Thanks to the MURSD Dream team (Basketball team that is!)
Thank you to our Mendon-Upton Dream Team who took on the Harlem Wizards this past Saturday night to support the Mendon-Upton Education Foundation's fundraiser. The stands were packed with adoring young MURSD fans. The music was pumping and if I don't hear you when I see you this week it could because my ears are still ringing. It takes a lot of volunteers to make such a big event a success and the students and parents were full of smiles. I actually heard a parent behind me say "My face is hurting from smiling so much!" Our former basketball players showed us that they still have some hoop skills. :) I saw a number of colleagues in the stands in support and we appreciate you coming out as well to bring your children to the fun event.
--Maureen Getting Deeper with Deeper Learning
Last week we had a couple of showcases of learning at the high school including the Science Symposium and the Financial Literacy Fair. This week instructional partners will be participating in learning walks at Nipmuc and Memorial to help contribute to discussions about deeper learning. As one of our strategic priorities, we want to build a shared understanding of what it means to provide students with deeper, authentic learning experiences that develop Portrait of a Learner competencies, and what that looks like in all classrooms. Looking ahead we are so excited about our upcoming Inspired Learning day on February 6th - a day that often exhibits engaging, real-world applications of the Portrait of a Learner. Look out for opportunities to share your thoughts and ideas about what we can do to grow deeper learning experiences throughout the district!
Welcome Brittany O'Neil
Brittany O'Neil will be starting today and shifting into the role Kim Lowther occupied supporting Teaching and Learning. She will be a great resource in helping you with TeachPoint, PD, and so much more! Please join all of us in the Central Office in welcoming Brittany to the MURSD team. --Cheryl
1/2 Day PD, February 5th
Next Monday is our next 1/2 day PD Day! Students will be released at mid-day so staff have time to collaborate with each other on building-based learning. Some of the highlights include A workshop on UDL, another on trauma-informed practices, applying the Portrait of a Learner to Art, and team collaboration focused on writing instruction and other learning goals. Snacks and drinks will be provided at each school. Check out the website. We shoot to have TeachPoint up for registration by the end of the day tomorrow. Please register by Friday.---Cheryl
Book Study - Great way to earn PDPs for licensure
Educators across the district have signed up for a book study focused on the book, Unlocking English Learners' Potential. We held our first discussion last Tuesday. I wanted to send out one more reminder about this self-paced opportunity for educators to earn up to 15 PDPs towards licensure requirement in English as a Second Language/ Sheltered English Immersion by building practices lhat better scaffold and accommodate English Learners. But even if you don't need the PDPs, this will be a great group. So join us and reach out to me or Brittany O'Neil ([email protected]) if you need a book.
--Cheryl Middle School Co-Teaching Consultations - Wednesday, 1/31
Co-Teaching Coaches will return to Miscoe Hill this on Wednesday. This time is organized based on teacher feedback from December and will provide co-teaching partners with 1:1 time with coaches to work out schedule kinks, ask questions about planning, and help thinking about how they can best leverage the co-teaching model in an upcoming lesson of their choice.
We all wish we had an assistant to help us accomplish the many things we need to do throughout the day, especially in the classroom. AI can help with the use of ChatGPT as your assistant. Check out these time saving tips using ChatGPT to lesson plan, create assessments, grading and feedback, personalized student support and parent communication.
This blog post will show you how. --Colleen #MURSDThrives #youinspire meLaughter is the best medicine
This video clip was submitted by a Clough Educator responding to our request to "Keep the Laughter Going!" What has made you laugh recently?
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"I am a Portrait of A Learner."I had the amazing opportunity to hear 9th grade students in Tara Bennett's class present their Portrait of a Learner last week. It was inspiring to see our courageous students reflect on the Portrait of a Learner competencies, select one that they felt best represented them at this moment, and share their story of why that POL competency resonates with them. Students will use this exhibition of learning as one piece of the Mastery Learning Records that will develop over their high school careers. As we get closer to our district-wide Inspired learning Day (February 6th!) - we wanted you to know how these 9th grade students are sharing their stories, built on experiences they've had throughout their Mendon-Upton journey, and celebrate how you've all contributed to creating so many Portraits of a Learner! Reflections on our crazy weatherAs they say, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute." We've had some crazy, unexpected weather so far this winter and it's only mid-January. We hope you enjoyed last week's snow day as much as our second graders at Clough did. Thank you all for your patience and your ability to adjust as we do our best to respond appropriately to the weather. Focus on us - keep the laughter going!We heard from several of you that you really appreciated Carrie Stack's message and especially how she made us all laugh!!! "I really needed that!" & "What a great way to start 2024! How can we keep the laughter going?," were some of the things we heard. We thought we'd check in and ask you - What has kept you laughing these last couple of weeks? Maybe a story you can share or a meme you saw or a joke you heard? Whatever it is we thought we might keep the laughter going by asking you to share it with us here. Use this form to upload your joke, image, or story. See below for our latest installment of "Laughter is the best medicine." HELP WITH USEFUL RESOURCES AND APPSWith the January iReady diagnostics nearly upon us, and being at almost the 90-day mark, this is a good time to ask if there are those out there who could use some additional support with any of our curriculum and assessment resources. If you would benefit from a tutorial on Bridges, Wonders, IReady, Desmos, Elevate, ST Math, or