A Message from the Superintendent:
Hello Milford Families,
I am so appreciative of all that you have done to help your children while they've been at home with you during this school closure. I appreciate everyone's flexibility to adapt to distance learning. I know it is not easy.
Students will continue to work at home - the last day of remote learning for preschool through 11th grade is May 28. Our seniors will end their school year a little earlier on May 15. The last day students will receive any new assignments is May 22, and students have until May 28 to complete all assignments and turn everything in.
I am disappointed for our Class of 2020 and the celebrations that have been postponed or canceled. Our high school administrators have determined the best way to honor our seniors at this time is virtually, although nothing replaces the pomp and circumstance of our typical commencement ceremony. The commencement ceremony scheduled for May 23 at the Cintas Center has been canceled. Milford High School will instead host a virtual graduation ceremony and is holding the tentative date of August 4 as a possible date for an in-person graduation ceremony at Cintas Center.
At 4:00 p.m. on May 23 the virtual ceremony will be streamed live via YouTube and shared on our various social media channels. The ceremony will also run on ICRC TV’s live stream and television channels. After the ceremony, seniors and their families will be able to download the video from YouTube. As the ceremony date draws closer, we will share specific details for how to access it from your home.
There are still many unknowns looking ahead to the summer and fall, but I can share what decisions have been made. Our District Administrative Office will begin in-person operations next week on a limited basis. School building secretaries will also begin coming into the buildings to work, while also continuing to work from home. All of our buildings are still closed to the public and will remain closed to the public throughout the summer. Teachers will continue to work from home. High School Summer School will be offered to students virtually.
We still do not know what school will look like in the fall. We are awaiting guidance from Ohio Governor DeWine and local health officials. We are preparing for every possible scenario. The first day of school, unless otherwise directed differently by the Governor, will be August 19.
As we receive information and guidance from state and local officials and make decisions, we will communicate with you. We urge you to reach out to us directly if you have a question; we are here to help.
Sincerely,
Nancy House, Superintendent
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Mental Health Awareness: Day Of Hope
The goal of student-led Hope Squads is to create a supportive environment for their peers, showing them it is okay to ask for help. Hope Squad members are also trained to step in and help students who may be struggling.
Prior to schools being closed, Milford High School's Hope Squad members were planning to spread awareness about mental health by celebrating a Day of Hope April 29. They were intending to hand out literature and information to local businesses in Milford and Miami Township.
Since their in-person Day of Hope was postponed, we're sharing their flyer -
click here to download it
- it includes important information about youth mental health and the warning signs for suicide.
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What does Distance Learning Look Like?
Milford's teachers have created innovative and creative assignments and projects for students to complete during this unconventional time of at-home distance learning.
Distance learning looks a little different at each grade level. In kindergarten through second grade, students are generally working through paper packets downloaded or sent to them.
In grades third through 12th, students are working on devices to access online learning programs. Many teachers are using video chat rooms to touch base with students, answer questions, and provide lessons.
For example, teachers Kelly Robbe and Holly Zimmerman organized a neat project to teach about local government - a group of fourth grade students from Boyd E. Smith and Pattison Elementary Schools participated in a virtual Q&A session with local leaders. Students submitted questions ahead of time and their pre-recorded video was played during a live videoconference. Milford City’s Mayor Amy Vilardo, City Manager Michael Doss, Police Chief Jamey Mills, and Fire Chief Mark Baird answered their questions, which varied from “what are your favorite and not so favorite parts about your job?” to “What do you do in your free time?” and they asked the Mayor if she worked with the President.
Click here
to watch a recording of their video conference.
Here are some more examples of what distance learning looks like:
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Sixth Grader Emerson from Pattison Elementary created this diagram of an animal cell and labeled each organelle and its function.
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First Grader Claire from McCormick Elementary sent this photo to her teacher showing off her completed writing assignment.
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Milford High senior Madison created this poignant drawing for art class.
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Kylee, a first grader at Seipelt Elementary, sent this picture to her teacher, proud of her completed writing assignment that explains how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
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Ella,
a Preschooler, works at home on a worksheet with her mom
Andrea Carrier, a Social Studies teacher at Milford High.
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Jackson, a second grader at Meadowview Elementary, is working on a lesson at home.
