MURSD District Update

MURSD: We Empower All Learners To Thrive.

Email: mcohen@mursd.org
Website: https://www.mursd.org/
Location: 150 North Ave, Mendon, MA, USA
Phone: 508-634-1585
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MURSDInspires/
Twitter: @mendonuptonrsd

June 14, 2023

Dear Mendon-Upton School Community,

As we enter the home-stretch of this school year, we have the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect together on our past year together. One word comes to mind when I think of our successes this year and that is GRATITUDE.

First and foremost, I want to thank all of our incredible students. Your commitment to learning, curiosity, and passion for discovery continue to inspire me every day. I have witnessed firsthand the remarkable talent and potential each of you possesses. Your active engagement inside and outside the classroom along with your diverse perspectives, and your commitment to one another have truly made a difference in our school community. I am incredibly proud of all that you have achieved this year.

To our dedicated educators, I want to express my utmost appreciation. Your unwavering commitment to our students' success is what makes Mendon-Upton a special place. Just this week as our Middle School principal candidates toured classrooms and students were asked what their favorite part of the middle school was, the answer was consistent: "The teachers!" You have poured your heart and soul into creating meaningful learning experiences and were committed in ensuring that every student feels known, valued, celebrated, and supported. You are the driving force behind their success, and I am grateful for your tireless efforts.

I would also like to acknowledge the invaluable support of our school staff, parents, guardians, and caregivers. Your encouragement, collaboration, and involvement have been instrumental in shaping our educational community. Your support at every turn, whether it's volunteering your time, partnering with the schools, or creating a nurturing environment at home, is deeply appreciated. You are an integral part of our students' educational journey, and your commitment to their well-being is truly inspiring. As the old adage says, it takes a village, and this is a great one here in the MURSD.

As we finish this school year, we are already looking ahead to the possibilities for the upcoming year. The opportunities for growth, learning, and connection are boundless. Together, we will continue to create an environment that fosters curiosity, innovation, which will unleash the potential of each learner.

In closing, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who make up the Mendon-Upton School Community. Your contributions, both big and small, have made a lasting impact on the lives of our students and the strength of our collective community. It is an honor to serve as your superintendent, and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such an exceptional group of individuals. Together, we will continue to shape the future of our students and one another, relentlessly focused on our mission of empowering all learners to thrive. I wish you all a well-deserved summer filled with relaxation, joy, and memorable moments with loved ones.

Warm regards,

Maureen Cohen

Superintendent of Schools

The Class of 2023 graduated this past Friday in the beautiful setting of the Hanover Theater in Worcester. It was an incredible night and all of you should be proud of the work that you have done contributing to this culmination in our district. We even have staff members whose children graduated. Congratulations! If you are interested in viewing the ceremony the link to the video is below.

Stay tuned for images from today's district's Inspired Learning Day! We will update this later with some photos of all of the inspiring activities today.

Our Strategic Planning Committee has spent the last six months reviewing and analyzing feedback from focus groups, surveys, and all stakeholders to help create and design the next district strategic plan for 2023-2028. We are in the final stages of edits to bring forward a draft document for review by the School Committee. The final document will be shared with the community in August. In previous newsletters we have shared the developing themes from the feedback, which ultimately lead to our core strategic priorities and the associated initiatives for each of these priorities. The following are our four draft strategic priorities for the upcoming plan:

Strategic Priorities

Deeper Learning: Provide opportunities where every student will experience relevant, future-ready, and personally meaningful learning that will help them develop and reflect on the Portrait of a Learner competencies.

High-Quality Instruction: Develop and implement collaborative structures that enable data-informed decisions, vertically aligned curriculum, and high-quality instruction for each learner.

Equity, Inclusion, and Well-Being: Expand programs and practices to ensure each member of the school community is known, valued, celebrated, and supported.

Community Support: Develop systems for equitable and sustainable resources and community partnerships to support student learning.

We look forward to communicating our strategic vision, beliefs, values, theory of action, initiatives, and outcomes as we launch into the 2023-2024 school year. Thank you again to the strategic planning committee for their tireless commitment to representing what the broader community is seeking in our future growth.

MENDON 一 Superintendent Maureen Cohen is pleased to announce that three Mendon-Upton Regional School District staff members have been recognized for their outstanding work as educators through the Golden Apple Awards.

The Golden Apple Awards were presented to recipients Kristen Aube, Kindergarten teacher at Memorial Elementary, Bill McInnis, Physical Education teacher at Miscoe Hill Middle School, and Lauren Poxon, Grade 2 Teacher at Henry P. Clough Elementary, on Monday, June 5, at the School Committee Meeting.

