I hope everyone had a nice winter break and that you have recovered from our first winter storm of 2022!

This letter was sent home on January 2nd outlining our expectations for all staff and students at Milton High School as we move forward still navigating the ever changing situation with Covid. With our return to school it is helpful for us to remember all of the mitigating strategies we have in place to keep all of our students and staff safe.

Covid Guidelines January 2022

• MPS Health Prescreening Checklist
• DESE/DPH Updated Isolation Guidelines updated 12/30/21: MPS will follow updated isolation protocols from DESE/DPH effective immediately. If a staff member or student has tested positive, the staff member or student may return to school on day 6 after 5 days of isolation if asymptomatic or symptoms are improving. The student will be required to wear a mask at ALL times and may be given lunch accommodations to ensure proper distancing when eating. Details can be found in section two here.
• DESE/DPH Quarantine Guidelines updated 12/30/21. Details can be found in section two here.
• Test and Stay: Sign up for Test and Stay at this link.

Wednesday we presented our Term 1 Vision Awards to students and staff who were nominated by the Milton High community for their outstanding contributions to Milton High School. These individuals best exemplify aspects of Milton High School's Vision of Graduate . Please join me in congratulating the following MHS students and staff: Samantha Antunez, Kevin Carberry, Isaiah Hassell, Julia Levreault, Jennifer Lo, Sajeela Shahid, Gabrielle Slate, Chrissy Martinelli (Teacher), Elaine Moore (Food Services).

Now through January 14th is the time to pay for AP Exams!

Thank you to all of our students and families who have already completed this process. Please see the AP Exam Payment Instructions & Deadlines Letter, which was distributed to all AP students and families earlier this week, for more information.

Please contact Mr. Kelly (bkelly@miltonps.org) with any questions about Payment for AP Exams.

The next SEPAC board meeting will be held on January 12, 2022, from 7:00 -8:30 p.m. This is a community forum meeting, and SEPAC welcomes parents, families and interested community members to share stories, questions and advice. The Zoom Link can be found here.

Preparing High School Students with Disabilities for College:

Westfield State University is hosting hour-long Zoom sessions on this topic for high school students and their parents or guardians. Disability/Accessibility Services staff from other state universities will be present, along with a Westfield State admissions representatives. Please see this flyer for session dates, times and sign-up information.

SEPAC is looking for a representative for Out of District students and their families! The Out of District rep serves on the SEPAC board and is a liaison between the out of district coordinator (and other staff) and out of district students and families. The commitment is approximately 3-4 hours per month and involves attending a monthly board meeting, as well as meeting with the out of district coordinator monthly to review standardized questions. If interested, please email one of our chairs: Jennie Mulqueen or Jenny Sheehan.

Are you looking for community service opportunities? Throughout the year you will be able to access any community service opportunities here. There are already several opportunities available for students to volunteer. Get involved now!

Milton Sports for All is looking for high school students interested in volunteering to help with their recreational bowling program. You can volunteer for one of the sessions or both. Ms. Facey will sign off on your hours when you provide the paperwork. In the fall, Milton Sports for All had a very fun and successful Kick Ball Program and everyone who participated had a great time. Please email Ms. Facey at pattyfacey@comcast.net if you would like to volunteer. There will be a meeting prior to the start to go over how the program will run.

Recreational Bowling: January 6th – March 31st

Milton Sports for All, a recreational, inclusive sports program, is offering candle-pin bowling this winter at Cunningham Hall.

The program is open to kids in grades 4 - 8 who reside in Milton. Bowling will happen on Thursdays from January 6th through March 31st—from 4:30 – 5:15 for grades 4 and 5 and from 5:30 – 6:15 for grades, 6, 7, and 8. No experience (or bowling shoes!) is necessary. Candle-pin bowling uses smaller balls which are easier for kids to bowl.

Milton Sports for All is organized by a volunteer group of parents and community members who believe that sports should not only be fun, but also accessible to all kids regardless of background, experience, or ability. We welcome new volunteers! Our goal is for kids across Milton to have fun playing sports together in a supportive environment where they can meet new friends.

Our Winter Season is officially underway. Please take a look at schedules posted on our website.

Substitute Teaching: Several members of our community have reached out about being a substitute teacher during this school year. On call daily substitute teachers are needed for all levels and the rate is $90 per day. We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to apply at the Apply for a Job at MPS link found on the front of the MPS website. Substitute teachers must have experience and enjoy working with children, the minimum requirement is a Bachelors degree for substitute teachers and an Associates degree for a substitute paraprofessional. Citizenship, residency or work VISA in United States is required. If you have any questions about the requirements, and how they pertain to you, please email MPS Human Resources Specialist Laurie Dunn at ldunn@miltonps.org.

Family Resources With the days short, temperatures dropping and the cost of heat rising we want to remind families who may need assistance of a valuable resource. If you or someone you know is in need of heating assistance this winter the Quincy Community Action Program, serving Milton families, has begun their Winter Fuel Assistance Application process. For applications and more details please visit QCAP Fuel Assistance Program.

In addition, it’s time to start thinking about filing your 2021 taxes. The United Way and Quincy Community Action Program offers free tax preparation for qualifying families. Details about both programs and more can be found in our Family Resource Newsletter.

MPS knows that families may sometimes need resources for their children and family beyond the classroom. In addition to the Family Resource Newsletter please visit Milton Public School Resource Guide. If you need additional assistance please don’t hesitate to reach out to Marti O’Keefe McKenna, MPS Family Outreach Liaison at 617-980-7343 or by email at mmckenna@miltonps.org. All calls and emails are confidential.

Our Milton High Library is open by 7am every morning so students can access all the amazing resources the library has to offer! Librarian J Troy is always on hand to help guide students in the right direction!

Throughout the school year, members of our MPS community celebrate and observe various religious holidays. We adjust homework expectations as needed as you can see in the document linked here. If there is a religious holiday that we have missed, please email Superintendent James Jette or Senior Director of Education Equity Somaly Prak-Martins.

MPS School Calendar

(Revised 10/27/21- due to storm closure the last day of school is now June 22nd)

For Family Technology Support click HERE

Chromebook Troubleshooting

Is your family having internet issues or need assistance to access the internet in your home? Please go here for more information.

All MHS students and families are required to read our MHS Student and Family Handbook and required to digitally sign a verification form acknowledging reading and understanding the rules and policies for Milton High School. If you have not signed and submitted the verification form that was sent to you by No-Reply@miltonps.org, please do so as soon as possible. Feel free to reach out to the Main Office with any questions.

The William James INTERFACE Referral Service is a mental health resource and referral Helpline available Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm. It assists Milton residents and/or public school students to access outpatient mental health services. What makes INTERFACE unique is that we do not provide merely a list of providers, but rather matched referrals to mental health professionals and practices who best meet the caller’s needs, insurance or fee requirement, specialty request, location, and availability. The Helpline is staffed by mental health professionals, as well as graduate level students from William James College. For more information about INTERFACE, please visit their website.