Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!
Great news! Thanks to Scott Barnett, our technology director, we applied for and are receiving funding from the FCC in the form of $51,648 in credit with a Chromebook vendor for 200 units in this calendar year. Our only expenditure is for the licensing and warranty costs (approximately $15K, which we will take from existing technology funding). This award from the Emergency Connectivity Fund will allow us to get a complete class year set of equipment for that $15K expenditure and to place the order in a timely fashion for fall receipt for the upcoming 9th grade class.
Home for the holidays house decorating contest for Smithfield residents. Do you have the most festive home in your neighborhood? To enter, complete an online application form available at smithfieldri.com. The entry deadline is Friday, December 17th at 4:30pm.
Vaccination Clinic Reminder - A pediatric vaccination clinic is scheduled for Saturday, December 18th. Information and registration is available at www.vaccinateri.org. Other details below:
Location/Date/Time: Old County Road, 12/18/21, 10AM to 2PM
Direct Registration link: https://www.vaccinateri.org/appointment/en/reg/5215911066
Vaccines offered: Pfizer Pediatric (5-11)
Santa Claus is coming to Smithfield! December 11th and 12th, 5-8pm. Sponsored by the Smithfield Fire Department. Santa is visiting each neighborhood, escorted by Smithfield's First Responders. Visit the Town of Smithfield website for details and routes.
The Smithfield High School Music Department will hold their Winter Concert on Thursday, December 9th, at 7 p.m. in the SHS auditorium. There will be performances by the band, chorus, Sentinel Singers and Jazz Band. All are welcome!
Featured artwork from Gallagher Middle School: "Overlapping Flowers" by Reese Gaffney, Grade 8 and "Overlapping Sweets" by Keana Blakely, Grade 8
SMITHFIELD SNOWSTORM - The Smithfield Youth Council is hosting a winter activity for our community. Please joint them by hanging up snowflakes around the town between December 1st and February break.
Smithfield's All-Lit-Up Parade is this Saturday, December 4th, at 4pm. The parade begins at SHS and ends at the Village Green. See their Facebook page for more details. Let's all get in the spirit!
Artist spotlight on 2009 SHS graduate Colby Charpentier presenting artwork during his residency in California. Congratulations Colby! https://youtu.be/rXefMZVqvLc
The Smithfield Schools District newsletter for December is available online and through this link: https://bit.ly/3FTWwHN
Happy Hanukkah to all members of our community who celebrate this festival of lights. Wishing all a season of peace and joy!
Smithfield Schools get an A in the media literacy study for RI districts!
https://mediaeducationlab.com/sites/default/files/ML%20in%20RI%20%2810%29.pdf
One of the first goals of the Arts Task Force is to showcase the visual and performing arts in Smithfield. Check out these works of art from some of our middle school students. Batik on Fabric by grade 8 artist, Sydney Briggs, and plaster sculptures by grade 7 artists
You may have heard the news that Smithfield's school bus drivers have authorized a strike. The bus drivers have been in negotiations with Durham Transportation Services and have not yet reached an agreement. While the vote to authorize a strike is necessary before an actual work stoppage, it does not necessarily mean that a strike is imminent. Both sides continue to participate in negotiations, facilitated by a federal mediator.
The bus drivers that serve Smithfield Schools are our parents, our neighbors, and a valuable asset to our school district. We are hopeful that a fair agreement can be reached through these ongoing negotiations. Should negotiation sessions not proceed in a productive manner and a strike does occur, we will be prompt in our communications with you. While alternate mass transportation options are nonexistent, we are exploring opportunities for flexible expectations for attendance and parent pick ups and drop offs.
For a news account of the issue, see this link: https://bit.ly/31FHjuZ
Principal Julie Dorsey, Teacher Torie Caldarone, and Superintendent Judy Paolucci attended an awards ceremony in Washington DC for LaPerche’s recognition as a Blue Ribbon School. The event included greetings by the US Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, networking with other award-winning educators, and hearing from the 2021 Teacher of the Year, Juliana Urtubey, who focused on efforts for a just and joyful education for all students.
LaPerche Elementary's Cafeteria Rangers show off their recycling knowledge and explain the school's pilot program for reducing food waste, recycling, and composting. Go Green Team!
Smithfield elementary school shines amid RI's test-score gloom - Linda Borg's article in the Providence Journal highlights OCRS, which showed improvements in both math and ELA. All Smithfield elementary schools improved on the mathematics assessment. Great job Smithfield administrators, teachers, staff and students!
https://bit.ly/3GElXOu
Smithfield's November District Newsletter is available on the link below. Great things are happening in Smithfield! https://we.tl/t-GzzrwlJpUr
Join us for the ribbon cutting ceremonies tomorrow! Please park in the side parking lots at each school leaving the front loops clear for the ceremonies.