The District began awarding the Golden Apple in 2016 to highlight the excellent work of educators and other professionals who strive to make a difference in students’ lives, in alignment with the District’s mission, “We empower all learners to thrive.” Nominations come from any members of the community each year to honor educators and staff members who have gone above and beyond to partner with families to make a significant difference in the education and well-being of students. The district received numerous nominations this year and the School Committee selects approximately three recipients each year to be recognized and awarded with the award at a June School Committee meeting.

McInnis was recognized for his ability to work effortlessly with all members of the community, both as a leader and a coach. His dedication to improving access to and efficiency of programs encourages students to be part of the solution. McInnis’ commitment to the District is seen by his enthusiasm and his ability to connect with students.

Poxon was cited for always going the extra mile for her students, and for rising to the occasion when leadership positions are needed. One nomination noted that Poxon is continuously in touch with her students' needs and comes up with new strategies, keeps parents informed of student progress, and is receptive to ideas and suggestions to ensure student success.

Aube was praised for her commitment to providing a safe and fun learning environment. She is a voice for the students and a passionate advocate for each and every child. It was noted that she is known for incorporating song and dance as methods for engaged learning, and understands that kids learn differently, adjusting her teaching style to ensure that each student thrives in the classroom.

“Congratulations to Bill, Kristen, and Lauren on being awarded the Golden Apple. All three of the awardees have close personal ties to our district and have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to their students throughout their time here,” said Superintendent Cohen. “Thank you to the members of the Golden Apple Award Subcommittee for their hard work, and for bringing forward recipients who truly deserve this honor.”

We are looking for 2 host families for next year's Spanish Assistants.

Timeframe: September 2023 – April 30th, 2024

Responsibilities:

• Accommodation
• Food
• Transportation

What’s in it for you and your child?

• Native Spanish speaker in your home, interacting with your family
• Learn more about the Spanish culture, first hand
• Supporting the program by hosting and allowing more native Spanish-speaking opportunities in the schools for all students.

If you'd like to volunteer or have any further questions, please reach out to Dr. Cohen at mcohen@mursd.org and Meagan Pike mpike@mursd.org

I am thrilled to announce that Colleen Terrill will be the next Director of Innovative Learning and Technology. She is described consistently as someone who is positive, a connector, a go-getter, excellent at PD, respected by her colleagues, a tech-integration guru who is someone people call for help, a life-long learner, a leader, a hard worker who isn't afraid to dive into anything...honestly, everyone couldn't stop gushing about how great a colleague and person she is. She also comes with a lot of experience and expertise in the edtech world, having served in a similar position for the last four years.

Here is a short bio:
Colleen Terrill is leaving Seekonk Public Schools after four years as the Director of Technology and Digital Learning. Prior to this appointment, she worked as a Director of Instructional Technology, as well as an elementary and middle school teacher for Mashpee Public Schools for a total of 19 years. She is a local, national and international presenter for numerous conferences where she focuses on educational technology, curriculum and leadership. She is a member of the MassCUE Board of Directors where she serves as co-chair of the Influence and Advocacy (I & A) Committee and is the co-chair of the Communications Committee. She also serves on the Executive Board of the Massachusetts Educational Technology Administrators Association (METAA). She recently received her METAA Certified Technology Officer certification. She holds a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership. She is the mom of two children and resides with her husband in Mashpee and Oxford.

Join the MURSD Team. Build your Career. Make a Difference.

As an organization, we're committed to providing high-quality education to our students and understand the importance of building a supportive and collaborative workplace. We are also committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are valued and respected for their unique perspectives and contributions. If you are seeking a workplace that values creativity, inclusivity, and making a positive impact on the lives of students--that is what we are all about. In support of our teachers and staff, we strive to provide a workplace where every member is valued, respected, and supported. To that end, we believe in fostering a culture of collaboration, mutual respect, where every voice is heard and ideas are shared.

We have many opportunities for you to join our Mendon-Upton Team. Please use the link below to view the available positions to see which ones align best with your skills, experience, and passion. We're excited to hear from you and to learn how your creativity and experience can help us continue to reimagine education for our students.

Thank you for considering a career with us. We look forward to making a difference together.

Employment Opportunities

The following provides some highlighted end-of-year June events (past, present, and future).

