TPS District Newsletter

Happy New Year 2026!

While it feels like so long ago, I hope the winter break provided you with a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy the company of loved ones. As we return to our classrooms and offices to begin the second half of the school year, I find myself reflecting on the power of community and the values that guide us during uncertain times.

This month, we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In light of the complex and often distressing events we see unfolding in the news around the world, Dr. King’s message feels more vital than ever. As an educational community, we remain committed to his principles of non-violence, empathy, and peaceful change. We strive to teach our students that while the world may feel chaotic, they have the power to influence their surroundings through kindness and a steadfast commitment to understanding one another and not harming one another; a good message for us all to follow.

While the January air is crisp, the spirit inside our schools is incredibly warm, with so much to celebrate as we kick off the new year, such as the creative spirits of the Ryan School, through their door decorating contest. They have transformed hallways into galleries of imagination. Additionally, the recent band concerts and stage performances showcased the hard work and harmony our students have achieved. Moreover, I am deeply moved by the generosity in action I have observed through the ongoing charity drives across the district, proving that our students and staff are dedicated to helping those in need. These events are the heartbeat of our district.

Our students and school community remind us that even in a world that demands resilience, there is always room for joy and celebration. So, let’s make 2026 a year to remember for all the right reasons… including a BIG win for our New England Patriots this weekend!

Warmly,

Brenda Theriault-Regan

1. The School Committee recognized the following students and staff member for their athletic achievements:

• Jonny Sullivan - Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year, Tewksbury Football Team Most Valuable Player, Tewksbury Memorial High School all time leader in interceptions, Boston Globe All Scholastic.
• Steven Oppedisano - Merrimack Valley Conference 2 Runner of the Year, Tewksbury Cross Country Team Most Valuable Player, finished top 12 at the Merrimack Valley Conference League Championship meet.
• Ben Christopher - Merrimack Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Redman Offensive Player of the Year, Tewksbury Memorial High School’s football team leading scorer with 18 touchdowns, Boston Globe All Scholastic.
• Coach Brian Aylward - Merrimack Valley Conference Coach of the Year, picked up his 200th career win this season and currently sits with 209 wins, completed his 29th season as Tewksbury Memorial High School Football Coach, Boston Globe Coach of the Year.

2. Two district leaders announced their upcoming retirement. David Libby, District Business Manager, will retire in December of 2026 and John Weir, principal of the Wynn Middle School, will retire in June of 2026. The timeline for the search for the new superintendent was also presented.

3. A draft for the 2026-2027 School Calendar was presented. This will continue to be reviewed and presented for vote by the School Committee in an upcoming meeting (see below).

4. Administrators gave a mid-year update on the District Leadership Goals, giving detail on the progression through it's four main priorities. The School Committee also gave an update on the Committee goals.

5. Beginning on January 20, 2026, there will be improvements to the TPS Gmail accounts, providing translation instructions on all outgoing emails and unifying Google icons for staff and for students.

Two new updates to our Gmail platform will occur over the weekend and be completed by Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

To improve our email communications, these updates include:

• Instructions will be linked in all TPS Gmail account footers on how to translate content into different languages on our Google platform.
• Standardized TPS Gmail user icons for students and staff to make it easier to identify senders and recipients at a glance. These icons will be the Tewksbury “T” logo colored differently for respective groups.
• Staff will have the red “T” with a white background.
• Students will have a white “T” with a red background.

Our goal is that these updates will improve communications with all families and students, and will curb some inadvertent errors while sending emails or sharing documents. You should not experience any interruption in your Gmail account during this update. If you do, please reach out to our IT department.

Students and staff will soon be busy completing our middle of the year literacy benchmark assessments!

We are utilizing DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) in Grades K-6 as both our universal screener for Dyslexia and to assess and monitor the acquisition of literacy skills. Early literacy universal screening is a way to collect and analyze reliable and valid data on the most predictive literacy skills, helping to identify each student's risk of experiencing reading difficulties. Screening does not diagnose dyslexia or other disabilities, but it does help us understand which students may need additional support to be successful readers.

Following the screening assessment, literacy team members and teachers will review all student data. If your student is in Grades K-3 and scores "significantly below benchmarks", we will contact you within 30 school days of testing to discuss how we can support your child.

We are pleased to announce that special education progress reports for your students are now available through Aspen. This addition allows parents to access more of their students' documents in one place, just as they currently do with report cards. Documents for students in grades K-6 can be accessed via the STUDENT PORTAL, while documents for students in grades 7-12 are available through the PARENT PORTAL.

A memo has been emailed to all in-district Special Education families and can also be viewed via the button above.

PreK-Kindergarten Special Education Progress Reports won't be available in the portal until February 4th.

