Superintendent's Newsletter 10.18.2024

Posted Date: 10/18/24 (8:24 AM)

Family Newsletter | October 18, 2024

Dr. Jennifer O'Neill
joneill@norton.k12.ma.us
@joneill727

Superintendent’s Message

Over the last two weeks, I have been continuously amazed by the kindness, caring, and compassion within our school community as we were faced with the tragedy of losing a beloved student and friend. I would like to recognize the staff of Norton Middle School, our School Resource Officers, and our administrative team for all of their efforts to put the needs of our students at the forefront of our work each and every day and to think creatively and continuously about how we can provide our students and the community with resources to help them through this difficult time.

Thank you to our community partners at Epione Health & Wellness Center, Community Counseling of Bristol County, and Riverside Trauma for providing our students and staff with access to counseling services to help process their grief and understanding. Over my 22 years in Norton, I have always been grateful to be a part of this community, but never so much as I have in these recent days.

We understand that for many of our students, this is just the beginning of processing the loss and that support will continue to be needed, both within our school walls and for their families. We will continue to share resources with the Norton Middle School families in the coming weeks and through my bi-monthly newsletter. As we move forward, I ask all families to refrain from engaging in speculation - it is important for us to be respectful of the family and the deceased, as well as the child’s friends and classmates as we all grieve in our own ways.

Raising Multicultural Kids Bedtime Book Club

Raising Multicultural Kids, a non-profit organization out of Easton that strives to cultivate a multicultural mindset and empower social justice action. As an organization they also facilitate many enrichment programs and community events. I wanted to share one with you all that is designed for children ages 3-12.

The Raising Multicultural Kids Bedtime Book club is a fun and interactive online event where children can enjoy listening to multicultural stories read by their team of diverse college students from the comfort of their own homes. It's not only important for kids to learn about other people and cultures, but it's also great for them to interact with diverse leadership! The event starts on Mon October 21 2024 at 6:30 PM EST until 7:30 PM, and will happen every Monday and Wednesday. Interested families can register by visiting the link here.

Prescription Take Back Event
As part of Red Ribbon Week October 23rd - 31st, Norton Police Department in partnership with the DEA has organized a Rx Take Back event for the Norton community. On Saturday, October 26th from 10am - 2pm community members are encouraged to clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in - safely and anonymously - expired, unused, and unneeded prescriptions. For more information on the Rx Take Back program and the drug overdose epidemic in the United States, please visit https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.

Reading Buddies Program at JCS

We are excited to announce the launch of a Reading Buddies program, connecting our JCS STEP class with the high school STEP UP class! Organized by JCS Special Education Teacher Mrs. Ricketts, high school STEP Up students will join the JCS on the first Friday of every month to read engaging stories to the younger students and will assist with a fun follow-up craft or activity. The initial Reading Buddies meeting was a great success and fostered new friendships.

Norton High School College Fair
On October 10th, our high school proudly hosted over 65 universities, colleges, technical schools, and military representatives for an event attended by our junior and senior classes. Students had the chance to engage directly with representatives and used guided questions to navigate the fair effectively. We received many compliments about the maturity, politeness, and level of engagement of our students throughout the event. Thank you to everyone who participated and made the event a success!

Substitutes Needed!

Substitutes are needed in our food services program. Please contact Mike Vaccaro, Director of Food Services, at mvaccaro@norton.k12.ma.us if you are interested in becoming a daily substitute in one of our kitchens.

In addition, we are actively seeking parents, guardians, and family/community members to join us as substitute teachers. This opportunity, while also filling a district need, provides the chance for you to see all of the great things happening in our district. Please click here for more information about substituting in our classrooms.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 21st

Fall Town Meeting - Norton High School

October 23rd

School Committee Meeting - L. G. Nourse Cafeteria

October 25th

Districtwide Early Release - Professional Development

November 5th

Election Day - Schools Closed

November 6th

Norton Middle School Conferences

School Committee Meeting - J. C. Solmonese Library

November 7th

Norton Middle School Early Release - Conferences

November 11th

Veteran's Day - Schools Closed

November 15th

Norton High School Term I Report Cards

November 20th

School Committee Meeting - Norton Middle School Library

November 27th

Districtwide Early Release

November 28th and 29th

Thanksgiving Break - Schools Closed

Virtual Backpack

This week's NPS Virtual Backpack flyers include:
Desfosses/Petersen Memorial Food Drive - October 19th
NEED Outdoor Movie Night, featuring Wonka - October 19th
Youth Lacrosse Clinic - October 26th
Chartley Halloween Parade - October 27th
NHS Girls Volleyball Holiday Craft Fair - November 16th
Personal Best Charity Food Drive - Donation Pick Up November 15th
2024 Trinitarian Church Holiday fair - November 15th and 16th
Poetry Workshop (Grades 6-12) - Tuesdays in October and November
YMCA Fall and Winter Youth Sports and Basketball Clinic

To submit a flyer to the Virtual Backpack, please contact Pam Anderson at pamelaanderson@norton.k12.ma.us.

10.18.24