Milton High School Weekly Updates
1/26/2024
Important Dates to Remember
January 23- End of Term 2
Feb 2-4 MHS Theatre Festival
Screenagers Coming to MHS!
MHS students will be viewing “Screenagers Under the Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age” on January 30th and 31st. It will be followed by classroom-based discussions.
Screenagers filmmaker Delaney Ruston examines the impact of our digital age on teens' decision-making in relation to substances such as vaping, drugs, and alcohol. Exploring the latest research and learning more about the personal experiences of teens and families, the film highlights the changing landscape of the substances themselves, offering solutions for how we can best empower teens as they face decisions about what they will and will not be influenced by.
This film will have a public viewing on Wednesday, March 27th, 7pm in the Keys Room at the Milton Public Library. It will be followed by a panel discussion featuring MHS Asst. Principal Brian Mackinaw, and Officer Maria Martin, MHS School Resource Officer.
The Screenagers Trilogy has been brought to Milton by the Milton Coalition. www.milton-coalition.org
Snow Day & 2 Hour Delay Reminder
Please see this inclement weather reminder that was shared with the MPS community earlier his month.
Juniors and Seniors~ Save the Date!
The Milton High School Junior/Senior Prom will be held on the evening of Saturday May 18th at the New England Aquarium in Boston. More details will be coming soon!
MHS Theatre Winter Festival
We hope you will join us for an exciting weekend of theatre with our Winter Festival, Feb 2-4 at Milton High School! Our students have three separate theatre offerings:
SIX: Teen Edition - From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to reclaim their identities out of the shadow of their infamous spouse – remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Musical Celebration of 21st century girl power!
Nora’s Lost - Debilitated by Alzheimer’s disease, Nora Blodgett follows the vision of her late husband into the woods on a cold night. Nora’s life flashes before her — revealing her former life as a dynamic teacher, a caring wife, and a loving mother. Will Nora’s daughter find her mother in time?
10 Minute Student Directed Plays - Five separate short plays directed by our amazing students.
In the spirit of supporting all of our students participating in the winter festival, we strongly encourage audience members to attend both acts. That being said, we will not be admitting additional audience members into the theater at intermission. Thank you for understanding and we hope to see you next weekend!
Don't miss out on seeing these talented students! (*Recommended for those age 12 and up). The details and schedule can be found below. Tickets can be purchased at this link.
Footloose Auditions!
Are you interested in auditioning for our spring musical, FOOTLOOSE? Click here for more information!
Calling all Milton Highschoolers! Do you have any old elementary school-level chapter books that you don’t read anymore? Consider donating them to our elementary schools!
- Boxes will be organized by grade in the foyer.
- The drive will be open February 5 through 16
- Sponsored by NHS
- Email Greta.Cardoza.2024@miltonps.org or Samantha.Kelly.2024@miltonps.org with any questions
Support our Milton Public Schools students at Collicot ~ Cunningham ~ Glover ~ Tucker!
Winter Athletic News
MHS Athletics is in the middle of a busy and successful winter season! Schedules and information can be found on our Athletics webpage and be sure to follow @MHS_Wildcats_ on X (Twitter).
Our Girls and Boys Indoor Track Teams are having another successful season. They just completed the Division 3 State Relays and have a lot to be proud of. Out of 41 schools, the girls finished in 7th place and the boys tied for 2nd place. In addition, some of the relay teams met the provisional qualifying standard for New Balance Nationals, the most prestigious high school meet of the indoor season in the USA.
Girls Highlights:
- The distance medley relay of Maya Sekhar, Dory O'Toole, Gretel Schewe and Reese Longo earned 6th place.
- The 4 x 800 of Garet Glenn, Allison Ruzzo, Michaela Ruzzo and Lauren Cooper earned 6th.
- Danaya Sweeney, Lucy Asanza, Sahana Zauls and Donna Gauvin came in 5th in the 4 x 50 shuttle relay.
- The 4 x 400 set its best time of the season so far with Kai Quinones, Victoria Lundeen, Lydia Turner and Sadie Ruth running for 3rd in 4:17.36.
- The shuttle hurdle relay team of Donna Gauvin, Fionnuala Queally, Lucy Asanza and Elana Pukel set a school record of 30.83, coming in 2nd and surpassing the provisional qualifying time for nationals.
Boys Highlights:
- Chase Nixon, MJ Holloway and Finn Hunt got a 5th place in the High Jump.
- The shuttle hurdle relay team of Zakai Perkins, Chase Nixon, Mudia Odion-Ukpebor and Abdallah Hassan survived a fall and still came in 4th place overall.
- Zakai Perkins, Charlie Heffron, Abdallah Hassan and Luke Hartford dashed to a 2nd place in the 4 x 50 shuttle with a time of 22.36 which surpassed the old meet record.
