Good Afternoon,
I hope this Superintendent Update for April 2024 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 311 students enrolled; Knox Trail Middle School has 387 students; Wire Village School has 457 students; and East Brookfield Elementary School has 271 students including 126 students enrolled for the "Cubs Corner" Preschool!
Personnel: We continue to post for paraprofessionals as well as tutors to join our district. As well, we are in the process of posting for summer employment and will be posting for the next school year in the coming weeks ahead. If you are interested in becoming a part of our learning community, please apply at: https://www.schoolspring.com.
Updated COVID-19 Guidance from the Department of Public Health: A message from Acting Commissioner Russell D. Johnston and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education! The state Department of Public Health has reviewed the recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding isolation strategies for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The Department of Public Health has updated its recommendations for the general public to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses in alignment with this guidance, and DPH’s recommendations are available here: Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses | Mass.gov. There is a specific section on schools and childcare settings.
Please note the guidance for staff in healthcare settings, including your healthcare professionals, has not changed. Specific guidance and protocols for health care settings is posted here: Guidance for Health Care Personnel with SARS-CoV2 Infection or Exposure.
Afterschool activities and the Solar Eclipse, April 8, 2024! On Monday, April 8, 2024, Massachusetts will be experiencing a solar eclipse from 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM. You may already be aware of the danger of looking at the sun during the eclipse. Outdoor activity, practices and games should be approached with extreme caution as unavoidable exposure to the harmful intensity could happen accidentally with extreme harm to athletes.
For example, Major League Baseball teams have recently adjusted their start times later, after the eclipse, for the safety of their players. On behalf of the sports medicine committee, we suggest avoiding competition and practice during the time of the eclipse for all athletes. Inadvertent exposure is a very high risk during the eclipse time.
Additional resources from MA DESE are below or at this link.
On behalf of the entire MIAA Sports Medicine Committee, we suggest you use extreme caution on April 8 and have a great spring season.
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Educational and Informational Resources for the April 8, 2024 Eclipse:
The eclipse may overlap with dismissal for many Massachusetts schools. We recommend preparing students to safely experience the eclipse. Please instruct students not to look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection.
Visit NASA's website for a comprehensive information about the eclipse.
The NASA website and NSTA website contain multiple lesson plans and resources for educators.
NSTA's website contains a document with relevant information for school administrators.
This video from the Fiske Planetarium contains information for administrators about student safety during the eclipse.
There are many cultural stories surrounding eclipses. The Exploratorium website contains information about various cultural eclipse narratives and histories.
Free eclipse glasses may be available through your local library and the Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries program.
MSBA Update: David Prouty High School Students and Staff met recently with the Owner Project Mgr, Architects, and Specialists - to review the furniture, fixture and equipment needs for our building project!
Next Meeting: Our next meeting of the David Prouty High School Building Committee is tentatively planned to take place on Thursday, April 11th, 2024 at 6:00pm at the Wire Village School. All are welcome to these important in-person meetings.
MSBA's 15th annual "My Ideal School" contest is BACK! The 15th Annual My Ideal School Contest is officially OPEN! Grab your crayons, grab your watercolors, grab your colored pencils because it’s time to get drawing! The primary goal of the "My Ideal School" contest is to promote discussion among students and teachers as to how thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts supports student engagement and 21st century learning.
This contest is open to all first-grade students currently attending a Massachusetts public school and contest submissions must be postmarked by April 26, 2024 for consideration. In past years, we have received thousands of contest submissions from first graders across the Commonwealth. All of the drawings have been unique and clearly, each child put a lot of hard work and creative thought into their submission.
This year, regional winners will be chosen, each of whom will receive a special prize generously donated by M&T Bank. One lucky grand prize winner will also have their “My Ideal School” contest picture featured on the cover of the MSBA Annual Report. Also, winners will be honored at a special awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on June 12, 2024.
For more information, view the 2024 Contest Invitation and Entry Form.
Winners will be notified through their school's administration.
For any inquiries or questions, please contact us here.
Early College Update! David Prouty High School continues to offer Early College courses. This spring semester Entrepreneurship is taking place in partnership with Worcester State. Students are working diligently to learn about what it takes to be an entrepreneur in the 21st century and are really enjoying the course. Moving forward, David Prouty High School administration, faculty and staff are looking to expand our offerings in Early College with Worcester State this spring and into the summer months and beyond. We thank our local colleges and universities for their partnership and look forward to becoming an Early College designated high school in the coming school year with the Massachusetts Board of Education and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education… More to come.
Final Comprehensive District Review Received! In accordance with Massachusetts state law, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) contracted with the American Institutes for Research® (AIR®) to conduct a comprehensive review of Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District (hereafter, Spencer-East Brookfield) in October 2023. Data collection activities associated with the review focused on understanding how district systems, structures, and practices operate in support of district continuous improvement efforts. The review focused on the six standards (and related indicators) that DESE has identified as being important components of district effectiveness.1 To read this report, click here.
“Willy Wonka, The Musical!” Come see the amazing students of DPHS & KT perform "Willy Wonka The Musical." Three showings: 4/5 at 7pm, 4/6 at 1pm & 7pm. Look forward to seeing everyone there! Tickets can be bought at the door for $10 adults/$5 students. Concessions will be sold at the event.
Upcoming Events in April 2024!
As you know, each month we have many exciting activities taking place throughout our learning community. This month, in the month of April, here are just a few things planned.
Event: SEPAC Meeting via Zoom. (Mon, April 1, 6:30 PM)
Event School Committee Meeting (Tue, April 2, 6:00 PM)
Event: School Building Committee Meeting (Thurs, April 11, 6:00pm)
Event: Half Day of School for Students – Professional Development Day! (Friday, April 12)
Event: School Closed – April Recess (April 15 – 19)
MCAS Season Begins! 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 at the end of March/beginning of April, your child will be taking MCAS, our Commonwealth’s standardized test. 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 MCAS Resources for Parents/Guardians website.
And finally, 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