This MS newsletter is highlighting several tools in our school's toolbox to ensure that we are supporting the needs of all of the children in our care. As teens and tweens, communication with adults tends to decrease as they tend to lean more on their peers for support. We recognize these shifts and make use of several measures to look out for their well-being. Please read below to learn more about some of the tools we are and will be accessing.

MCAS TESTING is coming up April 4 -11, 2024 and May 13-24, 2024. Please avoid scheduling family appointments and vacations during these windows of time. Thank you!

Tri-County interviews are set for Thursday, January 25th and will take place in the MS office. There are practice questions and prompts on the Applications webpage. Tri-County is reviewing, and may possibly revise, the interview questions. If school should be canceled or a student is absent the day of the interview, make-up interviews will be in early March at Tri-County.

Dear Millis Middle School Families,

We hope this newsletter finds you and your loved ones in good health and high spirits. As we navigate through the school year, we wanted to take a moment to share some important announcements and resources that will support the well-being and success of our students.

Social-Emotional Wellness
At Millis Middle School, we prioritize the social-emotional well-being of our students. We understand that mental health plays a crucial role in their overall development. To further bolster their social and emotional skills, we have implemented various initiatives such as yoga and mindfulness exercises, counseling support (Thank you, MERIT!), and character education lessons (Second Step Anti Bullying Curriculum in Power Learning Time). We encourage open lines of communication and are here to assist your child whenever they may need it. Each child has a School Adjustment Counselor assigned in PowerSchool and there are two Team Leaders at each grade should you need more personalized support.

Addressing Critical Issues for Students
We believe in addressing critical issues that affect our students in order to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all. Our dedicated staff actively works to promote understanding, respect, and acceptance among students. Two new resources will be rolling out over the next few weeks. One is from The Sandy Hook Promise organization that provides an anonymous tip line called Say Something for students to reach out to a 24/7 crisis team should they have safety concerns for themselves or a peer. There is a caregiver letter with more information about this tip line and resource below. We will be introducing this to students in early February and this is a 6-12 community-wide initiative to support the mental health and safety of our whole small school, big family.

Supporting the Whole Child
We recognize that education extends beyond academics and encompasses the well-rounded development of our students. We are exploring a digital tool called CloseGap where students do a quick check-in to share their mood, how their sleep and breakfast were and if they feel supported and ready to learn and recommendations on a few quick steps to help settle in. This is a 3-5 minute check in that students would complete on Tuesday mornings and the results are only shared with counselors and administration. This is a wonderful resource to help build the skills of self awareness, self regulation and self advocacy. We are excited about this tool because it will allow students to signal for help and support quickly and quietly on a weekly basis.

If you are curious to learn more about Closegap, please feel welcome to peruse their website to learn more and we will send a caregiver letter before implementation and an opt-out survey if you'd rather not have your child participate.

It is important to us that our curriculum includes a comprehensive range of subjects and activities designed to nurture the whole child. From physical education to art and music classes, we strive to provide a balanced educational experience that promotes intellectual growth, creativity, and physical fitness. Our School Adjustment Counselors have been presenting lessons through our Power Learning Time as yet another avenue to connect with our students to make sure that they have multiple trusted adults for support.

Tools and Resources for Students and Families
To enhance our students' learning experiences, we have gathered an array of tools and resources that are easily accessible for both students and families. Second Step, Closegap, Say Something are just a few in our extensive toolbox. These resources cover a wide range of subjects and grade levels, ensuring that every student can find support throughout their middle school journey. Please visit our school website for more details and to explore these valuable resources.

Triage, Tools, Screeners, and Surveys
In order to facilitate personalized support for our students, we utilize various assessment tools, screeners, and surveys. Students have recently completed their academic screeners of STAR and IXL to monitor their academic growth. These instruments assist us in understanding students' specific needs and tailoring interventions accordingly. Teachers will gather in data team meetings to review student needs and points for growth to design interventions and personalized learning.

Prioritizing Privacy
We understand the importance of privacy in the digital age. Rest assured that all data collected or shared with us is handled in accordance with our strict privacy policy. We honor your right to protect your child's personal information, and offer opportunities for opting out of certain information-sharing practices. Please always feel welcome to contact me at ahurley@millisschools.org for any questions and concerns and again, should you wish to proactively opt-out of Closegap or other upcoming surveys, let me know.