- The long jump team of Channing Howse, Jacob Daly and Zakai Perkins leapt to a second place finish.
- The highlight of the meet was our boys 4 x 400 team of Miles Fergus, Aidan Crummey, Moses Mann and Luka Juric which led the seeded heat wire to wire to meet the nationals provisional qualifying standard and win the meet with the 8th best time in Massachusetts this season at 3:29.83.
The Girls and Boys Hockey Teams are off to a strong start. The recent MIAA D2 rankings have the Girls ranked 8th and the Boys ranked 11th. Big shoutout to Senior Goalie Lila Chamoun for collecting her 1,500 career save against Framingham in a 4-0 win for the 'Cats!
MHS hosted our annual Snowden Basketball Tournament over the December break with two great days of basketball. Congrats to the Boys Basketball Team for making it into the championship game against a strong Canton team.
Congratulations to the Girls Basketball Team for taking home the trophy in the annual Revere Holiday Tournament.
The Wrestling Team continues to work hard this season. Mason Pellegri remains undefeated and Kenny Heraldo, Luis Bitencourt, Conor Walsh, Isaac Remy, Owen Crowley and Riley Ellis have also had success in recent matches.
The Ski Team finally had the weather they needed for their first race at Ski Ward. Casey Olsen and Alessandra Tuozzola finished in the Top 15.
The Dance Team has been hard at work practicing four days a week.
The Milton High School Athletic Department is pleased to announce the addition of two new spring coaches. Greg Lannon will take over the helm as the new varsity baseball coach. Greg has been an integral part of our boys basketball and baseball program over the past few years. Charlie Drane will lead the varsity softball team. Best of luck to our new coaches this spring season!
Come cheer on your Wildcats at an upcoming home contest!
- 1/27 Wrestling Quad at MHS 10:00am
- 1/28 Track team competes in the Coaches Invitational at the Reggie Lewis Center
- 1/30 Boys Basketball vs Needham at MHS 6:30pm
- 1/31 Boys Hockey vs Needham at Ulin 7:00pm
- 2/2 Girls Basketball vs Brookline at MHS 6:30pm
- 2/3 Girls Hockey vs Brookline at Ulin 6pm
- 2/15 Bay State Conference Dance Competition
Music Spirit Gear!
Show your Milton Spirit with some new Milton Music gear! T-shirts, jackets, beanies and more are available in both child and adult sizes and suitable for all Milton residents and music supporters! All items can be viewed and purchased at this link. The website is a little bit confusing, so please see the information at the top of the attached flyer for details about what details to include when you order. Proceeds from this fundraiser will support Milton Music students participating in a trip to Philadelphia in April. These items will only be available through the end of January, so don't delay! And SAVE THE DATE and your redeemable recyclables for a Bottle and Can Drive right after the Super Bowl on the evening of Monday, February 12th! More info TBA at a later date.
Community Forum
How Do We Dwell Together in Peace? Addressing the Turmoil of Perspectives on the War in Gaza and Surrounding Territories
We invite participants to bring your questions, your openness and your willingness to respect differences. This is not a time for answers, pronouncements or divisive judgment. It is a time to listen, to be heard, and to reach toward mutual abiding and shared dignity.
- Sunday, February 4, 3-5:00 pm
- Pierce Middle School, 451 Central Ave, Milton, MA
- Organized by the Milton Interfaith Clergy Association (MICA) at the request of the Select Board.
With co-moderators Dr.Carl El-Tobgui and Jeffrey R. Stone we will frame this beginning conversation with these values:
- The horrors of war and tactics of terrorism create devastating repercussions
- The practice of peace begins with ourselves
- Diversity flourishes in respectful learning environments
Bring your courage, your curiosity, your grief and your honesty as we engage in this complex and painful situation.
Director of DEIB Search Update
The Screening Committee for the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) has put forward two finalists, Ms. Zakia Jarrett and Ms. Kristen Handricken.
Ms. Jarrett is the current Interim Director of DEIB where her responsibilities include working closely with Central Office, principals, staff, and community partners to strengthen awareness and incorporate equity into all areas of our district. Prior to becoming the Interim Director of DEIB, Ms. Jarrett was a Pierce Middle School English teacher for several years.
Ms. Handricken is the Founder and Principal of Institute Equity, LLC in Watertown, a company that provides equity based coaching, consulting, training and strategic planning to school districts, universities and organizations. She is the previous Director of Learning and Training at Boston University’s Diversity & Inclusion Office of the Provost.
The Screening Committee represented a multidisciplinary group of students, faculty, staff, parents, school committee, and community members. The committee met over three sessions to review the district guidelines and job description, participate in an anti-bias in hiring activity, discuss characteristics of a strong Director of DEIB candidate, draft interview questions, review the eleven applicants, and identify five semi-finalists to interview. After the candidates were interviewed, the committee reviewed their rubrics and collectively determined three finalists. Upon notification, one finalist declined the opportunity to participate in the finalist interviews.
