About the Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Our Organization
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is a non-profit 501.c(3) organization which closely partners with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., known as MPY, has provided training, fostered collaboration, and developed programming to increase the health and safety of students in Middlesex County for more than two decades.
Our Mission
The core mission of MPY is to provide prevention and intervention strategies in matters of health and safety for youth. MPY is committed to bringing cutting edge information and high quality trainings to our constituents. Working in collaboration with the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, MPY endeavors to provide solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and ideally eliminating risky behaviors for youth.
Our School Based Initiatives
Each year Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone selects a school-based initiative, which influences our conferences and in-service workshops. The topic for 2011-2012’s school-based initiative is BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
Click the "School Based Initiatives" tab to the right to find out more.
Our Members
Virtually every public school district in Middlesex County is a member of MPY. Many public charter schools and private schools are also members.
Benefits of Membership
Conferences
School and law enforcement personnel are invited to attend all MPY conferences and events at the member rate. Most conferences are free to members and there is usually no limit on the number of staff that may attend. Please see our events section for more information.
In-Service Workshops
Additionally, member district may select up to five free in-service training workshops, to be held on the school or community site. These trainings are available for both staff and community members.
Through education and training, MPY provides schools, law enforcement, and other community stakeholders with the strategies and skills necessary to help youth and their families. Currently, in-service workshops on the new bullying legislation (An Act Relative to Bullying) and cyber safety are highly requested. Please see our workshops section for more information.
Collaboration
Most importantly, membership in MPY fosters partnerships to find long-term solutions to the social and legal issues faced by youth in our schools and communities. Together, we proactively confront health and safety issues with our youth.
Charitable Contribution
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is proud to have been selected as a recipient of the Proskauer Rose LLP Charitable Contribution for 2011. This charitable donation, earmarked for efforts in preventing domestic violence, has provided funding for two new prevention/awareness brochures, “What’s Behind Your Relationship” and “Understanding Restraining Orders.” Additionally, the Proskauer charitable contribution also funded a domestic violence speaker for selected student assemblies and partially funded the School Safety Summit, held on September 26, 2011. The conference, entitled “Teen Dating Abuse: How to Foster Healthy Relationships” was attended by more than 200 professionals from schools, law enforcement and community agencies. Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. thanks Proskauer Rose LLP for their generosity and efforts to prevent domestic violence.
Executive Directors Corner
I have the best job in the world!
As Executive Director of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., I have the honor and privilege of collaborating with professionals from school districts, law enforcement and other community safety personnel, community based agencies and parents to promote health and safety for our youth in Middlesex County. Aside from addressing the many risk factors that youth face- including substance abuse, bullying, cyber safety and domestic violence - I am given the opportunity to foster and develop positive characteristics and relationships that bode well for making good choices in life.
Every year, Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone selects a school-based initiative. This year, Building Healthy Relationships was selected as our school-based initiative because healthy relationships help shape a young person’s future. Positive relationships bring happiness into all of our lives, both as youths and adults. Our goal this year is to build on last year’s theme of Using Good Judgment through our trainings and collaboration to empower youth to display respect and tolerance in all of their relationships with peers, partners and adults
The theme of healthy relationships will be carried through all of our events this year. As many of you know, each year MPY sponsors a Mental Health Series, Prevention Conferences, and two large multi-disciplinary safety conferences (School Safety Summit in the fall and SECURE in the spring). These conferences serve professionals from schools, law enforcement, fire safety and community agencies. Additionally, MPY sponsors in-service training for parents and professionals at schools throughout Middlesex County, upon request from member school districts. Public schools, including charter schools, and private schools are members of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Initiatives for students include the popular Middle School and High School Peer Leadership Conferences which focus on substance abuse. Additionally, speakers from the DA’s Office speak at student assemblies about the risk of underage drinking and drug use. Social Liability trainings help parents to understand the ramifications of supporting underage drinking in their homes and communities.
Teen dating violence trainings target specific high schools and help students to become peer leaders against this type of domestic violence. Since District Attorney Gerry Leone is the co-chairman of the White Ribbon Campaign for Massachusetts, we partner with the DA’s Office to hold White Ribbon assemblies where DA Gerry Leone leads a pledge with the male students to stop violence against women.
With my best regards,

Margie Daniels
Executive Director, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
A Few Words from Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone
Dear Friends,
As Middlesex District Attorney, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you how proud I am to serve in this role and as Chair of Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. (MPY). As I enter into my second term as DA, my office, in partnership with MPY, will continue our dedicated efforts in the areas of prevention, intervention, and education.
