MURSD District Update
From the Office of the Superintendent
February 1, 2024
About Us
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
Message from the Superintendent
February 1, 2024
Dear Mendon-Upton School Community,
It seems like it was just yesterday that I was pondering my new year's resolution for 2024 and suddenly here we are already at February 1st! The last few years instead of creating a resolution, I have focused on the "One Word" or "One Phrase" approach for setting an intention for the year. It seems that Weather or Snow Day Delays should have been some options to consider. While I didn't get a degree or major in meteorology, with all of our recent series of storms, I do wish it had been at least something I minored in. :) Please know that I rely heavily on the information being shared with me from our local police departments, highway departments, school buildings and grounds department, and our transportation company in decision-making. It is a team effort and we do our best to make the best decision to have school and consider potential road hazards. Thank you for your patience as we have had to navigate an unpredictable few months of inclement weather. Hopefully, our spring days will come soon and the long winter will become a distant memory.
Instead of choosing Inclement Weather for my one word for the year, in reality the phrase that has resonated in relation to our work with students has been Deeper Learning.
What is Deeper Learning? According to our Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in their deeper learning framework:
- "Deeper Learning is cultivated by engaging students with grade-level work that is relevant, real-world, and interactive and emerges at the intersection of mastery, identity, and creativity as three observed outcomes of learning."
Creating avenues to increase deeper learning elements is at the core of our conversations, our district strategic goals, and in the opportunities we strive to provide our students. Just in the last two weeks I have witnessed the following examples where the convergence of the above factors were embedded in our school experiences:
- Fourth grade students presented to school committee regarding their creation of a school newsletter at their elementary school.
- Hundreds of high school students presenting their science research projects at the science symposium in areas of engineering, biotechnology, chemistry, marine biology, anatomy, forensics, and physics.
- Student representatives shared their experience at the Nipmuc Showcase last night regarding the impact of their own interests, personal narratives, and connections to our Portrait of a Learner have helped them design Mastery Learning Records that tell their whole school story for colleges and universities.
- Art students described to me their sustained investigation projects for their art portfolios in areas such as architecture and sustainability.
- Middle school students showed me how they choose an area of the world they wanted to learn how to map and identify points of interest.
Thanks to our committed leaders and educators, we are always looking to take our high-quality educational experiences to the next level for our students so their learning outcomes are meaningful, personalized, and relevant.
We are able to do this work because of the ongoing support of our communities through volunteering, partnerships, financial commitments, and trust. In a world where distrust of institutions and negativity in media can sometimes impact us all, I want to personally thank you for trusting us and collaborating with us in service of all of our students.
It is both an honor and a privilege to serve as the leader of this incredible district. I wish us all some calmer weather patterns and a restful break coming up later in February.
Warm Regards,
Maureen Cohen, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
District Highlights
Mendon-Upton is featured in the U.S. Department of Education 2024 National Ed Tech Plan
- The U.S. Department of Education recently released their 2024 National Educational Technology Plan, and it references resources from DESE’s edtech team and work by the Dedham and Mendon-Upton public schools. On page 53 you will find examples of the work of our Mendon-Upton team.
Staff Highlights in the News
Some of our MURSD teachers and staff have received some external accolades for their leadership and commitment to teaching and our students:
Capital Planning
The Mendon-Upton Regional School District formed a Capital Planning Subcommittee to work on reviewing analyses of all of our facilities, fields, and technology needs to help guide in the development of a district capital improvement plan. They have met multiple times this year and have made significant progress in developing a draft plan which is built off of a master facilities assessment that was completed last year on all of our buildings.
What is the purpose of a capital plan?
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.
Immediate Needs
Some of the most pressing needs as a result of the team's analysis is the replacement of Nipmuc's roof, which is 27 years old. We will be submitting a Statement of Interest (S.O.I.) to the Massachusetts School Building Authority to hopefully get into their pipeline to receive some state reimbursement for the roof repair. The district is also partnering with the Mendon-Upton Community Project (M.U.C.P.) to identify field needs and both short-term and long-term approaches to to improve playing conditions and equitable access to athletic and recreation facilities for the residents of Mendon and Upton. We also have ongoing building maintenance and updates that we address annually. Just this year alone, we have refinished our HS gym, replaced carpets at Miscoe as part of a replacement cycle, paved parking lots to improve safety, will rebuild the Miscoe stage floor (over the next vacation) and implemented water filtration systems. While we are proud of the work we have done, the list presented by the facilities assessment identifies future needs that will need to be addressed.
