Dear Lower School Families,

Welcome to 2018! Hopefully we’ll be back to the regular business of school on Monday, after the snowstorm disrupted our first week of the new year! There’s lots going on in the coming weeks and we’re looking forward to having the children back after the extended vacation.

There are three calendar changes that I would like to bring to your attention:

• Next week’s Community Conversations evening for parents has been postponed to Tuesday, February 13. The topic for this session is the power of our stories to shape us, our narratives, and our values. We hope you will join us on this new date! Additional information and another opportunity to RSVP will be shared in the coming weeks.

• Friday, January 26 will be a FULL DAY, not an Early Release.

• The March 4 cultural event will be postponed until next year. Please join our Community Conversations events this year!

In today’s Lower School Newsletter, you will find the important information listed above as well as details about Sunday’s Family Skating Party, reminders about some upcoming events, and more. If you haven’t yet done so, PLEASE complete the Diversity, Multiculturalism and Inclusion Survey. To date, we have received only 39 responses, which is not sufficient for us to have a general sense of our community’s thoughts. Please take 10 minutes to give us your candid opinions!

We hope you will join us next Friday for our assembly celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is one of our iconic gatherings in which students all across the Lower School participate. We would love to see the room filled with parents. Also, if you are available on Monday, January 15, please come to Milton Academy’s annual MLK, Jr. Brunch at 10 a.m. in the CSG. Click here to RSVP for this event.

Stay warm and be safe,

Racheal

The Week Ahead

Family Skating Party, Sunday, January 7, 1–3:50 p.m., ACC—Siblings (older and younger) are welcome to attend. There will be refreshments, snacks, music, and more! We hope you will join us for this wonderful family event!

Community Conversations Parent Gathering, Tuesday, January 9 has been postponed to Tuesday, February 13.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Assembly, Friday, January 12, 8:30 a.m., Thacher—Join our Lower School Parent Association for coffee in advance of the assembly! Parents will gather for a “no agenda save for socializing” coffee beginning at 7:30 a.m. in the Perry Reading Room. Early drop-off childcare will be available in both buildings.

No Classes in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15—When we return to school on Tuesday, we will follow a Tuesday schedule.

MLK Brunch, Monday, January 15, 10 a.m., Caroline Saltonstall Gymnasium— RSVP here.

News and Announcements

PickUpPatrol is running! Thank you for registering with PickUpPatrol, the app through which we are now managing Lower School dismissal. Our first day of using the program was a great success. As we look to streamline our use, we share some observations:

• If you don’t have any changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans, please don’t indicate that in the “changes” section. We will assume that if there are no notes, your child will follow his or her regularly scheduled plan.
• If you change the plan to “pick up,” note the name of the person picking up.

No Assemblies January 26, February 2, February 9, February 16

• On January 26, February 2, and perhaps on February 9, students will participate in electives in lieu of having a whole school assembly.
• On February 16, students and teachers across the Lower School will visit the Grade 2 Family Museum in lieu of assembly. Parents are welcome to join us in the Junior Building for this walkthrough.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. Community skating is a really fun weekend activity with children and their friends!

Events Coming Up

Lower and Middle School Geography Bee, Thursday, January 18, 4 p.m., Thacher—Does your child enjoy geography trivia? The National Geographic Bee is an annual competition organized by the National Geographic Society, designed to inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world. Each year, thousands of schools across the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee. Students in Grades 4 through 8 are eligible to compete in the Geography Bee. Click here to access the permission form. By rule of National Geographic, we are limited to 35 participants. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis. Lower School students not regularly scheduled to attend ASP are invited to join us for from 3-4 p.m. for snacks and practice. Our hope is that this option eases parent need for immediate pickup; it allows students to socialize and prepare as well. Gap coverage cost is $5.

Fireside Chat with Todd Bland and Racheal Adriko, Wednesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m., Straus Library—Head of School Todd Bland and Lower School Principal Racheal Adriko welcome parents to join us for an informational night about the strategic direction of the School, as well as an opportunity to have any questions you have about Milton Academy answered.

Early Release Day, Friday, January 26 is canceled! This will be a full day in Lower School.

Early Release Day, Friday, February 2—Lower School students will be dismissed at noon. ASP special programming is available.

Lower School Concert, Thursday, February 8, 6:30 p.m., CSG—Mark your calendars for the musical event of the season! To accommodate friends and relatives, we have moved our concert to the CSG. We’re looking forward to sharing the evening with you.

Grade 2 Family Museum, Thursday, February 15, 8:15-10 a.m., Grade 2 Classrooms.

News and Announcements

Congratulations to Grade 6 students Samantha, Alexa and Hailey! They competed in the Massachusetts State Robotics tournament on December 16 and came home with the second place trophy for “inspiration,”—Milton’s first state level trophy.

Lower and Middle School Geography Bee, Thursday, January 18, 4 p.m., Thacher—Does your child enjoy geography trivia? The National Geographic Bee is an annual competition organized by the National Geographic Society, designed to inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world. Each year, thousands of schools across the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee. Students in Grades 4 through 8 are eligible to compete in the Geography Bee. Click here to access the permission form. By rule of National Geographic, entry is limited to 7 students per grade. Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Week Ahead

Novice Speech Festival, Sunday, January 7, Nashoba Brooks—For students who plan to attend, Ms. Makishima is offering practice sessions on Saturday. The bus will depart Ware Loop at 6:45 a.m. Breakfast will be provided on the bus; students need to provide their own lunches as none is available on site. The bus will return to Ware Loop at approximately 4:45 p.m. Students who prefer to join the team at Nashoba Brooks should plan to arrive no later than 8 a.m. Nashoba Brooks is located at 200 Strawberry Hill Road, Concord, MA.

Community Conversations Parent Gathering, Tuesday, January 9 has been postponed to Tuesday, February 13.

Math Meet, Thursday, January 11, 3 p.m., Thacher and Ware Hall 101.

Grade 8 Movie Night, Friday, January 12, 6 p.m., Ware Hall.

Robotics Qualifying Tournament, Saturday, January 13, Hopkinton—Bus departs Ware Loop at 7 a.m. and returns at approximately 4:30 p.m.

No Classes in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15—When we return to school on January 16, we will follow a Tuesday schedule.

MLK Brunch, Monday, January 15, 10 a.m. Caroline Saltonstall Gymnasium—RSVP here.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule.

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• January 25—Parent Coffee: Math Department
• February 9—Parent Coffee: Science
• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)

I was at Ashray, an HIV orphanage in Mumbai for preschool to middle school-age children. Every child there either had HIV or a parent with HIV who was incapable of taking care of their children. I had visited India many times before, and I was well aware that being poor means something very different there than it does here, but visiting Ashray gave me an entirely different perspective. I spent time with the smaller children, drawing pictures and talking to them. They wanted me to draw cake, chocolate and houses. With smiles plastered to their faces, they asked me what ice cream looks like. Watching the joy they found in playing games and folding paper made it tangible. I no longer had a jumble of facts and statistics at the periphery of my brain, but instead a deeper awareness of the situation. Places like Ashray provide a haven, but the question of what happens to children who have no haven left me troubled.