For 16 years I have focused on keeping people safe through effective, fair prosecution and by developing county, state, and federal crime prevention programs. I am proud of my experience representing the people of Massachusetts, fighting for victims, and creating proactive approaches to address both the causes and the aftereffects of crime and of our collaborative work on prevention and intervention programs through MPY.
Programs like MPY, which develop positive interpersonal relationships and constructive dialogues, offer one of the most effective ways I know to prevent crime. MPY initiatives are designed to share best practices in prevention and help you in your work with children and teens. Through MPY and related initiatives, I am committed to addressing violence-related issues through a multidisciplinary approach involving students, parents, educators, community leaders, public safety officials, and law enforcement. I hope you will join this effort by attending MPY workshops or using our educational resources.
I am impressed and inspired by MPY's accomplishments and look forward to our continued progress together. I encourage you to share your ideas with us to help make MPY the best that it can be, and I hope to see you at our events throughout the year.
Sincerely,

Gerard T. Leone, Jr.
Middlesex District Attorney
Chairperson, Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Professional Development Points
Professional Development Points (PDP’s) can be earned by through Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. (MPY). There are two ways that PDP’s can be earned through MPY: regional conferences and in-service training.
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Regional Events and Conferences
Participants who attend at least 10 hours of conference training can receive PDP’s from MPY. At our conferences, attendees request PDP’s by filling out a simple form at the end of each conference they attend. If an attendee has requested PDP’s and has completed 10 hours of conference training, a PDP certificate will be mailed to them in May or June of that school year.
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In-Service Training
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. offers members of school districts in-service trainings. Each of these in-service workshops is 2 hours in length. Any 5 of the 12 in-service workshops can be applied to earning PDPs.
In order to comply with guidelines put forth by the Massachusetts Department of Education, we recommend that school districts take advantage of these in-services in one of two ways:
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OPTION 1: A school district can solicit MPY, Inc., as a certified provider, to provide a series of 5 of the 10 in-service trainings WITHIN ONE SCHOOL YEAR and create an opportunity for participants to achieve 10 hours of training. Under Option 1, the school or district tracks attendance and takes responsibility for awarding PDPs.
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OPTION 2: A school district may combine various training opportunities from multiple agencies to create 10 hours of training (not necessarily composed of only MPY in-services) in a topic selected by the district. Under Option 2, the school district takes responsibility for maintaining attendance records, for awarding PDPs, and for assisting the participants in the development of an observable demonstration of learning.
For more information on recertification guidelines, please visit the Massachusetts Department of Education’s website at http://www.doe.mass.edu/recert.
Continuing Education Units (CEU’s)
MPY, Inc. also awards Continuing Education Units (CEU’s). Depending on the qualifications of the speaker and the nature of the conference (mainly the mental health series), MPY, Inc. applies for CEU’s from the relevant agency (I.E. National Association of Social Workers) and obtains approval to distribute CEU’s for the event for participants who attended the training. Participants must request CEU’s on the day of the conference and fill out the form before they leave. CEU’s are awarded for conference participation only; not in-service training. CEU’s are typically distributed in the spring.
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. School Members 2011-2012
Acton
Acton-Boxborough Regional School District
Arlington
Ashland
Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School
Ayer-Shirley Regional School District
Bedford
Belmont
Billerica
Boxborough
Burlington
Cambridge
Carlisle
Chelmsford
Concord
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Dover-Sherborn Regional
Dracut
Everett
Framingham
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Groton-Dunstable Regional School District
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Lexington
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
Lincoln
Littleton
Lowell
Malden
Marlborough
Maynard
Medford
Melrose
Minuteman Regional High School
Nashoba Regional School District
Nashoba Valley Technical High School
Natick
Newton
North Reading
Northeast Metro Regional Vocational School
North Middlesex
Reading
Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational High School
Shirley
Somerville
South Middlesex Regional Vocational (Keefe) Technical HS
Stoneham
Sudbury
Tewksbury
Tyngsborough
Wakefield
Waltham
Watertown
Wayland
Westford
Weston
Wilmington
Winchester
Woburn
Middlesex School
Academy of Notre Dame
Marian High School
St. Charles Elementary School
St. Mary of the Annunciation
St. Louis Elementary School
St. Patrick School - Stoneham
Learning Prep School
Perkins School for the Blind
Willow Hill School
Justice Resource Institute -The Victor School
The Learning Center for the Deaf
Wayside Youth & Family Support Network
