By Caroline Gordon

After two years of dealing with the peak of the pandemic, Superintendent Karen Crebase said she is ready for an academic year filled with “normalcy, fun, and growth.”

Crebase, head of the Hopedale Public Schools, said, “I am excited for our staff to settle into a year in which they do not have to constantly shift gears and I am excited for students to have typical experiences with their peers.”

She explained that due to her staff and their “tireless efforts” the Hopedale school system has progressed through the pandemic with “grace” while still providing quality education to students. 

She and her team, said the superintendent, have prepared for the upcoming school year by attending a retreat where the faculty set goals for the academic year, and a two-day workshop where district teacher-leaders worked on curriculum mapping. 

Crebase said the schools are “most alive” when the students are present and that the energy of having staff, students, and families, “brings a smile” to her face. 

She added, “I love greeting all of our students in the parking lots of their schools as they arrive on the first day. The kids are so happy to be back in school, and the parents always give appreciative waves.” 

Students in grades 1 through 12 start back on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Kindergarten students begin the following day, Wednesday, Aug. 31.