

SPS Weekly Newsletter
November 17, 2023
In This Edition of the SPS Weekly Newsletter...
We are excited to share the latest edition of the SPS Weekly Newsletter with our families, students, staff, and community members! A new edition will be sent each week when school is in session, sharing updates, previewing upcoming events, and showcasing the amazing work being done in our schools. This week we feature Dr. Baeta's weekly message, the fall play this weekend at Stoughton High, the Gibbons School observing Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, and more!
From the Desk of the Superintendent
The FY25 budget process is well underway and I look forward to publishing the budget in December 2023. A budget is a clear and concise statement of the priorities of the district and speaks to the needs of the student body.
I will also host a community event after January 1st to discuss the budget further.
Joseph F. Baeta, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Stoughton Public Schools
Fall Play at SHS This Weekend!
The cast of the Stoughton High School Theatre production of "Into the Woods" is pictured above. Come see this amazing show this weekend at the SHS Auditorium! Performances take place:
- Friday, November 17 at 7pm
- Saturday November 18 at 1pm and 7pm
- Sunday, November 19 at 1pm
In Into the Woods, James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim take everyone's favorite fairytale characters and bring them together for a timeless, yet relevant, piece...and a rare modern classic. The Tony Award-winning book and score are both enchanting and touching. The story follows a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.
Click here for tickets and for more information.
Can't wait for this show!
Gibbons School Celebrates Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day was held on November 14, coinciding with the anniversary of when she integrated an all white school in New Orleans in 1960 at the age of 6. This Walk to School Day honors her legacy and commemorates her historic steps. Gibbons School students, families, and staff took part in the walk Tuesday morning.
"Jenn St. Amand, Gibbons parent and PTA Board member, came to us with the idea to implement Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day," Gibbons Principal Dave Guglia explains. "This day recognizes the courage and resilience Ruby Bridges has demonstrated her entire life. Students and staff wore purple (Ruby's favorite color) and walked to school today (November 14th)."
Mr. Guglia continued, "Additionally, students and staff members are writing letters to Ruby, inviting her to the Gibbons School. Stoughton has many special connections to Ruby Bridges that we have learned about. For example, Stoughton native and Grammy winning songwriter Lori McKenna wrote "Ruby's Shoes." And years ago, Ruby Bridges paid a visit to the South Elementary School in Stoughton. We hope she comes back to Stoughton!"
More pictures from this special walk to school day can be found by clicking here.
Around the District
Elections at the Hansen School
Hansen School students voted last week to elect officers for the Student Council, picking between a group of candidates running for president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Each candidate delivered a campaign speech and students filled out their ballots in booths to simulate the adult voting experience. (They even got stickers after turning in their ballot!) Students in grades 2 and 3 are pictured here.
STEM at the Wilkins School
Grade 2 students at the Wilkins School made bird feeder prototypes as part of their STEM curriculum.
Geo-Fashion Day at OMS
This week happens to be Geography Awareness Week, which fits perfectly into the 7th grade social studies curriculum, which focuses on geography and global cultures. One way O'Donnell Middle School 7th graders marked the occasion was with a "Geo-Fashion Day" where students and staff wore clothing that featured the name of a city, state, or country, or represented a geographic location. More pictures can be found here.
SHS Artwork
Students in the Advanced Art III classes at Stoughton High have been working on pen and ink techniques to prepare for illustrating their choice of Aesop's Fables. Here are some examples of their form and texture studies.
Pair of SHS Seniors Attain Eagle Scout Rank
Congratulations to Neil Gibbons and Aadil Khond, both seniors at Stoughton High School, for recently attaining the rank of Eagle Scout! Neil and Aadil are members of Troop 516 in Stoughton and are pictured together here. They are both former Dawe School and O'Donnell Middle School students.
For his service project, Neil built several bat houses out of wood and constructed them with the help of his Troop. These bat houses are placed throughout the wooded areas to give shelter to these valuable animals.
