Weekly Update

December 8, 2023

Dear SAU 90 Staff and Families,

We wish to thank everyone who attended the holiday parade last weekend.  The weather was perfect for welcoming in the holidays.  Special thanks to our staff, students, and families who showed up to walk with our district.  As a reminder, should you or your family need any support during this time of the year, please be sure to reach out to Ms. Emily Fixler, our School Outreach Worker at efixler@sau90.org.  She is working with area agencies to ensure all of our families have a happy and healthy holiday ahead.  

Today, I had the opportunity to meet with my fellow superintendents in Concord for our monthly meeting.  As part of our agenda, representatives from the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center were there to discuss the Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024.  New Hampshire will be along the path of totality for a total solar eclipse.  This has not happened since 1959 and will not happen again until 2079.  The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center offers a variety of programs and resources for educators and families and is located about forty-five minutes from Hampton.  If you would like more information, please visit www.starhop.com.  

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit with our Centre School students. There was certainly a lot of excitement in the classrooms as the students were gearing up for the holidays, preparing for the first-grade concert, and engaged in meaningful learning opportunities.  This past Wednesday, all our first graders were on the big stage at Hampton Academy as they performed their holiday concert under the direction of Mrs. Victoria Mallett.  Congratulations to everyone on a job well done!  Be sure to check out our Facebook post which features Centre School!   

Report cards will be emailed directly from ALMA and available on Monday after 4:00 pm through the ALMA portal,  our student information system, for the first trimester of school.  If you need any assistance with accessing the portal, our District Data Coordinator, Tim Smith, can be reached at tsmith@sau90.org.  

Next week, our Hampton Academy students will be performing on two nights.  On Monday, the Band will perform their concert at 6:00 PM under the direction of Mrs. Jillian Guay, and on Wednesday, the chorus will perform their concert at 7:00 PM under the direction of Mrs. Kimberly Reno.  Finally, on Monday, December 18 at 6:00 PM, Marston School will present their holiday performance under the direction of Mr. Gus Carlson.  We look forward to these festive occasions that feature our student performers and celebrate the unified arts.  

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to publicly thank Ms. Paulina Shadowens at the Lane Library.  Ms. Shadowens will be leaving the Lane Library on Saturday, December 9.  It has been a pleasure to know and work with this outstanding professional for the past 17 years.  She has done so much for our community and has truly been a fantastic partner.  She will be leaving Hampton to pursue her life-long dream of living in Europe.  She has recently been accepted into an ESL School in Prague.  Thank you, Ms. Shadowens. We wish you all the best in your travels and endeavors.  You will be missed here in Hampton.  

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead and hope to see you at the show!

Warmly,

Dr. Lois B. Costa

Superintendent of SAU 90

Shark News: Shark News 12.8.23