September 8, 2023

Dear Staff and Families,

Thank you and congratulations to everyone on a successful reopening. The joy and enthusiasm were contagious as I walked through the halls of our wonderful schools. A new school year can be overwhelming, with new routines to learn, schedules to adjust to, and new students and staff to meet. I commend everyone for taking on this new beginning with understanding and compassion. New beginnings are about optimism, opportunities to start fresh and put our best foot forward, and a time to set new goals. I feel the hope and excitement of a great school year ahead.

I also want to acknowledge the challenges presented by the extreme temperatures this week. We are grateful for the efforts of our staff to keep students safe and comfortable despite the heat, including staying hydrated and keeping classrooms as cool as possible. We have introduced a plan to assess our elementary through grade 8 schools for air conditioning systems. Air Conditioning was added to FHS during the renovation. We have included in the current capital plan to add air conditioning to one to two schools per year, until all schools have air conditioning by the year 2028. Please note, capital plans must be approved at Town Meeting. While temperatures are expected to become more moderate next week, we encourage families to continue sending students to school with their water bottles.

In the Falmouth Public Schools, we are striving to enhance The Clipper Experience by creating a seamless, challenging, rewarding educational journey for every student, from preschool through graduation. This vision, which we call Charting the Course to Graduation, is our north star that guides decisions to ensure every student can thrive. Together, we have developed expectations for what students at every grade level and in every subject area should know and be able to do, and we have adopted strategies to give students the support they need to excel. The work is designed to ensure that our graduates are ready to succeed in the world beyond school – in college, career, and life.

Parents and families are our most essential partners in achieving this vision. Our incredible staff are eager to learn each child’s learning style, interests, and skills, and to work with families to provide the instruction and support each child needs to reach their full potential. This school year, we are recommitting to ongoing, two-way communication at all levels of the school district – especially between home and school – to establish strong, trusting relationships among all students and adults.

You will hear more about Charting the Course to Graduation and our framework for student success in the months ahead. Please reach out to me or members of my team if you have questions, concerns, ideas, or just want to share good news. We always look forward to opportunities to learn and share. Here’s to a great year!

Sincerely,

Lori S. Duerr, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools