Superintendent's Update- April 10, 2026

Posted Date: 04/10/26 (04:00 PM)

April 10, 2026

In This Update:

Congratulations!
AB Forward Parent/Caregiver Update
ABRSD 2026 Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Progress Report
Out of the Darkness Campus Walk
Revised 2025-26 School Calendar
April Holidays
School Visits

Congratulations

Our Blanchard Elementary Band earned its 16th consecutive gold medal at the MICCA Concert Festival. Congratulations to our young musicians, Music Teacher Chris Baird, and K-12 Director of Visual and Performing Arts, George Arsenault!

Congratulations to the Math Team for their first-place finish at the Massachusetts Association of Mathematics League (MAML) State Championship! Congratulations to our AB Speech and Debate for their third-place finish in the sweepstakes category at the Massachusetts State Debate Tournament.

AB Forward Parent/Caregiver Updates

This week’s AB Forward Family Webinar is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, at 7:00 pm. The webinar link will be emailed to families next week. These 45-minute sessions provide parents and caregivers with the latest information and a clear overview of any new developments. Please see the AB Forward website for up-to-date information.

ABRSD 2026 Student Opportunity Act (SOA) Progress Report Submitted

An annual requirement through the Department of Elementary and Secondary is for school districts to provide the public with access to their progress within identified areas of focus of their Student Opportunity Act plan. ABRSD's Student Opportunity Act plan is aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism through a comprehensive, multi-tiered approach. Key efforts this year include improved attendance tracking and communication systems, standardized intervention planning, regular reporting to families, and the establishment of school-based teams to monitor and respond to attendance data. Staff have also received targeted training to better support students experiencing school refusal.

While it is still early to determine the full impact, initial data shows encouraging trends, with modest improvements in overall attendance and among several student groups previously identified as having higher rates of chronic absenteeism. The district remains committed to ongoing collaboration with families to support consistent student attendance and success.

Families and community members can find a full summary of the 2026 ABRSD Progress Report here.

Out of the Darkness Campus Walk - April 11 at 10:00 a.m.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Campus Walk on Saturday, April 11, is designed to engage youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide, a leading cause of death. Registration at ABRHS will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the walk at 10:00 am. Register here: www.AFSP.org/Acton

Revised 2025-26 School Calendar

We have added three elementary early release days (May 22, June 22, and June 23). You can find the updated information on the Calendar page under the Families section of our website.

April Holidays

Evening of Wednesday, April 1, 2026-Evening of Thursday, April 9, 2026

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the three major pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel and commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. Its name comes from the miracle in which God “passed over” the houses of the Israelites during the tenth plague. Centered on the family or communal celebration of the seder (ritual meal), Passover is one of the most beloved of all Jewish holidays. (My Jewish Learning.com)

Passover celebrates the freeing of Jewish slaves from Egypt. The holiday lasts for eight days, usually in March or April. During Passover, Jews eat matzo (unleavened bread) because those fleeing from Egypt did not have time to allow their bread to rise. People mark the holiday in a special prayer service at home.

Lent 2026 began on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 (Ash Wednesday) and ends on Thursday, April 2, 2026 (Holy Thursday), leading into Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

April 3, 2026 (Good Friday) NO School

April 10, 2026 (Orthodox Good Friday)

April 5, 2026 (Easter)

April 12, 2026 (Orthodox Easter)

April 13, 2026 (Orthodox Holy Monday)

Good Friday is the day Christians believe that Jesus died. Three days later, on Easter Sunday, they celebrate their belief that Jesus rose from the dead after being executed by Roman soldiers. Good Friday is marked with prayer; Easter is celebrated with feasting. Both holidays are observed during early to late spring. (Learning for Justice)

Lent is a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and reflection observed by many Christian denominations in preparation for Easter. It symbolizes Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness.

Patriots' Day is a state holiday in Massachusetts commemorating the first battle of the American Revolution on April 19, 1775. Patriots' Day occurs annually on the third Monday of April.

Patriots' Day was proclaimed in Massachusetts in 1894 by Gov. Greenhalge, replacing Fast Day as a public holiday.

(National Parks Service)

School Visits

I had the chance to visit two Conant Elementary classrooms as a guest reader. We focused on perseverance and a growth mindset, talking about how effort and learning from challenges help us grow. It was great to spend time with our youngest learners and see their engagement and enthusiasm firsthand.