other applications and resources, let us know. We will be working to assemble and provide training resources, and would be happy to stop by to help. Let us know what you need with this form. --Cheryl & Colleen Book study - discussion Tuesday, 1/23 at 4:00Educators across the district have signed up for a book study focused on the book, Unlocking English Learners' Potential. Our first, optional discussion is offered virtually this Tuesday from 4:00-5:00, so folks will have time to get home, put on thier slippers and log on. This book is full of practical advice and suggestions that we will discuss and support each other to apply. Participating in this book study and applying what you learn during on your own time, will enable educators to complete 15 PDPs towards licensure requirement in English as a Second Language/ Sheltered English Immersion. But even if you don't need the PDPs, this will be a great group. So join us and reach out to me or Kim Lowther if you need a book. --Cheryl Deeper Learning through service learningThe Department and the Massachusetts Service Alliance are pleased to offer a series of free trainings and resources to help educators develop and implement high-quality units that integrate the explicit teaching and learning of social and emotional skills with academic subjects through service-learning projects. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions in the series but may sign up for fewer if they choose. Participants can register and find additional details about the sessions online:
Dese looking for the next teacher of the year!Know a great teacher? Nominate them today to become the 2025 Massachusetts state teacher of the year! Getting nominated is a huge honor and a way to show someone that the effort, care, energy, passion, and love they bring to their classroom has been noticed. Nominations can come from colleagues, supervisors, students, students' family members, or other members of the school community. Educators who are interested in this unique and special leadership role can self-nominate or jump right into the application process. The teacher of the year gets the chance to develop a platform, advocate for students and teachers, and meet other teachers in Massachusetts and from all 50 states. Learn more about this incredible opportunity and the application process online. Nominations are due by Thursday, February 1. Applications are due by Monday, February 12. laughter is the best medicineinspirationThe power of the positive - Filling our wellHow did you fill your well this weekend? I hope whatever you thought about on Friday you followed through on, and if not, it's never too late. After months of stagnation, I finally went for a short run. I got caught in the rain but chased the sun all the way home and felt really good (and sore) for the rest of the weekend. It's so easy to say there's no time for the things that fill our well, but as Carrie Stack reminded us, we only control our own choices. Choose you! Help with useful REsources and AppsWith the January iReady diagnostics nearly upon us, and being at almost the 90-day mark, this is a good time to ask if there are those out there who could use some additional support with any of our curriculum and assessment resources. If you would benefit from a tutorial on Bridges, Wonders, IReady, Desmos, Elevate, ST Math, or other applications and resources, let us know. We will be working to assemble and provide training resources, and would be happy to stop by to help. Let us know what you need with this form. --Cheryl & Colleen Learning Walks this WednesdayInstructional Partners and Administrators will participate in learning walks this Wednesday at Nipmuc and Memorial. We'll be working together to discuss the characteristics of deeper & inclusive learning experiences - two key elements of our 5-year strategic plan. Visiting classrooms will help us think about how to build on the amazing practices we see all over the district, and what kinds of supports might be most beneficial. Thanks in advance for sharing your classrooms and practices. Starting off 2024 right - the power of the positiveWe hope you heard some valuable ideas from Friday's PD both during the keynote and during the WIN Workshops. Thank you for taking a few minutes to provide your anonymous feedback for last Friday's PD day. Many thanks to all the folks who offered WIN Workshops, Sam O'Neal who assisted with music and technology, Chris Schmidt who set up pickle ball, Steve Dellarovere who helped a bunch of us get CPR certified, our nurses for running blood pressure clinics ( I was told if my blood pressure is this good on a PD day, then I'm all set!! Phew!), Dianne Mucci and team for an amazing assortment of snacks, custodians who set up and cleaned up, high school teachers and administrators who let us use their rooms, and Colleen Terrill for organizing so much of the day! It truly takes a village. Thank you all!!! DeSE looking for the next Teacher of the YearKnow a great teacher? Nominate them today to become the 2025 Massachusetts state teacher of the year! Getting nominated is a huge honor and a way to show someone that the effort, care, energy, passion, and love they bring to their classroom has been noticed. Nominations can come from colleagues, supervisors, students, students' family members, or other members of the school community. Educators who are interested in this unique and special leadership role can self-nominate or jump right into the application process. The teacher of the year gets the chance to develop a platform, advocate for students and teachers, and meet other teachers in Massachusetts and from all 50 states. Learn more about this incredible opportunity and the application process online. Nominations are due by Thursday, February 1. Applications are due by Monday, February 12. Deeper Learning through Service learningThe Department and the Massachusetts Service Alliance are pleased to offer a series of free trainings and resources to help educators develop and implement high-quality units that integrate the explicit teaching and learning of social and emotional skills with academic subjects through service-learning projects. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions in the series but may sign up for fewer if they choose. Participants can register and find additional details about the sessions online:
