Dear Medway families,
As you may know, effective communication is a core principle of our work. We believe it is important that families and the broader community are provided with information about the important work going on in our schools. To that end, we are excited to announce an upcoming enhancement to our communication strategy: a free Medway Public Schools app. The app will be available to all community members and provide school updates, news, a calendar of events, and other important notifications. Please be on the lookout for more information next week about the launch of our first-ever app!
In addition, I wanted to share an update about my recent exploration of a superintendent position in another district. Last week the search concluded, and the school committee selected another candidate. While the news was initially disappointing, I have had some time to reflect and believe that this is the best outcome. I am excited to continue my work in Medway. As we continue to manage heightened levels of need following the pandemic and beyond, I feel fortunate to work with the most committed, creative, and competent professionals to support our students. There is much important work to be done in the Medway Schools to benefit our students. I look forward to the great work ahead.
Please find several updates and informational items below.
Be well,
Armand Pires, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Reminder: February 1 Early Release for All Students
Wednesday, February 1, 2023, will be an early release day for all students so that our educators may participate in an afternoon of professional learning. The early release times can be found below.
- 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.
FY24 Budget Development and Approval Process
As you might imagine, the current economic conditions are challenging as we develop the FY24 budget. The increased needs of students, the diminishing available additional funds (e.g., ESSER), and the high inflationary number create circumstances that will require ongoing discussion to plan through and manage. The budget development process provides the opportunity for the community to ask questions and share information. Please find below specific events that are connected to the budget development process. We invite community members to join us.
February 2, 2023: Superintendent’s Chat: FY24 Budget - Please join us!
Save the date! Our next Superintendent Chat will take place on Thursday, February 2, at 5:30 p.m. in the Presentation Room at Medway Middle School (Door #7). We have shared previously that the FY24 budget is going to be complicated, and we are interested in hearing from our community about priorities and questions that you may have. We will be sharing an overview of how funding is provided to support schools as a helpful informational resource during the Chat.
February 9, 2023: Charting the Course - District Improvement Update and Budget Overview Presented to the School Committee
On Thursday, February 9, at 7:00 p.m., Dr. Pires, Superintendent, and Ms. Abrams, Assistant Superintendent, will present Charting the Course: District Improvement Plan Mid-year Update and FY24 Budget Overview to the School Committee. This presentation will highlight the priority areas to be addressed in the FY24 Recommended Superintendent’s Budget. The presentation will be shared with families following the presentation.
March 2, 2023: FY24 Budget Presentation
On Thursday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m., in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, Dr. Pires and Ms. Leonhardt, Director of Finance and Operations, will present the FY24 Recommended Superintendent’s Budget to the Medway School Committee.
March 9, 2023: Public Forum on the FY24 Budget
On Thursday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m., in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, the School Committee and Dr. Pires will host a public forum for interested community members regarding the FY24 budget. This session is interactive, and participant questions will be answered.
March 16, 2023: Public Hearing on FY24 Budget and FY24 Budget Vote
On Thursday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, community members are invited to share public comments regarding the proposed FY24 budget with the School Committee. This is the final opportunity for community feedback prior to the School Committee vote on the FY24 budget planned as part of the regular School Committee meeting agenda later this evening. Feedback shared at the hearing will be acknowledged and noted, but there will not be a dialogue during the Budget Hearing.
At 7:00 p.m. this same evening, in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, the School Committee will vote to forward the FY24 Medway Public Schools Budget to the Town of Medway to be included as part of the FY24 Town of Medway budget.
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.
Equity Steering Committee Meeting
We convened as an Equity Steering Committee on Wednesday, January 18. The team explored some of the data that the district considers in its equity efforts. The final portion of the meeting was dedicated to continued small group work associated with the three initial focus areas for action planning.
We next meet as a committee on Wednesday, February 8. During this meeting, we will solidify our initial thinking about some proposed action steps around our three initial focus areas:
- Develop a professional climate where adult and student diversity and perspectives are valued.
- Support a student/learner climate where student diversity and perspectives are nurtured and valued.
- Establish common instructional practices that improve equity and inclusion.
We will then bring these ideas to a Focus Group of volunteers on February 9 who expressed interest in supporting this work at certain intervals in the planning. We are looking forward to collecting feedback and collaborating with these additional partners to support our work moving forward.
Mid-Year Feedback Requested: Paper.co: Grade 5-12 Online Homework and Writing Support Program
As you are likely aware, Medway Schools has partnered with Paper. co, a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week online homework support and writing review program. It has taken some time for students to gain an understanding of its use and potential benefit, and we believe it’s important to gain feedback on this tool. We are asking educators, students, and families of students in Grades 5-12 to offer feedback through this FORM. Only families of Grade 5-12 students should respond. We will keep the survey open until February vacation.
Information about Paper. co can be found HERE.
February 1 SEPAC Meeting 6:00-8:00 p.m.: Bullying: What Parents Need to Know A Free Virtual Workshop
Medway SEPAC is excited to offer this opportunity to families and educators. This presentation will be given by Elaine Rabbitt from the Federation for Children with Special Needs. You must register for the discussion in advance; the flier can be found HERE.
Registration Link
Kindergarten Registration Opens on February 6, 2023!
