Good afternoon, Woolie families!

We hope that the February break treated you all well and that everyone is feeling refreshed and invigorated! Our return from the break has been off to a great start this week and we are looking to continue building upon that momentum this weekend as we move into some spirited athletic competitions! We hope to see you this Thursday and Friday supporting our boys and girls basketball teams as we host playoff basketball games!

March is an extremely busy month for us here at the junior-senior high school. We are in active preparations for all of our upcoming MCAS testing windows, parent conferences, a variety of co-curricular and athletic events, and all while scheduling for the next year and preparing for Graduation and our end-of-the-year activities.

As always, we continue to appreciate your continued support!

Sincerely,

Chris Lowe

We will also be applying for funding next year as well in order to continue expanding our innovative pathways programming!

Below you will find information about the program.

The Skills Capital Grant Program will award grants for the purchase and installation of equipment and related improvements and renovations necessary for installation and use of such equipment to support vocational and technical training. This equipment will upgrade and expand career technical education and training programs that are aligned to regional economic and workforce development priorities for in-demand industries, provided that grant applications facilitate collaboration to provide students training pathways to career opportunities in high-skill, high-demand industry sectors, and include all of the following characteristics:

• Be Demand-Driven: Meets a business-driven need, as documented in the funding application and verified in the funding review, award, and implementation
• Leverages Partnerships: Builds connections between and among educational institutions (including middle/high schools, community colleges, and state colleges/universities), and between educational institutions, private sector businesses and non-profit organizations
• Responds to Regional Plans: Responds to Workforce Skills Cabinet Regional Planning Blueprint and aligns to existing regional economic development, workforce development, and higher education plans to meet the business-driven need
• Maximizes Increase in Skilled Workers: Leads to an increase in the number of skilled workers in a cost-effective way to meet business-driven hiring needs, and, to the greatest extent possible, focuses on improving the skills of students and/or individuals facing barriers to employment
• Leverages Other Funding: Builds on other sources of local, state, federal and private funding to meet common goals
• Builds on Proven Programs: Supports or expands a program that has shown proven results, or is based on a model that has shown proven results
• Demonstrates Sustainability: Shows evidence of the ability to sustain a contribution to the workforce pipeline after grant funds have expired

As we know that people are excited to hear about all things Pathways, we wanted to share information out about the programming. In the upcoming days/weeks, we will be sure to have our Innovative Pathways Website go live with all of the necessary information related to the programming that we have been hard at work to implement for next year.

In addition to the website, we will have brochures and hard copies available in the guidance suite for students to take home in case you prefer a hard copy.

We are extremely excited to share out all of this information with you all as we are deeply proud of how we are providing opportunities for our students in thriving 21st-Century Industries!

During the February break, we were fortunate to have the majority of our equipment delivered and installed in both the fitness center and the adjoining cardio room!

A special thank you to all of our custodial and maintenance crews who put in extra effort during the break to get the room situated and ready for our students and staff to return to a functioning space!

We are excited to see the next phase as the additional equipment, audio-visual, and signage arrive to complete the transformation!

We would again like to thank the town for supporting this amazing project! It is such an amazing transformation that will provide our school with so much opportunity!

I will be sending out an email with a link to the signups to your personal emails, as well as posting links on our website and social media.

March 8 and 9: ELA MCAS Retest

March 10 and 13: ELA MCAS Retest Makeups

March 14 and 15: Math MCAS Retest

March 16 and 20: Math MCAS Retest Makeups

March 28 and 29: Grade 10 ELA MCAS

March 30 and 31: Grade 10 ELA MCAS Makeups

April 4 and 5: Grades 7 and 8 MCAS ELA

April 6 and 7: Grades 7 and 8 MCAS ELA Makeups

April 27 and 28: Grade 8 MCAS STE

May 1 and May 2: Grade 8 MCAS STE Makeups

May 16 and 17: Grade 10 MCAS Math

May 18 and 19: Grade 10 MCAS Math Makeup

May 22 and May 23: Grades 7 and 8 MCAS Math

May 24 and May 25: Grades 7 and 8 MCAS Math Makeups

June 6 and 7: Grade 9 Bio MCAS

June 8 and 9: Grade 9 Bio MCAS Make Ups

Printable versions of the portrait forms are available on our school website homepage. Students can fill out the form and bring it with them on the day of the photos.

The meeting will outline timelines for turning in their speeches and some additional key points.

We hope to see everyone there for an amazing evening of celebrating our Woolie performers!

This all-day event is an amazing opportunity for students to network with peer leaders and foster a deeper sense of what leadership looks like in schools around the State in order to continue expanding their roles and opportunities within our building.

In the upcoming weeks/months, grades 8 and 10 students will be meeting to discuss planning and logistics around many of the student-led projects. We will be sharing out more information as we begin the completion of the projects.

Be on the lookout for more gear that will be available during the year through fundraisers and extra-curriculars!

The Millbury Public Schools ensures equal employment and educational opportunities for its employees and students and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity (M.G.L. c. 151B and 151C, Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX), or on the basis of disability (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ADA) or homelessness. In addition, the Millbury Public Schools does not discriminate against its employees on the basis of age (M.G.L. 151B/ADEA) on the basis of veteran's status, or genetic information.