Addressing intolerance and discriminationLast month, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona hosted a webinar on how PK-12 schools (remarks and video) can support students and foster a safe, inclusive learning environment. The webinar presented resources to help respond to the rise in antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate, and other forms of discrimination. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships has resources for preventing and addressing antisemitism and Islamophobia in schools. laughter is the best medicineInspirationWinter is hereThe snow in some parts of our state coated the trees and ground to create some beautiful scenes yesterday. This was a photo captured of the Common in Grafton where I live and it looks almost magical. I'm sure some of us are coming in with some sore backs and others with some fun memories if you got outside sledding with your children. Others may have loved being forced to stay inside for awhile. I do hope that you enjoyed at least a bit of the beginning of our winter season. Thank you to many of our MURSD custodians who came in yesterday and early today to clear the paths for us to have school. You are greatly appreciated! I know we will continue to be faced with some inclement weather (as soon as midweek with intense rain/winds coming) in the next few months and I appreciate your patience as we do our best to navigate the winter season. Portrait of a learner ChallengeThe first MURSD Inspired Learning Day (ILD) of the year is on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 (with a snow date of Tuesday, February 13)! Schools are beginning the process for developing proposals and schedules to plan for the day. We will continue to connect our Portrait of a Learner Competencies directly to our Inspired Learning Days. As a build up to the Inspired Learning Day we will have a fun New Year's challenge to highlight our PoL competencies with our community. Those who participate will be entered into a raffle which will take place at on February 6th and three people will win a prize for participating. 1. Take a photo of your students in action displaying one of our Portrait of a Learner Competencies and post it to Twitter (X), Instagram, or Facebook with the hashtags #MURSDThrives and #PortraitofaLearner. Feel free to also tag either me @MaureenMCohen or our district page @MendonUptonRSD. 2. If you do not have a social media account yet, then you can e-mail me at [email protected] and our social media coordinator, Molly Smith [email protected] and we will try to share some of them out. Instructional Partners meet today after schoolInstructional Partners will meet today to finish preparations for our January 17th learning walks. It's been a while since the group got together so we're looking forward to seeing everyone. We'll meet in the Central Office conference room. Please be sure to put in for a sub on January 17th, if you need one. Please let Colleen or I know if you have any questions. --Cheryl MENTORS AND NEW EDUCATORS MEET ON JANUARY 9THJust a heads up to mentors and new educators that we will all be meeting on January 9th in the Nipmuc PDC. This meeting will be a joint meeting that we look forward to each year, as we so infrequently are able to bring everyone in our mentor/mentee community together. Let Andrea or I know if you have any questions. --Cheryl 1/2 Day PD Friday, January 12thWe're looking forward to our next Professional Development day this Friday, January 12th. It is a half day PD, that we decided to make a district-wide day in order to bring us all together and Focus on us, as a way to start 2024 off right. Doing something together as a district on a 1/2 day early release is a bit tricky since schools let out and end at different times, but we've tried to be creative, knowing what everyone needs is different, and with the help of educators across the district who are eager to share their ideas and talents, have devised an agenda of diverse choices that we hope will give everyone the opportunity to explore something valuable to grow and support personal/professional wellness. Additionally, we are delighted to bring Carrie Stack to Mendon-Upton. Carrie works with educators across the Commonwealth sharing a message that she calls the Power of the Positive that emphasizes the importance of focusing on ourselves. She'll deliver a keynote at 1:15 and will also lead a WIN Workshop for elementary educators and anyone else who wants to stay at 2:30. The whole day will be held at Nipmuc. Here is the agenda which has been slightly adjusted to allow Middle School educators a comfortable amount of time to get to Nipmuc. 12:15-1:15 What I Need (WIN) Workshops for High School and Middle School educators (See workshop offerings here) 1:15-2:15 Carrie Stack Keynote - The Power of the Positive 2:30-3:30 What I Need (WIN) Workshops for Elementary educators (See workshop offerings here) Please visit our PD website for more information and register for the keynote and select your workshop in TeachPoint by Wednesday, January 10th. Welcoming Newcomers and attending to mental healthSchool and district teams that are involved in welcoming and supporting newcomer students are invited to join DESE at 2:00-3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30 for a webinar titled “Building a Supportive Infrastructure: Addressing Mental Health and Trauma Support for Newcomer Students.” This session will feature presenters from Chelsea Public Schools and Boston Children's Hospital’s Trauma and Community Resilience Center. The webinar will also include updates from DESE on available resources. Registration is open online. On a related note, the U.S. Education Department has re-released its own Newcomer Toolkit. This toolkit is a resource for state, local, and school leaders in supporting multilingual learners and general education educators who directly serve immigrant and refugee students. Additionally, an English Learner Toolkit reminds educators of the civil rights of families of newcomer students. Please also see DESE’s newcomer FAQ (download) for additional assistance. Laughter is the best medicineFor inspirationHappy new Year!What I love about a new year are the feelings of renewal that come with it. January 1st comes and anything seems possible. New goals are set. New plans are made both personally and professionally. The extra days off from work and more focused time with family and on other endeavors helped me to recenter and recharge. I hope it has done the same for many of you. I love reading poetry and quotes and the one here by Emerson is one of my favorites, in particular, because of the focus on the present day. He notes, "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." In the photos above, we