MPS families,
I hope this message finds you looking forward to the many exciting spring events in these last weeks of the 2022-23 school year.
I would like to begin this message by thanking our educators, school leaders, and support staff that we are honoring during this “Teacher Appreciation Week.” Public education is an integral American institution that provides all children, regardless of their life circumstances, with high-quality learning experiences and services to prepare them for college and careers. Our faculty's commitment in and outside of the classroom is the lifeblood of what makes our schools great. Please consider finding time for a quick message to one of your child’s teachers before the school year ends. I assure you that it will be much appreciated.
As we begin the month of May, please consider the following important items:
Parents are encouraged to provide additional support to their children in preparation for standardized testing.
This is the time of year when students participate in important assessments, including the NJ Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA) and Advanced Placement (AP) Tests. While these assessments do not tell the whole story of a child’s learning, they are important measures of student progress. They also provide students with intellectual challenges that have the potential to increase their grit and resilience. Accordingly, please ensure your student sleeps well, eats well, and stays hydrated before each test administration so that they can confidently demonstrate what they have learned this year.
Please participate in the new Social Media and Personal Electronic Device Thoughtexchange.
In recent months, various community members have expressed an interest in evaluating student social media and personal device use. Understanding that our new technology landscape significantly impacts our students, MPS is looking to develop a collective understanding of our community’s beliefs about social media and device use. Please join our conversation and share your thoughts anonymously on the Thoughtexchange platform. You don’t need to create an account or provide an email address. Just click the link and begin. The discussion will be open until Friday, May 19. We will report on the results at the May 22 Superintendent Coffee.
The 2022-23 school calendar has been revised, giving back snow days to extend the Memorial Day Break.
Per the original calendar, unused snow days are used to extend the Memorial Day weekend. To avoid disrupting the MHS Day of Service and the MHS Senior Awards Night, the last day of school in May will be Wednesday, May 24. Schools will resume instruction on June 1. The Board of Education approved these changes on April 18, 2023.
Finally, I would like to thank you for engaging with your child about the harmful effects of discriminatory and hateful language. Since I sent out the “Call to Action” in last month’s Update, we have seen a dramatic decrease in harassment, intimidation, bullying, and bias incidents in our schools. Please continue to talk to your children about their lives in and outside of school so that we can ensure a learning environment where all students feel respected and welcome.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely, Mark Schwarz
Superintendent of Madison Public Schools
Upcoming Events - To sync events to your personal calendar, select an event on our website calendar and use the “Add to calendar” button on the right.
May 1-5 - TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
May 2 - Board of Education Meeting - FINAL BUDGET HEARING
May 22 - Superintendent Coffee
May 23 - Board of Education Meeting
May 25-31 - NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day & Staff Professional Development
June 14 - Last day of school
June 20 - Board of Education Meeting
June 21 - Superintendent Coffee (rescheduled in observance of Juneteenth)
KEEP MADISON SAFE! If you see something, say something:
For emergencies and immediate threats, call 911
For all other health, safety, and welfare concerns, report anonymously using the “RSVP-3 Morris County, NJ” app
For child abuse, call 877-NJ ABUSE, or 1-877-652-2873
For bullying concerns, contact your child’s teacher, guidance counselor, or principal.
Together we are Madison Strong.