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Dear Springfield Families,
October has been a fantastic month in Springfield! Spirit Weeks, Bulldogs sports, Fall Festival, Halloween dances, pumpkin patches, and student learning have kept our community busy and engaged. We are deeply grateful for the hard work of our staff, students, and families for their partnership.
October was National Principal Appreciation Month, and we certainly appreciate the incredible work of our five building principals! As we close this month out, we hope you have the opportunity to share your gratitude for their hard work.
At the Board Meeting on Monday, October 28th, the Board voted to approve a new contract with the Springfield Education Association representing our teachers, paraprofessionals, secretaries, and custodial staff. Board President Meredith Murphy thanked the BOE and SEA negotiating members for their dedication to the negotiation process. The new contract includes a new block schedule for the high school to increase instructional time (starting in 25-26), salary increases, and a variety of updates to support our staff as we look toward continuing to strengthen our school system.
One of the changes included a shift in the parent-teacher conference schedule, eliminating those days for the middle school grades (6-8). It is important to note that the middle school schedule includes professional time for teachers to meet with parents, and families who wish to meet with teachers are encouraged to reach out to the teacher(s) and principal. As a result of this change, middle school students will now have full days of instruction. It also changed the dates of the Fall conferences to be held November 21st and 22nd. The updated calendar (see below) includes those changes.
Throughout this month, we will gather feedback related to the second phase of the school realignment. Watch for specific communication regarding our plans and opportunities to share your perspective.
Finally, we are excited to do the official rollout of the Varsity Tutoring platform, an online resource funded through the State of New Jersey. All SPS students can access the tutoring resource through Clever accounts, and we know some of our students are already making great use of this resource. More information about Varsity Tutoring is available below.
Thank you for being so supportive as we work together to cultivate compassionate and extraordinary learners!
Sincerely,
Dr. Rachel Goldberg
Superintendent of Schools
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