June 15, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: June 15, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Good luck to MHS Baseball in the State Championship!

As you know, these last weeks of school are action packed, with everything from field trips, talent shows, and academic projects to MHS final assessments, service learning activities, and spirit weeks. In the midst of all this activity, Tucker welcomed their new Principal, Dr. William Carter, and Assistant Principal, Caroline Morton for a day at Tucker, we wished our new MPS retirees well, School Committee held their final meeting of the school year, our schools held their awards and moving up ceremonies, and field day fun was a staple. To add to the excitement, MHS Baseball has advanced to the State Finals for the second year in a row! Good luck to the Wildcats as they take on King Philip on Friday, June 16 at 7 pm at Polar Park, Worcester. Tickets are on sale here. Let’s go ‘Cats!

Last week we gathered at Milton High School to celebrate our 15 MPS staff members who are retiring at the end of this school year. I invite you to read more here about Bill Connors, Susan Gionfriddo, Bill Parsloe, Bill Ritchie, Angela Ryan, Jeff Stoodt, Scott Willams, Sally Rush,  Elaine Coughlin, Christopher Clements, Dave Mazzulli, Debra Miller, Mercedes Gonzalez, Karen McGrath McKenzie and Kathy Mulligan (who retired late last year). Please join me in thanking these valued staff members for their service to the Milton Public Schools!

We have just two and a half days of school left for our students. As a reminder, there is no school on Monday, June 19, in honor of Juneteenth, and the last day of school is Wednesday, June 21, an Early Dismissal day. We look forward to officially welcoming Dr. Peter Burrows as Superintendent on July 1 and wish all in the Milton Public Schools a happy and healthy summer vacation! 

IMPORTANT DATES

  • June 19 – Juneteenth – No School
  • June 21 – Last Day of School, Early Dismissal 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the 23-24 SY calendar can be found here

MPS SUMMER 

Milton High School: Looking for a good book for some summer reading? Check out the MHS suggested Summer Reading list here. All students enrolled in AP courses for the 2023-2024 school year met with teachers and have been told course expectations, including required summer work. Students enrolled in AP courses have joined course-specific Google classrooms to access required work to prepare for the 2023-2024 school year.

Pierce Middle School: Creating a school-wide culture of literacy continues to be a priority for the faculty, staff, and administration at Pierce Middle School. Summer is the perfect time to find books and texts to read for pleasure. The resources and lists below are meant to be a starting point to help you select books that match your interests and include a variety of titles across many genres, levels, lengths, and platforms. The goal of this summer’s reading assignment is to engage all students in meaningful literacy experiences while providing student choiceAll details on Pierce Summer reading can be found here. 

MPS Summer Reading: The Summer Reading Challenge is an on-your-own, do-it-anywhere, totally FREE reading program for kids in rising grades K-6.  Participants read any books they want, track how many minutes they read, and enter their minutes read on our website. This year’s theme is Find Your Voice! All details are here and check out the summer reading video here – you’ll see many familiar faces!  All details are here, and sign up at this link. Have questions? Please email struog@ocln.org or call the Milton Public Library’s Children’s Room at 617-898-4957. Happy reading! 

Summertime Stories: The Milton Public Schools is partnering with the Milton Public Library and Milton Early Childhood Alliance to bring some exciting storytime programs for children up to 6 years old along with a caregiver. Miss Sara, from the Milton Public Library, will read stories, sing songs, and delight children at four sessions held around town.

  • July 13 & August 10 at Cunningham Park (between the pool and the hall)
  • July 27 & August 24­ at the Tucker Back Playground
  • All sessions will begin at 10am.
  • Please bring a blanket to sit on.
  • If it rains, we will move indoors to Cunningham Hall or the Tucker gymnasium.

Registration is not required, but we invite you to sign in upon arrival. Why not bring your soon-to-be Kindergartener and have them wear their yellow “I’m going to Kindergarten” t-shirt? It’s a great way for them to meet new friends who might be in their class in September!

Extended School Year: All ESY program information can be found on our 2023 ESY website. If your child receives services, please register them here.  Once registered, you will receive more details about your child’s schedule. Please note that in order to attend ESY Services, your child’s IEP must be returned signed to your building’s Team Chair. Any questions or concerns regarding ESY should be emailed directly to esy@miltonps.org. We are looking forward to a terrific summer at ESY! 

MASS TEEN WORK PERMIT INFO

If your child is planning to work this summer (or during the school year) they will likely need a Massachusetts Work Permit. The form has recently been updated and can be found here. Instructions for completing and submitting the form can also be found here

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Come be a part of the Milton Instrumental Applied Lesson Program! Students entering 4th grade and above may participate in the ALP program. All information for the program can be found here: ALP At A Glance. If your student is interested in taking lessons, please fill out the form here: ALP Interest Form.  After filling out the ALP Interest Form, an instructor will contact you at the end of August to set up lessons. Please reach out to program director Rebecca Damiani with any questions rdamiani@miltonps.org.

MILTON SEPAC 

The Milton SEPAC shares the following. Your SEPAC has been busy this year! We wrapped up our final board meeting on Monday and are in the process of composing our Annual Report which will be posted on the Milton SEPAC website. If you haven’t already, please bookmark this site so you can stay tuned. 

Goodbye and Thank You to Susan Maselli: We’d like to say goodbye and thank you to Susan Maselli for five years of tireless, dedicated work as Director of Pupil and Personnel Services.  Through the years, Susan has maintained her presence at many SEPAC meetings and offered prescient guidance to SEPAC with regard to improving systemic communications by building relationships. Seeing us through the pandemic trauma, Susan has served in this role longer than any director in twenty years; we have learned a lot from her broad expertise and wish her strength, courage, and joyful connection on her journey ahead. 

BUS REGISTRATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the Bus for the 23-34 school year will close on June 21, 2023. All details can be found on the Transportation page of the website linked here. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MPS STAFF UPDATES 

MHS Athletic Director: We would like to welcome Mike Bierwirth as the new Milton High School Athletic Director! Mr. Bierwirth starts July 1 and comes to us with several years of experience as Athletic Director in Lynnfield. Coaches from Lynnfield praised his work, sharing that he did a tremendous job leading the athletics program, was an advocate for student-athletes, and ensured all athletes had a positive athletic experience. Welcome to Milton, and Go Wildcats!

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

MHS rising Senior Karim Camara will have a busy and rewarding summer as he embarks on a program at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) called MITES Semester.  Karim applied and was accepted to the six month program that begins in late June and runs through December.  The program welcomes rising seniors from all over the country and offers a wide range of courses, including thermodynamics, computer science, physics, and astrophysics. The program also offers students a chance to meet with professors and counselors for advice on applications, admissions and life as a college student. Karim will take classes in the program throughout the summer and follow that with weekend courses through December.  Kudos to Karim as he challenges himself through this enriching educational program! 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

PIERCE GEOGRAPHY BEE

Pierce 6th graders participated in a Geography Bee this week, with winner Aileen O’Connor taking the title of champion in an exciting tie-breaker round! Over the past few weeks, each class in the 6th grade competed in the Geography Bee, and one student from each class moved on to represent their peers during the grade-wide Bee.  The entire 6th grade joined the finalists in the auditorium as fifteen students competed in the final rounds. In the end, after more than ten rounds of questions,  Aileen won in a tie-breaker round against second-place finisher Isaac Eng.  Each of our contestants proudly represented the 6th grade during this fun and challenging end-of-year event!

TUCKER PLANTS A TREE 

On June 8, the Tucker School Community, with the help of the Milton Consolidated Facilities Department, planted and dedicated a new tree in the front of the school. In the Fall of 2022, the long-standing oak tree that served as a backdrop for the school and neighborhood needed to be removed. Though sad, the promise of planting a new tree to watch grow over the coming years became a reality last week! The members of the Grade 5 Committee worked with students to select a tree and a plaque that will stand long after their tenure at Tucker. Many members of the Tucker community joined as the tree was planted and dedicated with the words of Wangari Maathai,“When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope. We also secure the future for our children.”

PIERCE READING CHALLENGE

This year, 8th grade ELA teacher Zakia Jarrett challenged her students to read at least one million words independently. Students participated in the Race to One Million, tracking the number of words they read over the course of the school year. This week, Ms. Jarrrett hosted a “Millionaires Club” celebration for the students who met the goal. Thanks to Ms. Jarrett and the Pierce PTO, they enjoyed pizza and cupcakes and were treated to goodie bags and a pinata. We’re so proud of our “Millionaire” readers!

PIERCE SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT 

As part of their Service Learning Project, a group of impressive 8th graders on the Orion and Phoenix teams came to Glover to meet with Glover’s soon-to-be 6th graders.  Under the guidance of Mr. McElhinney, their project focused on helping relieve stress and giving advice as students transition to middle school. The 8th graders made a fantastic slide show and answered questions from the 5th graders. Current 8th grader, Ellie O’Connor, said it best: “We believe giving the students reassurance from someone who has gone through the same thing will give them an idea of what to expect.” And that is precisely what the 8th grader’s service project did; it reassured our students!

MHS THEATRE ALUMNI

MHS Theatre Alumni are together again in the Boxcar Stage Company (our MHS Theatre Directors) production of  Into the Woods!  This incredible musical featuring MHS alums Ava DeLeo, Anna Hoey, Alisa Lorden, Vanessa Lorden, Luke Palmer, Anna Radley, and Gabe Winkler is not to be missed! Current MHS rising seniors Owen Creamer and Roman Padera are also featured!  Performances will take place at the Milton High School Auditorium on June 23 and 24 at 7pm and June 25 at 2pm. Boxcar Stage Company Tickets (dancestudio-pro.com) can be purchased here.

CUNNINGHAM COUGAR CHRONICLE

Cunningham 5th graders invite you to read the 4th and final installment of the Cougar Chronicle at this link. Thanks to the team for chronicling the Cunningham happenings all year! 

MHS ATHLETICS 

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares that Athletics Registration for 2023-24 is open! See the link with all details here.

Come out and support MHS Baseball as they look to repeat in the state finals on Friday night! Good luck to the #1Wildcats as they take on #3 King Philip on Friday, June 16 at 7 pm at Polar Park, Worcester. Tickets are on sale here. Let’s go ‘Cats!

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 Music Fest and Fireworks will be back again Saturday, June 25th, with Celtic Sunday on June 26th on Hutchinson Field, overlooking the Boston skyline.

  • Festivities will begin at 5 Saturday, and we will again have an enormous sandbox,the ever-popular giant water slide and a smaller water slide for children. (Don’t forget your bathing suits and towels!) Try your skill on our new ROCK WALL. We also have corn hole, and brand new for 2023, Axe Throwing (age restricted).
  • Friday music will kick off with the truly exceptional band “The Typhoon Generals.” This is a performance you don’t want to miss. Also featured this year, longtime Boston/South Shore artists, “Fat City Band”. For five decades they have brought their Rock, Blues, Jazz and New Orleans R&B to listeners. The evening’s festivities will conclude with perhaps the most spectacular fireworks you may have ever seen!!
  • Celtic Sunday runs from 1:30- 9pm with many familiar and beloved Irish bands: The Fenian Sons, Erin’s Melody, Curragh’s Fancy, Strawberry Hill band, The Dooley Brothers as well as other featured Irish musicians. As an added treat, we will also feature a second performance on the main stage by The Typhoon Generals direct from Ireland.
  • Food trucks will be on site both days. No outside adult beverages are permitted on the field. We will have awesome food and drink, including homemade lobster rolls, Cheesy Chicks food truck, fresh kettle corn, ice cream and more. Our Beer Garden will be stocked with cold draft beer , homemade Sangria and Wine. There will also be ice cream, fried dough and much more for sale at the field.
  • Free parking is available both days at Laboure and Fontbonne, with shuttle buses bringing you to the field. Check out our website WeareMilton.org for the most up-to date information. We hope to see you there!

Juneteenth Community Celebration, Saturday, June 17, 2-5pm at the Eustis Estate, 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton, MA 02186. Celebrate freedom and community this Juneteenth at the Eustis Estate. Enjoy live music from the Boston Public Quartet, Branches Steel Pan Orchestra, Brother Dennis and his singers, DJ George, Rhythm Rider Dancers, and members of the Milton High School Chorus. Come together and lift every voice in song and dance throughout the day. Explore family-friendly activities on the beautiful grounds and inside the museum. Pack up some food and bring it along, sample some delicious goods from Sweet Teez Bakery, or purchase food from Fresh Food Generation of Dorchester. Tickets are free; donations are encouraged. Rain or Shine!

This event is held in collaboration with Church of Holy Spirit, Mattapan and Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice Milton. Generous support provided by Eastern Bank, Milton Cultural Council, First Congregational Church Milton, Church of our Saviour Milton, and Music Performance Trust Fund and Wegmans.

Milton Chess Club will be held at First Parish Milton, 535 Canton Avenue from August 21-25, 2023, 9am-12pm.  International Master David Vigorito has been teaching chess to Milton students for over 12 years. Full details can be found here. Space is very limited! Questions: dvigorito@msn.com.

Reading Frederick Douglass Together, Tuesday, June 27, 6:30 pm at Forbes House Museum lawn, 215 Adams Street.

The Forbes House Museum and Courageous Conversations Toward Racial Justice are again partnering on a community reading of Frederick Douglass’s speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” Visit our website here to sign up to be a reader and learn more about this special event. Added this year – an opening performance by the Boston Public Quartet. Plus, the museum will be open starting at 6:00 pm for those who want to view the museum’s temporary exhibit “Frederick Douglass: Advocate for Equality” which follows his life from 1818-1895.

Beantown Rebels is a youth sports organization dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for young athletes. They are offering Youth Fall Flag Football with a Dorchester/Boston location. All details are here. 

Milton Youth Soccer is a volunteer-led, non-profit community soccer program for youth players in Milton to learn the skills of soccer, enjoy the commitment and camaraderie of a team, and develop a love of the sport. Registration is now open for our Fall 2023 programs: PreK (ages 3-5 years old), K2+ Town League (kindergarten thru 3rd grade), Travel League (grades 3-8) and TOPSoccer League (players with special needs ages 5-20). Please visit our Milton Soccer website to register or use this direct link. The deadline to register is June 24th (on June 25th waitlist and late fees apply). You must register on time to guarantee a spot in our Travel League. Any questions, reach out to info@miltonmasoccer.org.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closed on May 31, and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s June calendar can be found here. Plan ahead and take a look at the July calendar here.

  • Join Ms. Tory and Tyler every Friday this summer for Crafternoons! Kids ages 10-14 can sign up for a fun and relaxing afternoon of crafting starting on June 23 at 2:30 PM here!
  • Are you not yet signed up for Summer Reading? Register and log your minutes today at miltonlibrary.beanstack.org!
  • The Milton Teen Program is looking for high school volunteers! If you’re interested in helping our Children’s Department with some awesome programming this summer and earning service hours along the way, sign up here!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on June 15, 2023

June 8, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: June 8, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

This past Sunday, we enjoyed the One Hundred and Fifty-Third Milton High School Commencement for Class of 2023! Hundreds of family and friends gathered in the Copeland Field House to celebrate the two hundred and seventy four graduates in a ceremony (live streamed by Milton Access TV) featuring fantastic student speakers, the MHS Band and Chorus, and the presentation of graduates. Check out a short highlight reel from MATV here. Our seniors have some exciting plans for the future, including college (acceptance list linked here), the military, travel, and entering the workforce. We wish our (now alumni!) Senior Class the very best, and look forward to hearing about their adventures and accomplishments in the years to come. Thank you to the MHS administration and staff for a wonderful graduation send-off for our seniors! 

IMPORTANT DATES

  • June 12 SEPAC Meeting 
  • June 14 School Committee Meeting 
  • June 19 – Juneteenth – No School
  • June 21 – Last Day of School, Early Dismissal 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR

ESY Directors Jonathan Redden, Bridget Renehan, and Melissa Craven share the following.

Extended School Year (ESY) 2023 is quickly approaching! For all program information, please refer to our 2023 ESY website. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we have navigated planning a fun and educational summer for all students receiving special education services! If your child receives services, please register them here. Once registered, you will receive more details about your child’s schedule. 

Please note that in order to attend ESY Services, your child’s IEP must be returned signed to your building’s Team Chair. Any questions or concerns regarding ESY should be emailed directly to esy@miltonps.org. We are looking forward to a terrific summer at ESY! 

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Come be a part of the Milton Instrumental Applied Lesson Program! Students entering 4th grade and above may participate in the ALP program. All information for the program can be found here: ALP At A Glance. If your student is interested in taking lessons, please fill out the form here: ALP Interest Form.  After filling out the ALP Interest Form, an instructor will contact you at the end of August to set up lessons. Please reach out to program director Rebecca Damiani with any questions rdamiani@miltonps.org

 

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MPS Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin shares the following in preparation for the 23-24 School Year

  • All students should have up to date immunizations prior to attending school.
  • All incoming 4th, 7th, and 11th grade students are required to submit a new physical exam with up to date immunizations.  
  • 7th graders should have an updated Tdap and Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam that includes a vision screen and scoliosis screen.
  • 11th graders should have an updated Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam.
  • All updated physicals can be sent to healthforms@miltonps.org Subject line should include your student’s name and grade.

Job opportunities are available in our nursing department for the 2023-2024 school year. We are currently hiring for daily substitute nurses and have 2 part time positions available. Please contact Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin for more information kacoughlin@miltonps.org.

BUS REGISTRATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the Bus for the 23-34 school year will close on June 21, 2023. All details can be found on the Transportation page of the website linked here. 

