Superintendent's Update

Dear Families and Caregivers,

It is hard to believe how fast this school year is going by. While we still have valuable time with students and families in May and June, from a District perspective, it is critical we utilize the next two months not only to wrap up this school year, but also take concrete steps to prepare for next school year. It is with this in mind that I would like to request your assistance with a few items:

1. If you anticipate any changes for the next school year—such as a new phone number, emergency contacts, or medical information—please take a moment to update these details now in the Skyward Parent Portal.

2. If you have had a change in residency, please contact our District Registrar, Kristen Gleason, at kgleason@sksd-ri.net, for assistance with updating your information.

Making these updates now will help ensure a smooth transition into the next academic year and allow our staff to properly prepare for your child's needs. For families who will be relocating and leaving our district, we ask that you take a moment to notify your child's current school office and complete the required Release of Records form so we can ensure a seamless transfer of your child's educational records.

Last but not least, if you have a child who will be new to the district (usually enrolling in Kindergarten, but is applicable for any child who is new to the district) - please help us and take action today. You can start the process by clicking on the link and following the instructions listed on the site https://www.skschools.net/departments/student_registration. In doing so, you will help our principals create class rosters and purchase the correct amount of materials, while simultaneously helping district administration prepare for the correct number of buses, work with OceanState to find the best transportation routes, and ensure the appropriate amount of staffing is in place across all schools.

Thank you for your assistance in helping us maintain up-to-date information, share appropriate records, and have accurate registration/enrollment numbers heading into the spring and summer seasons.

Sincerely,

Michael J. Podraza

Superintendent of Schools

“When large numbers of people have a deeply understood sense of what needs to be done—and see their part in achieving that purpose—coherence emerges and powerful things happen.”

~Michael Fullan~

As shared on April 4th, the district’s long awaited equity audit has been completed. Discussion of both the information presented and the actions that will be taken as a result of the audit’s findings will become a standing item on every School Committee agenda moving forward. In addition, we will host a community forum in the coming weeks where the community can share their reactions, as well as their aspirations for what will occur next in order for us to close achievement gaps, reduce disciplinary disparities, and ultimately fulfill the district’s mission “to educate and engage ALL of our students…”.

Thanks to the collective efforts of students, families, faculty, and staff, all of our building principals report that this year’s State Testing has gone very smoothly- even in spite of a new testing platform with this year's RICAS administration. The tenacity our students have demonstrated throughout the testing window thus far has been exemplary.

Next up for students in grades 3-8 is the RICAS Math testing, and once again, we will look to get the support of families by continuing to send to families the weekly “Ready. Set. RICAS- Math”. As you will see below, collectively your participation in this initiative for RICAS- ELA resulted in thousands of views, clicks, and conversations that have helped to prepare your children to do their best on this year’s tests. On behalf of every school in the district, I thank you for all of your efforts and continued support to help our students show what they know and are able to do.