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Thanksgiving and gratitude

Dear Parents, guardians, and members of the Newmarket community,

As we round the corner to our Thanksgiving break and our transition to remote learning, there are a few important updates and a note of gratitude that I wanted to share with you today.

Remote Learning - Daycare Option and Parent Support Sessions
We will shift to remote learning after the Thanksgiving break for two weeks (November 30th – December 11th) with the hope of returning to on campus learning on December 14th. We recognize that this may present daycare challenges to some families. We are thrilled to announce that the Newmarket Recreation Department will be offering remote learning support to Newmarket students during the planned remote periods following Thanksgiving, winter, and February breaks. The program will run both weeks, Monday through Thursday. Lunch will be provided daily by our very own food services department. For more information about the program and related costs, please reach out to the Recreation Department directly at (603) 659-8581.

To support parents, we will hold two virtual parent nights; one related to what you can expect and how to support student learning at home and the second with a panel of our student support staff (School Counselors, Social Worker, Academic Support, School Psychologists) to share supports that are available should your children need help.

Topic:             Remote Learning Expectations and Q&A 

Date/Time:       November 30th at 6:00 PM
Link:               
https://newmarket-k12-nh-us.zoom.us/j/93456741695
Dial-In:            1 646 558 8656

Meeting ID:      934 5674 1695

Topic:              Student Support Services

Date/Time:       December 7th at 6:00 PM
Link:               
https://newmarket-k12-nh-us.zoom.us/j/92667043233
Dial-In:            1 646 558 8656
Meeting ID:      926 6704 3233

More information about remote learning and these nights will be provided by the Principals and the Assistant Superintendent.

Thanksgiving
Sarah Josepha Hale, the mother of Thanksgiving, spent years lobbying public officials to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. Finally, in 1863, in the midst of the Civil war, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. At that time, Lincoln asked all Americans “to ask God to commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife and to heal the wounds of the nation”. As we approach Thanksgiving 2020, when so many Americans have lost their lives or have been negatively impacted this year by COVID 19 and civil strife, please take a moment to give thanks for the kind acts of others that helped you and your loved ones through difficulties this year. It has been a tough year for everyone so let’s find ways to decrease the burdens of those we encounter or at least not increase them, assume positive intent even when we feel differently about something, celebrate the good in those around us, and reflect on all we have overcome this year. Here are a few things I am grateful for as I reflect upon the year.

I am grateful that we were able to come together as a community to provide our seniors with a wonderful graduation ceremony this spring and open the doors of our schools for staff and students to engage in learning this fall. I am grateful to the Administrative Team and the NTA Executive Board for the countless hours of personal time sacrificed to find solutions to the unending challenges we have faced educating our students as well as supporting staff and families during the pandemic. I am grateful to all members of our staff who have suited up and shown up to do their jobs even when it has been overwhelming and nerve wracking. I am grateful to my family for being so supportive and understanding when I had to cancel plans, work late, and take another call during family time. I am grateful for the kind notes of gratitude and appreciation from staff, parents, and students throughout the year. I am grateful…

Have a safe Thanksgiving filled with gratitude and appreciation.

Warm regards,
Susan

 

Artist's rendering of the first Thanksgiving

 

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