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Dog's Day Event Cancelled
Thank you to those who have donated items, volunteered their time, and offered help in numerous ways for our Dog's Day event. However, due to the expected rain the Dog's Day event scheduled for tomorrow, September 8, has been cancelled. We will still be raffling the baskets and selling the t-shirts as a fundraiser and will put out more information as it is organized.  Please stay tuned for more!

Thank you all for the support for Buffy and our Autism Behavior Unit!
Milford High School Students Mentoring Young Minds
A new mentoring class at the high school is connecting juniors and seniors to students at Seipelt Elementary. The semester-long class called Mentoring Young Minds has 23 students and is taught by Kristi McKenney. Students spend Mondays and Fridays in the classroom planning and then journaling about their experiences. Students then go to Seipelt on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 11:25 a.m.-12:05 p.m.
 
When setting up the class, Mrs. McKenney sought input from her students.
 
"The neatest part is that my students were adamant about not selecting just 23 students to mentor. They wanted to have a greater impact and said the kids that need the most help will flock to us," Mrs. McKenney said.
 
The high school mentors are working in both academic and specials classrooms and interact with students during lunch and recess times as well.
 
"It is wonderful to have high school students as mentors. Mrs. McKenney and her students have gone above and beyond to make positive connections with our students," shared Seipelt Principal, Melissa Lewis.
Hope Squad Coming to Milford High School
Milford Schools, in partnership with Greater Cincinnati's Grant Us Hope, is proud to bring Hope Squad to students at Milford High School this school year. Milford is one of more than 20 schools in the Greater Cincinnati region to implement this national school-based peer-to-peer suicide prevention program. The program is designed to empower students to be the eyes and ears of a school as they watch out for students in distress.

Hope Squad members are students nominated by their peers who are then trained to identify at-risk students, provide friendship, and seek help from an adult when needed. On September 5, Milford High School students were asked to identify peers whom they consider trustworthy. The Hope Squad co-advisors will review this data and identify 8-10 students per grade level as potential Hope Squad members. 

The Hope Squad at Milford High School will be supported by trained staff members. They are: NGC Associate Principal, Adam Reed; Comprehensive Mental Health Specialist, Will Cates; NGC counselor, Mary Beth Corbin; and MHS teacher, Kevin Metzger. Hope Squad provides these program advisors with a detailed curriculum that guides education and training of their student representatives. The program also builds in a data and evaluation plan that allows schools to monitor outcomes and adjust accordingly.

Background Checks Via Raptor
For the safety of Milford students, all volunteers/chaperones working directly with children and not under the direct supervision of a Milford staff person, are required to have a background check. One option is a BCI background check, which costs $40 and is conducted at the volunteer's expense. A BCI check is valid for five years. The district has found a second, more affordable option. Those interested in volunteering can now complete the required background check through our Raptor system for $25. This background check is also valid for five years.

Completing Your Raptor Background Check
  • To initiate your background check, access the Raptor website.
  • The Raptor system will list a variety of volunteer opportunities that require a background check: chaperone/field trip, classroom helper, club advisor, office helper, library helper, and/or mentor. Please indicate which of these volunteer activities you will be involved in on this online form.
  • Simply complete and submit a volunteer application and upon approval, you will receive instructions on the next steps. The $25 application fee to complete the background check is payable online.
  • Volunteers will receive an email from Raptor Tech once the application has been approved. Applications may take up to 72 hours to be processed.
  • It is important that the information you enter on the application matches your government-issued identification card including your full legal name.
  • All information collected on the application will remain confidential and not be shared outside the volunteer program.
Please contact your building principal if you have any questions. 
New Outdoor Learning Space for Boyd E. Smith Students
Boyd E. Smith Elementary teachers and students have an awesome new outdoor learning space. A  small clearing in a  wooded area close to the school was transformed over the summer by Doug Savage, BES principal, and Patrick deGaray, a parent volunteer. They cleared the area and added special curved benches to create a mini-amphitheater setting.  The seating accommodates an entire class.

