Superintendent's Friday Message
September 18, 2026
Dear MPS Families and Caregivers,
This past Monday saw our Meetings of the Medford School Committee resume to in-person meetings, which meant we re-introduced the Mustang Moment! This agenda item provides an opportunity for MPS Community members to share their experiences, accomplishments, and reflections at the beginning of each meeting.
We were thrilled to begin the school year hearing from McGlynn Elementary Grade 4 student and published author Xandria Reutemann about her new novel! Xandria's book "New World" tells the story of a young girl's quest to save multiple worlds from danger. After speaking about the novel, Xandria signed copies of the book which will be sent to each of our school libraries.
Thank you to everyone who joined us last night during our Community Forum #6 focused on Sustainability. Last night's virtual meeting hosted terrific conversations about sustainable design goals and objectives for the project.
Next Tuesday, the School Building Committee will once again gather for a full committee meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the MHS Library & on Zoom. During the next week's meeting, the SBC will review the pool as well as project adjacencies and related efficiencies for:
- Core Academic
- Special Education (non MEEP)
- Medford Academy
- Ch 74 (CTE Spaces)
- Lab Spaces (non CH 74)
- Media Center
Since the first set of design plans were submitted in late February, over 54,000 square feet has been removed from the project, with more space efficiencies set to be voted by the SBC on Tuesday & on October 6. Visit the project website to learn more about the evolution of the building size and programming.
To learn more about the project and see upcoming events, please visit https://medfordhsproject.com/. Additionally, community members can stay informed on the project by signing up for the project mailing list.
For the 2026/27 school year, one of our district leadership goals is to increase our communication efforts related to what students are learning in the classroom. Each of our academic department webpages provide the scope & sequence for the school year. Additionally, there will be a section in my last message of each month previewing what elementary families can expect their student to learn in the upcoming month. We hope these channels can increase understanding of our academic and school operations while providing further support to instruction at home.
We have also worked with our instructional leaders to clarify the expectations and use of technology in the classroom. Medford Public Schools is committed to thoughtfully integrating digital tools in age-appropriate ways across the district. We strive to be purposeful in our incorporation, utilizing technology to support, extend, and personalize student learning.
Visit Here to learn more about the technology use by grade level and for resources related to the responsible use of MPS digital tools.
Returning for its second school year, Caregiver University empowers families with accessible, practical knowledge and skills that strengthen caregivers’ capacity to support their students’ health, safety, and overall success. Through free community-centered learning, we reduce risk, build protective factors, and equip caregivers to help young people thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.
The fall event schedule for Caregiver University is now live! Led by experts in their fields, join our city and district staff members for conversations on important topics such as navigating screens, improving executive functioning skills, responsible use of AI, and recognizing bullying.
Pre-Registration is strongly encouraged! Visit Here to Register for any of our fall events.
We are thrilled to see our MPS after-school program community grow by 50% this school year! As our program expands, ensuring student safety, accurate headcount tracking, and seamless communication across all four of our school sites remains our top priority.
We understand there has been some confusion recently regarding playground access following school dismissal. School playgrounds remain open to the public, including neighborhood children and families not enrolled in our program, during after-school hours.
While our playgrounds are shared community spaces, our after-school program actively operates on-site until 6:00 p.m. During after-school hours, we kindly ask that non-program families and community members supervise their students on the playground while our staff monitor enrolled students. Additionally, we want to remind our community:
Dogs and other pets are not permitted on school/playground grounds during program hours.
Bikes, scooters, and skateboards must be parked outside active play zones.
Equipment must be used as intended (e.g., sliding feet-first, taking turns on swings) and language should be respectful
Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we keep our shared spaces safe, welcoming and enjoyable for our Medford community!
Beginning Monday, October 19, the Medford Family Network will be offering free English classes for speakers of other languages. Held at the MFN, this intermediate course will expand English vocabulary through real-world themes including travel, health and wellness, and cuisine from around the world. The course will run from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. until December 7.
Registration for these classes is required. After you register, the instructor will call to do a short assessment on current language skills. Limited childcare is available during class for children older than 2 years old.