In seventh grade at Milton, I had done my Creative Scholars Project on girls at risk in India. The facts I gathered while researching my CSP heavily affected me. I discovered that girls are one of the largest and most at-risk groups of people in India. They are seen as burdens on their families, while boys are seen as profitable due to the dowry practice and a patriarchal society. Girls suffer from various injustices like infanticide, sex-selective abortion, trafficking, neglect, and exploitation every day. These forms of cruelty can be grouped together to form the term “gendercide.” The reality of gendercide is that one in four girls in India do not live past puberty; 50 million females are missing from India’s population due to gendercide; and approximately one girl a minute is aborted, all for the crime of being female.

After doing my CSP and visiting Ashray, I was motivated to not let the initial impact drop. I wanted to continue taking up this issue at Milton, and provide an accessible opportunity to aid these girls directly. In my CSP, I had found an organization called the Invisible Girl Project (IGP). IGP partners with Indian organizations that rescue gendercide victims and provide care and support. One way to help IGP’s cause is to write letters to the rescued girls. These girls have withstood great challenges, and to receive kind letters from others lets them know that they are loved and supported. Having people at Milton write letters to them was the exact opportunity that I had been looking for. It is an easy, direct way to do something kind for these girls. The Milton Academy community exemplifies kindness and compassion, so I was not surprised when I received a great response. I hope that many more will spare some time to write something encouraging.

Sitting down to write my letters, I think about the things I learned in my CSP, about the girls rescued by the IGP, the trauma they have suffered, and I wonder what to say. However, then I remember the girl in the tattered princess dress at Ashray. I think of the beaming faces of the preschoolers, and how the smallest things bring joy to them. I feel then that I know exactly what to say, and I start by drawing a large cake on the top.

As teachers, we relive the ebbs and flows of the adolescent experience. When an 8th grader struggles with the fallout of switching friend groups, I’m seeing not only his experience but the collective experience of that annual tradition. In that context, I’m able to recall my own misreading of my experiences as I attempt to help guide students through those journeys themselves.

I trained for many years to master my content. As an experienced teacher, I am well prepared to respond to any academic need that might come my way. But no formal experience alone has prepared me for the delight and devastation that comes with watching the emotional maturation (and temporary decline) of middle schoolers. Of course, I wish I could simply alleviate the anxiety of a student by saying to her, “Hey, I know what that feels like! That will pass.” Very little in learning or life works that way.

Instead, I attempt to bring to students the openness, reflection, and humor that I think best would have supported me at that point in my life. I’m not naive. The middle school years are difficult and emotional for nearly everyone. I cannot hope to change that fact. My desire is to help students stay balanced and connected as they grow. At worst, this approach still aids their learning of content. At best, it has the potential to ward off any self-imposed cocooning.

I spent most of my middle school years holed up in my room. At my wedding (many years later), my father likened those years to a caterpillar entering its cocoon. When I emerged sometime in my mid-teens, I was different. Looking back, I likely would have benefited by reaching out instead of inward. As a teacher, I see part of my duty as helping students remain constantly open to connections and to consistently make them grapple with issues beyond themselves that might force greater perspective. Students will, no doubt, look back on these years with some degree of chagrin. I hope, too, they see how hard they pushed themselves academically and emotionally and come to recall their time as, in the aggregate, positive.

Dear Middle School Families,

Welcome back, even briefly! Our back-to-back snow days have made the return to school a bit more gradual than anticipated. I hope that the holidays and the surprise days off were restful and enjoyable. We enjoyed seeing so many of you during our recently-added conference day on Tuesday. We are eager to find additional ways for you to engage with your child’s teachers at points throughout the year—by using the professional day, we were able to assure that all teachers were available and that students didn’t miss class. We are working to reschedule yesterday’s conferences and will reach out in the coming days as we figure out potential alternative dates. We’ll also seek your feedback as we try out these new conference structures.

A few quick items of note:

• First, thank you to Beth Reardon for her informative presentation to parents just before the long winter vacation. We are fortunate to have Beth working with our students and teachers, as a guide and resource!
• Second, congratulations to Samantha, Alexa and Hailey on their second-place trophy for “inspiration” at the Massachusetts State Robotics Tournament last month.
• Please note the change in date for our next Community Conversations parent gathering.

In this week’s Middle School Newsletter, we have two special treats: a Faculty Voice column by Grade 8 English teacher Josh Kronenberg, and a Student Voice column by Neha Modak. I know you will enjoy both reflections! You will also find the dates of our newly-initiated departmental coffees, an opportunity for you to register your child to compete in the Geography Bee, and more.

Stay safe and warm and have a good weekend,

Will

Milton placed a close second in the Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts meet, in what K–8 math coordinator Nancy Anderson called the math team’s “best performance to date.”

In addition to the team’s success, Milton team member Hailey was recognized as the highest-scoring sixth grader in the entire competition. The British International School of Boston won the team competition.

This was Milton’s first time hosting an IMLEM tournament, and the second year the School participated in league meets. Milton competed within its cluster of schools in the league, Pierce Middle School (Milton), British International School of Boston, Young Achievers (Boston), Edwards Middle School (Charlestown) and Boston Green Academy.

The math team’s 10 team members and three alternates competed individually in five 10-minute rounds—number theory, arithmetic, geometry, algebra and a surprise category—before a final, 15-minute round in which the teams collaborated to solve complex problems. The questions are difficult, Nancy said, and students should feel proud if they correctly answer one out of the three questions in the individual rounds.

“We have a rigorous math program here at Milton, but some students want more. They love math,” Nancy said of the math team. “They’re begging for even more challenging problems because they want to push themselves.”

There are five IMLEM meets overall during the school year. At the end of the year, the teams and individual student with the highest scores are recognized for their achievements.

News and Announcements

Our math team hosted five schools in an Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts meet for the first time on Thursday, and placed second as a team! Congratulations to Abby B., William C., Hailey C., Thomas H., Ava M., Neha M., Karol Q., Sachin S., Katherine S., Caden S., Riya S., Vijay T., and Matthew Y. Grade 6 student Hailey was recognized as the top scorer among all the sixth-graders competing. Read more about the meet, and our hard-working math team, here.

Grade 7 Technology studies Python Programming—During technology classes this spring, Grade 7 students will continue their study of the Python programming language using Micro:bit, a small microcontroller board. The Micro:bit will allow students to work with both software and hardware, writing code that has an immediate, real-world result. We encourage students to continue to experiment with these devices at home and to share their creations with you. Just like a textbook, these devices belong to the individual student and are theirs to keep once the course ends. Student accounts will be charged $16.50 for the cost of the Micro:bit, and the Micro:bits will be handed out the first week of February. Students are expected to bring them to their weekly tech class throughout the spring semester. Like all electronics, the Micro:bit is not indestructible—we appreciate your support in helping students care for these devices responsibly.

The Week Ahead

Grade 8 Movie Night (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ), Friday, January 12, 6 p.m., Ware Hall. Snacks provided.

Robotics Qualifying Tournament, Saturday, January 13, Hopkinton—Bus departs Ware Loop at 7 a.m. and returns at approximately 4:30 p.m.

No Classes in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15—When we return to school on January 16, we will follow a Tuesday schedule.