Finalist interviews are scheduled for January 30, and a site visit is scheduled the same day to allow both candidates the opportunity to meet with faculty and administration. A virtual meeting is scheduled for the early evening so candidates can introduce themselves to parents/guardians, staff and community members. Ms. Handricken will be available on Zoom at 5pm, and Ms. Jarrett will be available at 5:45pm. All are welcome to join the Zoom Meeting at https://miltonps-org.zoom.us/j/99937989833, meeting ID: 999 3798 9833.
Thank you to the Screening Committee Facilitator Danielle Wetmore, Director of Student Services and members Bao Qiu (Milton School Committee), Karen McDavitt (Glover Principal) Kristen Hallisey and Jennifer Makhanov( Pierce Middle School teachers), Adina Schecter (DEIB Coach), Ngoc Tran (MHS Assistant Principal) Sarah Myrie and Alden Landry (Parent Representatives), Jill Clark (Community Member) and John Best and Hilda Alexis (Students) for their diligent work over these past weeks.
On behalf of the Screening Committee, we look forward to introducing our candidates to you.
Support and Strengthen Music in MPS - Join FAME!
The music program in Milton Public Schools is very strong and can be even stronger with your support! FAME -- Friends and Advocates of Music Education -- is a parent-run, volunteer organization that works to support and strengthen music in MPS. FAME’s mission is to support, strengthen, and enhance music education as well as foster a robust and inclusive musical community in the Milton Public Schools (K-12). We carry out our mission through advocacy, financial support, and promotion of music programs and events. We support current needs of the music program as well as partner with music teachers to increase access and opportunity to our amazing music program. There are many ways to get involved, from advocating for music programs and volunteering at concerts and fundraisers (our annual Mattress Sale is coming up on March 30th!) to leading on social media to joining the leadership team. Learn more and express interest here!
Community Service & Employment Opportunities
Are you looking for community service opportunities? Throughout the year you will be able to access any community service opportunities here. There are already several opportunities available for students to volunteer. Get involved now! If you are looking for employment or internship opportunities this page will be updated throughout the year.
Milton Sports for All is offering Candlepin Bowling and we need your help!! We are looking for high school students to help with scoring and bowling with students in grades 4-8! This event is always held at Cunningham Hall on Wednesday afternoons starting January 10th- March 27th. If you can help out from 4:30-5:1 or 5:30-6:15 or both then please sign up! Please email us at msfavolunteers@gmail.com. A fun time is always had by all!
Innovative Pathways-Schools to Careers
Innovative Pathways allow students early insight to careers that suit their interests and abilities and encourage paths that they may not otherwise have discovered. Our partners, School to Careers and MassHire, provide Milton students opportunities to forge these discoveries. Both will help connect students with local employers in specific industries for our Internship Program and help to offer real life work experiences for our students in our Career Readiness class.
Click here for specific programs that may interest you. This will be updated as more opportunities are confirmed. Contact Joyce White with any questions jwhite@miltonps.org.
MFE Annual Appeal
An education from the Milton Public Schools is the foundation for excellence for all of our students. Together with your support, the Milton Foundation for Education (MFE) has been building this critical foundation for nearly 30 years. Last year, generous supporters like you funded over $100,000 to Milton Public Schools through teacher grants, district-wide initiatives, and student scholarships. Over the years, the MFE has distributed over $4,000,000 to support more than 50,000 students in all six Milton Public Schools.
The success of the MFE truly depends on families and friends like you. Your generous gift will allow the MFE to continue investing in groundbreaking initiatives and enrichment opportunities that inspire our teachers and every student in Milton, inside and outside the classroom. Every dollar donated to the MFE helps spark innovation and energize the learning experience for students and educators in Milton. We now have even more opportunities to make a lasting impact. As we start the new year, for the love of education, our teachers, students, and community, please consider making a gift today.
The work MFE is able to do is only possible with your donations. Thank you for your partnership and support. We wish you and your family a very Happy New Year!
Who's Who at MHS
Principal Karen J. Cahill, kcahill@miltonps.org
Vice Principal Ngoc Tran, ntran@miltonps.org
Vice Principal Brian Mackinaw, bmackinaw@miltonps.org
Nurse Shannon Aikey, saikey@miltonps.org
Administrative Assistant Jenn McCullough, jmccullough@miltonps.org
Adminstrative Assistant Tyler Urso, turso@miltonps.org
Milton High School
Email: kcahill@miltonps.org
Website: https://www.miltonps.org/mhs/
Location: 25 Gile Road, Milton, MA, USA
Phone: (617)-696-4470