Happy Education & Professional Support Staff Appreciation Day!

On this day and everyday, we recognize and appreciate the essential contributions of the many support staff who work in our schools to bolster our students and ensure the school runs smoothly.

Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO)

Volunteer for the PTO. Please see the flyer below for further details:

Download (PDF, 6.61MB)

Malden SEPAC By-Laws

Malden SEPAC By-Laws

Article I: Name of Organization
The name of this self-governed organization shall be the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council, also known as the Malden SEPAC

Article II: Purpose of the Malden SEPAC
Malden SEPAC is a council whose primary commitment is that of enhancing the parental/guardian voice in public education in the city of Malden. Our purposes are to:

Advance the public-school education and well-being of children with Special Needs
Promote and enhance meaningful parent-participation
Advise and support at the family, school, district, state, and federal levels
Our Mission is to create a supportive environment and serve as a resource to parents/guardians of children with special needs with a clear intent to help them become more informed and effective advocate for your children.

WE ARE:
Governed by elected board members that volunteer.
Assisted by school district, teachers, students and parent and guardian volunteers.

ABOUT US:
Collectively we represent hundreds of Malden parents/guardians with Special Needs children.
We ensure that families have a strong voice in their child’s education.
We ensure that the Malden Public Education system remains focused on the needs of its students by assisting the Special Education administration in identifying areas of need and acting in an advisory capacity.
We support parents/guardians in navigating the Special Education system as they exercise their rights and the rights of their children.
We hold regular meetings to discuss Special Education issues as well as provide informational guest speakers.
We support students at all stages of the Special Education process including those in the entering the process of determining special education eligibility as well as those in the process of receiving assessments and services.

Article III: Terms of Membership
General Membership shall be open to any resident of Malden or person affiliated with the Malden Public Schools and students who are placed in out-of-district placements through the Malden Public Schools Special Education department. Voting membership is required to vote in officer elections and other business that comes before any Malden meeting.

Voting membership shall be any general member, who is a parent or guardian of a child with special need residing in Malden, with or without an Individual Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan or is a parent or guardian of a child with special needs who attends Malden Public Schools and out-of-district placements.

Meetings are defined as any Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council meeting, activities, or committees at which attendance is taken and minutes of the meeting are recorded by the Secretary. All meetings will be posted on the Malden SEPAC website as well as notification to families through the Malden Public Schools and Malden SEPAC database.

Article IV: Officers of the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council
Officers of the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council are elected by the voting membership and hold office for two years. If any office becomes vacant, an election for that office shall be held immediately, with term to be reviewed at the May meeting.

Office and officer responsibilities of the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council are:

President:
Set the agenda for each general meeting.
Preside at all meetings of Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
Recommend the organization and monitor the function of sub-committees (when needed).
Maintain ongoing communication with Malden Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, the School Committee Liaison, the Superintendent and the Mayor’s office.

Vice-Presidents:
Two members in good standing shall hold the offices of Vice President and are responsible for the following responsibilities.
Preside at meetings in the absence of the President, or at the request of the President.
Co-ordinate public communications (if needed), not including those communications that are the Secretary’s.
Assist the President as appropriate and perform those responsibilities of the President at his/her request.
Maintain communication to the Malden community to the Malden school community, the Malden SEPAC website, Facebook and any other Malden SEPAC approved social media, local media.

Secretary:
Co-ordinate all communication between the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council and its membership.
Co-ordinate the recording and filing of minutes of the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council and its sub-committees.
Collect and review all correspondence of the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
Prepare periodic reports for the Special Education Administration regarding PAC activities and needs.

Treasurer:
Co-ordinate efforts to apply for grants, donations, reimbursements or any other funds for which Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council may be eligible.
Manage and account for funds collected, donated, and spent for the Malden Special Educations Advisory Council.
Co-ordinate fund raising activities.

Advisory Board: The President may create an Advisory Committee from among voting member who volunteer. The role of the Advisory Board is to assist the officers in carrying out their duties and the work of the SEPAC. The Advisory Board will be appointed by the President. Duties of the Advisory Board may include:
The Advisory Board shall be responsible for offering aid and assistance to the President.
The Advisory Board shall meet with the President to discuss, plan and help carry out the SEPAC activities, workshops and events.
The Advisory Board shall help the President in community outreach and growth of the SEPAC.
The Advisory Board shall help the President in meeting, discussing and addressing parent and guardian concerns regarding special education in the district.

SEPAC Advisor:
Provide context and historical information to assist in organization-wide decision making.
Provide continuity and support to the PAC officers and Advisory Board.

Article V: Elections
Elections shall be the first order of business during the May meeting.
Elections shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the voting membership. New officers shall take office immediately following their elections.

The Department of Education will be informed of the annual elections with the names and phone numbers of the new board by June 1st.

Nominations will be made verbally at the Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council meeting held in April.

Prior to the nomination meeting, an Election Coordinator will be determined. The Election Coordinator will coordinate activities necessary to complete the election. At the nominating meeting, the Election Coordinator will tally the nominations. Within two days, the Election Coordinator shall announce/notify members of individuals nominated.

Article VI: Meetings

All meetings are open to the public. All meetings will be posted on the Malden SEPAC website as well as notification to families through the Malden Public Schools and Malden SEPAC database.
General Meetings shall be held at least monthly from September through June. Notice of all general meeting dates and elections shall be published in the local press in advance the Malden SEPAC website, to the families through the Malden Public Schools and the Malden SEPAC database. All families are welcome to submit their name and e-mail addresses to be added to the database.

During the June meeting, the President shall take recommendations for the calendar of meetings for the following school year. The calendar shall include dates and times of the meetings and projected activities for the year.

Matters which require a vote to be taken of the voting membership include, but are not limited to, the following items:
A change in the By-laws can only be voted on at a general meeting.
• A commitment of financial resources requires a simple majority of voting member present.
• Elections require a vote as described in Article V, Elections.
• Minutes of all Malden Special Education Parent Advisory Council meetings shall be recorded and retained for public record.

Article VII: Subcommittees
Subcommittees shall be created as needed.

Article VIII: Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a simple majority of the voting members at a general meeting, but by-laws changes may not be voted upon in the same meeting as they are proposed.

Article IX: Roberts Rules
Roberts Rules of Order are the default procedures for this organization.

Revised and changes voted at 11/20/2018 Malden SEPAC meeting

Academics Page Child

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Academics Page

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Malden ELPAC

English Learner Parent Advisory Councils – ELPAC

ELPACs are intended by law to advise school districts and schools regarding matters that impact ELs, such as providing advice on English learner education programs, meeting regularly with school officials about educational opportunities for ELs, and providing input on school or district improvement plans as they relate to ELs.

Registration

Frequently Asked Questions:


The following documents are required for new registrations and re-admission:

  • A completed K-12 Paper Registration (download, fill out all forms and call 781-397-7271 to schedule an appointment)
    • Registration Application
    • Home Language form
    • Medical Release of Records form
  • Proof of age (birth certificate or passport)
  • Most current Immunizations and Physical form and Student Information form
  • Massachusetts Transfer/ Withdrawal form
  •  Individual Education Program (IEP) if applicable
  • MCAS and/or ACCESS test results
  • Discipline Report
  • Photo ID of parent/ guardian
  • Proof of residency
  • Academic Transcripts/Report Card

PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING RESIDENCY

In order to attend the Malden Public Schools, a student must actually reside in Malden. A student’s actual residence is considered to be the place where he or she lives permanently with the parent or legal guardian who has physical custody of the student. In determining residency Malden Public Schools retains the right to require the production of a variety of records and documentation and to investigate where a student actually resides.

VERIFICATION OF RESIDENCY

To register to attend Malden Public Schools a student’s parent or legal guardian must submit at least one original document from Columns A and B listed below and any other documents that may be requested, including but not limited to those listed below.

Column A: Evidence of Residency or Occupancy

(Name must match photo ID)

One (1) of the following documents:

Column B: Evidence of Identification

(Photo ID)

One (1) of the following documents:

  • Recent Mortgage Payment, Mortgage Closing Documents or property tax bill
  • Residency Affidavit signed by the property owner and submitted to the Welcome Center alongside a photo ID of the property owner*
  • Section 8 Housing Agreement
  • Signed Lease Agreement including the child’s name as a resident
  • Recent bill listed below dated within the past 45 days:
    • Excise Tax Bill
    • National Grid Gas Bill
    • National Grid Electric Bill
    • Cable Bill
    • Water Bill
    • Landline Telephone Bill (not cell phone)
  • Valid Driver’s License
  • Valid MA Photo ID Card
  • Government Issued ID

*Residency Affidavit will be notarized following official review by Welcome Center staff.

