Town Issues FIFA World Cup Safety Advisory as School Year Nears Final Half-Day
The town posted a public safety advisory Monday evening urging residents to enjoy FIFA World Cup viewing responsibly, even as the school district — with just two instructional days remaining — prepares a packed sendoff for students before the June 18 half-day final bell.
TOWN HALL
The town's June 15 News Flash carried a "Celebrate the FIFA World Cup Safely!" alert, reminding residents to take precautions as community viewing events intensify during the tournament. The full advisory is posted at grafton-ma.gov (https://www.grafton-ma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=712).
Looking ahead to summer, the town confirmed the annual Fourth of July Parade is on — food, music, and floats included. A "Doggy Mayor" competition is new on the program this year, and participants can decorate bikes at the North Street Elementary starting point using free red, white, and blue supplies the town will provide.
Tuesday, June 16, brings a dense civic agenda: the Select Board, Planning Board (special session), and Grafton Housing Authority Board all meet. The Worcester Regional Transit Authority will also present on Routes A and B at the Council on Aging, with a backup room reserved — a session worth attending for residents who depend on local bus service.
SCHOOLS
The end-of-year countdown is real. Pre-K students at North Grafton and South Grafton Elementary schools have their final day Tuesday, June 16. The full district closes out on Wednesday, June 18, as a half day.
Tuesday is loaded with milestones before that happens. North Street Elementary holds its Sixth Grade Moving On Ceremony from 8:30 to 10 a.m., followed by a Grade 6 DJ Party from 6 to 8 p.m. At Grafton Middle School, the Student Council Talent Show — flagged as a date change — runs from 12:30 to 1:50 p.m. South Grafton Elementary wraps the year with end-of-year classroom parties.
Families thinking past June 18: the district's 2026 Summer Enrichment Program is open and promises hands-on learning, arts, and STEAM exploration. Kindergarten registration for 2026-2027 is also currently open through the district website.
COMMUNITY & ARTS
The Grafton Public Library will be closed Friday, June 19, in observance of Juneteenth (Freedom Day).
For readers who want a summer reading goal, the library is promoting the Massachusetts Center for the Book 2026 Reading Challenge throughout June. The library is also forming a Strategic Planning Committee and is actively seeking community volunteers to help set its future direction. On a lighter note, drop-in Cribbage runs every Friday at the library — no registration required.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS
Today's Grafton Patch morning digest led with community loss: "🌱 Patch AM: Grafton community remembers longtime resident and Scout leader Morrie Lewin." Residents are honoring Lewin as a familiar face in town civic and Scouting life, per Grafton Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/grafton).
Also still circulating from within the past 48 hours, Patch continued coverage of a local student-transportation case: "🌱 Patch AM: Why a Grafton student's 40-minute van ride sparked a neglect finding." A lengthy student van commute reportedly led to a formal neglect determination, according to Grafton Patch (read it at https://patch.com/massachusetts/grafton).
No new coverage from MetroWest Daily News or The Boston Globe in this cycle.
COMING UP
- **Tuesday, June 16:** 6th Grade Moving On Ceremony, North Street Elementary, 8:30–10 a.m.; GMS Student Council Talent Show (date change), 12:30–1:50 p.m.; Grade 6 DJ Party, North Street, 6–8 p.m.; Last Day of Pre-K (North Grafton and South Grafton Elementary); End-of-Year Classroom Parties, South Grafton Elementary; Select Board Meeting; Planning Board Special Meeting; Grafton Housing Authority Board Meeting; WRTA Presentation on Routes A & B, Council on Aging - **Wednesday, June 17:** Grafton Farmers Market; Trails Committee Meeting - **Wednesday, June 18:** Last Day of School — half day, all grades; Love for Lifesavers event - **Friday, June 19:** Grafton Public Library CLOSED — Juneteenth (Freedom Day); No School — Juneteenth