Congratulations to our Student Council for winning the Gold Council of Excellence Award for the second year in a row. They were also a recipient of the Top Ten Project Award for their Goretti's Gift Card community giveaway, which is another amazing accomplishment.

Congratulations to Ms. Joanna Morin for being nominated for Advisor of the Year. The work that she and Jen Cronin continue to do with the Council is nothing short of amazing. Thank you to them both for their dedication to our students and community!

A special thank you to Ms. Danielle Rieder for her willingness to step in and help chaperone the trip. We appreciate your willingness to support.

In speaking with our students, they shared that this was another amazing MASC conference, which sparked so many great ideas for them to bring back to our school and community.

The Millbury Music Program was proud to send three students to the MMEA All-State Festival this year. This is a prestigious auditioned festival, and these students were accepted as some of the top musicians in the state. Pictured above (or below): Joseph Fortunato, Koda Wackell, and Jamie Hosier

Joseph Fortunato is a sophomore, who was accepted to the All-State Choir. In the Millbury Music Program, he participates as a vocalist in the concert choir, and as a trumpet player in the concert band, marching band, and jazz band. This year, he is the student assistant music director for the Spring Musical: Shrek. Outside of school, he plays in the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Koda Wackell is a senior who was accepted to the All-State Concert Band. In the Millbury Music Program, he is a trumpet player in the concert band, marching band, and jazz band. Additionally, he is the conducting intern for the 7th Grade Concert Band. Outside of school, he plays in the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra, Assumption University Jazz Band, and the McGann Marching Band. Next year, he will be attending the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music to study Trumpet Performance and Music Education.

Jamie Hosier is a senior who was accepted to the All-State Percussion Ensemble. In the Millbury Music Program, he is a percussionist in the Marching Band Front Ensemble, and an oboist and percussionist in the Concert Band. He serves as the treasurer on the Tri-M Music Honors Society executive board. Outside of school, Jamie has previously performed as a member of the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps as the center marimba player.

Last week, Millbury High School hosted its first Student Summit, a student-centered day of listening, reflection, and design built around one powerful idea: if we believe every student deserves to feel seen, valued, challenged, and supported and that learning should be designed with students, not just for them then we have to create real opportunities to hear directly from them.

For those who may not be familiar, a Student Summit is a structured opportunity for students to come together to reflect on their experiences in school, share their perspectives, and help shape the direction of future work. This summit was designed to help us listen to students, learn from their experiences, and use their ideas to help shape the future of Millbury High School.

What made the day especially meaningful was that it was truly student-led. Students were not just participants; they were the facilitators of the workshop sessions, guiding their peers through the questions and conversations. Teachers were there in a supportive role, helping to listen and capture thinking, but the day belonged to students.

Students worked through several question categories. All groups began by talking about what it means to feel seen, valued, and heard at Millbury High School and what helps students feel a sense of belonging. From there, they moved into conversations about grading and assessment, including whether grades reflect learning, how students know they are learning, what kinds of feedback help most, and what support matters when they are struggling. Other groups explored content and curriculum, discussing rigor, purpose, relevance, identity, and whether learning feels connected to life beyond school. Others focused on classroom engagement and activities, reflecting on what makes learning engaging, when students check out, what strong teachers do to create meaningful learning, and how classrooms can better invite student thinking and identity.

It was one of those days that reminds you exactly why we do this work. Everything about the summit was centered on students' experiences, their honesty, their hopes, and their ideas for what school can become. Their insight was thoughtful, direct, and inspiring, and their voices will help shape the next steps in our district’s work around feedback, assessment, and grading over the next three years. We are incredibly fortunate that, through Barr Foundation funding, we will be able to continue hosting this experience annually and keep students at the center of how we grow.

Days like this remind us that when we truly listen to students, we not only learn what needs to change, but we also reconnect with the heart of why this work matters in the first place. What students reflected back to us throughout the summit affirmed the importance of the instructional focus we began this year and will continue building over the next three years. Our work with OTA is ultimately about planning for student thinking and making sure learning is not

📣 Better Together at Millbury Jr/Sr High School, Millbury, MA 

Last week, Millbury Memorial Jr/Sr High School hosted a Student Summit to dig deep into the question: how do we design with students, not just for them? 

Students were put directly in the driver’s seat, and asked to define exactly what it takes to build a classroom culture where they feel seen, valued, and safe to take academic risks. Their insights are now a roadmap.

Huge thanks to guest speaker, Anthony Valentine, who kicked off the event by daring students to find their voice and speak their truth, while also advocating for friends and peers who may not have been present.  His call to action set the tone at the Pakachoag Center in Auburn, MA as students in grades 8-11 worked to generate student-led solutions, including:

✅ Collaborative Planning: Bringing students in regularly to partner with teachers during the curriculum planning process

✅Real World Relevance: Revamping curriculum and courses to incorporate content, topics, and texts that support students in discovering potential careers and developing important life skills

✅Reimagined Assessment & Grading: Reconsidering feedback, grading, and assessment policies to align with the community’s values of joyful, deep, and lifelong learning

✅Cultivating Courage: Building a school and classroom culture that helps students feel comfortable being uncomfortable and safe to take academic risks

The Millbury team is excited to build on the work they have already started with student feedback protocols and collaborative planning. The Learning Agenda is proud to partner with schools like Millbury and their staff who make this possible: Millbury Principal Chris Lowe, Assistant Principals Mike Calderon and Paige Cooper, Instructional Coaches Sarah Comeau and MaryAnn De Maria, Teacher Kayla Barbosa, Counselor Luis Gomba, and Director of Curriculum Lizz Boutiette.

✨Special thanks to our partners at the Barr Foundation for their commitment to elevating student voices and ensuring every student has equitable access to a high-quality education.

👏 Shoutout to the TLA Summit Team members Aimee Perez, Lauren Taranowski (Calevich), Xochitl Garcia, Matthew Pilarski, Courtney Jacobs, and Reed Dyer.

From our Athletic Director, Mr. Josh MacCreery:

This winter, our Millbury Basketball programs delivered an unforgettable season filled with success, pride, and incredible community support.

We would like to extend a sincere thank you to our entire community, as well as our parents, players, and coaches, for their commitment, hard work, and for representing Millbury with such pride throughout the season. The energy in our gym and across the town was truly special, especially during our tournament runs.

Both the boys and girls teams enjoyed outstanding seasons, each earning top-four seeds in the state tournament and advancing all the way to the Final Four. Their success created a tremendous sense of excitement within our school and community, bringing people together and showcasing what Millbury Athletics is all about. The boys team also celebrated a tremendous achievement by repeating as Clark Tournament Champions, further highlighting their consistency and excellence.

As we reflect on this incredible season, we would also like to recognize and thank our senior student-athletes for their dedication and leadership over the years.

Boys Seniors: Nolan Clark, Jimmer Donnelly, Aiden Phillipo

Girls Seniors: Sadie Warren, Sophia Merrill, Rayna Horton, Brielle Brothers, Mila Nikiforow

Their contributions to our program have been invaluable, and they leave behind a legacy that will have a lasting impact.

This was truly a special season for Millbury Basketball, and we are grateful to everyone who played a role in making it such a memorable experience!

Please click the link below to the April edition of our School Counseling Department's newsletter.