2026 - August

Dear Milford Students, Parents, and Families,

 

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026-2027 school year in the Milford School District! I hope that your summer has provided time to relax, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends. As we prepare to welcome students back to our schools, there is a great deal to be excited about and much important work ahead. 

 

Our District vision continues to guide that work: 

 

“The Milford School District will be an inspiring community where deep learning and strong relationships empower ALL students to become designers of their own story.”

 

Being the designer of your own story looks different as students grow. For our youngest learners, it may mean developing confidence, discovering new interests, learning to make choices, finding their voice, and recognizing that they can do hard things. For our older students, it increasingly means taking ownership of their learning, developing independence and resilience, exploring future opportunities, and making thoughtful decisions about the paths they want to pursue.

 

At every level, our responsibility is to ensure that students have the learning experiences, relationships, opportunities, and support they need to grow and succeed.

 

Our Focus for 2026–2027

 

As we begin this school year, we are continuing our District-wide focus on improving student achievement, engagement, and readiness for what comes next.

 

A significant part of this work is strengthening consistency in teaching and learning across our schools. Our educators will continue to focus on a coherent curriculum, effective lesson planning and instruction, and authentic literacy experiences that provide students with meaningful opportunities to read, write, think, discuss, problem-solve, and reflect on their learning.

 

We are also strengthening how we support students when they experience academic, behavioral, attendance, or other challenges. Our goal is to identify needs early, work collaboratively to determine appropriate strategies and supports, monitor student progress, and adjust our response when needed. Families are important partners in this process, and we are committed to working together to help every student experience success.

 

Parent and Family Involvement

 

We greatly value the partnership between our schools and families. Your involvement in school and District events, parent forums, student activities, and your child's education strengthens our school community and supports the success of our students and staff.

 

We encourage you to visit our schools, connect with our active parent organizations, attend open houses and parent-teacher conferences, participate in school and District events, explore opportunities to serve on School Board Committees, and become involved.

 

We also hope you will share your voice as we engage the community in conversations about the future of the Milford School District. As we consider enrollment trends, the use of our facilities, educational programming, and the long-term needs of our schools, input from our families and community will continue to be an important part of that work. 

 

Communication

 

Effective communication between home and school is essential to a successful school year. Our school and District website, calendars, announcements, newsletters, and social media pages are regularly updated to keep families informed about important dates, events, opportunities, and news.

 

We are also excited to add another way to keep our community informed. A new digital sign will soon be installed in front of the Bales School, near the Oval, and will provide another opportunity to share important District announcements, upcoming events, reminders, and other information with our families and community. 

 

We encourage you to stay connected and to reach out to your child's teacher, school, or the District office with questions, concerns, or ideas. Strong relationships and open communication help us work together in the best interests of our students.

 

Breakfast and Lunch Costs   

 

The 2026-2027 meal costs will be: 

 

	Elementary School	Middle School	High School
Breakfast	$1.75	$2.00	$2.25
Lunch	$2.90	$3.40	$3.65

 

Each year, federal funding provided to our schools is influenced by information collected through the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application process. We need your help! We encourage families to complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meal application, even if you are unsure whether your family will qualify. Participation helps ensure that the District receives funding that supports important programs and services for Milford students.  If you prefer a hard copy of the form, please contact your child’s school.  Thank you in advance. 

 

Student Enrollment Information 

 

Please complete your child's Back-to-School student information form as soon as possible. Accurate information is essential so that our schools have current emergency contacts, medical information, parent/guardian permissions, and other important information needed to support your child throughout the school year. 

 

School Facilities and Safety Related Summer Projects

 

Our commitment to providing safe, welcoming, and well-maintained schools continues. Each summer, our facilities team works throughout the District to complete maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and safety improvements in preparation for students' return. The schools look great and ready to welcome students, families, faculty and staff, and the community.

 

This summer’s projects included paving at MHS/SAU; replacement doors and painting at MMS; Middle School library ceiling replacement; roofing and paving at Heron Pond; as well as SAFE grant projects including bollards and fencing.

 

At the same time, the District and School Board continue to look beyond our immediate facility needs and plan thoughtfully for the future. Enrollment trends, building utilization, educational programming, facility conditions, and long-term costs are all important considerations as we determine how our schools can best serve Milford students in the years ahead. We look forward to keeping our community informed and engaged as this work continues. 

 

Looking Forward to a Great Year

 

There is something special about the beginning of a new school year—the return of students to our classrooms, the energy in our hallways, the opportunity to reconnect with one another, and the promise of all that lies ahead.

 

Our educators and staff have been working hard to prepare, and we are excited to welcome our students back. As we begin 2026–2027, I hope we will continue to approach our work with a shared commitment to deep learning, strong relationships, high expectations, and the belief that every student can grow and succeed.

 

Thank you for your continued partnership and for trusting the Milford School District with the honor of educating and supporting your children. We look forward to watching them learn, grow, discover new possibilities, and continue designing their own stories throughout the year ahead.

 

Welcome back, and best wishes for a wonderful 2026–2027 school year!

 

Sincerely,

Christi Michaud                                                                                             

Superintendent of Schools