[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Monday, September 19, 2016

Dear Needham Families:

As we head into our 4th week of school, allow me to share the following
updates:

*•  Minuteman Vote Tuesday, September 20th  *Needham residents will be able
to vote from noon until 8:00 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at
the Center at the Heights (Senior Center) on the Minuteman Ballot Question
<http://www.needhamma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/13916>.
For more information about Minuteman High School and the proposed
project: Minuteman
Vote and School Construction Project Information
<http://minuteman.org/Page/636>

*•  Hillside School Project:  Next Steps!  *Over the summer the
Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) authorized a new elementary
school project to go forward on the Central Avenue site to replace the
existing Hillside Elementary School.  As a result of the MSBA's support,
the Needham community will now vote on November 8, 2016 and decide whether
or not to fund a new school designed to replace the aging and overcrowded
existing Hillside facility.  If the community supports this important
project, a new school could open as early as 2019 or 2020.  For detailed
information about the project, please check out the district's
website:  Hillside
Elementary School Project
<http://rwd1.needham.k12.ma.us/Hillside_and_Mitchell_Planning/Hillside%20FAQs>

*•  Welcome School Resource Officers! * Your children may have noticed the
presence of a new police officer on campus this year.  We are very excited
to welcome back to school this fall long-time School Resource Officer Vin
Springer and his new partner, Ryan O'Leary.  Both officers will be a
regular presence in our schools and classrooms, and we welcome their
partnership as we collaborate to make our schools safe.

*•  Superintendent's Blog*  I try to update my blog monthly.  My recent
posting about our new School Resource Officers can be found here: http://
npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/

• * Stay in Touch with the Superintendent!  *One way to stay in touch is to
follow me on Twitter:  *Give it a try!*  The quickest way to get school
closings or other important information is on Twitter.   For school
updates, weather-related school cancellations, reminders, and photos, go
to:  https://twitter.com/@NPS_Supt    Also, you can be in touch with me via
phone (781.455.0400, x203) or email: dan_gutekanst at needham.k12.ma.us  I
look forward to sharing with and hearing from you!

*•  Needham Students*  Finally, as you probably know, this past week two
Needham families have been impacted by the tragic and unexpected deaths of
two young men, Harris Forbes and Eli Pilat.

Harris Forbes lived in Needham and was a Needham Public Schools student who
attended school in New Hampshire.  According to his family and friends he
"was a beautiful boy who, for much of his life, greeted the morning with a
stretch and a smile. He lived his life in silent reverie, but brought joy
to all who knew him."

Eli Pilat, who died in a train accident over the weekend, was a ninth
grader at Lincoln-Sudbury High School but attended Pollard in the 8th grade
last year. His Lincoln-Sudbury principal said that while they were just
getting to know Eli as a student, they were "beginning to appreciate his
love of music and his self advocacy."

There really aren't adequate words to express the loss of a child, and I
won't try in this space.  I am reminded, however, of a line from the 19th
Century poet William Cullen Bryant who wrote:  *And we wept that one so
lovely should have a life so brief.*

Please join me in offering our deepest sympathy and heartfelt prayers to
the families of Harris and Eli.  May both young men Rest in Peace.

Respectfully,
Dan Gutekanst
Superintendent of Schools
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