McGovern News

As we step into December, we're excited to share the latest highlights and important information from McGovern School. Time is flying, and it's incredible to see the growth and engagement happening within our school community.

Looking back on the past months, we're truly appreciative of the ongoing support and collaboration from our fantastic family community. Your contributions have played a significant role in making McGovern a dynamic space of learning and community spirit. I'd also like to take a moment to express our heartfelt appreciation for the dedication and hard work of our educators. Their passion for teaching and commitment to our students are the driving forces behind the positive experiences and learning moments at McGovern. We truly have the best team here.

So, take a moment to catch up on the latest updates, stay in the loop, and continue being an integral part of our shared journey. Wishing you and your family a fulfilling and connected December!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Best,

Amy McDonald, Principal

The parent drop off line in the morning is open until 8:50 am so that the staff greeting the children can return to their classrooms to start the school day. Any student that is dropped off after 8:50 must be signed in at the main office as "tardy".

Next Wednesday, December 11th, is an early release day with preschool dismissing at 11:05 am. Kindergarten and first grade will dismiss at 12 pm.

December is a busy month filled with lots of celebrations. Please read below for more information about upcoming holidays and celebrations celebrated in our community and beyond.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, observed annually on December 3rd, promotes the rights, dignity, and well-being of people with disabilities worldwide. It serves as a reminder to foster inclusion and accessibility, breaking down barriers to create a more equitable society for all.

St. Nicholas’ Day, celebrated on December 6th, honors the generosity and kindness of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children, sailors, and the poor. Traditions often include leaving shoes or stockings out to be filled with small gifts and treats, symbolizing his legendary acts of giving.

Human Rights Day, observed on December 10th, commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. It serves as a global reminder to uphold freedom, equality, and justice for all, emphasizing the importance of protecting human dignity.

Las Posadas, celebrated from December 16th to 24th, is a Mexican tradition that reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus. This vibrant festival features processions, songs, and gatherings, fostering a sense of community and spiritual reflection.

Yule, celebrated around the winter solstice, is an ancient festival marking the return of longer days and the renewal of light. Traditions often include feasting, decorating with evergreen boughs, and lighting candles or fires to honor the season's transition.

Christmas, celebrated on December 25th, is a global holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ and promotes themes of joy, giving, and togetherness. It is often marked by decorating Christmas trees, exchanging gifts, and enjoying festive meals with family and friends.

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is an eight-day celebration, beginning on December 25th, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It is marked by lighting the menorah, playing dreidel, and enjoying traditional foods like latkes and sufganiyot.

Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26th to January 1st, is a week-long African American holiday that honors African heritage, community, and culture. It focuses on seven core principles, such as unity, self-determination, and collective work, bringing families and communities together in reflection and celebration.

From everyone at McGovern School, we wish you a joyful December filled with warmth, celebration, and meaningful connections. May this season bring happiness, reflection, and a renewed sense of community.

As required by Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations, 105 CMR 200.000, school nurse Stacey Grimm and a second nurse will be conducting vision screenings for all Pre-K students, hearing, vision and stereopsis screenings for all Kindergarten students, and screenings for first grade students will include vision, hearing, stereopsis, height and weight. These screenings will take place starting December 9th. Every effort will be made to protect student privacy during the screening process. As always, you do have the right to “opt out” of the screenings. Please notify Nurse Boyan in writing, (letter or email) by December 6th if you wish to opt your child out of a certain screening.

Given the previous changes to the height and weight measurements of 105 CMR 200.500, a letter informing you of your child’s body mass index will not be sent home. However, if your child does not meet the hearing and vision requirements, a letter requesting/suggesting further evaluation and follow up with your provider in these areas will be sent home. As always, data from your child’s screening results is entered by a nurse into your child’s confidential health record only.

If you have any questions, please contact nurse Steph Boyan, BSN, RN via phone 508-533-6626 ext 5354 or email sboyan@medwayschools.org

Nurse Steph is looking for any donations of pants, and any other cold-weather appropriate clothing, to keep in her office to have as extra in case of any accidents. If you have clothes that you would like to donate please drop them off at the main office.

McGovern School currently has a few openings for the following positions. We are looking to fill the Music Teacher vacancy, which is a 0.5 full-time position for Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. As well, we are looking to fill the Art Teacher vacancy, also a 0.5 position for Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If interested, please reach out to the principal, Amy McDonald, at (508) 533-3243.