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 23-34 SCHOOL YEAR 

All information about Community Schools Enrollment for the 23-24 school year can be found at this link. Rates, registration dates and program information for After School Enrichment (ASE) and Early School Arrival (ESAP) can be found here. 

The 2023-24 program registration opens on Family ID next week according to the schedule below:

  • Collicot ASE and ESAP, Monday, June 12 at 12:00 pm
  • Cunningham ASE and ESAP, Tuesday, June 13 at 12:00 pm
  • Glover ASE and ESAP, Wednesday, June 14 at 12:00 pm
  • Tucker ASE and ESAP, Thursday, June 15 at 12:00 pm

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MPS STAFF UPDATES 

TUCKER LEADERSHIP TEAM: I am pleased to share information regarding the new leadership team at the Tucker Elementary School. Please join me in welcoming Dr. William Carter as the Interim Principal for the 2023-2024 school year and Caroline Morton as the new Tucker Assistant Principal! 

Dr. Carter has twenty years of teaching and administrative experience in public, private, and charter schools. He is an experienced educator who has taught in the Boston and Medford Public Schools as a mathematics teacher, teacher leader, and department head. Dr. Carter’s administrative experience includes serving as a Dean of Students, Director of Student Support, and Principal.

Ms. Morton has served as a second-grade French immersion teacher at the Cunningham Elementary School for nine years. During this time, she has also served as a Milton Summer Enrichment teacher, district teacher representative for the French Immersion program, and a member of the Cunningham Site Council. Ms. Morton was recognized as an MFE Teacher of the Year in 2020. Her leadership experience includes serving as an Interim Assistant Principal/Curriculum Coordinator and Milton Summer Enrichment Director. 

Sincere thanks to current Principal Catherine DesRoche and Assistant Principal Kirsten Driscoll for their strong leadership this year. Ms. DesRoche will be returning to the role of Director of Literacy K-8 in the Milton Public Schools, and Ms. Driscoll is returning to the classroom, and both will skillfully assist with this important leadership transition.

MPS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS: We are pleased to share that Dr. Glenn Pavlicek will continue as Assistant Superintendent for Business for the 23-24 school year. In one capacity or another, Dr. Pavlicek has been actively involved with the Milton Public Schools for over 20 years, as a member of the Warrant Committee and Master Planning Committee as both a member and chairperson of the Milton School Committee and serving in his current role for much of the last decade.  Dr. Pavlicek’s institutional knowledge of school and town finances is vast and will be invaluable in Central Office as Dr. Burrows begins his official tenure as Superintendent of the Milton Public Schools at the end of this month. 

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT – PIERCE PLAYERS 

Congratulations to the cast and crew (linked here) of Pierce Players on three spectacular sold-out shows of Newsies, Jr. last weekend! The Milton community enjoyed every second of your fabulous show!

MILTON SEPAC

SEPAC shares that they will end their year with an open board meeting and are inviting all SEPAC families to attend their in person gathering. This will be an opportunity to hear the annual review as well as begin to vision what next year can bring.  June 12 RSVP is required at this link. They look forward to seeing many of you at the meeting on June 12 at 6:30 pm, location to be announced. 

THE MILTON COALITION

The Milton Coalition shares the following. 

The Milton Coalition invites the community to their next meeting,  ” The Milton Coalition Discusses The Woods” on Tuesday, June 13, 6:15pm – 7:45pm at the Wildcat Den, First Congregational Church, 495 Canton Ave. All are welcome.

Join the conversation as we discuss “the woods.” For generations, the woods in Cunningham Park has served as a gathering place for young people, often using alcohol and drugs at night.

In a letter to the Editor of the Milton Times on 5/11/2023, the Cunningham Park Foundation Board wrote,”In partnership with the Milton Police, and the Milton Coalition, we ask those Milton parents who may have actively condoned or passively accepted having their teens go to the Cunningham woods in the past, please consider the potential consequences before there is a tragedy.” “… children are not safe in the woods, and they are breaking the law, as Cunningham Park – which includes the wooded area in question – is private land where entering the grounds after sunset is prohibited.”

The Milton Coalition followed up with a letter to the Editor of the Milton Times on 5/25/2023. “Partying in the woods has been a part of Milton culture for generations, but it is high time we change. Underage alcohol use is a complex problem and there are no simple solutions. This problem will only be solved with a range of responses from multiple perspectives. Your help is needed.” To read both letters in full, click here.

At our June 13th coalition meeting, we will continue this conversation. It is open to the public, and we welcome your input.

MILTON GLOWS GOLD BLOOD DRIVE

Each September, Milton Glows Gold (MGG) sponsors several blood drives in Milton. This June 16, they are pleased to be hosting an additional Blood Drive in honor of MPS student Emily and her brave battle with leukemia. To make an appointment, please visit bostonchildrens.org/halfpints and use sponsor code CUHALL. The Bloodmobile will be at Cunningham Hall Friday (75 Edge Hill Road) on June 16 from  9 am-3pm. All details are here. Questions? Please email Michelle Serpa at healy.michelle@gmail.com.

MPS NICE TO KNOW

FRENCH AMBASSADOR VISITS MPS

This week, Mr. Laurent Bili, Ambassador of France to the United States visited MPS and met with students in French Immersion at Milton High School and Glover. The Ambassador, joined by his wife, Sabine Raczy-Bili, and French Consul General Mr. Mustafa Soycurt, chatted with MHS students, enjoyed music in the MHS lobby by our talented MHS student musicians, and toured classrooms at Glover.

 

MILTON FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION

The Milton Foundation for Education would like to congratulate all of the graduates of the
Class of 2023, including the 2023 MFE scholarship winners Catie Lacasse (left) and Mallory Hughes (right). Thank you for your support of the MFE this year, and we look forward to another year of partnership in the 2023-24 school year.

TUCKER 3RD GRADE REVOLUTION PLAY

Tucker 3rd Grade French Immersion students recently performed their end of year play about the American Revolution. Students invited friends and family as audience members and by all accounts, the reviews were excellent!

CUNNINGHAM 2ND GRADE REACH FOR READING 

Ms. Walsh’s 2nd graders learned about Enric Sala, a well known marine ecologist, in a Reach For Reading unit this winter. Students were interested in learning more about Mr. Sala and his work and mailed him letters. This week, they received an exciting response! You can read more about Mr. Sala and his work at this link. What were our students curious about? 

  • Favorite fish: The whale shark! They are the largest fish in the ocean, and so beautiful
  • Favorite adventure: To dive in a place where nobody has dived before, without knowing what we’re going to find!
  • Favorite place to explore: Remote coral reefs and kelp forests
  • Do fish get thirsty? No, because they don’t need to drink water like we do. They absorb water through their gills, and through osmosis (do they know what osmosis is?) they turn seawater into freshwater.
  • Where will our next expedition be? We’re going to spend 5 years sailing around the tropical Pacific Ocean!
  • How hot do I get in my wetsuit? Well, it’s comfy in the beginning, but the longer I stay underwater, the colder I get! But being down there is worth being a little chilly.
  • Do I get scared of sharks? Never –  they have never threatened us. But we do respect them. They are in their element and we are not.
  • Are the reefs recovering? Only in a few places, because they need to be protected from fishing, pollution and global warming
  • Do I see octopus? Yes, quite often, and I love them. They are so beautiful and intelligent
  • Am I scared of sea animals? No, they are all wonderful in their own way. Well, maybe too many stinging jellyfish aren’t so cool.
  • Do fish ever get tired? I have no idea! But I guess they do, because they sleep like we do. So they probably need to take some rest once in a while. 

Dr. Sala writes, “Please tell your sweet students that I LOVE their letters and that they’re following our work. It makes me very happy and gives me renewed energy to continue creating marine reserves and saving marine life.”

FAME MEETING 

Parents of musicians of all ages and grade levels are invited to the June 13 meeting of FAME: Friends and Advocates of Music Education. At this final meeting of the school year, we’ll be looking ahead to next year’s activities and talking about specific programs to support with this year’s generous donations. All are welcome June 13 at 7 pm in Room 133 of Milton High School (please enter through the Field House door at the back of MHS). Please email FAME with any questions at miltonfame@gmail.com

MHS ATHLETICS 

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following.

  • Athletics Registration for 2023-24 is open! See the link here.
  • #1 Baseball took care of business in the Round of 16 against Norwood. They scored 3 runs in the first inning and Scott Longo was dominant on the mound! After a late Norwood surge in the 7th inning, the Cats eventually won 9-3. They will host #9 Plymouth North on Saturday, 6/10 at 1pm at Cunningham Park. If it rains, the game will be Sunday.
  • Softball lost to Grafton 3-1 last Saturday to end their season.
  • Boys Tennis and Girls Tennis both lost 3-2 in their opener but had fantastic seasons, both winning the Bay State Conference, Herget Division!
  • #23 Boys Lacrosse beat #10 King Philip last Saturday as a big underdog headed into the tournament. They looked like the better team all game and Drew Cakouros was awesome in net! They take on undefeated Marblehead today at 5pm. Livestream link is here
  • The Track & Field program will be hosting a car wash on Saturday, June 10, from 9 am to noon at Cunningham 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 Music Fest and Fireworks is back on Saturday June 24  followed by Celtic Sunday on June 25. Saturday events run from 5-10pm, and Celtic Sunday runs from 1:30-9 om with many familiar and beloved Irish bands: The Fenian Sons, Erin’s Melody, Curragh’s Fancy, Strawberry Hill band, The Dooley Brothers as well as other featured Irish musicians. As an added treat we will also feature a second performance on the main stage by The Typhoon Generals direct from Ireland! 

  • Activities for all ages on the field include our enormous sandbox and the ever popular giant water slide and smaller water slide for children. (Don’t forget your bathing suits and towels!) Try your skill on corn hole, too.
  • We will have awesome food and drink, including homemade lobster rolls, Cheesy Chicks food truck, fresh kettle corn, ice cream and more. Our Beer Garden will be stocked with cold draft beer , homemade Sangria and Wine. There will also be ice cream, fried dough and much more for sale at the field. No outside adult beverages are permitted on the field.
  • Free parking is available both days at Laboure and Fontbonne, with shuttle buses bringing you to the field. Check out our website WeareMilton.org for the most up-to date information. We hope to see you there!
 

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Forbes House Museum is hosting a Seafarer’s Festival on Saturday, June 10 from 12 noon – 4 pm. Come hear songs of the USS Jamestown on her 1847 Voyage of Mercy, chanteys from the clipper era, and ballads of navigation under sail. There will be artisans sharing work inspired by the sea, soap scrimshaw making, and lots more! Sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Eastern Bank. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here!

Stories and Friends Meet Up: Summer is Coming! Join us for an adventure which will include fun activities, listening to stories, and making new friends! Create lady bugs and caterpillars, look for signs of summer with Ranger Dan, and much more! Saturday, June 10th at 10:30 AM at Houghton’s Pond. Please see the flyer for all details. In collaboration with MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation. Many thanks to our Kindergarten t-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Milton Youth Soccer is a volunteer-led, non-profit community soccer program for youth players in Milton to learn the skills of soccer, enjoy the commitment and camaraderie of a team, and develop a love of the sport. Registration is now open for our Fall 2023 programs: PreK (ages 3-5 years old), K2+ Town League (kindergarten thru 3rd grade), Travel League (grades 3-8) and TOPSoccer League (players with special needs ages 5-20). Please visit our Milton Soccer website to register or use this direct link. The deadline to register is June 24th (on June 25th waitlist and late fees apply). You must register on time to guarantee a spot in our Travel League. Any questions, reach out to info@miltonmasoccer.org.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s June calendar can be found here.

  • Join the Children’s Room of the Milton Public Library and the Milton Public Schools as we kick off our annual Summer Reading Challenge: Find Your Voice on Wednesday, June 14 between 4-6 PM! At this outdoor event, registered summer readers entering grades K-6 in fall 2023 are invited to join us for popsicles and activities – like a chalk obstacle course, temporary tattoos, a new StoryWalk story, and a swag bag scavenger hunt! Get a headstart and sign up for Summer Reading today!
  • The Milton Teen Program is looking for high school volunteers! If you’re interested in helping our Children’s Department with some awesome programming this summer and earning service hours along the way, sign up here!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on June 8, 2023

June 1, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: June 1, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

My opening remarks are longer than usual this week, as there is so much to celebrate on this first day of June! 

Thank you to Mr. Smith for planning an excellent trip to DC!

Last week, 270 Pierce 8th graders and 21 staff members traveled to Washington, D.C. for a class trip. After several years of pandemic-related challenges, we were thrilled to be able to take our 8th graders back to DC!

After flying to Washington, students and staff enjoyed three amazing days that included visits to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, the White House, the Capitol Building, and Arlington National Cemetery. There were also stops at the Marine Corps Memorial, Natural History Museum, and American History Museum, as well as a dinner cruise on the Potomac River.

While visiting Arlington National Cemetery, four Pierce students – Chloe Bergeron, Teddy Hsu, Arianna Key, and Ben Neugebauer – had the honor of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. You can watch a video of the ceremony here. 

There are many members of our school community who deserve recognition for their support of this incredible experience. We owe a big thank you to Pierce History teacher Jake Smith whose leadership made this trip possible for our students, to Assistant Principal Janice Mazzola for her work in coordinating the trip details and itinerary and to Principal Bill Fish for his overall support of the trip. Thank you to our staff members who attended the trip – it would not be possible without your enthusiastic participation. Finally, thank you to the Pierce PTO and our entire community, who made donations to ensure that every 8th grade student who wanted to attend the trip was able to.


Over four packed shows last weekend, MHS students dazzled the crowd with fun and energetic performances of Mamma Mia at Milton High School! Capped off by an audience dance and sing-along, the show was 2 hours of pure fun – and talent! We are so proud of our students in the cast and crew (listed here) and grateful to all who made this show possible. Thank you to the team behind MHS Theatre  – Stephen Markarian, Laura Markarian and Andrew Smith – as well as the Backstage Boosters who so ably support our student productions. We can’t wait to see what the ’23-24 school year brings for MHS Theatre!


Last (but certainly not least!), this week has been a whirlwind of activities for our seniors, with MHS Scholarship Night (video linked here , list of recipients linked here)  the Boosters Varsity Celebration (video linked here), a day at the movies, the hypnotist show, taco and ice cream truck treats  and graduation rehearsals. We’ll cap the week with Senior Breakfast on Friday morning and on Sunday, June 4 at 2 pm, MHS will graduate the Class of 2023! We are so excited for this final celebration of this outstanding group of students and invite you to watch the festivities live on Milton Access TV at this link. We look forward to sharing the Graduation highlights with you next week. 

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATE

  • June 1-3 Newsies, Jr. at Pierce
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 
  • June 6 Pierce Concert 
  • June 7 Instrumental Music Lesson Night 
  • June 7 School Committee Meeting 
  • June 12 SEPAC Meeting 
  • June 19 – Juneteenth – No School
  • June 21 – Last Day of School, Early Dismissal 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

PIERCE PLAYERS

Pierce Players presents Newsies, Jr. from June 1-3 with shows at 7 pm and 2 pm. There are very limited tickets for Saturday’s show on sale at this link. The students in the cast and crew are doing a marvelous job with this show, and they are looking forward to a packed house! 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The next regular School Committee meeting will be on June 7, 2023 at 7pm in the Milton Access Studio, Rm 245 Milton High School. All information about upcoming School Committee meetings can be found on the Town of Milton webpage. You can watch School Committee meetings live or on demand on Milton Access Youtube online.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT 

MSE registration closes TOMORROW, Friday, June 2. Don’t miss out on four weeks of summer fun, sign up now at  this link! 

Will we see YOU at MSE this summer? We hope so!

  • MSE is for students in rising grades K-8
  • MSE takes place at Milton High School
  • MSE runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm.
  • Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR

ESY Directors, Jonathan Redden, Bridget Renehan, and Melissa Craven share the following.

Extended School Year (ESY) 2023 is quickly approaching! For all program information, please refer to our 2023 ESY website. We appreciate everyone’s patience as we have navigated planning a fun and educational summer for all students receiving special education services! If your child receives services, please register them here. Once registered, you will receive more details about your child’s schedule. 

Please note that in order to attend ESY Services, your child’s IEP must be returned signed to your building’s Team Chair. Any questions or concerns regarding ESY should be emailed directly to esy@miltonps.org. We are looking forward to a terrific summer at ESY! 

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Save the date! The Instrumental Lesson Program Information Night will be held on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Those interested in beginning instrumental lessons will receive information on the program, and students will have an opportunity to try various instruments and speak with high school students about their experience playing instruments. All details are here.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MPS Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin shares the following in preparation for the 23-24 School Year

  • All students should have up to date immunizations prior to attending school.
  • All incoming 4th, 7th, and 11th grade students are required to submit a new physical exam with up to date immunizations.  
  • 7th graders should have an updated Tdap and Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam that includes a vision screen and scoliosis screen.
  • 11th graders should have an updated Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam.
  • All updated physicals can be sent to healthforms@miltonps.org Subject line should include your student’s name and grade.

BUS REGISTRATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the Bus for the 23-34 school year is now open. All details can be found on the Transportation page of the website linked here. 

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 23-34 SCHOOL YEAR 

All information about Community Schools Enrollment for the 23-24 school year can be found at this link. Rates, registration dates and program information for After School Enrichment (ASE) and Early School Arrival (ESAP) can be found here. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MILTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS – JOB OPENINGS

Community Schools had a wonderful group of MHS counselors this school year working at After School Enrichment (ASE). As many of them are seniors, they have multiple openings for next school year. MCS is beginning the hiring process now, as they are expecting full programs in the fall. Is your MHS student interested in working at ASE next school year? All details are here!

