Welcome Mr. Prehna

Dear Halifax Elementary School Community,  I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Mr. Brian Prehna as our new Principal, effective July 1, 2025, pending successful contract negotiations. As we prepare to welcome Mr. Prehna, I would like to take a moment to share his impressive background and qualifications that make him an exceptional fit for our school community. Mr. Prehna holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership and Management from Fitchburg State University, a Master of Education in Psychology from Springfield College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Daemen College. His educational background equips him with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead our school effectively. Currently serving as the Assistant Principal for Mashpee Public Schools, Mr. Prehna co-leads and manages an elementary school with 400 students and 65 staff members. He is recognized as a transformational leader, utilizing individual consideration and data-driven approaches to guide instructional and behavioral decisions. His experience includes managing both small and large-scale projects while fostering a culture of accountability among staff and students. Moreover, he has successfully implemented restorative practices and school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports. Before his tenure at Mashpee, Mr. Prehna served as the Assistant Principal at Leominster Public Schools, where he co-led an urban elementary school of 700 students and 100 staff. His leadership in supervision and evaluation has been pivotal in creating a supportive and effective educational environment. In addition to his administrative experience, Mr. Prehna has a strong background as a Clinical Trainer at the Wediko School in Windsor, NH, where he consulted with directors and supervisors to enhance the residential therapeutic program. His work in training counselors in crisis prevention strategies and trauma-informed care which helped to demonstrate to the search committee his commitment to meeting the diverse needs of students. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the search committee lead by Dr. Tricia Clifford, Assistant Superintendent; Lauren Laws, Halifax School Committee Chair; Kristy Luperon, HES Assistant Principal; Jackie Thibeault, HES Librarian; Christina Sarney, HES, Grade 5 Teacher; Brian DeSantes, K-6 Elementary Curriculum Coordinator; Ellen Kenney, HES Administrative Assistant; Cathryn Wigman HES parent; and Peter Veneto, Jr. DES Principal,  for their dedication and effort in finding a leader who will guide Halifax Elementary School into its bright future.   Please join me in welcoming Mr. Brian Prehna to Halifax Elementary School! We look forward to his leadership and the positive impact he will have on our students and staff.

Wednesday, May 14 2025

May SEPAC Meeting - Tuesday, May 20, 2025

The next SEPAC meeting will take place on Tuesday May 20, 2025 beginning at 6:00 p.m. This meeting will be a virtual only meeting.  Our topics will include Executive Functioning Skills presented by Dr. Christine Panarese, Director of Student Services for Silver Lake Regional School District. Join the meeting virtually click here: Meeting ID meet.google.com/tif-uwpt-eoa If you are in need of any accommodations to access this meeting, please reach out to our SEPAC president at silverlakesepac@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 14 2025

Update on PowerSchool CyberSecurity Incident

Dear Families and Educators of the Silver Lake & Superintendency Union 31 Communities:  We were notified today of a recent development related to the cybersecurity incident PowerSchool experienced in December 2024. In our commitment to transparency we are sharing their communication below. PowerSchool is aware that a threat actor has reached out to multiple school district customers in an attempt to extort them using data from the previously reported December 2024 incident. PowerSchool does not believe this is a new incident.  Please be assured that both PowerSchool and our districts are taking this situation very seriously. PowerSchool has informed us they are working with cybersecurity experts to thoroughly assess this development and have reported it to law enforcement in both Canada and the United States.  We want to assure everyone that as of this writing we have not been contacted by the threat actors and no extortion threats have been made to our districts.  We will keep you informed if the situation changes. As a reminder, following that incident PowerSchool also offered and made widely available credit monitoring and identity protection services for a period of two years to all students and faculty regardless of whether they were individually involved. We encourage all those who were offered these services to take advantage of them:  For individuals in the U.S.:  https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/   For individuals in Canada:  https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-canada-data-breach/   As was reported earlier this year, PowerSchool made the decision to pay a ransom because they believed it to be in the best interest of their customers and the students and communities they serve. As is always the case with these situations, there was a risk that the bad actors would not delete the data they stole, despite assurances and evidence that were provided PowerSchool.  We wanted to share this update as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency. We remain committed to working closely with PowerSchool and law enforcement to provide support in any way we can. Steve Pellowe Director of Technology

Wednesday, May 07 2025

Concerning TikTok Trend

Dear Silver Lake and Superintendency Union 31 Communities,  We want to inform you of a concerning trend circulating on social media, particularly TikTok. There is a new "challenge" that encourages students to insert foreign objects (pencil lead, paperclips, or pushpins)  into the openings on their Chromebooks to make it smoke. We understand that social media challenges can sometimes seem harmless, but we are concerned about the safety implications that may be caused. Inserting a metal object into an electronic device can pose a risk of electrical shock or fire. We want to ensure the safety of all our students and prevent any potential harm.  In addition, this particular act can also cause significant damage to the Chromebook, which may require extensive repairs and disrupt your student’s learning. This would be considered vandalism of school property, which could result in your family paying to replace a damaged device, as well as disciplinary consequences outlined in the school discipline process. We ask for your partnership in addressing this issue.  Please take the time to talk to your student about the potential dangers of this challenge and the importance of using technology responsibly.  We encourage you to reinforce the following:  It is important to make responsible choices online and not participate in harmful trends.  School-issued devices are to be used for educational purposes only.  Tampering with devices can lead to damage and safety hazards.  Student code of conduct enforced with disciplinary consequences for damaging school equipment including possible notice to law enforcement.  Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe and ensuring that technology remains a valuable learning tool. Please feel free to reach out to myself or your student’s principal with any questions or concerns.  Steve Pellowe Director of Technology  Silver Lake Regional & Superintendency Union 31 Public Schools