see some fantastic moments we created with our students right before break with our Spanish Exchange visit, creative 3-D modeling, mystery readers that bring joy, inquisitive experiments, and winning moments through teamwork. As we enter a new year, what inspiring moments do we have in store? What authentic learning experiences do we have planned to level up their learning, discovery, and inquiry? When our students walk through our school doors, join me in remembering, "this new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays." Wishing you all a happy new year! May each and every day of 2024 be the best day in the year. Portrait of a Learner January ChallengeThe first MURSD Inspired Learning Day (ILD) of the year is on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 (with a snow date of Tuesday, February 13)! Schools are beginning the process for developing proposals and schedules to plan for the day. We will continue to connect our Portrait of a Learner Competencies directly to our Inspired Learning Days. As a build up to the Inspired Learning Day we will have a fun New Year's challenge to highlight our PoL competencies with our community. Those who participate will be entered into a raffle which will take place at on February 6th and three people will win a prize for participating. 1. Take a photo of your students in action displaying one of our Portrait of a Learner Competencies and post it to Twitter (X), Instagram, or Facebook with the hashtags #MURSDThrives and #PortraitofaLeaner. Feel free to also tag either me @MaureenMCohen or our district page @MendonUptonRSD. 2. If you do not have a social media account yet, then you can e-mail me at [email protected] and our social media coordinator, Molly Smith [email protected] and we will try to share some of them out. Partners Preparing for Learning Walks - January 8thInstructional Partners will meet on Monday, January 8th to finish preparations for our January 17th learning walks. It's been a while since the group got together so we're looking forward to seeing everyone. We'll meet in the Central Office conference room. Please be sure to put in for a sub on January 17th, if you need one and let Colleen or I know if you have any questions. --Cheryl Mentors and New Educators meet on January 9thJust a heads up to mentors and new educators that we will all be meeting on January 9th in the Nipmuc PDC. This meeting will be a joint meeting that we look forward to each year, as we so infrequently are able to bring everyone in our mentor/mentee community together. Let Andrea of Cheryl know if you have any questions. DISTRICT PD COMMITTEE MEETING - January 3rd The district PD Committee will be meeting tomorrow on January 3, 2024 at 3:45 in the Miscoe staff room to review feedback collected in December, and determine short and long-term learning outcomes for our programming. Please connect with your PD Committee reps if you have any additional ideas to share or feel free to join us. Positivity starts with us - JANUARy 12th 1/2 Day PD DayWe plan to kick off 2024 in a way that will remind us that focusing on ourselves is essential so we can be our best for our students. On Friday, January 12th we've organized a district-wide PD day that will give us the chance to come together and reflect on what we need to be our best selves. Part of our PD will be a keynote by Carrie Stack, a former educator and motivational speaker whose message is that positivity starts with being good to ourselves. The other part of our PD day will be a menu of workshops and activities that you can choose from to start the year right in the way you think best for you. We have a great selection of workshops including one focused on organizing google drive, a nature walk, CPR, pickle ball, and more. Please visit our PD website which will be posted on Wednesday for more information and select your workshop in TeachPoint by next Wednesday, January 10th. If you have other workshop ideas reach out to Colleen Terrill. If you have questions about TeachPoint, reach out to Kim Lowther. Welcoming Newcomers and attending to mental healthSchool and district teams that are involved in welcoming and supporting newcomer students are invited to join DESE at 2:00-3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30 for a webinar titled “Building a Supportive Infrastructure: Addressing Mental Health and Trauma Support for Newcomer Students.” This session will feature presenters from Chelsea Public Schools and Boston Children's Hospital’s Trauma and Community Resilience Center. The webinar will also include updates from DESE on available resources. Registration is open online. On a related note, the U.S. Education Department has re-released its own Newcomer Toolkit. This toolkit is a resource for state, local, and school leaders in supporting multilingual learners and general education educators who directly serve immigrant and refugee students. Additionally, an English Learner Toolkit reminds educators of the civil rights of families of newcomer students. Please also see DESE’s newcomer FAQ (download) for additional assistance. UTILIZING TRAUMA-INFORMED, PROACTIVE SENSORY REGULATION STRATEGIES IN THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTThose interested in learning more about pro-active sensory regulation strategies are welcome to access Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY), create a login using these instructions, and register for free. This 5-part webinar series will focus on the following topics and dates. Registration provides access to all of the webinars, will also provide a link to the recording of all of the webinars should you not be able to attend on the day/time:
Reminders about Mandated TrainingSome educators may have received an email from Kim Lowther before the break asking them to complete mandatory trainings. Kim will be sending another email reminder out on January 16th to those who still have not completed their trainings. Please try to finish them before this date as they were due in October. Laughter is the best medicineFor the readers out thereI set an ambitious goal of 50 books this year and while I didn't reach the goal and got to a little under 40, but came across a few that I gave five stars and four stars, shared below. My most recommended to others would be "Don't Forget to Write" and "Remarkably Bright Creatures." of what I read this year. In addition to these listed, some of the educational and leadership books I enjoyed included "Leading the Whole Teacher," "Leading from Where You Are," "Belonging," and "Street Data."
