PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Family Update
March 25, 2024
Dear Pierce Families,
This week’s newsletter includes details about upcoming events in and around the school community. If you would like to view this newsletter in another language, you'll find the translate button at the top right corner of the document.
Please do not hesitate to be in touch with any questions.
Sincerely,
William Fish, Ed.D.
Principal
Upcoming Dates
- March 29th – No school (Good Friday)
- April 4th – Early release day (11:21 a.m. dismissal)
- April 4th – Hypnotist event (7:00 p.m. in the Pierce auditorium)
Washington D.C. Fundraising Appeal
The 8th grade class trip to Washington, D.C. is back! We have 237 students signed up to travel to DC with their classmates and Pierce staff. The cost of this trip is $1289 per student, and we would like to give EVERY student the opportunity to go. We are in need of about $25,000 in scholarship funds and hoping you can help.
Please check out THIS VIDEO to hear more from our students and teachers about our appeal to the community for support.
We are hoping you will consider making a donation to help fund a scholarship for students in need – and no amount is too small! Please click on THIS LINK to donate, or you can make a check out to the Pierce PTO and drop it off in the front office (please put "DC scholarship fund" on the check memo).
Please note that the Pierce PTO is a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible. In many cases, donations are eligible for corporate matching.
Many thanks to the families who have already made a donation!
Historia Antiqua Traveling Museum
Students in our 6th grade Social Studies course visited a traveling museum called Historia Antiqua this week. Students traveled to their own library at Pierce to tour a wide collection of artifacts and reproductions from the Egyptian, Greek and Roman empires. Each sixth grade class had dedicated time with the museum's curator, Doug Ryan, who provides a quick overview of the displays before letting students explore the materials. The traveling museum has Roman armor, Greek artwork, Egyptian statues and a wide variety of other great artifacts. In our 6th grade curriculum students study Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, Greece and Rome before moving to the 7th grade where they will study Aztec, Inca, Mayan, African and Chinese culture and geography.
Historia Antiqua was displayed at the Pierce library from Monday through Thursday last week, and was funded by the generous contributions of MPACE (Milton Partnership for Arts and Cultural Enrichment) .
Pierce Debate
On March 16th, the Pierce Middle School Debate Team participated in the March Lumos Invitational Debate Tournament. Students debated whether or not collegiate student-athletes should be classified as employees of their educational institutions. Students used the Public Forum Debate format to discuss the positive and negative consequences of providing student-athletes with salaries and benefits. Students Otto Bertolina, Aster Caldwell, Alexander Chan, Alicia Chan, Liam Coriolan, Viena Do, Tommy Hooper, Jimmy Huang, Valerie Huang, Eliot Levinson, Ivy Muzquiz, Mary Riccardella, Nathaniel Stanesa, Juliet Van Riet, Thinh Tran, Alissa Villar, and Bennet Wu competed in this tournament. Tommy Hooper and Valerie Huang received Speaker Awards for delivering speeches in a clear and eloquent manner. The Pierce Debate Team was thrilled to participate in our fourth tournament of the school year. We look forward to competing again in May!
Spring Track & Field Season
The Pierce track and field team will begin its season the week of April 1st. Track and field is open to all Pierce students. Click here for more information regarding registration and schedules shared by coach John O’Leary. Mr. O’Leary can be reached at joleary@miltonps.org.
Hypnotist Event - Join Us for this Fun Event NEXT Week
Join us for this fun event NEXT week - get your tickets now before they sell out! Be amazed when you, your friends, and teachers/staff across the room become stars of the show, as Frank makes them believe that they are singers, dancers and much, much more. This is a performance where the audience becomes the show. Get ready for a hilarious, energetic and unique show that you will never forget! Proceeds support the Pierce PTO! Get your tickets today before they sell out!
Ticketing site: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/81711
Any questions contact: piercemiddlepto@gmail.comExtended School Year - Summer 2024
ESY 2024 is quickly approaching! For more information, please refer to our 2023 ESY website. We are looking forward to a fun and educational summer for all students receiving special education services! Please be on the lookout for registration information from your child's Team Chair or Liaison.
Please note that in order to attend ESY Services, your child’s IEP must be returned signed to your building’s Team Chair. Any questions or concerns regarding ESY should be emailed directly to esy@miltonps.org.
Course Selection for Rising 9th Graders
Course requests for school year 2024-2025 at Milton High were due on Friday, 3/15. Course override forms are due by the end of school on Wednesday, 3/20. On or after March 25th, families can verify the courses their student has requested by logging into the student's Powerschool account and clicking "Course Registration" on the left side.
Any corrections should be addressed to the student's School Counselor by March 27th.
Milton Foundation for Education Teacher of the Year Program
It’s the time of year when the Milton Foundation for Education recognizes the extraordinary contributions made by MPS educators! The MFE is asking for nominations for Teacher of the Year in each school. Please take a moment to nominate an exceptional teacher here. All details can be found at this link.
Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive
Milton is hosting a clothing drive in support of Cradles to Crayons. The clothing drive is being organized by 8th grader Faith Kelley, Milton’s Project 351 ambassador. Cradles to Crayons is a nonprofit organization that collects every day essentials for local children who are facing homelessness and/or economic challenges.