PARKS AND REC COMMUNITY SERVICE 

The Milton Parks and Recreation Department is holding community service sign ups in the MHS cafe on Wednesday, June 7 from 2:20- 3pm for all 2023 summer programs. If your son or daughter is unable to attend this meeting, please email the office at bdevore@townofmilton.org after June 7 to see if there are any available weeks left for community service. Space is limited, so students should attend this meeting if at all possible.

NURSING DEPARTMENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES 

There are several open positions in our nursing department for the 2023-2024 school year. We are currently hiring for daily substitute nurses and have 2 part time positions available. Please contact Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin for more information kacoughlin@miltonps.org

MPS NICE TO KNOW

PIERCE DEBATE TEAM

On May 20, the Pierce Debate Team participated in the May Lumos Invitational Debate Tournament. Students debated the benefits and harms of resource extraction and environmental protections in developing countries. Students used the Public Forum Debate format to discuss the positive and negative consequences of environmental interventions. Students Aster Caldwell, Alicia Chan, Siabh Chaplin, Lia Etheart, Ellis Lim, Ivy Muzquiz, Sadie Schweitzer, Nathaniel Stanesa, Alisa Villar, and Sofia Serpa competed in this tournament. Aster Caldwell, Alicia Chan, Siabh Chaplin, Ellis Lim, Ivy Muzquiz, Sadie Schweitzer, Nathaniel Stanesa, and Sofia Serpa received Speaker Awards for delivering speeches in a clear and eloquent manner. The Pierce Debate Team was thrilled to participate in our fifth and final tournament of the school year. We look forward to meeting and competing next school year!

GLOVER 3RD GRADE PERFORMANCE

Ms. Koita’s 3rd graders recently performed The Revolution, a play based on Reader’s Theater. Students work on the play for weeks, and perform it in front of family and friends. Students learn how the colonies were divided into three groups during the Revolution – the loyalists, the Patriots and those who remained neutral and it shows the point of view of each group. 

COLLICOT FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVERS

This week, current 5th grade Collicot Future Problem Solvers visited the 4th grade students to share information about FPS. During the visit, students learned about what it means to be a 5th grade Future Problem Solver, the process to apply, the commitment and the overall experience.  4th grade students will be applying for the grade 5 teams within the next two weeks and finalists will earn a spot on the team for next year.

MHS ART SHOW

This year’s Art Opening was on Tuesday, May 23 in the MHS library. If you were unable to attend and see the artwork in person from the MHS Art Show, this link will bring you to photographs of the celebratory event, the digital presentation of students’ artwork from the show and a sampling of art work from the school year. 

FAME MEETING 

Parents of musicians of all ages and grade levels are invited to the June 13 meeting of FAME: Friends and Advocates of Music Education. At this final meeting of the school year, we’ll be looking ahead to next year’s activities and talking about specific programs to support with this year’s generous donations. All are welcome June 13 at 7 pm in Room 133 of Milton High School (please enter through the Field House door at the back of MHS). Please email FAME with any questions at miltonfame@gmail.com.

MANCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS VISITS MPS

A delegation from Manchester (NH) Public Schools visited the Milton French Immersion classrooms this week. Manchester is considering establishing a French Immersion program in 2024. Manchester principals, district directors, coordinators and school committee members, and Marceau Crespo de Nogueira from the French Consulate’s office, toured Pierce, Tucker, Cunningham and Collicot with Zeina Hamada, Director of World Languages. The delegation then met with the French Consul and other immersion programs in MA (including Milton) at the Maison de France for a debrief.

Thank you to Gwenn Delourme, Eglantine Monsaigeon, Kevin Fender, Desiree Okoh, Laure Knobloch, Caroline Mortion, Nawar Muhsin, Fatima Bourass El Zein, Fatim Kramer, Alexandre Leite, Shelagh Frossard and Veronique Vendette for welcoming the delegation in their classrooms and answering questions. The delegation was also able to meet with Dr McKinney, Dr. Redden, Cat DesRoche, Kirsten Driscoll and Holly Concannon.

MHS ATHLETICS 

Thank you to the Boosters for a wonderful Varsity Celebration!

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following.

  • Baseball finished as the top seed in Division II yet again. They will host the winner of the Grafton/North Quincy game on Monday, June 5th at 4pm at Cunningham Park.
  • Boys Tennis finished their season ranked #10 and will host Reading Memorial High School today, Thursday, 6/1 at 4pm at Curry College. The Boys clinched the Herget Division Title behind John Dickens and his perfect record!
  • Girls Tennis finished the season ranked #13 and will host Marblehead High School today, Thursday, 6/1 at 4pm at Milton Academy. Tennis courts are located off of Randolph Ave near the pool. The Girls also clinched their first Herget Division Title in school history!
  • Boys Lacrosse finished .500 for the first time since 2006, earning the #23 seed in the Division II Tournament. They will travel to King Philip Regional High School on Saturday, 6/3 for a 4pm game.
  • Softball takes the #24 seed in their bracket and they will travel to Grafton High School on Saturday, 6/3 for a 2:30pm game.

The following Track and Field athletes will participate in this weekend’s Meet of Champions!

  • Thursday, 6/1: Liam Faherty TJ 3:00, Zakai Perkins TJ 3:00, Moses Mann 400m hurdles 4:25, Alec Carew 800m 4:45
  • Saturday, 6/3: Liam Faherty LJ 3:00, Zakai Perkins 110m Hurdles 4:00, Alec Carew Mile 4:40, Katie O’Toole Mile 4:55. 4×800 Ruth, Jilani, Glenn, O’Toole. Alt. Carew 6:10; 4x400m Panucci, Turner, Lundeen, Quinones 6:55

Good luck to all teams participating in their postseason tournament!

The Boosters Club put on a great Varsity Athletic Celebration last night in the Auditorium.

  • Students were applauded for their All Star and All Scholastic Accomplishments
  • Teams were recognized for the league and state successes
  • Several students received scholarships and awards
  • Senior student-athletes received red/white ropes to wear to graduation
  • Coach Dion was named Coach-of-the-Year in a new tradition!

Thank you to all for making this year yet another special one!

Interested in MHS Cheer? Attend an info meeting on June 5 at 5:30 in the MHS Field House. 

The final Cans for Cats event of the 2022-2023 school year is Saturday, June 3rd, from 9 am-noon at Milton High School. It will be hosted by MHS Track & Field. Thank you for your support of Cans for Cats and MHS Athletics Car Washes. 

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 Music Fest and Fireworks is back on Saturday June 24  followed by Celtic Sunday on June 25. All events take place on Hutchinson Field overlooking the Boston skyline. This is a magnificent FREE two day event full of brilliant music, great food, and refreshment. Festivities will begin at 5 pm Saturday, and we will again have an enormous sandbox and the ever popular giant water slide,  as well as a smaller water slide for children. (Don’t forget your bathing suits and towels!) Try your skill on our new rock wall, enjoy corn hole, and brand new for 2023, check out Axe Throwing (age restricted).

  • Music will kick off with the truly exceptional band The Typhoon Generals – this is a performance you don’t want to miss. Also featured this year is  longtime Boston/South Shore artists, Fat City Band. For five decades, they have brought their Rock, Blues, Jazz, and New Orleans R&B to listeners.
  • The evening’s festivities will conclude with perhaps the most spectacular fireworks you may have ever seen! Last year saw our biggest crowd yet, with thousands present for the spectacular display. 
  • Food trucks will be on site both days and no outside adult beverages are permitted on the field. We will have awesome food and drink, including homemade lobster rolls, Cheesy Chicks food truck, fresh kettle corn, ice cream, and more. Our Beer Garden will be stocked with cold draft beer , homemade Sangria and Wine. There will also be ice cream, fried dough, and much more for sale at the field.
  • Free parking is available both days at Laboure and Fontbonne, with shuttle buses bringing you to the field. Check out our website WeareMilton.org for the most up-to date information. We hope to see you there!

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Forbes House Museum is hosting a Seafarer’s Festival on Saturday, June 10 from 12 noon – 4 pm. Come hear songs of the USS Jamestown on her 1847 Voyage of Mercy, chanteys from the clipper era, and ballads of navigation under sail. There will be artisans sharing work inspired by the sea, soap scrimshaw making, and lots more! Sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Eastern Bank. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here!

Stories and Friends Meet Up: Summer is Coming! Join us for an adventure which will include fun activities, listening to stories, and making new friends! Create lady bugs and caterpillars, look for signs of summer with Ranger Dan, and much more! Saturday, June 10th at 10:30 AM at Houghton’s Pond. Please see the flyer for all details. In collaboration with MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation. Many thanks to our Kindergarten t-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Children’s Concert: Join us for some crazy fun on June 7th at 6:00 PM at our annual Children’s Concert on Milton’s town green! If your child received their yellow shirt at kindergarten screening, have them wear it to the Concert and make new friends. Feel free to bring a blanket and snacks, relax, and enjoy the fun.  Co-sponsored with Milton Parks and Recreation Dept.

Milton Youth Soccer is a volunteer-led, non-profit community soccer program for youth players in Milton to learn the skills of soccer, enjoy the commitment and camaraderie of a team, and develop a love of the sport. Registration is now open for our Fall 2023 programs: PreK (ages 3-5 years old), K2+ Town League (kindergarten thru 3rd grade), Travel League (grades 3-8) and TOPSoccer League (players with special needs ages 5-20). Please visit our Milton Soccer website to register or use this direct link. The deadline to register is June 24th (on June 25th waitlist and late fees apply). You must register on time to guarantee a spot in our Travel League. Any questions, reach out to info@miltonmasoccer.org.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s June calendar  can be found here.

  • Kids in Grades K-5 are invited to come meet and read to a lovable (and a very good listener!) volunteer dog on Saturday, June 10 at 2:30 PM! 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!
  • Join the Children’s Room of the Milton Public Library and the Milton Public Schools as we kick off our annual Summer Reading Challenge: Find Your Voice on Wednesday, June 14, between 4-6 pm! At this outdoor event, registered summer readers entering grades K-6 in fall 2023 are invited to join us for popsicles and activities – like a chalk obstacle course, temporary tattoos, a new StoryWalk story, and a swag bag scavenger hunt! Get a headstart and sign up for Summer Reading today
  • Stock up on your Summer Reads at the upcoming $10 Bag Sale dates: Saturday, June 3 open 10-2; Tuesday, June 6 open 10-2; Thursday, June 8 open 2-4

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on June 1, 2023

May 25, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: May 25, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Mamma Mia opens tonight at MHS!

These are busy weeks in the Milton Public Schools! Tomorrow is the final day of school for our Milton High School seniors, with Senior Week activities and MHS Graduation on Sunday, June 4 at 2 pm on Brooks Field. We can’t wait to celebrate our graduates! This week we also have 280 Pierce 8th graders (and 21 staff members) enjoying the sites of our nation’s capitol. Enjoy a sneak peek at some pictures below, and we look forward to hearing about their adventures next week. Tonight (May 25) is the opening night for MHS Theatre’s Mamma Mia (tickets for Saturday’s performances are available at this link, Thursday and Friday are sold out) and next week (June 1-3) Pierce Players present Newsies Jr.(tickets at this link). Be sure to get your tickets for both shows at the links above.

This week, the focus is on the newest members of the MPS community – our incoming kindergarteners and preschoolers. Our elementary gymnasiums have been bustling with kindergarten and preschool screening at Cunningham, Glover, and Collicot while Tucker will welcome their newest students in early June. At these screenings, MPS staff connect with incoming families in a variety of ways. Caregivers are asked to complete a Developmental Questionnaire and through fun stations and activities, our teachers learn more about how motor and language skills are developing. The school nurse is on hand to answer any questions about health needs, while MPS staff answer general parent/guardian questions. While our goal for screening is to have a fun experience for families and a chance for us to get to know the children, if you ask a future kindergartener what they think the purpose of screening is, they would most likely tell you it is to get their famous yellow “I’m Going to Kindergarten” t-shirt!  If you need additional information about kindergarten and preschool please reach out to our Family Outreach Liaison, Marti OKeefe McKenna.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATE

  • May 25-27 Mamma Mia at MHS 
  • May 29 Memorial Day – No School 
  • May 30 MHS Awards/Scholarship Night 
  • May 31 Boosters Varsity Celebration 
  • June 1-3 Newsies, Jr. at Pierce
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 
  • June 6 Pierce Concert 
  • June 7 Instrumental Music Lesson Night 
  • June 7 School Committee Meeting 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

RESIDENCY REESTABLISHMENT 

The final date to re-establish residency is May 31. Thank you to the families who have already uploaded the required documents to re-establish residency for their child entering grade six or nine. Those who have completed re-establishment have received a confirmation email.

If your child will be entering grade six or nine and you still need to re-establish residency, please complete the process by May 31. 

The Milton Public Schools Residency Policy linked here states that students who attend the Milton Public Schools and Out of District placements shall be required to re-establish residency prior to entering Grade six (6) and or Grade nine (9). Re-establishment of residency will take place from May 15- 31, 2023. 

MHS THEATRE AND PIERCE PLAYERS

MHS Theatre presents Mamma Mia!

  • Runs May 25-27
  • Thursday/Friday sold out, Saturday available
  • Shows at 7 pm and 2 pm
  • Tickets are on sale at this link.

Pierce Players presents Newsies, Jr.!

  • Runs June 1-3
  • Shows at 7 pm and 2 pm
  • Tickets are on sale at this link.

Newsies, Jr. is inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City. When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the newsboys’ expense, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. Together, the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what’s right. The students in the cast and crew are doing a marvelous job with this show, and they are looking forward to a packed house! 

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The next regular School Committee meeting will be on June 7, 2023 at 7pm in the Milton Access Studio, Rm 245 Milton High School. All information about upcoming School Committee meetings can be found on the Town of Milton webpage. You can watch School Committee meetings live or on demand on Milton Access Youtube online.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT 

MSE registration closes in one week on Friday, June 2. Don’t miss out on four weeks of summer fun, sign up now at  this link! 

Will we see YOU at MSE this summer? We hope so!

  • MSE is for students in rising grades K-8
  • MSE takes place at Milton High School
  • MSE runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm.
  • Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MPS Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin shares the following.

Nurses want to remind parents/guardians that students should be sent to school when they are healthy and feel well enough to learn and participate in school. We are seeing many students with seasonal allergies as well as viral cold symptoms, strep throat, and GI illness. MPS policy is that students should remain out of school for 24 hours after a fever or vomiting/GI illness. Symptoms can be similar but some differentiating information can be found in this document: Is it Allergies or a Cold? Please speak with your pediatrician if your student is struggling with symptoms lasting more than a couple of days.

Preparation for the 23-24 School Year

  • All students should have up to date immunizations prior to attending school.
  • All incoming 4th, 7th, and 11th grade students are required to submit a new physical exam with up to date immunizations.  
  • 7th graders should have an updated Tdap and Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam that includes a vision screen and scoliosis screen.
  • 11th graders should have an updated Meningococcal vaccine along with their physical exam.
  • All updated physicals can be sent to healthforms@miltonps.org Subject line should include your student’s name and grade.

Nursing Department Job Opportunities 

  • There are several open positions in our nursing department for the 2023-2024 school year. We are currently hiring for daily substitute nurses and have 2 part time positions available. Please contact Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin for more information kacoughlin@miltonps.org

BUS REGISTRATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the Bus for the 23-34 school year is now open. All details can be found on the Transportation page of the website linked here. 

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 23-34 SCHOOL YEAR 

All information about Community Schools Enrollment for the 23-24 school year can be found at this link. Rates, registration dates and program information for After School Enrichment (ASE) and Early School Arrival (ESAP) can be found here. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT – PIERCE NATIONAL LATIN EXAMS 

Congratulations to our Pierce students who achieved fantastic results on the National Latin and National Pegasus Mythology Exams again this year! 

National Latin Exam: There are over 150,000 students from all over the world who take this prestigious exam (from the 50 US states and 13 foreign countries), so it’s very competitive and the awards are truly merited.  This year we have seven award winners including two medalists!

National Pegasus Mythology Exam: This exam is another nationally recognized exam with students who participate from all over the country. This year we have eleven award winners including six medalists!

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MPS SPRING SEMI

Thank you to the MHS staff who organized the recent MHS Spring Semi and to the parents and guardians who donated their time and resources to make it happen. Our freshmen and sophomores appreciate your efforts and had a wonderful night!

TUCKER ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Tucker had a wonderful experience with their artist in residence last week. Feda Eid is a Lebanese-American visual artist whose work explores the expression of heritage, tradition, identity, and the often tense but beautiful space between what is said, what is felt, and what is lost in translation. She captures these emotions through her bold use of color, textiles, adornment, and pop culture linking the past and present. As the daughter of Lebanese immigrants who fled the country’s civil war in 1982, Feda is guided by her family’s journey and her own childhood growing up as a Muslim in the US. Students worked on a school wide tapestry, “Rooted Hands”, and explored the unique things that make us who we are.

MHS JUNIOR COLLEGE FAIR FIELD TRIP 

This week, sixty members of the class of 2024 visited Bridgewater State University, for the New England Association for College Admissions Counselors College Fair (NEACAC). 117 Colleges and Universities from across the Northeast, and a few from Canada and southern states, set up tables in the Tinsley Athletic Center to showcase the opportunities at their institutions. MHS students who attended received coaching about how to make the best use of their time at the fair, including a list of the colleges in attendance and a list of good questions to ask the college representatives. After ninety minutes at the fair, students went on a sixty minute campus tour before boarding the buses back to Milton High. Thank you the NEACAC for funding the buses for this trip.

