Smithfield Public Schools -

As vaccines are becoming more widespread and infections have decreased, SHS and GMS will be welcoming back all students - 5 days per week - on April 26th. There will no longer be a hybrid schedule. Students who are virtual option may remain virtual option. We will continue to follow all RIDOH and RIDE guidelines to keep our students and staff safe. Principals will be communicating specifics about this return over the next few days.

Large scale pictures of students now adorn the walls of central office, reminding all about the focus of our primary mission - our students.

The Smithfield District Newsletter for April is available on this link: http://bit.ly/3sbnrIE . Keep up with everything happening in Smithfield schools!

Congratulations and thank you to Elizabeth Shepard, who participated in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)’s 2021 Students of the Year fundraising competition this spring. She raised an incredible $2,665 in just seven weeks! 258 students participated in this competition while representing their schools and advocating for cancer patients.

Thank a teacher! This has been a challenging year for educators but Smithfield teachers have met the challenge head-on. There are several ways to show our appreciation. Consider.... Nominate a Teacher for Smithfield Teacher of the Year - Send nominations to Lisa Petrone, lpetrone@smithfield-ps.org, by April 16th. Nominate a Teacher for a Golden Apple Award - NBC 10 and the Rhode Island Department of Education recognizes outstanding teachers. Winning educators will receive a $250 contribution from Ocean State Credit Union. You can nominate teacher using the form at turnto10.com. Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest - The 2021 My Favorite Teacher contest will run the entire month of March. The winning teacher will receive $5,000 for themselves and $5,000 for their school, and the student who writes the winning entry will receive a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card! To enter and see official rules, please visit the Barnes & Noble website.

New blog post: Emerging Innovations and Vocabulary Resulting from the Pandemic https://judypaolucci.edublogs.org/2021/03/16/emerging-innovations/

Seeing Smithfield teachers vaccinated at a town clinic brought joy to my heart and brought state leaders in for a visit.

The Smithfield Youth Council is hosting the Smithfield Youth Forum for Unity and Tolerance on Wednesday, March 10 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Zoom and invites any young person in Smithfield that are middle or high school age, to attend. The Youth Council began planning this opportunity to address the graffiti incident and give young people the opportunity to share their own perspective and discuss these issues more broadly. Their hope is this incident will create an ongoing dialogue among youth that will result in positive change in the community. The conversation will be facilitated by Kobi Dennis, Diversity and Inclusion Manager for the YMCA of Greater Providence and Dante Tavalaro, the Reverend at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. To submit a testimony or question anonymously, prior to the form, please use the Google form link below, by March 8th. https://forms.gle/nC2M33UfcUTsd1EW9 Please use the Zoom link below to join the forum on March 10th at 7:30pm: https://url.emailprotection.link/?bpqU5w3jXUB-uG5Ju-Q5a6UAdO1Mz5k4N1KZehsqFb6u7DVwpft7Qyl70qFWdLQqgc0sMjKCnO7CwKM-Vjk1Y8g~~ OR... Join Zoom Meeting By Phone: 1- 646 -876 -9923 Meeting ID: 993 6116 9455

Due to our elementary renovations project, we have excess student desks and chairs. Some are in poor condition but others, like the pictures shown, are looking pretty good. If any parent of a Smithfield student would like a desk for their child for at home, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/SBNGFzFz9FKBCjB3A

Rhode Island Department of Health Town Hall: COVID-19 Vaccines for Youth with Underlying Medical Conditions featuring Dr. Philip Chan, MD, MS, Infectious Disease Specialist A Q & A for youth, parents, and caregivers will follow. Wednesday, March 3 from 4-5 pm Register at: https://tinyurl.com/rpjk74eb

The School Committee approved a school calendar for 2021-2022 that gives us a later start than is usual. Due to the state calendar, the dates for Jewish holidays, and the school construction project, these changes were necessary. The calendar is available on this link: http://bit.ly/3pXxbEr The March newsletter is also available and can be found on this link: http://bit.ly/3aYKDnf

The Smithfield Town Council Invites the Community to a Virtual Town Forum on Race and Equality in Smithfield Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 6:00 PM Including leaders from Rhode Island and New England § Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias § YMCA of Greater Providence § YWCA Rhode Island § Anti-Defamation League of New England Join Virtual Forum https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86072620568?pwd=cVdjOXZBbndkcWIvNUJSVVhkY3Zmdz09 Meeting ID: 860 7262 0568 Passcode: 887398 One tap mobile +13126266799,,86072620568#,,,,*887398# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,86072620568#,,,,*887398# US (New York)

Congratulations to Emma Casazza, student at Winsor Elementary School, winner of the snow plow naming contest. Keep an eye out for the Greenville General this Sunday! https://www.valleybreeze.com/2021-02-10/observer-smithfield-west/essay-s-winner-names-plow-greenville-general

Kindergarten registration for the 2021-22 school year is now open for children who will be 5 on or before September 1, 2021! Visit https://www.smithfield-ps.org/o/smithfield-public-schools/page/registering-a-new-student for more information.

Elementary students were sent home with their Chromebooks in case updated weather forecasts predict a significant storm. As of 3:30pm on Monday, no decisions have been made regarding school on Tuesday. As always, official word will be made through our automated calling system.

The Smithfield Town Council Invites the Community to a Virtual Town Forum on Race and Equality in Smithfield on Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 6:00 PM. The forum includes leaders from RI & New England * YMCA of Greater Providence * YWCA Rhode Island * Anti-Defamation League of New England Forum link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86072620568?pwd=cVdjOXZBbndkcWIvNUJSVVhkY3Zmdz09 Meeting ID: 860 7262 0568

Supporting LGBTQ+ Kids: A Discussion on How to Have Meaningful Conversations - February 24th at 6pm via Zoom. To register: http://bit.ly/2YVBG7f

Congratulations to Kathryn Mueller (Class of 1997), our 2020 Recipient of the SHS Music Legion of Honor. Kathryn's upcoming virtual benefit concert will feature repertoire by women and people of color. https://www.kathrynmueller.com/

I'm attending DMGroup's leadership conference, "Strengthening Equity in Education: Making it Core" and am so excited to learn more about what I can do as a district leader to keep equity at Smithfield's core. #dmgroup #equity #SmithfieldRI

New blog post: Feedback - how does feedback benefit students, teachers, and schools in their quest for continual improvement? https://judypaolucci.edublogs.org/