On Wednesday December 4th zookeepers from Southwick's Zoo ZooMobile program visited the first graders of McGovern with some exotic animals to teach about the different classes of the animal kingdom, habitats, animal adaptations, what they eat and so much more. The zookeepers brought along a blue-tongued stink, Brazilian rainbow boa, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, blue and gold Macaw, Brazilian three-banded armadillo, and a porcupine.

On Wednesday November 20th, the students had a visit from Josh Winer, the Artist in Residence, where they learned about murals and listened as Mr. Winer shared with them the details of our mural project that will be created in the hallways of McGovern. Mr. Winer shared that the students will be able to help create the mural with special projects they will work on together in their classrooms.

Earlier this summer, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) notified us that Medway Public Schools had been selected for a required district review.

The goal of this review is to look closely at the systems, policies, and practices that drive our day-to-day work. At the end of the process, we will receive a written report that highlights our strengths, identifies areas for growth, and makes recommendations to help us improve and better support our teachers and students.

The visit will take place the week of January 13. We will be looking for 4–6 family representatives from all levels—elementary, middle, and high school—to participate in the family focus groups. Additional details will be provided in an upcoming community update.

Earlier this month, Dr. Alex Hirshberg joined a Medway SEPAC meeting to present about how to support students with executive functioning. He was kind enough to record the video for Medway families to view. Please click the link below.

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.

Last year, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced the launch of MassLinks, the first fully virtual educational option for Massachusetts adults statewide who are seeking their high school equivalency or English language instruction. MassLinks classes are free for all adults, and Mount Wachusett Community College, in partnership with DESE’s Office for Adult and Community Learning Services, will deliver the instruction.

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. Upcoming Arena Days are:

• January 10
• January 24
• February 7
• March 7
• March 21
• April 4
• May 2
• May 23
• June 6

As a reminder to all families, when picking up your child, you will need to bring your license or identification with you to the main office. Not only is this for safety reasons, but we also have new staff in the front office. Please understand that you will be asked to retrieve your ID from your car if you forget to bring it in. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

As the district works to improve morning arrival times for some problematic bus routes, one identified challenge has been buses losing minutes waiting for students to run up the street/leave their car/walk down the driveway etc. It would be helpful if parents could ensure that their child is fully at the bus stop waiting to board the bus as it arrives at the stop. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Children need healthy meals to learn. Medway Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. As you may know, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the recent passage of the state budget, will again allow local districts to provide breakfast and lunch for all students at no cost.

However, families who submit an application for free or reduced lunch which is approved based on income guidelines may qualify for discounts on specified school fees, including but not limited to athletic fees, transportation fees, and preschool tuition. A district cover letter, the application and instructions can be found here.

A copy of the approved 2024-2025 school year calendar can be found here.

Medway Schools has partnered with Care Solace, which offers mental health care coordination services and can help connect you, your child, and extended family members with appropriate community-based providers. Whether it's counseling, therapy, or other mental health services, Care Solace can assist you in finding the support your family may need. To access Care Solace's coordination services, simply reach out using the following options:

1. Call 888-515-0595: Their multilingual helpline is staffed 24/7/365.
2. 2. 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.

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.

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. There is a great deal of communication that happens in the district. You can expect the following:

• 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.

McGovern Elementary School:

Twitter: @McGovernElem

Facebook: @mcgovernelem

Instagram: @mcgovernelem

Wednesday, December 11th: Early Release -- Preschool at 11:05am, K & 1 at 12pm

Theme Day -- Ugly Christmas Sweater

Friday, December 13th: Kwanzaa Day - wear black, red and green for the theme day

Thursday, December 19th: Hanukkah Day - wear blue and white for the theme day

Friday, December 20th: Pajama Day

Monday, Dec. 23 - Tuesday, Dec. 31: Winter Vacation – No School

Wednesday, January 1: Winter Vacation (continued) – No School

Thursday, January 2: Return to School

Friday, January 10: Arena Day (No Preschool)

Monday, January 20: No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Wednesday, January 22: School Site Council Meeting 3:20-4:20 pm

Friday, January 24: Arena Day (No Preschool)

Monday, January 27: MEPTO Meeting at McGovern Library 6:30-7:30 pm

Friday, February 7: Arena Day (No Preschool)

Monday, Feb. 17 - Friday, Feb. 21: Winter Vacation – No School