June 1, 2020

Dear Families,

If you're like me, at the beginning of each decade I have a sense of hope and optimism. So far, in 2020, it's been more challenging for us to maintain positivity about the future. In the midst of this pandemic, we continue to hear about African-Americans being harmed and killed by police officers who take an oath to protect and serve all citizens of our country. The most recent tragedy was the horrific murder of George Floyd.

Given our students' ability to quickly access social media and news outlets, I imagine many of our students have seen the recording of Mr. Floyd's death. Racism is pervasive and systemic throughout our society. It's important for us to talk with our children about race and racism. Today, I was looking for resources to share with you and came across this information from Parent Toolkit. I hope it is helpful to you as you talk with your children.

We are working on a Reentry Plan for this upcoming year. To help us with our planning, please take the time to complete this survey: Parent Survey Regarding the 2020-2021 Academic Year. The survey window will close on June 5th.

It's hard to believe the 2019-2020 academic year is coming to a close. Our last school day for students will be June 15th. The following three days will be used for teacher and staff professional development. There is much for us to think about, plan and prepare for the coming year.

I hope you and yours continue to have good health.

Sincerely,

Meg Alison Powden

Superintendent of Schools