Superintendent Gormley releases updates for week of May 14, 2020

Updates include food service, high school happenings, residency re-establishment, and more.

As we look ahead to the next five and a half weeks of remote learning in the Milton Public Schools, I want to take a moment to discuss and reframe some of the expectations we have for our students.

As the school closure has twice been extended, there have been 3 phases of remote learning in MPS with the most recent phase beginning this past week. With this final phase of remote learning, we are shifting the language around student expectations. Our goal is 100% student participation in 100% of the meetings, lessons, and activities offered by classroom teachers and specialists every week. As Commissioner Riley wrote in a recent letter, “We understand that some families are experiencing financial strain, job and food insecurity, mental and physical health issues, or other difficulties and academics may not be the primary focus right now. At the same time, we need to be sure that students are attentive to the critical skills and knowledge they need to move on to the next level. There is a balance between “holding students harmless” for circumstances beyond their control while still holding them accountable for work and performance.” Simply put, this means that while we know there may be extenuating circumstances in your home and we will accommodate those as we always have, we highly encourage, and the expectation is, full participation in all classroom meetings, lessons, and activities. Teachers will be giving timely feedback on all work submitted, just as they would during a regular school week.

As outlined in a recent blog post, your child should be experiencing more teacher-facing online opportunities, from both their classroom and specialist teachers, as well as regular office hours or study halls so that your child has live access to their core teacher(s) on a regular basis. This will continue through the last day of school on June 23rd.

Commissioner Riley sent a letter to all parents and guardians on May 8th outlining the phases of remote learning. I encourage you to read it in the link here. As always, I appreciate your continued partnership and invite you to contact your child’s teacher or principal with any comments or concerns about your child’s school experience.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

The next School Committee meeting will be on May 27, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. School Committee meetings can be watched On Demand on Milton Access TV or you can join the meeting remotely. Please see the School Committee agendas posted on the Town of Milton Website for remote access.

RESIDENCY RE-ESTABLISHMENT

In the Spring of 2015, the Milton School Committee passed a Residency Policy that states “students who are enrolled in the Milton Public Schools shall be required to re-establish residency prior to entering grades six and nine as well as Milton Public School students who attend school out-of-town.*” The Residency Policy can be found here.

Families who have students in these categories are required to complete the Re-establish Residency Packet found here and provide all necessary documentation. This process is one of the safeguards used by the Milton Public Schools to ensure that all students enrolled in our schools are residents of the town of Milton. Although the re-establsihment process may be an inconvenience for some families, we hope that residents understand that this is a valuable tool to protect taxpayers in the town of Milton. We work year-round on residency issues and this is simply one more method to assist us with ensuring residency compliance.

The district has designated Monday May 25th to Friday June 12th 2020, for the acceptance of Re-establish of Residency Packets. An email will be sent next week to all families who must re-establish residency. To comply with social distancing, all re-establishments will take place remotely.

Please submit your Re-establishment between May 25th and June 12th package to the following email: [email protected].

If you are unable to upload the required documents, please put all necessary documents in a sealed envelope and place it in the lockbox which is located outside the main entrance of Milton High School.

Please email Ms. Sarina Burke, MPS Residency Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions.

A NOTE FROM THE NURSE

MPS Director of Nurses, Kim Coughlin, shares the following information.

This week marks two months since we began remote learning and self-isolating to comply with the Governor’s stay-at-home order.

As of next week the Governor has announced gradual re-openings in some areas, but we still could be more than a year away from life returning to normal. Experts agree that we will need to continue with social distancing and wear masks when we may come within 6 feet of others. Here are some links from the CDC in regards to social distancing- the “Tips for Social Distancing” is especially helpful and gives guidance on the how /why this is important. It also gives a simple, easy explanation of the correct way to wear and clean face coverings and how to make them at home.

FOOD SERVICE

Weekly to-go bags with 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches are available for pick up every Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at MHS and Tucker. These FREE 7 day to-go bags contain low sugar cereal, shelf-stable milk, sun butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and snack bags. ANY Milton family is welcome to pick up a weekly to-go bag as the goal is to support any food insecure student. As of yesterday, we have served 25,082 meals to students since remote learning began on March 16th!

If you would like to apply for Free and Reduced meals, for once school is back in session please see this link for the application and more information. These weekly to-go bags of breakfasts and lunches are available to ALL Milton students during the school closing.

