SPS Weekly Newsletter

This week's featured photo: Last Friday, dozens of Gibbons School students met at Town Spa for their first walk to school event of the year. It was a great way to start the school day!

(Photo credits: Britney Ricci)

Massachusetts recently shared its Vision of a Massachusetts Graduate, “an aspirational outline for how a Massachusetts high school diploma can prepare students - regardless of zip code, identity, or background - for success after graduation.” The Vision of a Graduate is not new to Stoughton Public Schools. It is a project we have been working on since 2021. By defining skills and competencies for student success, we align our scholars to college, career, and life expectations in our ever-changing world.

A Vision of a Graduate creates a shared vision for what students should achieve by graduation. In partnership with our community, we are committed to supporting students on their journeys to live productive, healthy, and meaningful lives. Through our curriculum and through their experiences, our students will become culturally responsive citizens, innovative thinkers, and lifelong learners who exemplify excellence of character and live balanced lives.

As part of our Vision of a Graduate work, we have identified six core competencies for every student. Our students will:

1. Become Critical Thinkers

• Question, evaluate, analyze, synthesize, and articulate information from a variety of sources.

2. Emerge as Culturally Proficient Individuals

• Build meaningful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and engage in respectful and productive exchanges.

3. Mature into Healthy Individuals

• Strive to maintain physical, mental, and social well-being while reaching their full potential.

4. Develop Effective Communication Skills

• Use language thoughtfully to connect, collaborate, share information, and succeed in personal, academic, and professional settings.

5. Take Personal Responsibility

• Accept full ownership of their behavior, emotions, and decisions in all areas of life.

6. Cultivate a Growth Mindset

• Embrace the belief that fundamental abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.

It is important to note that this work is not just limited to Stoughton High School. The road to graduation does not start in 9th grade; it starts in preschool and in elementary school. With this in mind, one of the elements of our Triennial Plan is to fully implement the Vision of Graduate framework, ensuring every student from kindergarten through 12th grade develops the six core competencies. Over the next few years, these competencies will be embedded in all grade levels through curriculum, assessment, and extracurricular opportunities. As an example, Stoughton High students will begin drafting "I Can" statements that align with the six core competencies. These statements put the core competency into common concrete measurable language. Meanwhile, the Wilkins Elementary School school will be piloting "I Can" statements during their community time.

I am excited to see how our Vision of a Graduate can create a unified framework for academic and social-emotional growth throughout the district, ensuring a seamless and cohesive educational experience for all students.

Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

Joseph F. Baeta, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Stoughton Public Schools

Last Friday, a group of Stoughton High students attended a peer leadership conference organized by the Norfolk District Attorney's Office at the Tirrell Room in Quincy. This conference kicked off the DA's peer leadership program for the school year, where students across Norfolk County will participate in monthly learning activities through the DA's office, promote healthy decision making, and volunteer for community service projects.

The Stoughton High students taking part in this program include seniors Olivia Bento, Jack Gallan, Jacoby Matos, Ava McNamara, Julia Monaghan, and Victor Thomas, and juniors Neala Garrels, Adalynn Giunta, Aidan Moriarty, and Gabriel Rivera. These students are recognized as rising leaders at SHS by school administration, counseling, nursing, and community partners. They are pictured at the conference with Danielle Gallan, Stoughton Schools Director of Health Services; Stephanie Patton, Stoughton Prevention Coordinator; and Lindsay Bonda, Stoughton Police Juvenile Detective.

Over the past two weeks, all 8th-grade science students at the O'Donnell Middle School took part in a gel electrophoresis lab. Gel electrophoresis is a technique used to separate DNA fragments, or other macromolecules like RNA and proteins, based on their size and charge. The process involves applying an electric current to a gel containing the molecules, causing them to move through the gel at different speeds or directions depending on their size and charge.

During the lab, students practiced using micropipettes to accurately transfer dyes into the gel. After running the electrophoresis, they were able to analyze the results and make conclusions about the size and charge of each dye particle.

These hands-on experiences are made possible through our partnership with MassBioEd and their Access program. The skills introduced in this lab will be further developed in biology classes at SHS.

Thursday, October 2 was National Custodian Appreciation Day. The unsung heroes of our schools, custodians keep our buildings clean and safe, interact daily with students and faculty, and are always there to lend a helping hand. A big thank you to our custodial staff for all of their hard work in keeping our schools looking great!

On Thursday, the Gibbons School celebrated National Custodian Appreciation Day by honoring their beloved custodian Robert Gidley, aka “Bobby G” (pictured above). The Gibbons PTA provided a special gift along with breakfast. Students also wrote cards and drew pictures for Mr. Gidley.

(Photo from POPS Stoughton on Facebook)

The Stoughton High boys soccer team (pictured above) beat Walpole 2-0 on Thursday on what was senior night for SHS. The Black Knights are now 5-2-2 on the season and are working toward a playoff berth.

Meanwhile, the Stoughton High field hockey team beat Brockton 9-1 on Wednesday to improve to 5-6-1 on the season as they look to make a playoff push.

For more updates about the Black Knights this fall season, follow the Stoughton High School Athletics Facebook page.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct an Integrated Monitoring Review of The Stoughton Public Schools during the week of November 3rd, 2025. Each school district, charter school, vocational school, and virtual school undergoes an Integrated Monitoring Review every three years. The areas addressed during an Integrated Monitoring Review are organized into two groups, known as Group A Universal Standards and Group B Universal Standards.

The Stoughton Public Schools will be undergoing a Group B monitoring review that addresses special education teacher and related service personnel licensure and professional development; parent, student, and community engagement, including compliance with Child Find requirements; facilities and classroom observations; implementation and oversight of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); time and learning; and equal access.

The process includes interviews with district staff and administrators, a review of student records, policies and procedures, and school building visits. The process may also include parent/caregiver, student and teacher focus group meetings to gather additional information. Interpretation will be provided, if needed.

Edward Clarke, Director of Special Education, will host an orientation about the review process in collaboration with the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) on Tuesday, October 28th at Stoughton High School, Room A216 at 7 pm.

The Department will also send a parent survey, in multiple languages and formats, as needed, to parents /guardians of special education students to gather key information on the special education processes and procedures.

Parents/guardians and other stakeholders may call Winnie Coco, Monitoring Review Chairperson, at (781) 338- 3736 to request a telephone interview. If anyone requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.

Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the Stoughton Public Schools with a report that includes information on further actions that may be required. The public will be able to access the report by clicking here.

If you have not already opted in to receive text messages from the District and your school, text "YES" to 79041 at any time. By doing this, you can receive important District/school updates, emergency alerts, and other public information.

Did you know that Stoughton Public Schools has partnered with Care Solace to support the well-being of students, staff, and their family members? Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential care coordination service that can help you quickly find mental health, social services, or substance use treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of circumstance.

• Call: 888-515-0595 (available 24/7/365 with multilingual support)
• Visit: caresolace.com/stoughtonschools to search or click “Book Appointment”.

For updates throughout the week, be sure to follow Stoughton Public Schools on social media: