August 20, 2026

Dear Families,

On behalf of everyone at the Attleboro Public Schools (APS), it is my pleasure to welcome you back for the 2026-2027 School Year. We are all busy preparing for another successful start. Bus routes will be available on Monday, August 24. The first day for students in grades 1-12+ is Monday, August 31. There is no school on Friday, September 4 and Monday, September 7 for Labor Day weekend. The first day for our kindergarteners is Wednesday, September 9, and for preschool students it is Thursday, September 10. Looking ahead, the last day on the District Calendar is Thursday, June 24. We ask families to please refrain from scheduling next summer’s plans until after this date.

Take time this year to invest in your relationship with the professionals who work alongside your child. Research shows strong family engagement can shape a child's academic achievement and school readiness with effects that carry throughout schooling and beyond. When families and educators remain genuinely connected, sharing honest observations about a child's strengths, challenges, and progress, that student feels the benefit in both settings, at home and in the classroom. APS envisions a school community where every family is a partner in their student's success, built on trusting relationships, two-way communication, and a shared belief that this partnership changes outcomes for kids. This does not happen automatically; it requires effort from both sides. When it succeeds, your student has a team working on their behalf.

We also ask, once again, for your support with something simple but essential: ensuring your children attend school every day. Attendance is not merely a formality. It is the foundation on which everything else depends. When families understand what their student is learning and stay involved in that process, students are more likely to show up, stay engaged, and succeed in the classroom. Every missed day creates a gap that compounds over time, while consistent attendance builds academic footing, a sense of belonging, and habits of follow-through that serve students well beyond school.

Screen time and artificial intelligence are everywhere today — in the headlines, at the dinner table, on the device in your child's hands. APS shares the concern. Here is what you can expect from us: technology serves learning, it doesn't drive it. What matters isn't the tech itself, but what students are doing with it. We hold AI to that same standard. It's a tool, not the goal, and we teach kids to question what it gives them, check it, and decide for themselves. Products that look polished should not be mistaken for work that shows understanding. We are following the State's new guidance for AI in K-12 schools, and the principle behind it is one we already value: human judgment, not the tool, remains at the center of every decision. Technology will keep changing; what we owe your children does not. So we invite you to stay curious with us and keep talking with your kids about how they are using these tools, at school and at home.

We look forward to working together to meet your child's needs and support their growth throughout the year.

Sincerely,

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David A. Sawyer

Superintendent of Schools

School Committee

Welcome Back to School - 2026