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Fifth Grade Language Arts Teacher Shannon Langson from Boyd E. Smith Elementary video records herself reading books to her students. She has been using a green screen and different backgrounds to make the videos more engaging.
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Milford High sophomore Maddie created a slideshow of photos to demonstrate her understanding of French expressions. The text says "I just dressed my dog."
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Each week Pattison Elementary sixth grade teachers host a Zoom video conference for students and their parents.
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In the coming weeks, we will be spotlighting more distance learning projects and assignments being completed by our Milford scholars. The stories will be posted to our social media channels and our website.
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Continuing To Feed Milford Families
Milford Schools will feed any and all kids during the extended school closure. We are now qualified as an "open site." This designation allows the district to serve meals to ANY child aged 18 and younger, from ANY school district.
Breakfasts and lunches are pre-packaged for the week and available on Mondays for pickup between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the front entrance of Mulberry Elementary School, 5950 Buckwheat Road, Milford.
Parents who have not registered yet to receive food need to call (513) 576-4160 to place an order for their children. If you have already called to order meals, you do not need to call again. We will provide food for anyone who needs it, we just ask that parents call first to place an order so we can be sure to have enough meals available. We also ask that parents call to cancel if they do not intend to pick up the meals.
Call (513) 576-4160 to order meals or to ask questions. Make sure to leave a message if your call is not answered.
There will be limited delivery available for families that do not have transportation, are quarantined, or for other reasons are unable to pick up the meals.
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Show Support With a Custom Milford Facebook Profile Picture Frame!
Show your Milford pride and support of the Class of 2020 by using one of our three custom profile picture frames! To try out a frame head over to
our Facebook page
or click directly on one of the images below.
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Important Note: Student Medications
Student medications and medical supplies that are kept at school will not be disposed of. They will be kept for next school year unless parents need to pick them up earlier. If you need to pick up supplies or medications that would be needed over the summer, please contact your child's
building principal
to arrange for a time to come to the school to get them.
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Superintendent Search: Please Complete Our Survey
The Milford Schools Board of Education has contracted with the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) to assist with the search for a Superintendent who will take over for Superintendent Nancy House upon her retirement later this summer. In an effort to make the best possible selection, the Board would like to include as part of the search process a way for parents and community members to offer their thoughts on this very important position and process.
Under normal circumstances, an OSBA search facilitator would meet in person with a number of different focus groups. In light of the current stay-at-home orders and the continuing pandemic, focus groups will be conducted using the ThoughtExchange and Survey Monkey online platforms. You are invited to participate in
one or both
of these options to help in our effort to develop an ideal profile for our next school leader, informed by the common themes that emerge.
Focus group feedback will be very helpful to the Board during the candidate screening and interview phase as the Board searches for the perfect fit.
Click here
to participate in the Superintendent search ThoughtExchange.
(
Click here
to watch a short video to learn how to participate in a Thought Exchange poll.)
Click here
to participate in the Superintendent search Survey Monkey.
Both surveys are open until May 13.
The surveys ask participants to share their ideas about the major challenges facing the district in the next several years; the personal and professional qualities they believe are important for the Superintendent; and the performance expectations they believe would mark that person's success. All responses are entirely anonymous and are delivered directly to the OSBA search facilitator.
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Saluting Seniors on Social Media
Beginning Friday, May 1, we will be featuring our Class of 2020 scholars on social media - check out our
Facebook page
,
Instagram
, and
Twitter
accounts. We plan to
include a photo of each graduating senior along with their post-graduate plans.
Students - be sure to submit your information ASAP to be included - check your email for a message from Principal Mr. Kauffman with a link to send in your photo and information.
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Visit the Online Information Hub for the Latest News
The new
Information Hub
on our website includes all pertinent and important information related to the school closure:
- Latest news and information
- Important FAQ's about events and other information - including information about Prom, Senior Convocation and Senior Awards, grading, and other topics.
- Health Resources, including information about Mental Health Resources
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Coloring Contest: Submit Your Colorful Eagles!
You and your students can print one - or all of the designs - then use crayons, markers, or paint to color them.
This virtual coloring contest is for all ages! Please note: the coloring contest is optional and is not required work for any grade level or any student.
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