Dear Medway families,
I wanted to share the update of an important action the Medway School Committee took last night at their meeting. As we have communicated, last week Governor Baker and Commissioner Riley announced that the mask mandate for all public schools in Massachusetts will end on Monday, February 28. With the impending end of the statewide mask mandate, the Medway School Committee met to determine how this change would impact our schools.
During the special school committee meeting on Tuesday, February 15, following my recommendation, the school committee voted to align the Medway Public School’s practices with the recommended guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In doing so, they adopted a new policy regarding face coverings. The policy can be reviewed here. Per the decision made by the school committee, effective Monday, February 28, masks will no longer be required in our schools. It is important to note that unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue mask-wearing. We will work with students and families to ensure that the personal decision of families is supported within our school environment. There are some important caveats to newly adopted guidelines:
- Mask wearing will continue to be required on school buses and in school nurses’ offices.
- Mask wearing following a required 5-day quarantine following a COVID positive diagnosis is still required.
- For athletic competitions, theatrical, musical, or other events, rules for mask-wearing will be specific to the district/school or site that hosts the event. With Medway’s approval to move to optional masking, masks will not be required at Medway-sponsored events.
Additionally, it is important to note that other mitigation strategies that we have in place will continue to be important. Specifically:
- Ventilation systems will continue to be maintained with the highest level of filtration and air exchanges.
- Symptomatic testing will still be available in all of our schools.
- Weekly COVID PCR pooled testing will continue to be in place for the near future, but will likely phase out in light of its waning usefulness.
- Families may still opt into our bi-weekly rapid antigen home testing program. Families interested in signing up for this program must opt-in by completing the Opt-in Form. The next test kit distribution will take place on Thursday, March 3. In order to receive a test kit in this distribution, families must opt-in by Monday, February 28.
We understand that there are a great number of feelings and opinions surrounding this topic. While we believe that it is an appropriate time to make this transition, we recognize that the public dialogue has impacted emotions and overall community cohesion - certainly not just in Medway. Our building leaders are working diligently to ensure specific, school communications to families that will be shared prior to the school return following the February vacation. We are supporting school leaders to develop developmentally appropriate plans in light of this guidance. Families should expect that a full return to normal procedures will take some time (i.e. cafeteria settings, classroom practices, etc.). These will all be detailed in individual school communications to families.
As mask-wearing will now be a family choice, students and staff will be encouraged and supported to wear masks if this practice is in support of their comfort and feelings of safety. Our core value of Relationships Characterized by Trust and Mutual Respect is a beacon for how we expect all within our community to respond to this individual choice.
Lastly, as we have communicated in the weekly COVID-19 Update, we are continuing to see reductions in weekly case counts. As case counts continue to decline, we have updated our communication practices to reflect this reality. We will no longer be sending weekly COVID updates. Families can now access real-time data which is available for viewing via our website: COVID interactive dashboard.
We remain committed to supporting our school and greater community to navigate this transition with as little disruption to our students’ learning and social and emotional development. They are our most valued constituents in the work that we do every day and we are honored to serve them.
Wishing all of our families, faculty, and staff a restful February break next week.
Be well,
Armand Pires, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
No School: Monday-Friday, February 21-25, 2022
There will be no school on Monday-Friday, February 21-25. We hope that our families enjoy the week.
WEBINAR POSTPONED: School Safety and Security Update
We are pleased to invite families to join us for a webinar focused on Safety and Security. This event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, February 15, but will be postponed to a later date due to a conflict with a school committee meeting. Our apologies for the inconvenience. We will share an updated date once it has been identified. When conducted, this event will highlight the district’s efforts to date and also provide a look forward as we continue to engage in efforts to maintain the highest level of attention on these vital practices. This informational event had previously been part of our regular communication plan and the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our information sharing.
Revised Last Day of School, 2021-2022
Due to the snow day on Friday, January 7, 2022, and Friday, February 4, 2022, the last day of school for the 2021-2022 school year will now be Wednesday, June 22, 2022. There is no school on Monday, June 20, 2022, in observance of Juneteenth. Should we need to cancel school again this year, this date will move.