PIERCE SCIENCE FAIR 

Congratulations are in order for Pierce students Aidan Leschuk, Avery Squiciarino, and Dan Winterberg, who participated in the Massachusetts Middle School Science and Engineering Fair in Worcester last weekend after advancing from the Regional Science Fair. We are excited to announce that they received a 3rd Place recognition for their project Going Off the Grid: A Solar Solution for Energy Independence!

MHS ART SHOW 

The Milton High School Art Show opened this week with great success.  Thank you to the  many students and families who attended in support of the artists and Milton High School. This slideshow features impressive student work from all of the art classes at MHS.

FAME MEETING 

Parents of musicians at all ages and grade levels are invited to the June 13 meeting of FAME: Friends and Advocates of Music Education. At this final meeting of the school year, we’ll be looking ahead to next year’s activities and talking about specific programs to support with this year’s generous donations. All are welcome June 13 at 7 pm in Room 133 of Milton High School (please enter through the Field House door at the back of MHS).

CUNNINGHAM 3RD GRADE FIELD TRIP 

Our Cunningham 3rd graders had a wonderful time on their recent field trip to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Students toured the museum and had fun while learning Presidential and JFK history.

MHS ATHLETICS 

As the Spring Regular Season winds down, MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following. Thank you to MHS Athletics Instagram and Roy Chambers for the pictures! 

  • Boys and Girls Lacrosse play Framingham today to finish their season. It looks like the Girls will just miss out on the tournament but the Boys are a lock. They are hoping for a good result tonight to secure the highest seed possible. As it stands, they are #23, sitting just below .500.
  • Girls Tennis lost a close one yesterday, 3-2 to Needham, but they will likely stay in the Top 16, meaning they’ll get a home match.
  • Boys Tennis also lost 3-2 to Needham, but they have a chance to end their regular season with a win tonight against Oliver Ames. They also look set to be locked into a Top 16 spot.
  • Both Boys and Girls Tennis won the Bay State Conference, Herget Division Title. It’s the first time in school history for the Girls and the first title since 1996 for the Boys!
  • Softball travels to North Attleboro tomorrow for their final game. They are in the tournament as it stands but sit at #30, so they’ll need a good result to book their ticket.
  • Baseball capped their season with a win over Framingham yesterday, finishing 17-3 for the 3rd straight season and winning the Bay State Conference yet again. This time, however, Weymouth has earned a share, as both the Wildcats split their two games and finished 11-2 in the Conference. They look set to remain the #1 seed, and will await the bracket release next week.
  • Rugby will miss out on the tournament this spring, but with only 4 seniors, they will hopefully be back in the mix next year!
  • Unified Track competed in the State Finals at Natick High School! It was our first time as a school competing at States. The Wildcats won Sectionals last week at Walpole!
  • The Track and Field teams traveled to Fitchburg today for the Division III Championships. Good luck to our students who are participating! Tyler Lum, Lucy Asanza, Chase Nixon, Elana Pukel, Anika Williamson, Zakai Perkins, Liam Faherty, Miles Fergus, Moses Mann, Colin Truong, Kai Quinones, Lydia Turner, Sadie Ruth, Alec Carew, Megan Carew, Gretel Schewe, Garet Glenn, Mia Jilani, Katie O’Toole, Marilyn Roche, Sarah Grace Chave, Lauren Cooper, Julie Affanato, and Luka Juric.
  • Boys Volleyball will wrap up their inaugural season with a match against Hingham on Tuesday at 4pm!
  • Interested in MHS Cheer? Attend an info meeting on June 5 at 5:30 in the MHS Field House. 

I look forward to seeing Varsity student-athletes and families at the Boosters Varsity Athletic Celebration on Wednesday, May 31st at 6:30pm in the Auditorium!

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!

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Forbes House Museum is hosting a Seafarer’s Festival on Saturday, June 10 from 12 noon – 4 pm. Come hear songs of the USS Jamestown on her 1847 Voyage of Mercy, chanteys from the clipper era, and ballads of navigation under sail. There will be artisans sharing work inspired by the sea, soap scrimshaw making, and lots more! Sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Eastern Bank. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here! Children’s Concert: Join us for some crazy fun on June 7th at 6:00 PM at our annual Children’s Concert on Milton’s town green! If your child received their yellow shirt at kindergarten screening, have them wear it to the Concert and make new friends. Feel free to bring a blanket and snacks, relax, and enjoy the fun.  Co-sponsored with Milton Parks and Recreation Dept.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  May programs for kids can be found here. Plan ahead and take a look at the June calendar here.

  • Attention Chalk Artists: Join Ms. Tory in the Story Hour Room Garden for a chalk party on Saturday, May 27 at 2:30 PM. We will provide the music and materials for you to get into the artistic zone and create the next chalk masterpiece. Register your child, and bring the whole family!

Check out upcoming events with the Friends of the Milton Public Library:

  • Thursday, June 1: Join the Friends of the Library for a fun-filled evening of books, mocktails, and a best-selling author!  Starting at 6:30 pm, visit the Friends Book Shop & Enjoy Mocktails. Then, stay tuned for the meeting at 7 pm with special guests: J.Courtney Sullivan, NY Times bestselling author; Sally Lawler, Library staff member shares Best Picks for Summer Reading; and Milton resident Mimi Graham shows us how to create the perfect mocktails for summer entertaining. All details are here and register today at this link!

Stock up on your Summer Reads at the upcoming $10 Bag Sale dates: Saturday, June 3 open 10-2; Tuesday, June 6 open 10-2; Thursday, June 8 open 2-4

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on May 25, 2023

May 18, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: May 18, 2023

 

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

There are two opportunities to see some terrific MPS theater in the next two weeks. Get your tickets now!

MHS Theatre presents Mamma Mia!

  • Runs May 25-27
  • Shows at 7 pm and 2 pm
  • Tickets on sale now at this link.

Come see our talented MHS students in our spring production of Mamma Mia, the story of Sophie, a bride-to-be trying to find her real father, is told using hit songs by the popular 1970s group ABBA. Set on a colorful Greek Island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs and a ton of fun!

Pierce Players presents Newsies, Jr.!

  • Runs June 1-3
  • Shows at 7 pm and 2 pm
  • Tickets are on sale now at this link.

Newsies, Jr. is inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City. When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the newsboys’ expense, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. Together, the newsies learn that they are stronger united and create a movement to fight for what’s right. The students in the cast and crew are doing a marvelous job with this show, and they are looking forward to a packed house! 

And if you’re looking for some wonderful music, check out the MHS Spring Concert TONIGHT, Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium. Please come and support our fabulous hard working musicians in their final performance of the year. This is also our final performance for our graduating seniors, many of whom are featured in our Music department Senior Spotlight found here.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • May 18 MHS Spring Concert 
  • May 22 MHS Music Awards Dinner 
  • May 23 MHS Arts Show 
  • May 24 School Committee Meeting/School Choice
  • May 25-27 Mamma Mia at MHS 
  • May 30 MHS Awards/Scholarship Night 
  • May 31 Boosters Varsity Celebration 
  • June 1-3 Newsies, Jr. at Pierce
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 
  • June 6 Pierce Concert 
  • June 7 Instrumental Music Lesson Night 
  • June 7 School Committee Meeting 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

RESIDENCY REESTABLISHMENT 

The Milton Public Schools Residency Policy linked here states that students who attend the Milton Public Schools and Out of District placements shall be required to re-establish residency prior to entering Grade six (6) and or Grade nine (9). Re-establishment of residency will take place from May 15- 31, 2023 

On May 15, 2023, an email with “re-establishment” in the subject was sent to all families who must re-establish residency. That Re-establishment of the Residency letter is linked here. In addition, the MPS required residency documents can be found here.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The next regular School Committee meeting will be on May 24, 2023 at 7pm in the Milton Access Studio, Rm 245 Milton High School. This meeting is also the Open Public Hearing for School Choice. All information about upcoming School Committee meetings can be found on the Town of Milton webpage. You can watch School Committee meetings live or on demand on Milton Access Youtube online.

BEYOND THE BELL – MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

This summer, there is a terrific opportunity for students, combining Beyond the Bell and Milton Summer Enrichment. 

Beyond the Bell (BTB) is an academic opportunity offered throughout the district during the school year to provide targeted instruction to learners. Sign up for BTB and use this July to fine tune skills learned this year. 

  • BTB is held at Milton High School
  • BTB is for rising grades 1-6
  • BTB runs Wednesday, July 5 – Friday, July 28, Monday through Friday.
  • BTB is at no cost to families.
  • BTB is two hours of academic instruction with a focus on Language Arts and Math skills.
  • For students in rising Grades 2 or 3 of French Immersion, their Language Arts and Math instruction at BTB will be in French.
  • Choose 8-10 am OR 10am-12pm
  • Even better – pair two hours of BTB (no fee) with two hours of MSE (fee associated with MSE) for a fantastic July of learning and fun! 
  • Spots in BTB are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Sign up at this link now! 

Is 4 hours of Milton Summer Enrichment (MSE) a better fit for your child? Great! MSE registration is OPEN at this link! 

  • MSE is for students in rising grades K-8
  • MSE takes place at Milton High School
  • MSE runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm.
  • Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit this link for the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

BUS REGISTRATION 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the Bus for the 23-34 school year is now open. All details can be found on the Transportation page of the website linked here. 

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

MPS Director of Nursing Kim Coughlin shares the following.

The flowers and trees are blooming and seasonal allergies are back in full swing once again. Please reach out to your student’s pediatrician for suggestions on preventative allergy measures that they recommended to help ease seasonal allergy symptoms.

May is Mental Health Month: Mental health is important for the overall health and well-being of children and adults. It is okay to ask for help. Help us end the stigma surrounding mental health.  If you or someone you care about is struggling with mental health or substance use there is help and resources in the community many of which can be found on the Milton Coalition website. Additional support can be found at the MMS website and Mass THRIVE website. 

COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 23-34 SCHOOL YEAR 

All information about Community Schools Enrollment for the 23-24 school year can be found at this link. Rates, registration dates and program information for After School Enrichment (ASE) and Early School Arrival (ESAP) can be found here. 

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Save the date! The Instrumental Lesson Program Information Night will be held on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Those interested in beginning instrumental lessons will receive information on the program, and students will have an opportunity to try various instruments and speak with high school students about their experience playing instruments. All details are here.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MHS SCHOLASTIC HONORS NIGHT

Congratulations to our outstanding MHS students who were honored at last week’s Scholastic Honors Night at MHS! The full program with award descriptions can be found here. 2023 inductees to the National Honor Society can be found here, Boys and Girls State, Century Club Honorees and Book Award winners are below and listed in the program. A special shout out to our Four-Year Century Club members Sophie D’Alessandro, Olivia DiSandro, Claudia O’Neill, and Hōkūlani Panerio-Langer. 

As Principal Cahill wrote to honorees, Scholastic Honors Night is an evening to recognize and honor students for their high academic achievement, excellent leadership skills, and civic responsibilities. The students who are honored exemplify and embody all that we hope for in every Milton High School student. They are intelligent, hard-working, goal-oriented, and self-motivated; they exude a commitment to academic excellence that should serve as a blueprint for others to follow. Moreover, these individuals make the school and community a better place. These prominent members of the school community will be the leaders of tomorrow, and I am certain that they will continue to succeed in life and make their families, Milton High School, and the Milton community very proud.

MHS AP EXAMS

Director of School Counseling Barbara Meyer shares the following. 

Between May 1 and 12, 2023, 399 students took 880 Advanced Placement exams at Milton High School. Exams are a required component of the 22 (next year, 24) AP courses offered at Milton High, and all students are encouraged to experience the rigor of an AP class while in high school. AP classes are taught at a collegiate level and prepare students for the rigor of higher education. In addition, many colleges award college credits to students who earn a qualifying score on an AP exam. Congratulations to Milton’s AP students on a job well done this May!

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MHS JOURNALISM AWARD 

L-R Back row: Melina Zullas, Nicholas Pulgini, Mr. Young, Jackie Segall, Isabella Murphy; Front row: Sienna Angus (editor), Mia Gilmore (managing editor), and Isabelle Gobbi.

Edited to add two senior newspaper senior staff! Congrats to Sam Lawrence and Samantha Pincus and the rest of The Elephant in the Room staff!

MHS’s school newspaper, The Elephant in the Room, recently won two awards from The New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA). The awards were announced during NESPA’s spring conference at Boston University.

  • The first award, awarded to the newspaper as a whole, was for “Superior Achievement in Scholastic Editing and Publishing.” Congratulations to the entire newspaper staff of Sam Lawrence, Samantha Pincus, Lillian MacLaughlin, Joe Kreugger, Griffin Angus, Charles Baltay, Lawson Beaudoin, Skyler Dasilva, Rory Martin, Emily Tobin, Javier Vargas, Leo Waldbaum, Melina Zullas, Nicholas Pulgini, Jackie Segall, Isabella Murphy, Sienna Angus (editor), Mia Gilmore (managing editor), and Isabelle Gobbi. 
  • Freshman Griffin Angus also received a “Special Achievement Award” in the category of “Personality Profile” for his article on head custodian Jason Scherer: “He Rides Motorcycles on Sunday and Manages on Monday” (Found on page 3 at this link).

Congratulations to the entire newspaper staff on this recognition! 

FORBES HOUSE LINCOLN CONTEST WINNERS

Glover’s 5th Grade ACE class participated in the Annual Forbes House Museum Lincoln Contest and our young artists submitted great work! The museum invited the winners and their families to the museum for an awards presentation and reception last Saturday. It was the perfect sunny day to celebrate them in the South lawn at the museum and see their work displayed in the museum. Thank you to the Forbes House Museum for presenting full-year memberships for participating students. Congratulations to the winning students! 

  • First Place – Madeline O’Donnell
  • Third Place – Eleanor O’Connor and Alex Fernandez (tie)
  • Honorable Mention – Haley Stoddard

CUNNINGHAM AND COLLICOT ART SHOW

Collicot and Cunningham hosted their Annual Art Showcase last week. It was a great event highlighting the creativity of our young artists and our wonderful art teachers. Mrs. Bernini and Mrs. Correia welcomed the community into the Glow Rooms – check out the video here as it’s a cool experience to walk through the blue light-lit art painted in neon. A shout-out to all the artists for adorning the hallways and glow rooms with their amazing artistic talents. 

 

WILDCAT MARCHING BAND NEWS

The Wildcat Marching Band and Colorguard is gearing up for their 2023-24 season! The Wildcat Marching Band is an ensemble that performs at community events such as parades, ceremonies and football games throughout the year. If your student is entering grades 9-12 and would like to participate in the Marching Band and Colorguard please fill out this form.

MHS ATHLETICS 

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following. Save the date below!

We are hosting a College Athletics Recruiting Night on Monday, May 22 at 6:00pm in the Field House! Speakers include; Julie Ryan, Babson College Field Hockey Coach; Jason MacDonald, Navy Football Coach; Katie Conover, Stonehill Women’s Lacrosse Coach; Greg Sullivan, Boston College Baseball Coach; and Tara Watchorn, Stonehill College Women’s Hockey Coach. This is designed to be a panel for students to ask questions and hear from local college coaches about the recruiting process! Please pass this along to any Milton residents and students that would like to attend.

The MHS Girls Soccer team will be holding a car wash fundraiser on Saturday, May 20, 9 am-noon at Cunningham Elementary 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!

The 2nd Annual Grace+Grit 5K will be held on Saturday, May 20, at the Glover School. The race is held in honor of Glover’s past PTO president and an amazing member of the community. Visit GraceGrit5K.racewire.com for additional information.

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here!

Stories and Friends Meet Up – Signs of Spring: Join MECA for a spring adventure which will include enjoying fun spring activities, listening to stories, and making new friends!
Create a bird’s nest, measure yourself against the wingspan of various birds, make beautiful butterfly wings and more. This program will be held on Saturday, May 20th at 10:30 AM and is for children 2 1/2 to 6 years old with their parent/guardian. We’ll meet at Discovery Schoolhouse, 101 Blue Hills Parkway in Milton. Program will be co-facilitated by an experienced Teacher Naturalist with over 30 years of early childhood experience.

Registration is not required, however we will ask you to sign in on arrival. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Children’s Concert: Join us for some crazy fun on June 7th at 6:00 PM at our annual Children’s Concert on Milton’s town green! If your child received their yellow shirt at kindergarten screening, have them wear it to the Concert and make new friends. Feel free to bring a blanket and snacks, relax, and enjoy the fun.  Co-sponsored with Milton Parks and Recreation Dept.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  May programs for kids can be found here.

  • Attention Chalk Artists: Join Ms. Tory in the Story Hour Room Garden for a chalk party on Saturday, May 27 at 2:30 PM. We will provide the music and materials for you to get into the artistic zone and create the next chalk masterpiece. Sign up here; families are welcome to join!
  • Peep! Peep! The Story Hour Room is now the new home to baby chicks. Come by anytime that we are open to meet our little chick friends: Beakle, Chickerella, Minerva, Buddy Jr., and Artemis Fowl!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on May 18, 2023

May 11, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: May 11, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

This week is National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week and we have been celebrating in our schools! Thank you to our six PTOs for leading the way on staff appreciation with tokens of appreciation, fun raffles, food (and lots of it!), notes of gratitude and more. A simple thank you and acknowledgment of the incredible work our teachers and staff do has huge value and we are thankful to all in our community who have stepped up this week to speak and show the gratitude we all feel for our MPS teachers and staff.

May 5 was Super Lunch Hero Day, and we owe a big thank you to our food service team for all their hard work to serve all Milton students healthy and nutritious food! May 10 was also School Nurses Day, and we are very grateful to our nurses who care for our students so well!