MLK Brunch, Monday, January 15, 10 a.m. Caroline Saltonstall Gymnasium—RSVP here.

The Movement: 50 Years of Social Justice Presentation, Tuesday, January 16, 2:15–3:45 p.m., Thacher—The performance will be followed up by an open discussion with the students. This is a students/faculty only event.

Lower and Middle School Geography Bee, Thursday, January 18, 4 p.m., Thacher

Speech: Nationals Qualifier Mock Tournament, Thursday, January 18, 4 p.m. Ware Hall—Students who participate in the Geography Bee may submit a video entry instead.

Grade 7 Movie Night, Friday, January 19, 6 p.m., Ware Hall

Speech Tournament, Sunday, January 21, Oak Hill Middle School, Shrewsbury, MA

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule.
Please note that Community Skating hours have shifted for this upcoming weekend. There will be no community skate on Saturday; Sunday’s community skate is from 10 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• January 25—Parent Coffee: Math Department
• February 9—Parent Coffee: Science
• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)

On my first trip to Guatemala, my family and I installed water filters and stoves in many houses. Many families in Guatemala can’t afford a stove, so they have to cook indoors on an open flame, causing pollution in the home, with smoke and high levels of carbon monoxide and posing a burn danger to small children. Open-flame cooking has caused an increase in the rate of respiratory diseases in Guatemala, especially in children. The stoves that we installed are called ONIL stoves. It only takes about 30 minutes to install one in a house, and they reduce harmful emissions while keeping the flame contained.

I was introduced to Guatemala by my dad, who has been going there every year since 2000 to do surgeries to repair cleft lips and cleft palates on children. Without visiting surgical teams, the indigenous Mayan population has absolutely no way to afford these operations. My dad’s team performs 50-60 of these surgeries each trip.

Guatemala is an extremely poor country. The average annual income is $2,740, just 5 percent of America’s average. The literacy rate is 75 percent, the second lowest in the Western Hemisphere. Sixty percent of the population lives under the poverty line (the 16th worst in the world), and the average life expectancy is only 71 years, the 55th worst in the world. Guatemala’s income gap is huge. The poor are almost entirely made up of the indigenous Mayan population, and the rich are almost all from Spain or have some Spanish heritage. The inequality is connected to a lot of violence and corruption in Guatemala.

The high need for support in Guatemala is one reason my dad started helping people there and I got to go with him two years in a row. The following year we weren’t able to go because it was the year of my Bar Mitzvah. Traditionally, the person who is going to become either a Bar or Bat Mitzvah does a Mitzvah project in the months leading up to the day of their ceremony. I decided that I wanted to focus on helping educate underprivileged children in Guatemala. I realize that I am incredibly fortunate to have access to the education I am receiving. I believe that it is a right of every child to obtain an adequate education, although it is not a reality for much of the indigenous population of Guatemala.

I decided to work with an organization called Hug it Forward. This organization builds “bottle schools.” A bottle school is a school made from eco-bricks, water bottles stuffed with non-recyclable waste. By using this method to build a school, the community not only works toward providing its children with an education, but also removes waste from the environment.  This organization is very successful, having built 109 schools in about 8 years. I chose this charity because of its innovative thinking and connection to a place that is special to me and my family. We will be going to Guatemala this March to help with the construction of a bottle school.

Many Guatemalan children have to walk miles to and from school each day, taking up precious time that they could be sleeping, studying, or just playing with friends. Having schools closer to their homes will give them time to just be kids.

Students who receive a good education have the ability to make choices with what they do when they grow older. The lack of a proper education is limiting. The world has to invest in youth education in impoverished countries to create a better future.

If anybody in the Milton community wants to get involved there are several charities working in Guatemala, including Mayan Families, Solomon’s Porch, Medical Missions for Children, and Hug it Forward. At Milton, we have so many resources and opportunities. Instead of taking what we have for granted, we should take advantage of it, and use it to its full potential.

Dear Middle School Parents,

It was great to have a full week of school this week! On Monday, we will be off in observance of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. When we return on Tuesday, Middle School students and teachers will attend a special performance by Emmy award-winning actor Ron Jones, who will play multiple characters as he takes the audience through a visual chronicle highlighting many of the political, social, and cultural markers of the roughly 50 years since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The faculty and I are delighted to bring this Dialogues on Diversity production to our students.

In this week’s Middle School Newsletter, you will find a Student Voice column by eighth-grade student Daniel Siegel about his experiences volunteering in Guatemala, as well as information about a new technology being introduced to our Grade 7 students, details about the week ahead, and a complete list of the dates of our departmental coffees. I am particularly excited to showcase our faculty discussing curriculum as I think this is the heart of what we do. The faculty look forward to having the opportunity to address you about the best practices and thinking about their fields.

We are looking for an alternative date to hold our snowed-out conferences from last week. I will reach out as soon as we make progress in this realm.

Have a good weekend and best of luck to our robotics team on their weekend tournament,

Will

Dear Lower School Families,

Wow! It was so great to see so many parents joining in our wonderful Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration! Thank you to our teachers and children for their hard work. And, thank you for choosing to begin the day with us and for sharing our celebration of love and community. As I listened to the children and the teachers presenting, I couldn’t help but think about how happy Dr. King would have been to hear the beautiful thoughts and reflections that were shared.

On the topic of reflection, as I often do at the start of each year (school and calendar), I reflect on my goals, and also on the goals I have for our children and our School. This year, as I was thinking about all that we have to be thankful for, I couldn’t help but also think about all that we still need to do. In this vein, I have made a short list of things that I wish for you, our students, and our School:

• Read and respond to School emails. We try hard not to inundate you with information, but once a week, we send you this newsletter with information that is germane to the coming week. Read the newsletter so that you know what’s happening—it is intended to prepare you, as well as your child, for the week(s) ahead.
• When picking up and dropping off your children, please put down the phone. Your children are either leaving you for the day or have been waiting all day to see you, and we see their crestfallen faces when they realize they don’t have your undivided attention. Take time to connect with your children during these times of transition—you will see results in spades.
• I share two resources that I find helpful as a parent and that underpin our work. The first is an article about the nine things that the parents of successful children do. I read it at least annually in my own parenting. The second is a TED Talk about raising successful children without overparenting them. The balance is, indeed, delicate!
• Finally, please respond to our Diversity & Multiculturalism survey. Your feedback is important, and a robust participation in the survey will be a helpful guide for us as we proceed in this realm.

Kindergarten Quilt about the activities of children around the world.

Thank you for indulging me in these requests. I know that together, we are a stronger and better community, and that working together, we can continue to make every child and family feel as essential to the community as you are.

In today’s Lower School Newsletter, you will find a note from our nurses, continued tweaking of our work with PickUpPatrol, reminders about upcoming events, and more.

Please make sure the January 24 Fireside Chat with Todd Bland is on your calendar. Finally, thank you to Andrea Ptaszek and Keegan Johnson for coordinating last weekend’s Skating Party.  

Have a good long weekend,
Racheal

The Week Ahead

No Classes in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15—When we return to school on Tuesday, we will follow a Tuesday schedule.

