Mansfield Public Schools

Dear Families,

It's hard to believe that we're just a few short weeks away from the start of the new school year. I hope you will take a few minutes to read this newsletter as it contains important information to help you plan for back-to-school.

Open House is Thursday, August 29th from Noon to 3pm. Opening the schools on the Thursday afternoon before Labor day has been a long-standing tradition in our District. It is not a contractual work day for our teachers so the purpose is more for seeing the schools, meeting administrators, verifying bus routes, and reuniting with classmates. All schools will host curriculum nights in September and early October where parents and guardians will have an opportunity to meet your child's teacher(s).

The schools have been very busy over the summer with camps, educator professional development, and construction projects. I look forward to welcoming back students in September and seeing you at Open House.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer.

Sincerely,

Teresa Murphy

Superintendent

Registration

School bus transportation registration ended on July 12, 2024. If you missed the deadline, your student will be placed on a waitlist and will not be guaranteed a seat on the bus for the first day of school. Use the link below to register as soon as possible. For questions, please contact Leslie Green at transportation@mansfieldschools.com or call 508-261-7503.

In accordance with the policies of the Mansfield School Committee, transportation will be provided to students based on the following:

● Students in grades K-6 that live 2.0 miles or more away from their assigned school will be provided transportation at no charge.

● Students in grades K-6 that live 1.99 miles or closer from their assigned school are eligible for transportation but must pay the fee posted.

● All students in grades 7-12 no matter the distance from their assigned school are eligible for transportation but must pay the fee that is posted on the website.

Routes

Bus Routes for the 2024-2025 school year will be posted on our website in late August, but before Open House. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your student’s route, please email transportation@mansfieldschools.com.

Leslie Green, MPS Transportation Manager, and a representative from Connolly Bus Company will be available during the District Open House on August 29 to answer questions. Connolly Bus will have a representative at both Robinson and Jordan/Jackson Elementary Schools. In addition, to help alleviate any first day “jitters”, Robinson students are welcome to board a school bus which will be parked outside of the school. Students and families can explore the bus to help prepare for the first day of school.

A few reminders for families as we start the new school year. During the first week of school, please allow a 15-minute window for your student’s morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off. For example, if your student’s morning pick-up time is listed as 7:55 AM, for the first week of school you should be at the bus stop no later than 7:40 AM.

Likewise, dismissal during the first week of school, especially at the elementary level, typically takes longer than usual. Do not be alarmed if your student is not dropped off according to the published schedule. Please follow us on Facebook and we will post updates when buses leave each school to help you gauge your student’s arrival home.

While bus routes are published and available for everyone to view, families who have submitted a transportation request form and paid (if applicable) will receive a Bus Route Confirmation Email on August 19th. For the first 5 days of school, no one will be denied transportation to school so that you can secure your transportation if you have not already done so. The confirmation email secures your student’s seat both to and from school for the school year. Again, if you do not receive an email and you need transportation, please contact Leslie Green at transportation@mansfieldschools.com.

Bus passes for grades 3-12 are distributed at the school-level and families will receive additional information during the first few weeks of school.

Similar to last summer, placement information will be emailed to families for students entering kindergarten through grade 8. Hard copy letters will not be mailed this year. The emails will be generated and sent on Thursday, August 22, 2024 in the afternoon.

For students in kindergarten through grade 5, letters will identify their homeroom teacher. Middle school students in grades 6 through 8 will receive their Team for the school year.

Freshman and transfer students who attend Open House on August 29 will receive their schedule. All other high school students will receive their schedules on the first day of school when they report to their homeroom, including freshman and transfer students who were not able to attend on August 29.

If you do not receive a placement email, please first check your spam or junk folders and then contact your school's office to verify the correct email information is on file. Please wait until 1:00 PM for all emails to be sent.

You may recall that last year the state legislature approved funding for permanent universal free school meals. What does this mean? All students will continue to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost if they choose. Additional entrees and snacks can be purchased for a fee.

Last school year, our Food Service Staff, expanded the offerings to include the following:

• New menu items at MHS including teriyaki salmon, eggplant parmesan, and ramen noodle bar
• Veggie dumplings at Robinson and Jordan/Jackson
• Increased fresh fruit and vegetables
• Harvest of the Month at Jordan/Jackson

Our staff will continue to strive to enhance our menu offerings and satisfy the student's palettes while adhering to the guidelines that govern the industry.

Alumni Field was closed to students and the community effective Monday, April 29, 2024 and there is no access to the track for any athletic events or community use while the facility undergoes maintenance. We anticipate to re-open the space early fall and will keep everyone updated.

The MHS Gym floor is progressing and we look forward to hosting many events where our new logo will be showcased.

The QMS boiler replacement project was successful and students and staff will enjoy improved temperature control in the building.

The new Robinson Playground, formerly known as the 'hardtop', is scheduled to be operational and open to students on the first day of school.

Email: school.notifications@mansfieldschools.com

Website: www.mansfieldschools.com

Location: 2 Park Row, Mansfield, MA, USA
Phone: 508-261-7500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldPublicSchools/