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A moment of silence was held for former Walpole reading teacher Mary "Mimi" Fitzgerald. A moment of silence was also observed for former Walpole Public Schools Administrative Assistant Marie Bergamo. The School Committee and Administration convey their heartfelt condolences to both the families of Mimi and Marie.

Walpole High School Field Hockey Team - Congratulations to the Walpole High Field Hockey Team on their outstanding victory in clinching the Division 1 Championship. Their journey to the championship required a great deal of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork. Each member of the team has shown exceptional determination, pushing themselves to excel both individually and as a cohesive unit. We join in celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship, dedication, and unity that the Walpole High School Field Hockey Team embodies. Congratulations to the team, coaches, and everyone who contributed to this remarkable success.

Walpole High School Football Team - It's wonderful that our Walpole High School football team made it to the Super Bowl! Making it to such a prestigious event is a significant achievement that reflects the hard work, dedication, and talent of the players, coaches, and everyone involved with the team. Their journey to this year’s Superbowl reinforced the values of teamwork, resilience, and the importance of sportsmanship. Congratulations to Walpole High School's football team on their impressive achievement, and best wishes for their future endeavors both on and off the field.

2023 Mass. School Library Association Award Winner - Congratulations to Anne O'Malley for receiving the 2023 Virtual Influencer Award from the Massachusetts School Library Association. This award is a testament to her outstanding work and dedication to utilizing digital tools for teaching, learning, communicating, advocacy, and outreach in the field of school librarians. Anne O'Malley's achievement highlights her commitment to staying at the forefront of technology to enhance the educational experience for students. Congratulations to Mrs. O'Malley on this well-deserved honor!

Colin M., Walpole High School representative to the School Committee was unable to attend the School Committee Meeting but provided the following report:

• Seniors at the high school have been busy planning their post high school futures, whether that be college, the workforce, apprenticeship, or the military.
• The Walpole Scholarship Foundation Application cycle is now open. Any Walpole resident applying to or currently attending a post-high school institution that offers an advanced course of study may apply for a scholarship. The application deadline is February 1, 2024 at noon.
• Best Buddies meeting was held Monday, January 8th where future events were planned.
• The Photography Club met Thursday. The theme for next week is snow, so make sure you get in all your pictures to Mrs. D'Agostino.
• Mock Trial is underway, and the team is preparing for upcoming competitions.
• Last week the Speech and Debate Team placed 6 out of 31 schools in the Winter Festival.
• NHS finished their coat drive this week, and met their goal of 75 coats.

1. Out-of-State Field Trip Request - The School Committee unanimously voted to approve a self-funded trip for Walpole High School students to Rwanda from February 13, 2025 through February 22, 2025.

2. ELA Update - An ELA curriculum update was provided by Walpole High School Department Chair Lauren Culliton, middle school teacher Jodi O'Rourke, and K-5 ELA Curriculum Coordinator Shannon Findley. The full report can be viewed here at time marker 28:50.

3. TEC Capital Reserve Fund modification - The School Committee discussed The Education Cooperative (TEC) request to modify the TEC Capital Reserve Fund plan of use and to increase the limit on the fund balance through the approval of the TEC Member School Districts. TEC is requesting an increase on the limit on the TEC Capital Reserve Fund Balance from $750,000 to $3,500,000. After discussion, the School Committee voted in favor of increasing the limit of the TEC Capital Reserve Fund Balance.

Dr. Gough reported the following:

• A reminder that tomorrow, January 12th, there will be no school for students as our dedicated staff will participate in EdCamp. This participant-driven professional development day, themed "Elevating Student Voice," has nearly 75 workshops. There is no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• FY25 budget work continues. After additional budget meetings next week, total WPS school requests and Town Administrator recommended appropriation will be discussed at the next School Committee meeting.

• The first of several sessions on WPS Strategic Planning will be held on January 25th. Developed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, this model serves as a roadmap for ongoing improvement over a 3 to 5-year period. Dr. Ruth Gilbert Whitner will guide this process, which takes place over a two to three month period of time to ensure that input from stakeholders is inclusive and comprehensive.

• Title I Night will be held on January 31st at 6:00 pm at Boyden Elementary School.

• Dr. Gough continues to meet with the newly formed WHS Student Superintendent Cabinet. Students continue to focus on changes that they believe will have the greatest impact on the WHS community.

• Extended Day will offer a February Vacation Camp for the upcoming school break on February 20- February 22 (Tuesday - Thursday) The Vacation Camp is open to all Walpole Schools students in grades K - 5. Click HERE to register.

• Kindergarten Registration: To pre-register a kindergarten-age-qualified child, a parent or legal guardian must complete the online registration form (scroll down to Kindergarten pre-registration). Kindergarten-age-qualified are children who have turned five (5) years old before September 1 of the school year for which they are pre-registering. If you are unable to drop off documents to your neighborhood school during the day, the Superintendents’ Office (135 School Street, Room 204) is open on Monday and Wednesday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Tuesday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM and Friday 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

1. 2024-2025 School Committee Meeting Calendar - Second Reading: The School Committee approved the calendar for the 2024-2025 School Committee Meetings.

2. High School Design - The School Committee discussed the high school project design and voted to rank, in order of priority, design options. The discussion and vote can be viewed here at time marker 1:20:02.

3. Middle School Building Project - Mr. Breen provided an update to the Middle School project. He indicated the project is still on-time and on-budget. A project timeline and three-week look ahead schedule can be located on the middle school webpage. The community is encouraged to visit the webpage and reach out to the Middle School Project team with any questions or comments via email at middleschoolproject@walpole.k12.ma.us.