Superintendent Jette releases updates for week of June 23, 2022

This week’s highlights include End of Year Celebrations!, MPS Summer Information, Bus Registration Closes 6/24, Residency Re-establishment, Congratulations to Girls 4X800 Relay and Baseball!, MHS Student Government Honors Staff, and more.

From The Desk Of The SuperintendentFrom The Desk Of The Superintendent

As the 2021-22 school year comes to an end, I am conflicted as to how to sum up a year that is considered by many to be one of the most challenging years in public education in recent US history. MPS was not immune to the difficulties faced by our country and at times our school year was contentious and angry, sad and scary. It was also happy and joyous, and our students were curious, engaged, and enthusiastic as their accomplished teachers and staff did what they do best – teach and support our students in the pursuit of academic excellence and social emotional well being.

The word I would like to personally focus on is grateful. I am grateful to the MPS faculty and staff for their incredible work throughout this challenging school year. I am grateful to our MPS families for their ongoing support – it is recognized and so appreciated. I am grateful to our MPS volunteers ( PTO leaders; MHS parents/guardians who support athletics, art and music; MHS, Pierce and elementary families who organize the end of year activities for our students at every level;  Site Council and Diversity Committee members) without whom much of the fun and excitement you see below would not be possible.

Above all, I am grateful to our MPS students who bring “it” –  enthusiasm, joy, curiosity, drive, compassion – to school every single day.  Our students, your children, make the Milton Public Schools a vibrant place to learn and grow and I am thankful to be your Superintendent.

While our school year is ending, Central Office is open all summer and we can be reached at 617-696-4808. Our summer programs will begin after July 4 and our buildings will be humming with activity serving over 1000 students for much of the summer. As we look forward to the final day of school tomorrow,  I invite you to read on below to see some of our end of year fun as well as some wrap up reminders. I wish you and your family a wonderful and relaxing summer and time well spent with family and friends.

Important Dates & Information

• June 24 Last Day of School, Early Release
• June 29 School Committee Meeting

MPS Calendars: 2022-23 One Page School Year Calendar; District-Wide Calendar of Events for times and details on current events.

Next year’s calendar includes four Late Start days (9/23, 10/28, 1/17, 3/31) new to the MPS calendar.  These days will be used for Staff Professional Development, similar to Early Release days. Your child’s school day will begin 2 hours later on these days, ESAP will be open for enrolled students at the elementary schools, and lunch and afterschool activities will continue as usual.

Bus registration for the 2022-23 school year will close on June 24, 2022. Please visit our Transportation Page for all details and links.

Residency re-establishment is past due. If you fail to re-establish residency for your child who is entering grades six or nine,  you will not receive their MHS class schedule or their Pierce team assignment. Please submit the required documents via the link provided in the email you received on June 6, 2022 or drop the documents in the lockbox outside the main entrance of Milton High School. All details can be found in the Re-establishment of Residency Letter linked here. In addition, the MPS required residency documents can be found here. Thank you for your attention to this matter and please email [email protected] with questions.

Health And Safety

COVID Updates: MPS reported 3 staff and 6 students positive for the week of 6/16-6/22. This is the last week of reporting per DESE/ DPH. In total MPS reported 254 staff and 1439 students positive this school year.

Children ages 6 months through 5 years old who live in Massachusetts are now able to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Please speak to your child’s doctor about their plans to administer the vaccine now that it is available and raise any questions or concerns you have about the vaccine and your child.

Families may feel most comfortable getting their youngest children vaccinated by their primary care provider, but retail pharmacies are also able to vaccinate children aged 3 and above. More information, including safety information, where to get vaccinated, and helpful questions and answers, is available here. 

MPS Summer

Summer Reading Challenge for Grades K-6! Our goal is to have Milton Summer Readers read ONE MILLION minutes over the course of the summer! Teachers introduced the Summer Reading Challenge to elementary students in class and all details can be found here.

Pierce readers will visit the Pierce Summer Reading 2022 website to choose, read, and respond to texts over the summer.

MHS students can find all summer work information here.

Summertime Stories: For children up to 6 years old along with a parent or caregiver. Miss Sara, from the Milton Public Library, will read stories, sing songs, and delight children at four sessions held around town.

• July 21 & August 18­­­­­­­­­­­: At the Tucker Playground
• July 28 & August 4: At Cunningham Park
• All sessions will begin at 10:00 a.m.
• Please bring a blanket to sit on.
• If it rains, we will move indoors to the Tucker gymnasium or Cunningham Hall.

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!

Summer Meals: MPS is not eligible to serve meals this summer, but please see below for local options.

