WRSD Superintendent Updates

Thank you to all who participated in the DESE Comprehensive Review the week of May 1st. Many teachers, school and district administrators, students, parents, and School Committee members, participated in focus groups and classroom site visits. The team from AIR (Advancing Evidence Improves Lives), contracted by DESE (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) were very complimentary about the warm welcome they received. Thank you for providing input on Wachusett Regional School District's practices. DESE will be sharing a draft report over the summer, and when we receive the final report I am sure the information will enable us to reflect on progress and strengthen student performance.

  Please join me in recognizing the talent, dedication, and professionalism of our nursing staff on National School Nurse Day.  Despite the increased demands on our nurses in recent years, they never fail to fulfill their duties with compassion and skill.  To our nurses, I thank all of you for the indispensable role you play in the health, safety, and well-being of our school community.

  TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK Yesterday was the first day of Teacher Appreciation Week, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our educators for their commitment and passion.  Teaching is hard work.  Far too often, the preparation, skill, and effort that are paramount to the success of this critical endeavor are overlooked.  Thank you to all of our teachers for all that you do!  You make a difference and are appreciated!

You’re Invited! Please join our ELPAC (English Learner Parent Advisory Council) Meeting    Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 9:30 AM Dawson Elementary School Cafeteria 155 Salisbury Street, Holden, MA 01520 If you are a parent of a multilingual learner and want to learn more about our English Learner Education program and meet the Superintendent of Schools, James Reilly, this is a great opportunity to do so! Come and meet other families and learn how you can be involved. Our goal is to create a school-family partnership to increase the academic and social well being of our children, and build a community that focuses on shared responsibility.    Please complete this form and return it to your child’s classroom teacher as soon as possible. We will meet at 9:30 AM in the cafeteria of Dawson Elementary School! Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact: Jodi Brunelle, ELE Specialist Jodi_Brunelle@wrsd.net

The Wachusett & Tri-Town Special Education Parent Advisory Councils (SEPAC)  are proud to invite you to a  virtual presentation  on the  "Importance of Educational Inclusion"  presented by : Jordyn Zimmerman M.Ed.  As a non-speaking autistic person who was denied access to effective communication until age 18, Jordyn Zimmerman has personal experience challenging the status quo, as featured in the documentary,  This Is Not About Me . Zimmerman currently works at The Nora Project, is Board Chair of CommunicationFIRST, and serves on the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. Zimmerman earned her bachelor's degree from Ohio University and her M.Ed. from Boston College. More at  JordynZimmerman.com. This virtual event will be on  April 11th, 2023 at 6:30pm.   Following the presentation, there will be a  Q&A session .  Please share any questions you'd be interested in us asking Jordyn in t...

Dear Wachusett Families, Due to the storm this week, our milk vendor is unable to provide a delivery this week.  They have assured us that deliveries will be back on schedule for next week, Monday, March 20, 2023.  Students will have access to juice or water during meal periods today and tomorrow. We apologize for any inconvenience, James Reilly Superintendent

As discussed in the March 8th Superintendent's Blog Post , DESE has contracted with American Institutes for Research (AIR) to conduct a district review of Wachusett Regional School District.  As part of this review, AIR is conducting parent/guardian focus groups to gather perspectives on communication with families, opportunities for family involvement and leadership, opportunities for students within the district, and more. Due to the Sterling Town Meeting scheduled for Monday, May 1st and a high response rate thus far, we have requested AIR provide an additional opportunity for parents/guardians to attend one of these virtual focus groups.   If you are interested in joining, please register ahead of time using the links below.   These groups will cover the same topics, so you only need to register for one session.  AIR looks forward to speaking with you! • Monday, 5/1/23 from 6:00-7:00 pm ET at  https://air-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcud-GoqT4...