[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

May 31, 2020

Dear Needham Public Schools Families:

We write to you on this beautiful yet uneasy Sunday evening to address the
news about national protests and riots occurring in the wake of horrific
events involving the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery in Atlanta, Breonna Taylor in
Louisville, and, most recently, George Floyd who was killed by police in
Minneapolis.

First and foremost, on behalf of the Needham Public Schools, we wish to
acknowledge the deaths of these individuals and offer our condolences and
support to their families and loved ones. Georgia, Kentucky, Minnesota are
far away, but the impact of their deaths and the unrest in their wake, is
real, palpable, and close to our community, families, and students,
particularly our black students.

While we can't pretend to understand what their families are going through,
nor can we completely appreciate the profound effect their deaths, and the
many others like them, have had on the black community, including our staff
and students of color, we must acknowledge these killings  because as
school leaders, it is essential to call out violent and racist behavior in
the hopes of promoting much needed change in our culture and society. Although
we have not always responded to violent or racist acts that occur across
the country and acknowledge our response to incidents occurring in the NPS
have been imperfect and not always timely, we cannot be silent.  Our
purpose now is to support the members of our community, especially our
students, their families, and our staff, who identify with these victims
and often experience the insidious violence of racist, demeaning, and
hateful comments, taunts, and acts.  We wish to stand together.

The Needham Public Schools, removed from the protests and rioting we see
unfolding across the nation, must stand as a beacon of hope, anti-racism,
and educational opportunity and inclusivity for all our students and their
families.  This is as important for our students of color as it is for our
white students. Our schools, and our work with every child in each
classroom, must be part of the solution of addressing the injustices,
inequities, and pain that mar and stain our democracy and
disproportionately impact our communities of color.

This week our schools will offer opportunities for dialogue and engagement
for students, their families, and staff:



   -

   Principals will work with their staff to provide developmentally
   appropriate learning opportunities to address the current news and provide
   a forum for anti-racist education. (We recognize that not all elementary
   students will be aware of these events, and so we will respond to the
   natural curiosity of children as appropriate.)
   -

   The district will continue to work with community groups to provide
   opportunities for dialogue and communication around issues of race,
   inequality, and justice.
   -

   The district will continue to provide and update resources for families
   on the district’s website: Equity in the Needham Public Schools
   <http://www.needham.k12.ma.us/equity>


This is not all we can do, but these are the small and important steps we
can and will take to demonstrate to the community, our families, and in
particular to our students and staff that we care, and we acknowledge the
role we have to play and obligation to serve as leaders and human beings to
address injustice, ignorance, and racism.

Respectfully,

The School Leadership Team of the Needham Public Schools:

*Greg Bayse*, Principal, Mitchell Elementary School

*Tamatha Bibbo*, Principal, Pollard Middle School

*Karen Bourn*, Principal, Eliot Elementary School

*Jessica Downey*, Principal, High Rock School

*Terry Duggan*, Assistant Superintendent for Student Learning

*Emily Gaberman*, Principal, Broadmeadow Elementary School

*Anne Gulati*, Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Operations

*Dan Gutekanst*, Superintendent of Schools

*Michael Kascak*, Principal, Sunita L. Williams School

*Mary Lammi*, Assistant Superintendent of Student Support Services

*Alexandra Montes-McNeil*, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources

*Jessica Peterson*, Principal, Newman Elementary School

*Aaron Sicotte*, Principal, Needham High School



ATTENTION: If you speak a language other than English, language assistance
services are available to you free of charge. Contact your child’s school
for assistance.

Chinese (Simplified): 请注意：如果您的母语不是英语，我们将免费提供您语言辅助服务。如需协助，请与您孩子 的学校联系。

Spanish: ATENCION: Si usted habla un idioma que no sea el inglés, hay
servicios de asistencia lingüística disponibles gratis. Contacte la escuela
de su hijo para asistencia.

Russian: ВНИМАНИЕ: Если вы не говорите на английском языке, для вас
доступны бесплатные языковые сервисы на вашем языке. Обратитесь за помощью
в школу, в которой учится ваш ребенок.
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