News FromThe Middle

It was wonderful to have our students back in the building this week! It has been so much fun to watch students reconnect with friends and former teachers, while also seeing new and meaningful bonds begin to form between teachers and students. I continue to be impressed by the way our students welcome new members to our community and help them feel supported as they navigate a new school.

As we settle into the school year, students are beginning to establish regular school routines, and our 5th graders are already navigating the building with increasing confidence. During the first few days of school, students participated in cafeteria and recess expectations assemblies, as well as their first team or grade-level assemblies led by our Assistant Principals. During these sessions, our Assistant Principals shared more about what it means to be a member of the MMS community and about the importance of contributing to a positive school environment. Be sure to ask your child about these first community-building experiences!

We held our first fire drill this week, and, as always, our students made us proud by participating respectfully and responsibly. Practicing these procedures helps ensure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. We will continue to hold drills throughout the school year.

Finally, this week we introduced students to the Medway Middle School Levels of Engagement Continuum. This framework gives students a common language for thinking about how they show up as learners; from simply participating to being truly invested and actively driving their own learning. Throughout the year, we will revisit the continuum and encourage students to reflect on their own engagement and consider how they can take an active role in their learning and contribute positively to our school community.

Please take a few moments to read the important updates and reminders below. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to any member of the Medway Middle School team.

A special thank you to the Medway Education Parent and Teacher Organization for stocking the teachers’ room refrigerator with cold drinks and treats to celebrate our staff’s return to school! These simple yet incredibly thoughtful gestures made a big impact on our faculty and staff and were a wonderful reminder of the support and partnership of our school community. We are so grateful!

We are excited to partner this year with Tim Rice Photography for our school picture day on September 24th. Mr. Rice brings years of experience working with students and families in Medway and surrounding schools.

To help ensure an organized and smooth experience for all students, we are looking for four volunteers at each school. Volunteers may choose either a morning shift (7:30 -10:45) or an afternoon shift (10:45-2).

If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the attached form by the end of the school day on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. To keep the process fair, volunteers will be randomly selected using a number generator. School offices will will confirm with selected volunteers.

If you have any questions please reach out to the main office. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

Parent Volunteer Form

Arrival

The doors to school open at 7:15 a.m. Please note that student supervision is not available before 7:15 a.m. Students who arrive after 7:25 a.m. will be marked late. We ask families to make every effort to have students arrive at school on time.

We recognize that more families choose to drive their students to school on rainy and snowy days, which can result in additional traffic and longer drop-off times. Please plan accordingly and give yourself additional time on inclement weather days to ensure your student arrives at school on time.

Please note that students arriving by car should be dropped off at the student waiting area highlighted in the photo below. For safety reasons, students may not be dropped off in the Kelley Street parking lot or in the circle in front of the school. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Car Pick Up

Parents should pull all the way up to the front of the student waiting area. Students will walk to cars. Please do not stop halfway down the pick up aisle. If everyone follows this instruction, it will significantly improve the car pick up experience.

For safety reasons, families may not use the Kelley Street lot as a student pick up location.

Bike Riders

Students who are riding their bikes to school should park their bikes in the rack in front of the building. Students are encouraged to lock their bikes. All students riding bikes to and from school must wear bike helmets. Additionally, once students arrive on campus, students should get off of their bikes and walk them to the bike rack.

The Medway Department of Public Health will be holding a free flu vaccination clinic on October 6 at the Memorial Café (16 Cassidy Ln) from 3-6 PM. To register please follow this link: Medway Flu Clinic

We would like to remind you of Medway Middle School's "Off and Away" cell phone policy. According to our Handbook, students should place their cell phones in their lockers upon arriving at school. We observed an increase last year in students keeping their phones one when they arrived in the building. All students will be asked to have phones and earbuds off and away as they enter the building so they can be prepared for the school day.

Research shows that even having a cell phone or other electronic devices with internet capability, such as a smartwatch, on their person can significantly distract middle school students. The mere presence of a phone can lead to frequent checking and disruptions, which detracts from their focus and learning. By enforcing our "Off and Away" policy, we aim to help students stay engaged and make the most of their educational experience.

We will be strictly enforcing the "Off and Away" procedures. We will review these expectations with students during our opening assemblies. We kindly ask that you also review this policy with your children before the start of the school year. Below is an excerpt from the Handbook regarding cell phones and personal electronic devices:

If a student is seen with their cell phone or electronic device (including earbuds or headphones) out at an unauthorized time, the device will be confiscated and turned in to the main office. After the first violation, the student may need to pick up their phone from the main office. A second violation will require a parent or guardian to retrieve the phone. Subsequent violations will result in a meeting with the Assistant Principal to discuss a plan to prevent further violations. This may include requiring the student to turn in their cell phone to the office at the start of the school day for a specified period.

The full text of the cell phone and electronic device language from our Student Handbook can be found here.