Malden Public Schools shall verify the home address and home telephone number of each student at least once during the school year. Parents are required to notify the school of any changes of their or the student’s address within 5 business days of the change.

ENFORCEMENT

Should a question arise concerning any student’s residency elsewhere while attending Malden Public Schools, the student’s residency will be subject to further inquiry and/or investigation. Such questions concerning residency may arise on the basis of incomplete, suspicious, or contradictory proofs of address; anonymous tips; correspondence that is returned to the Malden Public Schools because of an invalid or unknown address, or other grounds.

Malden Public Schools may request additional documentation, may use the assistance of the School Department’s Supervisor of Attendance and/or may obtain the services of police or investigative agency personnel to conduct investigations into a student’s residence.

Upon an initial determination by Malden Public Schools that a student is actually residing in a city or town other than Malden, the student’s enrollment shall be terminated immediately.

PENALTIES

In addition to termination of enrollment and the imposition of other penalties permitted by law, (M.G.L Chapter 76, Section 5), Malden Public Schools reserves the right to recover restitution based upon the costs of educational services provided during the period of non-residency.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
A complete physical examination is required of all children entering Malden Public Schools. Completed physical examination forms must be presented to complete enrollment. No child will be able to attend school without providing all required medical documentation. Only upon completion of this process will a child be fully registered and allowed to begin school. For more information about immunizations and physical examination requirements, contact the Director of Nursing, Patricia Tramondozzi, at 781-397-6106 or ptramondozzi@maldenps.org

IMMUNIZATION
THE STATE LAW CHAPTER 76, SECTION 15, INDICATES THAT NO CHILD SHOULD BE ADMITTED TO SCHOOL UNLESS HE OR SHE HAS BEEN IMMUNIZED AGAINST DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS, PERTUSSIS, MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA, POLIO, CHICKEN POX, AND HEPATITIS B, except for medical or religious reasons. The medical record must indicate dates of immunization􀂁-month, day and year. Department of Public Health regulations effective March 1, 1990, require children to present evidence of having been previously screened for lead poisoning as a condition for entry into kindergarten. Parents should provide documentation from their child’s pediatrician. Immunization inoculations may be obtained from a private physician or by appointment from the Board of Health Clinic.
According to rules and regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, students entering kindergarten need:

According to rules and regulations by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, students entering KINDERGARTEN need:

•       3 doses of Hepatitis B

•       5 doses of DTaP/DTP (must have a dose after 4th birthday)

•       4 doses of Polio (must have a dose after 4th birthday)  

•       2 doses of MMR

•       2 doses of Varicella

•      1 dose MenACWY (Grade 7 entry)

•       a physical exam (done within the last 12 months)

•       Lead test  and results

•       TB test and results OR medical documentation.   This is a city requirement

•      Vision including stereopsis testing, hearing

Students entering grades 1-6 need:

•        3 doses of Hepatitis B

•        at least 4 doses of DTaP/DTP or at least 3 doses of TD (must have a dose after 4th birthday) 

•        at least 4 doses of Polio (must have a dose after 4th birthday)

•        2 doses of MMR

•        2 doses of Varicella

•        a physical exam on file (done within the last 12 months)

•        TB test and results OR medical documentation.   This is a city requirement.

Students entering grades 7-8 need:

•       3 doses of Hepatitis B

•      at least 4 doses of DTaP/DTP or at least 3 doses of TD, and 1 dose of TDaP/TD (must have a dose after 4th birthday)

•      at least 4 doses of Polio (must have a dose after 4th birthday)

•       2 doses of MMR

•       2 doses of Varicella

•       a physical exam (done within the last 12 months)

•      TB test and results OR medical documentation.   This is a city requirement.

Students entering grade 9-12 need:

  • Physical Exam – completed within one  year of entrance
  • All of the previous immunizations for K-8

Any child 5 years of age by August 31 is eligible for Kindergarten classes. All schools offer full day kindergarten classes. School day times vary by school. All assignments are subject to space availability and the student enrollment policy.

