As we approach the first week of November allow me to share several updates:
• Health & Safety There are a few important items families should be aware of:
1. Health Attestation While we have a good response on the daily completion of the health attestation process, there remain families who do not complete the process without a reminder or who complete it without truly assessing their child's health status each morning before sending them to school. Please remember to first assess your child's health and then complete the quick process on your phone or through email.
2. Masking The mask mandate has been extended for students and staff from November 1st to January 15th. The Department of Elementary and Secondary (DESE) is also offering an "off ramp" waiver to districts who can attest to at least having 80% of eligible students and staff vaccinated in order to make masks optional before January 15th. The NPS Joint Committee on Health and Safety will continue to review our local health metrics and vaccination rates to advise me about if and when it makes sense to be "mask optional" before January 15th for vaccinated individuals. For now, all students and staff are required to wear masks as outlined in our protocols.
3. Vaccine Survey/Clinics In partnership with PelMeds Community Pharmacy and the Town of Needham Department of Public Health and Human Services, the NPS is planning on hosting vaccine clinics on upcoming weekends in the school setting for students ages 5-11 as soon as the vaccines are approved. Please complete the following anonymous survey so we can best plan for and anticipate the community's need for vaccinations. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5MJKDB7
• Needham Diversity Summit Needham's Tenth Annual Diversity Summit is scheduled for Sunday, November 14th at noon via Zoom. This year's theme is "Voices of Unity" and it is a wonderful event that brings together community leaders, friends, neighbors, and students to explore, strengthen, and celebrate Needham's diversity of socioeconomic status, race, sexual orientation, gender equity and expression, religion, ethnic identity, age, and ability. For more information, including registration: Needham Diversity Summit
• Congratulations, Needham High School Students! Congratulations to Needham High School students who continue to grow, achieve, and excel in so many ways:
- Kudos to seniors Lindsay Hess and James Mahoney for extraordinary academic accomplishments on the 2021 Advanced Placement exams. Lindsay was one of 219 students worldwide to earn a perfect score for Drawing and James was one of 356 students worldwide who earned a perfect score in Computer Science! I would also like to recognize their teachers Linda Burke, Shireen Yadollahpour, Kate Bergeron and Mark Dineen who engaged, encouraged, and challenged Lindsay and James in pursuit of excellence.
- Congrats, to Jack Carnahan, Brendan Mawhinney, and Boyoung Paik have been accepted into the National Association Federation of Music Educators All National Music Conference, All National Mixed Choir.
- Finally, a big shout out and congratulations to the Needham High School Speech and Debate Team which was awarded the 2020-2021 Leading Chapter Award by the National Speech and Debate Association, the highest recognition given by the Association. NHS Speech and Debate is one of 108 school chapters out of 3,000 schools to receive the award. In addition, advisor Paul Wexler was granted membership in the 200 Club for outstanding commitment and achievement.