If you would like to learn more about our current capital planning process and the stages of our planning please go to our capital planning webpage: https://www.mursd.org/page/capital-planning for more information and updates.
Input
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. The button below has a link to an initial survey we sent out in December.
Budget Process
FY25 Budget Development Process
We are in the middle of our FY25 Budget Development Process for the next school year. If you are not familiar with the timeline for the school budget development process, the visual above provides a quick overview of the annual budget cycle. Currently we are in the review, refine, and presentation phase where each of our departments and schools present their budgets internally and then publicly at the school committee meetings. Then as the state and local revenue numbers are released, we continue our prioritization process.
State Aid update
This past week, Governor Healy released the initial House 1 state budget. Our district will receive the minimum state aid increase in Chapter 70 of $30/student. This is an increase of $59,310. For regional transportation reimbursement, the state reduced this by $180, 232 and Charter school reimbursement was also reduced by $28,796. Therefore, the net in state aid for FY2025 based on the current proposed budget is a reduction of $149,898.
For up-to-date information on the budget process please go to view our presentations that an be found on our district's budget webpage. Updates and discussions also take place at upcoming School Committee meetings.
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Events
The following provides some highlighted events:
- Thursday, February 1 - Miscoe PTO Papa Gino's Fundraiser
- Friday, February 2- Memorial 10:00-10:30am Preschool 2024 Information Meeting via Zoom
- Sunday, February 4 - Me and My Valentine Dance
- Monday, February 5 - Early Release Day
- Tuesday, February 6 - Inspired Learning Day (Snow Date 2/13)
- Friday, February 9- Miscoe Night at PVD Bruins
- Friday, February 9-Memorial February 9th~ Sheryl Faye presents Helen Keller
- Wednesday, February 7 - Miscoe PTO Meeting
- Monday, February 12- School Committee Meeting
- Tuesday, February 13-Clough PTO Meeting
- Monday, February 19 through Friday, February 23 - February Break
- Monday, March 4- School Committee Meeting
- Tuesday, March 5- No School, Teacher PD Day
- Friday, March 15- Miscoe Musical Performance
- Friday, March 29 - Early Release Day (No Afterschool Program)
We're Hiring!
Join the MURSD Team. Build Your Career. Make a Difference.
As an organization, we are committed to providing a 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, consider joining our team.
Substitute Teachers Needed
Not all superheroes wear capes; some substitute teach!! Are you looking for an opportunity with a flexible schedule? Are you a college student home during winter break and looking for some extra income? We currently have openings and would like to hear from you.
Substitute teachers play an important role in the continuity of educational instruction for our children.
STARTING DATE: As soon as possible.
SALARY: $110 per day
QUALIFICATIONS: You must submit your application, resume, completed CORI form, and fingerprint results to be considered a candidate.
Please help us spread the word!
#MURSDThrives
#MURSDThrives
#MURSDThrives YOU INSPIRE ME Nominees
You Inspire Me: Danielle Deldotto, P.E. Teacher, Memorial Elementary School
Danielle has started up an amazing gym class for staff at Memorial. This has been something that truly brings some of us together to build a community within our school. She creates a fun, non-threatening atmosphere for staff to work together on their own well-being. We all truly appreciate the effort she puts forth to implement this each week, on her own time. She inspires us to work together and enjoy spending time with each other outside of the school day. Thank you, Danielle!!
You Inspire Me: Steve Handley, Custodian, Clough Elementary School
Steve always has a smile on his face and happy greeting. Even if he is coming to clean up...not so pretty stuff when students get sick. Steve works the afternoon shift so not everyone gets to interact with him but he is just a genuinely great guy and Clough is better because of Steve.