Advanced Math and Science Academy
Lowell Community Charter
Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc. Board of Directors 2011-2012
Gerard T. Leone Jr.* - Middlesex District Attorney, Chair
Margie Daniels* - Executive Director
Paul Andrews* - Director, Professional Development and Government Relations, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, Executive Assistant to DA
Anthony Pierantozzi* - Superintendent, Somerville Public Schools, President
Judith Klimkiewicz* - Superintendent, Nashoba Valley Technical High School, Vice President
Mark Laredo, Esq.* - Partner, Laredo & Smith, LLP, Secretary
Jack Adelson* - CPA, Peck Associates, PC, Treasurer
Kathy Bull - Special Education Teacher, Perkins School for the Blind
Mike Cassidy - Fire Chief, Holliston Fire Department
Bob Cunningham - Assistant Superintendent, Shawsheen Valley Technical High School
David DeRuosi - Superintendent, Malden Public Schools
Mark Donovan - Superintendent, Woburn Public Schools
Lawrence Finn- Firefighter, Lowell Fire Department
Jean M. Franco - Superintendent, Lowell Public Schools
Robert Gerardi - Superintendent, Maynard Public Schools
James Gregory Hicks - Chief of Police, Natick Police Department
Keith Jones - Director of Corporate Security, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
Maureen LaCroix - Superintendent, Bedford Public Schools
Jonathan Landman - Superintendent, Hopkinton Public Schools
David Losier - Partner, Burns and Levinson
Nora Mann - Deputy Director, Public Charities Division, Office of the Attorney General
Joe Mastrocola - Superintendent, Groton-Dunstable Regional School District
Christine McGrath - Director of Operations, Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents
Neal Michaels - Director of Early Intervention and Special Projects, Department of Children and Families
Bill Olsen - Superintendent, Westford Public Schools
Barry Ruthfield - Retired Superintendent, Ashland Public Schools
Stacy Scott - Superintendent, Dracut Public Schools
Richard E. Smith - Chief of Police, Wakefield Police Department
Richard Thompson III - Chief of Police, Sherborn Police Department
*Management Board Members
Middlesex District Attorney's Office PSA Project
2012 PSA Project: Choosing Yourself - Making Decisions that Promote Healthy Substance Free Relationships
Help us spread the word!
We have launched a project in which middle school and high school students are being asked to produce their own original 30 - 60 second Public Service Announcements about the issue of substance abuse. The goal is for students to use these PSA's as a forum to communicate a direct, positive message to other teens, in an effort to help prevent online safety issues. This project is only open to all middle school and high school students who live or attend school in Middlesex County.
Possible topics for the PSA include:
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Supporting friends and peers who encounter peer pressure
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Accepting peers for who they are
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Coping with peer pressure
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Appreciating self worth, as an anti-substance approach
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Demonstrating sound judgment and personal responsibility
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Avoiding over the counter products that pose health and safety risks
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Avoiding situations that promote substance use
We are asking that you notify your students about this project, post the attached application in your school, and encourage students to submit an entry.
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Click here for a 2012 PSA Project Application
Students should submit their entry no later than May 4, 2012.
Thank you again for your help and for your work in protecting our students.
Past PSA Projects:
2011 Cyber Safety - "Texting and Driving" - Lexington High School
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Click here to view the winning PSA and read about the winner
2010 Impaired Driving - "Don't Let Yourself Flatline" - Lowell High School
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Click here to view winning PSA and read about the winner
2009 Teen Dating Violence - "A Cry For Help" - Somerville High School
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Click here to view winning PSA and read about the winners
Middlesex District Attorney's Office School Based Initiatives
2011-2012 School Based Initiative: Building Healthy Relationships
This year District Attorney Gerry Leone is asking school districts and law enforcement to focus on building healthy relationships. Whether it is teen dating abuse, bullying, peer pressure, intolerance, or substance abuse, our youth are surrounded by unhealthy influences on their relationships. Thus, DA Leone, along with MPY, has sought to continue last year’s theme of using good judgment when evaluating relationships.
In accordance with this theme, MPY is offering a number of new and updated in-service trainings: The Dynamic of the Power Differential, Teen Dating Abuse and Facing Up to Facebook, to name a few. To see all of the in-service trainings offered this year, click here.
Past initiatives have included:
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2007-2008 - Increasing Middle School Participation at Community Based Justice Meetings (CBJ)
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2008-2009 - Enhancing Threat Assessment Teams
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2009-2010 - Promoting Cyber Safety Education in Schools and in the Community
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2010-2011 - Judgment