Dear Medway families,
We have truly enjoyed seeing students return to their schools and hit the ground running with community building and learning. We are all hopeful that a more “normal” school year awaits us. While we may be on the path to return to a greater level of normalcy, we are also aware that it will take time for many of our students to return to their level of performance pre-pandemic. Please know that we are aware of this and are working hard to provide continued enhanced support for our students. Based on feedback received from families, and through our own observations, additional support will focus on the areas of math, literacy, and student services (SEL, special education, and English learner education). In addition, we are excited to move forward with improved support in the area of academic and organizational support. Please expect additional updates over the coming months.
Please find several updates and informational items below.
Be well,
Armand Pires, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Action Items for All Families
Free and Reduced Lunch Application
Action Requested: Complete Free and Reduced Lunch Application
Children need healthy meals to learn. Medway Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. During the 2022-2023 school year, all students will receive free breakfast and lunch at school. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has provided money to do this for one year through the State budget.
We do need your help to ensure that families and our district receive all the financial resources for which it qualifies. Please fill out and submit the application for free and reduced price school meals. When a family qualifies by completing this form it provides additional supports both locally and through the state. In addition, financial support to the Medway Public Schools is impacted based on the number of students who qualify for free or reduced priced meals.
The information you provide is confidential. We follow strict federal rules to keep your information private.
Annual Information Update
Action Requested: Complete Yearly Information Update
The Medway Public Schools are required to obtain the latest demographic and health information for our students. This information is always kept private and complies with all FERPA and HIPPA regulations. All families must utilize the online Parent Portal system to update information and stay current with your child's progress, schedule, and enter absence requests.
All families must log in and complete the “Yearly Information Update” process by reviewing the current demographic/health information on file. If you need a Parent Portal account, please email parent@medwayschools.org, and we will be happy to forward an account activation code. The Parent Portal can be accessed by clicking here. Please log in and complete the review by clicking MORE > YEARLY INFORMATION UPDATE by September 15.
2022-2023 School Calendar
You can view this year’s school calendar here: 2022-2023 School Calendar
Bus Routes Modifications
With thanks to the community for allowing the district to stabilize transportation routes for the opening of school, the district will be making minor adjustments to routes with an effective date of Sept. 12, 2022. The changes will be posted no later than Friday, Sept. 9, 2022. As a reminder, bus stop times are estimates and parents should allow for a 10 minute deviation in either direction.
Coalition seeks Parent/Guardian Input
'SUP Medway, the community-wide youth drug prevention coalition, seeks parent/guardian input. Please complete this brief (~8 minute) survey for the chance to win a local gift card for your participation. All answers are anonymous. https://bit.ly/MedwaySurvey
Community Education
A reminder to all families of 2022 Summer of Discovery students to please take a moment to offer your feedback regarding your child(ren)’s experience this summer. If you have already shared some thoughts, please go back in to review and rate the comments that have been added since you first participated. The true power in this tool is in the ratings of the thoughts which will help us understand the extent to which the perceptions shared resonated for the most folks. Please find the link to share feedback here.
Families of students invited to participate in the W.I.N. (What I Need) programs will be contacted directly by the Community Education Department. All programs are scheduled to begin September 27.
Fall After School program flyers will be sent home in the backpacks of students in kindergarten through grade 8 in early October. Programs will begin the week of October 17.
Our Fall Brochure has arrived in Medway mailboxes and is also available to view here. Join friends and community members in an informational, fitness/sports or enrichment program this fall. We are also pleased to offer numerous Parent/Caregiver & Child enrichment activities which provide an opportunity to engage in an exciting “evening out” with others from your school or town community.
Wellness Advisory Committee
Medway School’s Wellness Advisory Committee is a team of parents, wellness professionals, and students who meet three times a year to advise the Director of Wellness. The main focus of the committee is to make recommendations for updates to the school wellness policy and to identify community resources to support student wellness. This year the Committee will be meeting on October 24, February 6, and April 10 via Zoom. If you are interested in joining the Wellness Advisory Committee or have questions please contact Ryan Sherman, Director of Wellness, rsherman@medwayschools.org.
Updates from Technology Department
1:1 Chromebook Device Deployment
We provide 1:1 take home / use in school Chromebooks for all students in Grades 5-12. Grade K-4 students have access to devices while in school and may request use at home, as needed. All 5th and 9th-grade students will receive new chromebooks to bring back and forth between home and school at the start of the school year. Fifth-grade students will receive their devices on the first day of school in their homeroom. 9th grade students can pick up their devices on 9th Grade Orientation Day on August 24. Grade 9 devices not picked up on August 24 will be made available through the Medway High School IT Office, room 031-2, on the lower level of Medway High School. Students in grades 5-12 but not in grades 5 or 9 who do not currently have a district-owned device will be contacted through the front office to pick up a device. All families K-12 should review the Responsible Use Policy and all Grade 5-12 students, families, and guardians must review the Policy, Care, and Insurance guide and complete the MPS 1:1 Consent Form for your child to receive a device.
Chromebook Insurance
For all Grade 5-12 families: Due to the high repair rate during the 2021-22 school year, the cost to insure devices has risen from $20 per year to $32. If you wish to purchase insurance, please visit the Insurance and Break/Fix website for more details, repair costs, and access to the insurance purchasing portal. We have secured one to four-year insurance options through Worth Ave Insurers. Please note that the insurance policy does not cover lost or stolen devices. The policy does not cover the charging unit. Charger replacement is available at $20 per charger through the Technology Department.
We encourage all families of students with district owned 1:1 devices to secure insurance and to also discuss the proper care of devices with their children. Stressing that these are school-owned, that families are responsible for the cost of repair, and that vandalism will not be tolerated are important. Damage inclusive of keys being pulled off the keyboard, carving into the device, disassembling, cutting cables, or personalization (stickers/writing), is not allowed. The cost of repairing the device is the family's responsibility, up to the full replacement value [$350] of the device. Any damage deemed as vandalism will not be tolerated and is subject to disciplinary actions including loss of device use and suspension.
Follow the Medway Public Schools on Social Media
We have expanded our social media footprint to include Facebook and Instagram pages for the district and each school.
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
Upcoming Events:
| September 13, 2022 | MHS Back to School Night, Medway High School, 6:30 p.m. |
| September 14, 2022 | Grade 3 and 4 Curriculum Night, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 6:00 p.m. |
| September 15, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| September 20, 2022 | MMS Curriculum Night / Back to School Night, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| September 21, 2022 | Grade 2 Curriculum Night, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 5:30 p.m. |
| MHS Tri M Induction Ceremony, Thayer House, 7:00 p.m. | |
| September 22, 2022 | MCG Back to School Night, McGovern Elementary, 5:30 p.m. |
| September 26, 2022 | No School: Rosh Hashanah |
| October 1, 2022 | MHS Homecoming Dance, Cafeteria, Medway High School, 7:00 p.m. |
| October 5, 2022 | No School: Yom Kippur |
| October 6, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| Covid-19 Flu Vaccine Clinic, Cafeteria, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 3:30 p.m. | |
| October 10, 2022 | No School: Columbus Day |
| October 12, 2022 | School Committee Public Forum, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| October 20, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| October 21, 2022 | MHS Tri M, Coffee House, Medway High School, 7:00 p.m. |
| October 27, 2022 | Covid-19 Flu Vaccine Clinic, Cafeteria, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 3:30 p.m. |
| MMS presents James and the Giant Peach, Auditorium, Medway Middle School, 7:30 p.m. | |
| October 28, 2022 | MMS presents James and the Giant Peach, Auditorium, Medway Middle School, 7:30 p.m. |