Good Afternoon,
I hope this Superintendent Update for February 2022 finds you and yours well.
Enrollment: Our enrollment as a regional school district has steadied. As of this morning, we have 1406 students enrolled within our district. David Prouty High School has 330 students enrolled; Knox Trail Middle School has 400 students; Wire Village School has 420 students; and East Brookfield Elementary School has 227 students including 93 students enrolled for the "Cubs Corner" Preschool!
Personnel: We continue to post for paraprofessionals as well as tutors to join our district. If you are interested in becoming a part of our family, please apply at: https://www.schoolspring.com
Covid-19 Update: As of this morning, we have had a total of 458 confirmed cases of Covid-19 within our schools. We have had 401 students and 57 staff members test positive for Covid-19, to date. This increase amongst our students and staff is a sign that we need to remain vigilant and adhere to the safety protocols for everyone’s benefit so we may keep our school house doors open. Please continue to work together with us - to maintain our health and safety protocols throughout the school year with frequent hand washing, disinfecting, test and stay as well as masking. Masks are required on all buses and when staff/students enter our schools. All of the health and safety protocols are essential.
As you are already aware, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has extended the mask mandate for all schools in Massachusetts through February 28th, 2022. None of our schools within the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District are eligible for optional masking due to the fact we are not at the 80% vaccination rate required.
In anticipation of the upcoming February Recess and family/social gatherings, District Administration and members of our Health Services Department met last week to review district and DESE/CDC guidelines and protocols for COVID-19. We would like to take this time to offer a few reminders.
“At-Home” Antigen Testing Program for Enrolled Staff and Students: Last month, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in partnership with the Department of Public Health (DPH) approved our application to participate in the at-home antigen testing program as well as the diagnostic and routine pool trusting programs. As a result, if you are interested in this program, here are the steps you will need to complete as part of the "At-Home Antigen Test Program" to enroll…
Please click this link to access the informational letter regarding implementation of this important program as it is yet another tool in our effort to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Our goal is to deploy these at-home tests across the district over the next couple of weeks.
Phase 1 will distribute testing kits to district staff the week of January 24th, 2022.
Phase 2 will begin distribution of testing kits to students the week of January 31st, 2022. Kits will be distributed bi-weekly and will contain two (2) tests, which is a two-week supply. Kits are expected to ship out from distribution on Monday, January 31st, 2022, and we anticipate that they will arrive within a couple of days to the district. Details regarding the distribution of kits to families will follow.
Once kits have been distributed to individuals that have opted-in to this program, each student will need to test each week on Sunday, using the iHealth antigen tests provided. Positive results should be reported using the link for the Positive Test Result Notification Form on the attached letter AND by contacting your child's school nurse.
Once you have read the attached letter, please click the Opt-In link if you wish to participate in this program and receive take home tests. We urge you to complete this form expeditiously and no later than *January 28th, 2022* if possible. If you are unable to complete the online form, we will accept a signed paper copy (included in the attached letter below). Paper forms can be turned in to your child's school office. *Please note that failure to opt-in by this date will delay your access to testing supplies.
To learn more about the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Updated Covid-19 testing program, click this link.
Family Responsibilities for Health and Safety Reminder
As mentioned above, parents / families play a critical role in supporting the culture of health and safety in our schools. As an important reminder, please keep your child home if they have been identified as a close contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19. If you or someone in your household has tested positive for Covid-19, please notify your child’s school nurse or principal, who can help guide you with this process.
Parents should perform daily Covid-19 symptom checks before leaving home. Students should stay home if they are having any one symptom of Covid-19, as indicated below. The following symptoms were taken from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website.
- Fever (100.0 Degrees Fahrenheit or above)
- Cough (not due to other known cause)
- Lower respiratory symptoms (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath)
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Headache when in combination with other symptoms
- Fatigue/weakness, when in combination with other symptoms
- Muscle aches or body aches
- Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when combined with other symptoms/ If your child has chronic allergies, please request a note from your child’s physician indicating such.
