We are off to a great start and the 2019-2020 school year
promises to be an exciting one.
We are off to a great start, and it is
going to be an exciting and busy year for MERSD! I encourage you to stay
involved, and I thank you for your ongoing support of our students and of our schools.
As we transition into the new school year, please do not hesitate to contact
your child's teacher, counselor or building Principal with any questions
or concerns you may have. Additionally, I welcome and value your input so
don’t hesitate to reach out if you have a suggestion or need assistance with an
issue.
Here are a few updates and planning
resources for the year ahead:
Memorial Building Project
Update: Construction
is underway at the Memorial School and we are on track to be in the new
academic wing at the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Principal Willis has been working cooperatively
with the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School group, the Manchester Bike and
Pedestrian Committee, MERSD Administration Council, the MBTS Police Department,
and the MBTS Fire Department to create new evacuation plans, recommended
pedestrian routes, and remote “park and walk” locations. A map that SRTS created for us with their
suggested “park and ride” locations along with a map of suggested pedestrian
routes to school is available on the Memoria Site Information page.
Parent Education Series: MERSD offers helpful
workshops for parents and guardians. Topics range from college planning and
curriculum nights to informational presentations about bullying and mental
health. Parent Education Series Page
Mark your
calendars for two of our Fall Spotlight Presentations.
·
Dr. Elizabeth Englander, October 9,
2019@ 7:00pm – MERMHS
Dr. Englander is a professor of Psychology and Founder and
Director of the MA Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State
University, a Center which delivers anti-violence and anti-bullying programs,
resources, and research for the state of MA. She was named Most Valuable
Educator of 2013 by the Boston Red Sox because of her work in technological
aggression and how it interacts with peer abusiveness in general. As a
school district, the Manchester-Essex Regional School District is proud to work
with the MA Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) through student, faculty, and
parent trainings on social awareness and anti-bullying. In addition, MERSD
participates in Second Steps, YALE's RULER Social Emotional Training, and
MARC's student workshops focusing on anti-bullying curriculum development
programs.
·
Minding Your Mind, November 21, 2019@
7:00pm – MERMHS
Sponsored
by meHUB & The Spaulding Education Fund
Minding Your Mind’s primary objective is to provide mental
health education to adolescents, teens, and young adults, as well as parents,
teachers, and school administrators. We strive to encourage conversations about
these issues that may be inspired by our presence yet continue long after our
programs have taken place. The programs we have developed meet a variety of
needs, all of which support our overall goal of reducing the stigma and
destructive behaviors often associated with mental health challenges. These
efforts move away from crisis-based response to prevention through
contact-based education in a school or community setting.
This 90-minute program opens with a Minding Your Mind
clinician discussing the signs and symptoms of the mental health issues most
prevalent in adolescents through young adulthood, and to know the difference
from typical teenage behavior. The Young Adult Speaker adds a real-life story
that illustrates the information from our clinician, transforming it all into
relatable experiences.
Meet the New Faculty
We are very fortunate to have a
fantastic group of new faculty and staff joining the MERSD Team. Their
talents and student-centered outlook will certainly make our team stronger. Meet the Newest Members of
Our Faculty.
District Calendar: The District Calendar has been updated over the summer, and the most recent version is available under
the Parents & Students Section of the district and school
homepages. Please note that the last day of school, if all snow days are
used, will be June 23rd, without the use of snow days, we are scheduled for the
last day of school to be June 16th. Should we exceed five snow days,
additional make-up days will be added to the end of the year through June 30th.
Fall Open
Houses
- Essex Elementary Open House: September 12th @
6:00 pm
- Memorial School Open House:
September 11th @ 6:00 pm
- High School Open House:
September 19th @ 7:00 pm
- Middle School Open House:
September 26th @ 6:00pm
