MARSHFIELD MATTERS

With the upcoming storm forecasted to impact us Sunday and Monday, I wanted to be sure that everyone had the facts on the process I use to determine if we will cancel, delay, or progress with school as planned after a storm (please see below).

I will be consulting with safety officials throughout the storm, and I will make a decision as soon as I can knowing the importance for families to have information regarding potential school cancelation or delay as soon as possible.

And yes...I know that there is a Patriots' Game...Go PATS!

Like weather forecasting, the school closing decision process is not a perfect science. However, I believe it is important for students and families to understand how it works. I hope this FAQ document answers your questions.

Who makes the decision about whether or not to close school?

As Superintendent, I am responsible for the final decision. I work with District staff to monitor state and local weather forecasts and consult with officials from the Marshfield Police and Department of Public Works who provide updates to me on snow removal operations, neighborhood road conditions, and any power outages.

What time do I make the call?

My goal is to make the decision to open, close, or delay by 5:30 A.M. or earlier if possible. I try not to wait any longer as families then have little time to make arrangements for childcare, and some of our staff may have already left for work. Also, while I know there is often an interest in having a decision the night before, a lot can change overnight. I will try my best to make a decision as early as possible.

What information is gathered to aid in the decision?

There are multiple factors used in deciding whether or not to close school. Information on road conditions, snow accumulation predictions, building conditions such as electricity and heat, parking lot conditions, air temperature and wind chill, and estimated times from the Department of Public Works and Marshfield Police as to when roads, walkways, and parking lots will be cleared of snow and ice are all considered. I also consider the number of children who walk to school and our many student drivers.

Are Remote Days a Possibility this Year?

Remote days are not currently permitted as a substitution for in-person days by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

What is a delayed opening?

Rather than close school for a whole day due to short-term weather situations, there may be days when the beginning of school will be delayed one hour or two hours. School will simply start later by the length of the delay. Bus pickup, therefore, will also occur later. For example, if your child is normally picked up at 8:00 A.M., during a two-hour delayed opening, your child will be picked up at 10:00 A. M. Lunch will still be available, and dismissal will be at the regularly scheduled times.

What happens to Pre School during a delayed opening?

When a delayed opening is called, Pre School classes are cancelled.

What are parents’ / guardians' responsibilities?

The safety of your child is paramount. On days when weather conditions are questionable, but school remains open, parents are free to exercise discretion and keep children home from school. Parents of young drivers are asked to reinforce winter weather driving skills: allowing

extra travel time, reducing speed, and not worrying about being late.

How are days made up?

As per State regulations, students must attend school for a minimum of 180 days and the school year must end by June 30. If school is closed due to weather, the day will be made up at the end of the school year.

How do power outages affect the decision?

Inclement weather can affect the timeline for utility companies to restore electricity. If all school buildings have electricity, the goal will be to open school. Other factors also influence the decision, including whether a large number of neighborhoods are without power.

How is the public notified?

Announcements about school closings and delays are posted as outlined below. Please be advised that, depending upon the severity of the storm, school and district administration offices may also be closed in addition to cancelling classes for students.

· District website : www.mpsd.org

· Thrillshare Communication: Voice call and email (email translated)

· WBZ TV and Radio (Channel 4)

· WATD 95.9

· WHDH Channel 7 and 56

· WCVB Fox 25 and Channel 5

I will try to send periodic updates via Thrillshare and social media whenever possible should the storm extend for any period of time beyond the day or should the storm result in continued questionable community conditions.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

The FY27 Budget Presentation, presented to the School Committee on January 13, 2026, is available here.

The Public Budget Hearing will be held during the School Committee meeting on January 27, 2026.

Beginning February 9, 2026, the way families log in to Aspen will change. Family Login IDs will move from the current format (LastName.FirstName.fam) to your email address. For example, a parent who previously logged in as “lincoln.abrahm.fam” will instead log in using “TallBoyAbe@gmail.com”.

This update will allow family users to reset and manage their own passwords more easily and will improve mobile access to Aspen, including online registration on smartphones and tablets.

No changes will occur before February 9. Please continue using your current Login ID until that date. Email login will not be available prior to February 9.

The MHS Art Department is excited to announce the 10 Scholastic Art Award recipients! Congratuations, teachers and students!

Karlene Abbott - honorable mention in Printmaking (Dinsmore)

Christian Devlin - honorable mention in Painting (Dinsmore)

Livia Flynn - honorable mention in Photo (Almeida)

Abigail Grover - honorable mention in Drawing (Almeida)

Alexis Panasuk - honorable mention in Drawing (Almeida)

Georgia Pearson - honorable mention in Ceramics (O’Brien)

Carly Smith - honorable mention in Photo (Almeida)

Carly Smith - 2 honorable mentions in Painting (Dinsmore)

Carly Smith - Gold Key in Photo (Almeida)

I am enjoying my mid year meetings with staff to discuss everything MPSD. I feel so fortunate to work with such wonderful people and talented educators.

