Supt Update: December 2023
December 2023
From the Desk of the Superintendent Nan Murphy:
Happy December Dedham Families and Friends!
As we approach the holiday season I want to express my sincere appreciation for the warm welcome I continue to receive from this incredible community. The holiday season is a time of reflection and celebration, as well as a time to express gratitude to our dedicated educators, staff, and students for their hard work and resilience throughout the final few months of 2023.
For the last 6 months I have been meeting with members of the Dedham School Community including parents, educators, students and town leaders, to gain a better understanding of the District’s successes and challenges. Linked here is a copy of the entry plan I created to guide the process. In January I will be sharing a community survey with you to solicit parent perspective and feedback to inform the District’s path forward.
I look forward to a new year filled with opportunities for growth, learning, and continued collaboration. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a happy and healthy new year.
Best,
Nan
UPCOMING EVENTS
December
December 11: SBRC Meeting, 6:30pm at Town Hall
December 12: Joint SBRC/School Committee/Select Board Meeting, 6:30pm at Town Hall
December 13: Planning Board Meeting with SBRC presentation, 6:00pm at Town Hall
December 19: SBRC Meeting, 6:30pm at Town Hall
December 20: School Committee Meeting
December 22: EARLY RELEASE - December Break Begins
December 25 - 29: NO SCHOOL - December Break
January
- January 2: School Resumes
- January 3: School Committee Meeting
NEWS FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT
Inclement Weather
The winter months increase the possibility of school closures–or delayed openings due to severe weather conditions.
Decisions to close school or delay starting times are always difficult. Before a decision is made, District Administration , along with Town DPW leaders, monitor weather conditions and check surrounding road conditions. If conditions are considered severe enough to threaten the safety of students traveling to and from school, a decision is made to close or delay school.
If a delayed start is determined a safe option, Dedham Public Schools will announce a two hour delayed start. As a result, if your child's bus arrives at 8:05am, the delayed start bus arrival would be 10:05am. On days in which DPS begins on a delayed schedule, there will be NO before school child care and NO morning preschool. Lunch will be served and dismissal hours remain the same.
On the rare occasion a snow event was to emerge with little warning, an early dismissal from school may be determined. Parents will be notified as early as possible in the school day using emergency contact information provided, including emails and recorded messages to primary contact phone numbers.
Families – please be sure your emergency contact information is updated so that you receive these important notices.
Budget Development
December is the beginning of the budget development season for Dedham Public Schools and the Dedham School Committee. The School Committee and administrative team will spend the next several weeks developing a comprehensive, strategic budget that provides educational services that challenge, support, and engage our students; prepares children for their futures; and addresses students’ academic, social, and emotional needs in a way that is fiscally sound and accountable to the taxpayers.
Transportation
The district continues to navigate a shortage of bus drivers. A HUGE thank you to all the parents who have bus riders affected by inconsistent pick-up and drop-off times. We know of one driver that will be returning to their route in mid-December and of multiple recruiting efforts happening within both the Connolly Bus Company and Dedham Public Schools. We hope to have new drivers to announce soon!
SCHOOL DAY SPOTLIGHTS
District Curriculum Night a HUGE Success
On November 16th, DPS hosted its first district-wide curriculum night. While some of our students attended a movie night hosted by LEAP, families attended over 30 different sessions offered. Session types differed in content and format; while some were workshops intended to give families the opportunity to gain new strategies for supporting students at home, others were presentations for elementary, middle, and high school families. The event was well-intended and the Curriculum Office has already started planning next year! Below are a couple of parent responses from the feedback survey.
“Each session succinctly summarized the information my husband and I were looking for. We felt like we learned exactly what we needed to at each session. Especially appreciated having a representative from Stonehill College to provide insights on the college application process in the times we're living in now (vs when we were kids).”
“Each session was beyond awesome, I learned so much and wished this could be offered again."
Welcome Tables
“Life after High School: A snapshot of post-secondary options and the college admissions process” with Associate Dean from Stonehill College & Dr. Dube (Director of Counseling)
“What is a WIN Block?” with Principal Paris
“Executive Functioning Strategies for Middle Schoolers” with Kevin Podolski (Counselor, DMS)
“How is curriculum designed?” with Dr. Kelly (Deputy Superintendent)
COMMUNITY UPDATES
Dedham School Building Rehabilitation Committee: Elementary Building Project Update
The ongoing project to address Dedham’s need for a new elementary school building continues to move ahead, with the latest School Building Rehabilitation Committee meeting held on Monday, December 4, 2023. Key topics addressed during this public meeting included an update on the MSBA process, design updates, traffic study results, as well as enrollment projections.
To find more information about this work visit: https://www.dedham.k12.ma.us/domain/686
New Free COVID Tests Available
Beginning November 20, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered directly to their home. If you did not order tests this fall, you may place two orders for a total of 8 tests. Learn more here.
Reminder:
If you test positive for Covid-19, you must isolate for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms and may return to school on day 6. Upon return, any student or staff (who tested positive) must wear a mask for 5 days unless they have a negative covid test after day 5. These are guidelines set by DESE and DPH . Check in with your school nurse for clear timelines if you have questions.
Community Events & Flyers
Local organizations, events and happenings are often shared with Dedham Schools. As a community service, we post all shared flyers and information here. These events are not sponsored by DPS, but we encourage you to check them regularly to learn about fun things happening around town!