Please refer to the list below to see kindergarten school day hours.

Grades K-6 8:15-2:15    Grades 7-8 7:45-2:20

In order to register a child for kindergarten, parents/guardians need to complete all forms and provide all required documents listed in Required forms and Documentation.

Only upon completion of this process will a child be fully registered and allowed to begin school in August. Missing required documents/forms will delay a child’s registration. Children currently attending the Malden Public Schools pre-kindergarten pro­gram or special education pre-kindergarten programs must complete this online Registration Form or mail in a paper registration  to properly enroll. Parents with children with special needs should contact the Special Needs Office at 781-397-7245 if they have any questions.

For online registration you must have a gmail account. To create a gmail account please go to www.gmail.com. To register online please have the child’s birth certificate, immunizations and a current physical form, a proof of address, and photo ID of parent/guardian. Once you fill out the forms you can upload the documents required. If you do not have them available at that time you can email them to welcomecenter@maldenps.org .

Another option is to download the forms from the website, fill them out and mail them through the regular mail which will take a little longer. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the Welcome Center.

To register for kindergarten using the paper registration, parents/guardians must complete the paper application packet providing all required documentation. Then mail the registration and documents to:

The Welcome Center
110 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148

Phone: 781-397-7271

Fax: 781-397-1547

welcomecenter@maldenps.org

We encourage parents to call or e-mail the Welcome Center to confirm receipt of the Registration Application.

The Early Learning Center handles registration on-site. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please call 781-397-7025 for more details.

Online registration for the 2021-2022 school year will be coming soon!

All assignments are made according to the student Enrollment Policy and space availability. Students are assigned to schools in the following order:

  1. Programmatic Priority Placements (for example, students who need special education services are placed into special classes at schools with those respective programs)
  2. Siblings with Proximity Placement. If your new student has a sibling already placed in your neighborhood school, then your new student will be enrolled in that school if space is available.
  3. Proximity Placement. Students are placed in schools closest to their home.

School placements begin JULY 5th.

Voluntary Transfer List

Every effort will be made to accommodate parents/guardians preference within the system of priorities, and the district’s educational seating capacity.  Parents/guardians may request that their child be placed on a voluntary transfer list for the school by completing a “Voluntary Transfer Form” available at the Welcome Center.  The timeline for that process is as follows:

1.     Requests for a voluntary transfer can be made by contacting the Welcome Center beginning May 1st.

2.     All transfer requests will be processed beginning on August 15th.

3.     The expiration date for requesting a voluntary transfer is September 15th, NO requests for transfer will be accepted after September 15th.

4.     Any transfers that were not granted will remain on the voluntary transfer list until space becomes available, up to October 1st. The Welcome Center will grant no more than ONE transfer per student per year.

The manager of the Welcome Center, in cooperation with the Superintendent of the Malden Public Schools is the final authority on student enrollment, and in no way influenced by school administrators and elected officials.

Appeals Process

Parents who need information on filing an appeal should contact the Welcome Center at 781-397-7271 or welcomecenter@maldenps.org.

As of August 30th, 2016, transportation will no longer be provided for students in the Malden Public Schools, with the following exceptions:

  • The student has an IEP and specifies that transportation will be provided.
  • The student is homeless and entitled to transportation under the McKinney-Vento Act.

The committee recognizes that this policy change may result in parents requesting transfers to schools closer to their residence. These cases will be considered on an individual basis by the Welcome Center and the superintendent.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act), which has been recently reauthorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA, Title IX part A), ensures homeless children/youth have equal access to the same free and appropriate public education as provided to other children /youth.

Definition of Homeless Children/Youth 

The term, Homeless Child(ren)/youth refers to individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate night residences.  This includes:

  1. Children/youth who are sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reasons; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping ground due to the lack of alternate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or abandoned in hospitals.
  2. Children/youths that have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designated for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.
  3. Children/youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and
  4. Migratory children (as defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended) who qualify as homeless because they are living in circumstances described above.

