Dear Needham Families: Allow me to share the following updates as we conclude another busy and successful school year: *• Congratulations to our Retirees! *At our recent Retirement Reception we honored several NPS staff retiring at year's end. Together they represent over 225 years of service to our students and the profession: *Nancy Broadley*, *Mitchell*, *Charles Connor*, *Preschool*, *Janet Fasano, Margo Fisher-Martin, Wayne Heike, Estelle McCarthy, Yu-Wen Wang, **High School*, *Deb Gammerman*, *Technology Director, **Robin Lagace*, *Eliot*, *David Neves*, *Fine & Performing Arts Director*, *Anne Marie Normant*, *KASE*, *Joanne Noumi,* *Mitchell*, *Catherine Prout,**Broadmeadow*, *Mary Grace Summergrad* , *Community Education.* We wish them well and thank them for their service! *• NEF Thank you Cards* As the school year draws to a close, honor a special teacher, coach or staff person by making a donation in his or her name to the Needham Education Foundation (NEF). NEF Teacher Appreciation Cards make it simple to show your gratitude, while supporting innovation and excellence in the Needham Public Schools. ​P urchase cards at Taylor’s Stationery, Sudbury Farms, Roche Brothers or Volante Farms. If you have questions, please contact Maureen Callahan at mcallahan@nefneedham.org. *• New School Name *Recently the School Committee voted unanimously to name the school that will replace Hillside the *Sunita L. Williams Elementary School.* Sunita, who attended school in Needham beginning in Kindergarten at Hillside and was also a 1983 NHS graduate, is a Navy Captain and NASA astronaut who has flown two missions on the International Space Station. We are all extremely excited about the school's new name, and we look forward to welcoming Captain Williams home for the school's dedication in about two years! The Needham Times has a nice story about the new school's name: School Committee Names New School <http://needham.wickedlocal.com/news/20170614/new-needham-school-to-be-named-in-honor-of-astronaut-sunita-williams> *• NHS Student Achievements *Supported by dedicated teachers and coaches, many NPS students have recently enjoyed success in and outside the classroom: 118 NHS students were notified that they have been recognized for their world language proficiency in Spanish, Latin, and French. These students competed in national exams, resulting in the 118 awards, including 20 gold medals! Sophomore Noah Schwartz earned a perfect score on the Latin exam. A perfect score of 40/40 on the National Latin Exam is such a remarkable achievement that in 2017 only 813 students, out of over 135,000 students who participated in the US and 16 other countries, attained this distinction. That's about 0.6%! At the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Louisville, three NHS students ranked among the top performers out of hundreds of schools competing. Boys' Lacrosse and Boys' Volleyball enjoyed incredible seasons, each competing in state tournaments. Junior Davonte Burnett ran a time of 10.48 and captured 1st place in the 100M at the New England Track Championship. And the Girls' Lacrosse team captured the Division I State Championship at Boston University over the weekend, the first time in over 15 years!. *Go Rockets!!* Congratulations to all of our students who make us proud each day! *• 6th Graders Offer Advice to Graduates *Read my recent blog post to learn what graduation advice High Rock students have for the Class of 2017: Superintendent's Blog <http://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/> Spoiler Alert: 6th graders are pretty smart! Finally, let me take this opportunity to say thank you to our parents, staff, and all of our students for another successful year in the Needham Schools. Together we kept the focus on the important work: Providing an excellent education to the very best young people around. Thanks for your ongoing guidance, support, and generous spirit. It is an exceptional honor for me to serve as your superintendent. Enjoy the summer months with your family! Respectfully, Dan Gutekanst Superinetndent Needham Public Schools