Charting the Course, FY23 Budget Development Process Presented
During the February 10 school committee meeting, Armand Pires, Superintendent, and Gabby Abrams, Assistant Superintendent, presented the annual Charting the Course FY23 Budget Development presentation. This is a stage setting presentation that anchors the entire FY23 budget process. It links the district core values and goals, and updates on our progress towards meeting our goals into the bigger strategic picture of the FY23 budget development. You can view the presentation that was shared here.
Upcoming FY23 Budget Activities
FY23 Budget Presentation
On Thursday, March 3, at 6:00 p.m., Dr. Pires and Mr. Aicardi, Director of Finance and Operations, will present the FY23 Recommended Superintendent’s Budget to the Medway School Committee.
FY23 Public Forum on the FY23 Budget*
On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., the School Committee, and Dr. Pires will host a webinar for interested community members regarding the FY23 budget. This session is interactive and participant questions will be answered. Participants can engage using the question feature on the webinar. The webinar requires advance registration. To register please click here.
*Please note the time change.
Public Hearing on FY23 Budget
On Thursday, March 17, at 5:30 p.m. in the Medway Middle School Presentation Room, community members are invited to share public comments regarding the proposed FY23 budget with the School Committee. This is the final opportunity for community feedback prior to the School Committee vote on the FY23 budget planned as part of the regular School Committee meeting agenda later this evening. Feedback shared at the hearing will be acknowledged and noted, but there will not be a dialogue during the Budget Hearing.
FY23 Budget Vote
On March 17, at 6:00 p.m., the School Committee will vote to forward the FY23 Medway Public Schools Budget to the Town of Medway, to be included as part of the FY23 Town of Medway budget.
Town Meeting
Community members are encouraged to attend Medway’s Town Meeting on Monday, May 9, 2022, at 7:00 p.m., at Medway High School, 88 Summer Street, when residents will be asked to vote on the Town of Medway FY23 budget, which will be inclusive of the FY23 Medway Public School’s budget to be used for the 2022-2023 school year.
2022-2023 School Calendar
At the January 20, 2022, School Committee meeting, the committee approved the 2022-2023 School Year calendar. The calendar can be found here.
Medway High School Program of Studies Approved
At the School Committee meeting held on February 10, 2022, the Medway school committee voted to approve the 2022-2023 Medway High School Program of Studies. The Program of Studies can be found here.
Special Education Parent Advisory Council Board Member Introduction
During the school committee meeting on February 10, representatives from the Special Education Parent Advisory Council and Dr. Kathleen Bernklow, Director of Student Services, shared updates on their work to date this year. Updates shared are highlighted within slides that can be viewed here.
Medway Middle School 14th Annual Science Fair
Congratulations to all middle school students who participated in this year's science fair. It was a great event and we were incredibly impressed with the hard work, commitment, and quality of the projects. The winners and the title of their projects can be found here. Congratulations to all participants and to Mr. Brown, Medway Middle School Science Fair Advisory, for his commitment to this experience.
Online Absence Requests and COVID -19
We would like to inform families that you can now enter absence requests online within the Infinite Campus Parent Portal system. Simply log in, choose MORE from the left menu then Absence Requests to complete the online request form. We have added two new absence request reasons to simplify our processing during the current COVID-19 surge. Please indicate if your child will be absent for COVID-T (tested positive) or COVID-C (close contact) to help us better track absences.
Kindergarten Registration Begins!
Kindergarten registration is open for the 2022-2023 school year. 2022-2023 school year kindergarten students must be 5 years old by August 31, 2022. Registration information will be available in the superintendent’s office, the McGovern School, and online. You can find important information and events leading up to kindergarten in this document: Road to Kindergarten. We will send more information out in the coming weeks, but wanted to share dates for planning purposes. Finally, please mark your calendars for Kindergarten Camp which will take place from July 11-15, 2022. We will publish additional information as it becomes available. We look forward to welcoming our Class of 2035 to the Medway Public Schools!