Wednesday, May 07 2025

Director of Student Services Update

Dear Silver Lake and Union #31 Community, We are pleased to introduce Dr. Heather Tucker as our new Director of Student Services effective July 1, 2025 pending successful contract negotiations.  Dr. Tucker is a passionate advocate for students and firmly believes that every child is capable of learning. Her approach focuses on leveraging each student’s strengths and interests while thoughtfully addressing their growth areas. Dr. Tucker brings with her a wealth of experience and a strong educational background. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Rhode Island in Communication Disorders, followed by a Master’s Degree in Intensive Special Needs from Lesley University. She also holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership from Lesley and obtained her Doctorate in Transformative Leadership from Northeastern University. Throughout her impressive career, Dr. Tucker has served in various roles, including the former Director of Special Education in both Stoughton and Duxbury, an independent consultant for Academic Discoveries, and Principal of John T. Nichols Middle School in Middleboro. Additionally, she has experience as an Assistant Special Education Administrator and a Special Education Teacher, which has equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs of our students. We are confident that Dr. Tucker’s innovative vision and commitment to educational excellence will greatly benefit our community. Please join me in welcoming her to Silver Lake! We look forward to the positive impact she will make as we work together to support our students’ success. The search committee, led by Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Tricia Clifford, included the following members: Coleen Burgess, SLRSD; Christine Cote, Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC); Megan Cannon, Kingston; Kiera Fallon, SL; Kara Hammond, Halifax; Sarah Hickey, SLRSD; Tracy Kelleher, SL; Elizabeth MacKay, SL; Christine Marcolini, Plympton; Steve Pellowe, SL; Donna Tresca, Kingston; Kerri Whipple, Kingston. Thank you to the entire committee for their dedication, professionalism, and thoughtful work throughout the search process. Their time, insight, and commitment to finding the best candidate for our school community are deeply appreciated. 

Thursday, May 01 2025

Updated Restraint Policy

Superintendency Union 31 and Silver Lake Regional School District has recently updated their Restraint Policy . The updated policy is attached to this ParentSquare post and available on our Digital Policy Manual at:  https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/silverlakeset/silverlake/JKAA Please contact your child's school with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Tricia Clifford Assistant Superintendent

Tuesday, Apr 29 2025

Updated Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan

Superintendency Union 31 and Silver Lake Regional School District has recently updated their Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan . The updated plan is attached to this ParentSquare post and available on our District Website at:  https://www.slrsd.org/student-and-family-resources/report-bullying Please contact your child's school with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Tricia Clifford Assistant Superintendent

Tuesday, Apr 29 2025

Sepac meeting

Monday, Mar 17 2025

Family Input for Placemet 2025-2026

Hi KES Families, We are seeking input from families regarding student placement for the 2025-2026 school year. The questions focus on your child's unique learning style. While we are not asking for specific teacher requests, we encourage families to share their thoughts on their child's learning experiences. Your feedback will help us make informed decisions about student placements for September 2025. Please take a moment to complete this form for each  child who will be attending KES  for grades 1-2, or  KIS for 3rd grade . The form is due by March 24th. For  INCOMING KINDERGARTEN students please complete this  FORM Click below for more information ​ Kindergarten Information and Dates ​​​ If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at kerriwhipple@slrsd.org Thank you for your time and input! Thank you, Kerri Whipple [Friday, Mar 14 at 3:20 PM] Hi Families, I forgot incoming Kindergarten cannot access the ParentSquare Form yet. I have added a separate link in the message for students entering Kindergarten in September 2025. Please use this form to provide us with feedback for placement. Thank you, Kerri [Tuesday, Mar 25 at 10:19 AM] Good Morning, Just a reminder to be sure to complete this by March 28th. Thank you!

Wednesday, Mar 12 2025

February SEPAC Meeting - February 26th at 6:00 p.m.

Good Afternoon, The next SEPAC meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Silver Lake Regional Middle School Library, Kingston, MA. Our topics will include:  Child Find, Early Intervention, Referrals, Screenings, Independent Evaluations If you would like join the meeting virtually click here:  Meeting ID meet.google.com/eev-kqow-svo If you are in need of any accommodations to access this meeting, please reach out to our SEPAC president at silverlakesepac@gmail.com   Hope to see you there.

Monday, Feb 24 2025