Dear Needham Families: Please allow me to share a few updates on this perfect spring day: •  School Committee Open House  The School Committee will hold its annual spring Open House in the Needham Library from 9:00 until 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 24, 2012.  This is an informal opportunity for parents, community members, students, and staff to meet members of the School Committee and share ideas, concerns, and ask questions.  Please stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation with your School Committee! •  School Transportation  2012-2013  Within the next two weeks applications are being delivered to all Needham Public Schools for students in grades 1-12 offering school bus transportation for the school year 2012-2013.  Applications will be sent home with your children.   Please review all the information and return completed applications to the Transportation Department at 1330 Highland Avenue by May 1, 2011 to be guaranteed a seat on the bus.  Applications turned in after May 1st will result in a $50 late fee. If you do not receive an application or have any questions, please call the Transportation Department at 781-455-0400 x234.   Please also visit our web site to check your school and street for eligibility or to download an application:  [ http://rwd1.needham.k12.ma.us/transportation/ ]http://rwd1.needham.k12.ma.us/transportation/  • Staff News and Recognition Let me take this opportunity to offer congratulations to several folks in the Needham Schools who have earned significant and unique recognitions recently and bring honor to our community: - Kudos and congratulations to our lunch professionals in the cafeterias, especially the High Rock school and kitchen staff and Food Services Director Ruth Griffin who were presented with the first ever Healthier US School Challenge Gold with Distinction Award last week at a ceremony at High Rock sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture. High Rock is the first school in Massachusetts to be so honored! Several folks were involved in making the award happen at High Rock, including: Cafeteria Manager Barbara Buckley, and her staff, Karen Langille, Lisa Butera, Cathy Pulster, Elizabeth Harris; Wellness Director Kathy Pinkham; teachers Jon Grant, Guy Enoch, and Principal Jessica Downey. You can read more about the award here: [ http://needham.patch.com/articles/high-rock-school-first-in-ma-to-receive-pr... ]High Rock School First in Massachusetts To Receive Prestigious Health Award - Congratulations to NPS Finance Director Anne Gulati whose efforts around a clear and transparent budget have once again resulted in the Meritorious Award for Excellence in Budget Presentation offered by the Association of School Business Officers International. Needham is one of a 123 school districts (out of over 14,000 nationally) receiving this prestigious award. - Mitchell teacher Seth Evans will be flown out to California where he will be honored by Stanford University. One of Seth's former students has been selected as a recipient of the Terman Engineering Scholastic Award for distinguished academic performance at Stanford. Terman Awards are presented to only the top five percent of each year's senior engineering class. Each recipient invites the pre-college teacher who was most influential in guiding them during the formative stages of their academic career. Congratulations, Mr. Evans! - Best wishes and congratulations are also in order for NHS librarian Ann Perham who was recently notified that she will receive the Goldin Award for Excellence in Education later this spring. For more information about this prestigious award and to learn more about Ann's work in the Needham Schools: http://www.goldinfoundation.org/ Allow me to extend my appreciation and best wishes to all of our teachers and administrators who through their quiet and humble work are witnesses to our core values and make the Needham Public Schools one of the finest school systems in the Commonwealth. • Congratulations! The cast and crew of the high school's production of the musical The Drowsy Chaperone should take a bow for outstanding performances over this past weekend. The students were superb, and they were led by several enthusiastic and committed teachers and parent volunteers who devoted countless hours to the show's success. Congratulations are also in order for the NHS Dance Team which has again won the State Dance Championship! This is the team's third title in four years! The dancers and Coach Paula Callanan deserve our praise for this unprecedented accomplishment. The talent, creativity, and dedication evident in our students is a compliment to their parents and families who support, guide, and love them. Thanks for sharing them with us each day. As always, I can be reached at [ mailto:dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us ]dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us or 781.455.0400, x203. Sincerely, Dan Gutekanst Superintendent of Schools