period before Dr. Burrows steps into his new leadership role.

IMPORTANT DATES

• Jan 19, 20, 21 Pierce Players Presents State Fair
• Jan 21 MMEA All-State Auditions
• Jan 25 SEPAC Meeting 
• Jan 25 School Committee Forum on Equity 
• Jan 26 Kindergarten Information Night 
• Feb 1 Early Release Day 
• Feb 2 School Committee Forum on Budget

SCHOOL COMMITTEE FORUM ON EQUITY 

On Wednesday, January 25, from 7-8:30pm, the School Committee will host the third of four public forums for the Milton community. The forum will provide an overview of the MPS Strategic Plan and a 30 minute presentation on Equity in Learning, a pillar of the MPS Strategic Plan. Following the presentation by MPS faculty, community members will be invited to ask questions and share comments about Equity in Learning. MPS administrators, faculty, and School Committee members will respond to questions and comments and share their perspectives on the issues. 

The public forum will be held at the Council on Aging, at 10 Walnut St, just behind Town Hall. The meeting will be hybrid, with attendees able to participate in person and through Zoom at this link (Passcode: 168556). 

MPS KINDERGARTEN – Welcome to the Class of 2036!

Kindergarten Information Night is on Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 pm. This evening is virtual (please note the change from a previous announcement) and the link to attend is here. We ask all Kindergarten families to complete the Kindergarten pre-registration questionnaire at this link prior to January 22. At the presentation on January 26, MPS administrators will share information about school assignment, the kindergarten curriculum, important dates, and more.

OFFICE OF PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES 

During the week of February 28, 2023, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Milton Public Schools. The office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations.

• Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP), Team Process, and IEP development and implementation.
• Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint and equal access to school programs for all students.

All details on the visit, community feedback, and public access to the reports can be found here.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW 

SAVE THE DATE – HARLEM WIZARDS

The MHS Senior Class is hosting the Harlem Wizards at MHS on March 8, 2023 at 7pm. Doors open at 6pm. Tickets are available now at harlemwizards.com.

MILTON FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION 

The Milton Foundation for Education is excited to announce that this year’s Celebration for Education will be held at The Beat on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Beat is a fun, new event space located just 5 miles from Milton on Morrissey Boulevard, in Boston’s historic former headquarters of the Boston Globe. Save the date to join the fun!

PRESCHOOL INFORMATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

• Information Night Recording from January 12, 2023
• PDF of Preschool Info Night Presentation 
• 2023-2024 Preschool Overview
• 2023-2024 Preschool Fact Sheet
• 2023-2024 Important Upcoming Preschool Dates
• 2023-2024 Tuition Assistance Information and Application
• 2023-2024 MPS Preschool Pre-registration Questionnaire (Must pre-reg by Jan 26)
• Preschool Lottery, if necessary – Friday, January 27, 2023

Children attending an MPS Preschool Program must be three years old on or before August 31, 2023. For more information, please call Marti O’Keefe McKenna, MPS Family Outreach Liaison, at 617 980 7343 or email Mrs. McKenna at preschool@miltonps.org

MILTON SEPAC

The Milton SEPAC shares the following updates. 

January 25 Parent Speak Online Meeting: This is our second parent speak meeting with the board of the year. Please email Jenny Sheehan for the zoom link and agenda details!

Did you know you have a SEPAC school rep who meets monthly with your school principal to discuss staffing, programming, and issues of inclusion? Find your school rep here. Please visit the SEPAC website for updates, information, and links to resources. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MPS PRESCHOOL

MPS preschoolers are currently engaging in a clothing study through the Creative Curriculum. You may be wondering…why study clothes? We believe using children’s interests to guide instruction is developmentally appropriate and effective. Children are naturally interested in clothing from a young age, even as babies and toddlers, we find them tugging at buttons and developing preferences related to colors and fabrics. These early explorations serve as a foundation for the knowledge that develops through the preschool clothing study.

Some questions students are exploring include: How does weather impact the clothing we wear? How are fabrics made? What are the specialized purposes of some garments? Why do some professions have specialized pieces of clothing? How do we take care of our clothes?