Project Bread has  up to date information with locations all over MA including in Dorchester, Mattapan, Randolph, or Norwood. In addition, the Milton Food Pantry at 158 Blue Hills Parkway in the Parkway United Methodist Church is open every other Saturday throughout the summer on July 9, July 23, August 6 and August 20 from 9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

High School Happenings

Each year, Student Government selects three MHS staff members who have made a significant contribution to the lives of our students. Congratulations to Mme. Liddell, Ms. Peterson and Ms. O’Donnell, this year’s honorees!

The class of 2023 chose MHS Food Service employee Donielle Peterson! “We chose someone who works really hard, and is dedicated to helping students everyday. Whether it be while getting our acai bowls or making us a delicious sandwich from the deli bar, she always serves us with a smile on her face. The past few years have been very difficult so we appreciate all the work she does along with the rest of the staff. The Junior class is pleased to announce that Ms. Peterson, or Dee as we know her, is the winner of this year’s faculty member of the year award.’”

The Class of 2024 chose MHS Food Service employee Maria O’Donnell! “As we approach the end of the year the days seem to all melt together into some giant pile of memories. We’ve had a lot of great days, a few bad ones and many in between, and we begin to reflect on the constants in all of these. A few unsung heroes of the MHS community are the cafeteria workers, who have watched us through our worst and best days, helping feed us to make it a little bit better. I have seen first hand the incredible change in students’ attitudes after having a snack, and am so glad that these staff members are in our lives. So today we’d like to say thank you on behalf of all of 2024 because we don’t say it nearly enough, to Ms. Maria O’Donnell!”

The Class of 2025 chose MHS French teacher Mme. Zofia Liddell! “The recipient of this award facilitated discussions that created a safe, comfortable atmosphere where students could connect with their peers. She has a wonderful spirit and always makes everyone in the room smile. She truly cares about every single person as not only a student but also as an individual…thus the Freshmen class would like to present this award to Mme Liddell!”

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Thank you to Dr. Dennis Burke of BID -Milton who is hosting MHS graduates Brianna DiMaggio, Camila Badia, & Lila Glenn, who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine. Brianna, Camila and Lila are spending a day with Dr. Burke’s  orthopedic surgery team and observing surgeries, making rounds, and meeting healthcare professionals.

Pierce Pages

We are so proud of our students who have performed excellently on the National Latin and National Pegasus Mythology Exams again this year! You can read the full list of winners here. 

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

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

Congratulations to our students and thank you to Pierce teacher Danielle Heubner for her hard work in preparing our students and exposing them to this academic opportunity.

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Mr. Manning’s 6th grade artists have been studying contemporary artists who use maps in their work. 6th graders searched their neighborhood on several mapping sights and used a birds eye view to create a map of where they live. To make the assignment more personal and more connected to each artist, students drew their map in the shape of their profile. Look below to see if you can spot your neighborhood in the profiles at right!

7th and 8th grade artists finished the year strong with a very difficult color wheel assignment and more Pop Art. 7th and 8th grade artists learned how to manipulate the color wheel and discovered that most designers use a color wheel on a daily basis. Students researched NBA uniforms and NFL jerseys to get a glimpse of color schemes and discovered which teams used complimentary colors vs. analogous color schemes. Students were thrilled to watch a color appear as they mixed it before their eyes. Check out some of their terrific work below.

SEPAC

EDUCATE: Please read our 2022 Annual Report to learn what SEPAC has been doing this year. After reading this report, please fill out our survey to inform our plans for 2022-2023.

PARTICIPATE: We need to hear from you! Please fill out this brief, 3 question survey to inform our visioning process for 2022-2023. SEPAC Survey 2022

ADVOCATE: Calling all parents who would like to discuss the French Immersion program from an inclusion and special education angle, please contact Katie McCarty this summer to be part of an evolving conversation.

Art And Music

Is your student interested in learning an instrument? Come be a part of the Instrumental Lesson Program in Milton! All information for beginning students can be found here: Beginner Instrumental Lesson Information

Please fill out the form found HERE to begin the registration process. In order to ensure the best chances of getting your first choice instrument, fill out this form now! Please note that at this time, guitar registration is full. Email Lesson Program Director Rebecca Damiani at [email protected] with questions.

Milton Community Schools 

MCS would like to thank our students and families for a wonderful 2021-22 school year. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer. We can’t wait for next school year! Thanks are also in order to all of our MCS supervisors and staff for their consistent hard work and dedication to our programs and students. You all put a smile on the students’ faces every day and this school year would not have been possible without you.

