McGovern News

As November approaches, and we settle into this season of gratitude and reflection, we want to take a moment to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students. Each day I witness their growth, creativity, and resilience. It has been a joy to visit classrooms and join in the celebrations of our students' hard work. There are student learning displays popping up all over the hallways, which I'm excited for you to see when you come for conferences.

This week many Grade 1 classrooms showcased their ELA projects on community helpers, creating impressive life-sized posters and thoughtfully written pieces about the roles these important figures play in our community.

Our kindergarten students have been learning how to use a graphic organizer to say, write and draw their opinions. I have seen so many students learning to form their letters the correct way using sky-writing.

Finally, our preschool students have been learning about how we can learn from our world with our senses. I have loved seeing our Preschool students use their 5 senses to learn about how to describe their environment!

As we say each morning after our pledge of allegiance:

I can!

You can!

We all can!

Please see below to read more about our first school assembly, which was incredible.

In partnership,

Shelby Holt

A special thank-you to SEPAC for organizing and hosting such a fun Trunk-or-Treat last Friday evening for our school community! We are grateful for the time, creativity, and effort that went into making this event such a wonderful experience for our students and families. Thank you for helping create such a memorable opportunity for our community to come together!

A reminder that next Sunday, November 1, 2026 is daylight savings. Don't forget to turn your clocks back by 1 hour!

We want to ensure that all students have access to breakfast each morning while also keeping our breakfast line moving efficiently for everyone. Please review your family/child's breakfast plan with your child.

Questions to discuss: Does your child eat breakfast at home, school, or both? Does your teacher know your child's breakfast plan? We would appreciate you communicating with your child and, as needed, your child's classroom teacher about breakfast at school.

The USDA and Massachusetts DESE define a free breakfast (or lunch) as a "reimbursable meal". A reimbursable meal consists of 5 components:

• a meat or meat alternate
• a fruit
• a vegetable
• a whole grain
• a milk

A student must choose at least three components and one of the three chosen must be a fruit or vegetable in order for it to be considered as a reimbursable meal.

Please take a moment to discuss the breakfast guidelines and plan with your child, and connect with their classroom teacher as needed to ensure your child understands the process.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

The eagerly awaited McGovern Fall Book Fair returns, courtesy of our partnership with Scholastic! Next week our school library will transform into the book fair. The book fair is only open Monday 10/26, Tuesday 10/27 and Thursday 10/29 while our librarian, Mr. Holt, is here at McGovern. During those days all students in grades 1, kindergarten and preschool will have a chance to visit the book fair during their scheduled library time.

The book fair will be closed on Wednesday 10/28 and Friday 10/30, but you are also able to purchase books on the Scholastic Book Fair website. All items purchase online will be able to ship right to your house!

Please click to view McGovern's Book Fair Time Table and this Book Fair flyer.

Quick Links & Tips for a Seamless Experience:

• Payment Options: We highly recommend using the eWallet for our students, please click the button below for details on how to set up. We also accept cash, credit, and checks.

• Volunteer Opportunity: Would you like to be a part of your child's Book Fair experience? Sign up here to volunteer and assist their class. Please note that all volunteers must have a current CORI clearance, which expires every academic year. If you have any CORI-related questions, feel free to reach out to amrice@medwayschools.org for clarification.

• Share the Fair Donations: You'll see an option to "share the Fair." This is an option to make a difference by making a donation, a full percentage of which goes toward our book scholarship fund and buying new books for the library for everyone to enjoy.

• Donations to Classrooms: You have the option of supporting your child's classroom by contributing to their teacher's or class's eWallet.

• Tax Information: Please note that there will be tax applied at the book fair. Scholastic recently reclassified as a retailer, resulting in tax collection at the register. We will educate our students about this during the fair, helping them understand how tax is a common part of the shopping experience for adults as well.

Be sure to create an account on the dedicated Scholastic Book Fair website to explore book trailers, online purchases, and setting up an eWallet to create your own shopping experience.

We are thrilled to embark on this literary adventure during the Book Fair Week and deeply appreciate your support in fostering a love for reading among our students.

If your child was absent or you wish to have their school picture retaken, your child is welcome to join our photographer, Tim Rice, for our school picture retake day which is scheduled for Monday, November 2. Please know that we have Cozy Day scheduled as a schoolwide theme day on Monday, November 2 as well. If your child want to participate in a Cozy Day after their retake, we ask that you send them to school in their picture day outfit with a change of pajamas/cozy clothes packed for them to change into after their picture is taken.

Important details:

• See the photos before you buy!

• Families receive a link to view and purchase pictures two weeks after your child's picture day

• Scholarship opportunities are available for any family needing financial support, please reach out to Amanda Rice (amrice@medwayschools.org)

• Prints start at $22 and digital files are $40
• Order within two weeks and get a discount!

