Milton Public Schools hired 20 new teachers for the 2026-2027 school year, welcoming them with burgers, hot dogs and sides at the district's annual orientation on Monday, Aug. 17.

All six schools added staff.

Collicot Elementary, Cunningham Elementary, Glover Elementary, Tucker Elementary, Pierce Middle School and Milton High School each brought on new hires, though the district has not disclosed how many teachers each building received or what subjects they will cover.

Students in grades 1 through 12 report Wednesday, Aug. 26. Kindergarten and preschool students start the following Monday, Aug. 31. Teachers and staff return for two opening days on Monday, Aug. 24, and Tuesday, Aug. 25, before students arrive.

The hires come as Interim Superintendent John Phelan, who took the role in June 2025, leads the district into a school year shaped by leadership transition and a recent School Committee governance retreat filed amid the residency-policy controversy. School Committee chairperson Mark Loring addressed the issue at the committee's Aug. 19 meeting.

"We want to find a balance here within a residency policy where folks feel welcomed and supported and cared for within our community," Loring said, according to the Boston Globe. Residency policy changes will be reviewed by a board subcommittee and brought back for discussion at a future meeting.

The Milton Times reported the orientation event drew all 20 new hires for the group lunch. Families looking for the full 2026-2027 calendar can check the Milton Public Schools website.

Milton's six schools collectively recognized teachers of the year earlier in 2026 through the Milton Foundation for Education, which received more than 750 nominations. Among those honored: Anna Currie at Collicot, Shawna Steuterman at Cunningham, Heather Morris at Glover, Claire Ritten at Milton High School, Julie Cranmer at Pierce and Jessica Gillooly at Tucker.

Kindergarten and preschool families have until Monday, Aug. 31.