October 2026 Newsletter

Dear Clinton Community,

The temperatures dropping and the leaves falling off of the trees are signs that our fall season is starting to wind down. I have been trying to attend as many of our athletic senior night events as I can, I hope that everyone can get out and support the Gaels!

During this time of the year, my office is typically busy planning for next school year. This is the time when we start to look at the changes and improvements that we have planned for the next school year so we can begin to incorporate these changes into our budget. This will be a particularly interesting budget year as we look forward to opening the new school and moving the fourth grade to the new middle school.

The state recently recognized Clinton High School with two recognitions. First, based on their 2026 Accountability Data, CHS was identified by the DESE as a “School of Recognition”. CHS made tremendous improvement in almost all areas.

Next, based on our 2024-2025 school year data, the DESE recognized Clinton High School with a “Seal of Biliteracy Star Award”.  This recognition was due to the number of students at CHS who are demonstrating their multilingual skills and demonstrating proficiency in multiple languages.

Great work by the students and staff of CHS, Congratulations!

At the Tri-Council meeting on October 19, I shared our vision for the new middle school in terms of academic alignment. Essentially, we are hoping to open the school as two schools in one and have the 7th and 8th grade aligned to the high school schedule. These students would travel on the high school buses. This would allow grades 4 through 6 to operate as more of an upper elementary school and travel on their own bus schedule. 

We believe that this configuration offers more opportunities for our 7th and 8th grade students while allowing us to better tailor our instructional model to meet the developmental needs of our 4 through 6 population. 

As we work through the planning process for this change, we welcome any questions or concerns that you may have.

Just a reminder that October 30 is an early release day, with the following dismissal times:

Also, there is no school on Wednesday, November 11, 2026 in observance of Veterans Day.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office at (978) 365-4200.

Thank you,

Steven C. Meyer, Ed.D.

Superintendent

The Friends of Gael Force Robotics will be hosting a Chicken Shoot to benefit the 2026-27 FIRST Robotics season.  Come join us on Sunday, Nov. 15th at Breakaway Billiards, doors open at noon and games start at 1:00 PM.  Donations are $10 per ticket to play 30 games.  Raffle baskets and 50/50 tickets will be available. 

The EXCEL Club has been keeping busy with fun, friendship, and plenty of community spirit!

Members recently enjoyed a visit to the River Terrace Nursing Home, where the EXCEL Club took part in a mock Homecoming celebration. The highlight of the celebration was the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen, making the day extra special for everyone involved.

The fun continued when members went to Corcoran House, where residents gathered for a game of Bingo with the students. The afternoon was full of fun and friendly competition. Everyone seemed to have a great time.

Five of our CHS students, along with Mrs. Reinertson, were able to volunteer at Camp Sunshine over the summer. Camp Sunshine is a non-profit retreat camp located on Sebago Lake in Casco, Maine, that provides free year-round respite, support, and recreation for children with life-threatening illnesses and their entire families 

The CHS Math Club is underway for the 2026-2027 School Year!  Our first practice meeting of the year was held on October 5th, where we took on practice problems to prepare for our first meet and had five (5) upperclassmen attend!  Our first Math Meet took place on 10/13.  Though it was not the outcome we were hoping for, it shows great room for potential this year!  We are looking forward to seeing what the Math Club will do!

Dear Clinton Community,

Clinton Middle School had a wonderful and joyous “last first day.” It was the 51st first day of school for the building.  It opened in 1975 and this year marks its “last first day.”  This building brought together neighborhood schools into one building back in 1975.  Now our students are looking forward to moving into a state of the art facility being built before our very eyes next school year!!  We welcomed families in for our open house which was well attended and kicked off our new year with confetti cannons and assemblies setting school wide expectations that were well received by our school community.

At the end of September, we welcomed a guest speaker, Dennis Wise to lead an assembly on bullying with our eighth graders.  He talked about all types of bullying, including misuse of technology and advised students of what to do when they are in these situations.  This presentation was made possible through the Clinton Cultural Society.  Our eighth graders were very attentive throughout the entire presentation.

At the School Committee meeting in September, we honored our staff and student of the month.  Mrs. Jenn Dickinson was nominated for supporting new teachers on the 7th grade team and always being an encourager.  She was nominated by several colleagues who described her as making Clinton Middle School a better place.  We also recognized Killian Vattes, a 7th grader, as a student leader.  He leads by example and was nominated by his teachers for his enthusiasm for learning and the way he supports the students around him.

🌎 Social Studies Department- We are so excited to share with the community that the powerful voices of our students were heard. The town was awarded $50,000 to install drinking fountains around Central Park and Depot square as a result of the Mock Town Meeting.  Congratulations to Mr. Murray and all involved.  The students that took part in this mock town meeting are the current Sophomore class.

🤝Guidance Department- Our school counselors have been busy connecting with both new and returning students. Ms. Giobellina conducted minute meetings with 7th and 8th graders during directed study blocks. Mrs. Shedd has started her “meet the counselor” lunches with 5th grade homerooms. These practices help build relationships and assess student needs. Mrs. Baldwin has been providing counseling services to not only her CMS students but in her new role with grade 3 & 4 students every morning CES! Mr. McGown has also had a busy start to the year providing counseling services and leading the REAL Mentors program at CMS.  We encourage parents/guardians to reach out to their child’s school counselor with any questions or concerns. 

