Masconomet and Tri-Town Union Parent University, September 24, 2022
The Masconomet School District and the Tri-Town School Union will be presenting “Parent University” on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 8:30 to 12:30 at Masconomet Middle/High School. Parent University is an opportunity for parents and guardians in Boxford, Topsfield, and Middleton to come together and learn ways to support their children in their educational journey. Parent University is designed to support parents and families across a variety of relevant topics including understanding the methods and practices of school curricula, exploring best supports for social emotional learning, creating a community of belonging and prioritizing parent wellness as a critical component. The conference is designed into a series of engaging presentations and discussions that will provide insight and perspective on topics ranging from academics, character education, and preparing students for the journey ahead. This year’s event will be highlighted by two keynote speakers: Rick Irving, who will talk about how as a community we can recover and regain confidence with a sense of joy in ourselves and our children; and Katie Greer, who will share strategies to empower students, educators and parents to use technology in a healthy and safe way. We see this as a unique way to partner with parents to enrich themselves and to help their children thrive. Childcare will be available. Please click here to register.
Strategic Plan Kickoff
In 2022-2023, the Masconomet Regional School District is engaging in an aspirational, community conversation to redefine what success looks like for our students and schools and to embrace the practices that will enable the district to realize that vision. Through this initiative, we will travel down two parallel tracks.
First – We will develop an approach or strategy, a manner in which we as a community can come together – in small and/or larger groups – to solve problems. How do we strengthen our capacity to have more honest conversations, where we can disagree agreeably, and hear and understand the different perspectives that often accompany complex issues? We know that in order to prepare our students for a rapidly changing world, where learning takes place in so many ways, our schools will have to be nimble and agile. Faculty and staff want to be part of this conversation, and all interested parties, including students, need to have their voices heard.
Second – Where are we going, as a district? By what beacons should we be steering this “ship,” imagining our students, schools and community, five plus years from now? We are overwhelmed with possibilities: pressures to change, different directions we can go, with limited resources. What are we going to do and what aren’t we going to do? Through a series of conversations with all interested parties, we will review, and where necessary revise, a vision for where we want to head and craft strategic plans to move us forward collaboratively.
During this fourteen (14) month engagement, we will ask: What are we doing well? Where are there opportunities to stop or accelerate programming? How can we build on successes, expand or imitate, to continually evolve and adapt to a changing student profile and world? Through small and large group workshops, we will begin to craft a shared plan for how Masco might prioritize personnel, programming, budgeting and policy decisions over the next five years. Any final strategic plan should be used as both a guide and a tool for measuring performance.
A Team of community members will serve as the organizers, data collectors, authors and co-leaders of this work and direct and inform the process. Together, they represent a broad cross-section of the school and district communities of Masco. With guidance by an outside facilitator, we will explore and craft strategic objectives and initiatives and find consensus, and make recommendations for strategic planning, communications, leadership, and resources. A final plan will be completed tentatively by November 1, 2023.
“Promoting Inclusion ~ Promoting Friendship” presentation on September 13 @ 7:00 PM
The Masconomet and Tri-Town Special Education Parent Advisory Committee and the Tri-Town Council will be presenting “Promoting Inclusion ~ Promoting Friendship: The Role of Community Members and Families of Students Without Disabilities,” a presentation by Lisa Drennan, founder of Merge Educational Consulting. The presentation will be at 7:oo PM on Tuesday, September 13 in the Masconomet High School Library. Please register to attend.
Support Staff Contract Negotiations
Assistant Superintendent Jeff Sands and I will be beginning negotiations with the Masconomet Association of Support Staff next week on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The last CBA expired at the end of June 2022. We hope to have a tentative agreement for the School Committee to approve as soon as possible.
Upcoming School Events
| High School | Middle School |
| 9/8 Open House @ 6:30 PM 9/14 & 9/16 Picture Days 9/22 Senior Parent Counseling Workshop (evening) 9/29 Homecoming Dance 10/10 Columbus Day (No School) 10/12 PSAT Testing 10/13-10/15 Fall Musical Chicago | 9/13 Picture Day 9/15 Open House @ 6:00 PM 10/10 Columbus Day (No School) 10/14 Trimester 1 Mid-Point |
For more on these events and school-specific information, please see the High School Principal’s Blog or the Middle School Principal’s Blog.
News from the Masconomet Superintendent 