Dear Medway families,
Last week I participated in a celebrated annual tradition as the Medway School Committee formally recognized two new Memorial Plaque inductees. The Memorial Plaque, located at Burke-Memorial Elementary School, was created when the Memorial School was constructed. The plaque was created to honor those community members who have made a significant contribution to the town or schools, and/or to honor those residents who sacrificed their lives for freedom in service. We were pleased to celebrate Mr. John Foresto and Ms. Dawn Rice-Norton for their contributions to the community.
The induction ceremony was made more special through the inclusion of two grade 4 students who introduced each nominee. Bodhi Matthew, grade 4, presented Mr. Foresto’s contributions which included service in the military during the Vietnam War, service on the Medway Cable Board, 15 years of service as member, clerk, vice-chair, and chair of the Medway Select Board, and assisting in founding youth soccer in Medway.
Julianne DiGiacomo, grade 4, presented Ms. Rice-Norton’s accomplishments. These included service as a member of the Medway Open Space Committee, Medway Boosters Club, and Medway School Committee. Additionally, she has supported and volunteered for Girl Scouts, and has been a member of Lions Club.
Please join me in offering our congratulations to Mr. Foresto and Ms. Rice-Norton. Please find additional updates and information below.
Be well,
Armand Pires, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
PLEASE JOIN US: Community Forum: Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day Designation
The School Committee would like to invite interested community members to join a Public Forum to discuss future school calendars reflecting the observance of Columbus Day and/or Indigenous Peoples Day. Please join us on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in the Presentation Room at Medway Middle School. The School Committee will have the option to vote on this decision at the conclusion of the forum.
Action Items for All Families
Annual Information Update
Action Required: 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 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 as soon as possible - the deadline has passed and we will be reaching out to families via other means.
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 support 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.
Equity Steering Committee Underway
We kicked off our first meeting with our Equity Action Planning Steering Committee last night. We were pleased with the level of interest and the cross-section of PK-12 family members and faculty and staff who will be volunteering an extensive amount of time to this effort which is intended to support the development of an action plan to improve upon areas of equity and access for our students, faculty, and staff. We will provide updates to the community throughout this process.
Spring 2022 MCAS Reports
Our current grade 4-9 and grade 11 families have either already or will be receiving MCAS reports in the mail. For those new to MCAS, this is an assessment facilitated throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts each Spring. The goal of this assessment is to understand how well aligned our student experience is to the expectations outlined in the curriculum frameworks in Massachusetts for math, English/language arts, and science/technology/engineering (i.e. are we teaching to the required standards AS OPPOSED to are we teaching to the test?). The information also helps us understand student learning trends and helps to inform decisions around intervention and enrichment opportunities.
We will be sharing an overview of the 2022 MCAS Accountability and Performance information during the November 17 School Committee meeting and school leaders will also be sharing information that they gleaned from these assessments in their family communications in the coming weeks.
iDECIDE: Drug Education Curriculum
In recent years, substance use at school by students in Massachusetts has increased due to the widespread availability of devices that make it easy to conceal substances from peers, parents, and school staff. Medway Middle (students in Grades 6-8) and High School (Grade 9-12), alongside nearly 100 schools across Massachusetts have committed to launching an exciting new program called iDECIDE (Drug Education Curriculum: Intervention, Diversion, and Empowerment) that was developed in a collaboration among Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Institute for Health and Recovery.
iDECIDE aims to provide students experimenting with substances and/or who got caught using substances at school the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to make healthier decisions and involves a student survey as well as additional supports. More information describing the program, along with an opt-out option, is available at iDECIDE (English) or iDECIDE (Espanol).
Capital Improvement Plans
At last week's School Committee meeting, Director of Facilities, Michael Grennon, presented an overview of the anticipated Capital Improvement Plans. These plans always require some level of flexibility due to the nature of facility needs. The presentation can be found here.
School Van Drivers
The district is currently hiring two drivers for 7D vans. Pay is up to $25/hour and the position is benefits-eligible. The position is for four hours per day, and summer work is available but not mandatory. Interested candidates can email transportation@medwayschools.org or call 508-321-4728.
Follow-up: Joani Geltman Parent Workshops on Self-Efficacy
Joani Geltman, MSW, recently presented two workshops about promoting child self-efficacy for Medway parents. Her second workshop was recorded and can be found here. Additionally, she has shared her slide presentation. If you’d like to learn more about Joani’s offerings, please visit her website.
The recording can be viewed here.
Caregiver Support Group
The next meeting of the Caregiver Support Group will be held at the Medway Public Library located at 26 High Street on October 26 at 6:30 PM. Paula LeBlanc, Family Partner at You Inc., will be facilitating the meeting which will be centered around supporting caregivers of children with mental health concerns and creating peer connections. Register using this link: https://bit.ly/3gfAyay
Fall Vaccine Clinics
On November 3, there will be a COVID-19 Vaccine clinic for ages 6 months-11 years old AND a Flu Vaccine clinic for ages 3 and up. This clinic will be held at Burke-Memorial Elementary School. Click here for more information and registration!
