Office of Teaching and Learning

Spring 2024 Newsletter

Hello from the Marblehead Public Schools Office of Teaching and Learning!

Teaching & Learning Updates

Happy Spring! I am pleased to share updates from the Office of Teaching and Learning.

Our teachers and staff have been fostering a sense of belonging, using instructional practices to engage all students in learning, and building strong student-teacher relationships to help create better educational outcomes for our students. Students are learning new skills and information, participating in field trips, music concerts, & athletic competitions, and building community during school assemblies!

Additionally, our educators are engaging in ongoing professional development. The goal of our professional development time is to support instructional excellence and student growth. Our professional development schedule allows for collaboration and alignment in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to meet our goals as outlined in our School Improvement Plans and Plan for Success.

Inner Explorer

Great news! All Marblehead schools have teacher and family access to the mindfulness program Inner Explorer. The district subscription was purchased by Marblehead Rotary members with the intention of supporting our school community by providing everyone the opportunity to practice mindful awareness. The simple "just press play" program fosters life skills such as improved focus, compassion, gratitude, and self-regulation as key elements in a student's continuous improvement.

Inner Explorer has many advantages for families. The program is designed to be easy, requires no preparation or previous experience, and can be incorporated into any part of the day.

Here are just some of the benefits:

Self Care: Helps reduce stress

Easily Accessible: Available on any device

Low Time - High Impact: Significant improvements in well-being for your child (and you!)

Please register today to get free access to the Inner Explorer app to see all that Inner Explorer has to offer you and your family!

Coaches Corner - the latest news from our Math and Literacy Coaches

Math Coaches' Corner

Literacy Coaches' Corner

Newsworthy Notes of Achievement!

Award winners at MVMS

Congratulations to Marblehead Veterans Middle School teacher Maura Dartley-Rocco and school nurse Meaghan Kalpin for being awarded the Alliance for a Healthier Generation national award! Maura was recognized for "Enriching Health Education" and "Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning," and Meaghan was recognized for "Supporting School Health Services." Click here to read about the award program.

Music Star at Glover School!

The Distinguished Arts Educator Advocate Music award winner is our very own Ms. Francesca Simone! Ms. Simone’s music classroom at the Glover School is a place for students to try new things, ask questions and feel seen, heard, valued and appreciated. She truly believes that music is the heartbeat of her school and that it creates a loving, accepting, joyful and confident community of students.

Mock Town Meeting at MVMS

Pictured: MVMS teacher Mr. Connor Frechette-McCall addresses the 7th graders at the Mock Town Meeting at Vets as Town Moderator Jack Attridge looks on.

On May 2, the 7th graders learned about the foundations of democracy in ancient times and the connections to modern-day democratic process. Under the direction of their Social Studies teachers, Mr. Bill Shull, Mr. Noah Pasackow, and Mr. Connor Frechette-McCall, the 7th grade students wrote persuasive arguments about Marblehead's seasonal leaf blower ban, which is on this year's Town Warrant. For more information about the special event, please read this article.

This week, we celebrate our excellent, dedicated staff for Teacher Appreciation Week! Our educators are amazing, and I am so grateful for their commitment to our students' success. Additionally, a big thank you to our outstanding School Nurses in recognition of National School Nurse Day today!

Thank you to our PCOs/PTOs for planning special ways to recognize our MPS staff this week! I appreciate our families' ongoing support of our amazing students and staff. We are better together!

Thank you,

Julia Ferreira

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning