<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif"><span id="m_-3175622126698412428m_1775145451061190372gmail-m_3766021008467978558gmail-docs-internal-guid-ca4c7068-7fff-c479-b7b7-882f3f170b5f"><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear Needham Public Schools Families:</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As we begin the December break, allow me to share the following updates:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p></span></font></div><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default" style=""><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:12.8px"><font face="georgia, serif"><b style="font-size:small">• Host Students from Daxing January 12-17th!</b><span style="font-size:small">  We are looking for ten Needham families to host ten middle school aged students from the Daxing School District, Beijing in January.  The Needham Public Schools has a strong partnership with the Daxing School District located in Beijing, China.  For several years we have exchanged students and teachers to visit our schools and communities to learn more about our educational programs, explore the cities of Boston or Beijing, and develop lifelong relationships that strengthen understanding and friendship between our two countries.  You do not have to have middle school aged students in your family to host a Chinese student.  Additional information can be found here: </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19EEqLrGJ4nk2xzqT8XG7tEnYE3nNgmfXkTbyhx8OYIA/edit" style="font-size:small">Daxing January 2020 Exchange Information</a></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">• 2020-21 (FY21) School Budget  </b><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Last week I presented to the School Committee my proposal for a budget plan for the 2020-21 school year.  </span><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">You may review the entire FY21 budget plan and see my presentation to the School Committee here: </span><a href="http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=64513&pageId=926906#F21" target="_blank" style="font-family:georgia,serif">FY21 Needham Public Schools Budget Proposal</a><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"> . The School Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the budget plan at their January 21st meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Broadmeadow, and I encourage parents and community members to participate.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><b>• </b></span><font face="georgia, serif"><b>Needham Schools Spotlight </b> Please check out the latest Needham Schools Spotlight cable show featuring a conversation with staff, community members, and students about the prevalence and dangers of teen vaping:  <a href="http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/news/what_s_new/needham_schools_spotlight" target="_blank">Needham Schools Spotlight </a>.<br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:12.8px"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><p style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font face="georgia, serif"><b>• Superintendent's Blog  </b>My recent post is about the FY21 Budget plan.  Check it out here:  <a href="http://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Superintendent's Blog</a></font></p><p style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p></div></div><div class="gmail_default"><b style="font-family:georgia,serif">•  Winter Weather is Here! </b><font face="georgia, serif"> Information about weather-related school closings can be found here:  </font><a href="http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_64429/File/District/No%20school-2%20hour%20delay%20parent%20Final%202019-20.pdf" style="font-family:georgia,serif" target="_blank">Information about weather-related school delays and cancellations</a> . <span style="font-family:georgia,serif"> I also strongly encourage parents to follow me on Twitter in order to receive the most timely information about weather-related school delays or closings.  While I will continue to notify the media and send out emails and phone calls to interested families, it takes time for all of the messages to make it through the queue; Twitter is simply quicker!  More information here:  </span><a href="https://twitter.com/NPS_Supt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Eembeddedtimeline%7Ctwterm%5Eprofile%3ANPS_Supt%7Ctwgr%5E363937393b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.needham.k12.ma.us%2F" style="font-family:georgia,serif" target="_blank">Twitter: @NPS_supt</a><font face="georgia, serif" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default"><font face="georgia, serif"><b>•  2020-21 School Calendar </b>Many folks who are planning summer vacations have called to inquire about the status of the school calendar for the next academic year.  The School Committee will consider and vote on a 2020-21 calendar sometime in February.  One thing I can share is that I will most likely recommend that school start before Labor Day given that Labor Day is Monday, September 7, 2020.  I will likely recommend that classes for students start no earlier than Wednesday, September 2nd.  Stay tuned for a 2020-21 school calendar in February!</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><b><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Finally, let me take this opportunity to thank NPS families for your ongoing support, generous spirit, and genuine willingness to engage and connect.  The work we do with your children each day is an awesome responsibility and a great honor.  I hope we will continue to remain worthy of your partnership, guidance, and trust as, together, we educate and care for these amazing, energetic, and talented young people.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">If you are celebrating the upcoming holidays, may I take this opportunity to wish you a joyous and peaceful Hanukkah and Christmas!  To all, Happy New Year!</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">As always, feel free to contact me with questions or comments: 781.455.0400, ext. 11203 or </span><a href="mailto:dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us" style="font-family:georgia,serif" target="_blank">dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us</a><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif">Respectfully,</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif"><br></font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif">Dan Gutekanst</font></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><font face="georgia, serif">Superintendent of Schools</font></div></div></div></div>