McGovern News!

This week marked the halfway point of the school year...HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! This is important time of year for us as a school community as we also just completed middle of year assessments in kindergarten and first grade. These assessments help us understand the areas students have both individually and collectively grown and areas we still need to work on. Next week you will get our midyear assessment information from your student's teacher. This is an exciting time in schools when our staff compared where our students are to where we want them to be by June. There are many opportunities and celebrations to be had with another half of the school year left.

Have a great weekend!

Best,

Amy McDonald, Principal

As a reminder, Wednesday February 1st is a Early Release Day. Kindergarten & Grade 1 students will be dismissed at 12:00 PM. Morning & Full Day Preschool will be dismissed at 11:30 AM and there will be no Afternoon Preschool.

We will celebrate our 100th Day of School on Tuesday February 7th!

Students & staff are invited to dress up as 100 year-olds or wear 100 day t-shirts.

Kindergarten registration will be starting February 6th, 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 will send more information out in the coming weeks, but wanted to share registration information as soon as possible. We look forward to welcoming our Class of 2036 to the Medway Public Schools!

Preschool registration will be coming in early February, stay tuned!

Next week you'll be receiving information about your student's Midyear i-Ready and DIBELS assessments. These will come with an accompanying letter to explain how to interpret the results. Even with the letters, you may still have questions. Reach out to your teachers with any questions regarding your student and the information.

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.

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

Save the date! Our next Superintendent Chat will take place on Thursday, February 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the Presentation Room at Medway Middle School (Door #7). We have shared previously that the FY24 budget is going to be complicated and we are interested in hearing from our community about priorities and questions that you may have. We will be sharing an overview of how funding is provided to support schools as a helpful informational resource during the Chat.

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

On Thursday, February 9, at 7:00 p.m. Dr. Pires, Superintendent, and Ms. Abrams, Assistant Superintendent, will present Charting the Course: District Improvement Plan Mid-year Update and FY24 Budget Overview to the School Committee. This presentation will highlight the priority areas to be addressed in the FY24 Recommended Superintendent’s Budget. The presentation will be shared with families following the presentation.

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.

Medway Public Schools believes 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!

Thank you MEPTO for sponsoring another amazing experience for our students. Yesterday, Southwick's Zoo came to McGovern with their Zoo Mobile for all our first graders to see. Students were incredibly engaged throughout Southwick's' presentation and were so excited to learn about all the different animals - a porcupine, an armadillo, and even a tarantula! Thank you again for your continued fundraising and partnership in bringing these enriching experiences to our students!

There are various after school programs (Monday through Thursday from 3:15-4:15 PM) at McGovern School. Please park using the front circle and side parking lots. Please do not block in other cars. Most importantly, please do not park in front the bus and please leave enough room behind the bus so it can pull out first.

The coffee hour in January was focused on inclusion for all students. You can find the presentation here. Please reach out to Shelby Holt or Amy McDonald with any questions.

Mrs. Holt and I will hold our next coffee hour on March 13, 2023, from either 9:00-10:00 am or 4:00-5:00 pm and our focus will be on equity. We hope you can join us for this session.

Please mark your calendars for upcoming coffee hours this year:

May 8, 2023

Frequently, students need a change of clothes during the school day. Please pack an extra set of clothes in your child’s backpack just in case! Additionally, if your child borrows clothing from the nurse, please wash and return them at your earliest convenience. Thank you!

Nurse McKay is still in need of boys elastic waistband sweatpants (sizes S, M, L), donations of new or gently used clothing are greatly appreciated!

Our lost and found is quite full of stuff! Please swing by the McGovern vestibule if you think your child is missing something. We will donate any clothing left on February 17th. Additionally, please label everything with your child's first and last name so if an article is found, we can return it. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please find the latest MEPTO newsletter here.

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.

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

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.

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!

Did you know there are several ways to follow us on social media? Please see below for our links. Please also note that we will not be interacting with our Facebook page, as it is a place for us to post information. As always, if you have any questions regarding your child and/or the school, please reach out to your child's teacher, the front office, or administration.

McGovern Elementary School: Twitter: @McGovernElem

Facebook: @mcgovernelem

Instagram: @mcgovernelem

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 1: Early Release Day, 12:00 PM K & 1; 11:30 AM all preschool, no PM classes

February 3: Arena Day, No Preschool Classes

February 8: Equity Steering Committee, 5:30 PM, Presentation Room

February 9: Progress Report/Update for Focus Group, 5:00 PM

February 20-24: February Vacation, No School

Please click the following links for directions on how to translate the newsletter.

Here is the link for the master directions in English.

Here is the link for Spanish.

Here is the link for French.

Here is the link for Russian.

Here is the link for Arabic

Here is the link for Portuguese.

Here is the link for Chinese (traditional).

Here is the link for Tamil.

Here is the link for Telugu.

Haga clic en los siguientes enlaces para obtener instrucciones sobre cómo traducir el boletín.

Aquí está el enlace para español.

Here is the link for Spanish.

Veuillez cliquer sur les liens suivants pour savoir comment traduire le bulletin d'information.

Voici le lien pour le français.

Here is the link for French.

Пожалуйста, нажмите следующие ссылки для получения инструкций о том, как перевести информационный бюллетень.

Вот ссылка на русский.

Here is the link for Russian.

Clique nos links a seguir para obter instruções sobre como traduzir o boletim informativo.

Aqui está o link para o espanhol.

Here is the link for Portuguese.

單擊以下鏈接以獲取有關如何翻譯時事通訊的說明。

這是西班牙語的鏈接。

Here is the link for Chinese (traditional).

செய்திமடலை எவ்வாறு மொழிபெயர்ப்பது என்பது குறித்த வழிமுறைகளுக்கு பின்வரும் இணைப்புகளைக் கிளிக் செய்யவும்.

ஸ்பானிஷ் மொழிக்கான இணைப்பு இதோ.

Here is the link for Tamil.

వార్తాలేఖను ఎలా అనువదించాలో సూచనల కోసం క్రింది లింక్‌లపై క్లిక్ చేయండి.

స్పానిష్ కోసం ఇక్కడ లింక్ ఉంది.

Here is the link for Telugu.

انقر فوق الروابط التالية للحصول على إرشادات حول كيفية ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية.

هنا هو الرابط

Here is the link for Arabic