MURSD District Update
From the Office of the Superintendent
October 21, 2022
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
District Learning Highlights
Morning Meeting
Stem Career Presentation
Live Author Chat-Alan Gratz
October 21, 2022
Dear Mendon-Upton School Community,
We have had an amazing start to the school year! I always like to share how my favorite aspect of being superintendent is the opportunity to have a window into all of the learning in the district PK-12. From the positive school environment improvements with focused facility work of updated gym floors, lobbies, media center redesign, sensory spaces, literacy initiatives, STEM resources, and so much more, I can assure you that our school environments are welcoming, engaging, and joyful. The impact of a positive school facility can be tangibly felt when improvements and investments are made to modernize our schools.
Second, we have a number of new faces in our schools with new staff members and we were so fortunate to bring in high-quality instructors and support staff to join our current team of skilled educators. I can report that #TEAMMURSD is thriving. With our new staff has come new ideas and approaches to our focused work in understanding, supporting, and engaging each student in challenging and authentic learning experiences.
Third, you will hear about our work with improving our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support through targeted approaches such as: Tier I instructional practices, Universal Design for Learning, culturally responsive strategies, high-quality instructional materials, robust Response to Intervention processes, and enhanced data inquiry practices. We know the professional world of education can have a lot of educational jargon, so as we work strategically, we will continue to update parents and families regarding what these terms mean for our schools and our focus on student learning.
- For example, A Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a framework for how school districts can build the necessary systems to ensure that each and every student receives a high quality educational experience. It is designed to support schools with proactively identifying and addressing the strengths and needs of all students by optimizing data-driven decision-making, progress monitoring, and the use of evidence-based supports and strategies with increasing intensity to sustain student growth.
- For example, Tier 1 instruction includes the instructional moves, strategies, curriculum, and structures that we use in the general education classroom to ensure that all students have equitable access to grade level standards.
- For example, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn.
Throughout the year, we will continue to provide examples, definitions, and concrete approaches to bring our practices to life so that parents can better understand our continuous improvement efforts.
While academic success and growth is an important piece of our mission of empowering all learners to thrive, we also work to develop our students own passions, interests, and portrait of a learner skills as they progress through our school system. Whether we are engaging students as solution seekers (to solve local and global problems), we also encourage them to be inspired innovators as they make predictions, reflect, and redesign projects. We also help them to develop mindful learner strategies of self-awareness, resilience, and having a growth mindset. We maximize opportunities to foster collaboration and effective communication to authentic audiences. We provide opportunities to learn about other cultures, to take different perspectives, to engage in civil discourse, and to become global citizens. Our Portrait of a Learner is a framework that helps our community to view learning skills for life as a central part of our mission.
Finally, you will hear about our continuous efforts to bring active and authentic learning experiences to our students. At the middle school we are already actively engaging with project-based learning (PBL) as part of our in the school leadership network with PBLWorks. You will also receive requests as community and business partners from time-to-time to help us make direct connections with our learning and future careers. We continue to think differently about how education should look in today's world.
We do all of this in partnership with all stakeholders committed to the same shared vision for all of our students. Thank you for your partnership and positive engagement.
Warm Regards,
~Maureen
Superintendent of Schools
District Strategic Goals for 2022-2023
Future Events-Save the Date
October 24 SEPAC Meeting
October 28-29 Nipmuc Guild-She Kills Monsters
November 7- School Committee Meeting
November 8- 1/2 Day PD Day, Early Release for students
November 8-Memorial PTO
November 9-10-Teacher Conferences--Early Release for students
November 11-Veteran's Day, No School
November 14-Miscoe PTO
November 15-Clough PTO
November 21-School Committee Meeting
November 23-Early Release
November 24-25-Thanksgiving Recess
December 5-School Committee Meeting
December 7-SI Advisory Board Meeting
December 7-Memorial PTO
December 9- Early Release for students (1/2 Day PD Day)
December 12-Miscoe PTO
December 13-Clough PTO
District News
Communication Board Installed at Memorial Elementary School
Spanish Exchange Program a Success
World Space Week Competition
Mr. Gorman's Engineering 2 students participated in a month-long MaxIQ Space World Space Week 2022 competition based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). They focused on providing a solution for SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy using their CubeSat sensors. The students gathered data on light and UV levels at different angles over a week. After analyzing the data, they determined that the solar panel should always be facing the sun to maximize the amount of electricity production. They designed a solar panel with a motor to keep it focused on the sun. Their project was judged runner-up in the international competition! You can watch the announcement here. As a prize, the students were awarded some advanced CubeSat sensors. Congratulations to Alex Heather, Derek Cerundolo, Marcelo Filho, Liam O'Connel, Alysse Stasio, Jacob Snow, Joe Antoun, Dominic Abisso, Jackson Theall, and Ronan Joyce who all contributed to the competition project.
