Millis Middle School

At this week's School Committee meeting, I had the opportunity to join Mr. Nash, our High School Principal, to present on the addition and renovation plans currently being reviewed by the School Building Committee. As part of our presentation, the school administration has carefully examined the proposed renovation plans to ensure that they align with our educational goals while also maintaining fiscal responsibility. We have been focused on ensuring that each proposal addresses the unique needs of our students, providing both an enriching learning environment and the flexibility to meet future demands. We are committed to selecting a plan that will enhance the educational experience for all our students, both now and in the years to come. The School Committee meeting can be viewed here. The Millis HS/MS Building Project can be viewed down below in the newsletter.

Need to know info:

• MS/HS Building Project has had TWO successful community forums! If you'd like to learn more about the progress of this project, please check out our Building Project Website for many more details about the proposed project: https://www.millisschoolproject.com/
• Here's the complete recording of the Virtual Community Forum Presentation: December 3, 2024 School Building Project Community Forum Recording
• Next week is Spirit Week - see details below

• 12/20- Early Release Day 10:55 dismissal

Nice to know info:

• Congratulations to Oliver Scavone, who is the band student of the week!
• Tessa Molinari's ACTIVE MINDS MS club is now in full swing! Active Minds is a popular club in HS that focuses on mental health awareness and education for teens and young adults. Tessa is a Senior and will be holding this group during lunch for middle schoolers as part of her senior project. Thank you, Tessa for providing this wonderful group for our students to participate in!
• Our MS Baking Club continues to be a wonderful success with many students baking and participating in this awesome group during lunch on E Days!
• For the week of 12/16 we will have the following SPIRIT DAYS :

• Monday - Onesie/PJ

• Tuesday - Flannel

• Wednesday - Ugly Sweater

• Thursday - Winter Character

• Friday - Glitz & Glam

Hello Millis Middle School community members,

Please check out our first edition of our MMS newspaper, Hermes Horizon:

https://sites.google.com/millisschools.org/hermeshorizon/home

Happy reading, and congratulations to all of our Newspaper Club participants!

Great job!!

-Mrs. Hurley

PARAPROFESSIONAL OPENINGS

We are seeking TWO paraprofessionals to support middle school aged students in classes. One position is 0.8 which is 80% of the work week so hours could be 9:20-2:20 or four out of five days a week. Our other position is full time, 8:00-2:20, five days per week. If you are interested in learning more, please check out this posting: https://www.millisps.org/departments/human_resources

Or please feel welcome to reach out to us via email at ahurley@millisschools.org.

The Millis Public Library wants to become the best library for our community. In an effort to get feedback from a wide variety of community members, we are reaching out to get your thoughts on the services and programs that we provide.

You can help us by filling out the survey and sharing this email with family members, friends, and neighbors.

Youth (5th - 12th grade) will be entered into a drawing for one of ten $10 Dunkin’ gift cards when they complete the survey!

Paper copies of the survey are available by request at the library or to download from our website. A Spanish language survey is also available by request. All responses must be submitted by December 20th.

The MS/HS Library Wish List is out. Please check out our website for links and information https://sites.google.com/millisschools.org/libraryresources/home

THANK YOU!

All students and caregivers have been provided with PowerSchool logins and passwords. PowerSchool provides realtime access to your child's academic progress, grades and comments.

Here is information regarding PowerSchool and Standards based grading and how to access the Portal details.

From Riverside Community Behavioral Health Center:

As we welcome a new school year, we want to emphasize the importance of mental health and well-being. Returning to school can bring about a mix of emotions—excitement, anxiety, anticipation, and more. We know for some students the beginning of a new school year can come with difficulties, including depression, anxiety, school avoidance and complex emotional and behavioral issues. The team at Riverside Mobile Crisis Intervention would like to remind everyone that we are here for all students no matter the level of concern; we are available to see people 24 hours a day anywhere in the community: at home, school, or our office. Please share our information with caretakers who may need help navigating these complex situations at home, and we are available to come into the school for in-the-moment assessment to help partner with you in navigating challenging events. We’re just a phone call away at 781-769-8674 or toll-free at 800-529-5077.

Thank you from the team at Mobile Crisis Intervention, a component of Riverside’s Community Behavioral Health Center.

Spread Holiday Cheer and Support Millis DECA!

This holiday season, bring some festive fun to your neighborhood while supporting a great cause! For just $30, you can have cheerful Elf Lawn Ornaments placed in someone's yard for three nights. Each elf brings a touch of holiday magic and is part of a special fundraising effort to support Millis DECA students.

Your donation helps us continue providing valuable leadership, career development, and entrepreneurial opportunities for future business leaders. It's a simple, fun way to make someone's home more festive and make a big impact on our community!

How it works:

1. Make a $30 donation to DECA. (checks made out to Millis High School or venmo @Yvonne-FitzGerald)

2. We’ll place adorable Elf Lawn Ornaments in the yard of your choice for three nights. We will deliver to Millis, Medway, and Medfield.

3. They can enjoy the holiday cheer as people marvel at the festive sight!

Thank you for your support, and happy holidays from the Mills DECA team!

Any questions please contact Yvonne FitzGerald - yfitzgerald@millisschools.org

We are pleased to announce that registration for the Bridgewater State University Winter Science Academy is now open! The Winter Science Academy is for students currently in grades 6-8.

The program offers middle school students the opportunity to participate in an exciting hands-on class, the Forensics Institute of Bridgewater. Students will work as crime scene analysts and will learn how to collect and analyze fingerprints from a simulated crime scene, perform blood type analysis and conduct DNA fingerprinting.

The class takes place on the Bridgewater campus February 18-21, 2025, from 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM. The cost is $250. Need based scholarship opportunities are available for those with significant financial need.

Additional information about the program, including discounts and need-based scholarships, can be found on the Science Academy Website and Science Academy Registration.

Register before January 1, 2025 and save $25.

Hope to see you in February!