[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Dear Needham Families:

As the year draws to a close, please allow me to share some important
information and updates:

•  World Language Program Review--Parent Focus Group
This year the Needham Public Schools, as part of its regular curriculum
review cycle, is examining the World Language program.  We are very
interested in learning what parents think about world language instruction
in general as well as in their perceptions about their child's experiences
in the program.  Responses to our parent survey last month yielded a
wealth of information but also raised a few questions that we would like
to explore further within a focus group setting.  

On May 31, 2012, we will be holding a parent focus group from 7:30 PM-8:15
p.m.  The group will meet in the  second floor conference room at the
school administration building and will be facilitated by an outside
evaluator who is assisting with the program review.  Debbie Watters, our
Director of World Languages, will be available after the session to meet
with participants for questions or further discussion.

If you are interested in helping with the World Language program review by
participating in this focus group, please email Corinne MacDonald in the
Office of Program Development by Tuesday, May 29, 2012 
(corinne_macdonald at needham.k12.ma.us).  Include your name, your child's
grade level, and language studied.   We will confirm your participation by
May 30, 2012 via email and provide you with logistical details.

We encourage you to consider attending this session.  The collective
voices of our parents, students, teachers,  and administrators will help
guide the course of World Language instruction and program development in
the district for the next five to ten years.  

•  Hillside/Mitchell  Prefeasibility Study  The School Committee and
Permanent Public Building Committee have engaged an architect to study
options for the renovation and/or replacement of the Hillside and Mitchell
elementary schools.  The architect will present a final draft report to
the School Committee on June 5th at 7:00 p.m. at Broadmeadow, and parents
and members of the community are encouraged to attend or tune in and
listen to the presentation.  My recent blog post details some of the ideas
and thinking around options for both schools: 
http://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/ 

•  Congratulations to our Retiring Staff!  Last week we celebrated the
retirements of several colleagues who will leave us at the conclusion of
this school year after a combined 164 years of service to the children of
Needham:

Margaret Crowley (Hillside), Betty Morgan and Dale Jovin (Eliot), Joel
Neiditz (High Rock), Dorothy Furgason and Paula Martin (Pollard), Jacques
Bignet, David Cournoyer, Susan Klingerman, and Christine Mirabile (Needham
High School)  

Please join us as we congratulate our staff and wish them well as they
pursue new adventures.

Enjoy the week ahead.

Sincerely,

Dan Gutekanst
Superintendent

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