Dear Families,

As we write to you this weekend, we want to acknowledge that yesterday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day in which we recognize and remember the six million plus Jewish victims and millions of other victims of the Holocaust. We honor this day of remembrance and are committed to building school communities that are kind, welcoming, and inclusive.  

We certainly wish each of us was writing our usual weekly email with highlights of all the great things that happen in our school building. However, as we all know, this is not a typical week.  The School Committee and the Newton Teachers Association have not yet reached an agreement on a new contract and the strike is continuing. It is our sincere hope that an agreement is reached as soon as possible.

As principals, we know it will be challenging to return to school after such a difficult and prolonged event for our community. We are actively planning for these challenges by consulting with experts in the field and doing our own research to determine the best path forward including reinforcing the importance of returning to routines, reconnecting, and making sure all students have a sense of belonging. We know we will have some healing work to do to bring us all back together. 

We recognize how difficult this experience has been for our students and their families.  We continue to work with district operations to support families in the ways that we can. Information about meal pick-ups can be found below. We know some of our community partner organizations have stepped up with childcare options for parents and caregivers who need it. Last week we shared social emotional support resources, as well as a few academic resources you might find useful. All of these can be found on the homepage of our district website. 

We look forward to seeing you and your student very soon.

Sincerely,

Newton Public Schools Principals 

Meal Pick Up:

Monday, January 29, 2024

Location and time

• Newton North (457 Walnut Dr.) – Tiger Drive  12:00 p.m.  –  2:00 p.m.
• Newton South (140 Brandeis Rd.)  – Wheeler entrance  12:00 p.m.  –  2:00 p.m.
• METCO Headquarters (for Boston Families) – 11 Roxbury Street, Boston, MA  12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.