The 2016-2017 school year continues to move at a very fast pace! This blog entry highlights Medfield 2021-A Vision for the Future, the Fiscal Year 2018 budget, and a reminder about our winter weather procedures.  

Please remember to follow MPS staff on Twitter to see the many positive events happening in our schools.  Search #medfieldps for interesting "tweets" about the district.  I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and all of the best in 2017!

Medfield 2021-5 Year Strategic Plan

School Committee Chairperson Maryanne Sullivan and I are pleased to release Medfield 2021 to the entire community. The strategic plan development was a community effort that included 9 focus groups, a survey that gathered 800 responses, a goal setting retreat, many meetings, and a public comment period prior to the vote of adoption. Special thanks to subcommittee members Anna Mae O'Shea Brooke, Tim Bonfatti, and the Medfield Leadership Team for their work on this project. We are excited about this thoughtful 5 year road map and we want to thank everyone that participated in this important process. The final version can be seen here. 

FY 2018 Initial  Budget

 Although it is not even January, we are currently working on the budget for the next school year. The town charter requires the School Committee to adopt a budget by January 31st. The initial budget presentation requests an increase of 6.75% over the previous year's budget. The budget development process is far from over. 
Our budget subcommittee of Chris Morrison, Eileen DeSisto, Director of Finance and Operations Micheal LaFrancesca and I will continue to work with town officials throughout the next few months leading to our Annual Town Meeting in April.
The School Committee will hold a public hearing on the budget on January 23rd at 7:30 PM in the Lowell Mason Auditorium at Medfield High School. Please click here for the presentation from the 12/19 School Committee meeting. Watch for more budget information as it becomes available.

Winter Weather Procedures

The MHS Choir once again provided festive entertainment
at the annual "Spaghetti with Santa" fundraiser.

We were fortunate enough to make it through December without a snow day, but the next three months are often the most problematic in New England. We will once again utilize the Blackboard-Connect System to notify parents if school is closed, delayed, or dismissed early. The phone call will be sent to each household and parent cell phone number that is currently on file with the district.

In addition to the phone call, the announcement will appear on:

• Twitter @JeffreyJMarsden (I actually do this first...so follow me!)
• Television Stations: FOX  25, WBZ 4, WCVB 5, and WHDH 7
• Our district website: www.medfield.net

Please remember that there will be times when school is not cancelled, delayed, or dismissed early and the weather is still inclement. Those days will feature slower travel for buses and cars, but will not necessarily require a change in the normal schedule. Please remember if you feel it is unsafe for travel, you always have the option to keep your child home.

Congratulations to our student-athletes that recently signed their
 letter of intent. Chris McGrory (Baseball-Harvard), Jack Cahill (Lacrosse- Holy Cross)- Andrew Garfield (Lacrosse-Quinnipiac), and Elizabeth Keleher (Crew-Holy Cross). Missing is Addison Chung (Gymnastics-Iowa)