Good Evening Families: (This is an update to the email below which Gretchen sent out this morning)
This evening I listened to an emergency conference call with the Education Commissioner who informed us that the Governor was going to mandate all schools to be closed for three weeks with a tentative opening of April 7, 2020. The Governor held his COVID -19 conference update at 6:20 and shared this mandate along with other state-wide expectations for businesses.
I realize this is an additional week at home for all of us. The Governor and Education Commissioner both encourage social distancing in order to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Good Morning Families:
I want to first take a moment to say thank you for your patience. This week presented many challenges to our community. My decision to close school was made with the utmost concern for the safety and health of our students, faculty, families, and our community. I cannot understate the gratitude I have for each of you as we move through this extended closure. The disruption to our routines, the challenges we face balancing work, childcare, and the unknowns we are facing are unprecedented.
Tomorrow, the faculty will be at the school. Teachers will work to develop extended learning experiences for students to work on during this closure. These assignments will be available for pick-up at the school on Tuesday, March 17th between 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Assignments will be placed in grade-level baskets outside of the school’s front door. In each basket there will be individual student bags with specific activities for that student. Please note that students and families will not be allowed in the school building. The school building is closed to all non-essential personnel until further notice. Please email me if you cannot make it to the school during 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and I will be happy to coordinate with another pick-up time.
I understand that many of you may feel anxious about how things will unfold in the near future. The reality is that this is a time of intense difficulty for all of us, and during these times, our greatest assets are clear communication, credibility, compassion, and staying calm. During this time out of school, the district will remain in regular communication with families. Please make sure to open all SWIFTK12 emails that are sent from the district. Additionally, we will continue to update the school web page~ rhconwell.org and the school district’s Facebook page. If you are having trouble receiving the SWIFTK12 notifications, please email me.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12.org
R.H. Conwell Elementary School
147 Huntington Road Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856