Good Morning,
I hope this Superintendent Update for May 2022 finds you and yours well. It is that fantastic time of year again. It’s May! The important month where we educate, celebrate, and increase awareness of mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month is also referred to as “Mental Health Month” and has been observed in May in the United States since 1949, reaching millions of people in the United States through the media, local events, and screenings.
Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to her or his community.
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
I will be posting something important about mental illness throughout the month of May in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and to raise awareness... Please partner with us in raising awareness of “Mental Health Month.” After all, it will only prove beneficial to each and every one of us to raise awareness - so that we may continue our journey together in a safe and healthy manner focused upon “teaching and learning with purpose!”
Enrollment: Our enrollment as a regional school district has steadied. As of this morning, we have 1409 students enrolled within our district. David Prouty High School has 317 students enrolled; Knox Trail Middle School has 404 students; Wire Village School has 422 students; and East Brookfield Elementary School has 240 students including 98 students enrolled for the "Cubs Corner" Preschool!
Personnel: Open positions for summer and fall of 2022 have begun to be posted within the district. If you are interested in becoming a part of our family, please continue to check back and apply at: https://www.schoolspring.com
Covid-19 Update: As of this morning, we have had a total of 519 confirmed cases of Covid-19 within our schools. We have had 446 students and 73 staff members test positive for Covid-19, to date. Please 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.
“At-Home” Antigen Testing Program for Enrolled Staff and Students Extended: 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 testing program. 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.
Smithville Road Closed (4/18/2022 – 5/30/2022). The Town of Spencer Water Department is scheduled to replace an existing watermain and water service piping on Smithville Road between Meadow Road and Pleasant Street. Tentative Start Date is April 18, 2022 and the duration are expected to last approximately 6 weeks (05/30/22).
Construction hours will be Monday – Friday 7am-5pm. During this period (and between these hours), The road will be closed and through traffic will be detoured around Smithville Road. Staff will assist residents in and around the construction site during the day. Temporary Water Shut Offs will occur for residents in the vicinity. Advanced notice for affected residents will occur to the extent possible.
We thank you in advance for your patience during construction. Please contact the Spencer Water Department office with any questions at 508-885-7525.
David Prouty High School Update: Due to the three days of school missed as a result of the roof issues in Building “C;” and HVAC issues in “B” Building at David Prouty HS from February, we will be holding our make-up days during exams in the final week of school - as half days - on Friday, June 17th, Tuesday, June 21st, and Wednesday, June 22nd... Please look for further updates from the building administration, guidance department and faculty on the specifics regarding the exam schedule. Given this information, the final day of school for David Prouty High School will be Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022.
MSBA Update: This month, our School Building Committee had the honor and privilege of presenting our David Prouty High School “Add/Renovation” Project to the Exchange Club, and Howe Village. 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 planned to take place on Thursday, May 19th, 2022 at 6:00pm at the Wire Village School. All are welcome to these important in-person meetings.
Teacher Appreciation Week 2022: Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated in the first full week of May, from May 1 through May 8 in 2022, and is when teachers get the extra credit they deserve. The big day is Teacher Appreciation Day on May 5, but teachers are just so great that they get a whole week to savor our appreciation. Whether you have a teacher, know a teacher, or are a teacher, there are endless ways to give a little extra support to teachers and teachers organizations. Teaching is known to be a time-consuming and challenging profession, so this week is our chance to say thank you to those that play or have played such a huge role in our lives. Who doesn’t have a fond memory of a teacher who inspired us in some way?
Teacher Appreciation Day is described by the National Education Association (NEA), which spearheads the weeklong event, as “a day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.” Please join us in not only recognizing but thanking our teachers for all they do for our students each and every day here in the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District!
School Lunch Hero Day 2022: Between preparing healthy meals for America’s students, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, school nutrition professionals are true heroes.
On Friday, May 6, 2022, we will celebrate the 10th Annual School Lunch Hero Day! School Lunch Hero Day is a chance to showcase the difference school nutrition professionals make for every child who comes through the cafeteria. School Lunch Hero Day provides you with the perfect opportunity to recognize the hardworking professionals in our school cafeterias.