In 2022, my top contenders were "Project Hail Mary," "The Book of Lost Names," "Book Lovers," and "The Maidens." Sweet Treats for the MUrSD
While we have lots of festive activities mixed into our days this week, please keep in mind that this time of year can also be very difficult for some who have lost love ones or struggle with changes in schedules/routines, or are coping with additional stress that can come on this time of year. Thank you to those of you who have stepped forward to help out many of our families in need during this season.
This time of year can also bring a little bit of sweetness for some and for others it can spur on a season of giving and gratitude. As a thank you to all of you in the MURSD, please be on the look out for hot chocolate and treats in each of your buildings today! I'm hoping the sweet treats will keep you going to finish out the end of 2023. If I don't have an opportunity to see you in my travels to the buildings this week, please have a fantastic break! ~Maureen Things to look forward to in 2024 - The wizards!
Save the date of January 27th--the Harlem Wizards are coming to town and will be playing against the MURSD Dream Team. MUEF is looking for players from all of the schools to participate in this fundraiser, which brings funds directly back to all of you through classroom grants. Please sign up here. MUEF would like as many teachers/staff involved as possible.
Instructional Partners meet today
Our district's Instructional Partners will meet today in the CO Conference room from 3:45-5:00 today to share ideas and get ready for Learning Walks in 2024. This is an optional meeting, but we'll look forward to seeing those who can make it. Our next meeting is January 8th at the same time and we hope to have a full house to go over our plan for learning walks.
Mentors and New Educators together on Jan. 9th
Just a heads up to mentors and new educators that we will all be meeting after the new year, on January 9th. This meeting will be a joint meeting that we look forward to each year, as we so infrequently are able to bring everyone in our mentor/mentee community together. Let Andrea of Cheryl know if you have any questions.
Focus on Us - Relaxing with a Good Book
We have a tradition in my house that everyone gets a new book during the winter break. It has created some magical moments in our home where amidst the chaos that can come with the season our home becomes temporarily quiet as everyone finds their own favorite spot, and immerses themselves in a new story or message. Sometimes the hardest part is choosing one, though. This is why I keep a list at the ready that resides on my phone. At our March PD day last year, we asked all of you what books you loved and created a book board out of your suggestions. As a way of focusing on us, I'm re-sharing the staff-picks book list and inviting all of you to add any new titles you'd like to recommend to your friends and colleagues. Also, if you are interested in being a part of our 23-24 Book Study of Unlocking English Learner's Potential: Strategies for Making Content Accessible, please sign up here and reach out to Kim Lowther so she can get you the book before the break. Wishing you all a restful and read-ful winter break!!
District PD Committee meeting in January
The district PD Committee will be meeting right when we get back from break on January 3, 2024! We'll review feedback collected in December, and determine outcomes for our programming in 2024. Please connect with your PD Committee reps if you have ideas to share.
Looking for your ideas for January PD
We want to kick off 2024 in a way that will remind us to focus on ourselves so we can be our best for our students. Part of our PD will be a keynote by Carrie Stack, a former educator and licensed social worker who works with districts across the Commonwealth to inspire and remind educators that positivity starts with being good to ourselves. The other part of our PD January day will be a menu of workshops and activities that you can choose from to start the year right in the way you think best for you. If you have an idea about something valuable and interesting you'd like to share with your colleagues or you'd like to see offered to help us cultivate positivity, share your workshop/activity idea here. So far your ideas have been fabulous!! Journaling, nature walk, Keep them coming!
Want to learn CPR?
As part of our attention to wellness and school safety, we are looking to provide an opportunity for more of us to get CPR certified. We are offering each school an opportunity to enroll up to 5 educators in a CPR course for certification this year. Our current plan is to offer the course virtually and provide the assessment on January 12th, our next PD Day. Please use this form to express interest, and know that only 5 educators from each school will be able to participate in this first opportunity, but the interest form will help us plan additional courses in the future. The first 5 from each school will receive information about the course materials before the end of the week. Administrators, please be sure to sign up, as well. Reach out to Kim Lowther ([email protected]) with questions.
UTILIZING TRAUMA-INFORMED, PROACTIVE SENSORY REGULATION STRATEGIES IN THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
Those interested in learning more about pro-active sensory regulation strategies are welcome to access Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY), create a login using these instructions, and register for free. This 5-part webinar series will focus on the following topics and dates. Registration provides access to all of the webinars, will also provide a link to the recording of all of the webinars should you not be able to attend on the day/time:
Save the date--Inspired Learning Day February 6, 2024
We are excited to announce that the first MURSD Inspired Learning Day (ILD) of the year is on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 (with a snow date of Tuesday, February 13)! Schools are beginning the process for developing proposals and schedules to plan for the day. Stay tuned!
Laughter is the best medicineInspirationInclusivE recognition of holidays
Wishing everyone who celebrates, a Happy Hanukkah. In my family we celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas, so it is a busy month of celebrations for us. Here is a link to the history of Hanukkah for those who would like to learn more.
