Last Day of School Messages to Naugatuck Public Schools Family

Dear NPS Family:

On this, the last day of school, I want to reach out and give you all a big shout out for all that you have done this school year. Especially in the last few months. None of us could have predicted how this school year would have ended and I couldn’t be more proud of the way our district and all of you came together to support our students and continue the amazing work of the Naugatuck Public Schools.

As I have said before, Naugatuck is a community that always comes together to support one another and during this pandemic we have surely done that. I hope that you all enjoy your summer and continue to be there for each other and your neighbors as we navigate the re-opening of our schools in the Fall.

As this is the final last day of school that Superintendent Locke will celebrate in Naugatuck, I want to thank her for all that she has done for our school system and our community. The work that she has helped to lead in Naugatuck will leave a lasting impression on our students for generations to come. We wish her success in her future endeavors and we will always consider her a Greyhound.

Lastly, to our students. We could not be more proud of them and what they have accomplished and endured this past school year. They have continued to excel, learn and adapt all while being home and away from their friends and teachers. We congratulate our graduating seniors and wish them all the best in whatever the future holds for them.

Again, THANK YOU all for being there for our students and helping to make a difference in their lives. Enjoy your summer vacation!

Sincerely,

Jeff Litke

Chair, Naugatuck Board of Education

To: NPS

The last day of school who would have thought we would have been faced with a new challenge but if I learned anything NPS was up to the challenge.

I want to give a big shout out to the custodian staff, cafeteria staff, nurses, IT team, paras, Admin staff, teachers, and especially the students and their families. It has been a challenging year, one that has shown us that we can do anything that we are faced with. This year has truly been a learning experience and Naugatuck families demonstrated their love of community through drive and perseverance.

NPS could have not gotten through the last 89 days without your commitment to excellence. It clearly takes a village, or should I say a community, from the moment we knew distance learning was an absolute the entire district rallied together and put forth a process that allowed the mass distribution of chrome books to every student. Thank you to the entire staff in support of pulling off this huge undertaking. Thank you to foodservice for providing ongoing food service to our families and making sure their needs were met each day. Thank you to the staff for the endless rallies in letting the students know that their physical presence was missed and a drive-by was the next best thing.

Thank you to Caroline for keeping the flow of learning on the move with your morning messages and guidance. Thank you, Johnna, for taking extra care of the Hillside crew as you transition to the high school as the next associate principal and thank you, Melissa, for guiding Cross Street through the end of the year as you too move to your next journey as Assistant Superintendent and finally I look forward to working with Chris as he steps into his new role as Superintendent.

A special thank you to Dr. Sharon Locke for accepting the Superintendent position 6 years ago and leading our district to a prominent position on the map. Your insight, guidance, and passion allowed our district to accomplish many things, a strategic plan, a vision, and a path to grow giving passage to hitting several miles stones. Sharon’s vision to move this district forward allowed the district to develop a pathway to new learning and without that foresight distance learning would have been a greater challenge. Thank you for all you do and best of luck as you move on to your next journey.

Enjoy your summer take time to relax and take time to take care of yourself.

Sincerely,

Dorothy Neth-Kunin

Board of Education

My Dearest Colleagues,

Congratulations, you made it! Thank you for doing an amazing job transitioning to distance learning under such extreme circumstances. Your adaptability and persistence to stay connected with our students and families during this pandemic was truly heroic! Thank you for all that you have done this school year. I am so glad you can now relax a bit and hopefully enjoy your very well deserved summer break.

I also want to thank you for the past six years of learning, love and support. It has been an honor and privilege to be your superintendent. You will be in my heart forever.

I wish you a healthy, safe, and happy summer and success in all of your future endeavors.

Very truly yours,
Sharon