News from Memorial

As we've entered February, our students are working hard! Below are a few academic updates. I can't believe that school vacation is upon us after next week. We'll end next week with a school celebration!

Grade 2
ELA- Just finished Unit 3 and the theme of Our Traditions, including genres of Fables. The grade will be beginning Unit 4 with the theme of Making a Difference. This includes the Genres of: Biographies and Realistic Fiction
Math- Just beginning Unit 3 (Numbers Within 1,000: Place Value, Addition, and Subtraction). Upcoming lessons include Adding and Subtracting 3-digit numbers.

Grade 3
ELA- Finishing Unit 3 with the theme of Heroes. Genres included are-Historical Fiction, Biographies, and Poetry). Com,ing up in Unit 4, Theme of Events, with Genres of Biographies, Narrative Nonfiction, and Drama) will begin next week

Math- Continuing with Unit 3 which focuses on Multiplication: Finding Area, Solving Word Problems, and Using Scaled Graphs. Upcoming lessons include two-step word problems using multiplication and division and scaled graphs.

Grade 4 ELA- Finishing Unit 3 (Theme: Diversity, Genres- Realistic Fiction, Autobiographies, and Poetry). Entering into Unit 4 with the theme of "Impacts" Genres studied: Traditional Tales, Dramas, Historical Fiction and Drama) will begin after February Break

Math- : Finishing up unit 3 which involved multiplying and dividing as well as area and perimeter measurements

Have a great weekend!

John Kelley
Principal

This week students were provided a message acknowledging their hard work and asking each class to place a vote as to how they would like to celebrate.
Our students have spoken! A Whole School PJ Day won in a landslide. Others receiving votes included: Mismatch Day which scored solidly in the second-choice category. On Friday 2/17, students and staff are welcome to dress in their coziest pair of PJs.

Today our 3rd Graders got to participate in the show "Be Somebody" by Rob Surette. Rob's show is a one-hour speed painting experience (painting below) aimed to inspire young minds with hope, beauty, and self-empowerment. We hope our 3rd graders learned they can change the world! Rob even donated a Marvel painting for the MEPTO basket raffle. He spoke about how impressed he was with our students and staff in their engagement and assembly behavior!
Thank you MEPTO for sponsoring!

In accordance with legal guidelines, students will need to begin to enter their student codes for free breakfast. All students should have received their student codes. Students will receive the full breakfast (not just juice, milk, etc) but are not obligated to eat anything they do not want to. Have a conversation with your students about your expectations for breakfast, and we'll have a station for students to drop off unopened food they do not want to eat.

Medway Public Schools, in partnership with our support organizations, are excited to invite funding contributions to support the purchase of a new professional performance piano and additional performing arts’ department needs! For fundraising details, please see the 88 Keys for Kids and MFPA Annual Campaign flyer! Thank you for your support!

Save the date(s)! The Scholastic Bookfair is returning in March. The dates of the fair are 3/6 through 3/10. Students will have an opportunity to shop during school. Click here for a link to the school webpage. More details to come!

At the School Committee meeting that was held on Thursday, February 2, the 2023-2024 School Year Calendar was approved. School Committee also approved the 2024 Medway High School Graduation date. Click here to view!

You should have received DIBELS and iReady Assessment letters. These came with an accompanying letter to explain how to interpret the results. Even with these letters, you may still have questions. Reach out to your teachers with any questions regarding your student and the information.

The Medway Schools believe it is important that families and the broader community are provided with information about the important work going on in our schools. To that end, we are excited to announce an upcoming enhancement to our communication strategy: a free Medway Public Schools app. The app will be available to all community members and provide school updates, news, a calendar of events, and other important notifications. Please be on the lookout for more information next week about the launch of our first-ever app!

As you might imagine, the current economic conditions are challenging as we develop the FY24 budget. The increased needs of students, the diminishing available additional funds (e.g. ESSER), and the high inflationary number are creating circumstances that will require ongoing discussion to plan through and manage. The budget development process is one that provides the opportunity for the community to ask questions and share information. Please find below specific events that are connected to the budget development process. We invite community members to join us.

Recent Events

- February 2, 2023: Superintendent’s Chat: FY24 Budget - Please join us!

- February 9, 2023: Charting the Course - District Improvement Update and Budget Overview Presented to the School Committee

Upcoming

March 2, 2023: FY24 Budget Presentation

On Thursday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m., in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, Dr. Pires and Ms. Leonhardt, Director of Finance and Operations, will present the FY24 Recommended Superintendent’s Budget to the Medway School Committee.

March 9, 2023: Public Forum on the FY24 Budget

On Thursday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m., in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, the School Committee and Dr. Pires will host a public forum for interested community members regarding the FY24 budget. This session is interactive and participant questions will be answered.

March 16, 2023: Public Hearing on FY24 Budget and FY24 Budget Vote

On Thursday, March 16, at 6:00 p.m. in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, community members are invited to share public comments regarding the proposed FY24 budget with the School Committee. This is the final opportunity for community feedback prior to the School Committee vote on the FY24 budget planned as part of the regular School Committee meeting agenda later this evening. Feedback shared at the hearing will be acknowledged and noted, but there will not be a dialogue during the Budget Hearing.

At 7:00 p.m. this same evening, in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, the School Committee will vote to forward the FY24 Medway Public Schools Budget to the Town of Medway, to be included as part of the FY24 Town of Medway budget.

May 8, 2023: Town Meeting

Community members are encouraged to attend Medway’s Town Meeting on Monday, May 8, 2023, at 7:00 p.m., at Medway High School, 88 Summer Street, when residents will be asked to vote on the Town of Medway FY24 budget, which will be inclusive of the FY24 Medway Public School’s budget to be used for the 2023-2024 school year.

We will continue our principal coffee hours in February. Coffee hours take place in our school library. This month I'll be providing a short presentation on the topic of learning strategies at home. We will still be sure to provide time and space for family members to ask and talk about other topics that they are interested in as well.

February Coffee Hours

Thursday 2/16/23

Location: Burke Memorial Library

Session 1: 10:30 AM

Session 2: 3:45 PM

Kindergarten registration is open for the 2023-2024 school year. In order to be eligible for kindergarten, students must be 5 years old by August 31, 2023. Registration information will be available online, in the superintendent’s office and the McGovern School, if needed.

We have several events leading up to our first day of kindergarten including Summer Kindergarten Camp. You can find them here. We look forward to welcoming our Class of 2036 to the Medway Public Schools!

In order to be eligible for the Preschool Lottery your child must be 3 years old by August 31, 2023.

The preschool lottery packet that explains the process in detail can be found here.

You can find a timeline of the Preschool Lottery/Registration Process here.

You can enter your child in the preschool lottery by filling out this Google Form.

The MFPA is hosting a Musical Bingo Night on February 16th at the Medway Middle School Cafeteria. This fun night is a family-friendly event that is open to all. Gather your friends and see how quickly you can identify great music. Mr. Doug Herbst from the Medway Middle School will be our Bingo Caller! Doors open at 6:00 pm and music will start at 6:30 pm.

The fundraiser donation minimum is $5/person or $25/family. Registration is open until February 15th (or until spots run out).

We will accept cash, check or Venmo - MFPA Medway @Medwayfriendsofperformingarts

Venmo can be paid in advance upon confirmation of your registration.

All proceeds directly benefit the Medway Performing Arts Students!

Registration Link is below.

https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejlw51lkafb5361c&oseq=&c=&ch=

The Medway Foundation for Education (MFE) is pleased to host the annual MFE Trivia Bee. This event is a time honored tradition where colleagues, teachers, students, and friends compete to reveal Medway’s top trivia team! The event will take place on Tuesday, March 7 in the Burke-Memorial Elementary School Cafeteria from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The funding generated from participation from this event supports the MFE’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the Medway Public Schools. Please consider participating! A registration form can be found here.

Ou Elementary PTO has some exciting community events coming up, like a Providence Bruins Game on 2/26, BINGO (Bingo For Books registration link) on 3/3, and the Shamrock Shuffle 5K on 3/11! This is in addition to the wonderful student events they fund here at school!
Questions? Email Medwaypto@gmail.com

It's that time of year when the student snow bags start making their way into school. We try to get outside as much as possible, including during the snow. Please make sure your student is dressed for the winter weather with a coat, hat, and gloves.

During recess, students are allowed to play in the snow if they have the proper clothes. This includes snow pants, hats, gloves, and boots. Snow gear can be expensive and our students are growing quickly! If there are any financial barriers to obtaining snow clothes, please reach out to John Kelley and we will provide them for your student.

For students (or parents) that do not want to play in the snow. The blacktop in the recess area will be plowed and cleared for students. So if you forget the gear at home, students will have plenty of other options!

Our lost and found is quite full of stuff! We are laying out items at lunch. Please remind your student to look through the lost and found if you think your child is missing something. We will donate any clothing left on February 17th. Label everything with your child's first and last name so that if an article is found, we can return it is always helpful.

Dear Grade 3 Families,

I am excited for third grade students to start playing recorder in music class in January. Each student will receive their own labeled recorder that will initially be kept at school. Once students can show me they know how to play with a beautiful tone they will be allowed to bring them home to practice! Recorder masks will be made available to any student who needs one. Please reach out to Mrs. Tower at jtower@medwayschools.org if you have any questions or concerns. We can’t wait to play for you at our concert later this year!

Warmly,

Mrs. Tower

Please find the latest MEPTO newsletter here.

If you are a one-person household and make less than $40,951 per year or a two-person household and make less than $53,551 per year, you may qualify for home fuel assistance. A full eligibility and benefits chart can be found here. Medway Outreach Workers Marcia Lombardo and Kim Cookson are happy to help you apply for fuel assistance or answer any questions. They can be reached at 508 533 3210 or mlombardo@townofmedway.org. Please note if adults in your household are not U.S. citizens, but a child in the home is a citizen, you can still apply for fuel assistance.

It is the goal of the district to hold school whenever possible. Parents and students should plan accordingly and leave plenty of time on winter mornings to arrive at school safely. Please know that the final decision about a child attending school during a weather event always rests with individual families. There may be occasions when deteriorating weather will mean that schools close due to unsafe conditions.

The superintendent will review anticipated road and sidewalk conditions, access to schools, projected weather forecasts, and consult with the police and public works departments in order to make a determination between approximately 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. if conditions will be safe for students to come to school.

The following plans will be in effect for inclement weather:

No School Announcement

If the superintendent has determined the conditions are unsafe, school will be canceled. The district will utilize the emergency notification system that will contact your home/cell phone and email using the information you have provided to your child’s school. The “no-school” announcement will also be carried on local television channels 4, 5, and 7.

All classes, school activities, before and after school programs, the Medway Extended Day program (MEDI), daycare program, adult education evening classes, and any school facilities use activities will be canceled. Transportation of students to out-of-district schools will also be canceled.

One- or Two-Hour Delayed Opening Announcement

If the superintendent has been notified that the public works department needs additional time to plow or sand the streets to ensure safety, then a determination for a one or two hour delay may be made. As with no-school announcements, the delayed opening announcement will be made using the emergency notification system to home/cell phone and email and carried on local television channels.

Please keep in mind:

• Bus routes will begin by a one or two hour delay, including all special education transportation for out-of-district schools.

• Do not send your child to school earlier than the delayed opening, as the school grounds may not be plowed and there will be no staff available to supervise early arrivals.

• PreK ½ day sessions will take place if a one hour delay is called, and will be canceled for a two hour delay.

• School lunch will be served at its regularly scheduled time.

• Schools will be dismissed at their regular times.

Emergency Early Release Announcement

If a severe weather condition or other emergency develops during the school day, the district may release students before the typical end of the school day. Parents will be notified by home/cell phone and email and the announcement will be carried on local television channels, and displayed on the district website. As appropriate, the district will work with public safety officials to shelter students in the district if unable to send home.

Inclement Weather Bus Stops for Walkers

We understand that inclement weather days can prove challenging to getting your child to school. If your child(ren) is/are typically a walker and you are unable to find another means of transportation during inclement weather, or when sidewalks have not yet been plowed, please complete this brief form . We will use this information to set up “inclement weather bus stops.” We have provided this service as a way to support safe transportation to school. Please note that these stops will only be activated during storms or following a storm when sidewalks have not yet been cleared, and as communicated. We will communicate additional information when bus stops have been established.