The School Nutrition Association of Massachusetts (SNA) has partnered with author Jarrett J. Krosoczka, of the “Lunch Lady” book series, to remind everyone—directors, managers, parents, students, and school staff—that school nutrition employees are superheroes that deserve some recognition. Please take a moment and join us to say, “thank you” to our superheroes on Friday, May 6, 2022!
Update on School Meals: This year, we would like to take a moment to call out and provide extra attention and recognition to our Spencer-East Brookfield RSD School Lunch Professionals. Every day, these women look forward to providing tasty food and a full belly to all of our students in each of our school; and have worked tirelessly over the past two years to provide meals through thick and thin.
During the pandemic we served meals remotely, in the classroom and cafeterias using any resource we had available. We also navigated through supply chain issues and still provided healthy and well-balanced meals to all the students who wish to eat.
So far during the 2021-2022 School Year (August-March 2022) we have served 104,059 Lunches and 61,513 Breakfasts. This is incredible seeing in the 2018-2019 (August- June) school year we fed 127,599 lunches and 34,282 breakfasts.
Universal free meals have created a relationship with education and food equity in this district that we cannot ignore. As of Mar 31, 2022, 54% of the students enrolled in the district are eligible for free and reduced breakfast and lunch which has increased from 40% in March 2019. To help combat hunger in the district we have introduced breakfast after the bell, breakfast in the classroom, more fresh fruits and vegetables and a summer feeding program that provides free meals to children 0-18 years old at locations in the SEBRSD Community.
“Summer Eats” Program Update: We will be running sites from David Prouty High School, Knox Trail Middle School, Wire Village Elementary and East Brookfield Elementary from June 27th-August 19th. Breakfast will be served between 7:30-9am and Lunch will be served between 11:30-1:00pm Monday - Thursday. The USDA waivers for Non-congregate meals and meal delivery were not extended and will expire the last day of school June 22nd 2022. So, parents/families would need to pick up meals with students present and can only take one meal at a time. More details to come in the June Superintendent Update… Please stay tuned!
Help us cheer on our Wire Village “Girls on the Run” Team! Girls on the Run is a team of coaches and Grade 3 & 4 girls who all inspire to build confidence and make intentional decisions, while fostering care and compassion for self and others. The coaches use physical activity and dynamic discussions to build social, emotional & physical skills while encouraging healthy habits for life. The “Girls on the Run 5K takes place at Polar Park on Saturday, May 21st, 2022 at 9:30am
Upcoming Events in May 2022!
As you know, each month we have many exciting activities taking place throughout our learning community. This month, in the month of May, here are just a few things planned.
- Event: SEPAC Meeting via Zoom. (Mon, May 2, 6:30 PM)
- Event School Committee Meeting (Tue, May 10, 6:00 PM)
- Event: David Prouty HS Art Show (Friday, May 6, 6:00 PM)
- Event: David Prouty HS Spring Concert (Wednesday, May 11, 6:30 PM)
- Event: “Girls on the Run” 5K at Polar Park in Worcester, MA! (Sat, May 21, 9:30 AM)
- Event: School Building Committee Meeting (Thurs, May 26, 6:00 PM)
- Event: East Brookfield Elementary Science Fair (Thurs, May 26, 5:30 PM)
- Event: School Closed – Holiday: Memorial Day (Monday, May 30)
MCAS Season Continues! MCAS has been upgraded to better measure the critical skills students need for success in the 21st century: deeper understanding; knowledge application; synthesizing; and writing. Most students will take the test on a computer reflecting the digital world we live in today. MCAS helps the Commonwealth identify schools and districts that need additional support. The next-generation MCAS reports your child's scores in new categories that better show whether your child is meeting expectations in their grade level.
Beginning in May, your child will be taking the mathematics MCAS. Let’s work together and make your child’s experience a positive and successful one! We’ve been preparing at school. Here are some suggestions you can do to help everyday:
✔Ensure your child arrives at school on time.
✔Have your child eat a healthy breakfast at home or at school.
✔Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep.
✔Gently encourage them to do their best.
✔And finally, take a quick moment to write an encouraging note to your child.
To learn more on steps you can take as parents/families, go to the Parents’ Guide to the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System.
And finally, let's work together to finish the school year strong by putting our best selves forward in support of our staff, students and one another! As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support of the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District. #Innovate #Inspire #Achieve
Sincerely Yours,
Paul S. Haughey, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District