MLK Brunch, Monday, January 15, 10 a.m., Caroline Saltonstall Gymnasium

Lower and Middle School Geography Bee, Thursday, January 18, 4 p.m., Thacher

Trustee Weekend, Friday and Saturday, January 19–20

Fireside Chat with Todd Bland and Racheal Adriko, Wednesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m., Thacher (please note the new location)—Head of School Todd Bland and Lower School Principal Racheal Adriko welcome parents to join us for an informational night about the strategic direction of the School, as well as an opportunity to have any questions you have about Milton Academy answered.

Friday, January 26 is no longer an Early Release—Students will stay in school until 3 p.m.

News and Announcements

Health Notes from our Nurses—We are now in the height of cold and flu season. We encourage you to keep your child home if he or she isn’t feeling well. Sending a sick child to school puts other students and their families at risk of illness (and for the immunosuppressed, colds and flu present great risk). Remember that our policy is that:

• Look for signs of illness before children leave for School in the morning.
• When children show signs of a cold or have a temperature or sore throat, they should be kept home until the acute phase passes.
• If a child becomes ill during the School day, we will send them home for temperatures of 100.5 or greater.
• Before returning to School, students must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• All cases of contagious disease in the family, or exposure to a contagious disease, should be reported to the School.

PickUpPatrol Update—PickUpPatrol is now fully up and running! Thank you for your cooperation and patience as we continue to streamline the use of this app across the Lower School. If you haven’t yet logged into PickUpPatrol, please make some time over the weekend to do so, as it is imperative that we are all using one program. Some user notes:

• Review your child’s default plan to confirm that it is current.
• If you don’t have any changes to your child’s regular dismissal plans, please don’t indicate that in the “changes” section. We will assume that if there are no notes, your child will follow his or her regularly scheduled plan.
• If you change the plan to “pick up,” note the name and location of the person picking up. We can’t always tell who “me” is.
• Kindergarten parents, indicate where your child will go when he or she leaves campus. For example, if your child will leave at noon, then indicate “JB Pickup line.” If your child will attend Extended Day, then indicate how he or she will be picked up at 3 p.m.

No Assemblies January 26, February 2, February 9, February 16

• On January 26, February 2, and perhaps on February 9, students will participate in electives in lieu of having a whole school assembly.
• On February 16, students and teachers across the Lower School will visit the Grade 2 Family Museum in lieu of assembly. Parents are welcome to join us in the Junior Building for this walk-through.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. Community skating is a really fun weekend activity with children and their friends!

Please note that Community Skating hours have shifted for this upcoming weekend. There will be no community skate on Saturday; Sunday’s community skate is from 10–10:50 a.m.

Events Coming Up

Early Release Day, Friday, February 2—Lower School students will be dismissed at noon. ASP special programming is available.

Lower School Concert, Thursday, February 8, 6:30 p.m., CSG—Mark your calendars for the musical event of the season! To accommodate friends and relatives, we have moved our concert to the CSG. We’re looking forward to sharing the evening with you.

Grade 2 Family Museum, Thursday, February 15, 8:15-10 a.m., Grade 2 Classrooms.

No Classes in Observance of Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19.

Report Link sent to Parents—Week of February 26

Grade 5 Parent Meeting followed by Grade 5 Student Wax Museum, Wednesday, February 28.

Parent Conferences, March 1 and 2—The registration link will be shared on Thursday, February 1 at 10 a.m.

Egyptian Parade, Assembly, Share, Celebration, Thursday, March 8, 1 p.m., Greenleaf and Thacher.

Dear Lower School Families,

Congratulations to all our Geography Bee contestants! What a great turnout from both Lower and Middle School! Congratulations to Alison (Grade 8) for winning the Bee, as well as Max (Grade 5) for being our Lower School winner, and Avaneesh, for being our Grade 4 winner. We are so proud of all of you!

In today’s Lower School Newsletter, you will find a note from our nurses, continued tweaking of our work with PickUpPatrol, reminders about upcoming events, and more.

I look forward to seeing you at Wednesday’s Fireside Chat with Todd Bland. We are so fortunate to have such a visible and engaged Head of School, and I know you will enjoy your time with him as I do. Please note that the location of this event has been changed to Thacher.

Have a good weekend,

Racheal

The Week Ahead

Trustee Weekend, Friday and Saturday, January 19–20

Fireside Chat with Todd Bland and Racheal Adriko, Wednesday, January 24, 6:30 p.m., Thacher (please note the new location)—Head of School Todd Bland and Lower School Principal Racheal Adriko welcome parents to join us for an informational night about the strategic direction of the School, as well as an opportunity to have any questions you have about Milton Academy answered.

Friday, January 26 is no longer an Early Release—Students will stay in school until 3 p.m.

Early Release, Friday, February 2—Students will be released at noon, prior to lunch. Special programming available through the After School Program.

News and Announcements

Seeking Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Rolls—Ms. Eisenberg and Ms. McGuinness are planning a Paper Roll 3-D Creations elective on January 26 and February 2. They are seeking  any paper tubes you might otherwise be throwing out or recycling. Paper tubes can be delivered to either building office.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. Community skating is a really fun weekend activity with children and their friends!

Health Notes from our Nurses—Remember that our policy is that:

• Look for signs of illness before children leave for school in the morning.
• When children show signs of a cold or have a temperature or sore throat, they should be kept home until the acute phase passes.
• If a child becomes ill during the school day, we will send them home for temperatures of 100.5 or greater.
• Before returning to school, students must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• All cases of contagious disease in the family, or exposure to a contagious disease, should be reported to the School.

PickUpPatrol Update—Thank you for continuing to inform us of your pick up changes through PickUpPatrol. If you haven’t yet done so, please download (via iTunes or the Android store) or bookmark PickUpPatrol at https://app.pickuppatrol.net/pages/login.aspx

No Assemblies January 26, February 2, February 9, February 16

• On January 26 and February 2, students will participate in electives in lieu of having a whole school assembly.
• February 9, the day after the Lower School Concert, students will remain in classes instead of gathering for assembly.
• On February 16, students and teachers across the Lower School will visit the Grade 2 Family Museum in lieu of assembly. Parents are welcome to join us in the Junior Building for this walkthrough.

Events Coming Up

Early Release Day, Friday, February 2—Lower School students will be dismissed at noon. ASP special programming is available.

Lower School Concert, Thursday, February 8, 6:30 p.m., CSG—Mark your calendars for the musical event of the season! To accommodate friends and relatives, we have moved our concert to the CSG. We’re looking forward to sharing the evening with you.

Grade 2 Family Museum, Thursday, February 15, 8:15-10 a.m., Grade 2 Classrooms.

No Classes in Observance of Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19.

LSPA Coffee: Focus on Curriculum! Thursday, February 22, 8:15 a.m. Thacher—Join us and our LSPA in featuring Lower School teachers discussing curriculum. This is the heart of what we do, and the faculty look forward to having the opportunity to share their thoughts and their projects with you.

Report Link sent to Parents—Week of February 26

Grade 5 Parent Meeting followed by Grade 5 Student Wax Museum, Wednesday, February 28.

Parent Conferences, March 1 and 2—The registration link will be shared on Thursday, February 1 at 10 a.m.

