Similar to how I start each communication, first and foremost, we hope this email finds you and your loved ones doing well and staying healthy in the “new normal” in which we are currently living. We truly will get through this and we will do so together.
District Quarterly Newsletter: Final Edition of the 2019-2020 School Year
We are pleased to share with you the final edition of the District Quarterly Newsletter for the current school year and hope that you take great pleasure in reading these “Year in Review” articles from across the schools. https://tinyurl.com/ya4g69yz
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!
Help with P-EBT Card Use
Families whose students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch started to receive P-EBT cards in the mail on Friday, May 29, and many are having trouble activating their card. Please share the following information from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) with families:
How to Activate (PIN) a P-EBT Card
You will need the letter DTA sent you in the mail to activate the card. If you lost the letter or never received one, you can fill out this form.
The Massachusetts EBT vendor was not able to change the automated prompts you hear when you call to PIN a card, and unfortunately, some of the automated instructions are inaccurate for P-EBT cards. Instead, please follow the steps below:
- Call the EBT card phone number on the back of your P-EBT card: 800-997-2555.
- Enter your P-EBT card number (it is an 18-digit number).
- You will then be prompted incorrectly to enter the last four digits of your Social Security number. Do not enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. For the P-EBT cards, you must enter the last four digits of your child's case number that was provided on the DTA letter you received in the mail.
- Then enter your child's date of birth using a two-digit month, two-digit day, and four-digit year (example: 04/06/2005).
For more information, visit: map-ebt.org. Questions? Call Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline at 800-645-8333.
From the Community…For the Community
Pakachoag Music School
Pakachoag Music School is offering online lessons, classes and camps this summer. Some options may be in-person. And, if you sign up this month for lessons, you can save.
- Private Music Lessons: 3 For The Price of 1; Save $80!
- For new students, sign up with Pakachoag Music School between June 1 and June 25th and you can get 3 lessons for the price of 1.
- For 30 minute lessons, that means you pay $40 and save $80.
- Most Group Classes: A $10 deposit will hold your space.
For more information about online learning visit: https://www.pakmusic.org/online-music-learning/
For more information about summer programs visit: https://www.pakmusic.org/programs/summer-music/
Virtual Girl Scout Programs
The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts is offering virtual programs to families! They are free and for all grade levels. NOTE: Although a Girl Scout experience begins in kindergarten, Pre-K girls entering kindergarten in the fall can take advantage of our virtual programming for Girl Scout Daisies.
School may be closed.
Meetings may be canceled.
Practice may be canceled.
But Girl Scouts is not canceled.
Information on our virtual programs can be found here.
Note: All material and programming is available to the public. No purchase of a Girl Scout membership is necessary. If families are interesting in hearing more about Girl Scouts and how to get involved they can visit our website page with that information.
Don’t’ have a computer, access to the internet or a printer? No problem, let us know and we will mail you the activities. Please email info@gscwm.org or call (508)365-0115 or (413)584-2602. Thank you for your time and consideration.
IMPORTANT – PLEASE COMPLETE
Census Update:
The U.S. Census Bureau has extended the deadline for the national census to Saturday, October 31. Individuals can respond at http://2020Census.gov, over the phone by calling the number in the invitation that was mailed to their home, or by mail. To find out the response rate in a particular area, consult this spreadsheet that tracks responses in all Massachusetts towns/cities and census tracts or a second that tracks historically hard to count towns/cities.
The completion of the national census is utilized for a variety of purposes, one important purpose being to determine the amount of federal funding provided to schools and towns. Given the current COVID-19 crisis, accurate census data is even more important than ever. Please help Auburn to be fully represented in the census data so we are able to receive every possible financial benefit we can.
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