Madison families,
It is my great pleasure to wish all of you a very happy first day of school tomorrow!
This past week we have welcomed back our faculty and staff to prepare and plan for a fresh and exciting new school year. Our time has been filled with classroom decoration, collaborative planning sessions, and training to support best instructional practices. We are excited to share that in the 2021-22 school year, we are carrying forward the strongest practices that we have developed during the pandemic period, while continuing to invest in staff, resources, and technology to further enhance our capacity to engage and support all students in rigorous and meaningful learning experiences. All such efforts will also be freshly organized within a new MPS System of Supports that will be introduced and implemented in the coming months. We look forward to sharing more with you this fall.
I would also like to acknowledge that starting this school year with COVID precautions still in place is frustrating for many of us. In the coming year there is reason to be hopeful that we will see increased vaccination availability, improved understanding of this virus, and an eventual reduction or elimination of COVID-related restrictions in school. For this to occur, however, our scientists, pharmaceutical companies, policy makers, and citizens must continue to cooperate in the implementation of a vaccine solution for American children and all of humankind’s global citizens. Please do your part by consuming media from diverse sources, respecting the perspectives of others, and keeping your mind solution-focused. Working together with cautious optimism, we can thrive in the midst of any such challenge.
As you all enjoy your final Sunday, please remember to reread your school’s Welcome Back Letter to ensure that you are aware of all procedures for tomorrow. The letters are available on each school’s web page. For your convenience, they are also directly linked here:
Finally, for those who may be interested in reviewing our 2021-22 Reopening Plan, it is now available on the district website. Please note that this is an overarching document that outlines the framework for school operations and it does not necessarily include all mitigation details. Further, all provisions are subject to change as public health conditions, guidance, and our learning community’s needs change over time. Nevertheless, the document is consistent with our prior messaging and includes some supporting details and helpful links, where appropriate. If you have any immediate questions or concerns pertaining to operations, please contact your child’s school. For more general concerns, please bring them to our next Superintendent Coffee on Monday, September 13.
I look forward to seeing you soon. In the meantime, have an excellent start to 2021-22!
Sincerely,
Mark Schwarz
Upcoming Events:
Mon, Aug 30 - First Day of School for Students
Mon, Sept 6 - Schools Closed - Labor Day
Tues, Sept 7 - Schools Closed - Rosh Hashanah
Mon, Sept 13 - Superintendent Coffee, 7pm
Tues, Sept 14 - Board of Education Meeting, 7pm
Thurs, Sept 16 - Schools Closed - Yom Kippur