Hello Auburn Families and Staff,

I don't know about you, but the feeling of spring that has been in the air this week has been absolutely amazing! I love to hear the birds chirping and see the sun shining! It is truly a breath of fresh air!

As you can imagine, we are always looking for ways to help and support our students. Recently, one of my colleagues recommended the book, Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and I have just begun reading it. The book provides research on the increase in mental health issues experienced by kids and the correlation it has to the arrival of social media. While I am only about a third through the book myself, we may look to do this as a community read. We will provide more information in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I am sharing a link to a warning from the US Surgeon General on the impact of social media on children. I am also attaching a summary sheet regarding children and social media also from the US Surgeon General. We have all grown so accustomed to the cell phones and the constancy of their use. However, in schools, we often see the down side. We see the fall out when the mental health of students is impacted due to self esteem issues, bullying and cyberbullying, and exposure to inappropriate content. We also see children, whose brains are still developing, becoming addicted to scrolling and posting on social media to the detriment of face to face interactions with others, participation in various activities and the loss of personal connection. While there is no perfect solution to this, it is imperative and schools and families are aware of the impact of social media on kids and the things we can do to mitigate that impact.

There are also several new events in the upcoming events sections so be sure to check that out. Auburn Recreation is in need of volunteers for their Special Olympics event taking place on Saturday, March 15th. There is more information below in the Upcoming Events section.

I thank you all for your continued support of the Auburn Public Schools and I hope you all have a terrific weekend.

Best,

Beth

Thank you to the many families and staff members who expressed their opinion regarding the 2025-2026 School Year Calendar. After reviewing all of the votes and feedback received from the community, the School Committee has approved the calendar as presented. Please follow the link to the approved version of the 25-26 calendar.

I have also included a link to the results of the calendar survey that was sent to families and staff.

Please follow the link to the updated 2024-2025 school year calendar that reflects the snow days thus far this school year.

It is hard to believe that we are already planning for the 2025-2026 school year. As we have done for several years now, we will be using an online Bus Application for 2025-2026 and applications are now being accepted. Please see more information below.

There is a graduated fee schedule for all payments received after May 1st so we urge you to apply and provide payment before May 1st. This also allows us a much better planning window.

We have made this change due to an increasing number of late applications which significantly complicates the process of determining bus routes and assigning students to buses. As always, student safety is at the heart of this decision. We hope that families will apply electronically by following the link above. However, if you are unable to do so, I have attached a paper version of the bus application along with the graduated fee schedule and the Rules and Regulations for APS Busing. All paper applications and fees must be sent in or dropped off at 5 West Street and can be left in the locked drop box outside of the main entrance.

Please apply early and remember, your application is NOT complete until we receive the bus fee.

If you have questions, please call Central Office at 508-832-7755 or email apsbus@auburn.k12.ma.us.

We are pleased to inform you that applications for The Auburn Integrated Preschool and registration for Kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year is now open. All applications and registrations will be completed online. If your child already attends the Auburn Integrated Preschool, you do NOT need to complete the online registration process. You will receive information from the preschool for next steps. To formally register your child in the Auburn Public Schools, please visit the Student Registration Page on our website. We ask that if you plan to register your child, you do so as soon as possible. As you might expect, we will need ample time to plan for the coming year and the sooner we have a solid count of children who will attend, the more successful school openings will be.

If you or someone you know has a child turning 5 years of age by September 1, 2025, and are interested in registering for kindergarten, please follow the link above. If you or someone you know has a child turning 3 or 4 years of age by September 1, 2025 and are interested in enrolling in our preschool for the fall, you can do so by following the link above.

• You must be a resident of Auburn to attend the Auburn Public Schools.
• There are specific registration links for Preschool and Kindergarten. Please be sure to select the correct link and the correct school once you enter the registration portal.
• Proof of residency (noted below) must be brought, mailed or emailed to the appropriate school.
• A raised seal birth certificate must be brought to the school to be copied or can be mailed to the school. If mailed to the school, it will not be returned to you.
• If you are not sure which school your child will attend for kindergarten, please call either Bryn Mawr or Pakachoag and a staff member will assist you.

All children of school age who reside in the Town of Auburn will be entitled to attend the public schools.

Every student seeking admission to the school for the first time must present a birth certificate or equivalent proof of age acceptable to the principal and proof of vaccination and immunization as required by the state and the School Committee along with the residency documents noted below.

Two forms documenting proof of residency are required, one from Category A and one from Category B.

Category A

1. Property Deed

• The following items must be dated within the last 60 days:

2. Current Paid Residential Real Estate Tax Bill (for the home in which you are residing)

3. Fully signed and executed Purchase and Sale Agreement, followed by official closing paperwork, or mortgage statement with address

4. Current (not expired) Rental or Lease Agreement with Auburn address, signed by the tenant and landlord or property manager, with all residents listed

Category B:

1. Voter Registration with Auburn Address

• The following items must be dated with the last 60 days:

2. Trash, water, electric, cable, gas or oil bill under parent/guardian name with the Auburn address

3. Homeowner Insurance or rental insurance bill with Auburn address

If you do not own or rent a home in Auburn and are living with an Auburn resident, a residency affidavit must be completed and notarized and be accompanied by the above noted residency information from the owner of the property. The administration reserves the right to request proof of residency at any time.

If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact the appropriate person below. Please stay tuned for more information regarding school programming, student screening and transition opportunities that will take place later in the school year. We look forward to working with you.

Auburn Integrated Preschool

Alan Keller, Principal, akeller@auburn.k12.ma.us

Caitlin O’Neill, Administrative Assistant, coneill@auburn.k12.ma.us

508-832-7755

Bryn Mawr Elementary School

Brooke Beverly, Principal, bbeverly@auburn.k12.ma.us

Lisa Wheeler, Administrative Assistant, lwheeler@auburn.k12.ma.us

508-832-7733

Pakachoag Elementary School,

Cheryl Carlson, Principal, ccarlson@auburn.k12.ma.us

Iliana Lopez, Administrative Assistant, ilopez@auburn.k12.ma.us

508-832-7788

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Shrewsbury Clay Time has been awarded a grant from the Auburn Cultural Council to host a Family Paint Night at the Auburn Senior Center on March 6th at 6 PM.

This free event is open to Auburn residents of all ages and abilities, giving each participant the opportunity to paint a plate, bowl, or mug. See the attached flyer for registration information.

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. ~Helen Keller