APS Return to School Team
The question on everyone’s mind, likely among others, is, “When will schools reopen and, when they do, what will it look like?” Currently, we do not have an answer to that question, but while we await further guidance from Governor Baker, an APS Return to School Team is being established.
As you may know, Commissioner Riley has established a Return-to-School Working Group to help develop a K-12 summer and fall restart and recovery plan. As noted in his communications about this work, the plan will include guidance in the following areas:
- Physical and virtual learning environments;
- Teaching and learning;
- Operations and business services; and
- Behavioral health and social and emotional learning.
As has been our practice, the APS Return to School Team will be comprised of staff, parent, and student representatives, so if you have interest in potentially being a part of this team, please email Ailaine Zautner, administrative assistant, at amzautner@auburn.k12.ma.us by Friday, June 5, 2020. The work of this team will be widely shared and while our recommendations will initially be limited until state guidance is received, beginning these conversations now makes sense as we want to be as prepared as possible. Thank you.
Step Up Days: What Will They Look Like This Year?
The extended school closure has required us to make changes to many of our activities, most notably having students learning remotely from home and we again THANK YOU for your incredible support of that.
Another year-end activity is the Step Up Days wherein students learn who their next year’s teacher will be and which students will be in their class. The closure has impacted that annual event as well, as noted below:
- Until the FY21 budget is set - with the state’s numbers not expected until sometime in July or perhaps even later - the names of children’s next year teachers (in grades K-8) will not be shared. Instead, families will be notified sometime over the summer, likely in August.
- Because of that, schools are preparing “Introduction” videos that will be shared to welcome students to the next grade level and/or school as we believe such transition events are important for our students. Watch for more details to come from your children’s principals and teachers in the coming weeks.
Deadline for 2020-2021 Bus Applications has been Extended to Friday, June 12th
By recent vote of the School Committee, please know that the deadline to submit bus applications has been extended to Friday, June 12th. Please make note of the following important information:
- The School Committee reduced the rate for this school year’s bus pass to $75, so if you have not yet completed the Google form to indicate how you would like that potential $25 balance handled, please take the appropriate survey as determined by your circumstances:
- If you have not yet paid for your child to ride the bus next school year, but did pay for your child to ride the bus during the current school year, please complete this quick Google form:
- If you already paid the $100 fee for your child to ride the bus next school year and you paid for your child to ride the bus during the current school year, please complete this quick Google form:
Bus applications can be mailed to 5 West Street with a check made payable to the Auburn Public Schools, dropped off at 5 West Street and placed in the lock box to the left of the front entry door, or paid online via Unipay. Please be reminded that any late applications will be assessed a $100 late fee, regardless of whether you have to pay for the pass or not, so PLEASE submit yours before the new June 12th deadline. Thank you.
Last Day of the 2019-2020 School Year
Please be reminded that the final day of the 2019-2020 school year for students will be Friday, June 12th. We wish you all a happy and healthy summer break and please know that we simply cannot wait to welcome your amazing children back next school year when we are allowed to do so! Thank you for sharing them with us!
Please stay well, continue to practice all of the guidelines, including wearing a face covering while in public, practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently and refrain from gathering in groups of 10 or more. Together, we will get through this. Stay Auburn Strong and thank you for your continued support of the Auburn Public Schools.
Yours in education,
Maryellen Brunelle, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools