Principal's Newsletter

August 28th, 2026

Good afternoon MHS Families,

We are excited to welcome everyone back next week, and while I'm sure our students may not be as equally excited, I hope they are looking forward to a great year. The campus has been more active this past week with student-athletes and marching band students all attending practices throughout the day. Many staff have also been in the building setting up their classrooms, bringing the energy level and anticipation for a new school year up.

I shared this information in a recent newsletter, but two dates to note next week:

• Open House: Monday, August 31st, 12-3pm
• First Day of School: Wednesday, September 2nd, First bell at 7:25am

We hope to see many familiar faces at our Open House event on Monday, and we are eager to meet our new students, both transfer and incoming grade 9. Students who are returning students to Mansfield should log into their Aspen account to check their schedule before attending Open House. Students who are new to Mansfield will have an opportunity to take part in our "Great Start" program to support a positive start to their career at MHS.

For those families taking school transportation this year, an email was sent yesterday (8/27) that included bus number and pick-up/drop-off time. For more information related to bus routes and transportation forms, please visit the MPS Transportation page, found here.

Please be sure to take a look below for a few details related to student schedules and family portal access, as well as morning drop off information.

I hope everyone enjoys the last full weekend of summer vacation, and I look forward to seeing everyone return next week!

Student schedules are now available through both the student and family portal in Aspen. Students and families should log into their Aspen account using their username and password, and view their schedule prior to attending the Open House on Monday, August 31st. Families can use this link for help navigating to a student schedule.

Please note: An ongoing technical issue affecting Date of Birth (DOB) displays is also impacting the mobile calendar view. Consequently, the first day of school may appear shifted by one day. The first day of school is Wednesday September 2. The Full Site view will display correctly.

Students and families who have been locked out of their Aspen account should fill out a help ticket, linked here.

Students can be dropped off each morning in either the main parking lot next to the gym (door 9) or auditorium (door 5), or in the front bus loop after the buses exit at 7:15am. For those dropping off in the bus loop, please pull forward as far as possible to utilize either door 24 or door 1. Please use the map with door locations to support a smooth drop off for everyone entering the building each morning.

The district school calendar is linked below at the bottom of the newsletter throughout the school year. It has also been linked here for families to review. Please note, the last day of school is currently listed as June 17th, 2027. Any snow days during the year will push the last day of school into the following week. Students will have final exams during the last week of school, and snow days will push these exam dates back. Please take possible snow days into consideration when planning end of year trips, as this could have an impact on your student taking a final exam over the summer.

All Mansfield High School students will receive a student planner on the first day of school this year. The front of all the planners contain many of the most frequently referenced policies and procedures within our student handbook. Once students receive their planners, they are encouraged to review the front section to familiarize themself with the information there.

Class meetings will be held on the first 2 days of school, where procedures and expectations will be reviewed, including new handbook language. The updated handbook for the 2026-2027 school year is available on the MHS website linked here. Our start of year Google Forms will be sent out in the coming weeks with the Student Handbook sign off. Families are encouraged to use the link to review the new handbook, including updates to attendance, exam expectations, and credit loss.

Class of 2027 Senior Families:

The yearbook staff will be collecting senior portraits between Sept 14th and Oct 31st. Information will be available including links for submission and ordering books at the beginning September on the school's website. Please keep in mind that all portraits must be submitted in jpg format, 300 dpi and in vertical orientation.

Student Parking Information:

Senior parking forms and registration information has been sent to all seniors. Seniors should check their email and fill out the registration form if they plan to park on campus this year. Questions related to student parking should be directed to Assistant Principal, Nick Schlierf.

Students are welcome to stay after school for extra curricular activities and academic support. Students staying after school for clubs, extra help, or other extra curricular activities must be with a teacher or coach they are staying after for. Students may also utilize the library after school as long as it is open. Once a student is done with their after school activity, they must report to the lobby to wait for their ride. Students who need to take the late bus must also report to the lobby to wait, and leave through the front entrance when reporting to the bus.

The following information was included in Superintendent McKeon's weekly newsletter, and we want to be sure all MHS families have access to the same information and links should your family need them. Any family in need of support is encouraged to contact the Main Office at the high school, and a member of our administrative team will be happy to provide support. Please see the links below as needed:

MPS Food Services Website

https://www.mansfieldschools.com/o/mps/page/food-services

Mansfield Food Pantry

https://www.mansfieldfoodpantry.org/

WestSide Benevolent Circle

https://www.westsidebcma.org/

Town of Mansfield Social Services Department

Hockomock YMCA Food Access

https://www.hockymca.org/food-access/

Hebron Food Pantry

https://hebronfoodpantry.org/

Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline

https://projectbread.org/foodsource-hotline

MPS Website - Financial Assistance Information

https://www.mansfieldschools.com/o/mps/page/financial-assistance

Mansfield Public Schools is returning to the previous practice of having CORI's verified at the school level. Anyone needing to complete a CORI will be able to bring their completed form and a state issued photo ID to MHS during school hours and have their forms verified. Forms can also be taken to the HR Department in the Town Hall during normal operating hours.

This updated process will begin in the coming weeks, and we will provide more information once the updated process will begin.

Volunteers and visitors must provide identification when entering the school. The ID will be processed through the Raptor system which checks the Sexual Offender Registry. Any findings must be addressed before the individual is able to volunteer or visit.

The state of Massachusetts has designed a website called HandHold to support families of school-aged students focused on the area of mental health. Families can click the link provided for more information on the supports available.

In an effort to combat the ongoing challenge of vaping within our school (and others), please take a look at and utilize the various resources provided below to learn more about vaping in order to start/continue the conversation with your child. Making progress in this area is a group effort, and we want to provide support for families at home with these resources.

General Info:

What parents need to know

Quick Facts about vaping

Vaping and the impact of Covid

Vaping can't harm teens?

Information on Quitting:

How to quit

This is quitting

Nicotine withdrawal and how to cope

District Vision

The Mansfield Public Schools will foster an environment where all students share a sense of belonging and experience academic and personal growth. We will inspire and empower active and engaged learners, citizens, innovators, and communicators.

District Mission

The Mansfield Public Schools supports each student so they feel recognized and valued. All students are empowered academically, socially, and emotionally so they can reach their maximum potential.

Core Values

Belonging

We build a supportive and understanding community through kindness, respect, and empathy.

Collaboration

We work together, share ideas, respect each other, and celebrate our achievements as a community.

Curiosity

We question, explore, and discover in order to foster a love of learning, not just for school but for life.

Integrity

We are honest and do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Resilience

We adapt and grow in the face of adversity, always persevering and continuing to try.

Families are encouraged to view our Community Backpack to view fliers that have been approved for school distribution. You can view this page by clicking above or by going to mansfieldschools.com, choosing MENU and selecting the link under the Students and Families section.

Mr. Russ Booth - Principal

Ms. Lisa Giuliano - Assistant Principal, Grades 10 & 12

Dr. Nicholas Schlierf - Assistant Principal, Grades 9 & 11

Eric Bruinooge, Ph.D - Director of Secondary Special Education

Mr. Tim Selmon - Athletic Director

Email: russ.booth@mansfieldschools.com
Website: https://mhs.mansfieldschools.com/
Location: 250 East Street, Mansfield, MA, USA
Phone: 508-261-7540
Twitter: @MHSHornets