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Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we look ahead to the 2022-23 school year, we want to make you aware of a minor change to the academic calendar that we believe will have a positive impact on teaching and learning in the Newmarket School District.
On March 8, 2022, the Newmarket community voted to approve a new collective bargaining agreement between the school district and teachers. A hallmark of the new contract is that it includes weekly time for professional meetings designed to inform teaching and facilitate a myriad of school improvement initiatives. Students will be dismissed 30 minutes early on Wednesday, and faculty will remain for an additional 45 minutes, providing 1 hour and 15 minutes each week for the development of curriculum and assessments, the review of student work and performance data, and collaborative planning designed to bolster instructional practice and increase teacher efficacy. This is critically important to school improvement and NEASC accreditation, both of which are priorities for the district.
We recognize that this new schedule may impact families who rely on childcare and supervision. To that end, we are working in collaboration with Linked Together and Newmarket Recreation after school program coordinators to ensure the availability of afterschool care for those who need it. Despite our best efforts, we know that there may be unforeseen implications for families that we have not anticipated. We would like to invite you to complete a survey to share any questions or concerns that you have, so that we can address any issues prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year.
Ensuring that students have the best educational experience possible is our top priority, and it is our belief that practices that promote and support professional collaboration and opportunities for professional growth will allow us to leverage our collective intelligence for the betterment of students.
Thank you for your continued support and confidence.
Sincerely,
Susan K. Givens, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools