Shepherd Glen Elementary School

2020 has been a year like none of us expected... a year filled with uncertainty, illness, fear, new rules and different ways to learn.

As we begin the Thanksgiving break, we reflect on how grateful we are that our Hamden Public Schools community has rallied together to support each other and cooperate in an effort to keep us all safe. In our schools, students and staff have been truly incredible in their efforts to wear masks, keep at a distance from each other and teach/learn in very different ways than ever before. It is due to these efforts of our students, staff and families that our schools have remained a safe place to learn and work.

Although Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to get together with family and friends, we know that it's not safe to do so this year, as even those closest to us can transmit this virus. Please enjoy the holiday but continue to practice safe behaviors, even among family members. View tips for staying safe and healthy during the holiday from the State of Connecticut.

We look forward to seeing all our students and staff again (online) on Monday, November 30, in full distance learning.

Hamden Public Schools is very proud of the work being done by our students across the district, in-person and distance learning, and every month Superintendent Goeler honors wonderful students from each school with the Superintendent's Student of the Month award.

See this month's honored students!

At a November 15^th special meeting of the Hamden Board of Education, the Board approved a move to full remote teaching and learning, starting November 23^rd and returning the day after the Martin Luther King Day holiday, Tuesday, January 19^th.

Some of the reasons for the move to full remote learning include the recent spike in infections in Hamden and the difficulty with staffing school buildings due to a large number of staff who have been quarantined or who are home for related reasons. On some days in the past weeks, it has not been possible to find sufficient numbers of substitutes and some of our schools have had to close. These types of closures are expected to happen more and more frequently as area infection rates rise. The dates approved for full remote learning will allow enough time for students, staff, and their families to observe a quarantine period after the holiday season. 

The district is exploring options for providing in-school supervision at the elementary level to assist families that need during-the-day support. We are hoping to make arrangements with the YMCA and Right At School to make this available.