Each year, MHS Senior Class Student Government chooses a teacher to receive the Teacher Appreciation Award. The recipient officially receives the award on Senior Award Night where they will address the senior class. Congratulations to the very deserving Nancy Warn, who was just presented with the letter honoring her and inviting her to awards night on May 30. As you can see below in a brief section of the letter presented to her, Nancy has a deep connection with students. 

“You were nominated because of your dedication to the students of Milton High School. You truly have created an inclusive and supportive environment. Your classroom is always full of energy as your students, former students, and even students whom you’ve never had visit regularly with big news or just to make conversation. You have connected with people from all over the school and make everyone feel heard, as we know you genuinely care about what everyone has to say.”


Over the last two weeks, I’ve attended Milton’s Annual Town Meeting to advocate for critical funding and space for our growing enrollment. I am happy to report that our school budget and articles for moving forward with a school-building project were supported and approved. We are grateful to the School Committee and our Assistant Superintendent for Business Dr. Glenn Pavlicek, for their work in presenting our budget at Town Meeting and for its subsequent approval.

On behalf of the district, I would also like to express our gratitude to the School Building Committee and Mr. Sean O’Rourke, all of whom have worked tirelessly to investigate available options to address our increasing enrollment and the need for a new school. This week’s vote at Town Meeting with regard to the land swap article will allow us to move forward with our hopes of building a new school for the students of Milton.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • May 12 MHS Spring Semi 
  • May 17 Milton SEPAC Meeting 
  • May 18 MHS Spring Concert 
  • May 22 MHS Music Awards Dinner 
  • May 23 MHS Arts Show 
  • May 24 School Committee Meeting/School Choice
  • May 25-27 Mamma Mia at MHS 
  • May 30 MHS Awards/Scholarship Night 
  • May 31 Boosters Varsity Celebration 
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 
  • June 7 Instrumental Music Lesson Night 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

RESIDENCY REESTABLISHMENT 

The Milton Public Schools Residency Policy linked here states that students who attend the Milton Public Schools and Out of District placements shall be required to re-establish residency prior to entering Grade six (6) and or Grade nine (9). Re-establishment of residency will take place from May 15- 31, 2023 

On May 15, 2023, an email with “re-establishment” in the subject will be sent to all families who must re-establish residency. That Re-establishment of Residency letter is linked here. In addition, the MPS required residency documents can be found here.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The next regular School Committee meeting will be on May 24 , 2023 at 7pm in the Milton Access Studio, Rm 245 Milton High School. This meeting is also the Open Public Hearing for School Choice. All information about upcoming School Committee meetings can be found on the Town of Milton webpage. You can watch School Committee meetings live or on demand on Milton Access Youtube online.

BEYOND THE BELL – MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

This summer, there is a terrific opportunity for students, combining Beyond the Bell and Milton Summer Enrichment. 

Beyond the Bell (BTB) is an academic opportunity offered throughout the district during the school year to provide targeted instruction to learners. Sign up for BTB and use this July to fine tune skills learned this year. 

  • BTB is held at Milton High School
  • BTB is for rising grades 1-6
  • BTB runs Wednesday, July 5 – Friday, July 28, Monday through Friday.
  • BTB is at no cost to families.
  • BTB is two hours of academic instruction with a focus on Language Arts and Math skills.
  • For students in rising Grades 2 or 3 of French Immersion, their Language Arts and Math instruction at BTB will be in French.
  • Choose 8-10 am OR 10am-12pm
  • Even better – pair two hours of BTB (no fee) with two hours of MSE (fee associated with MSE) for a fantastic July of learning and fun! 
  • Spots in BTB are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Sign up at this link now! 

Is 4 hours of Milton Summer Enrichment (MSE) a better fit for your child? Great! MSE registration is OPEN at this link! 

  • MSE is for students in rising grades K-8
  • MSE takes place at Milton High School
  • MSE runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm.
  • Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit this link for the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

MPS STAFF UPDATES 

Spring is typically a busy hiring time for schools, as staff retires, moves within the district or pursue opportunities outside of MPS. While our principals will update school communities about school staff changes, I’ll update you in this space about district changes this spring. Today I am happy to share news of  two exciting new staff members, one who has started this month and one who will join us on July 1. Please join me in welcoming our Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Danielle Wetmore who will begin July 1, 2023 and Assistant Director of Pupil Personnel Services Andrew (Andy) Cavanagh who began on May 1.

Weclome to Andy Cavanagh and Danielle Wetmore!

Andy Cavanagh has worked in special education for ten years, at the Ivy Street School (a special education residential and day high school for neurodivergent youth) for the last six years and at Newton North High School prior to his time at Ivy Street. He holds a BA from the University of Maryland College Park and a Masters in Special Education, Moderate Disabilities, Grades 5-12 from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Andy has impressive classroom and administration experience, and shares that he is looking forward to bringing his values of hard work, dedication, empathy and accountability for our students, and flexibility and a team mentality with my colleagues to his work at MPS. Andy started on May 1 and has hit the ground running at MPS. 

Danielle Wetmore will begin work in Milton on July 1, 2023, after serving as the Administrator of Secondary Special Education in the Hingham Public Schools. Prior to Hingham, she worked as a teacher, coordinator and director at the Walker School, a therapeutic residential and educational program. She holds a BS from Southern New Hampshire University and a M.Ed. from American International University. Danielle is a certified Administrator of Special Education by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Her theoretical knowledge, experience, work ethic, leadership, organization, communication and time management skills as well as her deep understanding of children with disabilities make her a great fit as our new Director of Pupil Personnel Services. 

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Save the date! The Instrumental Lesson Program Information Night will be held on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Those interested in beginning instrumental lessons will receive information on the program, and students will have an opportunity to try various instruments and speak with high school students about their experience playing instruments. All details are here.

MHS SPRING SEMI – MAY 12

MHS Freshman and Sophomore Student Government is excited to be hosting the Spring Semi Dance for 9th and 10th graders on  May 12. They need your help to make it happen! Day of volunteers are especially needed. Please see the Sign Up Genius linked here to volunteer for set up and/or to donate items or funds. Tickets are on sale at MHS, $10 per person. Thank you so much for your support of our students!

MHS 1:1 CHROMEBOOKS

We are happy to share with you that Milton High School will continue with our one-to-one Chromebook initiative (1:1) for all 9th and 10th grade students next year. All 9th and 10th graders will receive a school-issued Chromebook that they will take to and from school on a daily basis. 9th and 10th graders will not be allowed to bring their own device to school. 

All details, including insurance information, can be found here. For more information regarding the MHS Chromebook program, please view the MPS Chromebook Care & Use Policy Guide & MHS 1:1 9th & 10th Grade Digital Learning Student & Family Manual.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MHS THEATRE – MAMMA MIA

Mamma Mia at MHS, May 25-27, tickets on sale now at this link! Come see our talented MHS students in our spring production of Mamma Mia, the story of Sophie, a bride-to-be trying to find her real father, is told using hit songs by the popular 1970s group ABBA. Set on a colorful Greek Island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs and a ton of fun!

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

MHS’s school newspaper, The Elephant in the Room, recently won two awards from The New England Scholastic Press Association (NESPA). The

L-R Back row: Melina Zullas, Nicholas Pulgini, Mr. Young, Jackie Segall, Isabella Murphy; Front row: Sienna Angus (editor), Mia Gilmore (managing editor), and Isabelle Gobbi.

awards were announced during NESPA’s spring conference at Boston University on May 5.

  • The first award, awarded to the newspaper as a whole, was for “Superior Achievement in Scholastic Editing and Publishing.” Congratulations to the entire newspaper staff of Lillian MacLaughlin, Joe Kreugger, Griffin Angus, Charles Baltay, Lawson Beaudoin, Skyler Dasilva, Rory Martin, Emily Tobin, Javier Vargas, Leo Waldbaum, Melina Zullas, Nicholas Pulgini, Jackie Segall, Isabella Murphy, Sienna Angus (editor), Mia Gilmore (managing editor), and Isabelle Gobbi. 
  • Freshman Griffin Angus also received a “Special Achievement Award” in the category of “Personality Profile” for his article on head custodian Jason Scherer: “He Rides Motorcycles on Sunday and Manages on Monday” (Found on page 3 at this link).

Congratulations to the entire newspaper staff on this recognition! 

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION 

The MFE sends out a big thank you to the MPS community for coming out to Celebration for Education last weekend. The Kentucky Derby themed event was both a lot of fun and a big success and all funds raised will support our teachers and all six of our schools through the next teacher grant cycle. We look forward to seeing our MPS teachers’ exciting and creative grant proposals!

MPS NICE TO KNOW

GLOVER KINDERGARTEN JOB TALKS

Glover kindergarteners recently concluded a Reach for Reading unit about Jobs. As a culminating activity, family members were invited into classrooms to talk to students about their jobs. Over 20 volunteers signed up to present informative and engaging “Job Talks” across 4 kindergarten classrooms. Students learned about a variety of jobs such as real estate developer, doctor, speech pathologist, canine officer, author, nurse, scientist, podcaster and much more. Family engagement has always been a priority in our kindergarten programs and these presentations proved to be a meaningful experience for both adults and students.

PIERCE AMPLIFY ARTS FAIR 

The 1st annual Pierce AMPlify Arts Fair was an impressive and enjoyable showcase of student artwork, music performances, interactive, activities, raffles, giveaways and concessions. Thank you to FAME for their support and a big shout out to our student volunteers and our dedicated Fine Arts faculty. We are already looking forward to next year!

MHS SPRING CONCERT

The MHS Spring Concert is on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium. Please come and support our fabulous hard working musicians in their final performance of the year. This is also our final performance for our graduating seniors, many of whom are featured in our Music department Senior Spotlight found here.

MPS MUSIC NEWS

Bravo to our MHS and Pierce Music students who participated in the Junior SEMSBA festival this past weekend! These students auditioned back in February and were accepted to participate in the Junior SEMSBA festival alongside students from 30 other communities in Southeastern Massachusetts. Milton High School was represented by Elliot Leeman-Weil, and Pierce was represented by Chloe Bergeron, Cecilia Campbell Stewart, Sebastian Gobbi, James Malec, Lacy O’Malley and Nate Turner. Congratulations to all for representing MPS Music so well!

WILDCAT MARCHING BAND NEWS

The Wildcat Marching Band and Colorguard is gearing up for their 2023-24 season! The Wildcat Marching Band is an ensemble that performs at community events such as parades, ceremonies and football games throughout the year. If your student is entering grades 9-12 and would like to participate in the Marching Band and Colorguard please fill out this form.

MHS ATHLETICS 

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following. Save the dates below! 

We are hosting a College Athletics Recruiting Night on Monday, May 22 at 6:00pm in the Field House! Speakers include; Julie Ryan, Babson College Field Hockey Coach; Jason MacDonald, Navy Football Coach; Katie Conover, Stonehill Women’s Lacrosse Coach; Greg Sullivan, Boston College Baseball Coach; and Tara Watchorn, Stonehill College Women’s Hockey Coach. This is designed to be a panel for students to ask questions and hear from local college coaches about the recruiting process! Please pass this along to any Milton residents and students that would like to attend. 

The Booster’s Varsity Athletic Celebration is Wednesday, May 31st at 6:30pm in the Auditorium! All student-athletes that have received at least one Varsity Letter are invited to attend. If you have not received an invite, you will soon.

The Booster’s Club and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee have worked to create a Coach-of-the-Year Award for the 2022-23 School Year. We ask that all student-athletes vote for a Coach that is deserving of this Award using the form linked here. Only students can vote. The Booster’s Club will review nominations and make their selection, to be presented at the Banquet. 

I look forward to celebrating the successes and accomplishments of every student-athlete and team on the 31st!

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!

Join the Milton community on Friday, May 12, for “Let’s Celebrate our Kevin” at Florian Hall at 7:30 pm. Proceeds benefit scholarships for MPS students who want to learn a trade. All details can be found here. 

MHS music students Bella Fiske and Claudia O’Neill will be playing music at the Pancake Brunch fundraiser by Milton Rotary to benefit Milton Coalition on Mother’s Day, May 14, 11am to noon at East Congregational Church. Please stop by to support our students, our community partner and enjoy some pancakes!

On Saturday, May 13, from 12pm-4pm, three Milton historic sites will open their doors to engage the public in an immersive exploration of local history titled “Local Voices.” 

Each site will feature a Story Walk as well as activities for the whole family. This collaborative project will highlight individuals who not only played a significant role in shaping the history of each particular site, but also the larger Milton community. The Milton Public Library will have Reading Dogs, trained therapy dogs who love to listen to young readers, at each of the historic sites from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. For more details on the activities at each location, click here. Member $15; Nonmember $20; Children under 18 Free.  

Advance tickets are recommended. Children under 18 are free though require a ticket. Ticket includes admission to all three sites during the event. For more information, please call (617) 994-6600.

The 2nd Annual Grace+Grit 5K will be held on Saturday, May 20, at the Glover School. The race is held in honor of Glover’s past PTO president and an amazing member of the community. Visit GraceGrit5K.racewire.com for additional information.

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here!

Stories and Friends Meet Up – Signs of Spring: Join MECA for a spring adventure which will include enjoying fun spring activities, listening to stories, and making new friends!
Create a bird’s nest, measure yourself against the wingspan of various birds, make beautiful butterfly wings and more. This program will be held on Saturday, May 20th at 10:30 AM and is for children 2 1/2 to 6 years old with their parent/guardian. We’ll meet at Discovery Schoolhouse, 101 Blue Hills Parkway in Milton. Program will be co-facilitated by
an experienced Teacher Naturalist with over 30 years of early childhood experience. Registration is not required, however we will ask you to sign in on arrival. Many thanks to our Kindergarten T-shirt sponsors for their generous support of this program!

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  May programs for kids can be found here.

  • Peep! Peep! The Story Hour Room is now the new home to baby chicks. Come by anytime that we are open to meet our little chick friends: Beakle, Chickerella, Minerva, Buddy Jr., Artemis Fowl, and Chirpy Jackson!
  • Reading Dogs (Grades K-5) is going on the road! Join the Milton Public Library and our wonderful volunteer reading dogs at Historic New England’s Local Voices event: Sharing Enriching Stories Through Milton’s Historic Sites on Saturday, May 13 from 2:00-3:00 PM. Visit and read to a lovable volunteer dog at each of the three locations: the Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum, the Forbes House Museum, or Historic New England’s Eustis Estate. Registration for Reading Dogs on the Road! is not required.

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on May 11, 2023

May 4, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: May 4, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

This Saturday is the MFE Celebration for Education! Join the fun on May 6 for a Kentucky Derby themed evening with betting, bourbon, and local band Twice-A-Day Ray. Tickets available now at this link and details are below. 

  • This year’s Celebration is at The Beat (just renamed Southline), a brand new event space located in the former headquarters of the Boston Globe, just 6 miles away at 135 Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester. 
  • Early start at 5 so that you can watch the race live.
  • Teacher of the Year winners from each of our six schools will be honored.
  • Derby betting squares are available at this link.
  • All your southern food favorites are on the menu.
  • Derby attire is bright colors, and there will be a best hat and tie contest.
  • Tickets available now at this link! 

May 1 was Principal Appreciation Day, and I know many of you took time to say thank you to your child’s Principal. Principals have complicated jobs, serving students, staff, and families, managing budgets and buildings, coordinating curriculum, and much more. While we will celebrate all staff next week, during MPS Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week (May 8-12),   I want to give a special thanks to Karen Cahill, Bill Fish, Jon Redden, Karen McDavitt, Cat DesRoche, and Holly Concannon for the excellence each of them brings to their school. We are grateful for all they do as the leaders of their school communities.


Milton’s Town Meeting Moderator, 2040?

Many of you are attending or watching Milton’s annual Town Meeting this week. Thanks to our Pierce 8th grade Social studies teachers, Melissa Uhlmann, Jake Smith, and Owen McElhinney, our 8th graders are also informed and engaged in this process. Last week, students participated in a mock Town Meeting (TM), assuming various roles within TM. At their mock TM, students debated article 31 on Milton’s 2023 Annual Town Warrant, which pertains to the acquisition and land swap of the land by Gile Road with the intention of building a new school. Students debated for and against the passing of this article and utilized evidence and research to argue their claims and debate the article. 

A big thanks to Milton’s TM Moderator, Bob Hiss, and the (just retired) Selectboard Chair, Arthur Doyle. Both attended mock TM, interacted with students, and Moderator Hiss even served as the moderator for one of the mock sessions.

Our students did an incredible job applying what they have learned about Milton’s form of government and fulfilled their roles with the recognition that it’s important to be engaged in local government. Thank you to Ms. Uhlmann, Mr. Smith, and Mr. McElhinney for bringing this lesson to life for our students and to Mr. Hiss and Mr. Doyle for their time and support in making this such a great culminating activity.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • May 4 Pierce Amplify Arts Fair 
  • May 9 Getting Ready for Kindergarten Cafe 
  • May 10 School Committee Meeting/School Choice Hearing
  • May 10 MHS Scholastic Awards Night 
  • May 12 MHS Spring Semi 
  • May 17 Milton SEPAC Meeting 
  • May 18 MHS Spring Concert 
  • May 22 MHS Music Awards Dinner 
  • May 23 MHS Arts Show 
  • May 24 School Committee Meeting 
  • May 25-27 Mamma Mia at MHS 
  • May 30 MHS Awards/Scholarship Night 
  • May 31 Boosters Varsity Celebration 
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

RESIDENCY REESTABLISHMENT 

The Milton Public Schools Residency Policy linked here states that students who attend the Milton Public Schools and Out of District placements shall be required to re-establish residency prior to entering Grade six (6) and or Grade nine (9). Re-establishment of residency will take place from May 15- 31, 2023 

On May 15, 2023, an email with “re-establishment” in the subject will be sent to all families who must re-establish residency. That Re-establishment of Residency letter is linked here. In addition, the MPS required residency documents can be found here.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

Will we see YOU at MSE this summer? We hope so!

