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January 5, 2026

Good morning and Happy New Year-

I hope you had a wonderful break, filled with time to rest and spend quality time with those who bring you happiness.  As you prepare for the day, I hope you are excited to see our students and get them ready for the end of Term 2 and mid-year exams. 

Today is an opportunity to reset your expectations if needed. It is the school-wide expectation that phones are in holders during all instructional time, including study hall and x-block. This can only work well if we all work together to be consistent. Thank you for your willingness to make this a team effort.

We have a faculty meeting this Thursday, January 8, at 2:55pm. Please plan accordingly. 

We have an all-staff professional day on Friday, January 16, 2026. Hours for the professional day at 8am-2:35pm. More information about assignments will be forthcoming. 
  • All ESPs will meet in the DLL (room off the library) at 8am for training. 

We are now 2 1/2 weeks away from midyear exams, the end of Semester 1, and the start of the Course Selection process for the 2026-2027 school year. 

The midyear exam schedule is attached here: 2026 Midyear Exam Schedule (for teachers). Please review expectations with students and schedule with students. If you have an F block class, please ensure that they are aware that the period has been switched to the first block of time on January 27, 2026. 

You can post this version of the 2026 Midyear Exam Schedule (for community)

The course recommendation timeline is attached here: Course registration timeline: SY 2026-2027 
Teachers should start conversations with students now regarding their interests for next year. The window to enter recommendations will open for teachers on Tuesday, January 20, and remain open until Sunday, February 8, 2026. The Guide on how to enter recommendations is linked in the document, but please reach out to your department liaison or an administrator with any questions. 

I apologize for not sharing this leading up to break, but please review this message from the Superintendent regarding the food policy: 
As a reminder to all faculty and staff, please ensure you are up to date on understanding the Wellness Policy and the Management of Life-Threatening Allergies, as approved by the Ashland School Committee. I have included links below for your reference. I have also included a parent notification form that MUST be sent to parents, alerting them about food in the classroom.  If you have any questions, please contact your building administrator or school nurse.

Have a wonderful week. 

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