[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Sunday, September 18, 2017

Dear Needham Families:

We have enjoyed a terrific school opening!  Over the summer months the
buildings were cleaned, new staff hired, and hundreds of teachers were
involved in professional learning - all in preparation for a new school
year!  As a November groundbreaking ceremony for the new Sunita L. Williams
Elementary School, which will replace the overcrowded and outdated Hillside
School, is planned, we have also enrolled over 70 new students into our
expanding district.

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

*•  School Committee Open House at Needham High School  *The School
Committee will host an informal Open House at Needham High next Saturday,
September 23rd from 9:00 until 10:30 a.m.  Parents and members of the
community are invited to chat informally with School Committee members
about questions and concerns and to tour the high school facility with the
principal to learn more about the need for additional classrooms and a
renovated gym.  Please join us to meet your School Committee and learn more
about the space and program challenges at Needham High!

*•  Needham High School Renovation Project  *At the October 3rd Special
Town Meeting, Town Meeting Members will be asked to consider appropriating
up to $14.2 million to add classroom space and renovate parts of the
building, including the "A" gym.  To learn more about the need for
classroom space at Needham High, please see this post: Needham High School
Space Needs
<http://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/2017/03/high-school-enrollment-increases.html#comment-form>
and
to view a video presentation, please watch the latest Needham Schools
Spotlight:Needham Schools Spotlight: High School Space Challenges
<http://www2.needham.k12.ma.us/nhs/TV-nps/17-18/2nhsspaces.htm>

*•  Superintendent's Blog*  My recent post includes comments I made to the
staff during our our annual back to school general staff meeting:
Superintendent's
Blog <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!

Respectfully,
Dan Gutekanst
Superintendent of Schools
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