TONIGHT: Medway T.H.R.I.V.E./Cultural Council: Family Event
Medway T.H.R.I.V.E. is happy to share that the Medway Cultural Council is sponsoring an upcoming family/student presentation titled Four Legs To Stand On. This free Zoom play addresses substance use prevention in a way that is accessible to adults and teenagers. The play will take place at 7:00 PM on February 16 and will be immediately followed by a facilitated talkback. For more information and to register please click here.
Medway Community Education: Spring & Summer Brochure
Look for our newest brochure in early March! We are excited to offer many new and engaging adult programs this spring, and our yellow “summer insert” includes a wide variety of youth programs in the areas of Art, STEM, Sports plus more. Our social media posts will provide information indicating when the registration on FamilyID will open. We continue to accept registrations for the Summer Adventures Camp. Several weeks are already full - please click here if you are interested in having your child attend camp for one or multiple weeks.
Medway Foundation for Education Trivia Bee
The Medway Foundation for Education (MFE) is pleased to host the return of the annual MFE Trivia Bee. This event is a time-honored tradition that features a DJ emcee who uses music to provide clues for each question. The event will take place on Wednesday, March 2 in the Medway Middle School Cafeteria from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The funding generated from participation in this event benefits MFE’s grant-giving efforts for innovative ideas that come directly from our faculty and staff. Please consider participating in this great event. A registration form can be found here
Medway Friends of the Performing Arts: Music in Our Schools Month
For the second year, the Medway Friends of Performing Arts (MFPA) is excited to take part in the National Music In Our Schools Month this March. Our theme is Music Connects Us. Music has a way of connecting people and its importance has never been more prevalent than over the past two years. To celebrate this, we will be showcasing all the wonderful work our teachers and students are doing in each of the Medway schools. If there are students who are interested in submitting a short video sharing how music connects them or what music means to them, please email the MFPA for additional details at medwayfriendsofperformingarts@gmail.com. Stay tuned for the video release in March!
Follow the Medway Public Schools on Social Media
Medway Public Schools: Twitter: @MedwaySchools Instagram: @Medwayschools Facebook: @medwayps
Medway High School: Twitter: @MedwayHighInfo
Medway Middle School: Twitter: @MedwayMiddle
Burke-Memorial Elementary School: Twitter: @BurkeMemorial
McGovern Elementary School: Twitter @McGovernElem
Medway Community Education: Twitter: @Medwayce Instagram: @Medwaycommunityed Facebook: @medwayce
Upcoming Events
February 16, 2022 | T.H.R.I.V.E/Cultural Council Event: Four Legs to Stand On, Virtual, 7:00 p.m. Click here to register. |
February 21-25, 2022 | No School: Winter Vacation |
February 28, 2022 | Medway High School Program of Studies Course Selection Process meeting, Virtual, Incoming 9th Graders: 6:00 p.m. Current Grades 9-11: 7:00 p.m. |
March 2, 2022 | MFE Trivia Bee, Cafeteria, Medway Middle School, 7:00 p.m. |
March 3, 2022 | School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
March 8, 2022 | Public Forum on FY23 Budget via Webinar 7:00 p.m. Click here to register. MFPA Meeting, Virtual, 7:00 p.m. |
March 9, 2022 | Finance Committee Meeting on FY23 School Budget, Sanford Hall, 155 Village Street, 7:00 p.m. |
March 11, 2022 | Early Release: Grades K-12 |
March 12, 2022 | MEPTO Shamrock Shuffle, Medway High School, 9:00 a.m. |
March 17, 2022 | Public Hearing on FY23 Budget, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 5:30 p.m. School Committee Meeting, Presentation Room, Medway Middle School, 6:00 p.m. |
March 18, 2022 | Medway High School Spring Musical, Footloose, Auditorium, Medway High School, 7:30 p.m. |
March 19, 2022 | Medway High School Spring Musical, Footloose, Auditorium, Medway High School, 2:00 p.m. Medway High School Spring Musical, Footloose, Auditorium, Medway High School, 7:30 p.m. |
March 21, 2022 | MICCA Festival Preview Concert, Auditorium, Medway High School, 7:00 p.m. |
March 25, 2022 | Medway High School Ring Dance, Cafeteria, Medway High School, 7:00 p.m. |