If you have a hardship and are in need of more convenient hours for pick up, please contact Food Service Director Jackie Morgan via email at [email protected] or phone at 617-898-1051. MPS families in need of support during this time are also encouraged to email MPS Family Outreach Liaison Marti O’Keefe McKenna at [email protected] or by phone at 617-980-7343.

HIGH SCHOOL HAPPENINGS

MHS student Edward Enyedy’s process video for one of his AP Art Portfolio pieces based on Hercules 12 Labors is worth the watch.

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The Elephant in the Room has produced it’s first-ever digital issue. Thank you to all who have been involved in keeping the student newspaper alive during the school closure. Contributing to this issue included Will Scannell , Charlotte Lawrence , Ralph Destin, Brandon Seeto, Matthew Sullivan, Elliot Cargill, Isabel Murley, Claire Walko, Ian Lundeen, Joe Krueger, Katie Wrightington, Molly Strout, Taliah Gabriel and advisor Mr. Young. You can read the digital edition here!

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The MHS PTSFO and MHS Athletics have several ways you can support an MHS season during this graduation season.

Adopt a Milton 2020 Senior: Send them a letter, card, gift card, snack – you get the idea, anything to let them know just how proud we are of all their accomplishments. You can join the Facebook page here. If you do not have a Facebook account you can ask a friend to post on Facebook for you with your senior’s bio and a picture or email Annellen Lydon at [email protected] to have your student posted.

Paint the Town Red and White: Starting June 1st, show your support by displaying Milton colors by decorating your door, fence or mailbox red and white. Display your Milton flag with pride. Wear red and white on June 7th, Graduation Day. Use any creative ways to show your support to our MPS seniors!

20MilesFor2020 Challenge: MHS Athletics would love you to join us in honoring the class of 2020 by participating in our #20MilesFor2020 Challenge. We are challenging members of the MPS Community to stay active and honor the seniors of this year’s graduating class between now and the end of May. Here is how you can participate:

• Choose a day between now and May 31st to complete 20 miles of walking, running, biking, hiking, etc.
• You can complete all 20 miles on your own or as part of a relay team that works remotely with one another to complete the challenge. Get your friends, sports team, club, music group, or family to join you! Split up the mileage among team members and have some fun!
• Snap a selfie or picture of the mileage on your watch/phone/bike and tag @MHS_Wildcats_ on Twitter using the hashtag #20MilesFor2020 to show your support!

PIERCE PAGES

Pierce has developed a website to serve as a centralized location for accessing weekly content and assignments for students. Please click here to access the site.

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Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Pierce STEM Fair! Please join us in congratulating the following students:

Best Design Engineering Project

• William Rhee and Dominic Schettino, Grade 6 – Could We Design Hover Cars to Help Stop Global Warming?

Best Experimental Project

• 1st place: Lilly Oslin, Grade 7- Will planting seeds or plants in soil reduce the amount of soil erosion?
• 2nd place: Sydney Burns and Isabella Lee, Grade 7 – Does it matter what you say or how you say it? Which makes the biggest impact
• 3rd place: Ryan Denny, Grade 6 – How does the design of a bridge affect the amount of weight it can hold?

Honorable Mention for Scientific Experimentation

• Chidubem Unamka and Edidiong Ebong, Grade 7 – How do different fuels affect the height of a bottle rocket in flight?
• Madison Sison, Grade 6 – Which fabric burns quickest?

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Presentation: The judges want to recognize these students who impressed us with their ability to not only speak about their projects but also answer questions with a level of scientific expertise that exceeded expectations.

• Cora Redmond, Grade 8 – Is there a correlation between musical background and the ability to sing in-tune?
• Kyle Denny, Grade 8 – What is the most efficient type of battery for storing electrical energy in a power grid?

We had several students who were planning to represent the Pierce at the next level of competition, the Region V Science Fair at Regis College. Unfortunately, the fair was canceled, but we would like to recognize: William Rhee, Dominic Schettino, Ryan Denny, Ella Cantor, Sydney Burns, Isabella Lee, Chidubem Unamka, Edidiong Ebong, and Kyle Denny.

Pierce also had four students who were selected as winners in the Cambridge Science Festival’s Curiosity Challenge. In addition to receiving a certificate of recognition, the student’s entries will be published in a book. We can’t wait to see their wonderings in print! Congratulations to 6th graders Emma Dhima, Charlotte Garrity and Fiona Tobin and 7th grader Ruby Dolgon!