Egyptian Parade, Assembly, Share, Celebration, Thursday, March 8, 1 p.m., Greenleaf and Thacher.

Dear Middle School Families,

What a great week we’ve had! On Tuesday afternoon, Emmy award-winning actor Ron Jones shared a performance which chronicled the political, social, and cultural history of the African American experience over the past 50 years. The presentation allowed students and faculty to ensure that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy lives on through education and dialogue. Yesterday afternoon, we hosted the K–8 Geography Bee. I am pleased to share that Alison (Grade 8) was our school-wide winner. Can anyone answer the following question? The Seikan Tunnel connects the island of Hokkaido with what other Japanese island? If you answered Honshu, you are correct; if not, better luck next year! We ended the week with the rescheduled visit of our sixth grade to Cradles to Crayons, where they delivered the donations they gathered and helped sort other donated goods. Thanks to the grade-level team for facilitating this work!

Just a reminder that the conferences from January 4 are being rescheduled for January 25 with the same times as were scheduled. If you cannot attend, please notify teachers directly.  Also on January 25, the mathematics faculty will host a parent coffee to provide an overview of the Middle School mathematics program. The faculty will describe the curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices of our program. Questions such as, “How can parents support students’ learning?” and “What opportunities are available for students who want to do more math?” will also be addressed.

In this week’s Middle School Newsletter, you will find information about the week ahead as well as an important reminder about the new technology being introduced in Grade 7.

Have a good weekend and best of luck to our speech team,

Will

The Week Ahead

Grade 7 Movie Night, Friday, January 19, 6 p.m., Ware Hall

Speech Tournament, Sunday, January 21, Oak Hill Middle School, Shrewsbury, MA

Trustees Weekend, Friday, January 19–Saturday, January 20

Parent Coffee: A Look at Math, Thursday, January 25, 8:20 a.m., Thacher

Parent Conferences, Thursday, January 25—Conferences are scheduled for the same times they would have been on January 4. If you need to cancel, contact the teachers directly. For questions or schedule changes, contact Samantha Cristoforo.

Important Reminders

Math Team Success—Our math team hosted five schools in an Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts meet for the first time on Thursday, and placed second as a team! Congratulations to Abby B., William C., Hailey C., Thomas H., Ava M., Neha M., Karol Q., Sachin S., Katherine S., Caden S., Riya S., Vijay T., and Matthew Y. Grade 6 student Hailey was recognized as the top scorer among all the sixth-graders competing. Read more about the meet, and our hard-working math team, here.

Grade 7 Technology Studies Python Programming—During technology classes this spring, Grade 7 students will continue their study of the Python programming language using Micro:bit, a small microcontroller board. The Micro:bit will allow students to work with both software and hardware, writing code that has an immediate, real-world result. We encourage students to continue to experiment with these devices at home and to share their creations with you. Just like a textbook, these devices belong to the individual student and are theirs to keep once the course ends. Student accounts will be charged $16.50 for the cost of the Micro:bit, and the Micro:bits will be handed out the first week of February. Students are expected to bring them to their weekly tech class throughout the spring semester. Like all electronics, the Micro:bit is not indestructible—we appreciate your support in helping students care for these devices responsibly.

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. 

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• January 25—Parent Coffee: Math Department
• February 9—Parent Coffee: Science
• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)

News and Announcements

Social Institute, February 20—Representatives from The Social Institute will be at Milton to present to students and parents about how to engage in social media positively and constructively. They have worked with many schools, universities, teams and organizations to analyze social media use in the community and to educate teens about how they can be empowered through the digital world. There will be a parent presentation at 7 p.m. on February 20. More details will be forthcoming in next couple of weeks. We hope you will come to this presentation.

The Week Ahead

Scheduling Reminder—Middle School classes are in session on Monday and Tuesday, January 29 and 30 when Upper School classes are not in session.

Second Semester Begins, Thursday, February 1

Speech Tournament, Sunday, February 4, Pike School—Bus departs Ware Loop at 6:45 a.m. and returns at approximately 6 p.m. If you plan to meet us at Pike, plan to arrive by 8 a.m.

Important Reminders

Update on the Principal Search—The search for our new Middle School principal is well underway. Working with our search firm, Carney Sandoe & Associates, the position has generated great interest. We are in the semifinalist round and expect that a new principal will be named in early spring. Serving on the search committee, along with Head of School Todd Bland, are Sue Austin, Meg Burke, Sonya Conway, Nicci King, Josh Kronenberg, Yoshi Makishima, Deborah O’Toole, Jacqui Pennini and Tom Troy.

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule.

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• February 9—Parent Coffee: Science
• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)

A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. This is called the Scout Law, it is the “code” or list of everything a Boy Scout should emulate. Boy Scouts was organized to gather young men together, and teach them the values inherent in a lifetime of service and good citizenship. One of the greatest lessons that Boy Scouts has taught me is that every day when you get out of bed, you have a choice: the choice to contribute positively to society, or to do nothing and just follow the crowd.

Because of Boy Scouts, my family, and many other factors in my life, I try to be a positive contributor to my community. I have been pursuing this by working on earning my Eagle Scout rank, which is considered the pinnacle of scouting. In my efforts to achieve this rank, I am continually being exposed to life lessons and new perspectives, which have enriched my understanding of the world. Scouting has always given me a wide variety of skills that I have been able to apply into my everyday life, like how to lead a group effectively, or how to organize projects in advance. I have also been introduced to many moral concepts that I think are just as important.

I volunteered at the Friendship Home for my “citizenship in the community” badge. The Friendship Home is a recreational center where children and young adults with special needs go to take part in activities with their peers. Despite being affected by severe challenges, the children were all extremely joyful and positive about nearly everything. I realized that your experience in almost every part of life depends on your attitude in the face of hardship. I have used all of the skills that I have learned from Scouts, for the most part in preparation for earning my Eagle, but these skills and lessons will outlast my pursuit of this rank.

That is the beauty of having a passion that you enjoy and still learn from, in the same way that I continue to learn from Scouts. The concept of “love what you do” could be applied to this situation, or maybe it could be called “love what you learn.” That’s why I chose Milton Academy, because it has given all of us from kindergarten to the Upper School a passion and joy for learning. Because we have enjoyed being at Milton, we have been inspired to Dare to Be True.

I am the wilderness

When I became a mom, a primal instinct to provide shelter to my children, from all of the hurt, vulnerability, and uncertainty that life presents, was born as well. Recently, I’ve been trying to reconcile my deeply held value of living fully with this immeasurable desire to shield my kids from the growing harshness of life.

When I think of the most meaningful moments of my life, I do not recall the easy, predictable ones. I remember those times when I was so lost in the intensity of the experience that time dissolved. Standing on a cliff in the Swiss Alps, with my heart racing, terror shaking my knees, and yelling “Yes, I’m ready!” as I run off the edge, my legs treading air as I’m launched into my first paragliding experience; or sitting with my 87-year-old grandmother as her breath rattles, and talking with her about death and dying and what, if anything, comes next; or the spontaneous decision to move to Vermont, where I didn’t know a single soul, to take a job I never expected to get.

While I cherish those moments, as my babies are growing up, this desire to shield them seemed to be growing larger than my passion for living fully. It’s worth noting that this shielding priority has grown slowly, as I made sure my babies drank enough milk to sustain them, as I cut bananas into tiny cubes and “baby-proofed” the house. It widened as I watched my daughter flip out of the crib and land miraculously unharmed, and squealing in delight, where I hadn’t yet thought to put a pillow. It thickened as I watched my son’s near miss with a tree as he learned to ride a bicycle.

Last September, I watched as my first born stepped onto the school bus. A newly-minted 5-year-old with a backpack too big for his tiny frame and clothes too clean and crisp. Tears shimmered at the edge of his eyes as he looked back at me and climbed the bus steps. I was tormented all day, wondering if he felt lonely or scared, only to see him return home on that same bus, dirty and beaming, as he shouted, “I was REALLY scared but I love Kindergarten!”   That’s when it hit me: In this increasingly complex world, is it a shield kids really need?

I want my children to live with courage, to trust that hardship doesn’t equal failure, to know that fear can help us calibrate our next steps but should not bind us, to trust themselves most of all, and to know without question that they are worthy of love and belonging.

In a desperate attempt to mend my suddenly splintering priorities, I began looking for research studies focused on vulnerability. Author and researcher, Brene Brown talked about vulnerability as the most accurate measure of courage. In that moment, a switch was flipped, priorities were realigned, and I realized living fully was pulling ahead of the need to make a strong enough shield. So here I am journeying deeper into parenthood and becoming ever clearer that it is MY comfort with vulnerability that needs to be cultivated, maybe even re-planted, if I ever hope to see it bloom in my children.  

As the universe seems ever ready to present a challenge where one is needed, I recently accepted a wholly unexpected invitation to sing with a few colleagues in front of the Middle School community at the holiday talent showcase. The whole idea felt extremely, EXTREMELY uncomfortable. In the days before the performance, my children watched me stumble through the words as I tried to wedge them into my already overcrowded brain. They heard me talk about feeling nervous and insecure about singing for a crowd. In the purest form of courage they told me, “It is OK to feel scared—it’s just a feeling—and singing is SO fun!” So with their words chiming in my brain, I stood up with a shaky voice and pounding heart and remembered what it feels like to be brave.   

Dear Middle School Families,

It was so good to see so many of you at our math department coffee and at conferences yesterday. Thank you for your engagement in our program and for partnering with our faculty—educational research is replete with studies that demonstrate the importance of the home-school partnership.

Next week, second semester begins. For our students that has little effect on their schedules with the exception of a swap of performing arts and visual arts courses in the seventh and eighth grades. More significantly, the beginning of the spring semester means the return of Debbie Simon from her fall sabbatical! We’re all looking forward to having Debbie back in the Middle School. She will continue her remarkable and influential work with our speech team, drama program and support of English courses, as well contribute to student projects. This is Debbie’s final semester at Milton before she retires at the end of the year. We’re eager to learn as much from her as we can while we still have her here.

In this week’s Middle School Newsletter, you will find two special reflections: a Faculty Voice by Middle School counselor Nicci King, and a Student Voice by eighth-grade student John H. I hope you enjoy both articles as much as I have. Today’s Newsletter also includes information about the week ahead, our newest Mustangs of the Week, an announcement for our next special ASP program, and more.

Best,
Will

Dear Lower School Families,

Happy Friday! It was really exciting to see the joy and excitement on our children’s faces as they began their electives today. The eagerness and enthusiasm were energizing, and the menu of classes offered something for everyone. Thank you to our faculty for sharing themselves with the students, and many thanks to Jenn Katsoulis for her leadership and planning. If you get a chance over the weekend, ask your child about his or her experience!

Thank you, also, to all who came to this week’s Fireside Chat with Todd Bland and me. Among the topics discussed were:

• Curriculum and curricular renewal—We’ve renewed our mathematics and English language arts curricula and are in a multi-year implementation phase on our new programs. We are now in the process of renewing curricula for both library and physical education. Curricular renewal is part of our School-wide strategic plan. It is how we continue to assure that our curriculum is current and rigorous, and that our teachers are using best practices in their classrooms and in all their work with children.
• The long-term and “lifer” experiences, academically, extracurricularly, and socially.
• Faculty recruitment and retention, including mentorship and growth plans, and support of all faculty, particularly those new to our community.
• Assessment
• Resource Allocation

If you were not able to make this session, I hope you will find an opportunity to connect with someone who was there.

In today’s Lower School Newsletter, you will find information about our upcoming Lower School Concert as well as information from our ASP program to help you cover the quick turnaround from school dismissal to call time on Concert day; details about the week ahead; upcoming events, and more.

Have a good weekend,

Racheal

The Week Ahead

Grade 5 Skating Celebration, Tuesday, January 30, 9:15–10 a.m., Robbins Rink, ACC

Grade 3 Skating Celebration, Wednesday, January 31, 8:15–9 a.m., Robbins Rink, ACC

Grade 4 Skating Celebration, Thursday, February 1, 11:05 a.m.–12 p.m., Robbins Rink, ACC

Early Release, Friday, February 2—Students will be released at noon, prior to lunch. Special programming available through the After School Program.

News and Announcements

Lower School Concert, Thursday, February 8, 6:30 p.m., CSG—Our Spring Concert is just around the corner, so mark your calendars! Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 will perform. They have worked hard throughout the year and are eager to share what they have learned. Student dress for the concert is:

• Grades K & 1: white t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings). The t-shirt should be plain and one that the student can paint. They will make winter designs on their shirts in art class.
• Grades 2 & 3: plain pastel t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings).
• Grades 4 & 5: plain pastel t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings). Students in Grade 4 should also bring a white shirt, preferably collared.

If you have questions about the concert clothing, reach out to Marlena Alex.

Our After School Program is ready to help parents manage the short turnaround time on concert day—ASP will be available from dismissal to 5:30 p.m. After School personnel will provide dinner and an opportunity for children to change into concert clothing. At 5:30 p.m., the students in ASP will be delivered to the CSG. If your child is already registered to attend ASP on Thursday afternoon, there is no additional charge for the special after school programming. Any families not regularly enrolled in ASP on Thursdays are invited to join for a special drop-in program the afternoon of the concert. The special drop-in on this day will also provide dinner, an opportunity to change into concert clothing, and delivery of children to the CSG at 5:30 p.m. The cost for the program is $15. Please know that by registering your child, you are agreeing to the charge on your child’s IA. Click here to register for this program by Monday, February 6, so that we may make the appropriate arrangements.

Seeking Paper Towel and Toilet Paper Rolls—Ms. Eisenberg and Ms. McGuinness are making Paper Roll 3-D Creations in their elective. They are seeking any paper tubes you might otherwise be throwing out or recycling. Paper tubes can be delivered to either building office.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. Community skating is a really fun weekend activity with children and their friends!

No Assemblies February 2, February 9, February 16

• On February 2, students will participate in electives in lieu of having a whole school assembly.
• February 9, the day after the Lower School Concert, students will remain in classes instead of gathering for assembly.
• On February 16, students and teachers across the Lower School will visit the Grade 2 Family Museum in lieu of assembly. Parents are welcome to join us in the Junior Building for this walkthrough.

