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Updates June 12 2022

June 12, 2022

Dear Families:

It is the last week of the school year!  We are so grateful for your partnership and support.

In the Spotlight

Every year, each school writes a School Improvement Plan through the building-based School Advisory Council comprised of teachers, parents, administrators, and community members when available.  The School Improvement Plans reflect the district goals in the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.  Next year, we will embark on reviewing and updating the strategic plan.  In the meantime, the 2022-2023 School Improvement Plans are listed below and reflect our upcoming work in academics, social-emotional arenas, and belonging.

 

METCO

In March, we were informed by the newly organized Concord METCO Families Collective about their desire to be contributing members of the district’s strategic plan on antiracism and DEI. Subsequently, we became especially disheartened to hear from Boston families about their children’s experience of racism, bias, and microaggressions in our schools. Since March, we have been meeting collaboratively with Boston parents to listen, discuss and hear their concerns and feedback through a Superintendent METCO Advisory Group. METCO Inc. staff, including CEO Milly Arbaje-Thomas, Director of and Student Services Karsten Kash, have participated in the Superintendent METCO Advisory Group meetings. We feel it is essential that Boston families feel supported by the school and METCO Inc. leadership teams.  The Advisory Group’s focus has been on professional development, responding to incidents of hate and bias, and sending messages to eliminate the use of racial slurs.

Additionally, the School Committee has also been part of our meetings with Boston parents since March. One of the priorities from families was a proposal for a METCO non-voting member to serve on the School Committee. This proposal allows Boston families to have access and the opportunity to amplify their voices and be part of the decision-making process. Through the School Committee Policy Subcommittee and our ongoing conversations with Boston parents who are active on the Superintendent METCO Advisory Group, a METCO School Committee Representative Policy was approved last week whereby two non-voting METCO parent representatives will serve on the Concord and Concord-Carlisle School Committee starting this upcoming 2022-2023 school year.

Lastly, in addressing the needs and concerns of Boston parents, we also engaged Boston students, particularly at CCHS, in meaningful and productive conversations about their specific needs and interests. A culmination of those meetings with Boston students is highlighted in a recent METCO newsletter (“Milly’s Monday METCO Message”) provided by Milly Arbaje-Thomas, CEO of METCO. A copy of the METCO newsletter is linked here.

We look forward to continuing the work left to be done in the coming school year.  I offer thanks to Mr. Nyamekye for helping to write this summary.

COVID 

Case counts continue to decline.  Our case counts are kept current on the COVID Dashboard.  Unfortunately, efforts to retain a vendor for a booster clinic have not come together for this spring.

Concord Free Public Library 

This summer “Read Beyond the Beaten Path” at the Concord Free Public Library (CFPL)! The CFPL Summer Reading Program runs from Monday, June 6 through Friday, Aug 12 and is free and open to children of all ages. Visit the Main Library or Fowler Branch to register and collect your prizes. Everyone gets a necklace and brag tag for joining the program. Kids earn beads for their necklace by reading and completing challenges on our weekly bingo boards. Our youngest patrons get to earn cute rubber duckies! Learn more here.

The Concord Free Public Library invites everyone to visit our StoryWalk, newly installed for the season on Main Street, leading to the new Children’s Library entrance. The June StoryWalk features Runaway: The Daring Escape of Ona Judge by Ray Anthony Shepard and illustrated by Keith Mallett. The story is a picture book biography of Ona Judge, a young enslaved woman who escaped the family of George Washington. In honor of Juneteenth, meet the acclaimed author of Runaway and historian Mr. Shepard on Tuesday, June 21 at 10:30am at the Main Library. No registration required. Visit concordlibrary.org for more Library programs.

Open Table- Lunch and Snack Summer Program

Open Table’s program to help families provide healthy lunches and snacks for their children while they attend summer programs is being offered again this year starting June 21. A flyer with complete information is found here.

Enjoy the last days of the school year!

Best,

Laurie