[Superintendent's Update] Superintendent's Update

[Needham Public Schools Superintendent's Update]

Dear Needham Public Schools Families:

As we conclude a busy and productive school year, allow me to share the
following updates:

*• Congratulations, Retirees! *Join me and congratulate 17 teachers and
staff who are retiring this year.  We celebrated them at the Needham Golf
Course recently and you will find information about our retirees in the event
program
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K6-lX-M9mfxP5-bZQ6Pd2vdfIFalNDUl/view?usp=sharing>
.


*• 10 Minutes with Monica Staley and Linda Burke* I had the privilege to
interview two of our exceptional teachers, kindergarten teacher Monica
Staley and high school art teacher Linda Burke.It’s a wonderful
conversation and I hope you can watch the brief Ten Minutes With video
<https://youtu.be/f9NiUSx8KSM?feature=shared>.


*• No More Empty Seats in School! *The end of a school year is not the best
time to talk about students missing classes, but nevertheless I
encourage parents to read my most recent Superintendent's Blog
<https://npssuperintendent.blogspot.com/>which focuses on the very real
problem of student absenteeism and chronic absenteeism. Next September
brings a fresh opportunity for staff and parents to work together to assist
students who struggle with high rates of absenteeism.


*• Congratulations to Students and Staff!* Kudos to Broadmeadow teacher Jacqui
Murphy who received an Outstanding Special Education Teacher Award from the
National Association of Special Education Teachers. Jacqui was one of 13
teachers nationwide and one of only two people in Massachusetts to be
recognized. You can read more about Jacqui here.
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zbR9VBe02gzyOibl0TzqOLO6RB60Ckpa/view?usp=sharing>


Awesome teachers empower incredible students! Three NHS junior
scholars, Jessica
Brayer, Molly Perlman, and Alexandra Weiss had their National History Day
project
<https://nhd.org/en/2024/06/05/national-history-day-celebrates-student-projects-showcased-at-cultural-institutions-in-washington-d-c/>
on
display this week in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in
Washington. It’s a great academic honor to have our students recognized in
this way!

Finally, congratulations to the 421 members of the Needham High School
Class of '24 who graduated this past week on Memorial Field. We are proud
of them and wish them continued success as their futures unfold.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank our teachers, staff, parents and
families for working together to help nurture our students' development and
learning.  We understand that you have entrusted us with your children, and
we hope to always focus on their wellbeing, growth, and success.

Here's to a safe and restful summer!

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: <http://lists.needham.k12.ma.us/pipermail/superintendents_update/attachments/20240613/717fa937/attachment.htm>