Rights of Homeless Children/youth

  • Homeless students have a right to either remain in their school of origin or to attend school where they are temporarily residing.
  • Students who choose to remain in their school of origin have the right to remain there until the end of the school year in which they get permanent housing.
  • Students who choose to enroll in a school where they are temporarily residing must be enrolled immediately, even if they do not bring records usually required for enrollment with them.
  • If a homeless student arrives without records, the Malden Public Schools Homeless Education Liaison and the Parent Information Center will assist the family and contact the previously attended school system to obtain the required records.
  • Transportation will be provided to the homeless children/youth at the request of the parent/caretaker for the duration of homelessness and through the end of the academic year the student becomes permanently housed (45 minutes to 1 hour commute).
  • Homeless students have access to all activities including summer school, extracurricular activities, after-school programs, etc.)
  • Homeless children/youth have the right to receive credit accrual for partially completed work.
  • Homeless children/youth have the right to receive college and career counseling, assistance with the FASFA and verification of homelessness
  • Living arrangements of homeless children/youth are protected under FERPA and McKinney-Vento.
  • Homeless children/youth receive free lunch.

For more information on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program, contact the U.S. Department of Education, Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs (SASA), Office of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Website: www.ed.gov/programs/homeless/index.html .

For more information, please contact, Emily Jodoin, Homeless Liaison at ejodoin@maldenps.org or  781-397-6100 ext 2250.

We recognize that for some families, home schooling is the educational option that best fits their needs. Home school proposals and supporting documentation must be completed and submitted 20 DAYS PRIOR to the planned start of the home education program.
Please fill out the online application:
HOME EDUCATION PROPOSAL 

Pamela MacDonald, Assistant Superintendent, Student Services
110 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
Phone: 781-397-6100
Email: pmacdonald@maldenps.org

Voluntary Transfer List

Every effort will be made to accommodate parents/guardians preference within the system of priorities, and the district’s educational seating capacity. Parents/guardians may request that their child be placed on a voluntary transfer list for the school by completing a “Voluntary Transfer Form” available at the Welcome Center. The timeline for that process is as follows:

1. Requests for a voluntary transfer can be made by contacting the Welcome Center beginning May 1st.

2. All transfer requests will be processed beginning on August 15th.

3. The expiration date for requesting a voluntary transfer is September 15th, NO requests for transfer will be accepted after September 15th.

4. Any transfers that were not granted will remain on the voluntary transfer list until space becomes available, up to October 1st. The Welcome Center will grant no more than ONE transfer per student per year.

The manager of the Welcome Center, in cooperation with the Superintendent of the Malden Public Schools is the final authority on student enrollment, and in no way influenced by school administrators and elected officials.

SAFETY / EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES TRANSFERS

From time-to-time, it becomes necessary to make a change in a student’s school assignment. Typical reasons for such an assignment change, outside the voluntary student transfer cycle, might be: the need to ensure a safe and secure learning environment for that student and situations involving extenuating circumstances. For this reason, a safety/extenuating circumstances school transfer process at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools has been established. The transfer process can be initiated by caregivers, principals, Assistant Superintendents, or Legal Court representatives.

CRITERIA

● Students who are victims of bullying.

● Students who are victims or intended victims of a serious physical, emotional and / or electronically transmitted threat or who are victims of a violent criminal offense, as determined by state law, while in or on school grounds.

● Students who are perpetrators are subject to the Code of Conduct and are eligible for a safety transfer.

● Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) providing a specialized program and / or requiring a less restrictive setting shall be reassigned after consultation with the special education school team and principal adhering to the IEP process.

● Court Orders requiring a “stay away order” of a student shall be honored. A copy of the court order should be part of the documentation packet.

● Moving due to caregiver Military service location

PROCESS

1. Completion of the transfer request form.

2. Add supporting documents that validate the requested safety/extenuating circumstances school transfer.

3. Submit a completed transfer request form with all supporting documents to the Welcome Center at welcomecenter@maldenps.org or in person at 110 Pleasant Street, Malden MA 02148.

4. Contact the Superintendent’s Office at Suptoffice@maldenps.org

*The Malden Superintendent of Schools is the deciding authority on all safety/extenuating circumstances transfers.

Download the request form

Registration Page Fields

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September is College Savings Month!

September is College Savings Month! There are a number of ways you can save for your child’s college education, starting from an early age.  Here are some tips for getting started: https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/saving-early.pdf