Right now, in our classrooms, children are reading books about fabrics and clothing, exploring pieces of fabric and different specialized clothing items, and engaging in whole and small group discussions related to the topic. This clothing study also lends itself well to dramatic play, which lends itself naturally to the development of oral language skills. The preschoolers pictured below are in Ms. Davis’ class at Tucker, but this type of learning is currently happening in all preschool classrooms.

TUCKER DAY OF SERVICE

Tucker students participated in a day of service last Friday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Students gathered in the library by grade to hear from speakers about the Milton Animal Shelter, Circle of Hope , Veterans organizations, and the good work of the Milton Fire and Police Departments. In addition, later this week, Tucker will be working with Sustainable Milton on a service project. Back in the classroom, students worked on service projects, including making cards, posters, fleece blankets, assembling Dignity Bags, and more. Thank you to the many PTO volunteers for supporting this event, and thank you, especially to our guest speakers who shared valuable information with our students about the impact they can have when giving back to the community.

CUNNINGHAM METEOROLOGIST VISIT 

To complete their FOSS unit on Water and Climate, Ms. Harris and Ms. Staker’s 3rd grade class invited NewsCenter 5’s weekend meteorologist David Williams to visit Cunningham. Mr. Williams gave a presentation about extreme weather conditions, predicting weather patterns, and played a weather BINGO game with the students. The third graders were thrilled to meet a real-life meteorologist!

MHS JOURNALISM AT FORBES HOUSE

The MHS Journalism I class has been examining the opioid epidemic. To support this ongoing study, the class visited the Forbes House to learn about the Forbes Family’s complicity in the opium trade in China in the middle of the nineteenth century. Students toured the entire Forbes home, learned the history of the family, and then looked specifically at the way the family’s wealth and philanthropic contributions directly connected to this lucrative, though harmful, international trade. Thank you to Gwen Labbe at the Forbes Museum and English Department Head H. Hardie for their assistance with the field trip. 

TUCKER 4TH GRADE SINGERS

On Monday, the Tucker 4th grade Chorus performed as part of the MICA event at the Concord Baptist Church. Focusing on the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the program included a keynote speaker, student art, student writing, and a Milton High School Choral performance. Brother Dennis Slaughter works with the Tucker Chorus on Wednesdays during lunch and recess to connect over a shared love of music. Students performed a lively rendition of Come Join the Circle. Members included Ethan Jurkevicius, Ryan Yazdi, Leisa Augustin, Samara Duncan, Sophia Callum, Juniper Ochs, Asata Cineus, Kiran Rokni, Coda Gonzalez-Carter, Valentina Veal, and Isabella D’Amato. Thank you to our singers for  representing Tucker and MPS so well!

EXTRA EXTRA – THE COUGAR CHRONICLE

Cunningham Student Leaders are proud to share the latest edition of The Cougar Chronicle. Students aim to publish a new issue each month and update the newspaper’s website more frequently. Students write, edit and design the Chronicle, and staff and students from all grades are represented in the articles. You can read the Cougar Chronicle here. 

MHS POST SECONDARY VISITS 

MHS School Counselor Scott Devlin recently arranged for a visit from Universal Technical Institute, a trade school with campuses all over the country. The UTI representative presented to Mr. Merkle’s Consumer Car Care and Auto Maintenance classes. In addition to sharing information about his program, the presentation included career planning information and the importance of self-discovery between ages 18-24.

MPS MUSIC NEWS 

MMEA Eastern Senior District Festival: The MHS Music Department has been busy the past few weeks with workshops, festivals and preparing for auditions! On Friday, January 6 and Saturday, January 7, we had 10 MHS Music Students participate in the MMEA Eastern District Senior Festival at Boston Latin School. Students spent the entire day Friday and the morning on Saturday in rehearsals with renowned conductors preparing music for a concert Saturday afternoon. Students had the opportunity to work with students from over 30 other communities to prepare for this concert. Students selected to represent Milton High School were: Carle Bleau, Owen Creamer, Atticus D’Alessandro, Tim Fay, Isabelle Feloney, Lucy Hollingsworth-Hays, Lily Lane, Angel Leggett, Claudia O’Neill, and Julien Roberson. Congratulations to these students for their tremendous work preparing for this festival! A special shoutout to MHS Choral Director, Ms. Hanna, who served on the Eastern District Senior Festival committee as Chorus Manager!

