McGovern News

These shorter weeks sometimes feel like the longest, but our students and staff powered through with their excellence!

As we reached the close of mid-year assessments this week, I want to express my gratitude for the hard work and dedication demonstrated by both our students and educators. These assessments provide valuable insights into student growth and opportunities for next steps. In the coming weeks, we will embark on a series of data meetings to analyze and utilize this information effectively. We will send home DIBELS/iReady parent reports via backpack on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

As we continue into the middle of the winter months, please remember to send in snow gear and warm clothes with your child. We try and go outside as much as we can. Students need to have a winter coat, snow pants, boots, a hat, and mittens. If a child is missing something, we will use our "bank" of winter clothes so they can go outside. Ensuring student comfort and safety is our priority, and we will make every effort to get them outdoors on days that are safe for exploration and play. It has been incredibly hard to get outside over the last 2 weeks because the real feel temperature has been so low. Hopefully next week it will warm up a bit!

I hope you have a great weekend!

Best,

Amy McDonald, Principal

A reminder that next Wednesday, January 29th will be an early release day with preschool dismissing at 11:05 am, followed by kindergarten and first grade at 12 pm.

This half day is also our Lunar New Year theme day if your child would like to participate by wearing red to school.

I am in desperate need of pants for both girls and boys to keep as extras in the nurse's office in case of accidents. I am looking for any kind of pants that can be spared to be donated, especially any sweatpants, leggings, athletic pants and shorts. A reminder that if your child has an accident at school and is sent home in our borrowed spares, I ask that you please wash and return them to the nurse's office.

Thank you,

Steph Boyan, School Nurse

We are excited to celebrate our 100th day of school on Monday, February 10th (tentatively)! As we plan fun and engaging activities for this special day, the Positivity Committee has thoughtfully decided that we will not be dressing up as 100-year-olds this year, in an effort to show respect for our older community members. Instead, we encourage students to wear 100th day-themed t-shirts.

Kindergarten registration will open February 3, 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year! We are still working to finalize all details to make sure that online registration will be working properly, but an update will be sent out next week prior to registration opening.

The preschool lottery for community peers opens on Monday, January 27, 2025. To find out more information about our Integrated Preschool and the Lottery Process, please click the link below.

You will be receiving information about your student's mid-year i-Ready and DIBELS assessments, which will be sent home on Thursday, January 30th. We will also electronically share a document to explain how to interpret the results. Even with this, you may still have questions. Please reach out to your child's teacher with any questions regarding your child's assessment results.

On January 14th our first grade classes received a visit from DJ OOCH! The students delighted as they watched the amazing yo-yo tricks, laughed at comedic skits and shared in applause to the entertainment. This program really help to deliver the concept of acknowledging perspectives and awareness of others, as well as the importance of a positive mindset. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged and responsive to DJ OOCH, and we would like to thank MEPTO for always bringing fun and eye-opening experiences to McGovern!

Medway Friends of the Performing Arts with host Musical Bingo on Thursday, February 13 at the Medway Middle School Cafeteria. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and Musical Bingo will start promptly at 6:30 p.m. This fundraiser is one not to miss as there is fun for all ages. Mr. Doug Herbst will once again be our Musical Bingo caller. There will be incredible music, dancing, and raffle items.

Pre-registration is required and can be found below. There is a fee of $10/person or $50/family. Payment can be made after registering in advance via Venmo or cash/check at the door. Registration closes on February 10th or until spots are filled.

The Medway Foundation for Education (MFE) will hold its annual Trivia Bee on Wednesday, February 26, at 7:00 p.m. in the Burke-Memorial cafeteria. Long-time hosts Bob and Dave Verdolino will provide musical clues to trivia questions across a broad range of topics. Register your team of six by emailing medwayfoundationforeducation@gmail.com. Corporate sponsorships are $300, and individual players are $25, or $150 per team. All proceeds support educational programs across the Medway school district.

Who's ready to Shuffle?! Join the MEPTO on Saturday, March 8th, 2025, for a fun-filled 5K (3.1 miles) course that winds through the beautiful back roads of Medway.

Get your running (or walking) shoes on because Early Bird Registration for the 14th Annual MEPTO Shamrock Shuffle is NOW OPEN! Don’t miss out, register early and save as prices go up after January 15th. Please sign up by clicking the link below, and let’s ShamROCK this race! This event is perfect for ALL ages and abilities, so bring the whole family. Plus, every step you take supports the creative arts programs in ALL Medway schools.

If you're heading to Mount Wachusett this season, use the code DON-MEDWAYPTO to donate $10 from each lift ticket or beginner package back to MEPTO. This can done online to book your lift ticket or beginner package for any day during the season, and on the payment screen there will be a section to the code in the promotion box. Be sure to update the cart.

The children have been so excited to have some snowy days for their recess play. In order for students to use the playground when it is covered in snow they will need proper snow gear - boots, snow pants, winter jacket, etc. Please send in all snow gear with your child labeled in a bag. Any student without proper snow gear when there is snow on the playground will still be able to enjoy outdoor recess, but will be limited to the blacktop only. We do have some extra snow gear on hand just in case as well.

It is a goal of our district to ensure the safety of your child. There may be occasions when deteriorating weather will mean that schools close due to unsafe conditions. When such occasions occur, 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:

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 shared on social media channels and 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.

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.

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.

1. Be sure your child’s school has your updated contact information.
2. 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 they feel it is unsafe to drive during the inclement weather, please determine an alternative means of transportation to school.

In prior years the District provided the opportunity for families to sign up to be notified when their child could use the bus during inclement weather, and when sidewalks were not plowed. With the change of transportation practices, including an opportunity for all students to participate, and the daily ridership on buses, this is no longer an option. We ask that families plan accordingly.

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:

• 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

Monday, January 27: Preschool Community Peer Lottery opens

MEPTO Meeting at McGovern Library 6:30-7:30 pm

Wednesday, January 29: Theme Day: Wear Red for the Lunar New Year

Early Release: 11:05 am Preschool dismissal

12 pm Kindergarten & First Grade dismissal

Monday, February 3: Kindergarten Registration opens

Friday, February 7: Arena Day (No Preschool)

Theme Day: Super Bowl Friday - wear football/sports team shirt

Monday, February 10: 100th Day of School!

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

Wednesday, February 27: MFE Trivia Bee, 7 pm