As we approach the holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the efforts you put into creating a positive and inclusive learning environment. While holidays can be joyous occasions for many, it's important to recognize that they may not be festive or celebratory for everyone. Our staff and student body brings together various cultural, religious, and personal backgrounds, each with its own set of traditions and beliefs. Recognizing that holidays hold varying significance for each student, I would like to suggest some considerations to enhance inclusivity in our classroom during this festive time:
Reasons to Celebrate
Incredible growth seen on MCAS math. Last week we presented an overview of MCAS results to the School Committee and Community. One of the highlights was the incredible growth many of our students saw in math at all levels. For those who don't know, Student Growth Percentile (or SGP) is a metric that indicates how students who scored similarly on the MCAS one year do in relation to each other in the following year. When students score above the 50th percentile that means they are making progress in relation to their like-scoring peers. At the Elementary level, fourth graders saw 57.3 percentile growth in math on average. That means they did better than almost 60% of students who scored similarly the year before. At the high school, the average SGP for 10th graders in math was 64.6. And at Miscoe the 6th and 7th graders knocked it out of the park! 6th graders had an average SGP of 60.9 and 7th graders had an average SGP in math of 76. Wow! That means they did better, on average, than 76% of their similarly scoring peers. Obviously this is good news for our students! And, it is a tribute to the attention and care that teachers across the district are giving to the standards, their instruction and the needs of students. It's a real reason to celebrate and an inspiration for us all!!
Focus on us - What I Need (WIN)
"What do I need?" Have you been thinking about that question, like I have recently? My family pesters me for ideas for the holiday season and I have to say, often I have no idea what to tell them. It's not uncommon to not know what you need, or to be unable to articulate it. Just last week I was on a call with PD Committee members and we made this observation together. It's what is behind our decision to create a district-wide WIN experience during our PD day in January. We want to kick off 2024 in a way that will remind us to focus on ourselves so we can be our best for our students. Part of our PD will be a keynote by Carrie Stack, a former educator and licensed social worker who works with districts across the Commonwealth to inspire and remind educators that positivity starts with being good to ourselves. The other part of our PD January day will be a menu of workshops and activities that you can choose from to start the year right in the way you think best for you. If you have an idea about something valuable and interesting you'd like to share with your colleagues or you'd like to see offered to help us cultivate positivity, share your workshop/activity idea here. Some ideas we have already: learn CPR, book club discussions, dance, AI for improving your life, yoga, journaling, strategies for disconnecting. . . what (else) do we need? --Cheryl
Feedback for last Monday's PD
We hope you both enjoyed and found value in your PD day last Monday. The PD Committee values your feedback and will be reviewing it at our next district-wide meeting in January. Please take a few minutes to provide us with your thoughts and ideas by filling out this form.
Opportunity to Learn CPR
As part of our attention to wellness and school safety, we are looking to better understand who among us is interested in getting CPR certified, and will be rolling out a first opportunity for each school to enroll up to 5 educators in a CPR course for certification this year. Our current plan is to offer the course and assessment on January 12th, our next PD Day. However, we are exploring an online, asynchronous version of the course. Please use this form to express interest, and know that only 5 educators from each school will be able to participate in this first opportunity, but the interest form will help us plan additional courses in the future.
MUEF Basketball fundraiser
Save the date of January 27th--the Harlem Wizards are coming to town and will be playing against the MURSD Dream Team. MUEF is looking for players from all of the schools to participate in this fundraiser, which brings funds directly back to all of you through classroom grants. Please sign up here. MUEF would like as many teachers/staff involved as possible.
Laughter is the best medicineFor inspirationMonthly NewsletterIf you didn't get a chance yet to read the district monthly newsletter, here is a link to view district updates/highlights. Focus on us - 'Tis the season'Tis the Season to . . . find the time to shop, make it to a slew of events, deal with unpredictable weather and family descending, and all while we try to stay clear or germs and healthy. It can be a wonderful time of the year, but it can also be very stressful. So, if you are feeling the stress, take a little time to read this article from Psychology Today on de-stressing during this season. Give yourself the gift of mindfulness and breath, and the grace to slow down a bit, especially when life is a' flurry. 'Tis the season to be good to yourself! Reason to celebrateCongratulations to our very own Bonnie Nieves, Nipmuc Science Teacher, and one of the recipients of the 2023 County Science Educator of the Year! This award is awarded by the Massachusetts Society of Science Teachers and goes to a select group peer-nominated educators who have benefitted the field of Science Education in Massachusetts. Of course we know Bonnie as a leader in science education, who recently became an Apple Certified Coach, and who helps lead the PD Committee in this district. But, it is so fabulous to see her honored for her leadership role in promoting and advancing the cause of quality science education among her peers. Congratulations, Bonnie!! We are so lucky to have you as a teacher and leader in this district! Join the MURSd Team-Harlem Wizards GameSave the date of January 27th--the Harlem Wizards are coming to town and will be playing against the MURSD Dream Team. MUEF is looking for players from all of the schools to participate in this fundraiser, which brings funds directly back to all of you through classroom grants. E-mail Maureen Cohen if you are interested in playing or would like more information. TransitionsWe will be hosting an open house for Lauren Sannicandro's retirement on