Events Coming Up

Grade 2 Family Museum, Thursday, February 15, 8:15–10 a.m., Grade 2 Classrooms.

No Classes in Observance of Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19.

LSPA Coffee: Focus on Curriculum! Thursday, February 22, 8:15 a.m., Thacher—Tying into our curricular discussions at the start of the year, join us and our LSPA in featuring curriculum presentations by some of our Lower School teachers. We have added a second such date to the calendar—March 29—for a second such share. Details of both presentations to follow.

Report Link sent to Parents—Week of February 26

Grade 5 Parent Meeting followed by Grade 5 Student Wax Museum, Wednesday, February 28.

Parent Conferences, March 1 and 2—The registration link will be shared on Thursday, February 1 at 10 a.m.

Egyptian Parade, Assembly, Share, Celebration, Thursday, March 8, at 1 p.m. in Greenleaf and Thacher.

Dear Middle School Families,

Happy Second Semester and Happy Groundhog Day!

In this week’s Middle School Newsletter you will find our first Student of the Month announcement (congratulations to those students and their families!); a save-the-date for a special evening for parents with representatives of the Social Institute, information about the week ahead, our newest Mustangs of the Week, and more.

I look forward to seeing you next Friday at our Science Department Curriculum Coffee. I know you will enjoy the presentation and learn a great deal not only about what we teach in science, but also about how we teach it. Thank you to our science department for this special treat.

Best,
Will

News and Announcements

Congratulations to our January Students of the Month: These students—Zander, Blain, Lilly, Matthew, Abe, Michael, Jaden and Olivia—have exemplified strength of character through responsibility, resilience, grit, and integrity. Leading by example, these students model the values we uphold as a community. They have helped make the Middle School a better place for themselves and everyone around them. Thank you all so much for being such valuable members of the Milton community!

Welcome back Debbie Simon—With the change of semester, we’ve been able to welcome colleague Debbie Simon back from her sabbatical. We are fortunate to have Debbie with us in this, her last semester at Milton. Everyone in the Middle School looks forward to spending time with Debbie and absorbing her warmth, passion, talent, and knowledge. Parents, your children will see and work with Debbie in a variety of ways this semester as she works in our classes and our spaces to share her expertise.

Lower and Middle School Grandfriends’ Day, Friday May 11—In late March, invitations will be mailed to our students’ grandparents and intergenerational friends. To confirm that we have the correct addresses on file, or to share the names and addresses of those whom you’d like invited, click here. Please complete this form by February 20.

RSVP for Community Conversations Parent Gathering, Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 p.m. dinner / 6 p.m. conversation—Join fellow Lower and Middle School parents to create a shared understanding of cultural narratives so that we can guide our children through this tumultuous time. No one has all the answers, but we all have questions: What do we say when our children ask difficult questions? How are we inclusive and accepting and understanding of one another? How do we teach our children to understand and to make a difference in the world they inherit?

Dinner and childcare will be provided. Parent session will be held in Straus. Students will be in Thacher for dinner, then Middle School students will move to Ware, and Lower School students will move to Greenleaf. Click here to RSVP.

Social Institute, February 20—Representatives from The Social Institute will be at Milton to present to students and parents about how to engage in social media positively and constructively. They have worked with many schools, universities, teams and organizations to analyze social media use in the community and to educate teens about how they can be empowered through the digital world. There will be a parent presentation at 7 p.m. in Straus on February 20. More details will be coming in next couple of weeks. We hope you will come to this presentation.

Students and Parents can now check the FLIK Lunch Menus on their mobile devices—Myschooldining can be downloaded from the App Store or from Google Play. Click here to bookmark the menu page on your computer.

The Week Ahead

Speech Tournament, Sunday, February 4, Pike School—Bus departs Ware Loop at 6:45 a.m. and returns at approximately 6 p.m. If you plan to meet us at Pike, plan to arrive by 8 a.m.

Choral Performance, Monday, February 5—Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate and baritone Grant Youngblood will perform with the Middle School Chorus in Straus at 1:20 p.m.

Rosie’s Place, 4–7 p.m., Tuesday, February 6—A group of students visit Rosie’s Place and serve dinner to the Rosie’s Place clients. For information, contact Isabelle Lantieri.

Activities Fair, Wednesday, February 7, during activities period—During this “shop around” time, students learn about the activities that will be offered during the second semester and they have the opportunity to make their selections.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule.

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• February 9—Parent Coffee: Science
• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)

Dear Lower School Families,

I hope you are well on this Early Release Friday. This afternoon, our admissions and Grade 4 teams welcomed prospective students for a group visit. These sessions remind us of Milton’s status and draw across the Boston area and that “with great power comes great responsibility.” While some faculty were working on the admissions visit, the remainder were doing professional development with our Institutional Technology team to better understand the breadth and potential of SmartBoards as teaching tools. Part of our curricular renewal across all strands is the reflective implementation of technology to enhance student learning. Time for this sort of work is invaluable for teachers. Integrating technology across all disciplines in developmentally appropriate ways continues to be at the forefront of our thinking. In the next few weeks, we look forward to sharing some new developments in this arena with you.

In today’s Lower School Newsletter, you will find information about next Thursday’s Lower School Concert as well as information from our ASP program to help you cover the quick turnaround from school dismissal to call time on Concert day. Please read the information closely, particularly as it relates to dress and timing. Also, be sure to let us know if you would like to register your child for the special ASP program.

I would also like to draw your attention to next week’s Community Conversations evening event, on Tuesday, February 13. We hope you will make every effort to attend this important event. Childcare will be provided.

Have a good weekend,

Racheal

The Week Ahead

Lower School Concert, Thursday, February 8, 6:30 p.m., CSG—Student call time is 5:30 p.m. in the CSG. Closely read the concert information below for timing, directives on dress, an opportunity to register your child(ren) for ASP, etc. Doors to the CSG open at 6:20 p.m. For those dropping off children at 5:30 p.m., there will be snacks and refreshments in Thacher, beginning at 5:30 p.m. We ask that parents and guests wait in Thacher instead of in the CSG.

Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 will perform. They have worked hard throughout the year and are eager to share what they have learned. Student dress for the concert is:

• Grades K & 1: white t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings). The t-shirt should be plain and one that can be painted. Winter designs will be added to the t-shirts.
• Grades 2 & 3: plain pastel t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings).
• Grades 4 & 5: plain pastel t-shirts and black or blue jeans (no leggings). Students in Grade 4 should also bring a white shirt, preferably collared.

If you have questions about the concert clothing, reach out to Marlena Alex.

Our After School Program is ready to help parents manage the short turnaround time on concert day—ASP will be available from dismissal to 5:30 p.m. After School personnel will provide dinner and an opportunity for children to change into concert clothing. At 5:30 p.m., the students in ASP will be delivered to the CSG. If your child is already registered to attend ASP on Thursday afternoon, there is no additional charge for the special after school programming. Any families not regularly enrolled in ASP on Thursdays are invited to join for a special drop-in program the afternoon of the concert. The special drop-in on this day will also provide dinner, an opportunity to change into concert clothing, and delivery of children to the CSG at 5:30 p.m. The cost for the program is $15. Please know that by registering your child, you are agreeing to the charge on your child’s IA. Click here to register for this program by Monday, February 6, so that we may make the appropriate arrangements.

