July News Update
July 28, 2020
Dear Members of the J. Turner Hood School Community:
The district and school are working hard to plan for a safe reopening to school in September. There are so many details and questions that we continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to meet all of the regulations and provide a safe environment for all students, faculty and staff. We will be ready to explore, learn, and develop together during the upcoming school year.
As we continue to wait for some specific guidance to direct the planning of the three operational plans: in-person, hybrid(in-person and remote), and remote learning instruction, I will update the school community weekly on Thursdays with progress reports beginning August 6, 2020. These updates will include real time information to help your family and our students for the upcoming school year.
I would like to share some information relative to our staffing. At the end of the school year we shared some specific information with classroom cohorts and other groups relative to staff retirements. We did say goodbye to four staff members that will be moving on to their future aspirations. Mr. Larsen, Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Welch all retired and we wished them well and thanked them for their combined 74 years of service to our school. Mr. Hogan has also departed the Hood school family to explore options beyond the world of education.
Other staffing changes in September include welcoming Ms. Zimmerman as a kindergarten classroom teacher, Ms. Moscariello as a grade 4 classroom teacher, Mrs. Gauvin as a grade 3 classroom teacher and Mrs. Danis as a general paraprofessional.
We have several new employees at the J. Turner Hood School. These include:
Mrs. Mitrano BCBA, Special Education
Mrs. Blake Special Education Reading Specialist
Mrs. Daly- Kindergarten Paraprofessional General
Mrs. Vitale- Inclusion Preprofessional
Ms. Dilorenzo- Inclusion Paraprofessional
As some of you recall we once hosted a pre-school here at the Hood School. I am excited to have that program returning to our school. This classroom will be staffed by:
Mrs. DiCato Pre-School Teacher
Mrs. Ellakkis Pre School Paraprofessional
Lastly, we are excited to continue our work with Merrimack College by adding Ms. O’Brien as Merrimack Fellow at our school.
I am thrilled to have built upon all of our success with some amazing new additions to our staff. I know that each one of these individuals will have your support and confidence.
As we approach September, we understand that stores like Staples and Target will begin running their back to school advertisements very soon. Our grade level teachers are working together to create a supply list to get you started. These will be published and posted to our website in the near future. Individual classroom teachers may have tools or supplies that are utilized in their specific classroom, these lists will be forwarded once placements are finalized for the 2020-2021 school year. Final placements will be updated once models/schedules are finalized.
Between the Superintendent’s Updates and the school’s weekly updates, it is our hope that you will be informed and prepared for the upcoming school year. The last five plus months have been challenging for all, and we look forward to working with our families and students to move forward. As always, safety and our students' well-being will guide our professional practice to maintain the high expectations of students’ academic and social emotional learning. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this process. Feel free to contact my office with any questions.
Take Care,
Mr. Glen McKay
Principal