INSIDE OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

All elementary district-wide learning opportunities can be found on the Elementary At-Home Learning Opportunities website, which is linked on each school website as well as the MPS website.

All elementary specialist teachers have live or recorded instructional videos each week on the elementary website. These sessions are being shared by the classroom teacher and being posted on the MPS Elementary At-Home Learning Website. As well as finding the links to video lessons under your school’s “Weekly Specialists” option, students can continue to access supplemental resource material to enrich at home learning in specific subject areas.

We found this Etiquette for Online Learning video to be helpful in setting expectations and hope you will take a minute to watch with your child.

Elementary Music Makers – are you doing the 30 Day Song Challenge?
We hope so! See this Message from your Elementary Music Teachers for details.

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Glover student’s in Mrs.McCarthy’s 1st-grade class recent social studies lesson was about the American Flag and the symbols associated with it. Students were then asked to design their own flag and share what the symbols represent.

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This week’s elementary art lesson is about the art element Value. Value is how light or dark a color is, as well as light and dark on objects, including shadows. Students were asked to design their own ice cream cone and practice using value to color it in using any materials they may have at home.

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Thank you to Cunningham parent Elena Stoeva who taught an amazing video art class last week for Cunningham teachers and their families for teacher appreciation week.

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Cunningham 5th graders enjoyed a surprise visit this week as teachers delivered their 5th-grade t-shirts. Thank you to Mrs. Chen, Ms. Germano, Mrs. Harkins, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Joyce, Ms. Madcomber, Mrs. McClain, Mrs. McDonough, Ms. Morton, Mrs. Gray, Mrs. Nolan, Ms. Watrous and Mrs. Zoll for making deliveries Happy smiles all around!

CURRICULUM CHALLENGE

Click here for this week’s math puzzles from MPS K-12 Math Director Brian Selig.

TRANSPORTATION

Registration to ride the bus for the 2020-2021 school year will open online at 8:00 a.m. on June 1st and close on June 12th at midnight.

Please note that as the Milton Public Schools awaits guidance from Governor Baker and DESE regarding social distancing guidelines in schools and on school buses, bus fees will NOT be collected until actual bus assignments are made over the summer. Bus registration will not require payment of fees at this time. Fees will be assessed and bills emailed over the summer when guidelines and ridership numbers are in place.

The current MPS transportation policy states that in accordance with MA State Law, MPS guarantees transportation to and from school for all students in K-6th grade who live two miles or more from their assigned school, and the remaining seats are sold on a first come first served basis at a fee of $275 per rider with a family maximum of $550. Please note that registration for these remaining seats by June 12th does NOT guarantee a seat on the bus and that there were waiting lists on many routes during the 2019-2020 school year.

Due to the school closure, as part of the registration process families who paid a bus fee this year will have their refund of $90 per rider or $180 family maximum credited toward their bus fee for the upcoming school year. Families can request credits from students not riding in the upcoming year be credited toward siblings in the registration portal. Families that will NOT be registering to ride in the 2020-2021 school year or those who want their refunds now, will have the opportunity to request their refund in check form in a separate online link beginning June 1st as well.

Per MPS policy, any student with an outstanding Food Services bill greater than $20.00 is not allowed to register for any fee-based program (including bus service) until that balance has been paid off. Please contact the Director of Nutrition Services Jackie Morgan to settle your foodservice bill if needed.

Students entering Grades 6 and 9 in the fall will need to complete their residency re-establishment online prior to being issued a bus pass over the summer. You may register for the bus without re-establishing residency but the pass will not be issued until re-establishment is complete.

Thank you and please direct any transportation questions to Rachel Schewe at [email protected].

STUDENT REGISTRATION

During the School Closure, Registrar Sarina Burke will be registering students online when applicable. Effective immediately, the Milton Public Schools will be accepting online registrations for students enrolling for:

• The remainder of the 2019-20 school year
• Kindergarten for the 2020 – 21 school year
• Students enrolled in private Kindergarten and wish to enroll their child in Grade 1 in the Milton Public schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

Please do not delay in registering your student in the above categories. As we plan for the 2020-21 school year, accurate numbers are important for staffing and logistics.

All other registrations for the school year 2020-2021 will be conducted in July and August 2020.

Please visit our registration page for all details on student registration and to register your student who falls into the above categories.

