Note from the Principal
Greetings from Medway Middle School. I hope that you and your family have been enjoying the summer months. At Medway Middle School, we have all taken some time to rest and recharge this summer while also planning for the start of the 2023-2024 school year. As we inch our way closer to the end of August, the are many important updates that we want to share with you. You will find these highlighted below.
Please note that we will communicate with families twice a month using this newsletter format. Additionally, families may follow us on Twitter @MedwayMiddle or on Facebook
This summer, we welcomed our new Assistant Principal, Mr. Ari King to Medway Middle School. Mr. King has spent the summer learning about our community, getting to know some faculty and meeting some students. He is excited to work with our students in just a few short weeks. You can find a letter of introduction from Mr. King here.
Student Schedules
On Monday, August 14, 2023 by 3pm, we will release student schedules in Infinite Campus. All students have Infinite Campus accounts. Families also have access to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
Our counselors have worked diligently to create schedules that meet student needs and create balance in classes. As you can imagine this is a complicated process. As such, we will not be able to accommodate any requests to change classes to be near a friend or to be with a specific teacher. Should your child have a hole in their schedule or services are inadvertently left off of their schedule, please fill out the Google Form next to your child's counselor's name. Our Guidance Counselors return to work for the year during the week of August 21st and will respond to you at their earliest convenience.
Guidance Team
Mr. Marcus Hatt, Mhatt@medwayschools.org- Grade 6 and Grade 8 A-FE
Mrs. Taralyn Turner- Tturner@medwayschools.org - Grade 5 and Grade 8 FI-MC
Mrs. Kelsey Yim - KYim@medwayschools.org Grade 7 and Grade 8 ME-Z
News from the Nurse
Our school nurse will be in the office starting Monday, August 21st. from 7:30 AM - 2 PM. Please contact her prior to the start of school if your student has medical concerns, individualalized care plans, or medication orders. All medications and medication orders should be delivered to the nurse prior to the start of the school year. An appointment is recommended. Health information, immunization requirements, and medication administration forms are available on the district website. Thank you.
Colleen Langille, BSN, RN, NCSN
508-533-3230 x 4123
WEB Orientation- August 22nd from 8 am - 12:00 pm
"WEB” (Where Everybody Belongs) is a middle school orientation and transition program that welcomes 5th graders and students new to Medway Middle School. This year's WEB program will take place on Tuesday, August 22, 2023 from 8-12:00pm.
Given the large number of students attending this program, we will utilize a staggered dismissal procedure. For planning purposes, please note dismissal times below. Additional details about dismissal procedures will be sent to families prior to the WEB program.
12:00pm- Students in Grade 6-8
12:05- Students on the Taccini / Wenson Team
12:10- Students on the Lindsey / Drummey Team
12:15- Students on the Waugh/ Kelley Team
12:30- Students on the Downing/Burnham Team
Summer Open School Afternoon
Doors to the Middle School will be open to students and their families from 4:30-5:30pm on Wednesday, August 23rd. Students can come into the building, visit their classrooms, try out their lock on a locker and practice navigating the hallway. Administrators will be on hand to welcome students and families back to school and answer general questions.
Middle School Sports
Medway Middle School Sports will start on September 5, 2023. Students in grades 6-8 may participate in Middle School Sports with the exception of Girls Volleyball which is open to 7th and 8th graders. Medway Registration for Middle School sports opened in the spring, but there are still room on some of the sports teams. (Field Hockey is full, Girls Volleyball has 2 openings, Cross Country Running is still open, Club Coed Tennis has a few openings).
For more information or to register please follow the link below.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eWkOFl9-ZSzDlnKlyuAZKask1SGR5xUPB0-FQXj97WQ/edit?usp=drivesdk
Participants should send physical forms to jparcells@medwayschools.org.
Save the date! Students participating in Fall sports should plan to attend the Meet the Coach Night on 8/31 @ 6 PM in the MS Auditorium.
URGENT! Required Annual Online Registration - Ensuring Up-to-Date Information for a Seamless School Year
At the Medway Public School System, we prioritize the safety and efficiency of our community. To achieve this, we require all parents and students to complete a yearly review and sign off on the information, policies, and procedures we have on file. To streamline this process and make it convenient for everyone, we have integrated this review into our user-friendly Parent Portal system, which we fondly refer to as "Online Registration" or "The Yearly Information Update" in our communications.
Mark your calendars! Starting from August 1st, 2023, we strongly encourage all families to proactively complete this process before September 7th, the first week of school. Your timely response ensures a smooth start to the academic school year. To avoid any disruptions, please prioritize completing the review within the August 1st to September 7th timeframe.
For step-by-step guidance on how to complete the process, simply click here. We want to make sure you have all the necessary support, so if you encounter any questions or require assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to us at parent@medwayschools.org. We're here to help!
Your active participation in the Online Registration ensures that we maintain accurate and up-to-date information for each student, contributing to a secure and efficient learning environment. Thank you for your cooperation in this important endeavor.
FINAL Reminder: TRANSPORTATION REGISTRATION FOR THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
NOTE: Please do not register your child if you have already Completed this Process
As shared at both the May 18 School Committee meeting and on the May 31st webinar (recording here), new for the 2023-24 school year, parents and guardians will need to register students who wish to be transported and who qualify for transportation per the district’s policy.
To qualify, students must live at or beyond the following home to school distances:
Kindergarten - All students except those living in immediate proximity to McGovern School
Grades 1 - 4 - Students who live more than 1 mile from their school
Grades 5 - 12 - Students who live more than 1.5 miles from their school
The transportation registration form allows up to 5 students in a family to be registered with one entry. All questions can be submitted via this Google form.
Optional Device Insurance:
We kindly emphasize to families the importance of taking proper care of all school-issued devices, as it is their responsibility both physically and financially. Repairs for these devices can be costly, with expenses ranging from $10 to $350, depending on the required repairs. To provide some peace of mind and help offset unexpected repair costs, we are delighted to offer an optional insurance policy through Worth Ave Insurers for families.
If you are interested in purchasing insurance for your student's school-issued device, we encourage families with students in 5th through 12th grade only to visit the online portal between August 1st and September 15th, 2023. You will have the flexibility to select policies that cover periods from one to four years, at a reasonable cost ranging from $33 to $119. Ensuring your child's device is protected under this insurance will provide added security and support throughout their academic journey.
Device Repair and Invoicing:
Devices in need of repair can be dropped off at the Middle School IT Office Door 8 during summer break. Devices covered under the optional insurance policy will be sent out for repair at no charge to the family and uninsured devices will be repaired in-house and an invoice for parts will be mailed to the family. We remind families that invoices are due within thirty days and any outstanding charges can be found in the Parent Portal under the Fees menu option.
Ensuring Optimal Use and Care of School-Issued Devices
The Technology Department feels it is essential to address an important matter regarding our school-issued devices. Over the past two years, we have witnessed an alarming surge in device damage, particularly among middle school grade levels. As a result, we are facing significant challenges in maintaining an uninterrupted learning experience for our students.
To put it simply, the current rate of device damage is unsustainable for our district, leading to device shortages and, more critically, missed learning opportunities for our students.
The types of damage we've observed include keys being forcibly ripped off the keyboard, screens being carved, written internally, and even devices being bent. Additionally, some devices have been subject to inappropriate marking, writing, and coloring, and identification tags being deliberately removed. Such actions fall under the category of malicious damage.
We want to assure you that the devices we provide are ruggedized with advanced features such as gorilla glass, tamper-resistant keyboards, and offset rubberized bumpers. These features are designed to prevent damage under normal use cases. The instances of damage mentioned above should not occur, and it is imperative that we collectively address and prevent them to ensure the successful delivery of our curriculum goals.
We kindly request your full cooperation in discussing the responsible use and proper care of our devices with your children. By educating them about the importance of responsible device usage, we can foster a culture of respect and responsibility towards these valuable learning tools.
Together, we can make a significant impact in safeguarding our school-issued devices and providing an optimal learning environment for every student. Your support in this matter is greatly appreciated, and we thank you for your partnership in promoting responsible device usage among our students.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Technology Department at parent@medwayschools.org or visit our Policy, Care, and Insurance information site. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Important Dates
August
August 22 Grade 5 WEB Orientation 8-12
August 23- Open School Morning for Grade 5 (10-11am)
August 23- Open School Afternoon for Grades 5-8 (4:30-5:30 pm)
August 30- First Day of School
August 31- MMS Meet the Coach Night 6pm MMS Auditorium 6pm
September
September 1 & 4 School Closed
September 18- MMS Curriculum Night 6pm
September 25- School Closed- Yom Kippur
October
October 9- School Closed - Indigenous People's Day
October 18- Early Release Day- Professional Development