This class has also been sponsored to participate in a Suborbital Launch Challenge run by MaxIQ Space, an international nonprofit dedicated to educating students about the space industry. For the Suborbital Launch Challenge, MaxIQ Space has teamed up with bluShift Aerospace, a rocket company startup based in Brunswick, Maine, seeking to service the CubeSat with rockets using non-toxic, carbon-neutral biofuel. As part of the challenge, students must design a CubeSat to collect data on a suborbital rocket launch. Students then analyze the data and report back to bluShift Aerospace so they can improve their rocket. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to participate in real-world science and engineering project and make a difference.
In November, this class will be attending a full rocket test fire in Brunswick, ME. The students will be designing and building a special device to fit the rocket during the test fire to report back mission-critical data to bluShift Aerospace. In the first or second quarter of 2023, the students have a spot for their CubeSat reserved on the first suborbital test fire! The students will present their project, which will be entered into the World Space Week 2023 MaxIQ Space competition.
We Care Miscoe
Student Service Project- Tribute Stone Garden
On behalf of the work of Nipmuc student, Lauren Scott, we wanted to share the following information.
Each year, Project 351 runs a service project to honor and remember the lives lost on 9/11, military heroes, and first responders. This year, she is working with the other ambassadors and alumni from Mendon and Upton to run a 9/11 service project and is looking for your help! Check out the image below to learn more.
You can learn more and follow them on:
Instagram: @mendonuptonproject351
Facebook page: Project 351 Mendon and Upton Team
SEPAC Upcoming Meetings
October SEPAC Meeting (10/24, 6:30pm at Nipmuc or Zoom) – Procedural Safeguards Discussion
Please join us on Monday October 24th, 6:30pm @ Nipmuc PD or over ZOOM https://mursd.zoom.us/j/85605877946?pwd=bWtocngzNWgySUxIYW1EM2FrQmxvZz09!
During this meeting we will review Procedural Safeguards in addition to our regular monthly meeting agenda. What are Procedural Safeguards? They are designed to protect the rights of parents and their child with a disability and, at the same time, give families and school systems several mechanisms by which to resolve their disputes. Every parent or guardian involved in the special education process should be aware of these procedures, but there's a lot to them, so let's break it down together!
November SEPAC Meeting (11/14, 6:30pm at Nipmuc or Zoom) – Meet the Team Chairs
Team chairs from all of MURSD will introduce themselves and discuss the IEP meeting process. To guide our discussion, we want your questions! Please submit any and all questions you have for the Team Chairs via this form by November 4th. You of course will be able to ask questions at the meeting as well.
Community Events
Nipmuc Drama Guild Presents
#MURSDInspires
YOU INSPIRE ME: Trish Moloney and Ana Soto, World Language Teachers, Nipmuc
When we were looking to bring a Spanish Exchange Program back to the district after Covid had shut down our past program, Trish and Ana took the lead to research and coordinate a new Spanish Exchange relationship. They were able to bring the idea back to life and our students are so fortunate to have the resulting positive experience.
YOU INSPIRE ME: Kim Lopes, English Language Teacher, District
While Kim isn't new to the district, she has stepped into the new role as a teacher of our students who are learning English. She has been a huge addition to the EL team and has brought with her incredible ideas for fostering strong relationships with families and improving our communications in various languages to create a more inclusive environment.
YOU INSPIRE ME: Laurie Petti, Human Resources
This past year, Laurie has moved into the human resources position for the district. She has made huge improvements to our human resources processes, managed a year with an increased volume of new hires with ease, and all with a kind and caring heart to support our staff fully.