TMHS and Center Elementary students' pen pal project has created a slew of fantastical, frightening, and cuddly creatures for another year! Third grade students at CES sent their designs our TMHS student artists, who then brought them to life through sculpting or sewing. The teams met to display their creations at an art show just before the winter break. Great job, artists!

Tewksbury Public Schools has had several visits from local meteorologists recently. CBS Boston's Jacob Wycoff joined Center's 3rd grade, the National Weather Service joined Heath Brook's kindergarteners, and NBC Boston's Tevin Wooten joined Dewing's kindergarteners.

Our teachers are learners, too! This week, Tewksbury’s PLC (Professional Learning Community) facilitators teamed up to sharpen their skills and align their goals around the principles of effective learning communities.

The Tewksbury English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) membership is voluntary and is open to all parents of students identified or previously identified as English Learners in the Tewksbury Public Schools. This self-governing body meets regularly with district administration and EL staff.

The duties of the ELPAC include:

• Providing advice to the district or school regarding its English Learner Education programs;

• Meeting regularly with school officials to participate in the planning and development of programs designed to improve educational opportunities for ELs; and

• Participating in the review of school improvement plans and district improvement plans as the plans relate to ELs

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The purpose of this form is to gather information from each of you regarding interest in supporting a sustainable ELPAC for our district. If interested, please complete the survey via the button above.

The Class of 2026 is hosting a talent show on Monday, February 2nd featuring acts from TMHS students and staff alike, and they invite you all to watch the fun!

TMHS students and staff may sign up using the QR code featured on the poster below.

All families, staff, and community members are welcome to watch our amazingly talented acts! There is no set ticket price, but donations to the Class of 2026, which will help fund Senior Week events, are encouraged upon entrance.

The following events are sponsored by town-wide organizations outside of our school community. Please reach out the individual organizations for more information.

English At Large will be running an English Conversation Group in Tewksbury this spring. Conversation groups are groups of 8 -12 adult learners who meet weekly for 90 minutes to practice English speaking and listening skills.

• All groups are free! Registration is required.
  
• Groups meet in person at public libraries or community centers.
• Groups are for adults who speak English at an intermediate or advanced level. You should be able to have a conversation in English.
• Conversation groups are not classes. Volunteer facilitators focus on listening and speaking.

Click here for more information and to register or call 781-395-2374. The last day to register is January 28.

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The Greater Lowell YMCA will offer week-long recreation camps for school vacation over Massachusetts February and April school vacations for children ages 5-13 at the Tewksbury Recreation Center at 286 Livingston Street.

There will be a variety of daily activities including games, sports, arts and crafts, and more for kids to enjoy over the school break. There may be outdoor activities, weather permitting, so campers should be equipped with appropriate outdoor clothing if there is nicer weather.

The YMCA will offer a recreation camp February 16-20 and April 20-24. The camp will run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily. There is a two-day minimum required for registration, but families may sign up for two, three, four, or five-day packages.

Employees of the Town of Tewksbury do not need to be YMCA members to register for these programs.

Direct URL to be released January 5. If you or a family member is interested in staffing these camps, please see attached application information.

If you have questions or trouble registering for this camp, please contact tewksburyprograms@lowellymca.org.

If you or someone you know would like to make a difference in our students' lives by providing exceptional transportation service, Tewksbury Transit is hiring. Their number is 978-851-9863.

AlphaBest Education, who provides before and afterschool childcare in Tewksbury, is currently hiring. For more information, please see the flyer below.

Scan the QR code below for more information on job offerings for the YMCA vacation week programs.

As the winter quickly approaches, please click the button above for important information on procedures for school closings, delays, emergencies, and drills. If your child is in preschool, please click the appropriate school link for preschool-specific information:

Dewing Preschool

Heath Brook Preschool

Please click the button above for the full 25-26 TPS District Strategic Plan.

As we move forward this year, I am excited to share our priority district goals and objectives that will shape our educational landscape. As a reminder, we ended the last school year strong and made significant progress towards growth and achievement for our students and school district. That growth (noted in the 24-25 State of the District Review) kick-started the ongoing District Strategic Plan (DSP) for the 25-26 school year. Thank you to the entire administrative team, School Committee, and to all of the staff and TPS community who gave valuable feedback to refine this document.

The Office of Student and Family Support developed a comprehensive website designed to provide a wide range of resources aimed at supporting student and their families.

In addition, the Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY) has curated an outstanding resource library offering valuable tools and information to families at no cost. These resources cover topics such as mental health, wellness, and more. We encourage you to visit both sites to explore the support and information available to help your family thrive!

Website: https://www.tewksbury.k12.ma.us/
Location: 139 Pleasant Street, Tewksbury, MA, USA
Phone: (978) 640-7800