Kindergarten registration will be starting February 6 for the 2023-2024 school year. In order to be eligible for kindergarten, students must be five years old by August 31, 2023. Registration information will be available online and in the superintendent’s office and the McGovern School if needed. We will send more information out in the coming weeks. We look forward to welcoming our Class of 2036 to the Medway Public Schools!
Pre-School Lottery
Information on the Preschool Lottery for community peers for the 2023-2024 School Year will be posted in early February. We will share this information in future updates, and it will also be available on the McGovern website, which can be accessed here.
Community Education
Registration for our 2023 Summer Adventures Camp opens on Wednesday, February 1, at 8:00 a.m. Please have your child’s most recent Health Record and Immunization Form ready to upload during the registration process. Payment is due at the time of registration.
Educational Assemblies about Vaping
On January 31, ‘SUP Medway, MSPTO, and the Medway Public Schools are partnering to bring a speaker to the middle and high schools to educate 5th - 12th graders about the risks of vaping and how they are empowered to make healthy choices that support their goals. This presentation will also serve as the launch of the new middle school student group HYPE (Healthy Youth Empowerment), which is explained below.
‘SUP Medway Update
Medway Middle School and ‘SUP Medway Coalition offer new student group
HYPE is a new after-school student group at Medway Middle School that stands for Healthy Youth Empowerment. The goal of this extracurricular activity is to help build youth leaders who are empowered to advocate on issues of health and wellness and encourage healthy choices among their peers. The group will meet twice monthly on Mondays starting in February (a late bus is available). To get the meeting dates and to sign up your middle schooler, click here.
Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Chorus Festival
We are pleased to announce the acceptance of two Medway High School members of the choral program into the annual Massachusetts Music Educators Association All-State Chorus Festival. Congratulations to Andrew Bennett and Joey Gangitano on their selection.
These students prepared a difficult piece for a live audition and now have the opportunity to participate in a festival with a full day of rehearsal which then culminates in a performance with some of the best high school choir singers from around the state at Boston's Symphony Hall. Congratulations!
Fuel Assistance Available
If you are a one-person household and earn less than $40,951 per year or a two-person household and earn less than $53,551 per year, you may qualify for home fuel assistance. A full eligibility and benefits chart can be found here. Medway Outreach Workers Marcia Lombardo and Kim Cookson are happy to help you apply for fuel assistance or answer any questions. They can be reached at 508-533-3210 or mlombardo@townofmedway.org. Please note if adults in your household are not U.S. citizens, but a child in the home is a citizen, you can still apply for fuel assistance.
COVID-19 Vaccine and Flu Prevalence Update
Recently, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shared that there has been an expanded use of updated COVID-19 vaccines by the Centers for Disease Control. They also shared that there have been much higher than usual rates of flu activity this year. To view their joint letter, please click here.
COVID-19 Reminders and ProtocolsWith the cold and flu season upon us and the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19, it is important that we all stay vigilant in protecting the health of our schools. At-home testing is encouraged when your child or a family member has symptoms. Free at-home tests are available with most health insurance through the CVS reimbursement program. If your child tests positive, please inform your child’s school nurse and follow COVID protocols around isolation and mask-wearing. We encourage you to keep your child home when exhibiting COVID and influenza symptoms and recommend mask-wearing when sick. For tips on effective mask-wearing and mask options, please click here.
Technology Updates
Chromebook Repairs - We continue to see a higher volume of Chromebook repairs than we had anticipated. As we approach the late winter and spring sessions, we remind families that these devices are utilized for multiple purposes, including our internal and state assessments. If a device is in need of repair in any way, please do not hesitate to drop it off at the front office for service.
Yearly Information Update - We continue to encourage our remaining families to complete the Yearly Information Update process through the Parent Portal system. Completing this process ensures our data is accurate and that school committee policies are reviewed and understood. In August 2023, we will implement a new process to encourage families to complete this task before the school year begins. Our intent is to advise parents, through the student account, to complete the process by September 15. If a student or family has not completed this process in a timely manner, the account, per school policy, will be restricted to the Google Workspace suite and possibly locked out completely. Please remember to complete the Yearly Information Update in the provided open enrollment window, August 15th through September 15th, 2023.
Community Education Update
Suzanne Bonafillo has started as our new Program Coordinator for Community Education. Suzanne will be responsible for supporting the enrichment programs, social media, and brochure development and distribution for Community Education.
W.I.N. support programs are currently running at all four Medway schools offering academic support to 177 students. After School enrichment programs begin on Monday, February 23. We have over 400 students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 8. Day Care registration for the 2023-2024 school year opens February 6 for district staff and March 6 for general public families. Registration for Summer Adventures Camp opens February 1, and weeks are expected to fill quickly. Preliminary program development has begun on our Spring/Summer Brochure with the goal of an early March release. Lastly, our third annual Summer of Discovery is scheduled for the week of August 14, 2023.
Medway Friends of Performing Arts - Musical Bingo Night
The MFPA is hosting a Musical Bingo Night on February 16 at the Medway Middle School Cafeteria. This fun night is a family-friendly event that is open to all. Gather your friends and see how quickly you can identify great music. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and music will start at 6:30 pm.
The fundraiser donation minimum is $ per 5/person or $25/per family. Registration is open until February 15 (or until spots run out).
We will accept cash, check or Venmo - MFPA Medway @Medwayfriendsofperformingarts.
Venmo can be paid in advance upon confirmation of your registration.
All proceeds directly benefit the Medway Performing Arts students.
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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