District Update #46

Congratulations, Emily Miner!

We are delighted to announce that Emily Miner is the recipient of the Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award for 2022-23.

The award honors exemplary teachers throughout the Pioneer Valley and is sponsored by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation.

Ms. Miner, an English teacher at PVRS, is recognized by the school community as an innovative, engaging, and compassionate educator. In addition to teaching at both the Middle and High School levels, Ms. Miner serves as a Teacher Leader and Student Council Advisor.

Ms. Miner’s team-focused approach has had a powerful impact on both students and colleagues. Her skill with technology and developing hands-on learning opportunities, along with her commitment to meeting the needs of all students, has been noted by colleagues as particular areas of strength. Her development of a welcoming and focused classroom environment for students is an additional area of professional excellence.

Acting Principal Cathy Hawkins-Harrison describes Ms. Miner as an “extraordinary young teacher. Pioneer is fortunate to have an educator like Emily on staff. The way she combines her creative approach to lesson development with a deep understanding of what students need to be engaged is truly inspiring and just wonderful to observe.”

Ms. Miner was nominated by her peers for the award. She and other award recipients will be celebrated at a banquet in April.

Please join us in congratulating Emily Miner, PVRSD’s winner of the 2022-23 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award.

Gr. 5 solar system student work courtesy of Ms. Meuse at BES.

The district is ready to recruit three new administrators: Principals at NES and PVRS and a Director of Teaching & Learning.

Last winter and spring, we conducted surveys to gather information about the skills and attributes most desired in new building leaders. The survey results, along with conversations with students, staff, and administrators, formed the basis for profiles of the desired candidates. We will use those profiles when reviewing applications.

Please help us find the most skillful, engaging administrators possible!

#1 Share the links below far and wide:

NES Principal application, candidate profile, and webpage

PVRS Principal application, candidate profile, and webpage

Director of Teaching & Learning (candidate profile and webpage to come)

#2 Join a Search Committees; see here for required dates and the number of seats available for each stakeholder group for each committee.

If you would like to participate in a search committee, please contact the appropriate people below by this Thursday, 2/16/23.

Parents/Guardians: Contact Joanne Wallace @ wallacejo@pvrsdk12.org.

PVREA and PVASP: Contact union leadership.

PVRS students: Contact Ms. Miner and Ms. Hawkins-Harrison.

School Committee: Contact Joanne Wallace @ wallacejo@pvrsdk12.org.

#3 Participate in Finalist Day visits to our schools; dates to be shared later in March.

#4 Invite potential candidates to contact me directly for conversation about these opportunities.

We have an ambitious hiring season ahead of us. Thank you in advance to the many people who will be contributing to successful searches.

Important note: The Director of T&L still needs School Committee approval, so I am posting that position as "anticipated."

After four months of intensive work, the School Committee will vote on the FY24 budget at its meeting this week.

That meeting will take place Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. instead of Thursday in order to adhere to the February 15 deadline outlined in the District Agreement.

Even before the vote takes place, I would like to thank the Budget Subcommittee and Jordan Burns, Director of Finance and Operations, for their incredible effforts on a budget development process that was transparent, inclusive, and timely.

Budget Subcommittee

Michele Giarusso, Chair

Reina Dastous, pro tem

Melissa Gerry

Steve Martin

Karen O'Neil

David Young

Information about the budget devlepment process, including multiple iterations of the draft budget, presentations, and videos of meetings, may be found on the FY24 Budget Development webpage.

If you have questions or comments about the information above, please contact
Patricia Kinsella, Superintendent, at kinsellap@pvrsdk12.org.

All prior editions of the District Update are available on our website.