Although I am so thankful that we are now more than a month into our school year here in North Andover with no major outbreaks at our elementary schools and NAMS, it is too bad that it was necessary to change the High School to fully remote learning for two weeks.  Unfortunately, this also means the fall sports schedule was impacted as well. 

If there is one thing we've learned about COVID 19, it is that our actions will either contribute to the spread or slow it down.  Although wearing a mask and social distancing outside of school may seem difficult for our families, doing so may bring us closer to a return to normal sooner.   

I hope this temporary reversal will be the impetus to  keep everyone even more vigilant, particularly during the upcoming holiday season. 

Please check out the October Healthy Happenings newsletter which our school nurses have put together to provide you with some practical information for keeping you and your family healthy. This month's issue is devoted to information regarding a COVID 19 virus  test site, quarantining and travel restrictions. 

I know our Thanksgiving holiday will be celebrated a little more sedately this year, with careful attention paid to everyone's safety.  Stay strong and stay hopeful - this too shall pass!

We’ll be honoring a number of special North Andover teachers from past and present a little differently this year. Our “Celebrating Teachers Night” will take place on a video produced by our wonderful community teammates at North Andover CAM. We will miss our annual visit to Stevens Memorial Library, and we hope to be back in the rotunda in 2021.

As in years past, the North Andover School Committee will be inducting an incredible teacher into the Educator Hall of Fame. This year our inductee is Raymond Grady. Mr. Grady made an extraordinary impression on students and the district over his 35 years of teaching at NAHS. Congratulations to Ray and to his family!

We’ll also be spotlighting the 22 staff who have earned Professional Teacher Status in North Andover after three outstanding initial years in the school system. 

ABECC
Kristen Long
Mallory Mizia
Abby Toomey

Atkinson
Helen Fuller
Sheila Heffernan
Liz Murphy

Franklin
Lisa Fontaine
Genevieve Hiller

Kittredge
Sara Ingersoll

Sargent
Jillian Connally
Jennifer Cresta
Lauren Morin

NAMS
Taylor Beaton
Melissa Gladhill
Michael Miller
Laura Murphy

NAHS
Ryan Burr
Tim Clark
Robert Dugan
Sarah Hickey
Jane Hogeland
Alison Polanco

Congratulations to all!

Hopefully, families and colleagues will be able to join in on the celebration of our honorees by sharing the video. A link to the presentations will be available very soon. As always, thank you for your support of our staff and school district! Thanks go out to North Andover CAM and to our school administrators for helping with the production!

STEM GRANTS
AWARDED TO NAPS

We've excited to announce the North Andover Public School district has been awarded $4,500 in STEM grants from the Northeast STEM Network in conjunction with the 3rd annual MASS STEM Week! Educators across all grades will be organizing various ways for students to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Each elementary library will be purchasing additional Ozobot Bit robots! The Library Media Specialists celebrated STEM Week with library lessons that taught students how to use these pocket-size robots. 

These multipurpose tech tools will join the other STEM resources available in school libraries and can be incorporated into various lessons. Elementary students were also invited to join their Library Media Specialists in a STEM Challenge to build a tall tower that can hold a book. Students can share their creation on the private FlipGrid https://flipgrid.com/2857711b. They'll need to log in with their NAPS Google Account to participate. Stay tuned to hear how ABECC, NAMS and NAHS will be using their grant funding. 

Great news!!! The USDA has extended a waiver that allows schools to serve free meals to ALL students, through June 30, 2021.  ALL North Andover students and kids/teens ages 0 to 18 can receive meals free of charge through the end of the school year.  To learn how to access this service please visit the North Andover Food Services website.  

Barker's Farm is generously donating fresh apples to all of our schools.  The apples are served with both breakfast and lunch and are picked daily.  We couldn't wish for fresher farm to school fruit for our students.  Thank you, Barker's Farm!  What a wonderful addition to our meal service. 

Parent University

Going back to school, either in person or remotely, is quite a different experience for everyone during  this pandemic. Our Assistant Superintendent and STEM and Humanities Coordinators, together with our nurses, library/media specialists, SpEd and Technology Departments, and SEL and curriculum teams, have collaborated to create a page on the 

NAPS Website called  Parent University  to help you cope with this reality. Whether you're trying to provide academic support for your OLA/ hybrid student, have questions about Chromebooks or Google, or have health or emotional concerns, this page will be an excellent resource to have some of your questions answered.

I am so grateful for the North Andover community.  I am thankful for my fellow School Committee members and other elected and appointed officials, teachers, administrators, families and residents who invest in the success of schools.  I am appreciative of the input of so many.  As we navigate decisions and detours within and beyond our control, we keep the conversation civil and reflect RAISE values - for the most part.  When we don't, we regroup and continue in communication for the sake of our students.

In November, we celebrate SEPAC Awareness Month (Special Education Parent Advisory Council).  At our November 5 meeting, you will hear from Courtney Pham, President of our newly rebranded SEPAC (formerly NAPAC).  We will also finalize our School Committee and Superintendent goals for the 2020-21 school year.  This will lead into our Budget Directives.  Already in planning is a joint meeting of the Chairs of our Select Board, Finance Committee and School Committee.  We know that our collaborative efforts provide the best outcomes for students.  

Congratulations to Educator Hall of Fame Inductee, Ray Grady and the twenty-two teachers who will receive Professional Teacher Status in NAPS. 

**NEW! **On Friday, Nov 13, at 9 am, School Committee members will host a live virtual Community Coffee Chat.  While we can not welcome the public to School Committee meetings, we do want to be accessible for two-way conversation.  Please join the meeting live on Google Meet or by phone using the meeting information or link below.  

Respectfully,
Helen Pickard, School Committee Chair

SC Community Coffee Chat
Friday, November 13⋅from 9:00  am – 10:00 am

Join with Google Meet or by phone - (US) +1 405-293-3514‬ PIN: ‪661 085 929‬#

School Committee Meeting Dates