April 24, 2023
Dear Medway families,
I hope this letter finds you well, refreshed, and ready for the remainder of the school year.
Before the April break, we had the opportunity to participate in a time-honored tradition in collaboration with four other school communities. I wanted to take a moment to express my deep appreciation for everyone involved in planning the Five Town Special Olympics event, which took place on April 14th at Ashland High School. This annual event brings together five towns, including Medway, Ashland, Holliston, Hopkinton, and Millis, to offer students with exceptional needs the opportunity to participate in a Special Olympics event. Due to the pandemic, this event was dormant for a few years, but we were pleased that it returned to an in-person event this year. As you can imagine, organizing such an event of this magnitude requires significant effort and planning. It was so worth it. I spent a few hours at the event and saw this experience's deep impact on students and families. Thank you to the faculty, staff, and students in Medway and other participating districts for their deep commitment to ensuring a wonderful experience for all participants.
Please find other important updates below.
Be well,
Armand Pires, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Updates/Information Items
2023-2024 APPROVED School Calendar
The 2023-2024 School Year Calendar has been approved. The School Committee also approved the 2024 Medway High School Graduation date. Click here to view.
FY24 Budget Process
During the School Committee meeting on March 16, following the Public Hearing, the School Committee voted to approve the Superintendent’s FY24 Recommended Budget and forward this budget to be part of the FY24 Town of Medway Budget which will be voted on during the May 8 Town Meeting.
Thank you to the numerous community members who joined us throughout this process. We know that it has been a very challenging process.
May 8, 2023: Town Meeting
Community members are encouraged to attend Medway’s Town Meeting on Monday, May 8, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., at Medway High School, 88 Summer Street, when residents will be asked to vote on the Town of Medway FY24 budget, which will be inclusive of the FY24 Medway Public School’s budget to be used for the 2023-2024 school year.
Elementary Program of Studies Shared with School Committee
During the April 13 meeting of the School Committee, Principals Amy McDonald, McGovern, and John Kelley, Burke-Memorial, shared their annual program of studies memo with the School Committee. You can see a copy of their memo HERE.
Deeper Learning Grant Awarded to Medway Middle School
We were pleased to learn that our Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) competitive Deeper Learning grant application was awarded to Medway Middle School last week. Amanda Luizzi, principal, is planning on utilizing the funding from this grant to deepen educator knowledge and comfort with “deeper learning” pedagogy and will also support a summer accelerated learning program in ELA and Mathematics for rising grade 6-9 students. More details will be shared with families once our plans are finalized.
2nd Innovation Pathway Planning Grant Awarded to Medway High School
Congratulations to Medway High School for their recent approval of their Innovation Pathway submission. Commissioner Riley, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, granted approval for the Innovation Pathway in Engineering/Information Technology. This opportunity will allow our students to gain awareness of future career opportunities and make decisions in postsecondary education fields. This approval includes a five-year performance contract with annual reporting requirements and a formal review after year three. We are really excited to support the successful development and implementation of this second Innovation Pathway at Medway High School. You can read the letter from Commissioner Riley here.
MPS Wellness Advisory Committee Meeting
The Wellness Advisory Committee held its third and final school year meeting earlier this month. As has been shared previously, based on data collected through the Metrowest Adolescent Health Survey, this committee identified student sleep as the topic to explore this year. The Committee examined processes neighboring districts used to adjust school start times as a data-gathering mechanism for their efforts and discussion around student sleep. There will not be any changes to the school start times for the 2023-2024 school year. The findings from this examination will be shared within the Committee’s recommendation for the next steps for improving student sleep, which will be presented to Dr. Pires, Superintendent.
Update on Library Book Purchases- Thank you!
Thanks to the support of School Choice funding, we are so pleased to share that a total of 3,918 books have been purchased for our four school libraries across the district. See the specifics of what was purchased for each school here.
Available Assistance
Extra COVID Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, known as SNAP Emergency Allotments, were created during the pandemic to help individuals and families buy food. Federal action ended the extra COVID SNAP benefits on March 2, but Massachusetts provided extra SNAP benefits at the beginning of April, May, and June. District and school leaders can encourage households to visit Mass.gov/ExtraCOVIDSNAP for more information, and the Department of Transitional Assistance also has outreach materials available in 16 languages.
MassHealth
Families with MassHealth need to renew their coverage this year to maintain coverage. Information is available at mass.gov/masshealthrenew. Another helpful resource is the MassHealth Renewal Help Guide.
Technology Updates
Device Replacement Cycle: The Medway Technology Department wants to remind families with 8th and 12th-grade students that we intend to collect all Chromebook devices and chargers by the last day of school, according to our replacement lifecycle of four years. In September, students entering 5th and 9th grade will receive new devices to support our digital curriculum and learning initiatives. We thank you for preparing to return the device within the last week of school exact dates to follow.