*Please notify your child’s school principal or school nurse if you have any difficulties following any of these guidelines.
Inclement Weather Notifications: As noted in our 2021-2022 school calendar, we will have traditional snow days this year. Safety considerations, uniform access to electricity/internet during the school day, and COVID fatigue, make snow days an important part of successfully navigating the school year. Calling snow days in New England is a difficult task. As the Superintendent of Schools, I have a unique opportunity to evaluate conditions in real time, as well as consult with the National Weather Service, Department of Public Works, local Emergency Management officials, and neighboring towns. My decision regarding delaying, closing, or releasing schools early always has been and always will be based upon “safety first” for everyone within our learning community. If you have not already done so please put a plan in place for the safe care and/or receipt of your child in the event that a weather-related delay, closing, or release is necessary.
Notification Process: Our district has now transitioned over to our new App and website services as our primary means for delivering the most up-to-date information to your cell phones with our notification feature. To get the App, you can go to the Apple Store or Google Play Store and search for “SEBRSD” then download the App to your phone.
I will do my best to let you know the night prior, but not later than 5:30 a.m. on the day in question. Further, notifications will be placed on our website, Facebook page, and Twitter Account for the district well as Channel 4 (WBZ), Channel 5 (WCVB), Channel 7 (WHDH), and Channel 25 (FOX).
2021 School and District Report Cards: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently made the 2021 school and district report cards available on the report cards website. The site also contains supporting documentation related to report cards, including a glossary and a sample report card cover letter, both of which are available in English and nine other languages. As a reminder, the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that districts receiving Title I funds distribute report cards to all parents or guardians of students enrolled in district schools. The Department asks that districts distribute report cards to families by the end of February. For more information, including details about electronic distribution, visit the website
Teacher of the Year Nominations and Applications Open: As you know, we have many exceptional teachers within our district who go “above and beyond” the call of duty every day for our students. I would be remiss if I did not make you aware of the fact that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has opened the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year program for 2023. The nomination and application forms for the 2023 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year are now open. Each year, the Massachusetts Teacher of the Year program honors an educator who exemplifies excellent teaching in the Commonwealth. Information on the process and criteria are available online. Applications are due Monday, March 14.
World Read Aloud Day is Wednesday, February 2, 2022! For 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read-aloud! The global effort, created by the non-profit LitWorld and sponsored by Scholastic, is celebrated annually in over 173 countries and is all about bringing people together through the shared connection of reading aloud in all of our communities.
Celebrate National School Counseling Week! February 7-11, 2022 will mark National School Counseling Week (NSCW). This annual celebration is the perfect time to recognize the contributions of school counselors across Massachusetts, and more specifically in your own school setting.
The Massachusetts School Counseling Association (MASCA) encourages you to use National School Counseling Week as not only an opportunity to offer your school counselors appreciation, but to also advocate and support their roles in your school and district. Below are informational weblinks that provide detailed explanations of the roles of school counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses.
- An infographic that tells you more about the role of a school counselor
- A flier that explains the difference between school counselors, social workers, school psychologists and school nurses.
MSBA Update: Throughout January and February our School Building Committee has had the honor and privilege to present before both the Board of Selectmen and Finance Committees of both Spencer and East Brookfield, MA. More presentations are in the planning stages. However, to stay informed, our David Prouty High School Building Committee meetings take place on the third Thursday of each month. These meetings include a great deal of information regarding our proposed “Addition/Renovation” of David Prouty High School. Our next meeting of the David Prouty High School Building Committee is tentatively planned to take place on Thursday, February 24th, 2022 at 6:00pm at the Wire Village School. All are welcome to these important in-person meetings.
Upcoming Events in February 2022!
Finally, we have many exciting activities taking place throughout our learning community in the month of December.
- Event: FY23 Budget Workshop (Tue, Feb 1, 6:00 PM)
- Event: SEPAC Meeting – Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP via Zoom. (Mon, Feb 7, 6:30 PM)
- Event School Committee Meeting (Tue, Feb 8, 6:00 PM)
- Event: Half Day of School (Feb 18).