Athletics

Our Baseball Team was crowned State Champions for the first time in program history! They beat King Philip 4-2 to end their season as the Division II State Champs, finishing the season 22-3, capping an incredible two years. The Baseball Team has gone 39-6 since seeing their Spring Season canceled in 2020. They have won back-to-back Bay State Conference Titles, the 2021 Bay State Conference Tournament, and finished in style with convincing wins throughout the Tournament. Congratulations to players, as well Coach Morrissey and his staff for all the work they have put in over the past two years.

At the same time as the Baseball Team was scoring their second run of the game, our Girls Relay Team was running at the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia! The 4x800m Relay Team of Katie O’Toole, Marilyn Roche, Mia Jilani, and Gretel Schewe finished 7th, with a time of 9:37.53, beating their qualification time by nearly 4 seconds! They were the first place team from Massachusetts! Freshman Gretel Schewe also finished 6th in the 800m with a time of 2:23.46. Quite the accomplishment from four girls that are all returning next year!

Congratulations to the our Spring All Stars and All Scholastics.

• Lacrosse: James Tobin – Bay State Conference; Grace DeBenedictis- Bay State Conference
• Tennis: John Dickens – Bay State Conference; Ethan Tran – Bay State Conference HM; Catalina Abboud – Bay State Conference
• Baseball: Charlie Walker – Bay State Conference MVP, Boston Herald, Patriot Ledger; Brian Foley – Bay State Conference, Boston Herald, Patriot Ledger; Shea Donovan – Bay State Conference, Boston Herald; Owen McHugh – Bay State Conference; Jimmy Fallon – Bay State Conference; Jack Finnegan – Bay State Conference
• Softball: Alona Lynch – Bay State Conference; Sadie Steuterman – Bay State Conference; Shakura Lynch – Bay State Conference HM
• Rugby: Jordan Goddard Brown – Patriot Rugby Conference; Van Tran – Patriot Rugby Conference; Chris Burns – Patriot Rugby Conference; Matt Paquette – Patriot Rugby Conference; Amari Marsman – Patriot Rugby Conference, MVP; Aidan Skillin – Patriot Rugby Conference
• Outdoor Track: Liam Faherty – Bay State Conference

We finished the year with three MVPs this year! Charlie Walker for Baseball, Mason Pellegri for Wrestling, and Amari Marsmann for Rugby!

2022-23 Athletics Registration: Registration for all sports next year will open on July 1st. Students should sign up for ALL sports they intend to try out for. If a student changes their mind, the registration can be edited. Tryout information will be posted with registration.

Summer Speed & Agility Program: For the fourth straight summer, MHS will offer a Speed and Agility Program for student-athletes looking to get in (and stay in) shape! It is great preparation for Fall Athletes in order to prevent injuries. This is open to all students, from incoming 8th grade to 2022 Grads.

Tim Murphy, a certified Personal Trainer and the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, and also the current Men’s Lacrosse Coach at Curry College for the past 11 years, will continue running the Boys’ Session. Nicole Boniface, a certified Personal Trainer and the Girls’ Freshman Lacrosse Coach, will be running the Girls’ Session. Nicole is a 2016 Graduate of Curry College, having played Lacrosse and also works at Fitness Unlimited in East Milton.

The 6-week session will start the week of July 11 and will run until Thursday, August 18. Registration can be found here.

Good luck to our student-athletes playing in college next year!

Bradan O’Loughlin – University of San Diego, Rowing; Christopher Deleonardis – Fairfield University,Rowing; Sophia Manning – Temple University (Scholarship), Rowing; Charlie Walker -Northeastern (Scholarship), Baseball;  Brian Foley – UMass Lowell (Scholarship), Baseball; Shea Donovan – Salve Regina, Baseball; Norah Affanato- Loyola University Maryland (Scholarship), Cross Country & Track; Marcus Olivierre – Wheaton College, Baseball; Amari Marsmann- Trinity College, Football; Grace DeBenedictis- Skidmore College, Lacrosse; Alex Paxhia – Trinity College, Wrestling; Rose Gillooly – Savannah College of Art and Design, Swimming; Elle Anthony – Swarthmore College, Swimming; Brianna Seeto – UMass Amherst, Cheer; Tait Peloquin – Kentucky University, Cheer; Lila Glenn – Boston College, Cheer; Isaiah Hassell – Springfield College, Football; Cameron Pina -Plymouth State, Football; Chase Vaughan – East Coast Prep (PG), Football; Caroline Gannon – Hobart & William Smith, Golf.

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 Janet Sheehan, (617) 696- 4808/4809.