• June 2 Graduation
• June 5 District School Committee Meeting
• June 5 Clough and Memorial ES 4th Grade Move Up Day
• June 6 Miscoe Hill Grade 5 Band and Chorus Concert
• June 6-7, Nipmuc Grade 9 Biology MCAS
• June 7 Miscoe Hill MS Grade 6 Band and Chorus Concert
• June 8 Clough Field Day PK-3 and Grade 4 Combined Chorus Concert
• June 8 Memorial 4th grade Chorus Concert for Students 2:30 pm
• June 9, Nipmuc Presentation from Holocaust survivor, Andy Sarkany
• June 9 Miscoe Hill MS Music Tour for 4th grade Memorial students
• June 9 Nipmuc Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Training
• June 10 Miscoe Hill MS 8th Grade Semi-Formal
• June 12 Nipmuc Grade 10 Field Trip
• June 12 Memorial Field Day and Fourth Grade Send-off
• June 13 Clough 4th Grade Celebration Day. PTO End of Year Event 6-8pm
• June 14 District Inspired Learning Day
• June 14 Miscoe Hill MS Grade 8 Field Trip
• June 15 Miscoe Hill MS Grade 8 Awards Ceremony
• June 15-16 Memorial ES Kindergarten and PreK picnics
• June 15 Clough Book Swap Day
• June 15 Miscoe Hill Grade 6 Field Day
• June 16 Nipmuc Impact and Activism Showcase
• June 16 7th and 8th Grade Field Day
• June 19 Juneteenth Holiday-No School
• June 20 Miscoe Hill Grade 8 Commencement
• June 20 Last Day of School, half day, dismissal
• June 26 District School Committee Meeting

Nipmuc is thrilled to bring back our Spanish Exchange Program for the 2023-2024 school year. This past September, we welcomed 23 high school students from the Divina Pastora School from León, Spain, to Nipmuc. Our exchange partners stayed with local host families and were fully immersed in the Nipmuc community for over two weeks. They shadowed our students for several days in order to experience our academics, athletics, and everyday life as American teenagers. Our friends from Divina Pastora also enjoyed typical New England Fall activities such as apple picking and pumpkin carving and participated in Nipmuc Homecoming events.

In April, Nipmuc students then traveled to León, Spain, to reconnect with their exchange partners and to experience Spanish life and culture with their peers. We are looking ahead to next year and would like to speak with both students and parents interested in being a host family. Please see the QR codes below for forms if your interested in being a part of this great opportunity. You can also email Ms. Soto at asoto@mursd.org with other questions.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in hosting a family in the fall and would like more information.

BVExcel is a collaborative program that offers free evening credit-bearing classes throughout the semester at local schools in the Blackstone Valley. We are very excited to be opening the BVExcel Fall 2023 registration. You can find out more information about BVExcel by clicking here. This coming fall, BVExcel is offering four classes:

Health Career & Care Essentials (Health Services/Biomedical)

Manufacturing I/Intro to Welding (Manufacturing/Engineering)

Careers in Construction (Manufacturing/Engineering)

Graphic Design (Computer Science)

Click here to view course descriptions and get information on when and where courses meet. Any questions can be directed to the BVExcel coordinator, Laura Ingemi (lingemi@hopedale.k12.ma.us), or to your Nipmuc school counselor.

With only a few days left in the school year we want to remind students to make sure they are turning text books or any school owned materials back into their teachers both from this year and past years.

This portion of the newsletter will be dedicated to celebrating all members of our school community who are difference-makers. If you have someone you would like to highlight that is making a difference, please let us know by using the link below. Some will be highlighted here and everyone will receive individual recognition.

You Inspire Me: Brett Bergeron, Memorial ES Custodian

Brett always goes above and beyond for our school. Most recently, Brett helped us hang artwork in advance of our first specialists' night in four years. He made sure our spaces were ready and prepared for the students and families to enjoy a very special evening. Brett can often be found helping out in a variety of ways that wouldn't be expected of him and I'm very appreciative of that. Thanks for always being a team player.

You Inspire Me: Leah Hagen, Memorial ES Reading Specialist

Leah reached out to the entire Memorial specialists' team leading up to our specialists night offering help to the five of us. She helped our team prepare to make our big night a huge success. She is the epitome of a team member and we are so lucky to have her both as a colleague and a parent in our district. We are so thankful for her support.

You Inspire Me: Kathy Foisy, Nipmuc Paraprofessional

Kathy helps keep the students on track, using all types of incentives. The students love her so much they made her a cake! She is positive and upbeat, but doesn't take any excuses.The students are there to work, and she is there to help them succeed.

You Inspire Me: Kristen Aube, Memorial Kindergarten Teacher

In a very hectic month, Ms. Aube volunteered her time to help ensure Memorial's first specialists' night since 2019 was a success. It meant a lot to me that she not only came but assisted for a few hours that night. She's such a great team member and colleague. Thank you!!

NSSA All Sports 2 (Spanish Immersion)

July 17-20 - Monday-Thursday

9 am-2 pm (8 am-3 pm Extended Drop off / pick up)

Grades K-6

Miscoe Hill Middle School, Mendon MA

NOTE: Instruction in both Spanish & English

$160 per week per athlete

INFORMATION:

NSSA will run one week of its All Sports Clinic this summer with Spanish Speaking Instructions. Experienced teachers and coaches will provide sports instruction in Spanish, supported by high school Spanish immersion counselors.

Participants will play three different sports each day. One hour each.

Great way to expand their skills and knowledge in various sports while bolstering their vocabulary and increasing their opportunity to speak in Spanish.

Register online: Registration is open!

Register online at www.NS-Sports.org