Superintendent Sheehan releases updates for week of December 8, 2022

This week’s highlights include Health Reminders, MPS Holiday Giving Drive, DESE Safe Schools, MHS Info Night, SEPAC Meeting, 5th Grade Science, and more.

From The Desk Of The Superintendent

While the weather has been mild for December, we are seeing a considerable increase in traditional winter illnesses across all of our schools. Kim Coughlin, Director of Nursing, shares these important reminders so we can work together to keep the MPS community healthy and safe.

• If your student is ill, please keep them home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and are feeling well enough to get through the school day.  If your student has an intestinal virus or has been vomiting, they should wait 24 hours from the last episode before returning to school.
• Please see this link for COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidelines. The joint early childhood & K-12 guidance for students and staff can be found here. Please refer to the MPS Heath Services page for all updates. 
  Please ensure that your student has tissues in their backpack every day and remind them of the importance of proper hand washing to decrease the spread of germs. 
• Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to get a Flu vaccine each year and is now eligible for the COVID vaccine. Everyone 5 years and older is eligible for the COVID vaccine and booster.
• Your student should have a healthy breakfast each morning and come to school with a water bottle every day. Breakfast is available in every building prior to the start of the school day. Adequate sleep is essential and The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)  recommends that children aged 6 through 12 get 9–12 hours of sleep, and that teenagers aged 13 through 18 get 8–10 hours of sleep. Proper hydration, nutrition, and sleep are essential components of a healthy immune system and improve the body’s defense to illness. 

Thank you for working with us to keep our students and staff healthy this winter! 

Thank you to our MHS music students and staff, who put on a wonderful concert last night! Still to come are two Pierce concerts next week (December 13 and 14) and the MHS Cabaret on December 21.

Please read below for information about the DESE Safe Schools Session for elementary parents/guardians,  8th Grade Info Night at MHS, the December SEPAC meeting, classroom highlights, and more. 

MPS Need To Know

Important Dates

• Dec 13 Pierce 6th Grade Concert at MHS
• Dec 13 DESE Safe Schools – Elementary 
• Dec 14 Pierce 7th & 8th Grade Concert at MHS
• Dec 15 SEPAC Meeting 
• Dec 15 MHS 8th Grade Information Night
•  Dec 20 MHS Cabaret 
• Dec 21 School Committee Meeting 
• Dec 23 No School Winter Break Begins 
• Jan 3 School Resumes

MPS Calendars: 2022-23 One Page School Year Calendar and Link to MPS Monthly Calendar.

Preschool and Kindergarten – Important Dates 

• Preschool Information Night – Thursday, January 12, 2023
• Preschool Pre-registration – Thursday, January 12, 2023 – Thursday, January 26, 2023
• Preschool Lottery, if necessary – Friday, January 27, 2023
• Kindergarten Information Night – Thursday, January 26, 2023
• Kindergarten Pre-registration Questionnaire Link – please complete prior to Jan 22, 2023

School Committee

The next regular School Committee meeting will be on December 21 , 2022 at 7pm. All information (including agendas and links to attend) about School Committee meetings can be found on the Town of Milton webpage. You can watch School Committee meetings live on Milton Access TV online, live on Milton Access cable channels (Comcast 22, RCN 15) or watch on-demand in the days following the meeting. 

Dese Safe Schools – Elementary Session

Jeff Perrotti and Landon Callahan, from the DESE Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ+ Students in Massachusetts will facilitate an interactive session for parents and guardians on Tuesday, December 13, by introducing resources for addressing sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Participants will discuss best practices and strategies to support students and families. This session is virtual and will run from 6:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Register here for the Zoom link to attend.

This event is sponsored in partnership between DESE, the MPS Department of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and the Tucker, Collicot, Glover, and Cunningham Schools. Any questions regarding the DESE Safe Schools Session can be directed to [email protected] or 617-696-4478 x5246.

MHS Information Night

Please join us on Thursday, December 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Milton High School Auditorium (25 Gile Rd) for an opportunity to learn about Milton High School course offerings, academic and extracurricular programs, athletics, and activities that prepare students for college and life beyond high school. Current 8th grade students, parents, and guardians are invited to attend this information session and tour of Milton High School.

Milton SEPAC 

Milton SEPAC shares the following information.

Do you know who your school rep is? Each month your Milton SEPAC school rep meets with your principal to discuss issues of staffing, programming, inclusion, and collaboration. Lately MPS has been experiencing a lot of staffing and programming developments that have an impact on our children’s educational experience. To find out more, come to our next SEPAC Board Meeting on Thursday, December 15, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. online at this link. Attend to find out what is happening in your building and how to connect with your school rep. 

MPS Good to Know

Food Service Substitutes 

Are you looking for part time work that compliments your child’s school day?  Earn $19.15 an hour for a Food Service substitute on call position! Call Natalia Perez at 617-898-1051 for details. 

MPS Holiday Giving Drive

Pierce Families Helping Families: Pierce is collecting gift cards to be distributed to families in need this holiday season. We recommend gift cards to Star Market, Shaws, Stop & Shop, Target, and Old Navy, but we will, of course, accept gift cards from all stores. If you are interested in supporting this effort, please bring your gift card donation to the main office at Pierce by December 16 and deposit it in the sealed box located in the front office.

MHS Teen Gift Card Drive: MHS School Counseling supports teens and families in need with gift cards during the holiday season. If you would like to anonymously support an MHS family or student, please consider dropping a $25 gift card from Target or Amazon to the MHS to the MHS front office by December 9. 

Thank you for helping us make the holiday season a little brighter for our neighbors!

If you are in need of assistance this holiday season (or at any time), please reach out to your building principal or Marti O’Keefe McKenna, MPS Family Outreach Liaison, at 617-980-7343 or by email at [email protected].  All calls and emails are confidential.

MPS Nice to Know

Back to the 80s With 4th Grade Artists

Collicot and Cunningham 4th graders are wrapping up a totally rad 80s boombox project. Students began by covering an 18×12 paper with fluorescent geometric shapes and 80s graphic designs. Students practiced their fractions (½, ¼, ⅙) and divided their paper into sections and filled each section with speakers, a cassette tape, a FM radio, buttons and dials. Students were able to use a wide variety of art making skills in this project including graphic design, printmaking, proportion and collaging. Rock on, 4th grade!

TRI-M SWAG

Congratulations to the winners of the logo contest for the Milton Music Department! Tri-M, the music honor society, ran this competition, which was open to all Milton High School students. First prize went to Ann Nguyen for her wildcat design; first-runner up is Alicia Wong for her treble clef; second runner-up is Priya Shaw with her musical pawprint. Tri-M and FAME (Friends and Advocates of Music Education) have teamed up to put these winning designs on a range of different items, from t-shirts and sweatshirts and coffee mugs. Check out the merchandise shop here and order gear for your favorite musician!

5th Grade Science

Ms. Novak’s Tucker 5th graders have been practicing the skills of summarizing and writing informational text in science to describe the water cycle. You can see below that both their knowledge and writing are on point.

Collicot Service Project

As part of their Veterans Day lesson in service to others, Collicot students wrote messages of love, appreciation, and encouragement that will be mailed to active duty service members. Below you can see some of the homemade cards and handwritten messages that we hope will warm the hearts of 155 members of the military this Holiday Season. Thank you to Collicot students and teachers for undertaking this important project.

Calling All Mhs Alumni

Are you a Milton High School alum?  If so, we need your help!  In an effort to better prepare our students to be more college and career ready, please complete this short survey.  In addition, please forward the survey link to any MHS graduates who may not read the MPS Blog.  We would like to have feedback from as many alumni as possible.  Thank you for your time and help!

MHS Grow Racks

We are excited to share that our  MHS students in the ACHIEVE program have again started tending to our Grow Racks for this year.  This fresh lettuce used in our Grab n’ Go salads and grown by our students is a win-win for our community!

Sophia’s Sock Drive

Pierce 6th grader Sophia Cassini has been collecting for people experiencing homelessness for 8 years, since she was 4 years old! You can read about Sophia’s efforts and how you can support them here. 

Music Department Fundraiser

Support the Milton Music Department by ordering from our online citrus fruit fundraiser anytime between now and December 11th. Gift boxes or crates of fresh fruit are guaranteed to ship directly to the recipient in time for Christmas. Visit this link to order through our website. The sale closes on December 11th, so don’t delay!

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 Chess Club will be at the Milton Public Library January 10 – March 21. International Master David Vigorito has been teaching chess to Milton students for over 12 years. The winter session starts on Tuesday, January 10 and there are two different levels with classes at 5:30 and 6:45. Details can be found here. Space is limited! Questions? Email [email protected].

The Milton Art Center is hosting their Annual Holiday Artisan Market featuring 20+ local artists and artisans on Saturday, December 10th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The MAC is located at 334 Edge Hill Road. There is plenty of parking in the back on Hollis Street. Stop by for some holiday cheer. There will be festive music, raffle prizes and lots of gift options.

Milton Soccer: Registration is now open for our spring 2023 soccer programs.  Please visit our Milton Soccer website  for all details on programs or to register (or use the direct registration link).  Please note that the grade 9-12 registration will open in March. The deadline to register is January 7th (on January 8th waitlist and late fees apply).

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

• Comic and Graphic Novel fans! Take part in this month’s Graphic Novel Book Club for Grades 3-5 on Wednesday, December 14 at 4:30 p.m. This month we are reading: Real Friends by Shannon Hale. Pick up a reserved copy in the MPL Children’s Room. Register today!
• We can’t believe the time has come, but Mrs. Reilly is retiring in the New Year! Mrs. Reilly has been a beloved member of the Children’s Department for over 26 years, so we want to make sure you all have the chance to say goodbye. Visit the Story Hour Room next Thursday, December 15 between 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. to enjoy snacks and wish Mrs. Reilly a happy retirement!
  

Santa Claus is coming to the Eustis Estate! Visit the 1878 mansion house decorated for Christmas on Saturday, December 10 and take a photo with Santa from 10am- 1pm. All children must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. Children: $5; Member Adults: Free; Nonmember Adults: $20. Please call 617-994-6600 for more information. The Eustis Estate is located at 1424 Canton Avenue, Milton. 

The Milton Early Childhood Alliance is once again offering its free and very popular Toddler and Preschool Playgroup series live via Zoom.This program is for children ages 2.5 through 4 years old and their parent/guardian. Join us for stories, songs, and movement and art activities. At-home Learning Extension bags, filled will supplies needed for this series, will be provided. Registration is required and can be completed at this link.
 
On Saturday, December 11, from 8am-4 pm, Fontbonne welcomes five well-known children’s authors to Fontbonne as part of our Christmas at Fontbonne Book Fair. There will be author presentations and signings, craft activities, face painting, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, food tables and more. $10 per family pre-registration is required. All details are here. 

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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.