📏%+= Math Department

Mrs. Murray share this engaging activity she did with her 7th grade students on scaled drawing.

The Clinton Middle School Special Education Department has hit the ground running, and it’s already been a busy and exciting start to the school year!

Our Special Education teachers had the opportunity to participate in a week-long Orton-Gillingham training, adding new strategies and tools to their instructional toolbox to better support our students and their individual learning needs.

Our Life Skills Program also kicked off its first Coffee Cart day, and it was a huge success! Students had the opportunity to practice important customer service and pre-vocational skills while putting their hard work into action. We were thrilled to see their enthusiasm, teamwork, and confidence on display.

It’s been a fast-paced start to the year, but we are so happy to be back and look forward to all that this school year has in store!

📚ELA Department

Grade 8 ELA wrapped up their unit on The Thrill of Horror where they analyzed how authors create suspense in their writing. They are moving into a unit on Finding Your Path. They'll be considering the essential question: How do the challenges you face today help to shape your future?

In grade 5 ELA, we are learning about the relationship between the Nez Perce and the U.S. government in the 1800s. We are specifically learning about the Nez Perce's journey away from their homeland after the discovery of gold on their land and the desire for westward expansion in the United States. We have been practicing informational writing and we are beginning the novel, Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, by Scott O'Dell and Elizabeth Hall. 

Our 5th graders have been busy learning across all subject areas! In ELA, students have started reading the novel Thunder Rolling in the Mountains and are learning about the relationship between different groups of people. In Math, students are learning about numerical expressions and practicing how to evaluate and interpret them. In Social Studies, students are exploring why the 13 Colonies were established and learning about the reasons people settled in the colonies. In Science, students are investigating the difference between mixtures and solutions.

Parents and guardians should keep an eye out for communication from their student’s teacher regarding Parent/Teacher Conferences. More information and scheduling details will be shared soon!

7th grade is in the midst of our fall fundraiser - Pies in plenty of time for Thanksgiving! Orders Due Oct 16.

7th grade Social Studies is piloting a new curriculum this year - it is called Investigating History. Mr. Brayall and Mrs. Dickinson are in the midst of Ancient India... you can almost hear those Monsoon winds building from the south. We just wrapped up looking at primary sources from the Harappan civilization - ask your students what Lapis has to do with them! Next we dive into the rich history of the Hindu faith.

In August and September, families participated in Open House to see our school community and meet their child’s teachers. Our preschool and Kindergarten students participated in an orientation week to learn routines, expectations, and meet their teachers in a small group. This was a great initiative that we are excited to continue in the future. 

Throughout the month of September, our students participated in a fundraiser overseen by our PTA. Our students raised over $29,000 for our school! These funds will be used to defray costs for spring field trips, and our enrichment program. The students met various goals including donations from 39 states and 6 countries! We celebrated various incentives including pie-ing the Principals and PTA for reaching our goal! Our students participated in a structured movement dance party to celebrate our hard work towards the fundraiser! 

On October 9, our students participated in our Falling for Books/Character Walk. Students in grades 1-4 dressed up as favorite characters from books, or brought a book with them to parade through the park and the center of town. Preschool and Kindergarten students made costumes together and joined in the parade!  October 5-9 we held our Scholastic Book Fair. Each student had the opportunity to visit and purchase books across the week. Proceeds from the book fair support our birthday book shelf, and our PTA initiatives across the year! 

We welcome volunteers at CES! Some activities available include chaperoning a field trip, reading in the classroom, or prepping materials under the direction of the teacher. To volunteer, you must have an up to date CORI on file with Central Office. You must also participate in a one-time volunteer training. Upcoming opportunities will be in February and April- stay tuned for more information! 

Here at CES, we believe in treating social errors like academic errors. Expectations are taught and reinforced through PBIS: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS).  We explicitly teach our school-wide expectations and reinforce students with Honey Tickets. Tickets are redeemed across the school for various incentives. For example, a student may put their ticket in for the chance to have a special snack with the teacher, be the line leader, or have a special chair for the day. In the cafeteria, students can enter their tickets to be the V-I-Bee and sit at a special table with a friend of their choosing. Finally, we have a Principal Honey Jar with weekly incentives including a Principal recess, extra book from the book fair, or special activity with the principals. 

ELPAC celebrated Back to School with a family event on August 17th. Free haircuts were offered for students, school supplies and backpacks were distributed, and sports information was available. The Ronald McDonald caremobile provided families with information about its free health and dental services. Clinton Savings Bank was also present offering financial guidance for children and teens.

Beginning September 15 and ending October 15, the United States commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month, recognizing the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Educating about and exploring these diverse perspectives helps our students build empathy, cultural awareness, and a deep sense of belonging.

We invited you to join us in this celebration of unity, diversity, and growth!

November is around the corner, and ELPAC will be hosting a Thanksgiving Potluck dinner. Come celebrate with us as a family! Sign-ups for the potluck are open: please scan the code. If you would like to participate with music, dance or singing, please contact munozn@clinton.k12.ma.us.com

November is around the corner, and ELPAC will be hosting a Thanksgiving Potluck dinner. Come celebrate with us as a family! Sign-ups for the potluck are open: please scan the code. If you would like to participate with music, dance or singing, please contact munozn@clinton.k12.ma.us.com

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following link.