Medway Public Schools

April 29, 2020 Community Update

Dear Medway families, 

We hope that this update finds you well.  We are sure that last week’s news of school closures extending until the end of the year is still settling in for you, as it is for us.  We are proud of the MPS Remote Learning Plan that began in earnest on Monday, April 13 and are also committed to our core value of active, continuous learning which will fuel our reflections and enhancements to this plan.  For the remainder of the year, we will anchor this work in support of connection, wellness, and continued learning.  

In line with the DESE Strengthening Our Remote Learning Experience published late last week, the school district is taking important steps to ensure that our students are best supported now for planned future success within our schools.  Specifically, the state’s initial guidance of March 26, 2020 recently added the following additional remote learning recommendations:

• Move all students toward consistent engagement in remote learning, with a focus on connectedness and on the content standards most critical for success in the next grade.

• DESE has provided for districts a list of content standards for each content area and grade level that are most critical to student success in the next grade.  We have also been working with our Curriculum and Instruction Leaders, Specialists, Coordinators and Administrators to ensure identification of these standards, both for the purpose of monitoring student learning now and to set our students up for future success.  

• Ensure all students successfully engage in remote learning, with a focus on addressing fundamental needs.
• Promote students to the next grade level, an action supported by research. 

Our updates below include a request for your engagement in a survey that is intended to provide us with feedback on remote learning since it began on April 13.  This information will help shape our future efforts and support.  We know implementation has not been without challenges and that we have all been working incredibly hard to adapt to a circumstance that we wouldn’t otherwise choose.  Your feedback will add value to this work as we aim to improve each day.  

We continue to keep our students, faculty, staff, families, and greater community in our thoughts during this unprecedented time.

Sincerely,

  

Armand Pires, Ph.D.

Superintendent

Medway Public Schools Remote Learning Updates

As we move forward with remote learning, we'd love to hear from you what is and what is not working well. To that end, we have put together this brief survey. We would appreciate it if you would take a moment and offer us feedback, which will, in turn, inform our continued delivery of remote learning. The survey can be found here: Medway Public Schools Remote Learning Feedback Survey. 

We have created a School Closure Website with access to all student learning plans, resources for families, and access to additional enhancement sites for students.

Lastly, as noted on pg. 18 of the Medway Public Schools Remote Learning Plan, we are working to finalize communications connected with last term “grades” in grades 5-12.  This information will be shared by building principals in an upcoming communication. 

Support During School Closure

Emotional and Behavioral Resources

The district’s two Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)  have curated resources for any family with children who may be struggling with behavior in the household and emotional dysregulation. Please click here for resources to support the behavioral and emotional health of families.  

Device Disbursement

The technology department has been able to provide over 400 devices to Medway students to help support the district’s curriculum goals. Families can request a device through an online portal and pick-up Tuesday and Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Special circumstances are also being accommodated, such as delivery to students that can not make it to the school and extended pick-up hours for working parents.  Parents can use this form to request a device. If you have any questions please email us at support@medwayschools.org.

Food-Pick-Up: New Update

The USDA has recently approved Medway’s Food Service Department to serve free meals to any Medway resident in need who is under the age of 21.  For more information about this change, the various food pick-up options available, and to enroll for food pick-up please click here.  

National Latin Exam

The results of the National Latin Exam have arrived and we have 18 students who placed this year.  These students worked very hard, took the exam very seriously, and their hard work really paid off.  They will all be receiving certificates and medals at a later date.  The list of students can be found here.

2020 Medway SEPAC Educator Appreciation Award

The Medway Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) will, once again, honor Medway Public Schools faculty and staff members who make outstanding efforts on behalf of students with special educational needs.  

Nominees can include special educators, general education teachers, paraprofessionals, or any staff member who has gone above and beyond what is required in their efforts to make a positive impact on students with special educational needs.

All nominees will be recognized, and award recipients will be selected by SEPAC officers (at a public meeting in the Spring of 2020) based on the submitted descriptions of the nominee’s contributions.  Awards will be presented at the opening convocation of the 2020-2021 school year and announced publicly thereafter.  The link for the award nominations may be found here.

Medway High School Evaluation Team Supervisor Long Term Substitute 

Christine Noonan, our evaluation team supervisor (ETS) at Medway High School, has unexpectedly started her maternity leave. We are pleased to announce that mother and baby are healthy and happy.  In anticipation of the leave, we have hired an experienced administrator, Ms. Carol Cohen, who has been shadowing Ms. Noonan since April 16, 2020.  For more information on Ms. Cohen’s background, please find the introductory letter sent to parents here.  

Mass STEM Hub Industry Challenge

This year’s Principles of Biomedical Science class participated in the Mass STEM Hub Industry Challenge with other students from around the state.  Medway High School students:  Mattie Williamson, Olivia Killman, Hallie Nisbet, and Courtney Barefoot won the challenge.  Their task was to devise an innovation that would help someone with diabetes. As winners, each member of the group received a certificate, a ribbon, and a Rocketbook Everlast notebook.  Congratulations!

Medway Public Schools In the News

• Medway High School surprises Seniors with Lawn Signs
• Mass STEM Hub Industry Challenge
• Medway teachers make face shield frames with 3D printers
• Medway Students Recognized for Latin Exam 

Upcoming Events

April 29, 2020	Incoming Grade 5 Parent Orientation via ZOOM, 7:00 p.m.
April 30, 2020	Middle School Grade 4 Coffee - SPED Info. Meeting via ZOOM, 7:00 p.m.
May 7, 2020	School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 5:00 p.m.
May 20, 2020	Welcome to Kindergarten via ZOOM, 6:30 p.m.
May 21, 2020	School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 5:00 p.m.
June 4, 2020	School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 5:00 p.m.
June 8, 2020	Annual Town Meeting, Medway High School, 88 Summer Street, Auditorium, 6:00 p.m.
June 16, 2020	Medway Town Elections, Medway Middle School, 45 Holliston Street
June 18, 2020	School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 5:00 p.m.