Superintendent Sheehan releases updates for week of January 5, 2022

This week’s highlights include Superintendent Search Update, Katie Greer – Tonight at 6 pm at Pierce, Pierce Players Presents State Fair, Jan 19-21, Milton Coalition Speaker Jan 9, Pierce Summer Program Night Jan 12, Athletic Highlights, and more.

From The Desk Of The Superintendent

January is a busy month in the Milton Public Schools with Preschool and Kindergarten Information Nights, Speaker Katie Greer, the ongoing Superintendent Search, Music Festival Auditions, the Pierce Summer Program Info Night, the Pierce Players production of State Fair, a School Committee Public Forum and more. Please see below for information on all of these important upcoming events.

Katie Greer returns to Milton: TONIGHT: January 5, at 6:00 p.m. in the Pierce auditorium, Internet Safety Expert Katie Greer will be returning to Milton to speak to adults in our community about Keeping Students Safe in a Digital World. Earlier today, Katie met with our Pierce and MHS students during the school day.

Katie knows it can be daunting being a parent in this digitally driven time and will update parents on the latest tech trends, safety issues, and tips on how to help our kids have a productive and healthy relationship with technology. This presentation is open to all Milton parents and guardians.

Superintendent Search Update: This week, each of the three finalists visited MPS, toured our schools, and met with staff, students, and community members. Yesterday, each candidate was publicly interviewed by the School Committee. The interviews were recorded and are posted on the Milton Access TV website  and can be found on the (open to all) MATV Facebook page. The interviews are also linked here:

• Ms. Nan Murphy Interview
• Dr. Peter Cushing Interview
• Dr. Peter Burrows Interview

On Friday, January 6, the School Committee will meet in Open Session (link to Zoom, Passcode 168556) at 7:30 a.m. to deliberate and make a decision about who to select for our next Superintendent.

All details (including links to view meetings live or on-demand) about the candidates and next steps in the search can be found here. 

MPS faculty/staff, parents/guardians, and community members may send their feedback/comments to the School Committee at [email protected].  As previously requested, please send your emails by 7:00 p.m. on January 5 to ensure the School Committee has time to read them.

Preschool and Kindergarten Dates and Information

• Preschool Information Night – Thursday, Jan 12, 6:30 p.m. (Virtual, link to attend is here.)
• 2023-24 Preschool information is posted on the front of the MPS website.
• Preschool Pre-registration – Jan 12 -26
• Preschool Lottery, if necessary – Friday, Jan 27
• Kindergarten Information Night – Thursday, Jan 26
• Kindergarten Pre-registration Questionnaire Link – please complete prior to Jan 22, 2023

Pierce Players Presents State Fair: The Pierce Players will perform its production of State Fair for the Milton community on Thursday, January 19 and Friday, January 20 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 p.m. in the Pierce auditorium. The students in the cast and crew are doing a marvelous job with this show, and they are looking forward to a packed house! Tickets are on sale on Monday, January 9 at this link.

MPS Need To Know

Important Dates

• Jan 5 Katie Greer at Pierce
• Jan 6-7 Eastern Sr. District Festival
• Jan 12 Pre-School Info Night
• Jan 12 Pierce Summer Program Night
• Jan 16 No School – MLK Day
• Jan 17 Late Start for Students/Morning PD for Teachers
• Jan 18 School Committee Meeting
• Jan 19, 20, 21 Pierce Players Presents State Fair
• Jan 21 MMEA All-State Auditions
• Jan 25 SEPAC Meeting
• Jan 25 School Committee Forum on Equity
• Jan 26 Kindergarten Information Night

Pierce Summer Program Night: The Pierce PTO is hosting a Summer Program Night on Thursday, January 12 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in the Pierce cafeteria. Local businesses will be in attendance to share information about everything from summer camps and memberships to lessons and internships for children of ALL ages. Representatives from Mel-O-Drama, The Weymouth Club, Boy Scouts, French Immersion Summer Program, Goldfish Swim School, Milton Art Center, R3Bilt Fitness, Muscle and Flow, Everwood Day Camp, and many more will be in attendance. Please email Pierce PTO parent Jackie Mullen at [email protected] with any questions.

Milton SEPAC

The Milton SEPAC shares the following updates.

SEPAC sponsored Federation for Children with Special Needs workshops have been scheduled and are awaiting final confirmation – but pencil these in! These are excellent workshops – Eligibility on February 16 in the evening  and Understanding the 504: March 7 in the evening –  are free and offered virtually.

Did you know you have a SEPAC school rep who meets monthly with your school principal to discuss staffing, programming, and issues of inclusion? You can find your school rep and contact information here. 

We welcome you to join us at our next meeting (January 25, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., via Zoom)  to share your concerns, help advance SEPAC’s work in the District, or just listen as we continue to advocate on behalf of all special needs students and their families. Please email Jenny Sheehan at [email protected] or Jennie Mulqueen at [email protected] with questions and to receive the link. Please also note that SEPAC meetings can be found on the district-wide calendar. You can also visit  the SEPAC website for updates, information, and links to resources.

Health And Safety

As we return to school to start the new year, please see the reminders linked here about good health practices. All MPS families should have received this email on Wednesday of this week. If you did not receive the email, please reach out to your school’s administrative assistant to confirm your contact information.

Elementary Digital Citizenship Days

In February, MPS will hold the fourth annual elementary school Digital Citizenship Days.   All elementary students will take part in several engaging digital citizenship lessons during these exciting days.  The lesson topics include digital footprints, internet privacy,  copyright, cyberbullying, and creating passwords.  The engaging lessons were developed by Common Sense Media, modified by MPS Elementary Instructional Technology Specialists Jen Van Hill and Sara Doherty, and are intended to help our students better understand how to interact with digital technology and their peers in a healthy, respectful way. Each lesson takes on real challenges and digital dilemmas that students face today, giving them the skills they need to succeed as learners, leaders, and citizens.

The Digital Citizenship Day lessons will be facilitated by family volunteers, and we need family support!  Each elementary class will need at least one and, ideally, two volunteers.  Families will have the choice to facilitate the lessons in person or virtually.

• Collicot: February 14 from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Tucker: February 15 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Cunningham: February 16 from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Sign up to volunteer here.
• Glover: February 17 from 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Sign up to volunteer here.

Please note on the sign up if you will facilitate virtually. All volunteers need to have a CORI completed within the last two years. If you already have a valid CORI on file at your child’s school you are all set. If not, please go to the main office of your child’s school, fill out a CORI form, and have a valid picture ID copied. This will need to be completed by Friday, January 27. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our students.

The lessons are available to preview on this Elementary Digital Citizenship Google Site.  Thank you for volunteering for this important initiative.

MPS Good To Know

MPS Nice To Know

MHS Visual Literacy 

Just before break, our MHS Visual Literacy courses celebrated some of the excellent work from students, including appreciating students’ contributions to discussions and the best presentations, essays, and re-creation of the films we have studied in class. You can see some of the celebrated work here. Congratulations to our students on a robust semester of learning!

MHS Athletics 

Girls Hockey is on a tear to start the season! They are 6-1, with a comeback win over Norwood, goals from Molly Murphy and Kerry Balerna, and shutouts from Lila Chamoun. They travel to Needham on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for their next game.

Girls Basketball has also started the season well, with a 5-3 record, earning their first home win since 2019! There have been contributions from everyone. Captains Kate Karimbakas, Stephanie Needham and Grace Henry have led the way, but Ava Regan and Christina McA’Nulty have been crucial to their success.

The Track Team travels to the Reggie Lewis Center this afternoon to take on Framingham.

Mason Pellegri became the first ever Wildcat to reach the finals in the Lowell Wrestling Tournament over the break!  He lost a 6-4 decision to the defending New England Champion, finishing second.

Cans for Cats: The MHS Ski Team is hosting a can and bottle drive on Saturday, January 7, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at Milton High School.

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 Sports for All: If it’s getting cold outside, that means it’s time for BOWLING! Registration for Bowling for grades 4 through 8 is now open, and the session starts on January 12, 2023. Please see our website for more information or to register.

The Milton Early Childhood Alliance has released its Winter Newsletter, filled with loads of information for families with children birth to age 8. All details can be found here. 

Have you ever considered running for local elected office? Find out more at one of two community meetings at Cunningham Hall on January 10 and 24. All details on these non-partisan meetings can be found here. This is a great way to give back to your Milton community.

Milton Youth Lacrosse registration is open! All details at www.miltonlacrosse.org.

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

• Attention young artists: the Milton Public Library is excited to present its very first Tiny Art Show! Children ages 6-12 can sign up to receive a kit on Thursday, January 12 that includes a miniature sized canvas, paint, and paintbrush, which will be used to create original artwork for our artist reception on Saturday, January 21. Learn more and register today here!
• Join Leslie Doherty of Ways of Color to create a stained glass mosaic sun catcher on Saturday, January 14, at 2:30 p.m. on Zoom! For ages 6-12, sign up today and pick up your materials kit at the Children’s Desk before the program.
• Join Library Director Will Adamczyk on Wednesday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m. for a discussion of former President of Ireland Mary Robinson’s book Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience and the Fight for a Sustainable Future. Registration is required at this link. 

Milton Academy is holding a 2023 summer camp open to students in rising grades 1-6. All details on the camp can be found 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.