You Inspire Me: Melissa Clark, 2nd Grade Teacher, Clough Elementary School
Mrs. Clark has inspired me in by the way she reaches every student in her class through kindness, compassion, at the same time holding high expectations. Through her expectations she holds each student responsible for their learning and behavior. Mrs. Clark takes the time to talk to each student to help them through their struggles both socially and academic. She has a sense of calmness throughout her day good or bad. Mrs. Clark is an amazing teacher and feel blessed I have the chance to work in her classroom.
You Inspire Me: Linda Russell and Stacey Appleby, Miscoe Drama
Stacy and Linda do an amazing job with our drama students! The plays are always entertaining, well done, and a highlight of the school year. Thank you for all of your hard work!
You Inspire Me: Amy Townsley, Nipmuc Media Center
Amy always has a smile of her face and willingly helps students and staff. She manages the media center when the space is needed to house classes, on-line learning, or used for different activities. Her knowledge and professionalism is appreciated!!
You Inspire Me: Julia Busby and Tracee Perkins, Clough ES Administrative Assistants
Clough would not run without Julia and Tracee. They make sure that anyone entering the building is welcomed with a smile, they are always quick to help anyone in need, and they go way above and beyond their duties regularly!
You Inspire Me: Paula Sheehan, 8th Grade ELA, Miscoe
She builds the most amazing relationships with her students. Kids look forward to their interactions with her and look forward to her class. They know her class is a space where they can be themselves.
You Inspire Me: Rose Grady, Food Service, Clough Cafeteria
Rose has worked for the district for 18 years and sadly for us, just retired. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with her for the past 5 years. Rose is one of those unique and special people whom everyone loves and admires. She is kind, caring, thoughtful and genuine. I consider myself so lucky to not only have her as a coworker, but also a very dear friend. I feel truly blessed to have Rose in my life!!
Rose is the sweetest person to ever work here. She is so kind and caring. She is also very funny. She retired and came back to continue helping in the Clough Cafeteria. I will miss this wonderful woman.
District and Community Events
Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Information Night
The MURSD Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Info Night will be a virtual event at 6pm on February 8th. Parents interested in Spanish Immersion should join to hear about the program from Spanish Immersion teachers, administrators and current SI Parents.
Integrated Early Education Program
A virtual Information Session will take place on Friday, February 2, 2024 from 10:00-10:30 AM via Zoom, Join Zoom Meeting. Parents/caregivers interested in submitting applications for the 20243-2025 school year are encouraged to attend. The early education teachers from Memorial School in Upton and H. P. Clough School in Mendon will make a joint presentation and respond to general questions from parents/caregivers. The presentation will be recorded and posted to the district website.
Children who will be 3 years old by August 31, 2024, are eligible for the morning program that meets at both schools four days per week, Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 - 11:30 AM. The cost of the program is $340 per month for ten months.
Children who will be 4 years old by August 31, 2024, are eligible for the afternoon program that meets at both schools five days per week, Mondays through Fridays from 12:30 - 3:00 PM. The cost of the program is $425 per month for ten months.
Applications will be made available on the district website at https://www.mursd.org/page/pre-k-program and must be submitted via email to acurry@mursd.org (for Clough) or cdemoga@mursd.org (Memorial) by Monday, February 26, 2024. Applicants will be selected by lottery and parents will be notified by Friday, March 1, 2024.
Amy Curry, Team Chair, Clough
Cara Demoga, Team Chair, Memorial
Nipmuc Drama Guild Presents Percy Jackson
The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical
Introducing…The Lightning Thief: A Percy Jackson Musical! The Nipmuc Drama Guild has been hard at work putting together a musical of mythic proportions! This performance is only weeks away and you can now purchase your tickets online. Save the dates for this shockingly spectacular rock musical and purchased your tickets by clicking on the button below.
Parent Information On Basic Rights
Thank you to MUEF
Thank you to the Mendon-Upton Education Foundation for hosting an incredible community event last Saturday. As you can see below, our students had an amazing time! Thank you to everyone from MURSD who volunteered to play on the MURSD Dream Team.
Did you know? Attendance Matters
School Newsletters
In case you missed it!
Mendon-Upton Regional Store
We have partnered with a local business to offer Mendon-Upton clothing and other items. Use the green button below to bring you to the online website.