Thursday, December 21st. We hope you will join us in thanking Lauren for her close to 30 years of dedication to our district. I also would like to congratulate Kim Lowther, who will be transitioning into the role of Executive Assistant to the Superintendent as we start the new year. Her depth and breadth of experience and impeccable work ethic will help to carry the torch on from Lauren. December 4, 2023 Professional Development DayToday is Professional Development Day for MURSD! It is a Level-based 1/2 day with programming developed by PD Committee representatives at each school. Please check out the MURS PD Website for today to see the offerings and make your selections if you have not already done so. Don't forget to sign in once students are dismissed. Please let us know if you have any questions of trouble with Vector Solutions. Kim Lowther can be reached at [email protected] MUrSD Staff BookmarkI made a MURSD Staff Bookmark that I pushed out to all of you and is located on the Bookmark bar. If you open a new tab (command t) you will notice on the far left the Bookmark called MURSD Staff. Click it and your first selection is Vector (Teachpoint). (See the images below) This is meant to give you a place to quickly get where you need to.--Colleen Co-Teaching 201 for co-teaching teams and moreWe will be welcoming Mara Powers and Michele Mercurio back to MURSD for professional learning to support co-teaching teams and also to help us think about how to bring these strategies to more classrooms including classrooms that do not benefit from having 2 teachers in the classroom. Co-teaching teams from the secondary level will meet in the morning from 8:00-10:30, and then elementary co-teaching teams will meet in the afternoon from 12:30-3:00. From 10:30-12:00, we'll host a conversation for teachers who are interested in helping us build inclusive practices from this powerful teaching model. Reach out to Cheryl if you are interested in attending. District Book Study - Special Delivery This weekWe are launching our district book study of Unlocking English Learner's Potential: Strategies for Making Content Accessible, which sheds light on how we can better address the needs of students who are learning English in our classrooms. The population of English Learners in Mendon-Upton and across the state is growing exponentially, making the choice of this topic an important one that I've heard resonate across the district. We'll organize for self-paced reading and reflection that will be punctuated by three discussions about the book, and an optional break-out session on our March PD day. Reading the book, participating in the discussions, and completing the reflection questions and an application of your learning will earn book study participants 10 PDPs that can be applied to licensure renewal. If you are interested in participating in this book study it is not too late to sign up by joining the Google Classroom. We will be delivering books this week to those who have already signed up. MURSD welcomes andre daughty of PBL worksThis week MURSD is hosting teachers from across the Blackstone Valley to participate in Project-Based Learning (PBL) 101, facilitated by Andre Daughty (Welcome, Andre!) This training is sponsored by the Blackstone Valley Curriculum Consortium. PBL is a model of teaching that coaches teachers to weave their delivery of learning objectives and standards into real-world, engaging scenarios whereby students interact with authentic audiences to solve problems and create solutions. Over half of the staff of Miscoe Hill have been trained in PBL and are committed to delivering at least one PBL unit this year. So, if you are interested in learning more about PBL, either stop by the PDC this week from 8-3, or reach out to me and I'll connect you with a colleague from Miscoe. You can read more about PBL and subscribe to their twitter here. --Cheryl Laughter is the best medicineFor InspirationGratitude
I'm going to carry the message of gratitude into this coming week. I hope you all had an enjoyable time of rest, relaxation, and hopefully you had some extra time to spend with family and friends. I'm grateful for the extra few days for the small things like reorganizing my sock drawer (yes...I know, very exciting), finishing some Netflix series (The Crown, and All the Light We Cannot See), or enjoying the sunny weather on a walk. I also am grateful for key moments like my son's Thanksgiving football game, my other son's acceptance letter for a co-op job, or spending quality time with my mom and aunts reminiscing about the impact they have had on my life. At the beginning of the year I shared "Seasons of Love" because I do firmly believe that our lives are made up of all of these moments and time passes so quickly, we might as well enjoy each moment and make a positive difference in the world while we are at it. As I return back to work after these few days of reflection, I want to express how grateful I am for all of you. It is a privilege and honor to work in a profession where we are driven toward our vision to help our students cultivate their fullest potential, create their own future, and contribute positively to an ever-changing world. Don't ever forget that you do that! You make a difference!
Our VisionFocus on us
This month's issue of Educational Leadership is focused on the challenges of challenging student behavior. Like all of you see first hand each day, the pandemic impacted the social emotional health of many of our students, which can sometimes translate to challenging behaviors in the classroom. One of the pieces I liked the most in this issue is the article entitled, "Dysregulated Students Need Regulated Adults," by Nina Weisling. The article discusses both the things we can do as individuals to prioritize our own ability to remain regulated when it is most challenging and necessary, and also discusses what our schools and district can do to support us. Personally, I need to do better at prioritizing exercise, mindfulness, and time with family and friends. Weekends like the one we just had, fill my cup and remind me about my need to attend to what I call the home/work "balance." When it comes to our workplaces, I noticed that our MURSD schools actually do many things that the article suggests - bringing staff together for fun and to build community, encouraging teams to problem-solve together, and enabling staff to "tap-in or out" when escalated. Because we strive to be a workplace that gets better, this week we ask you, how we can help you be your best, most authentic self each day? Click the link to share your thoughts. And, share this link with your colleagues who may not have time to read this newsletter.
