Principal's Newsletter

November 1st, 2026

Good evening MHS Families,

I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend, even if it is getting darker a little earlier now. I'd like to give a shout out to the MHS Tri-M chapter for another successful Haunted Hallways event. It is great the see the number of students take part each year, and this year didn't disappoint, with plenty of candy handed out and another great concert from our MHS and QMS Performing Arts Department.

I'd also like to highlight our Unified Basketball team, who hosted its final home game of the season. It was great to recognize all of our senior athletes who will be moving on next year. It has been a great season with so much to celebrate, and we wouldn't have as much success without so many great athletes participating on the team.

As we start November, we are going to send out a reminder to all students this week regarding the expectations we have at MHS. While it has been a great year with a lot of great things to celebrate and recognize, it is always good to send periodic reminders. We always talk about respect and the positive impact demonstrating respect in all areas has on our school culture. We are all working together to maintain a positive school culture, and it great when all students are showing respect to the adults in the building, their peers, and to the building itself. We have great students at MHS, and we will continue to recognize those who are continually meeting and exceeding our expectations, but also working with all students when they may fall short of them, so they can learn and grow from their experiences.

As a reminder, there is not school on Tuesday, November 3rd due to election day and our full day PD day. Please also be sure to take a look below for a few updates and reminders, and I hope everyone has a great week.

Class of 2027 Senior Families:

The 2027 Yearbook is now on sale. If you order before October 31st you'll save $10! Go to https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/general/homepage?portal=true . Our school number is 5468

Seniors! Senior portraits and blurbs are due by October 31st. Links for submission and information can be found under the student publication link on the MHS website.

We are also collecting "senior flashbacks!" We'd love to see old photos of groups of students at events, sports, etc. Flashback photos can be emailed to yearbook@mansfieldschools.com

The yearbook staff is cleaning out the closets and we have several old books from 2004-2015. If you're interested in one please email Ms.Martinelli at jennifer.martinelli@mansfieldschools.com

A reminder was sent out to all students this past week regarding the use of personal devices. Students were reminded they may only use their school issued Chromebook in school. Students who use a personal device will be asked to put it away, and a referral will be written to their grade level Assistant Principal. Specific language regarding the district's responsible use policy can be found on page 43 of the student handbook.

The Unified Art class recently completed a beautiful, collaborative fall scene now on display in our hallways! Unified Art brings together students of all abilities to learn and create side-by-side. Students develop leadership skills, self-esteem, and collaborative problem solving. By working together on this large-scale project, students built meaningful friendships, practiced teamwork, and celebrated each other's unique talents.

MHS’s Student Service Corps has been busy giving back to the community! Students have been hosting bake sales at Unified Basketball home games to help support the team. At their first general meeting, students created donation boxes to support an upcoming service project. Throughout November, the Student Service Corps will be collecting donations for the Mansfield Food Pantry. View the flyer below to see which items are needed, and drop off all food donations in the front lobby.

Interested in volunteering? Join our Google Classroom using the code below!

Google Classroom Code: stjzxho

As we approach the end of the fall season, our Hornets continue to compete against some of the top teams in the state, with several exciting victories and postseason opportunities ahead! Football earned a huge 14-7 victory over King Philip in a key Davenport Division matchup, while Volleyball picked up two impressive wins, sweeping Stoughton 3-0 and battling to an exciting 3-2 victory over Walpole. Boys Cross Country had an outstanding performance at the Hockomock League Championships, finishing third overall!

Field Hockey battled a strong Dedham team, while Boys Soccer faced the top-ranked Oliver Ames Tigers in a hard-fought contest. Girls Soccer also competed against a tough Canton squad as both soccer programs look to finish their seasons strong. Boys Soccer will celebrate Senior Night on Sunday at 2:00 PM on Alumni Field against Braintree, recognizing our seniors and their contributions to the program.

Unified Basketball continued its season with games against Canton and Norton, highlighted by a special Next Steps Night on Friday. This meaningful event recognized athletes preparing to transition out of the program, celebrating their contributions and the relationships they have built through Unified Athletics. Congratulations to all our student-athletes and coaches as we head into the final stretch of the fall season!

MHS Best Buddies is POPPING with excitement! With over 140 registered members, our Best Buddies chapter is committed to building inclusive friendships and communities. In order to foster our bi-monthly events, we are hosting a Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser from Tuesday, 11/3 (12pm) through Saturday, 11/7 (12pm). If you can, please support our Best Buddies chapter by making a purchase from the online Pop-Up shop of any of our members and/or sharing the link for our fundraiser with family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances!

Best Buddies Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser

We are excited to partner with Transitions Counseling Services, Inc. to offer convenient, in-school counseling opportunities for our students.

If you are interested in services for your child, please contact the school counseling office or scan the QR code on the flyer to complete the referral form. A member of the Transitions staff will follow up with you within 48 hours of your submission.

The MCAS Family Portal now contains final score reports for spring 2026 testing. On September 10, 2026, a communication was sent to parents/guardians designated as CONTACT 1 with instructions on how to access the MCAS Family Portal. That communication is linked below for your reference.