MSE registration is OPEN at this link!  MSE is for students in rising grades K-8, takes place at Milton High School, and runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm. Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit this link for the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

MPS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS

Save the date! The Instrumental Lesson Program Information Night will be held on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Those interested in beginning instrumental lessons will receive information on the program, and students will have an opportunity to try various instruments and speak with high school students about their experience playing instruments. All details are here. 

MHS SPRING SEMI – MAY 12

MHS Freshman and Sophomore Student Government is excited to be hosting the Spring Semi Dance for 9th and 10th graders on  May 12. They need your help to make it happen! Day of volunteers are especially needed. Please see the Sign Up Genius linked here to volunteer for set up and/or to donate items or funds. Tickets are on sale at MHS, $10 per person. Thank you so much for your support of our students!

MHS 1:1 CHROMEBOOKS

We are excited to share with you that Milton High School will continue with our one-to-one Chromebook initiative (1:1) for all 9th and 10th grade students next year. All 9th and 10th graders will receive a school-issued Chromebook that they will take to and from school on a daily basis. 9th and 10th graders will not be allowed to bring their own device to school. 

All current 8th grade students will be asked to return their loaned Chromebook and charger to Pierce during the last week of school.  Students attending MHS this fall will receive their Chromebook on the first day of school.  All 9th grade students will keep their school issued Chromebook throughout the summer and 10th grade year.

All details, including insurance information, can be found here. For more information regarding the MHS Chromebook program, please view the MPS Chromebook Care & Use Policy Guide & MHS 1:1 9th & 10th Grade Digital Learning Student & Family Manual.

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MHS THEATRE – MAMMA MIA

Mamma Mia at MHS, May 25-27, tickets on sale now at this link! Come see our talented MHS students in our spring production of Mamma Mia, the story of Sophie, a bride-to-be trying to find her real father, is told using hit songs by the popular 1970s group ABBA. Set on a colorful Greek Island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs and a ton of fun!

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

Congratulations to MHS students Donna Gauvin, Shanti Bosque-Hamilton, Lia Duran, Layla Raymond, Kyle Denny, and Nathan Auguste, who recently took 1st place overall in the 12th Annual Tenacity Challenge!  The Tenacity Challenge is an annual academic scholarship competition for teams of Latinx and African-American students from urban and suburban high schools across Massachusetts. The competition consists of four events: History Argument, Math Quiz Bowl, Literature Analysis, and Art. The MHS team – The POC Powerhouse –  won 1st place in the Math Quiz Bowl, 2nd place in both the Art and Literature competition, and placed top 5 in the History Argument. With the highest points overall, Team POC Powerhouse took 1st place in the competition!

MPS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Reading specialists and literacy coaches at the elementary and middle school levels and the MPS PreK-8 Literacy Director recently attended the MA Reading Association Conference. Our educators valued their time together, learning from national and local literacy leaders on a variety of topics, particularly regarding aligning instruction with research-based and culturally responsive best practices. 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

MHS MUSIC EASTERN DIVISION FESTIVAL

Five outstanding MHS music students – Timothy Fay, Lucy Hays, Claudia O’Neil, Isabelle Feloney, and Nessa Malin –  participated in the Eastern Division Festival in Rochester, New York at the beginning of April break. This massive accomplishment was made possible due to their hard work over the past two years as students had to go through two rounds of auditions and an application process to be selected for the festival, which included students from the 12 states and European schools that make up the National Association for Music Educators Eastern Division. Lucy, Claudia, Isabelle, and Nessa shared some of their experiences with their MHS peers, and you can read their thoughts here.

FOOD SERVICE

MPS Food Service intern Stephanie Young shares her recent experience with Project Bread and a taste test for Pierce students. 

I recently had the opportunity to help Project Bread with their cooking and taste testing for Pierce students. While helping with cutting veggies, I observed how much effort Chef Sherry and the Pierce kitchen staff put into making a delicious and healthy meal for students. Project Bread works towards having reliable sources of healthy food available to students and continuously makes small steps towards a larger change in food accessibility. Pierce students were able to taste the Spicy Chicken Flatbread we made, it was a huge hit, and this meal will be on the Pierce menu for May. Thank you to Project Bread to the MPS food service staff for all they do to serve healthy meals to our students.

GLOVER GREEN UP

On Saturday, April 29, Glover families came together for the Milton Green Up. Students and their grown-ups picked up trash, planted perennials, mulched garden beds, and raked the grounds. Special thanks to Curry Hardware and A. Thomas and Sons for donating plants and supplies!

MHS SMALL ENSEMBLES SHINE

Last week, the MHS Music Department showcased its small ensembles and honors program students. The evening of music featured a variety of performances including duets from the string ensemble, jazz combos, funk bands, rock bands, R&B Ensemble, Pretty Sharp, Absoflutely, A Cappella, the Do Re Migos and MHS Jazz Singers.  All of these ensembles and honors projects are run by students in the MHS Music Department. The student leaders selected the music with the input of ensemble members and then spent the past several months running rehearsals in preparation for this performance. You can view the entire evening’s performance here, courtesy of Mr. LoPresti’s Wildcat News students: MHS Small Ensemble Cabaret.

There’s still one more chance to see the MHS Music Ensembles perform at their Spring Concert on Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium. Come and support all students, especially our seniors, as they take the stage one final time at MHS. 

WILDCAT MARCHING BAND NEWS

The Wildcat Marching Band and Colorguard is gearing up for their 2023-24 season! The Wildcat Marching Band is an ensemble that performs at community events such as parades, ceremonies and football games throughout the year. If your student is entering grades 9-12 and would like to participate in the Marching Band and Colorguard please fill out this form.

MILTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS 

Puddlestompers Nature Exploration is rotating among all three ASE sites (Glover, Tucker, and Collicot/Cunningham) to provide classes for kindergarten students at no extra cost. Each site will have two more visits this school year. Last week, Stephen from Puddlestompers visited Collicot/Cunningham for the first time, and the children learned all about worms, made a “worm” bird feeder for the birds, rolled over fallen logs, and found plenty of worms and other bugs.

MHS ATHLETICS 

MHS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following. Save the dates below! 

Athletics Recruiting Night – Monday, May 22 6pm, Copeland Field House
All Milton residents, students and families are invited.

  • We invite all Milton residents and Milton Public School families to our Athletics Recruiting Information Night in just over 2 weeks! Speakers include; Julie Ryan, Babson College Field Hockey Coach; Jason MacDonald, Navy Football Coach; Katie Conover, Stonehill Women’s Lacrosse Coach; Greg Sullivan, Boston College Baseball Coach; and Tara Watchorn, Stonehill College Women’s Hockey Coach. This is designed to be a panel for students and their parents/guardians to ask questions and hear from local college coaches about the recruiting process. 

Varsity Awards Banquet – Wednesday, May 31 6:30pm, Auditorium
All Varsity Student-Athletes and their Parents/Guardians, all MHS Coaches

  • You should receive an email soon from the MHS Athletic Boosters’ Club with your invitation to the Varsity Awards Banquet in the Auditorium on May 31 at 6:30pm! All student-athletes that received a Varsity letter (or are receiving a Varsity letter for a Spring Sport) and their Parents/Guardians are invited! If you are unsure if your student has received or is receiving a Varsity letter, please reach out to Ryan Madden, at rmadden@miltonps.org. This night serves as recognition of our student-athletes, their accomplishments and a celebration of another tremendous athletic year!

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!

Join the Milton community on Friday, May 12 for “Let’s Celebrate our Kevin” at Florian Hall at 7:30 pm. Proceeds benefit scholarships for MPS students who want to learn a trade. All details can be found here. 

MHS music students, Bella Fiske and Claudia O’ Neill will be playing music at the Pancake Brunch fundraiser by Milton Rotary to benefit Milton Coalition on Mother’s Day, May 14, 11am to noon at East Congregational Church. Please stop by to support our students, our community partner and enjoy some pancakes!

Brookwood Community Farm Annual Seedling Sale is May 6 & 7;  Saturday, 11am-3pm and Sunday, 11am – 3pm.  Bring your own box/container to get seedlings home. Special musical performance on Sunday, May 7 11AM-12:30PM by members of the Southeastern Orchestra and Wompatuck Senior Orchestra!  

High school students or the general public are welcome to volunteer for set up and during the Sale. HERE is the link to sign up and learn more. Limited CSA shares are still available.  Please see our website under Our CSA to learn about how to access some fresh local produce!

The 2nd Annual Grace+Grit 5K will be held on Saturday, May 20, at the Glover School. The race is held in honor of Glover’s past PTO president and an amazing member of the community. Visit GraceGrit5K.racewire.com for additional information.

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here!

MECA Kindergarten Cafe: Is your child entering kindergarten in the fall? This parent workshop, filled with information, resources, and developmental skills is for you!
Registration is required and can be completed here.

The Milton Parks Summer Program Brochure is linked here. Registration opens soon for spring programs, more info can be found here. Coming this spring – Babysitting Course; Spring Junior Golf; Spring Junior Tennis; Spring Indoor Basketball.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  May programs for kids can be found here.

  • Join Turo (teacher) Vince Jornales on Saturday, May 6 at 2:30 PM for Introduction to Martial Arts! No prior experience is required. Learn more and register today through our Events Calendar!
  • Comic and Graphic Novel fans! Take part in this month’s Graphic Novel Book Club for Grades 3-5 on Wednesday, May 17 at 4:30pm. This month we are reading Just Roll With It by Lee Durfey-Lavoie. Pick up a reserved copy in the MPL Children’s Room and register today!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on May 4, 2023

April 27, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: April 27, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Just before April break, the Milton Foundation for Education honored the MPS Teachers of the Year!  We are grateful to the MFE for honoring these deserving educators and invite you to read about our teachers below. All are invited to join the fun at the MFE Celebration on May 6 , where the MFE will also celebrate our teachers. Tickets and information about this year’s Derby themed Celebration available now at this link!


This week we also celebrated our Administrative Assistants at each school. These dedicated professionals are the first friendly face of their schools and they are integral to the success of each of our schools. Thank you to Deb Woods (Glover), Eileen Keaney (Tucker) Joanne Barker (Collicot), Julie McGettrick (Cunningham), Sandy Wyse (Pierce) and Jenn McCullough and Tyler Urso (MHS) for all you do, each day, for our students, staff, and families.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • May 1 Town Meeting Begins
  • May 4 Pierce Amplify Arts Fair 
  • May 9 Getting Ready for Kindergarten Cafe 
  • May 10 School Committee Meeting/School Choice Hearing
  • May 17 Milton SEPAC Meeting 
  • May 18 Spring Concert 
  • May 22 MHS Music Awards Dinner 
  • May 23 MHS Arts Show 
  • May 24 School Committee Meeting 
  • May 25-27 Mamma Mia at MHS 
  • May 30 MHS Awards Night 
  • May 31 Boosters Varsity Celebration 
  • June 4 MHS Graduation 

The MPS Events Calendar can be found here, and the one-page 22-23 SY calendar can be found here.  The 23-24 SY calendar can be found here.

MILTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Earlier this year, Betty White visited Glover at the invitation of a student.

This week, Milton voters elected two new School Committee members to two open seats. Welcome to Mark Loring and Bao Qiu and thank you to all who ran to serve our MPS community. 

We are incredibly grateful to Ada Rosmarin and Betty White, long time MPS and Milton volunteers and veteran School Committee members, who attended their final School Committee meeting last week. We will miss their steady presence, institutional knowledge, and overwhelming commitment to doing the very best for all MPS students and staff. Ms. Rosmarin and Ms. White gave countless hours serving on many subcommittees over the last six years. They have been strong advocates for students, our public schools, and the Town of Milton. We wish them many days of relaxation and time enjoying family and friends. Thank you for all you have done for the Milton Public Schools. 

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION 

The MFE invites the entire MPS community to join them for Celebration for Education on May 6 for a Kentucky Derby themed evening with betting, bourbon, and local band Twice-A-Day Ray! Tickets available now at this link! 

  • This year’s Celebration is at The Beat (just renamed Southline), a brand new event space located in the former headquarters of the Boston Globe, just 6 miles away at 135 Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester. 
  • Early start at 5 so that you can watch the race live.
  • Teacher of the Year winners from each of our six schools will be honored.
  • Derby betting squares are available at this link.
  • All your southern food favorites are on the menu.
  • Derby attire is bright colors, and there will be a best hat and tie contest.
  • Tickets available now at this link! 

MPS ART SHOWS 

Save the date for two exciting MPS art events! 

  • May 4: Pierce AMPlify Arts Fair,  5-7 pm. This is a debut Art and Music Fair for Pierce showcasing student artwork, music performances, activities and concessions. We are very excited about it! 
  • May 23: Check out the MHS Art Show from 5:30-6:30 pm in the MHS library. The exhibition will run May 23-26.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

MSE registration is OPEN at this link!  MSE is for students in rising grades K-8, takes place at Milton High School, and runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm. Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology, and much more!

Please visit this link for the MSE 2023 Brochure to review course information, program details, and registration information. We are excited to offer some great new classes as well as popular MSE favorites. Please email mse@miltonps.org with any questions. We are looking forward to a fun and enriching summer! 

MPS INTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS 

Save the date! The Instrumental Lesson Program Information Night will be held on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 pm in the MHS Auditorium. Those interested in beginning instrumental lessons will receive information on the program and students will have an opportunity to try various instruments and speak with high school students about their experience playing instruments. 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MHS THEATRE – MAMMA MIA

Mamma Mia at MHS, May 25-27, tickets on sale now at this link! Come see our talented MHS students in our spring production of Mamma Mia, the story of Sophie, a bride-to-be trying to find her real father, is told using hit songs by the popular 1970s group ABBA. Set on a colorful Greek Island, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA songs and a ton of fun!

MPS FOOD WASTE PILOT PROGRAM

Sustainable Milton has partnered with the Town of Milton and Milton Public Schools to implement a Food Waste Diversion and Recycling program in the Tucker and Glover Cafeterias.  After just a short time, everyone involved is seeing the effects of diverting food waste from the trash! Look at these stats: 

  • At Glover, we have diverted an average of 410 lbs per week of food from the trash
  • We have gone down from 18 bags of trash daily at Glover to 3                                                  
  • At Tucker, we have gone from 16 bags to 2 per day

This not only saves the town money, it also decreases our carbon emissions by taking food waste and turning it into compost instead of sending it to the landfill or incinerator to produce harmful gases which are released into the air and water.

This program is powered by school and town volunteers. Can you join Sustainable Milton and MPS to help continue this pilot program and make this change for the long term? All details are here and the sign up to volunteer can be found here: Tucker SignUp Glover SignUp

MPS GIVES BACK

Glover 5th graders recently participated in a community service activity that involved the entire Glover community in a project to improve the lives of children living in shelters. 5th graders collaborated with the Fundraising Student Leadership Team to coordinate a schoolwide effort to support Gotta Have Sole, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide homeless youth with brand new shoes to help them feel confident and comfortable.

Students collected over 260 pairs of new sneakers and just over $400.00. Additionally, Glover students K-5 collectively decorated over 600 cards during their weekly art class. It was evident that the whole school was truly engaged in this project when a kindergarten student in Mrs. Brandi’s class, who had a birthday party, asked his friends to not bring presents for him but to buy a pair of shoes for the collection. New Balance and Converse generously donated as well. On Monday, April 10, the founder of Gotta Have Sole visited Glover and led 5th graders through the process of preparing the sneakers for a child in need. Each pair of shoes was packaged with a new pair of socks and a handwritten note that included messages of hope and encouragement. 5th graders also listened to an inspirational talk and were encouraged to take action when they see a problem in the world. Thank you to everyone involved for making this such an impactful event!

MPS NICE TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

These three Project 351 Ambassadors (current and past) are fantastic representatives of MPS. We are so proud of the ongoing good work they do! Reilly Bergin, Adam C. and Hōkū Panerio-Langer spent a day over the marathon weekend serving with Project 351 and the Martin Richard Foundation in memory of those lost 10 years ago in the marathon bombings. Service projects included:

  • Making blankets and care packages for the Pine Street Inn
  • Making gratitude baskets for the first responders and hospital workers who responded to the attacks on that day
  • Making flower pots and distributing them to the families at the remembrance ceremony on saturday afternoon
  • Making bags with diverse books for Storytime Crafts, a nonprofit that brings culturally and racially responsive books to kids living in diverse but underserved communities.

Thank you to Reilly, Hōkū, and Adam – three all-star MPS students!

MHS BEST BUDDIES FIELD TRIP 

Students in MHS Best Buddies recently enjoyed a field trip to The Franklin Park Zoo. Students had a blast learning about all the animals, building friendships, and practicing real world skills. Best Buddies members are looking forward to more community events!

COLLICOT 4TH GRADE SPEAKER

As a finale of their project studying architect Zaha Hadid, Mme Theobald and Mrs. Rogers’s Collicot 4th graders had a visit from local architect and Collicot parent Ryan McClain. Mr. McClain shared his path to becoming an architect, starting with his time as a student at Cunningham and MHS. He highlighted the various aspects of being an architect, noting that problem solving is a big part of his job. The ideas were flowing and our students loved having the opportunity to create their own architectural drawings of a wished for tree house to be located in the Collicot green space.

MHS WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

MHS Student Leaders spearheaded a month of Wellness Wednesdays for their peers and teachers. During advisory and after-school, Student Leaders coordinated activities including adult coloring pages, gardening, visits with a therapy dog, meditation, a “just dance” session, and more. Students remarked that the activities helped them focus on their mental health and allowed them to take a short break during or after the busy school day.