Aadil made two historical signs at the newly renovated Glen Echo Park describing two lost buildings on the property, one being the Dance Hall and the other being the Hotel Inn. You can visit Glen Echo to see the signs and learn more about each structure!
Thanksgiving Break Schedule
It is hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving! Here is a reminder of our Thanksgiving break schedule:
Wednesday, November 22, 2023 - EARLY DISMISSAL
- School hours for Stoughton High & the O’Donnell Middle School will be 7:35am-11:32am on Wednesday. Elementary schools will be 8:30am-12:20pm. Preschool will be 8:30am-11am and there will be no afternoon preschool sessions. Lunch will be served in our schools on Wednesday.
Thursday, November 23, 2023 - THANKSGIVING DAY; NO SCHOOL
- Stoughton is hosting this year's Thanksgiving Day football game against Canton. The game starts at 10am at Veterans Memorial Stadium at SHS. Scroll below for more details.
Friday, November 24, 2023 - NO SCHOOL
Thanksgiving Football
Looking forward to the Pep Rally at Stoughton High on Wednesday, and of course the Powderpuff football game at Canton following the Pep Rally and the Thanksgiving football game vs. Canton on Thursday!
More info about the Powderpuff game and Thanksgiving game is below:
- The annual Powderpuff football game between Stoughton and Canton seniors takes place Wednesday, November 22, 2023. This pre-Thanksgiving clash will be taking place at Canton High. The game starts at 1:30pm.
- This year will be the 97th Thanksgiving Day football game between Stoughton and Canton. It will be played at Veterans Memorial Stadium at Stoughton High on Thursday, November 23, 2023. The game starts at 10am. The Marching Black Knights will also be performing at halftime. Tickets (cash only) are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
School Committee Meeting on November 21
There is a Stoughton School Committee Meeting on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 in the School Committee Conference Room at the District Office (31 Pierce St.). The public portion of the meeting starts at 7pm. An agenda for the meeting can be found here:
Superintendent's Office Hours
Save the date! Dr. Baeta will be providing the following virtual office hours for SPS families (all grades, preschool through grade 12):
- Tuesday, November 28, 2023 from 9:30-10:30am
- Thursday, December 21, 2023 from 9:30-10:30am
Stoughton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Event
Save the date and join the Stoughton Special Education Parent Advisory Council for their November Meeting. It takes place on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 6pm at Stoughton High School (Room A216) and includes a presentation called "Technology Troubles: Too Much Time Online."
This presentation, hosted by the Stoughton SEPAC and presented by Joana Silverman of the Pilgrim Area Collaborative will delve into how technology is impacting our children's health, mood, and social development. You will also learn strategies to help children interact with technology in a balanced way.
After the meeting, attendees will be invited for an adult social meetup at a local restaurant - details will be provided at the meeting.
OMS PTSO Craft & Vendor Fair on December 2
Save the date! The O’Donnell Middle School PTSO's annual Craft & Vendor Fair will take place Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 10am-2pm at the OMS (211 Cushing St.). Entry is $1 per person or the donation of a canned/non-perishable good.
November Breakfast & Lunch Menus
Hiring School Bus Drivers
Are you or someone you know looking for part-time work? Our school bus transportation provider, First Student, is hiring school bus drivers for Stoughton. For more information and to apply, click here.
Make Sure Your Student's Emergency Contact Info & Health Info is Up to Date
Another friendly reminder that with the school year underway, we want to make sure we have accurate and updated emergency contact information and health information for your child. Please log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, click on the forms link in the left navigation menu and update any information that is not accurate in the two forms - Current Student Information/Emergency Form and Current Student Health Information. When you have updated the information, please click on submit at the bottom of each of the forms. If your child's information is accurate, please click on submit at the bottom of each form to indicate that you have reviewed the data and it is accurate.
Follow Us on Social Media!
For updates throughout the week, be sure to follow Stoughton Public Schools on social media: