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

September 30, 2023

Dear Mendon-Upton School Community,

During the course of this week, I had the privilege of beginning my day with instructional walkthroughs in elementary classrooms. These walkthroughs commenced with a visit to a PreK classroom where students were actively engaged in a project centered around constructing a painting a structure resembling a Home Depot (see above). Later in the day, I had the opportunity to engage with fourth-grade students who were diligently delving into the realms of multiplication and division, using arrays as the tool for problem-solving with real-life problems.

Later in the week, I participated in a Lead Learners meeting hosted at Nipmuc Regional. This meeting convened a diverse group of student representation, school and district administrators, and teachers. The purpose of this session was to initiate a framework aimed at empowering students to craft their personal narrative, engage in career development training, and devise a comprehensive four-year plan for their post-Nipmuc lives.

The preceding day I spent time in Miscoe Hill MS classrooms and observed our 5th grade students and later 7th grade students engaged in experiments geared towards enhanced understanding of states of matter and chemical changes.

The most impressive interactions for me this week unfolded during the Nipmuc Lead Learner workshop. All one has to do is to spend a few minutes talking to our Nipmuc HS students to see the positive outcomes and results of their progression and growth through our school system. Our students exhibit ambitious aspirations, profound insights about the world and the impact they want to make, incredible skills in persuasion and advocacy for our community, and a firm understanding of our Portrait of a Learner competencies. We take a strengths-based approach to understanding, supporting, and engaging our students. This is cultivated every day across our classrooms, fields, and diverse programs.

We sincerely hope that many of you had the opportunity to attend our Open House Nights over the past two weeks. These events provide an invaluable platform for you to meet our incredible teachers, administrators, staff, and student leaders who collectively contribute to the creation of our inspiring learning culture. We consistently strive to share some of our insights into the dynamic learning taking place in our district through our newsletters and social media channels, with the aim of affording you a comprehensive overview of the Mendon-Upton school experience. If you are not yet following us on these platforms, please check out our website and follow us so you can get frequent updates regarding our school district successes.

Warm regards,

Maureen Cohen

Superintendent of Schools

Our Strategic Planning Committee spent all of last year reviewing and analyzing feedback from focus groups, surveys, and all stakeholders to help create and design the next district strategic plan for 2023-2028. The following is a link to the new vision and plan to move our district forward and to bring our mission to life empowering all our learners to thrive. Thank you again to the strategic planning committee for their tireless commitment to representing what the broader community is seeking in our future growth.

The following is a link to our district's new strategic plan 2023-2028: Strategic Plan 2023-2028 #MURSDThrives

In addition to the five year planning, we develop district goals and actions steps that incorporate our district strategic priorities. The following is a link to the School Committee presentation of our Strategic Goals for the 2023-2024 School Year. If you ever want to learn more about our district goals please reach out to Dr. Cohen or to your building principals. Our schools will be presenting their school improvement goals for the school year in the next few School Committee meetings in which you will see alignment with our strategic priorities as well.

We are encouraged by DESE’s decision to make early literacy screening universal for all students in grades K-3, something that our district has been doing for the past few years. What this means for families of students in these grades is that students will be assessed using the DIBELS assessment (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills), at least twice a year, and the results of these assessments will be communicated with families. Newsletters from Memorial and Clough will offer more details for elementary families. Our reading specialists gave a presentation to School Committee outlining our process.

• Early Literacy Screening School Committee Presentation

MURSD will be hosting a COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinic for staff, students and families on October 23rd, from 2:30pm-5:30pm.

Click here for details and a QR code for pre-registration (required).
Click here for FAQs regarding both vaccines.

Last week, Nipmuc hosted more than 100 international fellows from the National Defense University (NDU) in Washington, D.C. This marked the seventh time that this group of future diplomats from across the globe visited Nipmuc to get a taste of American education and have the chance to meet with and shadow American teenagers during the school day.

Watching the students engage with these highly ranked diplomats learning from one another was a wonderful experience where many students have already asked how they can sign up to do this again next year.

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.

Every month we seek nominations from our entire Mendon-Upton School Community to highlight members of our community who have made a positive impact. If you have someone who has inspired you or who you would like to celebrate, please click on the form below to submit a #MURSDThrives YOU INSPIRE ME nomination.

We had a lot of nominations this month!