Your continued partnership and support are invaluable to us. We deeply appreciate your trust in our school and our commitment to providing the best possible education for your child. Together, we can create a thriving educational community that empowers our students for lifelong success.

Thank you for being part of our Small School, Big Family.

Ana Hurley
Middle School Principal

Dear Millis Community Members,

As a school district, we are committed to creating and sustaining a comprehensive, coordinated effort to improve the overall safety and well-being of our students, educators, administrators, and the community at large.

To do this, we believe this must involve community-wide programs and initiatives involving parents, teachers, administrators, local law enforcement, mental health and wellness professionals, and elected officials to take meaningful action to protect our students.

I am happy to announce the upcoming district-wide launch of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS). This program teaches students, teachers, and administrators how to recognize warning signals and threats, on social media, in school, or in their community, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and Say Something to a trusted adult OR use its anonymous reporting system. Specifically, the program educates students and adult participants to:

• Recognize the signs and threats of at-risk behaviors
• Take every sign and signal seriously and act quickly to get help by talking to a trusted adult, OR
• Report it anonymously to the SS-ARS 24/7/365 Crisis Center via a mobile app, website, or telephone hotline
• Respond to and manage the submitted tips using a tip management system overseen by a designated school team
• Sustain the curriculum and awareness via student clubs, in-school activities and call-to-action weeks

Our students are often aware of the problems their peers are facing, so we must empower them to recognize the danger signs and give them the tools to help each other with the assistance of trained and caring adults. As you know, most conversations are taking place on social media, therefore it is critical that we teach our students to look out for one another as these digital conversations are taking place. SS-ARS teaches them what to look for in text, video and photos while empowering them to act quickly to help a fellow student. The program also teaches students to recognize at-risk behaviors in friends and classmates at school and in their local community.

The SS-ARS program is provided by Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a nation-wide non-profit organization. SHP’s programs are in 50 states – with 14,000+ schools and over 12 million students and adults trained. They have a track record, reputation, and knowledge of how to work effectively with kids, parents, and teachers to improve school safety and culture. The program is age-appropriate and research-based. To date, SS-ARS and other SHP prevention programs have helped stop multiple school shootings, suicides, and gun threats, The program has reduced bullying and cyberbullying, intervened upon cutting, drug use, and other violent acts. We know this program will do the same for our district.

If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call, or email me directly at ahurley@millisschools.org.

Sincerely,

Ana B. Hurley

Principal

Just a reminder that we need to be very careful with nuts and other allergens when sending snacks in with your student. Please do not send any snacks that are made with nuts or have nuts in them. We need to be careful and considerate of our friends with allergies. THANK YOU!

Here are some tips that are geared to Middle Schoolers, to help your student achieve their very best! Each week we will share a tip. We hope you can incorporate these tips into your daily routines with your child or children:

TIP # 1 - MAKE ATTENDANCE A PRIORITY

Attendance is the #1 school success factor. Make sure your student is in school, on time, every day. School begins right on the bell at 8:00 and even arriving just a few minutes late often means that students are entering an already busy class and have missed important news and instructions. Five minutes might not seem like a lot, but often it can be the difference of starting off on the right foot or behind the eight ball. Thanks so much for your help!

Mass Partnership for Youth (MPY) is an organization that supports schools and other youth programs in the state. They also have an extensive library of resources for parents. MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students' families thrive. Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. Each Library includes 10-minute videos and handouts, The science behind child development and parenting is abundant. Peace At Home Parenting experts translate it into easy-to-use, strategies for long-lasting change. Tap into the power of the brain-body-behavior connection to gain clarity and confidence to help your family thrive.https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/

January

15 - (Monday) - Martin Luther King Jr Day - No School

26 - (Friday) - Early Release Day, dismissal @ 10:55

29 - (Monday) - Talent Show Auditions 2:20 p.m. - for Millis Middle School students only

February

15 - (Thursday) - Talent Show

19 - 23 - February School Break, no school

March

1 - (Friday) - Aedan Wetherbee Comedy Show Fundraiser - MHS Auditorium

11 - (Monday) - Professional Development Day - No School

29 - (Friday) - Early Release Day, dismissal @ 10:55

April

4 - 11 - MCAS Testing

MAY

13 - 21 - MCAS Testing

Aedan's Army is hosting a Comedy Show fundraiser on March 1. Doors open at 7, show starts at 8:00 pm. The show will be held at the MMS/MHS Auditorium. Please attend the event if you can or support the GoFundMe by scanning the code below.

