The Talent Management & Development team is committed to supporting the staff in the MPS from recruitment through their entire employee experience in the Milford Public Schools.
People are our purpose.
The purpose of this newsletter is to foster connectedness and belonging throughout our organization. Our motto is "Putting People First" and YOU are our people.

It’s that special time of year when we come together to honor and celebrate our teachers who ignite a passion for learning in their students and have excelled in their profession, outstanding paraeducators who have proven themselves as exceptional team members, and parents who have made meaningful and consistent contributions to our schools and community!

We will honor our Building Teachers, Paraeducators and Parents of the Year at a recognition ceremony on May 27, 2025. More information regarding this event will be released shortly.

Keep an eye out for an email with more details on the specific criteria and nomination process, or click here for that information. Please consider nominating someone for this recognition. Nominations are due by April 7, 2025. To make a nomination, click the category below:
Teacher of the Year

Paraeducator of the Year

Parent of the Year

Take Advantage of Your Hartford Benefits!

Did you know that our life insurance coverage through The Hartford comes with some valuable extras to support you and your family? Here’s a quick look at what’s available:

Funeral Planning Services
Plan ahead with helpful online tools, expert guidance, and checklists to ease the burden when it matters most and during these difficult times.

Will Preparation
Create a simple, legally binding will from the comfort of your home, with online attorney support.

Bereavement Services
Get compassionate grief support, after-loss tools, and estate help through Empathy’s personalized services.

Travel Assistance & Identity Theft Support
Stuck in a travel emergency? Need help after an identity theft? 24/7 assistance is just a call away.

Counseling & Healthcare Navigation
Life can be tough sometimes, but you’ve got support. Access counseling for emotional, legal, and financial challenges, plus guidance if you’re navigating healthcare issues.

Want to learn more and sign up? Check out the full flyer here.

Special Offer!

Tech Tip...
Spring Cleaning Your Digital Life: 5 Tech Tips

1. Declutter Your Files:

• Organize Your Desktop: If your desktop looks like a cluttered mess of random icons, take time to group items into folders. A “Current Projects” folder for active work and an “Archive” folder for older files can help.

• Automate It: Try using tools like Hazel (for Mac) or DropIt (for Windows) to automatically sort files based on file type or keywords.

• Back It Up: Use a cloud service (Google Drive, OneDrive, or iCloud) to store important files so you’re protected against data loss.

2. Unsubscribe and Uninstall:

• Emails:
  

  • Go through your inbox and search for the keyword “unsubscribe.”

  • Use tools like Unroll.Me to mass-unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails you no longer read.

  • Organize the rest of your emails with filters and folders (e.g., a folder for bills, another for work-related messages).

• Apps:
  

  • Review the apps on your phone and computer. Haven’t used an app in 3+ months? Consider deleting it. This frees up storage space and can make your devices run faster.

  • Bonus Tip: On iPhones, use the “Offload Unused Apps” feature (Settings > iPhone Storage) to automatically remove unused apps without deleting their data.

3. Update and Patch:

• Keeping your devices updated is key to improving both performance and security.

  • Operating System Updates: Make sure your phone, tablet, and computer are running the latest OS version.

  • App Updates: Check the App Store/Google Play Store for pending updates. Outdated apps can have bugs and security flaws.

  • Browser Extensions: Review your browser extensions and remove any you no longer need. Ensure that the ones you keep are from trusted sources and up to date.

4. Password Refresh:

• Use a Password Manager: If you’re still using “Password123”, it’s time for an upgrade. Use a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or LastPass to generate and store complex, unique passwords for each account.

• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to important accounts like email, banking, and social media by enabling 2FA. You can use Google Authenticator or Authy for this.

5. Tidy Social Media Accounts:

• Unfollow & Curate:
  

  • Review your social media feed. Unfollow accounts that don’t bring you joy, provide value, or align with your current interests.

  • Create lists on Twitter to organize your feed into specific topics (like news, hobbies, or professional interests).

  • On Instagram, use the “mute” feature for accounts you want to keep following but don’t want to see all the time.

• Privacy Settings:
  

  • Check your privacy settings on social platforms to ensure you’re only sharing personal information with people you trust.

  • Audit which apps and services have access to your accounts and revoke access to anything you no longer use.

Extra Tools and Resources:

CCleaner (for Windows/Mac) – Clean up junk files and optimize performance.
Google Photos – Back up your pictures and delete local copies to free up space.
Storage Analyzer Apps – Tools like DaisyDisk or DiskUsage can help you visualize what’s taking up the most storage on your devices.

Trivia Contest

What else belongs in this newsletter?

To submit suggestions, feedback, requests, good news or ideas for content for this newsletter,
click here.

Do you know a staff member with recent accomplishments that deserve to be highlighted?
Do you know a business that may want to be highlighted with a perk?
Please let us know here!

Welcome New Staff!

Welcome New Substitutes!

Brenda Bonilla - Food Services Substitute 
Scott Boyce - Temporary Custodian 
Marcos Degracia - Food Services Substitute 
James Gildea - Teacher Substitute  
Sarah Houston - Teacher Substitute 
Tueana Jefferson - Food Services Substitute 
Cali Jolley - Teacher Substitute
Nicole Manley - Teacher Substitute
Lola Nathan - Teacher Substitute 
Idelka Polanco - Food Services Substitute 
Kenneth Whiting - Temporary Custodian

~