Clothing bins will be placed outside the main lobby near the front office. Sizes for newborns to 12 years of age are needed. Gently used shirts, pants, shorts, shoes, etc will be gratefully accepted (please no clothes in poor condition or with tears or rips). Every donation is important and will make an impact in someone's life, and thank you in advance.
MCAS Dates
The dates of the spring 2024 MCAS administration are as follows:
Grades 6, 7 & 8 ELA – April 10th & April 11th
Grade 8 STE – May 13th & May 14th
Grades 6, 7 & 8 Math – May 16th & May 17th
Grade 8 civics field test – June 4th & June 5th
Yearbook Sales
The 2023-2024 Pierce Yearbook is now on sale. Yearbooks typically sell out, so be sure to reserve your copy now. Buy your Pierce Middle School yearbook here.
Family Resources
Please reach out to Marti O’Keefe McKenna, Family Outreach Liaison, at (617)980-7343 or mmckenna@miltonps.org with any questions you might have about MPS programs, the upcoming school year or if you are in need of a resource. All calls and emails are confidential. All updates on Family Resources – food, heating assistance, health insurance, financial assistance, contacts – can be found at this link.
Reporting Student Attendance
Families are asked to complete this form to communicate information about their student’s attendance. The form can be used to report student absences, tardies and dismissals.
District News and Events
SEPAC School Committee Candidate Forum
Please save the date for SEPAC's School Committee Candidate Forum! This relevant and informative event is scheduled for April 2, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. The Zoom link to attend can be found here. Please visit the SEPAC website for more information! www.miltonsepac.org
Screenagers Under the Influence
Screenagers Under the Influence: Vaping, Drugs & Alcohol in the Digital Age. March 27th, 7pm – 8:30pm, Milton Public Library, Keys Room. Film followed by panel featuring MHS Asst. Principal Brian Mackinaw, and School Resource Officer, Maria Martin. This film was viewed by all MHS students in January. The trailer can be viewed here.
MPS Summer!
MPS Summer fun is just around the corner! MSE is a fabulous way to spend some of your summer days. Milton Summer Enrichment (MSE) registration will open on March 11 on Family ID. The MSE 2024 Brochure is linked here.
2024 Lincoln Art and Essay Contest
Calling all students in Grades K-8! You could be featured in the Milton Times, recognized with a special award and celebrated at the Forbes House Museum if you are one of the winners in this year’s Lincoln Art and Essay Contest. The deadline to enter is Friday, April 5 and winners will be announced on Friday, April 26.
Winners will be invited to an awards ceremony at the museum on Saturday, May 11. On that day, we will also be celebrating the 100-year anniversary of our Lincoln log cabin replica! There will be a parade, games, reenactors and more to mark this special occasion. All the details of the contest can be found here.
MFE Celebration May 4 - Save the Date!
Registration for the 2024 Milton Foundation for Education's Annual Spring Event will be open in the coming weeks. Any questions on sponsorships, donations or how to get more involved, please feel free to email the Celebration for Education Volunteer Committee at miltonfoundationforeducation@gmail.com. Thank you so much for your ongoing support. We look forward to seeing you on May 4th at 5pm!
WPI Event for Middle School Girls
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is hosting an event for middle school girls who have a passion for math. The event will take place on April 6th at WPI. Details can be found here.
Grace + Grit 5K
Please join us for the third annual Grace+Grit 5K which is being held on Saturday, May 18th at the Glover School. This race is held in honor of Katie Crowell, Glover’s past PTO president, who was an amazing member of our community.
Visit https://racewire.com/register.php?id=14048 for additional information.
Helpful Contacts
Ms. Janice Mazzola, Assistant Principal, jmazzola@miltonps.org
Dr. Matthew Maré, Assistant Principal, mmare@miltonps.org
Mrs. Erin Jaquette, Grade 6 School Counselor, ejaquette@miltonps.org
Mrs. Lisa Veldran, Grade 7 School Counselor, lveldran@miltonps.org
Mrs. Erica Benjamin, Grade 8 School Counselor, ebenjamin@miltonps.org
Mrs. Myriam Francoeur, School Adjustment Counselor, mfrancoeur@miltonps.org
Mrs. Lynne Henry, School Adjustment Counselor, lhenry@miltonps.org
Mrs. Kara Sheridan, School Adjustment Counselor, ksheridan@miltonps.org
Ms. Amanda Gray, Special Education Team Chair, agray@miltonps.org
Dr. Seth Harmon, Special Education Team Chair, sharmon@miltonps.org
Mrs. Marti O'Keefe McKenna, Family Outreach Liaison, mmckenna@miltonps.org
Mrs. Sandra Wyse, Administrative Assistant, swyse@miltonps.org
Mrs. Kristen Lesser, Administrative Assistant, klesser@miltonps.org
Pierce Middle School
Email: wfish@miltonps.org
Website: https://www.miltonps.org/pierce/
Location: 451 Central Avenue, Milton, MA, USA
Phone: (617)696-4568