MSAPC

The MSAPC is offering Webinar Wednesdays this month. Each webinar in the Milton Learns Together: Webinar Wednesdays series is approximately 30 minutes long with a question and answer period to follow. They are free and no registration is required. All of the webinars can be accessed by entering this address into your computer’s or phone’s browser: zoom.us/j/92433263470 and entering your name and email.

Next Wednesday, May 20th at 7:00 p.m., the webinar is titled, “Hidden in Plain Sight”.

The situation presented to us by COVID-19 comes at a time when tobacco companies are adjusting to the new legal landscape of vaping in Massachusetts. We are seeing new, emerging products that are targeted at youth. In part 1 of this webinar, find out about these products, what they do, and what they look like, from a presentation by Mary Cole, of the Greater Boston Tobacco-Free Community Partnership. She will also review how vaping has shown to complicate COVID-19 infections as well as discuss free cessation resources for those who want to quit.

In part 2, Stormy Leung, MSAPC’s Project Coordinator will take you on a virtual tour of a mock teenage bedroom. Do you know where the drugs and alcohol might be hidden? Are there clues here that might indicate drug or alcohol use? Finally, she will share some prevention tips and resources for families.

For more information, please go to the Milton Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition website.

TECHNOLOGY

You can find all technology resources about Google Classroom, Plus Portals, Study Island, and Chromebooks in this document.

Are you looking for support with parental controls over your home network? If so, please check out Common Sense Media’s Parents Ultimate Guide to Parental Controls. Also, if you have Xfinity by Comcast here is the information they provide.

LIBRARY RESOURCES

Elementary librarian Josh Coben will host storytime programs on Milton Public Access TV starting on Monday, May 18. “Stories out of School” will air in two half-hour segments, “Mr. Coben’s Schoolhouse” (lower elementary) and “Bookquest Milton” (upper elementary). Picture books, chapter books, and poetry will be on the menu, served up by Mr. Coben and school staff guest readers. Our first episodes will feature books by the late Rebecca Bond, a gifted children’s author-illustrator, and Cunningham parent.

Episodes will air back-to-back every day from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Milton TV’s Education channel, Comcast channel 022, and RCN channel 015. New episodes will air on Mondays and Thursdays, with repeats on the days in between. Check listings for additional airtimes during the day. If you’re not able to catch the broadcasts, most programs will be available on Milton TV’s Video on Demand website.

Click on the links for a sneak peek at the intros for Mr. Coben’s Schoolhouse and Bookquest Milton!

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Pierce Librarian Jess Royster shares the following. Looking for ways to entertain your students (or yourself)? Do you feel like your life is lacking culture while self-isolating? There is a simple solution to that! Check out different museum websites! You can travel far to the Louvre, or stay local at the Museum of Fine Arts or the Boston Museum of Science. All of these websites are offering online gallery tours, articles, music, and more.

If you are more into cultural sites, then you can travel the world using Google maps street view and Google Earth. The National Park Service is offering virtual tours of historic sites, monuments, and our beautiful national parks.

COUNSELORS CORNER

Each week, one of our MPS Counselors will share information or resources. Last week, Mr. Cadet from Tucker wrote to the MPS community. This week, Collicot and Pierce School Psychologist Layren Marley checks in below.

Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, I have applied several strategies that promote my own self- care, while also supporting my children’s and students’ needs during this pandemic. However, one area that tends to fall lower on my priority list is my relationship with my significant other. Each and every one of us has our own unique situation that looks very different not only from family to family but even within our family, change occurs day today. This new normal has added more levels of stress and could possibly contribute to more disagreements that weren’t present prior to coronavirus. For example, the breakdown of communication can cause disagreements in some of these areas: home learning/teaching practices, creating new routines, balancing work and virtual meetings among everyone in the household, best ways to communicate with our children about the virus, or how much technology should be allotted each day. This past week it was evident that me and my husband’s stamina had run out and we both were running on empty. The lack of energy and added stress resulted in heightened levels of frustration and being easily annoyed with each other. I realized that self-care is key to successfully getting through the home challenges of this pandemic, but maintaining a healthy relationship and connecting with my significant other is equally important. It was then that we started putting to practice some skills and strategies that I have learned in the past many years working in my field. These strategies helped bring balance back to our relationship with each other which in turn helped us to better support our family. Here are some tips that we found helpful and I hope that you will find them helpful too!

Tips to Nurture Partner Care

1. Perspective is Everything-Sometimes it can feel that with all of this added stress and disruption your relationship is the crisis when in reality your relationship is just living through a crisis. Talk about past relationship victories to remind yourselves of how you persevered through prior challenges, which confirms your resiliency as a couple.
2. Amp up the Communication– The more stress that is placed on a relationship, the more the communication needs to increase. This needs to be intentional, supportive, and constructive.

Discuss needs with daily check-ins. This can be as simple as one-word check-ins (e.g. tired, energized, frustrated) and can be done with all members of the family.

Family Gap Plan-Ever since we have been social distancing and remote learning, it seems like we are working harder than we ever have. Some days it seems that we are being asked to give more than what we are physically and/or emotionally able to give. Dr. Brene Brown developed the family gap plan which allows the family to bridge the gap that is caused by these stressful and challenging times. For example, my husband may be at 30% and I may be at 30%, and we need to come together to see how we will make up the 40% by establishing some family guidelines and supports. For that day it may include: schoolwork/teaching time is going to be reduced by half, no harsh words or critiques, allowing everyone a 15-minute alone downtime, and extra hugs and compliments. Every family is different and their plans will have different supports. Depending on the day, even plans/supports that have been successful in the past may need some tweaking. Thus making those daily check-ins necessary and meaningful.

1. Date Nights. Get Creative!– At least twice a month my husband and I plan a night where we set up a movie for our kids, and we have a home date. Plan a time to watch your favorite show or movie, get dressed up, or play a game. My sister recently found a creative way to hold a home date by working around her toddlers naptime. While parked in the driveway, her daughter slept in the car seat, as she and her husband enjoyed some delivered food in their car. It is important to reframe date night expectations. We have accepted that our date nights look different from those prior to covid and now include the interruption of our kids asking for snacks every 30 minutes, or a sibling argument that needs to be resolved! In reframing our expectations, we can still enjoy the time we set aside for each other.
2. Gratitude– Simply taking the time to thank your partner or family members can make a huge impact! Studies show that when people practice expressing gratitude, they have higher levels of optimism, increased life satisfaction, and decreased negative feelings. Additionally, people who regularly express gratitude appreciate close relationships and feel better about life and work. Remember that gratitude is not about comparison, but rather looking at your life and finding what you can be appreciative for.

You all are doing an amazing job. Remember to find the positives and take time out of your day to smile and laugh with one another. This pandemic will come to an end, and if we focus on the well-being of ourselves, our relationships, and our community, we will all be stronger because of it!

FAMILY RESOURCES

Food Resources: MPS Food Service To-Go Program is a valuable resource to assist families in providing nutritious breakfast and lunches to their children. Pick up times are 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at both the Tucker School (behind the school) and Milton High School (on the Canton Ave side of the building). ANY Milton family is welcome to pick up 7 days worth of breakfasts and lunches in a To-Go bag as the goal is to support any food-insecure students.

Interfaith Social Services Pantry Shelf. If you are in need of additional food the Interfaith Social Services Food Pantry, located at 105 Adams St., Quincy is open Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. and Wednesdays 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. for families in need during this difficult time.

Project Bread shares information and links to food assistance programs in Massachusetts here.

Financial Support: Milton Residents Fund MRF. Any Milton residents 18 or older facing a financial crisis can reach out to the MRF for help with things like rental or mortgage assistance, utility assistance, winter heating oil, small car repair fees, educational or professional development fees, or medical expenses.

Support Services: The BRYT (Bridge For Resilient Youth in Transition) Family Engagement Team is offering support to families to help manage these difficult times during the state school suspension. Parent Support Group; Parent Support Webinar; COVID-19; Community Resources; Facebook – BRYT offers a closed Facebook group for peer to peer support. Come talk with parents who are going through similar situations. Just search “BRYT Family Support” and ask to join.

Tutoring: Free Tutoring Resource for Military-Connected Students can be found on Tutor.com/military.

MPS Family Liaison: Milton Public Schools is committed to being a resource for you. Whether you are unsure of how to connect with school staff or directly need a referral for services or supplies please don’t hesitate to reach out to Marti O’Keefe McKenna, MPS Family Outreach Liaison at 617-980-7343 or by email at [email protected]. All calls and emails are confidential.

ART AND MUSIC

The instrumental Applied Lessons Program has been continuing virtually through this time. Our students have been engaged in video lessons and recitals with their teachers and peers. Recently, one of our flute teachers Ms. Chu held a recital with her elementary flute students!

