August 25, 2022,
Dear Shrewsbury Families,
I hope you have had a terrific summer with lots of relaxation and fun. We are excited to welcome our students in Grades 1-12 back to school next Tuesday, August 30, to begin the new school year (Preschool and Kindergarten begin the next day). Please check your school's website or communications from the school principal regarding specific arrival times and other important information about returning to school.
I ask that you read the following brief updates on job opportunities, bus transportation, our approach to COVID-19, no-cost school meals, and student summer reading:
1) We are seeking to hire paraprofessional support staff. I am very pleased that we are 99% fully staffed for teacher and other professional educator roles as we start the school year. Like in many employment sectors in the current economy, we are also working hard to fill certain open positions. If you or someone you know is interested in making a positive difference in the life of a child, please consider joining us as a paraprofessional in our schools. We are in need of: child-specific aides who work to support individual students with special learning needs; applied behavior analysis technicians who typically work to support individual students on the autism spectrum; and special education instructional assistants. Experience working with children is a plus but not required, and we will provide training. There are positions open at all grade spans, both full-time with benefits and part-time, and the hours are great for parents with children in school. For more information and to apply, please go to https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/hr/currentopenings. Please forward this information along, including to local college students seeking part-time work and those considering a career change to education. If you have questions, please email Lindsey Stasiowski, Human Resources Manager, at lstasiowski@shrewsbury.k12.ma.us or call her at (508) 841-8483. Thank you!
2) Information on bus transportation: We appreciate that our partner, AA Transportation, is not experiencing the bus driver shortage that exists elsewhere. Families who registered for the bus should have received an email earlier this week with instructions to access bus route and stop information. This information can always be viewed in the PowerSchool Parent Portal found at https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/it/powerschoolparentportal. Information about our transportation program and contact information for questions can be found at https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/transportation/.
3) Information on our updated approach to COVID-19: We will be following updated guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Department of Elementary & Secondary Education regarding our practices. I ask that you take a minute to read the information found HERE, Key updates include:
- Continued requirement for a 5-day isolation period for students who test positive for COVID-19
- Quarantine is no longer required for unvaccinated close contacts without symptoms
- Masking remains optional; individual student, family, and staff decisions will be respected
- The safety/surveillance testing and "test and stay" programs have been discontinued per state recommendation
4) No-cost school meals all year: Thanks to new state-level funding, school breakfast and lunch will be provided at no cost to all students for the entire 2022-2023 school year. Additionally, all of our K-12 schools will be providing breakfast this year. Each student is entitled to one no-cost breakfast and lunch each day; individual purchases of milk without lunch, extra/second meals, extra pizza, and à la carte items must be purchased. For more information, please go to https://schools.shrewsburyma.gov/foodsvc/ . Families who would otherwise qualify for free or reduced subsidized meals are encouraged to still apply in order to potentially be eligible for no-cost or reduced fees for bus transportation, athletics, or Extended School Care.
5) Student summer reading information: As we head into the last weekend of break, some quiet reading time is a great way for your child to relax. HERE is the link to all of our summer reading expectations by grade level (just in case your child is having trouble remembering what the assignment is...)
Enjoy this last weekend of summer vacation! I'm very excited to welcome everyone back next week.
Respectfully,
Joe Sawyer
Superintendent of Schools