Dear SPS Families and Staff,

The changing of the seasons seems to have come so fast. Although I have enjoyed some “leaf peeping,” I must be in denial that the holidays are around the corner and we will soon be experiencing winter. I write today to announce a change in COVID testing for next week and a reminder about inclement weather events.

We were very excited to host our second COVID-19 vaccination clinic for students. On Wednesday, through a partnership with the state agencies, we were able to provide the first dose to almost 300 students. This was a great opportunity for our families and we have applied to host another vaccination clinic. If we are approved, we will send out the sign-up forms.

With the Thanksgiving holiday, we have moved all COVID testing to Monday, November 22. This will enable the lab to process all of our samples and give staff time to perform any additional testing and tracing before the school recess begins. Hopefully, this change will also catch any positive cases before any gatherings, preventing further spread.

The seasonal changes have prompted some questions about possible (maybe I should say probable) inclement weather events. This year the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will not count remote learning days as “time on learning.” Therefore, in the event of inclement weather, SPS will call either a delayed opening or a cancellation of school. In the event the weather is dangerous, you will receive information via multiple sources--email, website announcement banner, and local news outlets. For the details on how the decision to close or delay school, please visit our district website.

In a recent discussion with Sudbury’s Town Manager, Henry Hayes, we discussed the impacts of the tight labor market on the contractors for snow plowing. With fewer contractors, snow removal will take longer and could influence the decision on delays or closures. I believe all superintendents dream of only a few weekday snow events each year, and my hope is that the shortage of contractors will not be a significant factor this winter.

Let’s hope for weekend snowstorms, good health and time with those we love.

With gratitude,

Brad Crozier,

Superintendent of Schools