THANK YOU!

Unfortunately one of our grade seven middle school students, Autumn S, and her mother were hurt in an awful car accident last weekend. They are both healing and resting, but they've been through a traumatic event. Please click here to support them as they recover from their injuries.

Would you enjoy sharing your home with our incoming Spanish Consular Classroom Assistant beginning in late August? Please see the attached letter.

Spanish Consular Classroom Assistant Host Family.pdf

January - Reflection

We had our monthly All School Assembly on Friday morning. What an amazing group of students and staff we have here at Millis Middle School! This month we focused on Reflection. The students and staff recognized below were commended for their thoughtful and kind presence in our community.

Mrs. Hickey's science classes are testing their bridge projects that they have been working on. This was a tremendous engineering project including all sorts of real-life challenges including budgeting for supplies, testing capacity and making several iterations of their bridges. Great job, Grade Seven!!

In Math PLT, 7th graders practiced converting among fractions, decimals and percents while playing the game Capture the Square.

Eighth graders in Mrs. Shepardson's classes prepared homemade Play-doh today using all of their mathematical smarts!

As a crucial part of our commitment to fostering open communication and collaboration between parents, teachers, and the school community, we want to remind you about the existence and importance of our Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC).

Our SEPAC continues to be led by Mary Calo and Scott Humphries, who are both parents within the district. A SEPAC is an important part of any school district and town. A SEPAC provides direct input to school district leaders about policies, programs, practices, and services that have an impact on students with disabilities and their families. Its purpose is to advise, advocate, and offer guidance, not to decide policy. An effective SEPAC can increase the proactive, productive involvement of families by inviting their input in ways that can be used to shape local special education policy. Mary, Scott and I are dedicated to working together to create a solid bridge between the school district and families. In addition, each school has a parent liaison. If you have questions for the SEPAC members or are interested in attending meetings, please contact Mary and Scott at: millissepaccc1@gmail.com and millissepaccc2@gmail.com

Thank you,

Nealy

Nealy Koumanelis-Urquhart
Director of Student Support Services
Millis Public Schools

P: (508) 906- 3521 E: nurquhart@millischools.org

7 Park Road, Millis, MA 02054

Monday, January 29th @ 2:20pm

Paige Zarnofsky, a senior at Millis High, is seeking donations for her senior project. She is fundraising for a service dog for the middle school. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a significant rise in students’ mental health issues at the middle school level. We’ve seen the benefits of having our beloved Harry, the service dog, at the high school level. We would love for our middle school students to be able to have the same opportunity. I’m hoping our community can come together and make this happen for our middle school students. Any donations or sharing this senior project is greatly appreciated. If interested in donating or have any questions you can reach Paige through email at paizar24@millisschools.org. Thank you!

Mrs. Samantha Laney, our beloved Social Studies teacher was hurt in an accident earlier this fall. We are so happy to share that she has been discharged from the hospital and her rehabilitation facility. Now, moving back home she will still need a great deal of care and support. If possible, please consider a donation to help Sam and her family.

The library has new books thanks to the Scholastic book fair and an Amazon wish list to fulfill the needs that Scholastic could not. Click on the link below for more information.

Please click on the link below for Middle School sports schedules

Interest meeting for the 2024 fall season will be this Thursday morning in Mr. Kraby’s room at 7:30am for current students in grades 7-11. Please complete the form below so we can have accurate information about those interested. If you can not make it, please fill out the form and contact Coach Martellio at football@millisschools.org. Thank you!

Please consider supporting the Millis HS/MS Boys Soccer Program by purchasing a Rustic Marlin "Mohawks" Block for $20. Thank you!