Tim Rice completed all Picture Day orders and digital links were emailed for your to download your child's school picture. In regards to your order or any questions related to school pictures, we ask that you reach to Tim Rice directly at tim@timricephoto.com. Here are some helpful details to locate the email sent Monday, 10/19 at 3:00 pm:

• Email Came From: Tim Rice Photo <info@timricephoto.com>

• Subject Line: Tim Rice Photo – School Photos for [Your Student’s Name]

Where to Look:

• Gmail users: Check the Promotions, Updates, or Other tabs, as well as Spam.

• Yahoo & AOL users: These services are known to send photo emails to Spam or Bulk Mail. Please look there first.

• Outlook / Hotmail / Live users: Check the Junk folder.

• All providers: Try searching your email for info@timricephoto.com or the subject line above.

Once Found:

• Mark the message as Not Spam (or Not Junk).

• Add info@timricephoto.com to your contacts so future emails go directly to your inbox.

Thanks for taking the time to double-check — I want to make sure no one misses their photos.

McGovern is excited to partner with the Medway Village Food Pantry and the Medway Food Pantry for our annual Food Drive. We will be collecting donations of boxed goods, canned goods, snacks and non-food items from November 2-20. If you are able, please send in the most needed items this year: snacks, cereal and hearty soups (Progresso, Pacific, Chunky Campbells). Please send the donations in with your child and we will have labeled boxes to collect all food items in. Please see this detailed list of most needed items. Thank you!

Teacher conferences will take place on:

• Tuesday, November 17, in the evening from 5:30-7:30 pm
• Wednesday, November 18, on the early release day, from 12:30-4:15 pm
• Wednesday, December 2, from 3:15-4:15 pm

Times and details for your conference will be provided from your child's classroom teacher.

As we transition into cooler weather, I am asking families to please check their student's extra clothing bag. Please update their extra clothing with warmer options and appropriate sizes. I want to be sure our students are warm and comfortable should they need their clothing changed.

Thank you,

Nurse Jessie

Our class "I Can" McGovern t-shirts have been ordered! We expect them to be ready for us in about 2 weeks, and once we received they will be sent home in your child's backpack!

If you missed the ordering window and would still like to purchase a class t-shirt for your child, please reach out to the main office to place your child's shirt order.

Please remember that approximately twice a month there are no preschool classes as it is an Arena Day. This is when we complete assessments for students in an IEP evaluation cycle, hold IEP meetings, and/or conduct training. Arena days are always held on a Friday, and the upcoming arena days are:

• November 13
• December 4
• December 18

• January 22

• February 5

• March 5

• March 19

• April 9

• April 30

• May 14

• June 4

Please enjoy these photos below taken at this morning's assembly to bring our students together to review the "I CAN" McGovern school values of inclusion, cooperation, achievement and nurture. The students got to learn the meaning behind these core values, some had the opportunity to share their thoughts with their peers, and participation in a special group activity so that they know to carry these values with them to school each and every day.

A special thank you to Ms. Aird, our music teacher, for creating and teaching our own school community song "We All Can" to the students for them perform together. Please enjoy the videos of the performance shared below as well!

Dear Medway Families,

Several bus drivers have reported that some students are riding the bus without their assigned bus passes. Bus passes were distributed three weeks ago, and all students who are registered and eligible to ride the bus should have received their pass by now.

To ensure student safety, maintain accurate ridership records, and establish consistent expectations across the district, the “No Pass, No Ride” policy will be enforced beginning Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

Beginning on this date, students must have a valid bus pass to ride the bus. Students who do not have a pass may be denied transportation until the issue is resolved. If your child has not received a bus pass, please contact your school’s main office as soon as possible to determine whether transportation registration, outstanding fees, or a missing pass request needs to be addressed.

Bus passes are an important part of our transportation safety and security procedures. They help verify that students are assigned to the correct bus and allow us to maintain accurate records of who is authorized to ride. Consistent use of bus passes helps ensure that all students are accounted for and transported safely.

Please take a moment to confirm that your child has their assigned bus pass and understands the importance of bringing it each day. If your child needs a replacement pass or you have questions about transportation eligibility, please contact your school’s main office before October 20.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us maintain a safe, organized, and reliable transportation system for all Medway students.

Sincerely,

Medway Transportation Department

As we have done in the past, we will be hosting a Medway Schools Safety and Security Update virtual meeting. This event will highlight and update the district’s safety efforts and provide some plans for upcoming efforts to ensure we maintain the highest level of attention to our school and district safety and security practices. The webinar is scheduled for December 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. and requires pre-registration. Please complete this short Google form to register for the event.

Please see below for the upcoming 2026-2027 MEPTO meeting dates and opportunities to stay connected and involved in our school community. All MEPTO meetings will being at 7 pm.

• January 11, 2027 - High School guidance office or library
• April 12, 2027 - Middle School presentation room

Medway Schools has partnered with Care Solace and Cartwheel to support the mental health of students and their families:

• Care Solace 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 help you find the support your family may need. To access Care Solace's coordination services, simply reach out using the following options:

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

• 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.

• Cartwheel is a teletherapy service that supports students in grades 3-12 and families in grades K-2. For more information about Cartwheel’s services, please click here. To complete a self-referral form, please visit this site.

