April 23, 2020 Dear Needham Public Schools Families: On Tuesday Governor Baker extended the state-mandated closure of schools through the end of the school year in response to the health crisis. This news prompted additional questions and concerns from families, students, and staff. Let me reassure you that the district’s dedicated teachers and administrators remain committed to the development and care of all our students and families. It is important for our families to know that under the capable hands of Needham Public Schools educators, and with the support of loving families and a caring community, our students are learning and growing every day. The pandemic has changed our lives and caused us to reinvent the school experience. As I connect with the schools, I am inspired by the creative lessons, pictures, and videos of our students and teachers participating in remote learning. These artifacts are evidence of the implementation of the district’s Remote Learning Plan with a focus on three key priorities: 1) Maintain and nurture strong connections and relationships with students and families; 2) Engage students directly in the curriculum in thoughtful and measured ways so all students can learn and grow; and 3) Provide services and supports to help meet the many needs of all students, particularly our most vulnerable students. Thank you to parents and family members who are balancing work demands, family needs, and student learning in unanticipated ways. Allow me to share three important updates: • As the Governor extended the school closure date, the Commissioner of Education once again notified us about new remote learning and curriculum guidance that will be issued, presumably by the end of this week or early next week. We will review this guidance and determine if any aspect of our NPS Remote Learning Plan <http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=64513&pageId=32266432> will need to be adjusted or changed. Please stay tuned for information on how our district will respond to these new state guidelines. • After the Governor’s announcement, teacher leaders and administrators met to discuss the first couple of weeks of implementation of the district’s Remote Learning Plan and to discuss what changes may be needed, especially now that we know we are going beyond the May 4th date. Additionally, our principals and schools are conducting surveys and/or holding virtual Open Houses with families to understand what is working well and where there are areas needing our attention. While the three priorities referenced above will continue to guide our work, I believe we will need to consider how we can maximize teacher and student interactions so that students remain engaged, connected, and learning throughout the next several weeks and until the last day of school on Friday, June 19th. • There are some additional pressing issues that we have already begun to address. For example, we are working on providing an alternative way of hosting graduation and other traditional year-end activities that our students, particularly our high school seniors, have anticipated for so long. We are researching how to provide additional support to students, potentially in the summer and into the fall. We are also thinking about how to continue to nurture a sense of community, caring, and wellbeing for all students, families, and staff. Perhaps most critical, we need to prepare for the transition back to school when our buildings reopen, including ways to accommodate social distancing if still needed. One of the silver linings to the health emergency is that our students and teachers are bravely learning about and practicing the skills critical to our students’ futures, as identified in the Portrait of A Needham Graduate <http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_64429/File/District/PORTRAIT%20competencies.pdf> and the district’s strategic plan. The Portrait competencies are being tested in the real world as we prepare all Needham Public Schools students to be creative thinkers and problem solvers, communicators and collaborators, socially and culturally responsive contributors, responsible and resilient individuals, and empowered learners. Despite the challenges, students and teachers will clearly learn, grow, and connect in ways that we do not even see yet! Thank you for your feedback and suggestions, your words of encouragement to our teachers and principals, and your understanding as we work together to support our amazing students. Should you have any questions, please continue to reach out to me. My phone number is 781.455.0400, x11203 or dan_gutekanst@needham.k12.ma.us Respectfully, Dan Gutekanst Superintendent of Schools