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This week's family news includes:

• RISE Students and Staff of the Week
• Popsicles with Police
• Pictures from RISE-ess!
• School Climate Study Group Update
• PTO Ice Cream Social- June 7, 2024: RSVP & Volunteer Sign-up
• Holliston Drug & Alcohol Awareness Coalition Parent Survey
• Important Dates & Lunch Menu

On June 10, 2024 the Holliston Police Department will be coming to Miller School to have popsicles together during the school day! This event is a great way for students and HPD to celebrate the school year and strengthen relationships.

Below are the ingredients for the popsicles.

Frozen orange juice will be provided as an alternative for students who do not want popsicles. Below are the ingredients for the frozen orange juice.

Given the increase in life-threatening food allergies, we are committed to informing families of food consumed in school. If there is a medical reason your student cannot participate in this activity, please reach out to your student's classroom teacher.

This week we partnered with Holliston Park and Recreation to offer special activities during regularly scheduled recess times as a way to celebrate the positive behavior goals we've achieved this year at Miller School. Mark Frank from the Holliston Park and Recreation led interested students in a few "camp-like" activities during their recess and a few senior camp counselors joined to help facilitate, too.

The recesses scheduled for RISE-ess on Wednesday were able to run as planned. The recesses scheduled for RISE-ess on Thursday have been rescheduled to Wednesday, May 29th due to rain.

Below are pictures from Wednesday's RISE-esses!

This year staff at Miller School formed a School Climate Study Group in order to research and identify additional action steps that can be taken to continue to cultivate a culture of inclusivity and belonging at Miller School. Below is an update on some of our action steps that we identified/completed as a result of the data gathered from our student, staff and family school climate surveys.

Our data analysis showed the importance of fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment within our school. Students, staff, and families all said it's crucial to feel respected and supported as part of our community. They also want our school to not just accept differences but to celebrate them.

In light of these insights, our group felt it was important to start with a new school motto.
After several brainstorming sessions we arrived at the motto: "Welcome In. Expect Greatness."

Below is a draft logo (thank you, Michelle Hastings for your design work) that includes this motto.

"Welcome In" signifies our dedication to fostering inclusivity and belonging, ensuring that every person who enters our school feels embraced, accepted, and valued. It conveys our belief in the power of community and the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels at home.

"Expect Greatness" reflects our unwavering belief in the potential of every member of our school community. It communicates our high expectations for both personal and academic growth, encouraging individuals to challenge themselves, pursue their passions, and strive for excellence in all endeavors.

Together, "Welcome In. Expect Greatness." serves as a guiding principle that shapes our interactions, decisions, and aspirations as a school community. It reminds us to approach each day with an open heart and mind, ready to welcome new experiences, perspectives, and opportunities, while also holding ourselves and each other to the highest standards of achievement and growth.

This week we met with our student advisory council to discuss the motto and share the draft logo to get their feedback. Student comments included:

• This motto welcomes everyone and makes you feel like you’re a part of something big.

• “Expect Greatness” makes me think that there is something to look forward to… be ready to be amazed and have a good time.

• The logo picture with the front entrance makes sense because that is where we welcome new people to Miller School.

The advisory students said “Miller School. Welcome In. Expect Greatness.” several times in unison and thought that this motto is easy to remember and helps us remember what our goals are.

As we move forward, we will work together with students, staff and families to identify ways to incorporate the logo and motto into our school community. If you have additional thoughts or feedback, please reach out to a member of our school climate study group.

Below is a list of some additional of the action steps identified/completed as a result of the school climate data gathered and our community's collective efforts:

• Week long invitation for parent/guardian readers at the end of the PTO Read-a-thon

• Small family data chat reviewing school climate data that expanded to the first ever Miller Webinar to include more voices and provide access to more families

• Clean up of the Miller lost and found area (work in progress)

• Formation of the Miller Student Advisory Council: first student data dive

• Grant written to support a clean up of the garden/front area of school (not approved but action steps taken to clarify town/school responsibilities with the grounds- will continue into next year)

• Development of document to clarify committees/group roles (work in progress- could be part of our summer work)

• Summer work proposal created and approved to create a calendar of events that connect/unify staff and students across the building that will include a word for the month, celebrations/appreciation days, SEL lessons utilizing the RULER curriculum, RISE focus (Miller's Positive Behavior Intervention and Support acronym), Diversity-Equity-Inclusion resources, Connections to Unified Arts content, and more.

Thank you,

Miller's School Climate Committee

Katie Anderson, Brielle Chadsey, Allie Curley, Ashley DeRoy, Wendy Krauss, Brenda Maurao and Brendan O'Connell

Please RSVP for the event by using the following link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BA5AE2EA3FCCE9-49349299-elementary

Please sign up to volunteer for the event by using the following link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BA5AE2EA3FCCE9-49091962-elem

Welcome to the Holliston Drug and Alcohol Awareness Coalition (HDAAC) Parent Survey 2024! As a community-focused organization, our mission is to enhance the overall wellness of our community, particularly for our youth. We aim to be a valuable resource for parents and caregivers, assisting them in navigating various aspects of youth development and wellness.

Your participation in this survey is vital as it will help shape our programs and initiatives to better address the needs of our community. The information collected will guide the allocation of DFC grant funds and opioid abatement money towards free community informational events and activities, ensuring we support you effectively. We assure you that all responses are confidential and anonymous.

We appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey and look forward to continuing our work together. For any questions or concerns, please contact Zoe Moreau, Coalition Coordinator, at moreauz@holliston.k12.ma.us or call 508-429-0620 ext. 185.

To participate in the survey, please click here

Survey: https://forms.gle/MUsa8sXeTRZZ6C888

HDAAC

May 2024

5/27- Memorial Day- No School

5/29- Laps at Lunch & RISE-ess with Holliston Park & Recreation 11:55am-1:40pm

5/30- Unified Arts Switch Day- Monday Schedule & 5th Grade Showcase

5/31- Laps at Lunch

June 2024

6/4- Miller Band Concert @ 7:00pm at HHS

6/5- Freedom Trail Field Trip (Perpall/O’Connell & Tonelli/Vittoria) w/ bus returning at 2:15pm

6/6- Freedom Trail Field Trip (Dennison/DeRoy & Roland/Zancewicz) w/ bus returning at 2:15pm& Grade 3 Forces and Magnetism workshop

6/7- Freedom Trail Field Trip (LoRicco/Hagen) w/ bus returning at 2:15pm & Grade 4 Field Day (Raindate 6/10), Grade 3 Forces and Magnetism workshop & PTO Ice Cream Social 6:00pm-7:30pm

6/10- Popsicles with Police

6/12- Grade 3 Field Day (Raindate 6/13)

6/14- Grade 5 Moving Up Ceremony

6/17- Last Day of School- Dismissal at 10:30am.

*Please note: all of these dates can be found on the Miller School Calendar linked below.

Below is a link to the HPS Food Services Website that includes the lunch menu for Miller School. This is being added to the Family News based on feedback from families! Thank you!