This new outdoor space is a component of a recent renovation of the old Boyd E. Smith hiking trail. Last year, a local scout troop cleared, upgraded, and improved the trail with new mulch and borders. Later, a second scout troop added a variety of bird houses along the trail. 

"So far the teachers have used the outdoor space for science classes and student presentations," Mr. Savage said. " The setting offers a first-hand experience in habitats, erosion, ecosystems, and other curricular areas. The area is very scenic, private, and heavily shaded, making for an engaging and high-interest student learning space."
September is Attendance Awareness Month
September is Attendance Awareness Month across the country and in Ohio. It's more important than ever that our students be in class every day ready to learn. 

A growing body of research is revealing the prevalence of chronic absence and its critical role in student achievement. Fortunately, research is also showing that chronic absence can be addressed when school districts, communities, and policymakers work together to monitor the problem and implement solutions that address the underlying causes. 

Some facts about attendance...
  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
  • By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
  • Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student's academic success.
  • Students can be considered chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
Click on the links below for resources about school attendance and how to build good attendance habits.
Four Minutes of Music and Reflection 
Last year, Milford Schools piloted the Mindful Music Moments program at Seipelt Elementary. MMM was used just one morning a week. The rest of the week teachers shared MMM, which is four minutes of music and a quiet reflection when children returned to the classroom from recess.
Milford Principal Mrs. Sarah Greb explained, "We were trying to find some way to re-center and re-focus the children and bring them  back to a learning state of mind. This worked out perfectly. We noticed a complete difference in behavior, especially among those who tend to struggle after recess."

The program will now be used in all six of our elementary schools and Milford Preschool this school year.
MJHS Family Engagem ent Program...
Social Media: Your Child's Digital Tattoo
Social Media: Your Child's Digital Tattoo
September 20, 2018
6:30-8 p.m.
MJHS Media Center


Questions?
Contact : MJHS Assistant Principal,  Malinda McReynolds at  513-248-3464 or email at  mcreynolds_m@milfordschools.org
September Community Swim Sessions 
The Milford High School pool is open for school district residents to swim for free during community swim sessions.  A waiver of liability must be signed by all swimmers prior to swimming and by a parent or legal guardian for participants under the age of 18. Any participant under the age of 16 must have a parent or legal guardian present to swim.

Remember, you must bring a valid driver's license  or Ohio ID for entry through the high school security system.

Questions? Call Lois Leavens at 513-576-2208.

Click here for the September schedule. 
Feed our Flock to Benefit from Volley with a Cause
Milford girls volleyball is hosting its annual Volley for a Cause game, and this year all proceeds will go to Milford's Feed our Flock program.

The volleyball game day is Saturday, September 15, at Milford High School. The Eagles will take on the Little Miami Panthers beginning with the freshman at 10 a.m., JV at 11 a.m., and varsity at noon. Following the high school games, the Junior High teams will also compete. There will be raffle baskets, split the pot, and a bake sale.

To learn more about the Feed our Flock program, go to  www.feedourflock.org.
Lax Clinic for K-8th Girls
A lacrosse clinic for K-8th grade girls is being hosted by Milford High School girls' lacrosse team September 22-23.

All skill levels and new players are welcome! The clinic will be run by the Milford Varsity/JV coaches and current players.

Click on the link to learn more and to register:
https://goo.gl/vXBeM5

Questions? Contact Coach Robinson: windyrobinson@gmail.com

Flyer Distribution Request
The Board has a policy that allows for the distribution of flyers or materials in the schools. The flyer(s) must be pre-approved by the Superintendent. 

If you have any questions, please email Terry Kruszynski at kruszynski_t@milfordschools.org.
Calendar Check 
September
20 Milford Board of Education meeting 7 p.m.
MHS Auditorium
21 NO SCHOOL for students
Inservice Day for teachers
       
To view a complete calendar with district and individual school events, click here.
Thank you for subscribing to the Eagle eNews, Milford School District's electronic newsletter. The Eagle eNews is also emailed to all parents and guardians. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to submit news items to   news@milfordschools.org
Milford Exempted Village School District | (513) 831-1314 | www.milfordschools.org
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