Reasons to celebrate
Did you know that Justin Williams, one of our extraordinary Miscoe Hill Art Teachers, was honored with the Middle Level MAEA Art Educator of the Year Award this year? Hooray, Justin! If you've never been in his classroom it is worth the field trip! Please congratulate Justin the next time you see him and ask him what cool creative adventure his students are engaged in.
Capital Needs Survey
A school capital plan serves as a vital financial roadmap for educational institutions, detailing the allocation of funds for major investments, projects, and asset acquisitions within the school environment. Its primary purpose is to effectively manage and optimize the school's capital assets and expenditures.
The Mendon-Upton Regional School District has formed a Capital Planning Subcommittee who is working on reviewing analyses of all of our facilities, fields, and technology needs to help guide in the development of a district capital improvement plan. If you would like to learn more about our current capital planning process please go to our capital planning webpage: https://www.mursd.org/page/capital-planning for more information and updates. We have a comprehensive maintenance and improvement plan within our operational budget and our operations and maintenance department work diligently on preventative maintenance and replacing items as needed. From a funding standpoint, the nature of Capital Improvement Projects is that they primarily fall outside of the operational budget due to the significant costs of the projects and the non-recurring nature of the needs (i.e. roofs, windows, carpets, fields, auditoriums, HVACs, etc.). As part of this capital improvement plan development, we are seeking public comment. The district has multiple areas of need and appreciates your input in the decision-making process to ensure that community input is provided as part of the the capital planning process. Please click on the button below to take the survey. 1/2 day PD next monday, December 4th
That's right, next MONDAY is our next 1/2 day PD day! In an effort to switch things up and not always have half days on Fridays or the same day in the some schedules, we are varying the days of the week we experience our PD days this year, and our next one is next Monday, December 4th. This PD day will be level-based, with agendas built by members of the PD Committees at each school. You will be able to see descriptions of each of the workshops on the district PD website. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, some schools/district-wide departments have not quite completed their descriptions, so expect that the website will develop as the week progresses, and plan on signing up on TeachPoint/Vector Solutions between Wednesday and Friday of this week.
MAssachusetts dyslexia institute
The Department is again offering school and district teams the Massachusetts Dyslexia Institute, facilitated by Crafting Minds. The institute builds participants’ knowledge of the Massachusetts Dyslexia Guidelines, which provide educators with relevant, research-based best practices for the early screening and instruction of students with reading difficulties, learning disabilities, and dyslexia. The institute will be a 45-hour series of synchronous and asynchronous professional learning sessions that will help teams:
Planning with the wida ELD standards framework
This Virtual Workshop, being help on December 7th and 14th from 3:30-5:00p.m. is designed for educators and leaders who are responsible for language development within content learning (In other words, all of us!). In each session, participants will receive additional resources for using the ELD Standards Framework in instructional planning. Teams are strongly encouraged to attend the webinars together. Contact Davide Parker ([email protected]) if interested in registering. Check out the program flyer here.
#MURSDTHRIVES
This month's district newsletter will be out by the end of the week, so if you'd like to nominate someone for a "You Inspire Me" recognition, please fill out the form below.
laughter is the best medicinefor inspirationFocus on us - Gratitude
As we approach the Thanksgiving break, our thoughts naturally turn to gratitude. It feels good to be the recipient of gratitude - to know that someone appreciates you. But did you know that expressing gratitude can also have positive impacts on the giver's health and wellbeing, as well? Many mental health professionals suggest cultivating a gratitude habit to help us notice and remember the positive things in our lives. Here is an article from Psychology Today that shares the science and some ideas for cultivating a gratitude habit. Part of mine is getting to write this newsletter each week, when I get to pause, look at the pictures I've taken around the district, and think about how lucky I feel to be a part of what makes MURSD special. I am grateful and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Reasons to celebrate
Fields trips supported by grant funding. Both our ability to resume field trips and the fact that we have been awarded funding to support these trips are reasons to celebrate! Three separate groups of students led by Matt Merten, Brendon Roseneau, Ryan O'Connell and Paula Sheehan, either have or will be able to participate in experiences in Boston related to their curriculum and funded through a Civics grant awarded to MURSD. One of these trips was in integral part of Ryan and Paula's Project-based Learning unit. If you have ideas and need support with applications for grants or funding, reach out to Cheryl, so we can be on the lookout for funding opportunities. In the meantime, congratulate your colleagues on these engaging student experiences that they helped curate.
Strategic Priorities Snapshot
This is a continuation of our work last year as we have greater access to multiple data points for our students. The Open Architects data platform, in which we continue to connect to our multiple data points, is one avenue for supporting our data inquiry. We also are expanding our data inquiry protocols to better assist educators in the data inquiry process. From a curriculum standpoint, when we review our assessment data, we are able to identify areas for growth for reviewing and revising our curriculum. For example, we have identified a renewed focus on improving our writing practices across grade levels and disciplines as a result of our analysis. From an instructional standpoint, when we analyze the data at a classroom level and student level, we are able to identify areas for instructional shifts to better support our individual student needs. District Book Study
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