This email is monitored daily, and families can send daily absence notifications, excusal notes, and dismissal notes. Please be sure to include the first and last name of your student, as well as your name and contact number when sending the email.

We encourage families to use the MHSattendance@mansfieldschools.com email to make attendance related communication easier.

Late bus routes are posted in the main lobby, and any student can also ask questions in the main office prior to the bus leaving.

Students can be dropped off each morning in either the main parking lot next to the gym (door 9) or auditorium (door 5), or in the front bus loop after the buses exit at 7:15am. For those dropping off in the bus loop, please pull forward as far as possible to utilize either door 24 or door 1. Please use the map with door locations to support a smooth drop off for everyone entering the building each morning.

Students are welcome to stay after school for extra curricular activities and academic support. Students staying after school for clubs, extra help, or other extra curricular activities must be with a teacher or coach they are staying after for. Students may also utilize the library after school as long as it is open. Once a student is done with their after school activity, they must report to the lobby to wait for their ride. Students who need to take the late bus must also report to the lobby to wait, and leave through the front entrance when reporting to the bus.

The district school calendar is linked below at the bottom of the newsletter throughout the school year. It has also been linked here for families to review. Please note, the last day of school is currently listed as June 17th, 2027. Any snow days during the year will push the last day of school into the following week. Students will have final exams during the last week of school, and snow days will push these exam dates back. Please take possible snow days into consideration when planning end of year trips, as this could have an impact on your student taking a final exam over the summer.

November 3rd - No School

November 11th - No School

November 25th - Half Day, Thanksgiving Break

November 26th-27th - No School

December 24th - January 3rd - No School, Winter Break

The following information was included in Superintendent McKeon's weekly newsletter, and we want to be sure all MHS families have access to the same information and links should your family need them. Any family in need of support is encouraged to contact the Main Office at the high school, and a member of our administrative team will be happy to provide support. Please see the links below as needed:

MPS Food Services Website

https://www.mansfieldschools.com/o/mps/page/food-services

Mansfield Food Pantry

https://www.mansfieldfoodpantry.org/

WestSide Benevolent Circle

https://www.westsidebcma.org/

Town of Mansfield Social Services Department

Hockomock YMCA Food Access

https://www.hockymca.org/food-access/

Hebron Food Pantry

https://hebronfoodpantry.org/

Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline

https://projectbread.org/foodsource-hotline

MPS Website - Financial Assistance Information

https://www.mansfieldschools.com/o/mps/page/financial-assistance

Mansfield Public Schools is returning to the previous practice of having CORI's verified at the school level. Anyone needing to complete a CORI will be able to bring their completed form and a state issued photo ID to MHS during school hours and have their forms verified. Forms can also be taken to the HR Department in the Town Hall during normal operating hours.

This updated process will begin in the coming weeks, and we will provide more information once the updated process will begin.

Volunteers and visitors must provide identification when entering the school. The ID will be processed through the Raptor system which checks the Sexual Offender Registry. Any findings must be addressed before the individual is able to volunteer or visit.

The state of Massachusetts has designed a website called HandHold to support families of school-aged students focused on the area of mental health. Families can click the link provided for more information on the supports available.

In an effort to combat the ongoing challenge of vaping within our school (and others), please take a look at and utilize the various resources provided below to learn more about vaping in order to start/continue the conversation with your child. Making progress in this area is a group effort, and we want to provide support for families at home with these resources.

General Info:

What parents need to know

Quick Facts about vaping

Vaping and the impact of Covid

Vaping can't harm teens?

Information on Quitting:

How to quit

This is quitting

Nicotine withdrawal and how to cope

District Vision

The Mansfield Public Schools will foster an environment where all students share a sense of belonging and experience academic and personal growth. We will inspire and empower active and engaged learners, citizens, innovators, and communicators.

District Mission

The Mansfield Public Schools supports each student so they feel recognized and valued. All students are empowered academically, socially, and emotionally so they can reach their maximum potential.

Core Values

Belonging

We build a supportive and understanding community through kindness, respect, and empathy.

Collaboration

We work together, share ideas, respect each other, and celebrate our achievements as a community.

Curiosity

We question, explore, and discover in order to foster a love of learning, not just for school but for life.

Integrity

We are honest and do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Resilience

We adapt and grow in the face of adversity, always persevering and continuing to try.

Families are encouraged to view our Community Backpack to view fliers that have been approved for school distribution. You can view this page by clicking above or by going to mansfieldschools.com, choosing MENU and selecting the link under the Students and Families section.

Mr. Russ Booth - Principal

Ms. Lisa Giuliano - Assistant Principal, Grades 10 & 12

Nicholas Schlierf, Ph.D - Assistant Principal, Grades 9 & 11

Eric Bruinooge, Ph.D - Director of Secondary Special Education

Mr. Tim Selmon - Athletic Director

Email: russ.booth@mansfieldschools.com
Website: https://mhs.mansfieldschools.com/
Location: 250 East Street, Mansfield, MA, USA
Phone: 508-261-7540
Twitter: @MHSHornets