Good Afternoon,
I hope this Superintendent Update for December 2022 finds you and yours well.
Enrollment: Our enrollment as a regional school district has steadied. As of this morning, we have 1421 students enrolled within our district. David Prouty High School has 361 students enrolled; Knox Trail Middle School has 370 students; Wire Village School has 417 students; and East Brookfield Elementary School has 245 students including 113 students enrolled for the "Cubs Corner" Preschool!
Personnel: We continue to post for paraprofessionals 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 you already know, the Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District received COVID test kits prior to the Thanksgiving break so that parents/families could test their son or daughter, if needed, prior to the return to school as a proactive measure. I’d like to thank the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Commissioner of Education, Jefferey C. Riley, and the Department of Public Health (DPH) as well as Massachusetts Emergency Management Administration, (MEMA) for providing us with the test kits – so we are prepared in responding to any needs that may arise this holiday season.
Covid-19 Protocols: In anticipation of the upcoming holidays and family/social gatherings, District Administration and members of our Health Services Department met last week to review DESE/CDC guidelines and protocols for COVID-19. We would like to take this time to offer a few reminders.
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.
Attendance: If your child presents at home or in school with any symptoms listed above, please contact your child’s physician. *Please notify your child’s school principal or school nurse if you have any difficulties following any of these guidelines.
SEBRSD to Host Tiered Focused Monitoring Review! During the week of January 16, 2023, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Spencer- East Brookfield Regional School District.
The Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report. During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairperson(s) of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations. Parents and other individuals may call Alaena Podmore, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at 413-314-6706 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the district with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.
FamilyID SEBRSD Winter 2022 Athletics Registration Information! The athletic program has been designed to enhance the overall student experience. Participation in athletics provides our student athletes with the opportunity to develop physically, mentally and emotionally. The development of physical fitness, athletic skills, leadership, self-discipline, self-esteem, loyalty, cooperation, and self-motivation, sense of fair play, social attitudes and behaviors, along with developing friendships are promoted through participation in athletics. The Spencer-East Brookfield Regional School District’s athletic program is voluntary, extra-curricular, and as such, designed to complement the objectives and policies of the school district to develop well-rounded individuals who are capable of taking their place in today’s society.
Winter 2022 Athletic Teams registering online now for David Prouty HS & Knox Trail MS!
This year's winter sports offerings at David Prouty HS & Knox Trail MS.
David Prouty HS
- Girls Basketball
- Boys Basketball
- Indoor Track
- Winter Cheer
Knox Trail MS
- Girls Basketball
- BoysBasketball
- Indoor Track (7 & 8)
- Winter Cheer ( 7 & 8)
You can sign-up at FamilyId on the following link - https://www.familyid.com/organizations/3760/account
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 the latest version of our App and website. Our latest App and website services are 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.
MSBA Update: Later this month, on Thursday, December 15th,2022 at 6:00pm, the School Building Committee will hold its annual meeting in-person, also at the Wire Village School.
Upcoming Events in December!
Finally, we have many exciting activities taking place throughout our learning community in the month of December.
- Event: DPHS Marching Band & AA Transportation's Stuff the Bus! (Sat, Nov, 26th, 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM at David Prouty HS!) Donations may also be made throughout the first week of December 2022.
- Event: David Prouty High School Open House (Thurs, Dec 1, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM)
- Event: Elementary First Trimester Grades Close (Fri, Dec 2)
- Event: Winter Crafts & Vendor Fair at East Brookfield Elementary School (Sat, Dec 3, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
- Event: SEPAC Meeting via Zoom (Mon, Dec 5, 6:30 PM)
- Event: School Committee Meeting (Tue, Dec 13, 6:00 PM)
- Event: School Closed - Holiday Break (Fri, Dec 23 – Mon, Jan 2)
Finally, from our family to yours, have a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy new year! And as always, thank you for your 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