From superintendents_update at lists.needham.k12.ma.us Tue Jun 21 00:24:05 2022 From: superintendents_update at lists.needham.k12.ma.us (Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update) Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2022 20:24:05 -0400 Subject: [Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update Message-ID: Dear Needham Public Schools Families: As we prepare for the last few days of school and summer, allow me to share the following updates: *• Health and Safety* With great thanks to our students and staff, the Joint Committee on Health and Safety, and the ongoing support of families, we have successfully kept schools open, healthy, and safe throughout the year. COVID cases have come down locally and within the schools , and we have been able to unwind some of the protocols that had become commonplace in our schools and classrooms. Next school year I anticipate that we will continue a mask friendly learning environment for students, staff, and school visitors but will drop the daily attestation protocol. Of course, we will follow guidance and requirements from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and MA Department of Public Health (DPH) as we plan for the new school year. Additionally, in the fall the Joint Committee on Health and Safety will continue to advise me about issues that may come up regarding the district's response to COVID health and safety issues. *• New Assistant Superintendent for Instruction & Innovation *I am extremely pleased to share that Dr. Carmen Williams, formerly an educator in South Bend, Indiana, will become the district's new Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Innovation beginning July 1st. You may read the announcement here: Dr. Carmen Williams *• Superintendent's Blog *My latest post about the tragic shooting in Uvalde can be found here: The right to a full and productive life is at the core of our nation's principles *• 10 Minutes with... *Please watch my latest ten minute video, an interview with our newly appointed Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Innovation, Dr. Carmen Williams: 10 Minutes with Carmen Williams *• Student Historians and Scholars *National History Day Two Needham High students, Claire Smith and Aideen Milligan, were selected to have their National History Day project entitled The Lowell Mill Strike of 1836 placed virtually in the Smithsonian Museum of American History! Only two schools from Massachusetts were selected, NHS and Hingham High School. This is a huge honor for our students and their teachers who helped prepare and guide them. You can learn more about the National History Day 2022 awards here: NHD 2022 *• Congratulations Unified Sports and Boys Volleyball! *Congratulations to our NHS Unified Track Team for their big wins at the state championship recently. I also want to congratulate the NHS Boys Volleyball Team for winning, for a second year in a row, the Division I State Championship! These students and their coaches should be proud of their efforts and the athleticism and sportsmanship they have demonstrated all year. We are proud of you! I hope all families and our staff enjoy a well earned summer vacation. Rest, relax, and rejuvenate! Respectfully, Dan Gutekanst Superintendent of Schools Needham Public Schools 1330 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA 02492 *He/His/Him* 781-455-0400 x11203 dan_gutekanst at needham.k12.ma.us 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: