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Final Calendar and Principal Search

Good evening,

There are two important developments to share with you this evening: the final calendar for this school year and an update on the JSHS Principal search. 

Final Calendar for School Year 2019-2020

Last night the School Board approved the calendar for the remainder of the school year (see the calendar). Much thought went into the design of the calendar as we sought to balance the academic, social, emotional, and psychological needs of students, faculty, and parents. There was a strong interest among parents (89.4%) and teachers (88.7%) to end the school year early by eliminating April vacation (view survey here). There was also a desire to pause and catch our breath. Here are the highlights of the calendar that was approved:

  • Two four-day weekends; April 23-26 and May 23 - 26 inclusive - this distributes the days off as evenly as possible during the week (M, T, Th, F) and provides monthly mental health breaks
  • High School Graduation will take place on Friday, June 5th.  The 5th and 8th grade graduation will shift to a moving up day at the beginning of next year – more details to follow in a few weeks
  • The last day for students will be June 10th
  • The last day for faculty will be June 18th.  June 11 – 18 will be used to 1) evaluate the impact remote learning had on student progress this year, identify gaps, develop a plan to address gaps over the summer break or when school opens, 2) contemplate the prospect that we may need to open using a remote instructional model next year, and 3) participate in mandatory and self-select Professional Development. 

JSHS Principal Search
The JSHS Principal Screening Committee has brought forward two candidates for our consideration as the next principal: Shannon Caron, currently Associate Principal, Thomas Aquinas High School, Dover, NH and former Counseling Team Leader at Spaulding High School, Rochester, NH and David R. Dalton, currently Education Program Supervisor, Merrimack College, Andover, MA and former High School Principal, Ipswich High School, Ipswich, MA. View their resumes.

Erica MacNeil, the Screening Committee Chair, is putting the final touches on plans for everyone (staff, students, and parents) to meet the candidates, ask questions, and to offer feedback and impressions of them. Erica will be sending more information tomorrow about the dates and times for these important opportunities for you to participate in the selection process. The feedback collected will be summarized, shared with the leadership team, and used to develop questions for the final interview. Final interviews and reference checks will take place from April 20th through the 28th. 

Please take time for yourself each day and safely enjoy the spring weather over the weekend. 
Susan K. Givens, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

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