Additional Reminders for Parents

Be sure your child’s school has your updated contact information.

Have a family emergency plan in place so your child knows what to do if sent home for any of the reasons noted above. If your child is regularly driven to school and you or he/she feels it is unsafe to drive during the inclement weather, please determine an alternative means of transportation to school.

We’re excited to remind you that the school has access to a wonderful reading resource called Sora. Sora is an online library, run through the Massachusetts Library Network, giving our students access to thousands of ebooks, audiobooks, and digital read aloud books. The service is free to all students, accessible at all times, and only requires your student’s school email and password to access it. Sora can be accessed at home via your web browser at soraapp.com/library/masslibma or download the Sora app onto your device.

When using Sora for the first time, please select our school district ‘Medway Public Schools’ from the list and then use your student’s school email address (@student.medwayschools.org) and password, this is the same password students use to log into their Chromebooks. Student’s may borrow up to 5 books at a time and keep them for 21 days or return them early if they wish to check out more.

If you have any issues accessing Sora please email support@medwayschools.org

At least 4 families in Medway have been helped by Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston over the years. The Jackson family, the Davis family, the Fagerson family, and most recently the MacLeod family this summer. All at no cost thanks to the incredible Shriners Hospital!

Shriners hospital collects can tabs for money. If you would like to join us in thanking Shriners Hospital on behalf of these families you can collect can tabs and drop them at the fire station or police station. If you have a student at McGovern School you can have them bring them to school to drop in a container in our main office. Thank you for your support!

With the cold and flu season upon us, and the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19, it is important that we all stay vigilant in protecting the health of our schools. At-home testing is encouraged when your child or a family member has symptoms. Free at-home tests are available with most health insurance through CVS. If your child tests positive, please inform your child’s school nurse and follow COVID protocols around isolation and mask-wearing. We encourage you to keep your child home when exhibiting COVID and influenza symptoms and recommend mask-wearing when sick. For tips on effective mask-wearing and mask options, please click here.

Twitter: @BurkeMemorial

Facebook: @BurkeMemorial

Instagram: @BurkeMemorialElem

Please read the 2022-2023 Elementary School Handbook as it has important information for both McGovern and Memorial Schools. Please complete this sign-off form by September 20, 2022 indicating you have read and understand the handbook.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Medway Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. During the 2022-2023 school year, all students will receive free breakfast and lunch at school. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has provided money to do this for one year through the State budget. We need your help to ensure our district receives all the financial resources for which it qualifies. Please fill out and submit the application for free and reduced price school meals. If many families fill out and return this form, we will get more money from the federal government for free school meals now and in the future. We will also get more money for other school programs. Filling out this form also helps our community provide free summer meals to all kids, and free meals to kids in childcare. The information you provide is confidential. We follow strict federal rules to keep your information private.

February 10: MEPTO Sponsored Grade 3 Enrichment

February 16: Principal Coffee Hours, Session 1: 10:30 AM, Session Two: 3:45 PM
February 17: Whole School Pajama Day

February 20-24: February Vacation, No School

March 1: Equity Steering Committee, 530-730 PM
March 6-10: Spring Bookfair
March 7: MFE Trivia Bee, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

March 9: Public Forum on Budget 7:00 -8:00 PM

March 11: MEPTO Shamrock Shuffle, 9:00 AM at Medway High School
March 15: ' S.U.P. Medway (Substance Use Prevention) Coalition Meeting 630-745 PM
March 16: Principal Coffee Hour 10:30 AM or 3:45 PM

March 16: Public Hearing on Budget - 6:30 PM, School Committee Meeting - 7:00 PM

March 17: No School - Professional Development
March 22: Memorial School Site Council, 3-4 PM
March 27: MEPTO Meeting, 6:30 PM, McGovern School

March 29: Equity Steering Committee, 530-730 PM

April 7: No School - Good Friday

April 17-21: Spring Vacation - No School

April 26: School Site Council 2-4 PM

April 27: PK-12 Permanent Art Gallery Collection Viewing, Medway Middle School - Presentation Room, 5-6 PM