July/August 2014

FAMILY CONCERTS & EVENTS

at Wrights Pond, Elm Street
A Summer Full of Family Fun!
7 Tuesday Evenings: 5:306:00 pm Family Activities
6:007:00 pm Concert/Event

July 8 Steve Lechner Let the Magic Begin
July 15 Matt Heaton & the Outside Toys
July 22 All Hands Drumming*
July 29 Ben Rudnick & Friends
August 5 Rolie Polie Guacamole
August 12 Karen K & the Jitterbugs
August 19 Ethan Rossiter & the Jamberries


Sing-A-Longs! Music! Movement! Dance!
Open Art Activities! FREE Books and Community Information!

Wrights Pond stickers are available for purchase at City Hall, Room 108, for $35.00.
Wrights Pond is open from June 30 to August 23. If you do not wish to purchase a sticker,
MFN will offer a FREE continuous shuttle bus to/from each concert -
3 Stops: Flynn Rink, Wrights Pond, and the bus stop at the corner of Elm Street
and the Fellsway between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm. In case we need to hold the event inside,
due to inclement weather, please call the MFN at (781) 393-2106 from 4:00 pm on. Our
indoor site is located at the Senior Center, 101 Riverside Avenue.
A Big Sippie Cup Salute to the Friends of the Medford Family Network
and the Medford Arts Council for sponsoring these concerts!

* All Hands Drumming is supported in part by a grant
from the Medford Arts Council, a local agency
supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council,
a state agency.
Summer 2014
Medford Family Network
of the Medford Public Schools
Marie Cassidy, Family Specialist
mcassidy@medford.k12.ma.us
Phone (781) 393-2106

website: www.medfordfamilynetwork.org
http://www.medfordfamilies.org
Facebook - Medford Family Network

July/August Office Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
By appointment only!




The MFN Family Center has a
whole new look!
Beautiful updated landscape on the outside,
newly sanded and stained cubbies and
freshly painted walls on the inside.
A deep appreciation to those who made our
Deloitte Day renovations a reality:
Robyn Holdsworth, Joyce Nicholas,
Jen Ostrosky, Tamanna Rabbani,
and the Medford Public Schools
Building & Grounds department!

PLAYDATES FOR
INCOMING KINDERGARTENERS!
Brooks School
Contact Eva Todtfeld and Liz White at
welcometothebrooks@gmail.com

Dugger Park
Tuesday, July 22 10:00 - 11:00 am
Thursday, July 24 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Monday, August 11 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Wednesday, August 13 10:00 - 11:00 am

Columbus School
Contact Jen DesAutel at jenn.art@gmail.com

Columbus School Playground
Tuesday, August 26 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Thursday, August 28 [Rain Date}

McGlynn School
Contact Diane Guarino, Principal, at
(781) 393-2333, extension 5518

McGlynn School Playground
Tuesday, July 29 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Monday, August 25 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Roberts School
Contact Roberts PTO at
medfordrobertspto@gmail.com

Roberts School Playground
Tuesday, July 29 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Friday, August 22 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sunday, August 24 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Thursday, August 28 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
----------------------------
Every registered Kindergarten child should
have received a bag containing great supplies
and activities/suggestions to support readiness
skill development. Make sure that your
entering Kindergarten child has it! If your
child has not received a bag and you are
registered, or need to register, please contact
the Parent Information Center
at (781) 393-2132.


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Medford Family Network * 489 Winthrop Street * Medford, MA 02155 * (781) 393-2106 * www.medford.k12.ma.us
PLAYGROUPS IN THE PARK
Facilitated by Miss Andrea Breen,
Playgroup Leader
9:00 - 11:00 AM

Tuesdays at Tufts Park!
July 8, 15, 22, 29; August 5, 12, 19, 26

Thursdays at Capen Street Park!*
July 10, 17, 24, 31; August 7, 14, 21, 28

Fridays at Carr Park!
July 11, 18, 25

Fridays at Harris Park!
August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
==================

* Sprinkler at Capen Street Park!