- Event: School Closed – February Recess (Feb 21 – Feb 25)
Choose SEBRSD! A community dedicated to teaching and learning with purpose...
Did you know?
All children between the ages of 6 and 16 who live in Massachusetts are required to attend school and are entitled to attend a public school free of charge. Most children attend school in the school district in which they live; however, parents may choose to enroll their children in public schools outside of their home district.
The Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District (SEBRSD) is located in Central Massachusetts, with schools in both Spencer and East Brookfield. As a gateway community, we are excited to open our doors to those from surrounding communities that are seeking a new opportunity and welcome new students to our district through the School-Choice program. We are currently accepting applications for Preschool and Kindergarten through 12th grade.
Why choose SEBRSD?
At SEBRSD, the positive relationships between parents, students and teachers are the foundation of our learning environment and we encourage ongoing communication to ensure your child’s success. We constantly strive and are committed to creating an environment in which every student is supported to achieve the highest levels of success. Our educators are focused on the consistent individual growth of the students so that they are “college, career, and life ready!” Our District prides itself on providing and fostering a hybrid learning environment of both traditional and adaptive educational instruction and opportunities that seek to engage our students in “teaching and learning with purpose!” We provide an extensive network of caring and supportive staff. As well, we provide the resources needed to deliver outstanding educational instruction and opportunities for all of our students. In short, we nurture, encourage and challenge each student to reach their full potential by offering the resources and support needed in a diverse and ever-changing environment.
What do we offer?
The Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District offers a high quality, early childhood through twelfth grade curriculum which is designed to:
- focus on comprehensive literacy, content literacy and information literacy;
- teach basic communication, cognitive, and computational skills;
- promote mathematical and scientific awareness;
- cultivate an awareness of history, geography, government, and the humanities as they relate to the past, present, and future;
- foster creativity;
- instill an appreciation for and proficiency in the arts;
- develop occupational competency and the capacity and desire for lifelong learning;
- encourage an understanding of multicultural values so that each and every student is college or career ready for the future;
- personalize programs to support students with learning difficulties and students who are new to the English language.
The curriculum is aligned to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and/or national standards.
Our high school students are offered the following course levels: Standard College Prep (SC1, SC), Honors (H), and Advanced Placement (AP). We offer the College Board’s Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma Program to students preparing for admission to selective four-year colleges. The PACE program gives students with significant intellectual disabilities opportunities to develop academic, daily living, occupational, and interpersonal skills.
David Prouty High School has a top-notch Athletics program (including football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, field hockey, golf, tennis, cross country, track & field, indoor track, and cheer) and other extra-curricular activities such as Marching Band, and many other clubs and groups that engage students outside of the classroom.
Vocational Technical Education Opportunities!
David Prouty High School has four vocational programs. In addition to our standard curriculum offerings, we are thrilled to share that students may elect to participate in our Criminal Justice, Early Education and Care, Environmental Science, and Marketing programs. These programs are designed to train students to earn a certificate in their chosen trade, and to prepare them either to enter the workforce directly out of high school, or to move on to higher education with certifications and credentials in their chosen field.
Give us a chance to show you!
We look forward to the opportunity to speak with families interested in joining the SEBRSD community. Please contact the District Registrar, Melissa Pervier, at 508-885-8515 ext. 1 or pervierm@sebrsd.org with any questions and let us explain what SEBRSD can do for your child.
For more information about the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District and to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings across the district, please visit the website at www.sebrsd.org, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and download the SEBRSD mobile app.
In closing, we know that the Covid-19 pandemic has placed added pressure on students, parents/families, our staff and our learning community as a whole. We are genuinely appreciative of your patience, support, and partnership with the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District. Take care and stay well! #Innovate #Inspire #Achieve
Sincerely Yours,
Paul S. Haughey, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District
@MASchoolsK12 @MASCSchoolComm