PIERCE PLAYBOOK INITIATIVE

Before break, led by MHS senior Hōkū Panerio-Langer, about 30 Pierce students participated in the Playbook Initiative.

Started by the 2016-17 Boston Celtics team, the Playbook Initiative is a program centered around engaging middle schoolers in conversations on critical and plaguing societal issues. The program features a series of two workshops on topics related to race/ethnicity, gender, religion/culture, disability, and orientation. Through Playbook workshops, students learn to recognize and productively address discrimination and bias in their community and beyond. These workshops are led by Playbook Trainers like Hōkū, high school students coached by the Celtics Community Outreach team to facilitate Playbook conversations.

TRAILSIDE MUSEUM AT GLOVER

Thanks to the Glover PTO, Glover 1st graders enjoyed a wonderful visit from the Trailside Museum. Trailside Museum staff brought a screech owl named Whinny to visit each 1st grade classes and students learned about habitats, food chains, cool facts about owls, and the mission of the Trailside Museum.

MHS JAZZ NIGHT 

On Tuesday, April 11, the MHS and Pierce Middle School Jazz Ensembles presented their annual Spring Jazz Night. The evening featured 3 jazz combos from MHS, the Pierce Jazz Ensemble, the MHS Jazz Ensemble and concluded with a combined performance of “Second Line” featuring all of the Jazz students from Pierce and MHS. MHS Jazz Director Ms. Damiani and Pierce Jazz Director Mr. Ortiz took time to teach the audience the process of learning jazz improvisation which has been a focus area for all jazz students this past year. You can enjoy the MPS Spring Jazz Night Concert at this link. Thanks to Mr. Lopresti’s students for filming this concert! 

There are still opportunities to see our music students perform this year. Join us for: 

  • Small Ensemble Cabaret- Thursday, April 27 at 6:30 pm, MHS Auditorium
  • MHS Spring Concert-Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 pm, MHS Auditorium
  • Pierce Spring Concerts-June 6 and 8 at 6:30 pm, MHS Auditorium

WILDCAT MARCHING BAND NEWS

The Wildcat Marching Band and Colorguard is gearing up for their 2023-24 season! The Wildcat Marching Band is an ensemble that performs at community events such as parades, ceremonies and football games throughout the year. If your student is entering grades 9-12 and would like to participate in the Marching Band and Colorguard please fill out this form

MHS SPRING SEMI – MAY 12

MHS Freshman and Sophomore Student Government is excited to be hosting the Spring Semi Dance for 9th and 10th graders on  May 12. Details are below.

  • When?  Friday, May 12, 6-9 pm
  • Where? MHS Courtyard
  • What?   Music, Dancing, Yard Games, Pizza, Treats
  • Who?    MHS Freshmen and Sophomores in good standing are invited to attend
  • How?    With your help! Please see the Sign Up Genius linked here to volunteer for set up and/or to donate items or funds.

Tickets will be on sale the week of May 1st, $10 per person. Thank you so much for your support of our students!

MHS ATHLETICS 

Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares that it has been a great spring athletic season so far!

Unified Track and Field has their first home meet this season today, Thursday, April 27 at 3:30pm v Walpole. Come out and support an awesome team!

Boys and Girls Tennis have led the way, earning non-league wins and playing very well in their league matches. The Boys (6-1) are led by Sophomore John Dickens and Junior Captain, Ethan Tran. The Girls (3-3), led by Sophomore Catalina Abboud, handled Fontbonne, Weymouth and Framingham, while playing very well in close losses to Wellesley (4-1) and Braintree (3-2).

The reigning State Champion Baseball Team is 11-0 after beating previously undefeated Natick on Wednesday afternoon. After trailing 2-0 late, the Cats battled back and forced extra innings, winning 6-3 in the 9th! In a star-studded lineup, Sophomore sensation Scott Longo has grabbed the headlines, going 3-0 on the mound.

The Softball Team is 4-3 after beating Natick yesterday in dramatic fashion! They trailed 3-0 after 1 inning and never led until the final frame. With one gone and girls on 2nd and 3rd base, Victoria Fish hit a hard ball to second forcing a good stop. One run scored,  Emerson Johnson rounded third and beat the tag at home to walk off 6-5! What a game it was! They will host NDA on Saturday at 10:30am on Gile Field. Girls Lacrosse also plays Boston Latin Academy at 11 am, so it’s a great day to catch a game. 

The Boys Lacrosse Team (3-3) is playing very well in front of Senior Captain Goalie, Drew Cakouros. Ian Wick is scoring at will, while Luke Haley, Finn Hegarty and Luke Hartford are contributing to the good start. They are hoping to make the tournament this spring after missing by one spot last season.

Many more highlights to come this week and the rest of the season! Follow the MHS Athletics website and find all schedules 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!

GREEN UP, Milton! In celebration of Earth Day, the Milton DPW and Sustainable Milton is hosting the GREEN UP Milton this year on the weekend of April 29-30th, 2023!

All town groups are encouraged to participate including schools, sports teams, neighborhood associations, town clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, churches and temples, and any other small group or individual that wishes to join in on this great event! All details can be found here. Let’s GREEN UP, Milton!

Our MHS music students, Bella Fiske and Claudia O’ Neill will be playing music at the Pancake Brunch fundraiser by Milton Rotary to benefit Milton Coalition on Mother’s Day, May 14, 11am to noon at East Congregational Church. Please stop by to support our students, our community partner and enjoy some pancakes!

April is Jazz Appreciation Month! In the spirit of sharing, Parkway United Methodist Church invites the entire Milton community to a free concert celebrating South African Jazz on Saturday April 29. Details at left. 

Brookwood Community Farm Annual Seedling Sale is May 6 & 7;  Saturday, 11am-3pm and Sunday, 11am – 3pm.  Bring your own box/container to get seedlings home. Special musical performance on Sunday May 7 11AM-12:30PM by members of the Southeastern Orchestra and Wompatuck Senior Orchestra!  

High school students or the general public are welcome to volunteer for set up and during the Sale.  HERE is the link to sign up and learn more. Limited CSA shares are still available.  Please see our website under Our CSA to learn about how to access some fresh local produce!

The Milton Road Race is fast approaching, on Tuesday, June 13! Sign up here to help support scholarships for graduating Milton seniors and grants to local nonprofit organizations. 

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here! 

MECA Kindergarten Cafe: Is your child entering kindergarten in the fall? This parent workshop, filled with information, resources, and developmental skills is for you!
Registration is required and can be completed here.

The Milton Parks Summer Program Brochure is linked here. Registration opens soon for spring programs, more info can be found here. Coming this spring – Babysitting Course; Spring Junior Golf; Spring Junior Tennis; Spring Indoor Basketball.

TONIGHT: Every three years, the Milton Coalition examines the status of Milton youth through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on substance use. Join us as we share these results, compare them to our past evaluations, and discuss next steps. Masks are required. This meeting is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, April 27, 6:30-8 pm at BID Milton. 

Light the Way, Milton’s first annual vigil to remember lives lost to overdose and substance use disorder, will be held on Sunday, April 30. 6:30 – 7:30pm at the Baron Hugo Gazebo in front of Town Hall, 525 Canton Ave.  A group of family members who have lost loved ones to overdose and substance use disorder have joined together with the Milton Coalition to help light the way towards healing, support, and awareness so that other families don’t have to experience similar pain. 

The vigil will include speakers sharing their own personal stories, civic leaders, music, a reading of names, and a candlelight ceremony in honor of those who have died.  If you would like to participate in the vigil or would like to have a loved one honored, please visit www.milton-coalition.org and fill out the vigil participation form.  You can also email info@milton-coalition.org for more information. 

Fontbonne is excited to offer two sessions of Summer Theater for students in grades 3-9. Students participating in this one week or two week summer program will have the opportunity to work together to learn and perform a musical theatre show. All details can be found here. Contact Fiona McDonald for more info at fmcdonald@fontbonneboston.org.

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here.We have two different closing dates, one for cheer and one for tackle. Cheer closes on May 31 and Tackle closes on June 21. Flag is on a rolling 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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All details can be found here. 

Reg closes May 1: 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.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  May programs for kids can be found here.

  • Peep! Peep! The Story Hour Room is now the new home to chicken eggs as they wait to hatch in their incubator. Come by anytime that we are open to observe the hatching process, and be the first to say hello to our little chick friends when they finally break through their shells!
  • Join Turo (teacher) Vince Jornales on Saturday, May 6 at 2:30 PM for Introduction to Martial Arts! No prior experience is required. Learn more and register today through our Events Calendar!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on April 27, 2023

April 6, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: April 6, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

The MFE invites the entire MPS community to join them for Celebration for Education on May 6 for a Kentucky Derby themed evening with betting, bourbon, and local band Twice-A-Day Ray! Tickets available now at this link! 

  • This year’s Celebration is at The Beat (just renamed Southline), a brand new event space located in the former headquarters of the Boston Globe, just 6 miles away at 135 Morrissey Blvd, Dorchester. 
  • Early start at 5 so that you can watch the race live.
  • Teacher of the Year winners from each of our six schools will be honored.
  • Derby betting squares are available at this link.
  • All your southern food favorites are on the menu.
  • Derby attire is bright colors, and there will be a best hat and tie contest.
  • Tickets available now at this link! 

Thanks to the MHS staff who organized and volunteered at the MHS Prom at Lake View Pavilion on Saturday night. Events like the prom would not be posible without the support of our dedicated MPS staff. Over 550 students attended this fabulous evening!


Passover began at sundown yesterday (April 5) and goes until sundown on April 13. While the date of Passover changes each year because the date is set not by the Gregorian calendar but by the lunar-based Hebrew calendar, it always occurs during the Hebrew month of Nisan. Passover commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt thousands of years ago.To learn more about Passover, please enjoy this clip from Collicot Parent and Adjustment Counselor, Mrs. McGrath. Chag Sameach to all who celebrate Passover. 

There is no school tomorrow, Friday, April 7, to observe Good Friday. Good Friday is the day when Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which plays an important part in the Christian faith as it leads up to Easter. Easter is one of the principal holidays, or feasts, of Christianity. For many Christian churches, Easter is the joyful end to the Lenten season of fasting and penitence. To all who observe, we wish you a very Happy Easter.

There will be no blog post next week, the week leading up to April Break. As a reminder, there is no school from April 17-22 for April Break.

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • April 7 No School, Good Friday 
  • April 10 The Calculus Project Info Session 
  • April 10 Pierce Info Night 
  • April 11 MHS Jazz Night 
  • April 12 Milton School Committee
  • April 17-21 April Break 

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. 

PIERCE INFO NIGHT 

On Monday, April 10, at 6:30 pm, we will host an informational session for grade 5 families in the Pierce Middle School auditorium. During this meeting, you will learn more about our school community, the grade 6 experience, and the structures and activities in place to nurture a smooth transition from elementary school to middle school. Students are welcome to attend this meeting.

THE CALCULUS PROJECT INFO SESSION

An informational session about The Calculus Project, a program designed to increase enrollment and success of underrepresented groups, including Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, People of Color, and low-income students, in advanced math courses, will be held on Monday, April 10 at 6pm in the Milton High School Library for any parent or guardian of a 7th or 8th grader who would like to attend.

MILTON SEPAC

The Milton SEPAC has asked us to share the following information. 

Advocate, Educate, Participate,2023 Annual SEPAC SC Candidate Forum: We had close to seventy people and all four candidates in attendance at the School Committee Candidate Forum this week, and a wide variety of views and stories were shared. One question each of the candidates answered was on the proposed land swap and new middle school. This is the biggest issue facing our schools to date. Here is the text sent to each candidate ahead of time for a prepared response:  The proposed new middle school would also include specially designed classrooms that would meet the particular needs of pre-K special education students in Milton.  Since Milton Elementary Schools are now substantially above capacity (approximately 2000 pupils), how would a delay in constructing a new middle school at the location identified by the School Building Committee impact those students?  

To view the recorded forum please visit this link or the home page of miltonsepac.org. The recording is posted in the middle of the page. 

SUPERINTENDENT BURROWS PRE-ENTRY PLAN

Over the course of the next few months, before he officially begins on July 1, incoming Superintendent Peter Burrows will be spending periodic days in Milton to learn more about our schools and community. His priorities on these pre-entry visit days will be to spend time inside schools and meet people, support decision making around current and future needs in the district, and lay the groundwork for the start of the 23-24 academic year. His next visits are April 13 (Pierce) and 14 (MHS).  You can learn more about his pre-entry plan and schedule here.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

Summer fun at MSE is just around the corner! MSE is for students in rising grades K-8, takes place at Milton High School and runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm. Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology and much more! The MSE Brochure will be available April 12 and registration begins April 25 on Family ID. Save the date for a fantastic July at MSE!

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MPS GIVES BACK

Ramadan Food Drive: MPS supports the Ramadan Food Drive in partnership with Milton Muslim Neighbors and Milton Interfaith Clergy Association. Through Friday, April 21, bring your donation of dry goods and hygiene items to any of our schools.  Join your Muslim neighbor in this effort, as Ramadan is a very special time of year for Muslims to do good deeds. All details can be found here. 

FOOD SERVICE

The School Meals for All program has been a lifeline for families that are struggling, now more than ever, to keep food on the table. The program has succeeded in increasing school lunch participation by an additional 80,000 kids each day and with the legislature’s support, House speaker Mariano claims there’s a possibility of making School Meals for All permanent.

At a recent public event, Speaker Mariano announced that the upcoming House budget proposal will ensure that School Meals for All is permanent for families in Massachusetts. While there are still many steps to ensure that this provision ultimately passes the budget process, this announcement from House leadership demonstrates a commitment to making food accessible for students. So let’s use this golden opportunity to show legislators how many of their constituents agree that School Meals for All needs to be permanent.

Please join us in thanking House Speaker Mariano and your Representative for announcing their support for making School Meals for All permanent. Follow this link to send a message of support. 


MPS is always looking for energetic people to join our Food Service team as kitchen substitutes. If you want to work a part time schedule that complements your child’s school day, please call Natalia Perez at 617-898-1051. Kitchen subs earn $19.15 an hour and this is an on-call position – work when it makes sense for you. Please consider joining our team! 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT

CAST AND CREW OF BADGER

  • Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Badger” for representing MHS incredibly well at the METG State Finals this past weekend! A special shout out to our All-Star award winners for Excellence in Acting: Ronan O’Connor, Julia Mangum & Angel Leggett! And to the entire “Badger” company for being awarded the METG State Finals “Stage Manager’s Choice Award” out of all of the other participating schools. This is the first time that MHS Theatre has made it to the State Finals and it won’t be their last! 

FUTURE PROBLEM SOLVERS 

  • We have learned that Jackson Lang (Collicot, L) and Freddy Mai (Glover, R)) have been awarded 1st and 3rd place, respectively, in the Future Problem Solvers competition! Jackson will be attending the International Conference, which will be held at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst from June 7-11. Congratulations, and good luck!

MHS LAUNCHES INTO THE COMMUNITY

Students in the MHS Launch Program has been hard at work this school year, expanding on their vocational skills while spending time at several community partnership sites. We would like to thank Fitness Unlimited, Steel and Rye, Winter Valley, The Milton Public Library, MHS Food Services, Glover, Tucker and Sustainable Milton for working with our students! If you own a local business and would like MHS students to volunteer at your establishment to gain vocational training, please contact the Launch Program teacher, Christine Martinelli, at cmartinelli@miltonps.org.

MPS 5-12 BAND CONCERT 

Do yourself a favor and check out this week’s fabulous 5-12 Band Concert. Our student musicians are amazing! 

MPS COUNSELOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MHS counselors recently attended two terrific PD opportunities. School Counselor Leonice Bernard and Director of School Counseling Barbara Meyer were on Parris Island this week at the Marine Corps Recruiting Station for the Educators Workshop.  

MHS school counselor Lisa Spinelli and Pierce School Counselor Anita Walton attended the Massachusetts School Counselors’ Association conference this week at the Marriott in Newton. Professional development for counselors is not easy to find, and we are grateful to the Milton Public Schools for supporting our conference and PD attendance!

MHS LATIN CLUB CLASSICS DAY

Students in the MHS Latin Club recently attended Classics Day at the College of the Holy Cross. Students competed in trivia, costume, and art competitions throughout the day. This year, Milton took home a second place trophy in the costume and skit competition. The group enjoyed connecting with other high school and college students who share an interest in the Classics.

FRENCH EXCHANGE STUDENTS AT COLLICOT 

Students from Annecy, France, in the US as part of an exchange with Fontbonne Academy, recently visited Collicot. Students were able to share similarities and differences between France and the US and Collicot 4th graders were able to show off their French skills.  Our guests commented on how impressed they were with our young French speakers. This year, we were happy to have former Collicot Cardinal, Caroline Duffy accompany the French exchange students during their visit to Collicot.

MHS SPRING SEMI – MAY 12

MHS Freshman and Sophomore Student Government is excited to be hosting the Spring Semi Dance for 9th and 10th graders on  May 12. Details are below. 

When?  Friday, May 12, 6-9 pm
Where? MHS Courtyard
What?   Music, Dancing, Yard Games, Pizza, Treats
Who?    MHS Freshmen and Sophomores in good standing are invited to attend
How?    With your help! Please see the Sign Up Genius linked here to volunteer for set up and/or to donate items or funds.

Tickets will be on sale the week of May 1st, $10 per person. Thank you so much for your support of our students!

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!

The Milton Early Childhood Associations Spring Newsletter filled with many free fun spring programs, parent information, and local resources can be found here! 

