Dear Needham Families: Allow me to share the following updates: *• "Snow Daze" *In the unlikely event a winter storm may require the closing or delayed opening of the Needham Public Schools, I will do my level best to make a decision about a cancellation or delay by about 5:30 a.m. Unless it is abundantly clear what the weather conditions will be, I am often reluctant to call off school the evening before a storm is predicted because New England weather is fickle. Once a decision is made, alerts will go out via email, phone, and on local TV. The quickest way to find out is on Twitter where I also post the information. ( For more info: https://twitter.com/@NPS_Supt ) It is important for students to be in classes as scheduled throughout the year, and I don't believe a winter storm should necessarily keep us away from school. If it is predicted to snow, for instance, four to seven inches I am inclined to hold classes. There are circumstances, however, when the snow is minimal but icy and dangerous roads may prevent a safe school opening or at least require a delay. Safety for students and staff, of course, will always be my first consideration. This coming winter parents and students should leave plenty of time to get to school and keep a shovel and galoshes nearby! *• Needham Education Foundation - Teacher Appreciation *Please consider contributing to the NEF by sending a *Teacher Appreciation Card*. In this way you will help the NEF provide funds for innovative school programing, and you will thank a teacher or staff member for his/her work with your child. More information here: NEF <http://www.nefneedham.org/> *• Student Achievements *Congratulations are in order for the two Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS) Academic Excellence Award honorees, Isabel Barnet and Oliver Hirshland, both NHS seniors. Isabel and Oliver were honored at a recent School Committee meeting for their superb commitment to learning and academic excellence. They clearly represent our core values around Scholarship and Personal Growth! At the School Committee meeting both seniors expressed their deep appreciation for their parents' support and to all of the Needham teachers who have guided and assisted them over the years. Kudos also to the Needham High Golf Team for being honored with the prestigious Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Sportsmanship Award presented to a team that exemplifies good spirit, fair play, maturity, discipline, and leadership. Whether on the greens, in the pool, in the classroom, on the field, or on the stage, our students are talented, mature, hardworking, and poised. Needham families and the teachers and coaches who have guided them should rightly be proud! *• Happy Thanksgiving!* A teacher shared with me that a couple of her students who are recent immigrants to this country were not expecting to celebrate or observe the Thanksgiving holiday because the tradition is new to the family. Of course, I always assumed *everyone* understands, appreciates, and celebrates Thanksgiving! (I think it's the best holiday of the year!) The teacher's conversation with me is a reminder that the Needham Public Schools increasingly enroll children from many nations with diverse languages, faiths, and backgrounds. Their presence in our community and classrooms prompts us to share our wonderful traditions and to learn about our students' cultures and traditions. The opportunity to develop new relationships and understanding is indeed powerful. We are fortunate to live, work, and learn in an amazing community like Needham that values children, and we are especially blessed to be citizens in a vibrant country that serves, however imperfectly, as a model of democracy, inclusion, and justice to the rest of a sometimes weary world. I know I am grateful for my family and to work with a talented staff, committed parents, and the exceptional young people of Needham - all of whom inspire civility, peace, and hope. So however you are observing the holiday, I hope it is a good one for you and your family! * Happy Thanksgiving!* As always, you can be in touch with me via phone (781.455.0400, x203) or email: dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us *Go Rockets! Beat Wellesley!! * Sincerely, Dan Gutekanst Superintendent of Schools