May 4, 2021
Every child deserves a champion - an adult who will never give up on them,
who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the
best that they can possibly be. ~ Rita Pierson
Dear Shrewsbury Families, Colleagues, & Community Members,
I hope you have been enjoying the spring weather (despite today's rain), and that all of you who observed Orthodox Easter this past Sunday had a terrific holiday with your families. It has been a very positive last few weeks as we have phased in our return to full time, in-person school, while the number of COVID-19 cases has continued to be very small (only 7 last week, and we are currently on our fifth consecutive day with zero cases in our schools, which is highly encouraging!). Please read on for information regarding Teacher Appreciation Day, the high school's full return, and today's Annual Town Election.
Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day. Please join me in thanking our SPS teachers and education professionals for being champions for our students during this most challenging of school years. The dedication, perseverance, and skill of our teachers make a difference for children every day, and I am deeply grateful for and appreciative of their efforts. We are very fortunate to have such outstanding teachers in Shrewsbury who contribute so much to our community and ensure that our schools are of the highest quality (including being ranked among the best in the nation).
Yesterday, Shrewsbury High School had a very successful return to full, in-person learning two weeks ahead of the state mandated date. Thanks to the efforts of the SHS leadership team, educators and support staff, and custodians and Public Buildings staff, we are able to provide classroom learning with 3-foot distancing for the 1,600+ students who are in person, while adding more desks in order to utilize the entire cafeteria commons and field house for lunch with 6-foot distancing between individual students. All of our in-person students across grades K-12 have now made a successful transition to attending school full time. There is great positive energy in all of our schools, and I am confident that we will have a strong finish to the school year for all of our students, regardless of learning mode.
Please vote today. If you enjoy the right to vote, please exercise it so that your voice is heard in today's Annual Town Election. Polls are open until 8pm, and mail or absentee ballots must be submitted to the Town Clerk by 8:00pm as well to be counted. For election information and poll locations, click here.
Thank you for your continued support of our schools.
Respectfully,
Joe Sawyer
Superintendent of Schools