The Milton Parks Summer Program Brochure is linked here. Registration opens soon for spring programs, more info can be found here. Coming this spring – Babysitting Course; Spring Junior Golf; Spring Junior Tennis; Spring Indoor Basketball.

Saturday, April 22 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day! Bring your unused or expired prescription drugs to the Milton Police Department at 40 Highland St. between 10am and 2pm for easy, anonymous drop off. It is important to keep drugs out of the hands of those they were not prescribed for. Help us keep our community safe and dispose of these drugs safely on April 22nd. 

Every three years, the Milton Coalition examines the status of Milton youth through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on substance use. Join us as we share these results, compare them to our past evaluations, and discuss next steps. Masks are required. This meeting is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, April 27, 6:30-8 pm at BID Milton. 

Light the Way, Milton’s first annual vigil to remember lives lost to overdose and substance use disorder, will be held on Sunday, April 30. 6:30 – 7:30pm at the Baron Hugo Gazebo in front of Town Hall, 525 Canton Ave.  A group of family members who have lost loved ones to overdose and substance use disorder have joined together with the Milton Coalition to help light the way towards healing, support, and awareness so that other families don’t have to experience similar pain. 

The vigil will include speakers sharing their own personal stories, civic leaders, music, a reading of names, and a candlelight ceremony in honor of those who have died.  If you would like to participate in the vigil or would like to have a loved one honored, please visit www.milton-coalition.org and fill out the vigil participation form.  You can also email info@milton-coalition.org for more information. 

Fontbonne is excited to offer two sessions of Summer Theater for students in grades 3-9. Students participating in this one week or two week summer program will have the opportunity to work together to learn and perform a musical theatre show. All details can be found here. Contact Fiona McDonald for more info at fmcdonald@fontbonneboston.org.

The Friends of the Milton Council on Aging invite you to Bring On The Spring Bling!  Come shop for nearly new, upscale jewelry, scarves and pocketbooks. All proceeds benefit COA transportation and programming.  Thursday, April 20, 4-7pm and Friday, April 21, 9 am -1pm. COA, 10 Walnut St, Milton. 

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here. 

Milton Chess Club will be held at the Milton Public Library from April 25 – May 30. International Master David Vigorito has been teaching chess to Milton students for over 12 years. The spring session starts on Tuesday, April 25. There are two different levels with classes at 5:30 and 6:45. Details can be found here. Space is very limited! Questions: dvigorito@msn.com.

Forbes House Museum Author Talk and Book Signing with James Conroy, “Lincoln’s White House: The People’s House in Wartime” on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 7pm at the Forbes House Museum, 215 Adams Street. $10/person, FREE for members and High School students. Thank you to our sponsors Tom and Polly Martinson!

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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All 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.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  April programs for kids can be found  here.

  • Comic and Graphic Novel fans! Take part in this month’s Graphic Novel Book Club for Grades 3-5 on Wednesday, April 19 at 2:30pm. This month we are reading Lightfall: The Girl & the Galdurian by Tim Probert. Pick up a reserved copy in the MPL Children’s Room. Register today!
  • Join Eshu Bumpus, an award-winning storyteller and accomplished jazz vocalist, as he welcomes families for an entertaining hour of storytelling on Thursday, April 20 at 2:30PM. Take a journey across Africa through a variety of  African and African-American folktales full of humor, music, and mystery. Sign your family up today!

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on April 6, 2023

March 30, 2023

To: Parents/Guardians and Staff
From: Interim Superintendent Garth McKinney
Re: Superintendent’s Weekly Update
Date: March 30, 2023

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Is there an educator who has had a lasting impact on your child? One who goes above and beyond and who is deserving of recognition? The answer is yes for many of our MPS families and the Milton Foundation for Education wants to hear from you as they prepare to recognize the extraordinary contributions made by MPS educators.  The MFE is asking for nominations for Teacher of the Year in each school, so please take a moment to nominate an exceptional teacher here. Nominations close tomorrow, March 31. All details can be found at this link.


The Milton SEPAC has asked me to share information about their School Committee Candidate Forum on April 4 with the MPS community. 

Please join Milton SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) for its annual School Committee Candidate Forum. The Forum will be held on Tuesday, April 4, from 6:30 to 8 pm via Zoom at this link, and is an opportunity to hear the candidates’ views on a range of issues that affect all children and families in the district.

We hope you can join us for this informative evening. Please contact Jenny Sheehan or Jennie Mulqueen, SEPAC co-chairs, with any questions at jennycsheehan@gmail.com or jenniemulqueen@gmail.com.


As a reminder, tomorrow Friday, March 31 is a late start day for students. School will start two hours later than the usual start time. 

MPS NEED TO KNOW

IMPORTANT DATES

  • Mar 31 Late Start for Students, PD for Staff 
  • April 4 5-12 Band Concert 
  • April 4 SEPAC Meeting 
  • April 6 Early Dismissal, PD for Staff 
  • April 7 No School, Good Friday 
  • April 11 MHS Jazz Night 
  • April 12 Milton School Committee

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. 

SUPERINTENDENT BURROWS PRE-ENTRY PLAN

Over the course of the next few months, before he officially begins on July 1, incoming Superintendent Peter Burrows will be spending periodic days in Milton to learn more about our schools and community. His priorities on these pre-entry visit days will be to spend time inside schools and meet people, support decision making around current and future needs in the district, and lay the groundwork for the start of the 23-24 academic year.  You can learn more about his pre-entry plan and schedule here.

MILTON SUMMER ENRICHMENT

Sewing and staying cool at MSE.

Summer fun at MSE is just around the corner! MSE is for students in rising grades K-8, takes place at Milton High School and runs from July 5-28, five days a week, 8 am-12 pm. Classes include academic enrichment, arts and crafts, sports and outdoor fun, technology and much more! The MSE Brochure will be available April 12 and registration begins April 25 on Family ID. Save the date for a fantastic July at MSE!

MFE CELEBRATION FOR EDUCATION

Welcome to the Milton Foundation for Education’s Charity Fundraiser! We are excited to offer Derby Squares for the upcoming Kentucky Derby. Each square costs $25, and all proceeds will go towards supporting MFE’s mission of enhancing educational opportunities for MPS students.

To participate, simply fill out the Google Form linked here with your information and choose how many boxes you would like to purchase. Each box corresponds to a specific row and column on the grid, which will be randomly assigned once all entries have been received.

The winner of the raffle will be determined by the intersection of the first and second place horses in the Kentucky Derby. Purchase your betting square today– we appreciate your support! 

Save the Date! This year’s Celebration for Education 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 will be on sale in the coming weeks, so save the date and mark your calendar for Celebration for Education 2023! 

MPS GOOD TO KNOW

MPS GIVES BACK

Clothing Drive: In conjunction with Project 351 and Cradles to Crayons, MHS sophomore Reilly Bergin is running a new and like-new clothing drive on April 2 from 10am to 12pm at Milton High School.  Clothing is needed in sizes newborn through adult medium. All donations are going to Cradles to Crayons–a nonprofit organization that provides children across Massachusetts with the essentials they need at school and at play. Your help is greatly appreciated and every donation makes a difference!

Sneaker Drive: The Glover 5th Grade Class is hosting a sneaker drive to support the Gotta Have Sole foundation. Drop off your NEW kids sneakers to Glover, donate money or use this Amazon Wish List through April 6. Email glover5thcommittee@gmail.com with any questions.  

Gotta Have Sole founder Nicholas Lowinger will be coming to Glover on Monday, April 10 to speak to the 5th grade and students will write and package positive notes with the sneakers and socks for a local shelter.

Ramadan Food Drive: MPS supports the Ramadan Food Drive in partnership with Milton Muslim Neighbors and Milton Interfaith Clergy Association. From Thursday, March 23 to Friday, April 21, bring your donation of dry goods and hygiene items to any of our schools.  Join your Muslim neighbor in this effort, as Ramadan is a very special time of year for Muslims to do good deeds. All details can be found here. 

NEW AUDIO BOOK LIBRARY 

French teachers from all elementary schools gathered on Saturday to begin their work on creating an audio library to be used by teachers across the district. They discussed why and how this important tool can be used to increase interest in books, develop vocabulary and practice auditory comprehension. Using the books purchased through two different Milton Foundation for Education grants, teachers collaborated to create an audio library available across the district, thus significantly increasing the reach of these MFE grants. Many of the books purchased by the MFE were selected as high quality diverse literature, therefore expanding access across the district to many more classrooms and students. This is an exciting project spearheaded by our French Immersion teachers. Thank you to the MFE for your continued support!

FOOD SERVICE SUBSTITUTES

MPS is always looking for energetic people to join our Food Service team as kitchen substitutes. If you want to work a part time schedule that complements your child’s school day, please call Natalia Perez at 617-898-1051. Kitchen subs earn $19.15 an hour and this is an on-call position – work when it makes sense for you. Please consider joining our team! 

MPS NICE TO KNOW

SUPERINTENDENT SHOUTOUT 

Congratulations to our Future Problem Solvers Collicot Team and Individual Competitors from each school on their 3rd Place Award at last weekend’s MA State FPS Bowl! 

About 150 Future Problem Solvers from all over Massachusetts met at Clark University in Worcester to compete in the MA State FPS Bowl.  MPS was proud to send ten strong competitors! Team Collicot was represented by Claire Naumes, Frida Umston, Colin Mulcahy, Eliot Levinson. Independent Competitors were  Jackson Lang (Collicot), Christabel Oppong and Asha Hallowell (Cunningham), Madeline O’Donnell and Freddy Maii (Glover), and Mayson Nguyen (Tucker).

All students sat for two hours completing the Future Problem Solving 6 Step Critical Thinking and writing requirements to address the impact of a future “throw away society” on the well being of residents in Omaha, Nebraska. Following the morning competition, our Future Problem Solvers headed to the Higgins Center Cafeteria where they enjoyed a delicious college lunch.

Team Collicot, joined by Christabel and Mayson, returned to the main hall after lunch to prepare an Action Plan Presentation. Students prepared a script, and created costumes from paper towels, construction paper, aluminum foil, magic markers, tape and a trash bag. Their challenge was to act out and present their completed Action Plan from their morning competition. While we await the results of the Independent Student Competitors to arrive at the end of the week, we congratulate the Action Plan 3rd place winners!

MHS MUSIC NEWS 

The MHS Chorus performed in a sold-out concert with the Boston Choral Ensemble on Saturday, March 25! MHS students sang “More Waters Rising”( see the clip here) by Saro Lynch-Thamason (arr. Saunder Choi), which was a huge hit with the audience and members of BCE. At the end of the program, MHS students also joined BCE in singing “We Can Mend the Sky” by Jake Runestad, which is an incredibly powerful setting of poetry written by children whose families fled the violence of the Somali Civil War and immigrated to the United States. The song culminated with a beautiful solo sung by MHS ninth grader Celia Frank-McKnight and members of the MHS Chorus and BCE surrounding the audience singing the song’s repeated mantra: “If we come together, we can mend a crack in the sky.” Huge thanks goes out to Dr. Katherine Chan, Artistic Director of the Boston Choral Ensemble, for including our MHS students in the concert and Ms. Julia Hanna for making the collaboration possible.

There are still two more opportunities to see our Milton musicians perform for Music In Our Schools Month. The rescheduled Grades 5-12 Band Concert is on Tuesday, April 4th and Grades 6-12 Jazz Night is Tuesday, April 11th. Both concerts will take place at 6:30 in the MHS Auditorium. We hope to see you there!

TUCKER BASKETBALL

As the Tucker Basketball league wraps up their season, a big congratulations to all the players who showed sportsmanship and athleticism all season long. Thank you to Coaches Silipo, Peou, Alexis, and Daley for a successful season – Tucker basketball would not be possible without you!

MHS FIELD TRIP

MHS students in Design, Wood Tech, and Virology classes visited the Koch Institute and Broad Institute to view how science can be displayed as art. Students in Virology are working on making museum kiosks of viruses for MHS.

PIERCE DEBATE TEAM 

On March 18, the Pierce Middle School Debate Team participated in the March Lumos Invitational Debate Tournament. Students debated the benefits and harms of artificial intelligence. Students used the Public Forum Debate format to discuss the positive and negative consequences of this emerging technology. Students Aster Caldwell, Adam C., Tess Carroll, Jonathan Hsu, Teddy Hsu, Ellis Lim, Ben Neugebauer, and Emily Vogel competed in this tournament. Tess Carroll, Adam C., Jonathan Hsu, Teddy Hsu, and Ellis Lim received Speaker Awards for delivering speeches in a clear and eloquent manner. The Pierce Debate Team was thrilled to participate in our fourth tournament of the school year. We look forward to competing again in May!

FAME MATTRESS FUNDRAISER

The Milton FAME Mattress Sale is back! Friends and Advocates of Music Education (FAME) is excited to announce its 8th annual mattress sale on Saturday, April 1 from 10 am to 4 pm in the Milton High School auditorium. Test out more than 25 styles of brand-name mattresses, priced 30-50% below retail, along with premium pillows, luxury sheets, bean bag chairs, weighted mattresses, and more. Delivery and financing available. Proceeds support the music program in all Milton schools. For more information, contact FAME at miltonfame@gmail.com.

GLOVER AND TUCKER MOVIE NIGHT

Last weekend, the Glover and Tucker PTOs hosted Movie Nights for the two grades that read the most minutes during last month’s Read-A-Thon. 3rd graders, who collectively read 142,580 minutes over the two week period, enjoyed The One and Only Ivan at Glover while 2nd graders celebrated their 104,181 minutes of reading with The Bad Guys at Tucker. Congratulations to all Glover and Tucker students for reading a combined 595,890 minutes!

MHS ATHLETICS 

MPS Athletic Director Ryan Madden shares the following.

MHS Boosters is proud to host all Varsity athletes at our year-end Celebration Wednesday, May 31! All Varsity athletes and their immediate family are invited. We will recognize our teams, and athlete leaders and announce our scholarship recipients. Volunteers are needed for planning as well as setting up and break down that night. Please email info@miltonboosters.com to assist.

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.

Cans for Cats: The MHS Boys Tennis team will be hosting Cans for Cats on Saturday, April 1 from 9-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!

The Milton Parks Summer Program Brochure is linked here. Registration opens soon for spring programs, more info can be found here. Coming this spring – Babysitting Course; Spring Junior Golf; Spring Junior Tennis; Spring Indoor Basketball. 

Every three years, the Milton Coalition examines the status of Milton youth through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on substance use. Join us as we share these results, compare them to our past evaluations, and discuss next steps.Masks are required. This meeting is open to the public and will be held on Thursday, April 27, 6:30-8 pm at BID Milton. 

Light the Way, Milton’s first annual vigil to remember lives lost to overdose and substance use disorder, will be held on Sunday, April 30. 6:30 – 7:30pm at the Baron Hugo Gazebo in front of Town Hall, 525 Canton Ave.  A group of family members who have lost loved ones to overdose and substance use disorder have joined together with the Milton Coalition to help light the way towards healing, support, and awareness so that other families don’t have to experience similar pain. 

The vigil will include speakers sharing their own personal stories, civic leaders, music, a reading of names, and a candlelight ceremony in honor of those who have died.  If you would like to participate in the vigil or would like to have a loved one honored, please visit www.milton-coalition.org and fill out the vigil participation form.  You can also email info@milton-coalition.org for more information. 

TONIGHTCourageous Conversations invites you to a Courageous Conversation on Restorative Justice in Education – What it is, How is it working, a conversation with Adina Schecter and Arianna Simpson – on March 30,  7-8:30pm, via Zoom. Register for this CCTRJ event at this link. 

The Friends of the Milton Council on Aging invite you to Bring On The Spring Bling!  Come shop for nearly new, upscale jewelry, scarves and pocketbooks. All proceeds benefit COA transportation and programming.  Thursday, April 20, 4-7pm and Friday, April 21, 9 am -1pm. COA, 10 Walnut St, Milton. 

Attention Wildcat Nation! Registration for the 2023 tackle football, cheer and flag football programs is now open – register here. 

Join us in the Forbes House Museum library room for an evening of poetry by two lyrical female writers, as they explore the past and examine social issues, memory and motherhood. Anna V.Q. Ross will read from her latest award-winning book entitled “Flutter, Kick.” Martha Collins, an editor, translator and award-winning author out of Cambridge, will read from her book “Casualty Reports.” Anna’s and Martha’s books will be available for sale and signing at the event. Light refreshments will be served. Friday, March 31, 6:30 pm, Suggested donation: $10. Space is limited. Learn more or reserve your spot here. 

Milton Chess Club will be held at the Milton Public Library from April 25 – May 30. International Master David Vigorito has been teaching chess to Milton students for over 12 years. The spring session starts on Tuesday, April 25. There are two different levels with classes at 5:30 and 6:45. Details can be found here. Space is very limited! Questions: dvigorito@msn.com.

Forbes House Museum Author Talk and Book Signing with James Conroy, “Lincoln’s White House: The People’s House in Wartime” on Thursday, April 6, 2023 at 7pm at the Forbes House Museum, 215 Adams Street. $10/person, FREE for members and High School students. Thank you to our sponsors Tom and Polly Martinson!

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 Spring (K-8) 2023 season and summer camp (up to age 18)! All 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.

The Milton Public Library’s calendar of  April programs for kids can be found  here.

  • Celebrate April Fools Day on Saturday, April 1 with a silly craft in the Story Hour Room! Stop by anytime between 1-5pm to create funny face collages. No registration required.
  • 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.

To learn more and to register for programs for kids, teens, and adults, please visit the MPL website.

BLOG SUBSCRIPTION: If you do not receive the Superintendent’s Weekly Update and would like to, please enter your email here to subscribe to this one weekly email.

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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on March 30, 2023