Walpole METCO Program

Welcome to the Walpole Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity Winter 2026 Newsletter! Inside this edition, you’ll find program highlights, upcoming events, and helpful resources for our students and families.

We hope you enjoy reading about all the great things happening in our program!

Visit with Dr. Sumner

METCO President and CEO Dr. Kandice Sumner visited Walpole Public Schools, touring the middle and high schools, meeting with staff, engaging with METCO students, and connecting with district leaders. Her visit was engaging and impactful.

Walpole METCO & Friends Skating Event

Our middle and high school students recently came together for a daytime skating event made possible through a grant from the Building Bridges Initiative.

Students enjoyed two hours of skating, along with pizza, music, and plenty of fun. Experiences like this create space for relationship building beyond the classroom and allow students across grade levels to connect in a positive and supportive environment.

We are grateful for opportunities that bring our students together and strengthen our program community!

The new year brings fresh beginnings and exciting opportunities for learning and exploration. Most students have successfully completed Units 3 and 4 in the Bridges Math curriculum and are continuing to build their skills and confidence.

In Science, Grade 1 students have been learning about the seasons, Grade 4 students have explored coding as well as sound and light waves, and Grade 5 students have been studying the water cycle. In Social Studies, Grade 2 students have been learning about continents and famous landmarks around the world.

Homework continues to play an important role in your child’s education, reinforcing the skills and concepts taught during the school day. We truly appreciate your continued support in ensuring assignments are completed and submitted on time.

ST Math

By February 27th, our goal is for every student to reach 50% completion of their grade level ST Math Journey. Please continue checking in with your child about ST Math progress. Students can always log in at home to stay on track or catch up.

Look who has already completed 100% of the ST Math Journey well ahead of schedule! We are so proud of this outstanding accomplishment and the dedication it took to reach this goal.

Keep up the great work!

Sharing Her World Through Poetry

We are proud to share this thoughtful poem written by one of our sixth graders. In it, she reflects on her world through her own unique lens and voice.

NHS - Tutoring

We are excited to share that students from Walpole High School’s National Honor Society are assisting in the METCO Space after school at the middle school to provide tutoring support.

High school tutors will be available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:30–3:15 PM (before the METCO bus arrives) to support middle school students in the METCO Space through May.

We are thrilled to grow this partnership and provide additional academic support for our middle school students!

High School Mentoring

Every Wednesday, our high school mentors travel to Boyden Elementary School to work with elementary students on fun, hands on STEM projects.

Together, they’ve built roller coasters using only construction paper, tape, and glue; making sure the design included a dip and a curve while allowing a marble to travel all the way through. They’ve also created towers using only pipe cleaners to test strength and stability, and designed bridges strong enough to hold a toy car using pipe cleaners, play dough, and construction paper.

These weekly visits are always something the students look forward to. It’s great to see our high school students stepping into leadership roles while helping to build problem-solving skills, creativity, and confidence in our younger students