Suggested parking for the concert is the Pool Lot, with overflow parking in the lot behind Pritzker Science Center. There are two additional events on campus on February 8, which will make our parking areas crowded. We encourage families to bring only one car to campus on this evening.

No Assembly, Friday, February 9

Community Conversations Parent Gathering, Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 p.m. dinner / 6 p.m. conversation—Join fellow Lower and Middle School parents to create a shared understanding of cultural narratives so that we can guide our children through this tumultuous time. No one has all the answers, but we all have questions: What do we say when our children ask difficult questions? How are we inclusive and accepting and understanding of one another? How do we teach our children to understand and to make a difference in the world they inherit?

Dinner and childcare will be provided. Parent session will be held in Straus. Students will be in Thacher for dinner, then Middle School students will move to Ware, and Lower School students will move to Greenleaf during the conversation. Click here to RSVP.

Grade 2 Family Museum & Celebration, Thursday, February 15—Grade 2 students look forward to sharing all they’ve discovered about their families. This museum-style share is a Junior Building highlight!

Lower School Walkthrough of the Grade 2 Family Museum, Friday, February 16, 8:30-9:30 a.m.—Parents from across the Lower School are invited to join us to view this hallmark Grade 2 curriculum.

No School in observance of Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19—When classes resume on Tuesday, February 20, we will follow a Monday schedule.

News and Announcements

Lower and Middle School Grandfriends’ Day, Friday, May 11—In late March, invitations will be mailed to our students’ grandparents and intergenerational friends. To confirm that we have the correct addresses on file, or to share the names and addresses of those whom you’d like invited, click here. Please complete this form by February 20.

Social Institute, February 20, 7 p.m., Straus Library—Representatives from The Social Institute will hold a parent presentation about positive and constructive engagement in social media. They have worked with many schools, universities, teams and organizations to analyze social media use in the community and to educate teens about how they can be empowered through the digital world. More details are forthcoming.

Students and Parents can now check the FLIK Lunch Menus on their mobile devices—Myschooldining can be downloaded from the App Store or from Google Play. Click here to bookmark the menu page on your computer.

Snack menu for next week:

Monday – Cheese Sticks
Tuesday – Watermelon Cubes
Wednesday – Clementines
Thursday – Hummus & Cucumber Wheels
Friday – GoGurt

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule. Community skating is a really fun weekend activity with children and their friends!

No Assemblies February 9, February 16

• February 9, the day after the Lower School Concert, students will remain in classes instead of gathering for assembly.
• On February 16, students and teachers across the Lower School will visit the Grade 2 Family Museum in lieu of assembly. Parents are welcome to join us in the Junior Building for this walkthrough.

Events Coming Up

Social Institute, February 20, 7 p.m. Straus Library

LSPA Coffee: Focus on Curriculum! Thursday, February 22, 8:15 a.m., Thacher—Tying into our curricular discussions at the start of the year, join us and our LSPA in featuring curriculum presentations by some of our Lower School teachers. We have added a second such date to the calendar—March 29. Details of both presentations to follow.

Report Link sent to Parents—Week of February 26

Grade 5 Parent Meeting followed by Grade 5 Student Wax Museum, Wednesday, February 28.

Parent Conferences, March 1 and 2

• To make an appointment with your child’s homeroom teacher, click here. Once on the conference appointment page, choose your child’s homeroom teacher from the list. You will be directed to his or her calendar where you can click on the time slot you wish to reserve. You will be asked to provide your name and email address so that we may confirm your appointment.
• To make an appointment with a specialist, click here and follow the same procedure of selecting the teacher and providing contact information.

Egyptian Parade, Assembly, Share, Celebration, Thursday, March 8, 1 p.m. in Greenleaf and Thacher.

News and Announcements

An important message from the Nurses’ Office—We are seeing an increase in the number of students either absent or being sent home sick with a variety of ailments including fever, headache, sore throat and cough, or stomach bug (vomiting and/ or diarrhea). To minimize the spread of illness, if your child is reporting any of these symptoms in the morning before leaving for school, please keep him or her home.

• Fevers: Students may return to school when they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Vomiting or Diarrhea: Students may return to school when they are able to tolerate a normal diet without any further episodes.

When your child is sick, be sure to copy both nurses (annmarie_martens@milton.edu and diane_holland@milton.edu) on your communication with the School. If you prefer to call, the number is 617-898-1671.

Sick children do not belong in school. Beyond the risk to students and teachers, we have students in close contact with family who are immunocompromised. To these people, exposure to viruses can be life-threatening.  

Last, please confirm that your contact information as listed in your myMilton account is up to date. We use this information to contact families when their children are sick or injured.

The Week Ahead

Middle School Students of Color Conference, Saturday, February 10, Dana Hall School—The bus will leave Ware Loop at 8:15 a.m. and return at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Special Olympics Basketball Tournament, Sunday, February 11, ACC, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parent Coffee: Middle School Principal Candidate, Tuesday, February 13, 9:15 a.m., Thacher

Community Conversations Parent Gathering, Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 p.m. dinner / 6 p.m. conversation—Join fellow Lower and Middle School parents to create a shared understanding of cultural narratives so that we can guide our children through this tumultuous time. No one has all the answers, but we all have questions: What do we say when our children ask difficult questions? How are we inclusive and accepting and understanding of one another? How do we teach our children to understand and to make a difference in the world they inherit?

Dinner and childcare will be provided. Parent session will be held in Straus. Students will be in Thacher for dinner, then Middle School students will move to Ware, and Lower School students will move to Greenleaf. Click here to RSVP.

Parent Coffee: Middle School Principal Candidate, Thursday, February 15, 9:15 a.m., Thacher

Grade 8 Course Planning Meeting, Thursday, February 15, 7 p.m., Straus Library—Parents of students in Grade 8 will meet with Upper School Academic Dean Jackie Bonenfant to learn about Class IV course selection. We will also use this time for Sharon Mathieu to share some information about the spring trip to Washington D.C.

No School in Observance of Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 19—When classes resume on February 20, we will follow a Monday Schedule.

Play Production Week, Tuesday, February 20 to Friday, February 23

Social Institute Parent Presentation, Tuesday, February 20, Straus Library—Representatives from The Social Institute will be at Milton to present to students and parents about how to engage in social media positively and constructively. They have worked with many schools, universities, teams and organizations to analyze social media use in the community and to educate teens about how they can be empowered through the digital world.

Important Reminders

Community Skating— Click here for the schedule.

Lower and Middle School Grandfriends’ Day, Friday, May 11—In late March, invitations will be mailed to our students’ grandparents and intergenerational friends. To confirm that we have the correct addresses on file, or to share the names and addresses of those whom you’d like invited, click here. Please complete this form by February 20.

Add These Dates to Your Calendar

We are delighted to offer Departmental Coffees so that parents can hear about our curriculum from the teachers themselves. Coffees will be held at 8:15 a.m. in Thacher.

• March 2—Parent Coffee: Social Studies
• April 12—Parent Coffee: Language
• May 4— Parent Coffee: English (this session will be held in Room 101)