Superintendent gives stamp of approval to ‘Back to School 2025’ in Malden Public Schools

Dr. Sippel reports on several topics at first School Committee meeting of new school year

By Steve Freker

Superintendent Dr. Sippel told the Malden School Committee that “Back to School 2025” in the Malden Public Schools was a big success “with mostly lots of smiles and yes, a few tears from parents and caregivers who were leaving their children at school for the first time or at a new school.” At the first Malden School Committee meeting of the new school year, Supt. Dr. Sippel presented a real-time enrollment report along with updates on a number of topics. Included was a detailed report on “Back to School 2025” in the district.

The Superintendent thanked all the administrators, particularly his cabinet of assistant superintendents, the departmental directors, building principals and assistant principals and all of Malden Public Schools educators — close to 800 in MPS overall — who “all played a role in a very exciting and successful back to school experience for our students and their families.”

Supt. Dr. Sippel described how all of the MPS teachers and administrators spent several days in the first week of “Back to School” with district- and state-mandated trainings and also MPS Professional Development sessions, before welcoming the students in grades 1-12 back to classes on August 27. Students in the Pre-K classes at the Early Learning Center (ELC) and in kindergarten classes returned to school the following week.

The Superintendent had praise for all who participated in a districtwide welcome presentation held at Malden High School. “It was wonderful and so well done, when we welcomed our educators and staff back for the school year,” Dr. Sippel said, noting that MPS students — from grades 4 and 5 up through high school — participated.

The MPS staff was greeted at a brunch in the Malden High Courtyard by both Ferryway School Student Ambassadors and the Malden High School cheerleaders. The Malden High Step Performance Team opened the morning with a well-received routine in the Jenkins Auditorium Some of the younger students led the over 800 in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the “Star Spangled Banner” by the MHS Choral Arts group. After greetings from Mayor Gary Christenson and Supt. Dr. Sippel, an informal group of Malden High students gave brief biographies and then “shout outs” to educators from past and present, nearly all of them sitting in the audience, about how they helped shape and enhance their lives, lived as Malden Public Schools students.

On the first day of school, Supt. Dr. Sippel recalled, how he, Mayor Christenson and School Committee Vice Chairperson Jennifer Spadafora started at Malden High School, greeting 9th graders on their first day of high school, then traveled on a “Welcome Back!” tour of all the Grade 1-8 school buildings opening that day. They repeated the visits at the ELC and Kindergarten classes the following week.

Supt. Sippel told the School Committee that two of the most important accomplishments by his team in preparation for the new school year was that nearly all staff positions — all except two or three — had been hired and filled before the start of the school year. School Committee members noted this was the first time this had been accomplished in many years.

Supt. Sippel also told the members of the great strides that have been made in the realm of communications between the district, particularly with the introduction of the new-to-MPS communication tool ParentSquare. As explained on the MPS website (maldenps.org), “Malden Public Schools uses ParentSquare for school communication, primarily with email, text and app notifications. ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent, using their preferred email address and phone number. We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.”

According to the MPS website, “Here’s what caregivers can do with ParentSquare:

—Receive messages from the school via email, text or app notification

—Choose to receive information as it comes or all at once with a daily digest at 6 p.m.

—Communicate in your preferred language

—Direct message teachers, staff and other parents

—Participate in group messages

—Sign up for parent-teacher conferences

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The next Malden School Committee meeting is planned for Monday, October 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chamber at Malden City Hall (215 Pleasant St.).