East Brookfield Elementary School

Good Afternoon,

I hope this Superintendent Update for February 2023 finds you and yours well. 

Enrollment: Our enrollment as a regional school district has steadied. As of this morning, we have 1448 students enrolled within our district.  David Prouty High School has 364 students enrolled; Knox Trail Middle School has 374 students; Wire Village School has 430 students; and East Brookfield Elementary School has 252 students including 118 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 may have already heard, in May of 2023, the Federal Government plans to conclude the “Emergency Status” that is in effect related to the Covid-19 Pandemic.  As a result, FREE test kits, vaccines and services will more than likely end at that time as the Federal Government rolls back its efforts.  With that said, parents, families and guardians are reminded of the following…

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.

Inclement Weather Notifications: As noted in our 2022-2023 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. 

As well, as a backup communication service, notifications will be made through our OneCall Notification System. 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).

Cody Chen Recognized as MASS Academic Achievement Award Recipient!  Recently, I had the honor and privilege to recognize the top senior at David Prouty High School, Cody Chen, and present him with the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Academic Excellence Award. The state association celebrates top students during the early portion of their senior year instead of the usual spring award ceremony - so that the distinguished honor is in time to be included on college applications. 

“Cody is a deserving young man who has earned the 2022-2023 MASS Academic Achievement Award.  Cody is an excellent example of the type of education that happens here in the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District, in general, and David Prouty High School, specifically, as he has taken advantage of every opportunity put before him.  On behalf of all of us within the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District, many congratulations, Cody!  I wish you all the best in all that you do!”

2022 School and District Report Cards: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently made the 2022 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.   

Massachusetts Teacher of the Year 2024 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 2024. The nomination and application forms for the 2024 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.

Save the Date: Spring 2023 Initial MCAS and ACCESS for ELLs Testing Schedule!

World Read Aloud Day is Wednesday, February 1st, 2023!  For 14 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 6-10, 2023 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: Our next meeting of the David Prouty High School Building Committee is tentatively planned to take place on Thursday, February 9^th, 20232 at 6:00pm at the Wire Village School. All are welcome to these important in-person meetings.  The agenda is posted on our website and includes the introduction of the Construction Management team, Fontaine Brothers, Inc.

Winter Athletics Update:  This 2022-2023 winter season, our Panthers have had a great deal of success on and off the court, track and mat.  If you have not yet had a chance or opportunity to see the David Prouty High School or Knox Trail Middle School teams competed this season, check out the remaining schedule and make time to come out and cheer on our Panthers!   

Upcoming Events in February 2023!

Finally, we have many exciting activities taking place throughout our learning community in the month of December.

• Event: National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony @Knox Trail MS (Wed, Feb 1, 6:00 PM)
• Event: National Honor Society Induction Ceremony @David Prouty HS (Thurs, Feb 2, 6:00PM)
• Event: SEPAC Meeting – Basic Rights: Understanding the IEP via Zoom. (Mon, Feb 6, 6:30 PM)
• Event School Building Committee Meeting (Thurs, Feb 9, 6:00 PM)
• Event: Half Day of School (Feb 10).
• Event: School Committee Meeting (Tues, Feb 14, 6:00 PM)
• Event:  School Closed – February Recess (Feb 20 – Feb 24)

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 12^th 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.

Career 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 what "teaching and learning with purpose" looks like!

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, thank you for your continued support and partnership 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