Chromebook Insurance Window Closes October 28th
Medway Public Schools Technology Department strongly encourages all families with students in grades Five through Twelve (5-12) to purchase optional insurance for the school-issued Chromebook device. This insurance covers the device in the event it is damaged in any way, lost, or stolen, and can save families from the expense of repairing a device while in a child's care. The 2022-23 policy is offered through Worth Ave Insurers at $32 per year, with up to four years of options. The window to purchase insurance ends October 28th. Please take advantage of this option by visiting the online portal at https://gpo.worthavegroup.com/gpo/medway/.
Robotic Arm Donation
Norgren Material Handling, formerly Vaccon, was kind enough to donate a robotic arm to Medway High School. Standing six feet tall, Sawyer, from Rethink Robotics, is a collaborative robot with safety features that allow it to work alongside people on a variety of tasks. Students in the engineering courses as well as the robotics club learn about control systems, pneumatics, and programming through a web interface or directly with the robot itself. See the arm in action here!
These types of partnerships with industry-level equipment allow for real-world experience in the classroom preparing students for the future of engineering, manufacturing, and computer science.
Community Education
Our Fall Brochure continues to offer many one-night adult enrichment and wellness classes through December. Call a friend and enjoy an evening out at our Paint & Sip Event at the Thayer House or create the following - Sea Glass Trees, Autumn Candle Centerpieces, Holiday Boxwood Trees, Messages From Spirit, Divination Tools 101, Holiday Wreath with the Community Farm, Jewelry Making for Parent & Child, plus much more!
Medway Turkey Trot
Join Medway Turkey Trot on Thursday, November 24 at 7:30 a.m. for this year's 5K Road Race at Medway High School! All proceeds from this race support the Medway High School Athletic Department's purchases of uniforms and athletic equipment. Click here for additional information and registration!
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
Upcoming Events:
| October 27, 2022 | Medway Middle School presents James and the Giant Peach, Auditorium, Medway Middle School, 7:30 p.m. |
| October 28, 2022 | Medway Middle School presents James and the Giant Peach, Auditorium, Medway Middle School, 7:30 p.m. |
| International Walk to School Day, McGovern Elementary, See attached for details! | |
| November 2, 2022 | SEPAC Meeting, via ZOOM, 7:00 p.m. |
| November 3, 2022 | School Committee Public Forum on Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| COVID-19 & Flu Vaccine Clinic, Cafeteria, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 3:30 p.m. | |
| November 5, 2022 | Medway High School Fall Play, The Canterbury Tales Or... Geoffrey Chaucer's Flying Circus, Medway High School Auditorium, 2:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. |
| November 8, 2022 | Elementary Early Release Day for Family Conferences: McGovern Elementary- 12:00 p.m., Burke-Memorial Elementary- 11:30 a.m. |
| Medway Friends of Performing Arts Meeting, Virtual, 7:00 p.m. | |
| November 9, 2022 | Teacher Conferences, McGovern Elementary, 5:30 p.m. |
| November 10, 2022 | Teacher Conferences, Burke-Memorial Elementary, 5:30 p.m. |
| November 11, 2022 | No School: Veterans Day |
| November 14, 2022 | Medway Fall Town Meeting |
| November 15, 2022 | Winter Meet the Coach Night, Auditorium, Medway High School, 6:00 p.m. |
| Equity Steering Committee Meeting, Medway Middle School, 5:30-7:30 p.m. | |
| November 17, 2022 | Elementary Early Release Day for Family Conferences: McGovern Elementary- 12:00 p.m., Burke-Memorial Elementary- 11:30 a.m. |
| School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m | |
| November 21, 2022 | National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, Auditorium, Medway High School, 6:30 p.m. |
| November 23, 2022 | Early Release Day: All Schools Medway Middle School- 11:02 a.m. Burke-Memorial Elementary- 11:30 a.m. Medway High School- 11:34 a.m. McGovern Elementary- 12:00 p.m. |
| November 24-25, 2022 | No School: Thanksgiving Recess |
| November 30, 2022 | Family Conferences, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
| Medway High School Science O Regional Meet, Milford, 3:00 p.m. | |
| December 1, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m |
| December 7, 2022 | Equity Steering Committee Meeting, Medway Middle School, 5:30-7:30 p.m. |
| MSPTO Pop-Up Shop, Guidance Area, Medway High School, 6:00 p.m. | |
| MSPTO Meeting, Guidance Area, Medway High School, 7:30 p.m. | |
| SEPAC Meeting, Virtual, 6:30 p.m. | |
| December 13, 2022 | Medway Middle School Winter Band/Chorus Concert, Auditorium, Medway High School, 6:00 p.m. |
| December 14, 2022 | Medway High School Artwalk, Guidance Area, Medway High School, 6:00 p.m. |
| Medway High School Winter Concert, Auditorium, Medway High School, 7:00 p.m. | |
| December 15, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m |
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