Dear Middle School Parents,
In this newsletter, you will find an opportunity to provide feedback about our Open House; information about our advisory-based holiday service project; the school photo retake date; a video of the parent speaker series presentation by Debby Irving; the Mud Week and Middle School Play tech week schedules, and updates for the week ahead.
Have a good weekend,
Will
News and Announcements
Thank you—On behalf of the K–8 Admission Office, thank you to the many students and parents who volunteered at last weekend’s Open House. More than 330 families toured our facilities and spoke with you and your children—an increase from last year’s Open House that reflects continued growth in interest in Milton Academy. We could not do this event without our wonderful families, faculty, and staff! Thank you so much for your time and participation. We hope that you will take a moment to complete this feedback form. Our goal is to run as successful Open House every year, and your insights and suggestions go a long way in helping us fine tune the event.
Holiday Gifts for ABCD Early Head Start—As students prepare for the holidays, they are thinking of those in need. Next week, by advisory group, students will discuss our holiday service project of providing a few small gifts for the children in the ABCD Head Start Program in Dorchester. Each advisory will be assigned a child from infant to age 4. Within the advisory, students will choose whether to purchase individual items (Early Head Start requests new clothing) for their assigned child, or to make a cash donation. Throughout the years, our students have visited the ABCD Head Start Program, learning about the mission of the program and getting to know the children. New to our relationship this year are the weekly Grade 7 visits by advisory. Grade 6 students will be delivering the gifts to the children and spending time in the classrooms. Gifts will be due by Tuesday, December 6 so that they may be wrapped. Contact Carrie Ferrin with any questions.
Update on School Photos—School photo packages were distributed to students this week. If you were not satisfied with the package, email Samantha Cristoforo to schedule a retake. Photo Retake day will be Thursday December 1. On that day, send your child with the entire, undamaged portrait package, which s/he will give to the photographers.
Nancy Anderson Presents Keynote Address—Last week, K–8 Mathematics Coordinator Dr. Nancy Anderson gave the keynote address at the fall conference of the Wisconsin Education Council. Her presentation, “Talk Moves: Tools for Using Productive Discussions to Build Proficient Learners,” highlighted her research on discourse-intensive instruction and described the strategies that Milton math teachers use to facilitate discussions that help students learn. Discussion in mathematics is an important element in the Investigations and CMP3 programs that Milton has adopted in the Lower and Middle Schools.
The Week Ahead
Middle School Fall Play Tech Week, November 14-18—Tech Week for The Basement Beanstalk begins Monday.
Mud Week Programming Begins on Monday, November 14—Click here for a detailed schedule of events for our afternoon program from Monday through dismissal for Thanksgiving vacation.
Fall Athletic Recognition Ceremony, Tuesday, November 15, 2:10 p.m. in Ware 101—This student event celebrates our fall athletics program: student-athletes, coaches, and the overall fall athletic season.
Speech Party, Tuesday, November 15, 4–5:30 p.m., Ware Hall—Any students planning to attend the Speech Tournament on Sunday, November 20 should plan to attend this practice session.
Middle School Fall Play, The Basement Beanstalk Opening Performance, Thursday November 17, 7 p.m., Thacher—Additional performances will be held Friday, November 18 at 10:15 a.m. for Lower School and at 2:30 p.m. for Middle School.
Important Reminders
Social Justice Educator Debby Irving—In case you missed our Social Justice Educator Debby’s presentation, click here to watch the video. Debby shared the important work of taking an honest and authentic look at different elements of privilege. She shared how her awareness of her own white privilege, together with the systems of socialization of people around racial construct, inspired her to take the inward journey that she discusses in her book. Middle School students worked with Debby at their Focus Day on Monday.
Mark Your Calendar for our Parent Speaker Series—We look forward to welcoming parents to campus for three exciting presentations on privilege, technology, and resilience. Join us:
- Tuesday, December 13 at 5 p.m. in King Theatre, Kellner Performing Arts Center—Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age.
- Thursday, January 12, time and location TBD—Elizabeth Englander, director of MARC (Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center) and a psychologist will discuss online safety and digital citizenship
- Thursday, February 2, time and location TBD—Maria Trozzi, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and consultant to the Child Development Unit at Children’s Hospital.