SPS COVID-19 Update - June 12, 2020

Dear Shrewsbury Families & Colleagues,

Please see the updates below and in this five-minute video message that I recorded yesterday, which includes some comments regarding planning for our summer programming and possibilities for returning to school in the fall.  

As we come to the end of the school year this coming Tuesday, June 16, I am enormously grateful for the ways in which students, families, and educators responded to the challenges that were placed before us.  I also wish to again publicly thank the SPS staff who are retiring.  This group of educators and support staff have made a significant, positive difference in the lives of thousands of students.  You can see their names here or by scrolling to the bottom of this message.  All of us at SPS wish them a happy and healthy retirement!

Please note:

1) At this past Wednesday's School Committee meeting ( full meeting video here), the School Committee adopted a resolution condemning racism.  The School Committee and I appreciate the communications we have received on this topic, and in the coming weeks and months we will be sharing information regarding our school district's goals and plans for educating about and combating racism.

2) The School Committee also honored the state champion SHS Esports team which has won seven straight state championships!

3) Dr. Jane Lizotte, our Assistant Superintendent for Community Partnerships & Well-Being, presented a report on her work over the past year in this new role.  This new position, whose salary was paid entirely this year through a generous donation from the Shrewsbury Federal Credit Union as part of our Colonial Connections partnership, was the first administrative position added to the Central Office administration in two decades (during which time the school district grew by 2,000 students).  In addition to the many initiatives begun by Dr. Lizotte to build partnerships with businesses, cultivate an alumni network, and increase opportunities for student well-being, her work also resulted $237,437 in contributions to our schools.  In the coming year, these initiatives will need to be scaled back as Dr. Lizotte will serve as the acting principal at Paton School as part of our budget reduction plan, but it is clear that this role has already added significant value to our district and has the potential to do even more when we can build on the substantial work begun this year.

4) As part of our legal requirements under the recent state law, the Student Opportunity Act, our school district must submit a plan to the state Department of Elementary & Secondary Education regarding how to use the new portion of state funding that has been initially allocated as "minimum aid" for next year's state funding for our school district.  The law requires us to solicit feedback from the community regarding how these funds are expended.  Next year, the district intends to direct these state funds toward co-teaching inclusive special education programming and full-day kindergarten expenses.  For more information, see the presentation from the School Committee meeting here and here, and to provide feedback please click here.

5) Thank you again to everyone at SHS for all of your hard work to honor the Class of 2020.  Thanks to the Shrewsbury Media Connection and the SHS ETS Television Studio staff and students for producing the videos that are part of the celebrations.  Here are the links to the videos: CommemorationGraduation Speeches & Student Recognition; and "The Last Ride."

6) Remember that the town election is this coming Tuesday, June 16.  Polls will be open from noon to 8:00pm.  For more information from the Town Clerk's office, click here.  Traditionally, the town releases its annual town report for the election; you can read the 2019 Annual Town Report here, which includes a revised approach to the School Department's report with more visuals and with hyperlinks to more detailed information, starting on page 237.

Thank you for your continued support.

Respectfully,

Joe Sawyer
Superintendent of Schools

Retiring Shrewsbury Public Schools Staff Members

Paraprofessionals:

Mary Benjamin has served 15 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from the Walter J. Paton School.

Donna Collins has served 14 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Parker Road Preschool.

Deborah Durnin has served 12 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Shrewsbury High School.

Sharon Laramee has served 16 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Spring Street School. Jane Pineda has served 7 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Parker Road Preschool.

Kathy Mangan has served 24 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Shrewsbury High School.

Harold (Hal) Newman has served 16 years in Shrewsbury. He is retiring from Oak Middle School.

Cyndee Tozeski has served 21 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring from Sherwood Middle School.

Nancy Watson has served 48 years in Shrewsbury. She previously served as a teacher, retiring from Coolidge, and then worked part-time as a paraprofessional. She is retiring for the second time, this time from Spring Street School.

Secretarial/Administrative Assistants:

Barbara Bourassa has served 26 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as the School Secretary/Administrative Assistant from Parker Road Preschool.

Gail King has served 8 years in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as the School Counseling Department Administrative Assistant from Shrewsbury High School.

Teachers/Professional Staff:

Nancy Bedard has served 12 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Media Specialist from Oak Middle School.

Norma Chico has served 10 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Physics Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Linda Derosier has served 13 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Special Education Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Anne Ernest has served 19 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Spanish Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Sara Honig has served 7 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as both the Director of Foreign Languages for the district, and as a Latin Teacher at Oak Middle School.

Amy Johnson has served 33 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Science Teacher from Oak Middle School.

Nancy Lowery has served 18 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Mathematics Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Cathy McDonagh has served 17 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Mathematics Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Kathleen Scibelli has served 27 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a Science Teacher from Oak Middle School.

Robert Secino has served 32 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. He is retiring as an English Teacher from Shrewsbury High School.

Katie Zimmerman has served 20 years as an educator in Shrewsbury. She is retiring as a School Nurse from the Calvin Coolidge School.

​​​​​​​Thank you all for your distinguished service to the students of the Shrewsbury Public Schools!

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