Bubbles! Balls! Sidewalk Chalk!
Art Activities! Parachute Play!
Childrens Play Structures!
Free Books! Songs!
Summer Fun Activity Information and
Community Resources!

Playgroups are FREE for families who live/work in
Medford! Please register at the park each day you
attend.

If it is NOT pouring, we are playing!
If it IS raining, please call the MFN to find out if we
will be at the park! (781) 393-2106


Pack a snack and a beverage!
Bring sunscreen!
We will have a First Aid kit for
emergencies!

Please call (781) 393-2106
regarding transportation options and/
or directions. Call (617) 222-3200 or
visit www.mbta.com for the
MBTA bus information!
SUMMER OUTDOOR FUN...
WAYS TO PLAY TOGETHER!
SUMMER FAMILY FUN!
CIRCLE THE SQUARE
Sponsored by CACHE
(Coalition for Arts, Culture and a Healthy Economy)

Thursday, July 17
4:008:00 pm
July Theme:
Move Your Body with
Knucklebones.For the Love of Play!

Thursday, August 21
4:008:00 pm
August Theme:
Whats Your Story? Family Collage Making

Art! Food! Shopping!
Live Music and Performances! All ages!

To learn more, visit www.circlethesquare.org
Medford Family Network * 489 Winthrop Street * Medford, MA 02155 * (781) 393-2106 * www.medford.k12.ma.us
Farmers Market
City Hall, George P. Hassett Drive,
Medford

Every Thursday;
3:007:00 pm

Join Us on MFN DAY at the Market!
Thursday, July 24, 2013

Face Painting! Fun Activities!
Very Veggie Scavenger Hunt!
Drop-in format.
System of Care 4th Annual
Community Resource Fair
For Families & Providers!

Wednesday, August 13;
3:005:00 pm
Location: Malden High School, Building B,
77 Salem Street, Malden

Visit the MFN table for games, crafts,
and information packets

Explore mental health, physical health,
recreational and educational resources in your
area. AND.live superheroes, games and crafts,
drumming (3:30 pm), and face painting.
Courtyard Kids Play & Learn Group
Facilitated by Laura Ingano, MFN Parent Leader

2 Fridays; July 31; August 29
10:0011:30 am
Location: Courtyard Nursing Care Center,
200 Governors Avenue

Intergenerational play and learn group with residents
of the Courtyard Nursing Care Center. Interactive
activities include songs, dances, ball play, bubbles,
story time, and snack. Children will receive a gift and
a snack from the Courtyard Nursing Center staff.
Call the MFN (781) 393-2106 to register
Babes in the Woods
Sponsored by the Friends of the Middlesex Fells

Hike & Seeks
(Nature-themed scavenger hunts)
Tuesdays;
10:0010:45 am

Babes Hikes
(For parents who carry their children)
Tuesdays;
11:00 am12:00 pm


Contact the Friends of the
Middlesex Fells at
(781) 662-2340 for more
information
Fun and Friendship for
New Moms!
Facilitated by Aine OMalley, MFN Parent Leader

Every Wednesday in July and August
12:001:30 pm


Are you a new mom? Join a group of others who know
exactly what you mean by the word tired. Welcome to
a great supportive network and a wonderful opportunity
to meet new friends for yourself and new potential
playmates for your child. Learn about MFN resources:
Babies, Bibs and Books, a complimentary gift bag;
Ages & Stages questionnaire, a tool to learn about your
childs growth and development;
Community Resource Directory;
Freebie Foyer of new and gently-used items.
Call (781) 393-2106 with questions/further details.
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FREE FUN FRIDAYS - VISIT & ENJOY!
66 Museums & Cultural Venues

For more information, please contact Highland Street Foundation at (617) 969-8900 or visit www.highlandstreet.org.

