<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline">Dear Needham Public Schools Families:</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline">Let me first take this opportunity to wish you and your family a Happy New Year!  Allow me to share a few of updates:</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline">• </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline">2024-25 School Year Budget Public Hearing Tuesday, January 16th</span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline">  Recently, I shared my </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PnQgt-IiiXt9XG4kwSIbHHuEda4ZP9vqK11xe3Nt8Jg/edit?usp=sharing">preliminary budget proposal for the 2024-25 school year</a></span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"> (Fiscal Year 25) with the School Committee.  The School Committee will hold a Public Hearing on the budget tomorrow evening, Tuesday, January 16th at 6:30 p.m. at Broadmeadow (also <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AA7iPQmRvn0MNS8Gm59rl8OwJQ1LPac9/view?usp=sharing">via zoom</a> and cable television) and all community members, parents, students, and staff are welcome to participate.  Detailed information about the budget plan is available on the district’s website:  </span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://www.needham.k12.ma.us/departments/business__operations/business_office/budgets_and_financial_documents">FY25 Budget Proposal</a></span><br clear="all"></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div><div class="gmail_default"><b>• Pollard Middle School</b>  Recently we learned that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has <a href="https://www.massschoolbuildings.org/sites/default/files/edit-contentfiles/About_Us/Board_Meetings/2023_Board/12.13.2023/December_2023_Board_Presentation_Final.pdf">invited Needham</a> into its process to explore the possibility of receiving funding from the state for a renovation and expansion of Pollard into a grades 6-8 middle school.  I encourage all families, particularly those who have or will have children in grades Preschool through five, to <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bdKFuW-HJgJdSx5Xt1SHV3l0VzZcvgavJBL0p4nM5ew/edit?usp=sharing">learn more about this important and ambitious project</a>.  Stay tuned in future updates for more information.</div><div class="gmail_default"><b><br></b></div><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><b style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">• Virtual Check in with the Superintendent</b><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">  On Monday, February 5th at 7:00 p.m. I will host a Virtual meeting for families and parents.  The link to the meeting is here:  </span><a href="https://needham-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84701594759?pwd=L29leDg1NnNTd0NKeXI0VGh2OTQxdz09">02/05/24 Virtual Meeting with Superintendent at 7:00 p.m.</a><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">  During this meeting I will briefly highlight key efforts in our district's strategic plan, and then I will open up the conversation to general questions and comments about any school topic from participants. The zoom meeting will last about 50 minutes and will not be recorded. I look forward to seeing and hearing from you!</span><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><br></div></div><div class="gmail_default"><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;"><b>• Superintendent's Blog</b>  My most recent post, <a href="https://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/">Resolutions for a New Year!</a>, is available.</span></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;"><br></span></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">Here's to a new week of learning!</span></span></div><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Dan Gutekanst</font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Superintendent of Schools</font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">Needham Public Schools</font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">1330 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA 02492</font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif"><i>He/His/Him</i></font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif">781-455-0400 x11203</font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><font face="georgia, serif"><a href="mailto:dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us" target="_blank">dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us</a></font></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font size="1">ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance services are available to you free of charge. Contact your child’s school for assistance.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font size="1">Chinese (Simplified): 请注意：如果您的母语不是英语，我们将免费提供您语言辅助服务。如需协助，请与您孩子 的学校联系。</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><font size="1">Spanish: ATENCION: Si usted habla un idioma que no sea el inglés, hay servicios de asistencia lingüística disponibles gratis. Contacte la escuela de su hijo para asistencia.</font></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline"><font size="1">Russian: ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы не говорите на английском языке, для вас доступны бесплатные языковые сервисы на вашем языке. Обратитесь за помощью в школу, в которой учится ваш ребенок.</font></span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div>