Registration is now OPEN!

Please register here by March 13, 2026 — we are thrilled to welcome everyone to this exciting community event!

Celebrate Marshfield’s rich and diverse multicultural community at Mosaic! Whether you’d like to showcase your culture as an exhibitor or simply explore the many cultures that make Marshfield so special, there truly is something for everyone. Enjoy live performances, music, raffles, and more in a fun, welcoming atmosphere.

Staff are warmly invited to participate and celebrate their culture as well.

Below, you’ll find photos from last year’s incredible celebration — we can’t wait to make this year even more vibrant!

Thank you for your nominations! The selection committee looks forward to reviewing them and announcing the district’s 2025 Wall of Honor induction class in next week!

Questions can be directed to WallofHonor@mpsd.org.

As we progress through the third year of our five-year collaboratively developed Strategic Plan, we remain focused on our Mission, Core Values, and Vision, and on realizing the strategic initiatives that will help us reach our goals. As a reminder, our four pillars that will serve us for remainder of the strategic plan are:

“Equity, Belonging, and Wellness”

“Teaching, Learning, and Leading”

“Community, Engagement, and Communication”

AND

“Management and Operations”

Join us on March 14, 2026, and support the Marshfield Education Foundation's mission to provide grants to Marshfield public schools.

Register at https://MarshfieldStPatricksDay5K.com or sign-up to become a volunteer on the website.

Looking forward to seeing you in March!

One of the major goals of our Belonging efforts this year is to choose a Social-Emotional Leanring (SEL) platform for our district. Under the leadership of Dr. Ellen Martin, Assistant Superintendent, we have assembled a comprehensive steering team who are looking at the research, establishing priorities, and working to narrow down some final platforms for field testing at all levels this spring with a goal of full adoption next fall. There will be time for student and family input in this important initiative.

Our Learning Walks this year revolve around Deep Student Engagement, Task Development, and Learning Environment for Students. The District Leader established look-fors are inspired by Amy Berry and her book Reimagining Student Learning, From Disrupting to Driving. This is a multi-year focus, which will involve all stakeholders.

In a nutshell, we will focus on those elements in the classroom that move students from disrupting to driving learning, while also focusing on the development of strong tasks to engage the students within a culturally responsive climate that promotes inclusion. These look-fors are being unwrapped at staff meetings across the district.

EWS Student Journalists

Spruced up Lobby courtesy of EWS PTO

The MHS Winter Seasons have reached the mid-way point with all Teams pushing towards the State Tournament.

The MHS Gymnastics Team lost a close one to Whitman-Hanson, 131.05- 129. Junior Sophie Neumann continued her strong performances on the Vault once again winning the competition. Eliza McAlpine had a strong performance of the Balance Beam coming in 2nd Place for Marshfield. Senior Maya Overton continues her strong senior year placing in 1st place for the Rams in both Beam and the Floor Routine.

Both the Girls and Boys Hockey Teams took part in their annual Green Cup Games against Duxbury. Both games were very close and intense. Unfortunately for the Rams, we came up short against our Patriot League rivals. The Girls lost 1-0 to the Dragons. Senior Goalie Morgan Murphy had a very strong game in net keeping the score close the whole way. Freshman Marisa Dion had a very strong game as well for Marshfield, both creating and preventing scoring chances. Sophomore Ella Wallace also had a good game for Marshfield. The Rams then faced off against the always tough Hingham Team and came up short 5-1. Senior Sarah McIntyre scored for the Rams, while Junior Claire Trodden assisted on the goal.

The Boys Hockey Team also dropped a close one to the Dragons, 3-2. Sophomore Jon Susi and Junior Jackson O’Neil scored goals for the Rams. Senior Sal Camera played very well in net for Marshfield. The Boys rebounded in their next game with a 6-0 win over Plymouth-North. Senior Brendan Kiziuk scored 2 goals for the Rams from his blueline position. Senior Ben Berian and Sophomore Teddie Holte both had a goal and 2 assists in the game for Marshfield.

The MHS Swim/Dive Team celebrated their Seniors and a victory over Plymouth this week. The Girls won 107-65 while the Boys took home the victory 98-66. Senior Georgia Pearson won the 200 Individual Medley and, in the process, qualified for her 4th Individual State Meet (in addition to being a part of 3 State Qualifying Relays. Junior Cara McDonough came in 1st place in the 100 Breaststroke and qualified for Sectionals. Freshman Chloe Francis qualified for her 2nd State Diving Competition after completing her dives Tuesday night.