Friday, June 27 Friday, July 4
Franklin Park Zoo Heritage Museums & Gardens
Cape Cod Maritime Museum Edward Gorey House
Worcester Art Museum Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival
Tanglewood Amelia Park Childrens Museum
The Sports Museum Falmouth Museums on the Green
Mass MOCA
MIT Museum

Friday, July 11 Friday, July 18
JFK Library & Museum Museum of Fine Arts
Peabody Essex Museum Ocean Explorium
Worcester Historical Museum The Eric Carle Museum
Fruitlands Museum Larz Anderson Auto Museum
Cape Cod Childrens Museum Springfield Museum
New England Historic Genealogical Society Mass Audobons Boston Nature Center
Pilgrim Hall Museum Sandwich Glass Museum

Friday, July 25 Friday, August 1
The Freedom Trail Foundation Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
Battleship Cove Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Childrens Museum in Easton American Textile History Museum
Tower Hill Botanic Garden The Discovery Museums
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University Hancock Shaker Village
Cape Cod Museum of Art Concord Museum
Danforth Art Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Friday, August 8 Friday, August 15
Boston Harbor Islands National Park The Institute of Contemporary Art
Clark Art Institute Plimoth Plantation
Wenham Museum Garden in the Woods
USS Constitution Museum Museum of Russian Icons
Childrens Museum at Holyoke Fitchburg Art Museum
Volleyball Hall of Fame Historic Deerfield
Fuller Craft Museum Reagle Music Theatre

Friday, August 22 Friday, August 29
Boston Childrens Museum Buttonwood Park Zoo
Museum of African American History Ecotarium
New Bedford Whaling Museum Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
Old Manse, Trustees of Reservations Norman Rockwell Museum
Berkshire Museum The Mount: Edith Whartons Home
Emily Dickinson Museum Griffin Photography Museum
Medford Family Network * 489 Winthrop Street * Medford, MA 02155 * (781) 393-2106 * www.medford.k12.ma.us
Medford Public Library
www.medfordlibrary.org

Check out the Medford Public Library Summer 2014 Newsletter that includes many
wonderful programs for children such as: Rainbow Magic Fairy Time, Vinnys Little Puppet Show, Stars/
Space/And More, Pigs Love Reading, Ready for Kindergarten, Super Hero Training Day, Summer Reading
for Kids/Teens/Adults.

Summer Reading signup is at www.readsinma.org/medford
Summer Newsletter is at www.booksite.com/newsletter/mpl_summer14_5671.pdf#view=Fit
Library Survey is at www.surveymonkey.com/s/57KRDX3
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Friends of the Medford Family Network
Board (FMFN)

The FMFN is a nonprofit corporation comprised
of MFN parents who promote, support and raise
funds for MFN programs. We are currently
looking for individuals to serve on the Board for
Fiscal Year 2015 (July 2014 to June 2015).

Help us plan our annual fundraisers that include
the Annual Gala A Night of 10,000 Lights, the
February Family Fun Festival, and other events.
We meet one evening a month in the home of a
Board member and as needed to ensure
successful events.

FMFN want to help celebrate MFNs 20
wonderful years with a limited edition 20th
anniversary t-shirt that features the 20th
anniversary MFN logo on a light blue shirt.
Available in a full selection of sizes from youth to
adult. Honor the past and support the future of
the MFN and order online at
www.booster.com/friendsofmfn.
Want to order, but do not have computer or
access? Please call the MFN at (781) 393-2106.

For more information, please contact
Co-Presidents, Eula Kozma at
(908) 370-7562 or eulaleekozma@gmail.com
OR Beth Pilling at (617) 501-2861 or
pili3ling@yahoo.com
Medford Family Network * 489 Winthrop Street * Medford, MA 02155 * (781) 393-2106 * www.medford.k12.ma.us





Medford Family Network Advisory Board
(MFN)
We are seeking new Board Members for the
upcoming fiscal year 2015 (July 2014 to June
2015). You are welcome to join at any time.
Current committees are...

Marketing/Public Relations Committee
To focus on communications, including MFN 20th
anniversary publicity, press and social media.

Program Committee
To advise on program development and
implementation and to assist in the planning and
promotion of the Early Education and Care Fair.

Parent Ambassador Program
We Need You ASAP!
We are seeking parents who have had positive
experiences with the Network and are willing to
Spread the Good News at local citywide events
such as Circle the Square, Farmers Market, and
Tufts Community Day. The goal is to train
individuals and create teams of parents who will
outreach to Medford families. We want to ensure
that everyone is aware of what the Network has to
offer and that they have a voice in it!

For more information, please contact
Marie Cassidy, Family Specialist, at
(781) 393-2106 or
mcassidy@medford.k12.ma.us.
School Readiness and Early Childhood
Curriculum Committee (SRECCC)

We are seeking Pre K, Kindergarten, and
Grade 1 parents. Next meeting: Monday,
October 6 at 3:30 pm at the MFN Family Center.

For more information, please contact
Shelley Gross, Early Childhood/Afterschool
Director at (781) 393-2211 or
sgross@medford.k12.ma.us.
Medford Family Resource Coalition
Council (MFRC)

The Council is an early childhood advisory board.
Next meeting: Thursday, October 2 from
6:008:00 pm at the MFN Family Center.

For more information, please contact
Shelley Gross, Early Childhood/Afterschool
Director at (781) 393-2211 or
sgross@medford.k12.ma.us.
PARENT LEADERSHIP
OPPORTUNITIES
JOIN GOOD PEOPLE DOING
GREAT THINGS!
WHAT IS THE MEDFORD FAMILY NETWORK?
The Medford Family Network of the Medford Public Schools is
a FREE universal (everyone welcome) parenting education and
family support program focusing on the positive impact on the
developmental process of children, birth to age 8, and
supporting the families that care for them. All adults who live
or work in Medford, caring for young children, are welcome!

This accomplished through parenting education workshops;
discussion groups; age-specific play and learn groups; new
moms groups; home visitations; family events; a lending
library; a family resource/drop-in center; information and
referral services; family literacy initiatives; and individual
consultations.

There are programs for dads, grandparents, single parents,
parents who speak languages other than English, working
parents, at-home parents, and more. Programs are held at a
variety of sites around the city weekdays, evenings and
weekends. Many activities are co-sponsored with other family-
serving agencies.

Please consider a parent advisory or
parent ambassador leadership role!
We welcome your participation!
Bids for Medford Family Network
Consultant Work
We are currently seeking bids for Child Care Workers,
Playgroup Leaders, Parent Educators, and Office Aide
(9 hours/week) for Fiscal Year 2015. Please mail or
email written quotes by Friday, July 25 to:

Shelley Gross, Early Childhood/Afterschool Director
489 Winthrop Street, Medford, MA 02155
Telephone: 781-393-2211
Email: sgross@medford.k12.ma.us

Written quotes should be on letterhead with name,
address and telephone # and contain the following
information: position (e.g., child care worker, playgroup
leader, parent educator) and hourly rate for service to
be rendered.
Wish List
Lysol Wipes Paper Towels
Tissues Hand Wipes

Our BIGGEST wish is that you know how much we
appreciate your support! No matter what it is, we
are most grateful for your kindness and
thoughtfulness.
A FRIEND TO KNOWA PLACE TO GROW!
MEDFORD FAMILY NETWORK
MEDFORD HIGH SCHOOL
489 WINTHROP STREET
MEDFORD, MA 02155
PHONE: (781) 393-2106
FAX: (781) 393-2123

Medford Family Network is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, Coordinated Family and Community
Engagement Grant, the Childrens Trust, the Friends of the Medford Family Network, Corp., and the generous donations from
our families and friends.