Superintendent Weekly Update

Good afternoon,

I hope everyone has had a good week. It's hard to believe we are in the closing weeks of the school year. The Senior class has their prom tonight and a week of activities scheduled for next week as they close out their high school career. Graduation is scheduled for June 7. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can hold it outdoors. Our sports teams are engaged in tournament play and we wish them all well as they seek to extend their seasons. Our 8th grade students will be heading for the annual Washington DC trip next week.

This week I have information on the Pan-MASS challenge for kids, some information on fundraisers happening in the community, and a webinar happendin next week for parents about online safety for children.

Next week I hope to be able to provide information on summer resources available to families.

Have a wonderful weekend.

-Brian

Dr. Brian J. Blake

Superintendent of Schools

I am happy to report that on April 29, 2026, Ipswich Public Schools were formally invited to move into "Feasibility", the next stage in the process toward resolving out elementary school building issues by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). In the coming months, the School Building Committee will work through the process of hiring an Owner's Project Manager and establishing a Design Team. Once approved by the MSBA, we can then begin the Feasibility Study itself to determine the best option for Ipswich.

I'll continue to provide updates as the process moves along. This marks an important time for Ipswich as we seek a solution to our aging elementary schools.

We are hoping to spread the word throughout the Northshore schools that this year, the bike ride is May 31, 2026! Last year we had over 52 riders and raised close to $10,000 dollars.
The kids can fundraise straight through September to make minimums ($40.00) so there is no pressure.
Your efforts here are helping the Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund at a crucial juncture in obtaining funding to fight Cancer.
There aren't many of us out there lucky enough to not be touched by this awful disease. that's why we need everyone's help! Ipswich has always stood by our side in this fight, we hope you will do so again!
Thanks sincerely for your time.

Want to win a ride to work in a police car? Want your furry friend to be a Police K9 for a Day? Those are just a couple of the great prizes available at the upcoming Ipswich Police Association 2nd Annual Cornhole Fundraiser. The event will take place on Thursday, June 4 @ 6:30pm at True North Ale Company. The cornhole tournament will offer a great opportunity for friendly interoffice competition. Along with the cornhole tournament, there will be raffles and a silent auction! All proceeds will go towards the scholarship fund, the police memorial, events like the Polar Express Movie Night and other community initiatives. Please come out and support this event and have some fun. Click the link below to sign up, $50 per team. The tournament will be hosted by the experts at Ipswich Bay Cornhole League. Any questions, please email ipalocal310@gmail.com. https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSeOTW54N2k.../viewform...

Ipswich Public Schools acknowledges that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly embedded in our world. As such, IPS has guidance for administrators and educators on when and how AI may be used in their work. Here is link to the Ipswich Public Schools Parent/Guardian statement on AI in our schools.

I received an email this week about this webinar and wanted to share it with you. We can never have enough information about this.

Members of the United States Attorney’s Office will be joining Boston Globe journalists for a virtual conversation about online safety for children entitled: Trapped in the Dark Web: How to protect kids from digital abuse on Tuesday, June 2 @ 1:00 pm.

Direct link to registration page: https://trappedinthedarkweb.splashthat.com/

Panelists will discuss:

• How to talk to children about online safety
• Report abuse
• Existing legal protections
• Community resources.

In recent weeks, schools across the Commonwealth have been dealing with a new phenomenon involving artificial intelligence (AI) and students creating images that are inappropriate. This is deeply concerning behavior, as it can be considered criminal in nature. I wanted to share this resource with families so that parents are aware and can have conversations at home.

On September 18, 2024, “An Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation” went into effect in Massachusetts. As described in Think Before You Send: Facts about Sexting and Cyberbullying, that law makes it a criminal offense for a person, including a juvenile, to possess, share, show, send, forward, buy, or upload to an internet website a photo or video of a child under the age of 18 in a state of nudity or engaged in sexual conduct.

Back in the spring, I had run a weekly piece related to increased ICE activities in the Commonwealth. Given recent events, I wanted to provide the information again. The Ipswich Public Schools values our entire community and welcomes all learners. We have received calls from citizens and staff members concerned about the safety of our students. As always, we place the safety of our students and staff at the forefront of all we do. School districts across the Commonwealth have received guidance from the Attorney General's Office and have processes in place to protect our students and their information. I will continue to post this weekly until such time as it is no longer necessary. The links below are one page documents that outlines the steps that our district is taking to ensure the safety of our students and their information and the other outlines immigrant students rights to attend school.

Please reach out to me if you have any questions.

The Ipswich Education Foundation is an important partner with the school district, supporting innovative programs and additional support to the Ipswich Community. Please consider supporting their efforts.

LHOTSE, Zumi’s Anniversary Coffee Blend, is back (while supply lasts)!

Zumi’s is proud to once again donate $3 for every pound of Lhotse sold to the Masconomet Education Foundation and the Ipswich Education Foundation. https://mascoef.org

This is our annual tradition as we celebrate another year in business by giving back the communities that have become our cafe family!

A little bit about this coffee:

Created in 2004 in honor of our 1st anniversary in Ipswich, Lhotse is a big, bold, full-bodied blend that stands up to even the most courageous dark roast.

For this limited edition, we started with our roaster’s favorite Asia Pacific coffees (Ring of Fire) and added the distinctive tang of certain Honduran beans to create a celebration of Zumi’s eclectic spirit in each cup. It is named for one of the majestic Himalayan mountains that is part of the Everest massif.

Enjoy! And thank you for supporting our small business over the past 23 years!

The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL) is a free, confidential, and 24/7/365 statewide service available to all of Massachusetts residents regardless of insurance status. The BHHL connects individuals and families to the full range of treatment services for mental health and substance use. Whether by phone, text or online chat, callers can access our services at any time.

• Website/Contact Information: Call or text 833-773-2445 and chat online at https://masshelpline.com

Several of our counselors at the middle and high school have put together a list of food security resources for families impacted by the government shutdown and loss of SNAP benefits. Please click on these links to see what is available.

Food Security Resources (English only)

Food Security Resources (English, Spanish, Portuguese)

Ready to make a difference? Check out our current openings and apply today at https://ipsk12.schoolspring.com/!