The Boys were led by Sophomore Hank Hartwell who finished 1st in the 200 Freestyle and set a new School Record with his finish. Sophomore Cam Wong came in 1st in the 100 Butterfly. Cam has also qualified for Sectionals in the 100 Butterfly. Junior Sean Lawlor finished in 1st place in the 500 Freestyle to bring home the win for the Rams.

The Girls Basketball Team lost in a back-and-forth game against Quincy, 66-55. Sophomore Caroline Arruda once again led the way for Marshfield, scoring 19 points. Junior Maeve McDougall also had a good game, scoring 14 points along the way. Sophomore Guard Molly Stevens scored 12 points while directing a lot of the offense. The Rams then hosted a tough Norwell team. The Rams again battled until the end but came up short. Again, Sophomore Caroline Arruda led the offensive way for Marshfield. Junior Stella Ewell played well for Marshfield hitting some key shots along the way. Junior Josie Ellwood played a strong game defending for Marshfield.

The Boys Basketball Team got the win on the road against a tough Quincy Team, 75-71. The Rams were led by their big 3 up front. Senior Dan Padden led the way for Marshfield with 23 points. Fellow Senior Noah Feldman was one behind scoring 22 points and distributing the ball. Junior Luke Richardson had a strong game in the middle with 21 points.

The MHS Wrestling Team had an impressive win over Plymouth-North, 57-21. Senior Liam Dillion recorded a pin in the Match which also was his 100th career wrestling victory. Seniors Christian Devlin and Cam Robinson also recorded wins and pins in their matches. It was a great team win all the way around for the Rams.

The MHS Girls Indoor Track and Field Team had a dominant performance against Silver Lake, winning 79-21. Senior Sarah Penney once again won both the 1- and 2-Mile Races. Fellow Senior Anna White came in 1st in the High Jump and with another strong performance, she became the number 11 ranked High Jumper in Division 2. Senior Olivia David also finished 1st in the 55 as the Rams cruised to the win.

The Boys Indoor Track and Field Team also took home the win against Silver Lake, 61-33. The Rams were led Junior Robbie Jordan who came in 1st in the 55 Hurdles. Senior Tucker McNamee once again set the pace finishing 1st in the 600M. Senior Justin Casado had a great performance in both the 300M and Long Jump, finishing 1st in both at the Meet.

The MHS Ski Team had another Race this week. Our Ram Skiers have been impressive with their racing skills and dedication to this 1st year Program with Cohasset. Freshmen Paulo Afanasiw and Cole Mason have been doing well on the slopes for the Team.

Location: Martinson Library

Time: Tuesdays 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

8 Sessions

January 20, 2026

January 27, 2026

February 3, 2026

February 10, 2026

February 24, 2026

March 3, 2026

March 10, 2026

March 17, 2026

The ELPAC will meet on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:00pm on the following dates:

• January 26

• March 26

• May 11

We are looking for a parent representative from each school to serve on the board. As well as a staff member from DWS, MHS, FBMS and the GEEC.

In May of 2025, amid increased immigration enforcement activity across Massachusetts, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell released a ‘Know Your Rights’ guide designed to help immigrants, families, and communities understand their rights and the basic legal framework for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions. As we begin the school year we once again wanted you to have this information. Should you have additional questions or concerns regarding your students and how we can support them, please contact your building principal or Kate Lyons-Mailoux, Director of ESL.

Maya was nominated by her peers for being hard working, keeping a positive attitude and helping the team win!

Bret earned the most nominations ever received for his hard work, performance, keeping things fun and dedication to the team!

Register here!

Register here!

Are you, or someone you know, interested in joining our fantastic team of educators? We would love to add you to our dedicated team of Substitute Teachers. We also have a few ESP, SESP & Tutor positions we are still looking to fill. Click the link(s) below to learn more:

Employment Opportunities

Jan 23 - FBMS/MHS Term 2/Semester 1 Ends

Jan 27 - School Committee (Ventress)

Jan 30 - FBMS/MHS Report Cards

Feb 4 - District Wide Early Release

Feb 10 - School Committee (GWS)

Feb 16-20 - February Vacation

Feb 24 - School Committee (Ventress)

Daniel Webster School

Eames Way School

Governor Winslow School

Martinson Elementary School

South River School

Furnace Brook Middle School

Marshfield High School Counselor Connection

Email: psullivan@mpsd.org
Website: www.mpsd.org
Location: 76 South River Street, Marshfield MA 02050
Phone: (781) 834-5000