For the last several years, Medway Schools have collaborated with the Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY) to provide professional development for our staff. MPY now offers a library of 10-minute videos and handouts for parents. Over 24 offerings include tips for parents regarding school success, student mental health, and more. The library can be accessed for free by clicking here.

As required by Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations, 105 CMR 200.000, school nurse Stacey Grimm and a second nurse will be conducting the following screenings:

• Grade Pre-K: vision screening, near and distance vision

• Grade K: hearing screening, near and distance vision screening, stereopsis

• Grade 1: hearing screening, near and distance vision screening, stereopsis, height and weight

These screenings will take place the week of November 2-6, 2026. Every effort will be made to protect student privacy during the screening process.

You do have the right to “opt out” of the screenings. Please notify Nurse Jessie in writing, (letter or email) by October 28th if you wish to opt your child out of a certain screening.

If you have any questions, please contact nurse Jessie Tower via phone 508-533-3243 ext. 5354 or email jetower@medwayschools.org.

On Tuesday, November 10, McGovern will be hosting an in-school assembly to help our young learners understand the significance of Veterans Day (November 11) and recognize the service and sacrifices of those who have served and continue to serve our country.

As part of this meaningful assembly, we would love to welcome McGovern family members who are veterans or currently serving in the military to participate and share their experiences with our students. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to hear directly from members of our own school community about their service and the important role they play in our country and community.

If you are a veteran or currently serving in the military, and are interested in participating in our assembly, please reach out to Mrs. Holt at sholt@medwayschools.org by Friday, October 23.

This assembly is intended to be a curriculum-related learning experience for students, and while we are not look to host publicly to all families, we are looking forward to honoring and learning from the members of our McGovern community who have served and continue to serve our country.

As we plan ahead to Veteran's Day on Wednesday, November 11, we would like to create a meaningful display bulletin board for the month of November honoring the veterans in our greater McGovern community. We would love families with active service members or veterans to send in a photograph of their special veteran in uniform (with their kids if possible!). Our intention is that these photos will spark conversations that teach kids about these special members of our community.

Please submit a 4" x 6" photo by Wednesday, October 28, with your child's name and room number, as well as which branch their special veteran/active duty member served on the back of the photo so we can properly return them. Thank you to all in our community who have served!

Medway Public Schools Religious & Cultural Observances 2026-2027

English

To open the SMORE newsletter, click on the link above. Then, to translate the SMORE newsletter, click on the “Translate” button at the top of the page. Use the drop-down menu to select your language. The newsletter will then be translated.

Portuguese

Para abrir a newsletter SMORE, clique no link acima. Em seguida, para traduzir a newsletter SMORE, clique no botão “Traduzir” no topo da página. Use o menu suspenso para selecionar seu idioma. O boletim informativo será então traduzido.

Spanish

Para abrir el boletín SMORE, haga clic en el enlace de arriba. Luego, para traducir el boletín SMORE, haga clic en el botón "Traducir" en la parte superior de la página. Utilice el menú desplegable para seleccionar su idioma. Luego se traducirá el boletín.

Arabic

لفتح النشرة الإخبارية SMORE، انقر على الرابط أعلاه. وبعد ذلك، لترجمة نشرة SMORE الإخبارية، انقر فوق الزر "ترجمة" الموجود أعلى الصفحة. استخدم القائمة المنسدلة لاختيار لغتك. سيتم بعد ذلك ترجمة النشرة الإخبارية.

Haitian Creole

Pou ouvri bilten SMORE a, klike sou lyen anlè a. Lè sa a, pou tradui bilten SMORE a, klike sou bouton "Tradwi" ki anlè paj la. Sèvi ak meni ki dewoule a pou chwazi lang ou. Lè sa a, y ap tradui bilten an.

• Community Update from the Superintendent, monthly
• McGovern News from me, bi-weekly
• Teacher newsletters, bi-weekly

All community updates and the McGovern News will be emailed and can also be found on the district and school websites or through our Medway Public Schools app which can be accessed through the QR Code below. Teachers will email their newsletters directly to their class.

Monday, October 26: Fall Scholastic Book Fair, during Library class

Tuesday, October 27: Fall Scholastic Book Fair, during Library class

Thursday, October 29: Fall Scholastic Book Fair, during Library class

Sunday, November 1: Daylight Savings, turn the clocks 1 hour back

Tuesday, November 9: School Site Council Meeting, 3:20-4:20 pm

Wednesday, November 11: Veteran's Day - No School

Thursday, November 12: School Picture Retake Day
Friday, November 13: Arena Day (No Preschool)

Tuesday, November 17: Parent/Teacher Conference Night, 5:30-7:30 pm
Wednesday, November 18: Early Release (Elementary Only)

11:05 am Preschool Dismissal

12 pm Kindergarten & 1st Grade Dismissal

Wednesday, November 25: Early Release

11:05 am Preschool Dismissal

12 pm Kindergarten & 1st Grade Dismissal

Thursday, November 26: Thanksgiving Day - No School
Friday, November 27: Native American Heritage Day - No School