Please note that students may use their phones at the end of the school day. If a student needs to contact home during the day, they can use the student phone in the office with a pass from their teacher. Parents should refrain from receiving texts from students during school hours.

Thank you for your cooperation in supporting our efforts to keep cell phones “Off and Away” during the school day.

Annual Information Review - Available Now! - Families are reminded that they are required to complete the Annual Information Review for all of their children. Families will review student data information on file and acknowledge the school's policies, procedures, and student responsibilities as outlined in the Student Handbook annually. To make this process flow as quickly and easily as possible, we encourage all families to utilize the Parent Portal to complete the review. Please log in to the Parent Portal and choose More > Registrations > and choose Start in the Existing section for the 2026-27 Student Registration. Review all the information listed within the tabs, and submit when complete. Please complete this immediately!

As we have communicated, Medway Middle School will host our annual Curriculum Night on Tuesday, September 29th starting at 6:00 pm. This adult-only program allows families to meet their child’s teachers and learn about their child’s curricular program. Additional details will be shared in our next newsletter.

We are looking for parents to join the School Council. Council members are responsible for assisting the principal in four major areas: establishing goals for the school, identifying the educational needs of students, reviewing the budget and formulating a school improvement plan. Additionally, the council will be asked to provide general feedback to the principal.

Due to the role of the council in guiding our school, members are asked to make a two year commitment and be available to attend all council meetings. Meetings are held on Tuesdays starting at 3:15 pm and last approximately one hour. Dates for the 2026-2027 council meetings are tentatively scheduled as follows: Tuesday 10/20, 1/19, 4/17 and 5/18.

State guidelines specify that the number of parent representatives must be equal to the number of teachers who serve on the council. State law also requires that if the number of parents interested in serving on the Council is more than the number of spots we have open, we will hold an election.

Parents interested in serving on the Council or learning more about this role are asked to email Amanda Luizzi before the close of the school day on Friday, September 18th. Please include “School Council” in the subject line.

Your perspectives are needed to keep Medway kids safe and healthy. This is anonymous and only takes a few minutes. After the survey you can enter a drawing for gift cards valued up to $50 to businesses including Target, Nirvana Tea, Enchanted Fox, and more! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LNKR83C

Please save the date for the following Friday Night Done Right events. These events promote free middle school fun with a focus on connection, growth and FUN! Admission to 4 events grants students eligibility to attend a special field trip in May!

Registration needs to be filled out for each individual child. Sorry, no siblings outside of grades 5 - 8 permitted. Participants must live in or attend school in Medway, MA.

The Friday Night Done Right program is a collection of monthly middle school events, all focused on giving middle schoolers the space to have fun, build friendships and discover new interests with our rotating activities! Events are free for all Medway middle schoolers, and dinner is provided as well.

Our next event will feature Darren Yong, top New England magician and entertainer, to excite students with his up close magic show. This event will take place Friday, September 18th, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Medway High School. Registration is open here: FNDR '26-'27 Registration.

HYPE (Healthy Youth Program Empowerment) is an afterschool group with a goal of building youth leaders who are empowered to learn about health and encourage healthy decisions for peers. Our group meets once per week on Thursdays, where we have group discussions around various health topics, enjoy healthy snacks, engage in individual and group health projects and more.

Registration is open here: HYPE '26-'27 Registration.

Medway SEPAC is hosting a Trunk or Treat event on October 16th at 5 pm (sensory friendly at 4:30) at Medway High School. Please consider attending and or registering to be a trunk participant.

SEPAC is a Special Education Parent Advisory Council. Every public school district in Massachusetts is required to establish a SEPAC. Massachusetts state law assigns both an advisory and participatory function to SEPACs. Click here to read their latest newsletter.

On Tuesday, February 5th, the School Committee approved on the 2026-2027 school year calendar for Medway Public Schools.

The Medway Resource Hub, curated by Medway School’s Wraparound Team, provides direct links to community social, mental, and physical health supports for students and their families. If you have questions about specific resources, please reach out to your student’s school counselor.

Medway Schools has partnered with Care Solace, which offers mental health care coordination services and can help connect you, your child, and extended family members with appropriate community-based mental health providers. Whether it's counseling, therapy, or other mental health services, Care Solace can assist you in finding the support your family may need. To access Care Solace's coordination services, simply reach out using the following options:

1. Call 888-515-0595: Their multilingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365.

2. Visit www.caresolace.com/medway: On their website, you can explore mental health providers independently or click "Book Appointment" for personalized assistance through video chat, email, or phone.

English

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September

4 & 7– No School- Labor Day

8 -18 - IXL and IReady Beginning of Year Assessment Window

14-18 Grade 6 Nature's Classroom Trip

21- Yom Kippur (no school for students)

24- Smile! School Picture Day

28-30- Beginning of Year Panorama Screening

29- Curriculum Night