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

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. 

• An email was sent to the primary email on file on May 15. The email was from a “no reply” MPS email address. Please check your email and your spam folders. 
• The email contains a link – specific to your family – to upload all required documents. 
• The Re-establishment of Residency letter with all details is linked here. In addition, the MPS required residency documents can be found here.
• If you no longer have the link to upload documents, you can drop them in the lockbox outside the front door at Milton High School or email them to residency@miltonps.org.
• Please email residency@miltonps.org with questions. 

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! 

• 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.

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

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.