February 16, 2023

Dear Clipper Community,

It’s hard to believe that we celebrated 100 days of school on February 9, 2023. Our elementary school students celebrate the 100th day with various activities. Some celebrations include creating art collections of 100 things, making necklaces with 100 beads, or even Lego builds with 100 pieces. Our teachers have very creative ideas!

Before we begin our February vacation I wanted to share some district news.

Announcements

I am proud to announce that Rebecca Vieira has been appointed permanent Principal of the North Falmouth Elementary School and Tim Adams has been appointed permanent Principal of the Morse Pond School. Rebecca and Tim have both proved to be strong and thoughtful school leaders. Please take a moment to congratulate Rebecca and Tim on their permanent assignments.

Our East Falmouth Principal, Paul Goodhind, will be retiring at the end of this school year. Paul’s positive attitude and great sense of humor has brought much joy to the halls of East Falmouth Elementary School and will be greatly missed by staff and students. We have started the hiring process and have begun accepting applications for this position for the 2023-2024 school year.

Upcoming Events

I will be hosting a “Superintendent’s Coffee Hour” on March 1, 2023, from 2:30 - 3:30pm at the Administration Building. Please stop by for a conversation if your schedule permits.

Soup for the Soul is Back!! March 9, 2023 from 5:00 - 7:00pm at the FHS School Cafeteria. Tickets are $15.00 and are available at the FHS Student Activities office and Eight Cousins Bookstore. This event features homemade soup made by FHS Culinary students served in bowls made by FHS students and staff. We hope you can join us.

Falmouth Public Schools is set to host the 45th annual celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) at our STEAM FAIR. The Fair will be held at Falmouth High School on Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 10am until noon. The Fair promises to be filled with lots of excitement and activities! Among them is the first Egg Drop Competition, a visit from VEX Robotics, and a series of K-12 Interactive Exhibits. Lawrence School Engineering students will showcase a Railroad Hand Car. And, of course, our Science Project Showcase will conclude with our Award Ceremony. I hope you will join us for this display of learning excellence.

Thank You

As you may know, we had a pipe burst at the North Falmouth Elementary School earlier this month during the cold snap. I wanted to thank the custodians who dropped everything and went to the school to clean up. They spent the better part of the weekend mopping and cleaning in order for staff and students to resume school on Monday. The hard work they put in daily and particularly in these unexpected situations is commendable.

Final Notes

The VIPS 40th anniversary video debuted this week as part of "I Love VIPS" week. Here is the link: https://www.falmouthvips.org/2023-i-love-vips-campaign.html

Due to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, many families are in serious crisis. Donations are desperately needed. The Waquoit Congregational Church (15 Parsons Lane & Rt. 28) will be accepting donations such as Tents, Sleeping Bags, Winter Coats, Medical Masks, Baby Bottles, Surgical Gloves, Hats, Mittens, and Socks. All items (in unsealed boxes) can be delivered to the Church until March 1, 2023. Any and all donations toward this humanitarian effort are greatly appreciated.

During vacation, take some time to read our “Unsung Hero” articles on the website’s Clipper Corner https://www.falmouth.k12.ma.us/Page/1. The featured stories spotlight individuals in the Falmouth Public Schools who make invaluable contributions to the district.

Enjoy the upcoming week off whether you plan a staycation or a vacation. Rest, relax and have some fun!

Sincerely,

Lori Duerr, Ed.D.
Superintendent