Superintendent's Friday Message
January 9, 2026
Dear MPS Community Members,
I want to thank all of our students for returning from the Winter Break eager to learn and interact with their peers. The transition back to school can be a challenge after an extended time away, but their desire to engage in their course materials has been wonderful to see. Keep up the great work you've shown in the new year!
Many members of our school community stayed busy during the break, especially our winter sports athletes. Great job to all those who are representing Medford this season, and I'd like to especially highlight Medford High School CTE student Adam Lewis. Adam competes on our Indoor Track team and ran a 4:29:93 mile recently, becoming the first Medford athlete to run a mile sub-4:30 mile in over 30 years! Congratulations on creating Mustang history!
Sincerely,,
Dr. Galusi
Beginning this month, the Medford School Committee (MSC) will begin the process of developing a strategic plan for the Medford Public Schools. A strategic plan will provide our district with a long-term roadmap for how we will support students, staff, and family members.
The first step is to hear from the community on what’s working in our schools, what isn’t, and receive input on what the communities priorities for our schools are. To do this, the MSC has created a survey asking community members their thoughts on the current state of the district and how we can improve. While the survey is anonymous, filling it out as thoroughly as possible will greatly shape the district’s Strategic Plan. Visit Here to complete the survey.
Additionally, the School Committee and members of district leadership will be leading Community Visioning Sessions throughout January & February of 2026. These sessions, which will be a mix of in-person and remote options, will further facilitate engagement with the community and provide a space for structured conversations on the future of Medford Public Schools. The dates and times for these sessions will be shared early next week.
There will be more opportunities to engage in the project work over the coming months. Next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the School Building Committee will get a first look at design concepts for what a new or renovated build may look like. Please note that these concepts will be very early design ideas and will include over 30 different options. As with all SBC meetings, they will be open to the public both in-person at Medford High School and on Zoom. Visit Here for additional upcoming meeting information.
For more information on the Medford High School building project, please visit the project website at medfordhsproject.com.
The 2026/27 school calendar has been finalized following approval from the Medford School Committee during Monday night's meeting. The calendar follows the same structure as this year's calendar.
The first day of school will be on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The first day for Kindergarten will be on Wednesday, September 9. Pending snow days, the last day of school will be on Wednesday, June 23, 2027.
Visit Here for the full 2026/27 school year calendar.
Our Middle and High School students captivated audience members with their holiday concert performances throughout December, and now it's time for our elementary student musicians to grace the stage!
Join us at Medford High School on Wednesday, January 21 at 7 p.m. for the Grade 5 Bands & Strings Winter Concert. 5th Grade students from all four of our elementary schools will be performing. Tickets are $5 cash only and can be purchased at the door!
Cheer on our Medford High School girls’ and boys’ basketball teams as they once again face off against Somerville High School at the annual Tufts Classic on Sunday, January 18.
Hosted at the Cousens Gymnasium (161 College Avenue, Medford) on Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus, The girls’ game will tip off at 12 p.m., and the boys’ game will tip off at 1:30 p.m. Admission & parking to the Tufts Classic is free for all (Visit Here for the free parking form).
Additionally, fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable food and household items to support those in need in both Medford and Somerville. Preferred items include canned foods and shelf stable pantry items, in addition to hygiene and household products.
We’re thrilled to announce that Monica Canetta, MHS Italian Teacher, has been invited to present at the Northeast Conference in February 2026! Her session, “Teaching Italian Language & Culture through Opera Lirica,” highlights her passion, dedication, and expertise in World Language education.
In addition, Monica recently presented at the MAFLA Annual Conference in October 2025, further showcasing her innovative work and commitment to the field. These are well-deserved honors, and we’re excited to see staff's work celebrated on a larger stage.