All State Auditions: Good Luck to our four MHS Music students who will be traveling to Shrewsbury High School this weekend to audition for the MMEA All State Festival Ensembles! MHS Students who have advanced to this round of auditions are: Atticus D’Alessandro, Tim Fay, Lucy Hollingsworth-Hays and Claudia O’Neill.

New England Brass Band Clinic: Before Winter break, the MHS Concert Band was treated to a clinic with members of the New England Brass Band. This workshop included a performance from our very own MHS Brass Quintet where they received valuable feedback from Boston University Trumpet Professor and Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra member Terry Everson. Members of the NEBB demonstrated traditional brass instruments for students and held a robust question and answer session. The clinic culminated in a session with Alexis Smith from S.E. Shires, a brass instrument manufacturer that builds custom instruments. Ms. Smith took students through the fascinating process of how instruments are built and tailored to individual players’ needs. Students were then able to test a variety of Shires instruments. This clinic was made possible through our Applied Lesson Program trumpet instructor Dr. Andrew Harms, who through his work with New England Brass Band, was able to secure a grant for this event. We are grateful to him for his work and bringing this outstanding experience to the MHS Band Students.

MHS ATHLETICS 

Please see below from MPS AD Ryan Madden.

The latest issue of the MIAA Power Rankings can be found here. Two of our Winter Teams are currently in position to secure tournament berths, while Boys Hockey is just outside, but looking in.

• #15 Girls Hockey 7-1-1
• #29 Girls Basketball 6-5
• #32 Boys Hockey 4-5-1

The Girls Basketball Team has played well to start the season, and earned their first win on home court since 2019 in dramatic fashion over Fontbonne last Thursday! After trailing 32-12 after the first quarter, the Girls outscored Fontbonne 38-17 over the next three quarters, holding the Ducks to just 6 points in quarters 2 and 3. There was a great article by Eric McHugh in the Patriot Ledger, found here!

Our Wrestling Team fell to Weymouth last night but enjoyed a great weekend at Oliver Ames High School! The Team went 3-0-1 on the day with 5 wrestlers going 4-0! Will Doyle, Kenny Heraldo, Luis Bitencourt, Alex Alexis, and Mason Pellegri all won their matches on the day! In just a month’s time, Milton High School will host the Division II State Tournament. Mason Pellegri will have the chance to win back-to-back State Titles for the first time since Joe Sidoti in 1963-64, and he’ll get the chance in his own gym!

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Parks and Rec is offering a February Vacation Baseball Program for children ages 5-11. Join Director Brendan Morrissey (MHS Varsity Boys coach)  and the MHS Baseball Team for this terrific clinic. All details and registration info can be found here. 

MECA offers Stories and Friends Meet Up: Signs of Winter. Meet and connect with other families with young children and enjoy some winter fun! We’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center at Houghton’s Pond, enjoy some stories and songs, look for animal tracks in the snow, and complete a fun, hands-on snowman activity. Children will have the opportunity to meet Ranger Dan, who will read the StoryWalk® posted on the grounds. Registration is not required; however, you will need to sign in upon arrival. Please dress for both indoor and outdoor weather. A free animal tracks activity will be distributed to the first 35 children who sign in that morning. This program will meet on Saturday, February 18th, at 10:30 AM at 860 Hillside Street in Milton. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Middle Schoolers – Join the fun at the Wildcat Den this month! Find the schedule here. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of January programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• The Milton Public Library is excited to present its very first Tiny Art Show on Saturday, January 21 at 2:30PM! Friends and family of the young artists who participated in our art-kit program are invited to a reception in the Keys Community Room for the chance to get to know the young artists, admire their work, and ask questions about their artistic process. Snacks and refreshments will be provided. No registration is required, and please feel free to stop by even if you did not create art for our show!
• Attention graphic novel fans: Join Ms. Tory in the Story Hour Room for Graphic Novel Book Club (Grades 3-5) on Wednesday, January 25 at 4:30PM! This month we are reading Catherine’s War by Julia Billet. Pick up a reserved copy at the Children’s Desk and sign up today! 

Milton Academy is holding a 2023 summer camp open to students in rising grades 1-6. All details on the camp can be found here.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: January 12, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Assembling Blessing Bags at Collicot this week.

