Ipswich School Committee Newsletter

This fall, the Ipswich School Committee voted to ratify the collective bargaining agreements between the American Federation of State, Federal and Municipal Employees and the Ipswich School Committee. We are pleased to announce that the contracts for the Custodial, Clerical and Food Service Units have all passed unanimously.

On December 13th, Ipswich will be notified if we are being invited into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) program, which provides grant funding for school construction projects. If we are accepted, the next step will be the Eligibility stage, during which we will need to demonstrate we are prepared to continue moving forward with a multi-year building project.

In October, the School Committee voted to take the position to support a single building project that will create a unified community school. Our decision was based on three key factors:

• Educational needs of our current and future students, teachers, and administrators

• The lower cost and expedited timing of a building a single school for all elementary schools

• Town support for a single community school

Earlier this month, the Select Board and Finance Committee both voted unanimously to support our position for a single community elementary school, demonstrating unity across all three boards.

To further inspire ideas for our future, the School Committee will be visiting Swampscott Elementary School, which opened in September, 2024. Renderings of the new Swampscott Elementary School can be viewed online here.

As we continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, it is crucial to address the issue of bullying and cyberbullying. We encourage families to have open and honest conversations with their children. Creating a safe environment starts by talking about it at home.

Good questions to ask are “Have you ever seen someone at school being treated unfairly or unkindly?” and “What would you do if you or someone else was being bullied?” For additional resources and tips, please visit StopBullying.gov.

You can be notified when town government meeting agendas are posted by subscribing on the town website at: https://www.ipswichma.gov/list.aspx.

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• The School Committee reviewed our Norms, which can be found on the District website: Ipswich School Committee Norms.

• The Synthetic Turf Advisory Committee provided an update on plans and next steps for the Athletic Field House, which will include team rooms, restrooms, and a concession stand at the turf field; groundbreaking for the year-long project is anticipated for late Spring. This project will largely be funded by previously awarded Paine Grants, and ongoing fundraising.

• The Ipswich School Committee, Finance Committee, and Select Board held a Tri-Board meeting on November, 19. Agenda items included updates from our State Delegation, and on the Strategic Plan, NORESCO, and Elementary School Building Project. The meeting recording is available online on ICAM.

• The principals of all four of our schools presented the annual Strategy for District Improvement Plan & School Improvement Plan.

• The School Committee finalized and approved both the School Committee Goals and Superintendent Goals for the 2024/2025 school year.

• The School Committee reviewed and approved updates to 12 district policies, including the new policy EBACA: Environmental Sustainability Policy.

• Wednesday, November 27th - Elementary School students will be dismissed at 11:50 AM, Middle and High School students will be dismissed at 11:20 AM

• Thursday, November 28th - No School, Thanksgiving Break

• Friday, November 29th - No School, Thanksgiving Break

• Thursday, December 5th - School Committee Meeting - 7pm in the Middle/High School Ensemble Room and online

• Thursday, December 19th - School Committee Meeting - 7pm in the Middle/High School Ensemble Room and online

• Monday December 23rd to Wednesday January 1st - No School - Winter Break

Continue to stay up to date on district events and school committee news by following Ipswich School Committee on Facebook and Instagram.