You Inspire Me: Johanna Annunziata, Nipmuc HS English Teacher

Her role in spearheading the campaign for raising money to fight childhood cancer through the wear yellow campaign and the Rockin for a Reason concert. She has shown students through the years how to fight for things that are important through her class Impact and Activism, and she walks the walk as well by leading campaigns such as this.

You Inspire Me: Maureen O'Neil, Clough Kindergarten Teacher

Maureen ALWAYS has a smile on her face. She always takes a moment to stop to say hi in the hall and takes the time to know what is important to you so she can ask how things are going. She is so thoughtful and such a wonderful person.

You Inspire Me: Cheryl Kirkpatrick, Assistant Superintendent

I appreciate that no matter how busy she is, such as writing grants, working with new teachers and mentors, managing data inquiry and S3, supporting S.I., while coordinating PD, she is always willing to drop everything to answer my questions both big and small.

You Inspire Me: Meagan Pike, Miscoe Hill MS Spanish Immersion Teacher (and District Coordinator)

Meagan has been continuously bringing our Spanish Immersion program to the next level through her leadership. In a short time she has added in a new field trip to Spain, increased communications to families with newsletters, supported incoming staff from Spain, and added professional development opportunities for staff.

You Inspire Me: Liz Garden, Clough ES Principal

Despite a less than ideal start to the school year, Liz has continued to be a guiding light for the staff. She maintains a positive attitude and a smile, no matter what is going on.

You Inspire Me: Brittany Bourassa, Memorial ES Teacher

Brittany is new to us, but within a few short weeks, she has created a thriving culture in her classroom and her creative and positive energy have had an impact on all who interact with her. I really appreciate her love for students and her instructional ideas.

You Inspire Me; Julia Busby, Clough ES Administrative Assistant

She goes above and beyond daily to make sure everything is done and ready for everyone. She is a well-oiled machine with a big smile whenever you walk into the office.

The following provides some highlighted events:

September 30-Nipmuc Homecoming Events

October 3- School Committee Capital Planning Committee Meeting

October 6- Teacher PD, Early Release

October 6- Nipmuc Rockin for a Reason

October 9- Indigenous People's Day, No School

October 10-Clough School Picture Day

October 10-Nipmuc Financial Aid Info Night

October 11-Clough School Picture Day

October 12 - District Chorus Workshop

October 12-13-Memorial School Picture Days

October 13-Memorial PTO Sponsored Spooktacular Trunk or Treat

October 14-MUYSA Soktoberfest

October 16 - School Committee Meeting

October 17 - Miscoe Hill Ski Club Information and Registration Night

October 18 - District Band Workshop

October 27 - Valloween (Miscoe Hill MS)

October 29-MUEF Spooky Run

October 30 - School Committee Meeting

November 23- Mendon Turkey Trot

We have had a great Homecoming week this past week at Nipmuc Regional High School. We have a few more games this weekend (schedule below). We'd love to have you join us and cheer on our student-athletes.

Links to School Back-to-School Communications Below

Rockin for a Reason is a charity rock concert created to fund research to uncover safer treatments for children with cancer.

Local high school and middle school students will take the stage on October 6th at 7pm in the Nipmuc Regional auditorium for an all-ages rock concert.

Please donate if you can, share the link and come to the show!!

RockinForAReason2023

Click here for information on supporting Mendon-Upton Youth Soccer through their Soktoberfest event.

The Mendon-Upton Education Foundation is a volunteer organization committed to enhancing academic opportunities for the children of the Mendon-Upton School District by providing funding, ideas, and other resources to educators while cultivating friendships

Please check out the most recent MUEF Newsletter.

MUEF (partnering with the Miscoe PTO) is hosting the annual Spooky Run for 2023. We hope to see you there!

Please follow the link for everything you need to know.

https://www.muef.org/spookrun-home

New this year, we’ll have chip timing and a costume contest. You can even start a team and use it as a fundraiser! This is a family-friendly 5k run on Thanksgiving morning. Walkers welcome too! We start and end the race at Clough Elementary and all proceeds of this race go to the Clough PTO.

Make sure to register early, the first 150 registrants get a free race t-shirt!

Link to register: https://runsignup.com/Race/MA/Mendon/mendonmaturkeytrot

Follow us on Facebook for all the updates: https://www.facebook.com/mendonturkeytrot