Monday, January 16, is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and in the Milton Public Schools, we honor Dr. King’s legacy in the week leading up to MLK Day. Many of our students are participating in service projects in school this week, as well as helping with the opportunity (from MICA, linked here) to assemble Blessing Bags on Monday. Younger students are creating art in honor of Dr. King while our older students have written essays using the prompt of MLK’s quote “There Comes a Time When Silence is Betrayal.” Please take a moment to read these three excellent essays by MHS students Griffin Angus, Katie Scott and Florian Zoll. A group of Tucker 4th graders and MHS Chorus students will also be singing at the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association’s annual celebration at the Concord Baptist Church on Monday evening. All are invited to attend this in person event, or to watch on the livestream. As a reminder, there is no school on Monday, January 16 in honor of MLK Day and Tuesday, January 17 is a late start for students, with all schools starting 2 hours later than the regular start time.

MPS Preschool Information Night is tonight, Thursday, January 12, 6:30 pm. The event is virtual, and the link to attend is here.  All 2023-24 Preschool information is posted on the MPS website.  The MPS preschool pre-registration questionnaire will be open tonight through January 26 and the preschool lottery, if necessary, will be Friday, January 27. We hope to see many future MPS preschool families at the presentation tonight!

MPS Kindergarten – Welcome to the Class of 2036! Kindergarten Information Night is on Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 pm. This evening is virtual (please note the change from a previous announcement) and the link to attend is here. We ask all Kindergarten families to complete the Kindergarten pre-registration questionnaire at this link  prior to January 22. At the presentation on January 26, MPS administrators will share information about school assignment, kindergarten curriculum, important dates and more.

Pierce Players Presents State Fair: The Pierce Players will perform its production of State Fair for the Milton community on Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20 at 7pm and Saturday, January 21 at 2pm in the Pierce auditorium. The students in the cast and crew are excited to share their hard work, and they are looking forward to a packed house! Tickets are on sale now at this link.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Jan 12 Pre-School Info Night 
• Jan 12 Pierce Summer Program Night
• Jan 16 No School – MLK Day
• Jan 17 Late Start for Students/Morning PD 
• Jan 18 School Committee Meeting
• Jan 19, 20, 21 Pierce Players Presents State Fair
• Jan 21 MMEA All-State Auditions
• Jan 25 SEPAC Meeting 
• Jan 25 School Committee Forum on Equity 
• Jan 26 Kindergarten Information Night 

Pierce Summer Program Night: The Pierce PTO is hosting a Summer Program Night on Thursday, January 12 from 6-9 pm in the Pierce cafeteria. Local businesses will be in attendance to share information about everything from summer camps and memberships to lessons and internships for children of ALL ages. Representatives from Mel-O-Drama, The Weymouth Club, Boy Scouts, French Immersion Summer Program, Goldfish Swim School, Milton Art Center, R3Bilt Fitness, Muscle and Flow, Everwood Day Camp, and many more will be in attendance. Please email Pierce PTO parent Jackie Mullen at jacquelinegmullen@gmail.com with any questions. 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE FORUM ON EQUITY 

On Wednesday, January 25th, from 7-8:30pm, the School Committee will host the third of four public forums for the Milton community. The forum will provide an overview of the MPS Strategic Plan and a 30 minute presentation on Equity in Learning, a pillar of the MPS Strategic Plan. Following the presentation by MPS faculty, community members will be invited to ask questions and share comments about Equity in Learning. MPS administrators, faculty, and School Committee members will respond to questions and comments and share their perspectives on the issues. 

The public forum will be held at the Council on Aging, at 10 Walnut St, just behind Town Hall. The meeting will be hybrid, with attendees able to participate in person and through Zoom at this link (Passcode: 168556). 

OFFICE OF PUPIL PERSONNEL SERVICES 

During the week of February 28, 2023, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focusing Monitoring Review of Milton Public Schools. The office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations.

• Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP), Team Process, and IEP development and implementation.
• Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint and equal access to school programs for all students.

All details on the visit, community feedback and public access to the reports can be found here.

MILTON FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION 

Breaking News! The Milton Foundation for Education is excited to announce that this years’ 
Celebration for Education will be held at The Beat on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The Beat is a fun, new event space located just 5 miles from Milton on Morrissey Boulevard, in Boston’s historic former headquarters of the Boston Globe. Save the date to join the fun! 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW 

MILTON SEPAC

The Milton SEPAC shares the following updates. 

SEPAC sponsored Federation for Children with Special Needs workshops have been scheduled and are awaiting final confirmation – but pencil these in! These are excellent workshops – Eligibility on February 16 in the evening  and Understanding the 504: March 7 in the evening –  are free and offered virtually.

We welcome you to join us at our next meeting (January 25, 2023, from 6:30-8:30, via Zoom – link to follow.)  Did you know you have a SEPAC school rep who meets monthly with your school principal to discuss staffing, programming, and issues of inclusion? Find your school rep here. Please visit  the SEPAC website for updates, information, and links to resources. 

ELEMENTARY DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP DAYS

In February, MPS will hold the fourth annual elementary school Digital Citizenship Days.   All elementary students will take part in several engaging digital citizenship lessons during these exciting days.  The lesson topics include digital footprints, internet privacy,  copyright, cyberbullying, and creating passwords.  

 The Digital Citizenship Day lessons will be facilitated by family volunteers, and we need family support!  Each elementary class will need at least one and, ideally, two volunteers. All details on volunteering and lessons can be found here. Thank you for volunteering for this important initiative. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

CUNNINGHAM 4TH GRADE SCIENCE 

In preparation for their upcoming FOSS unit on energy and electromagnetism, Mme. Mushin’s Cunningham 4th graders completed a Mystery Science investigation about electricity. Students were challenged to test and retest how to create their own flashlights using a battery, aluminum foil, and an LED light. Just like Thomas Edison, who tested thousands of lightbulb models before finding one that works, they persevered and helped each other succeed. Bravo!

MHS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Ms. Meg Tabacsko from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) came to MHS this week to visit Ms. Plunkett’s Environmental Science classes. Ms. Tabacsko presented the wastewater process that takes place from our own community and at Deer Island. Students were able to observe all stages of the wastewater process with hands-on demonstrations and see everything from waste water to sludge to fertilization products made as a result of the treatment process that have even been used within our own community. Thank you to the MWRA for this valuable presentation.

DECEMBER VACATION CAMP

December Vacation Camp was a big success with our students, with four jam packed days of fun events and activities. Students enjoyed art and STEM with Ms. Roye, cooking with Ms. Conley, practiced soccer skills with Super Soccer Stars instructors, enjoyed a magic show by Awesome ROBB , participated in a Jenga challenge and held their own end of  year countdown and New Year celebration. Stay tuned for details about February Vacation Camp!

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Parks and Rec is offering a February Vacation Baseball Program for children ages 5-11. Join Director Brendan Morrissey (MHS Varsity Boys coach)  and the MHS Baseball Team for this terrific clinic. All details and registration info can be found here. 

Middle Schoolers – Join the fun at the Wildcat Den this month! Find the schedule here. 

Milton Girls Softball encourages children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 to register for the 2023 Spring Season. All details can be found at www.miltonsoftball.com.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of January programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Join VITFriends, a Boston Vitiligo Support Group, in the Story Hour Room for an energetic and informative storytime on Thursday, January 19 at 4:00PM! Part of an awareness and education initiative, this storytime geared towards ages 5-7 will help kids learn more about vitiligo through reading. Register today!

Milton Academy is holding a 2023 summer camp open to students in rising grades 1-6. All details on the camp can be found here.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Janet Sheehan
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: January 5, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

January is a busy month in the Milton Public Schools with Preschool and Kindergarten Information Nights, Speaker Katie Greer, the ongoing Superintendent Search, Music Festival Auditions, the Pierce Summer Program Info Night, the Pierce Players production of State Fair, a School Committee Public Forum and more. Please see below for information on all of these important upcoming events. 

Katie Greer returns to Milton: TONIGHT: January 5, at 6pm in the Pierce auditorium, Internet Safety Expert Katie Greer will be returning to Milton to speak to adults in our community about Keeping Students Safe in a Digital World. Earlier today, Katie met with our Pierce and MHS students during the school day. 

Katie knows it can be daunting being a parent in this digitally driven time and will update parents on the latest tech trends, safety issues, and tips on how to help our kids have a productive and healthy relationship with technology. This presentation is open to all Milton parents and guardians.