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Every day is “Celebrate a Musical Senior Day” on the FAME Facebook page. We sure miss hearing our musicians play together, but we know they are making beautiful music at home. Let’s celebrate them here!

Josh Riggs Chorus- Bass, Ensembles:​ ​Mixed Chorus, Select Chorus, Numerous after school ensembles.

• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? Spending hours after school in the chorus room writing music with my friend and just having fun making songs.
• What are your future plans?I plan on teaching dance while pursuing a degree in physics.
• What has music meant to you? It’s given me an outlet through which I could express myself, It gave me a community in which I felt I belonged.
• What are you listening to now?​ ​Hip hop/Rap

Bjonnce Morris Band- Alto Saxophone – Ensembles:​ ​Concert Band, Pep Band

• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? My first time volunteering at the Senior District was very memorable.
• What are your future plans? I’m going to study Business but Music will always be a part of my daily life.
• What has music meant to you? Music is what I really revolve around.
• What are you listening to now?​ ​A Classical Strings Playlist

Kathryn McCarthy Band- Clarinet; Ensembles:​ ​Concert Band, Marching Band

• What are you listening to now? Oldies from the early 2000’s
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? All of the band camps for marching band! from the sweltering heat to pouring rain, we were always able to laugh and make jokes with each other while learning a show that would keep everyone entertained for the fall season.
• What are your future plans? Suffolk University- Biochemistry
• What has music meant to you? Music has been a part of my life since I was born and I am grateful for that. It has helped build me into the person I am today. Music also has the ability to brighten my day in any situation and I am proud that I now have the ability to play an instrument and will always have that ability.

Mikey McCarthy Chorus- Tenor Ensembles:​ ​Mixed Chorus

• What are you listening to now? Michael Buble
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? My favorite memory of the department is always the music banquet. I love that one night all the music students come together to celebrate each other.
• What are your future plans? I will be attending college next year but I have not decided which one yet, I will be studying stage management and technical theatre.
• What has music meant to you?Music has always meant a lot for me. I never found myself truly enjoying myself playing on the field or court, but I always enjoyed music. I have been tap dancing for 15 years and it has been the most important part of my life since I started. Music has always been about making friends, doing what you love, and being who you want to be.

Danielle Needham Band- Percussion; Ensembles:​ ​Percussion Ensemble, Concert Band, Pep Band

• What are you listening to now? Metal
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? My favorite memory is freshman year, during the band photo, the percussion section held up all their instruments, including a bass drum, crash cymbals, bells, etc.
• What are your future plans? Xavier University
• What has music meant to you? Music is a way to express yourself and release all the stress and confusion of the world. Music does not always make sense and that’s the fun of it, it doesn’t have to! Music can mean whatever you want it to.

Rowan Leggett Band/Jazz-Alto Saxophone; Ensembles:​ ​Band, Jazz 1 and 2, Marching Band, Mixed After School Chorus, Acapella, Saxophone Quartet

• What are you listening to now?Jazz and Pop
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? Taking part in the musical for the first time and meeting such an accepting and friendly group of people.
• What are your future plans? I want to pursue a career in musical theatre and will be attending Temple University.
• What has music meant to you? Music has been everything to me. It helped me through the more difficult times in my life and has given me a career that I feel truly passionate about.

Kate Possi Strings- Cello, Jazz- Guitar; Ensembles:​ ​MHS String Ensemble, MHS Jazz Band, MHS Marching Band, and MHS Percussion Ensemble

• What are you listening to now? Jazz Guitarist Emily Remler and Singer/Songwriter Julia Jacklin
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? Going to MICCA and being a part of the MHS Marching Band!
• What are your future plans? I intend on pursuing a career in Music Education at the University of New Hampshire.
• What has music meant to you? Music has introduced me to an incredible group of people and it has given me an outlet to share my art and what I’m passionate about with the people I care about.

Ava Duggan Band/Jazz- Clarinet; Ensembles:​ ​Jazz, Marching Band, Band

• What are you listening to now? A lot of alternative/classic rock
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? The music trip to New York, one of the best parts was the bus trip, everyone was packed together for so long but we all got to know each other and entertained each other.
• What are your future plans? I am attending Northeastern University to major in Public Health Science and will be running cross country and track/field.
• What has music meant to you? Music has been a way for me to meet amazing people and develop a strong work ethic through doing something I love. I have seen many levels of musicianship throughout high school, and it has been inspiring how music has been able to develop a student’s character, such as my own. In the music department, everyone is willing to be anyone’s friend. Music has given me a new outlook on how one thing can bring so many people together and create relationships that will last forever.

