Shaw Families,

Our school cares about the well-being of all students and has programs designed to support students’ improvement of their social-emotional development. To help stay in touch with our students’ development and potential social-emotional concerns, we administer the BASC-3 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS) three times a year (October, January, April). Now more than ever, social-emotional well-being and learning are most important for our students. The BESS is a short rating scale completed by a student. The assessment takes between 10 and 15 minutes to complete.

The purpose of this universal screener is to identify all students' areas of strength and potential social-emotional needs. This will help inform teachers and school leaders in planning SEL instructional and programmatic supports for students. The results of this screener will be used to guide instruction for all students and identify students who might need additional social-emotional support. If a student's results indicate a need for follow-up, we will reach out to their parents to explore possible next steps.

After students complete this short screener, their data will be used solely to enhance their educational experience. This information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), meaning it will be handled with the same level of confidentiality as other student records. Our school follows strict protocols to ensure that student data remains secure and is only accessible to authorized personnel for educational purposes.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Tonia Alger, School Psychologist, talger@millburyschools.org.

If you would like your child not to participate in this screener for their social-emotional and behavioral health, please complete this opt-out form, which must be completed by October 9, 2026. You may also reach out to talger@millburyschools.org directly.

Thank you,

The Clinical Team

Tonia Alger, School Psychologist

Ashley Halliday, School Adjustment Counselor

Tamar Jenkins, School Adjustment Counselor

We are thrilled to welcome the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office to Shaw this October! As part of our commitment to student well-being, they will host interactive, in-person presentations for students on healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and digital safety, featuring their widely requested Cyber Safety and Bullying program. To support our families, we are also offering virtual presentations for parents so you can engage with these vital topics from home.  

The presentation includes defining bullying/harassment and the various forms, including cyberbullying. Students engage in discussion of real-life scenarios, as well as review actual court case examples. District Attorney Early’s Office also provides students with tips on how to recognize and resolve these situations.

This presentation includes topics such as learning the 10 signs of what an unhealthy and healthy friendship looks like. This presentation will inform participants how to resolve escalated conflict, communicate boundaries online and offline, identify who your trusted adult is, and practice self-care tips.

This presentation includes topics such as learning the 10 signs of what unhealthy and healthy relationships look like. This presentation will inform participants how to resolve escalated conflict, practice consent, communicate boundaries, how to help a friend who is a survivor of an unhealthy relationship, and lastly how to navigate if a relationship ends. This program teaches the importance of creating healthy relationships with others, as well as teaching tips to help you know if you or anyone you know is in an unhealthy relationship.

Our Internet Safety presentation is the most requested prevention program we offer. This presentation includes topics such as defining bullying and the various forms of harassment, including cyberbullying. This presentation will inform parents of current issues encountered when their child is using social media and the legal ramifications of harassment. Internet safety tips are provided, along with addressing how your personal use of social media can affect your future opportunities and personal relationships. District Attorney Early’s Office will provide tips on how to recognize and resolve these situations as both the target and as a bystander. Topics such as AI, Sextortion, Parental Controls, and ChatGPT will also be covered.

 

This presentation includes topics such as defining what domestic violence and teen dating violence are and the various forms it may take, including the cycle of abuse, financial abuse, and coercive control. The presentation informs partici

Thank you to Goretti’s for donating shopping bags for students to use at our Scholastic Book Fair!

Thank you to all the volunteers who helped make this book fair a huge success!

Our third graders welcomed a very special guest to our first community meeting: our School Resource Officer. Officer Frank joined us to talk about A.L.I.C.E., teaching our students important, age-appropriate strategies for staying safe at school. Moving forward, the third-grade classes will continue to gather for monthly community meetings to build connection, celebrate achievements, and focus on our shared school values.

Our fourth graders are settling into their new daily routines, bringing a wonderful energy to the classroom as the school year gets under way. Our academic instruction is now officially in full swing! Students are diving into fresh concepts with curiosity and focus. We are truly excited to see their growth, hard work, and bright minds at play as the year continues to unfold.