Superintendent Search Update: This week, each of the three finalists visited MPS, toured our schools, and met with staff, students, and community members. Yesterday, each candidate was publicly interviewed by the School Committee. The interviews were recorded and are posted on the Milton Access TV website  and can be found on the (open to all) MATV Facebook page. The interviews are also linked here: 

• Ms. Nan Murphy Interview
• Dr. Peter Cushing Interview
• Dr. Peter Burrows Interview

On Friday, January 6, the School Committee will meet in Open Session (link to Zoom, Passcode 168556) at 7:30am to deliberate and make a decision about who to select for our next Superintendent. 

All details (including links to view meetings live or on-demand) about the candidates and next steps in the search can be found here. 

MPS faculty/staff, parents/guardians, and community members may send their feedback/comments to the School Committee at schoolcommittee@miltonps.org.  As previously requested, please send your emails by 7 pm on January 5 to ensure the School Committee has time to read them. 

Preschool and Kindergarten Dates and Information

• Preschool Information Night – Thursday, Jan 12, 6:30 pm (Virtual, link to attend is here.)
• 2023-24 Preschool information is posted on the front of the MPS website.
• Preschool Pre-registration – Jan 12 -26 
• Preschool Lottery, if necessary – Friday, Jan 27 
• Kindergarten Information Night – Thursday, Jan 26 
• Kindergarten Pre-registration Questionnaire Link – please complete prior to Jan 22, 2023

Pierce Players Presents State Fair: The Pierce Players will perform its production of State Fair for the Milton community on Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20 at 7pm and Saturday, January 21 at 2pm in the Pierce auditorium. The students in the cast and crew are doing a marvelous job with this show, and they are looking forward to a packed house! Tickets are on sale on Monday, January 9 at this link.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

• Jan 5 Katie Greer at Pierce 
• Jan 6-7 Eastern Sr. District Festival
• Jan 12 Pre-School Info Night 
• Jan 12 Pierce Summer Program Night
• Jan 16 No School – MLK Day
• Jan 17 Late Start for Students/Morning PD for Teachers
• Jan 18 School Committee Meeting
• Jan 19, 20, 21 Pierce Players Presents State Fair
• Jan 21 MMEA All-State Auditions
• Jan 25 SEPAC Meeting 
• Jan 25 School Committee Forum on Equity 
• Jan 26 Kindergarten Information Night 

Pierce Summer Program Night: The Pierce PTO is hosting a Summer Program Night on Thursday, January 12 from 6-9 pm in the Pierce cafeteria. Local businesses will be in attendance to share information about everything from summer camps and memberships to lessons and internships for children of ALL ages. Representatives from Mel-O-Drama, The Weymouth Club, Boy Scouts, French Immersion Summer Program, Goldfish Swim School, Milton Art Center, R3Bilt Fitness, Muscle and Flow, Everwood Day Camp, and many more will be in attendance. Please email Pierce PTO parent Jackie Mullen at jacquelinegmullen@gmail.com with any questions. 

MILTON SEPAC

The Milton SEPAC shares the following updates. 

SEPAC sponsored Federation for Children with Special Needs workshops have been scheduled and are awaiting final confirmation – but pencil these in! These are excellent workshops – Eligibility on February 16 in the evening  and Understanding the 504: March 7 in the evening –  are free and offered virtually.

Did you know you have a SEPAC school rep who meets monthly with your school principal to discuss staffing, programming, and issues of inclusion? You can find your school rep and contact information here. 

We welcome you to join us at our next meeting (January 25, 2023, from 6:30-8:30, via Zoom)  to share your concerns, help advance SEPAC’s work in the District, or just listen as we continue to advocate on behalf of all special needs students and their families. Please email Jenny Sheehan at jennycsheehan@gmail.com or Jennie Mulqueen at jenniemulqueen@gmail.com with questions and to receive the link. Please also note that SEPAC meetings can be found on the district-wide calendar. You can also visit  the SEPAC website for updates, information, and links to resources.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

As we return to school to start the new year, please see the reminders linked here about good health practices. All MPS families should have received this email on Wednesday of this week. If you did not receive the email, please reach out to your school’s administrative assistant to confirm your contact information. 