Christina Akut Band- Percussion; Ensembles:​ ​Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble, Pep Band

• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? Toronto Trip.
• What are your future plans? Attend Emmanuel College on a Pre-med track.
• What has music meant to you? Music has always been a place where I can be creative and not have to worry about having the “right” answer.
• What are you listening to now? Of Heroes and Demons (of course) and country and pop.

Aidan Guilderson Band- Bassoon Ensembles:​ ​Mixed Chorus (1 year), Concert Band (3 years), Marching Band (3 years), Boys Chorus (1 year), X-mas Carolers (1 year)

• What are you listening to now? Showtunes
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? First time meeting Mrs Damiani and asking her to play the oboe, then getting a bassoon and trying to play it for the first time. If it weren’t for her I wouldn’t be where I am now.
• What are your future plans? I committed to Dean College down in Franklin MA, to pursue a degree in Technical Theatre. And I plan on becoming a professional Light designer. However I’m still going to be involved with music.
• What has music meant to you? Music has always been the key to understanding my emotions and who I am. Music not only built up walls to protect me, but it also tore them down to set me free.

Esme Link Band/Jazz- French Horn Ensembles:​ ​Marching Band, Concert Band, Jazz 1, Esme and Kate, Brass Choir.

• What are you listening to now? Lucy Dacus! ALSO Mahler Symphony no. 3
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? BAND CAMP!!!! I miss band camp SO MUCH. It’s amazing what we accomplish in a week and we never stop smiling!
• What are your future plans? I’ll be attending Oberlin College and Conservatory for French Horn Performance!
• What has music meant to you? Music has meant actually everything to me. I don’t think I’ve ever had a day without it. It’s what has really connected me to the people I love and care about today, and I am so grateful for the MHS music department for this.

Coleman Rose Band/Jazz- Saxophone; Ensembles:​ ​Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, Little Big Band, Concert Band, Marching Band, and Saxophone Choir.

• What are you listening to now? Joshua Redman by Joshua Redman
• What is your favorite memory as a member of the MHS Music Department? It is hard to pinpoint one memory because my favorite moments at Milton High have been the Wednesday night rehearsals and playing music with all my friends from the past four years. Getting to share music with the people who I am closest with has been very special. Some of the most hilarious things and most incredible moments from the past four years have happened in these rehearsals. I will always remember the band room and the auditorium stage with fondness because of the unforgettable moments that have happened there.
• What are your future plans? I will be majoring in Jazz Studies at Oberlin Conservatory. After that, I look to play music for the rest of my life.
• What has music meant to you? Music is everything to me. I would not be the man I am today without the dedication of the MHS staff that pushed me to improve my craft and my lifestyle. I would not be the man I am today without my peers and friends who have been with me every step of the day on this journey, and who I have had the honor of making beautiful music with.

ATHLETICS

Senior Student-Athlete Spotlight
Each day we will spotlight our senior student-athletes from the spring season. Our student-athletes have worked for years towards their senior year. Some are captains, some are playing their last competitive season, others were looking for a 3rd straight State Title. Social Distancing will without a doubt save lives, but for our student-athletes, right now, it still hurts to miss out on their final season. Let’s give them the recognition they deserve! Here are this week’s highlights.

Bobby Carew – The improvements Bobby has made over the past few years are remarkable. During the cross country season, he placed first individually at the Bay State Conference meet and he led his team to 2nd place (behind only perennial powerhouse Wellesley). He followed that performance 2 weeks later with team and individual wins at the Eastern Massachusetts Division 3 meet. Since his freshman year, he has improved his mile time by 20 seconds and his 2-mile time by almost a full minute. At every meet and every practice, he always puts his team first. During the track season, distance runners compete in events ranging from the 800 meters to the two-mile. He tells us to put him in whichever event will help the team the most. As coaches, we truly appreciate that level of dedication and generosity. He takes his talents to UMass Amherst next fall where we are sure he will continue to succeed as a student-athlete. Also a captain for the XC and Hockey Team!