Device Repair Costs: We would like to remind families that any device needing repair can be dropped off at each school’s front office for review. Devices covered under the optional insurance policy will be sent out for repair at no charge to the family, uninsured devices will be repaired in-house, and an invoice for parts will be mailed to the family. We will remind families of any outstanding invoices over the next month, expecting payment to be made within thirty (30) days.
Community Education
The Summer Adventures Camp is seeking counselors for this wonderful summer program. Anyone interested in becoming a camp counselor this summer should contact the camp director, Melanie Dawson, and fill out the application found here.
Community Education has begun plans for our Summer of Discovery Program, which will occur from August 14 - August 18. We are thrilled to be able to offer this program at no cost to the community and build on the last two years of success. If you want your child to participate in Summer of Discovery, please hold the dates in your family planning. Registration will open in June!
Upcoming Meetings/Events
Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Meeting- May 3
The SEPAC Board will hold Annual Elections for the Co-Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer positions for the 2023-2024 school year. Please come join us on May 3 at 6:30 p.m. This link to join this meeting can be found HERE.
Massachusetts Senate President Presents: Mental Health Essentials for Parents and Caregivers
Join this virtual presentation, May 7, delivered by experts from the Mental Health Collaborative (MHC). This free webinar aims to provide those with children, particularly in grades six through 12, the tools they need to understand their children’s stress, identify emotional and behavioral health issues and their treatments, and empower them to obtain and maintain good mental health for their loved ones.
Live translation is available in Portuguese, Spanish, and American Sign Language (ASL). You can register for the event at www.karenspilka.com/mentalhealth.
2022-2023 Permanent Art Gallery Opening
Community members are invited to join us as we celebrate the 14 most recent artworks to be added to the Medway Public School’s Permanent Art Collection. The event, which will take place on Thursday, April 27, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. in the Presentation Room at Medway Middle School, will allow families, friends, and art enthusiasts to meet the artists representing each grade level, PK-12. The casual setting allows attendees to converse about their chosen pieces with the artists. We hope that you will join us.
MEPTO Annual Basket Raffle and Ice Cream Social
Save the Date for Medway Elementary PTO (MEPTO)'s Basket Raffle & Ice Cream Social! Join us on April 28 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Medway High School, 88 Summer Street. For more information on the event or to volunteer, visit the Medway Elementary PTO Facebook page @MEPTO.
Action Requested
Medway T.H.R.I.V.E. Parent/Caregiver Survey
Tools for Health, Resiliency, Inclusiveness, Vitality, and Empowerment (T.H.R.I.V.E.) is a component of the Medway Public Schools Wellness Department that is committed to providing wellness-related parent/guardian enrichment opportunities. T.H.R.I.V.E. is looking to understand better how parents/caregivers would like to consume enrichment opportunities and what topics they would like to learn more about next school year. Please share your thoughts by completing this two-three minute survey.
LAST CALL FOR DONATIONS! BIG NEWS!!!! Town of Medway Support and Fundraising Match During the Month of April: 88 Keys for Kids Needs Your Support
We are so thankful to the Select Board for their generous vote to include an allocation towards the Medway Public Schools Performing Arts Department on the May 8 Town Meeting Warrant. We hope that many families in the community will show their support for this allocation at Town Meeting.
The Medway Friends of the Performing Arts will continue with their annual campaign through the month of April. This campaign will combine with the allocation from the Town of Medway to fund the purchase of a performance piano, risers, and choral shells in addition to MFPA’s typical fundraising efforts, which support visiting musicians to the schools, support of the plays and musicals, music lessons, transportation costs for performing arts events, and other needs that surface.
The Medway Foundation for Education (MFE) is hosting a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $5,000.00 during the month of April in support of the performing arts! Show your support and donate here. The $ for $ match by MFE will end on April 30, so let’s make it count!
Student Congratulations
Medway High School International Thespian Society Induction
Congratulations to the newly inducted members of the Medway High School chapter of the International Thespian Society. The induction event featured student performances and celebrations of talent.
MHS Choral and Instrumental Groups Perform at MICCA
Congratulations to our Choral and Instrumental Groups for earning Silver and Bronze recognitions at the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) showcase.
National Spanish Honor Society Induction
Congratulations to the newest Medway High School’s National Spanish Honor Society members, who were inducted earlier this month.
Follow the Medway Public Schools on Social Media
Medway Public Schools: Twitter: @MedwaySchools Facebook: @medwayps Instagram: @Medwayschools
Medway High School: Twitter: @MedwayHighInfo Facebook: @medwayhighschool Instagram: @medwayhighschool
Medway Middle School: Twitter: @Medwaymiddle Facebook: @medwaymiddleschool Instagram: @medwaymiddle31
Burke-Memorial Elementary: Twitter: @BurkeMemorial Facebook: @burkememorial Instagram: @burkememorialelem
McGovern Elementary School: Twitter: @McGovernElem Facebook: @mcgovernelem Instagram: @mcgovernelem
Medway Community Education: Twitter: @medwayce Facebook: @medwayce Instagram: @medwaycommunityed
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