ELEMENTARY DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP DAYS

In February, MPS will hold the fourth annual elementary school Digital Citizenship Days.   All elementary students will take part in several engaging digital citizenship lessons during these exciting days.  The lesson topics include digital footprints, internet privacy,  copyright, cyberbullying, and creating passwords.  The engaging lessons were developed by Common Sense Media, modified by MPS Elementary Instructional Technology Specialists Jen Van Hill and Sara Doherty, and are intended to help our students better understand how to interact with digital technology and their peers in a healthy, respectful way. Each lesson takes on real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today, giving them the skills they need to succeed as learners, leaders, and citizens. 

The Digital Citizenship Day lessons will be facilitated by family volunteers, and we need family support!  Each elementary class will need at least one and, ideally, two volunteers.  Families will have the choice to facilitate the lessons in person or virtually. 

• Collicot: February 14 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Tucker: February 15 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Cunningham: February 16 from 8:30-10:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Glover: February 17 from 9:30-11:30 am. Sign up to volunteer here.

Please note on the sign up if you will facilitate virtually. All volunteers need to have a CORI completed within the last two years. If you already have a valid CORI on file at your child’s school you are all set. If not, please go to the main office of your child’s school, fill out a CORI form, and have a valid picture ID copied. This will need to be completed by Friday, January 27. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our students. 

The lessons are available to preview on this Elementary Digital Citizenship Google Site.  Thank you for volunteering for this important initiative. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW 

THE MILTON COALITION

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MHS VISUAL LITERACY 

Just before break, our MHS Visual Literacy courses celebrated some of the excellent work from students, including appreciating students’ contributions to discussions and the best presentations, essays, and re-creation of the films we have studied in class. You can see some of the celebrated work here. Congratulations to our students on a robust semester of learning! 

MHS ATHLETICS 

Girls Hockey is on a tear to start the season! They are 6-1, with a comeback win over Norwood, goals from Molly Murphy and Kerry Balerna, and shutouts from Lila Chamoun. They travel to Needham on Saturday at 3pm for their next game.

Girls Basketball has also started the season well, with a 5-3 record, earning their first home win since 2019! There have been contributions from everyone. Captains Kate Karimbakas, Stephanie Needham and Grace Henry have led the way, but Ava Regan and Christina McA’Nulty have been crucial to their success.

The Track Team travels to the Reggie Lewis Center this afternoon to take on Framingham.

Mason Pellegri became the first ever Wildcat to reach the finals in the Lowell Wrestling Tournament over the break!  He lost a 6-4 decision to the defending New England Champion, finishing second.

Cans for Cats: The MHS Ski Team is hosting a can and bottle drive on Saturday, January 7, from 9 am to noon at Milton High School. 

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

Please use the links below or visit the MPS Community News & Events page for information on these terrific community events and opportunities! 

Milton Sports for All: If it’s getting cold outside, that means it’s time for BOWLING! Registration for Bowling for grades 4 through 8 is now open, and the session starts on January 12, 2023. Please see our website for more information or to register.

The Milton Early Childhood Alliance has released its Winter Newsletter, filled with loads of information for families with children birth to age 8. All details can be found here. 

Have you ever considered running for local elected office? Find out more at one of two community meetings at Cunningham Hall on January 10 and 24. All details on these non-partisan meetings can be found here. This is a great way to give back to your Milton community.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of January programs for kids can be found here. To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

• Attention young artists: the Milton Public Library is excited to present its very first Tiny Art Show! Children ages 6-12 can sign up to receive a kit on Thursday, January 12 that includes a miniature sized canvas, paint, and paintbrush, which will be used to create original artwork for our artist reception on Saturday, January 21. Learn more and register today here!
• Join Leslie Doherty of Ways of Color to create a stained glass mosaic sun catcher on Saturday, January 14, at 2:30PM on Zoom! For ages 6-12, sign up today and pick up your materials kit at the Children’s Desk before the program.
• Join Library Director Will Adamczyk on Wednesday, January 11 at 7pm for a discussion of former President of Ireland Mary Robinson’s book Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience and the Fight for a Sustainable Future. Registration is required at this link. 

Milton Academy is holding a 2023 summer camp open to students in rising grades 1-6. All details on the camp can be found here.

The Milton Public School system does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, gender identity, transgender status, gender transitioning, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its programs, activities or operations. These include, but are not limited to, admissions, equal access to programs and activities, employment, provision of and access to programs and services, as well as a selection of volunteers, vendors, and employers recruiting at the Milton Public Schools.  We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, students, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Garth McKinney, (617) 696- 4808/4809.