John Walsh – John is an outfielder and Pitcher for the Baseball Team. He also played Hockey too, as part of the team that took them back to the MIAA Tournament this past winter. John was a crucial piece to the Hockey Team. He had very fine stick skills for a big kid and can throw heat on the mound. John’s laid back personality keeps the bench and dugout light but he is also very competitive.

Owen Leddy – Senior Captain. Lives on the crease at attack, loves sticking g’s. Working on his flow. Majors in lacrosse, minors in hockey, and track. Part of the Boys Cross Country Team that won the Eastern MA Championships this past fall and help the Hockey Team return to the tournament with excellent Penalty Kill and the 2nd PowerPlay unit. Visits Trainer Patty’s office every day. Favorite quote- “Aye Aye middies aye!” – Coach A

Andrew Nilsen – Andrew is one of the most reliable, motivated, and kindest athletes I have ever met. “We can assign him any task and he will get it done quickly and efficiently. His work ethic has brought him big improvements. His teammates notice how hard he works as well. Before races, when we meet with kids one on one to discuss their goals, his name comes up the most often. An athlete will say something like “I would like to improve my time in the mile, but I really want to see Andrew have a big PR. He has been working so hard.” He has played a crucial role in his team’s success over the past few years.” – Coach Jordan

COMMUNITY NEWS

The 43rd Annual Milton 10K/5K Road Race – VIRTUAL EDITION – will be held June 8 – 14, 2020!

As marathons and races across the globe are being postponed, canceled, or transformed during the pandemic, we have made the decision to run the 43rd Annual Milton Road Race as a virtual event. Why are we running? This race, through the collective generosity of you, your neighbors, and local businesses, has enabled scholarships for Milton high school students and grants for local community service organizations in Milton for 42 years. All details on this virtual road race can be found here! Please consider signing up at this link to run soon. All details can be found here.

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Brookwood Community Farm, 11 Blue Hill River Rd, Canton, is accepting applications for SNAP farm shares and also has financial aid available. Please go to www.brookwoodcommunityfarm.org and look under the Our CSA tab for more information.

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There is much fun to be had virtually this season in the Children’s Room at the Milton Public Library!

Cool family activities including electronic and audiobooks, live programs, virtual storytimes, and more are available every day from ​www.miltonlibrary.org​ and the Library’s Facebook pages. We have these exciting online programs happening for the young people in your life during May

IMPORTANT MPS CONTACTS

• Mary Gormley, Superintendent of Schools, [email protected]
• Glenn Pavlicek, Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs, [email protected]
• Dr. Karen Spaulding, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Human Resources, [email protected]
• MHS Principal James Jette, [email protected]
• PMS Principal Bill Fish, [email protected]
• Glover Principal Karen McDavitt, [email protected]
• Cunningham Principal Jon Redden, [email protected]
• Tucker Principal Dr. Elaine McNeil-Girmai, [email protected]
• Collicot Principal Holly Concannon, [email protected]
• Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Special Education, Susan Maselli [email protected]
• Director of Food Service Jackie Morgan, [email protected]
• Family Outreach Liaison Marti O’Keefe McKenna, [email protected]
• Milton Health Department Caroline Kinsella, [email protected]

MPS school Adjustment Counselors: Jennie Beliveau, Kenneth Adelmann (Milton High School); Myriam Francoeur, Kara Sheridan, Kelly Dearing (Pierce), Jaclyn Germano (Cunningham); Elizabeth Caruso (Collicot) ; Ramsay Cadet (Tucker) Brian Powers, Christine Howley (Glover)

Central Office is staffed every day (we are practicing safe social distancing) and you can reach the Superintendent’s office any time via phone at 617-686-4808 or via email.

We have compiled a comprehensive and ever-changing list of Frequently Asked Questions linked here.

AMBASSADOR PAGE

As part of our E-blast, we highlight students, teachers or members of the community whose hard work deserves recognition. Please read about some of their accomplishments below:

STUDENTS:

Thank you to MHS juniors Graham O’Donnell, Chloe McCarthy, and Luke Calcagno who recently delivered 2,000 masks to the Milton Department of Public Health. Funds were almost entirely raised through their classmates with $7.15 donations to purchase the masks from New Balance, which last month began producing masks to help keep first responders and essential workers safe. The students organized and raised enough in just a few days to purchase 3 large boxes and New Balance generously donated the 4th box to their effort. We are proud of and grateful to these students and their efforts on behalf of the Town of Milton!

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