Dear Community:
Looks like we are expecting some snow later tonight into tomorrow! Enjoy the snow!
Tiny Homes Project:
5th and 6th grade students recently completed their tiny homes and were able to present them to the other students and staff in the school. The project involved several steps including researching energy sources, examining climate and how needs may vary according to region, measuring living space that people need to use for shelter, planning using scale and area drawings on graph paper, and lastly, making ideas come to life. The students used math, science, and artistic creativity to build their homes and I hope you can take the time to check them out using the link to the slideshow below. They did an amazing job!
5th and 6th Tiny Homes Slideshow
What’s going on in the Music Movement with preschool and pre-k/kindergarten?: Each music and movement class begins with a circle where we greet each other and sing songs with actions that warm up our bodies and take us through developmental movement patterns (i.e. reaching, crawling, rocking) that wire our brains for learning and growth. From our opening circle I introduce a story or theme of the day which might be a dance concept like: Level, Shape, Direction, or Speed, or an exploration of a musical instrument, rhythms and patterns, or seasonal themes snow and ice dances in the winter, butterflies, flowers, birds and bears in the spring. Throughout every class students are practicing and developing their body awareness, new physical skills, sharing the space with their classmates, and discovering their own ways of moving and expressing themselves through dance. Each class ends with a goodbye song thanking our bodies and thanking our friends for singing and dancing together.
School Committee Budget Meeting: There will be a budget meeting on February 3, 2022 beginning at 6:30 to review the first draft budget for FY23.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88345642275?pwd=SitBeHlac2tJRWl0RlVVOUhuN3cvQT09
Meeting ID: 883 4564 2275
Passcode: 889146
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
Nurse Sam Update:
- NEW COVID GUIDELINES: Because we are beginning to see a decrease in case counts around the area, and we have had three consecutive weeks of all negative Routine Covid Safety Checks. Beginning today students were permitted to talk while their masks were off during the duration of breakfast, lunch, and snack periods.
- Covid Protocol Reminders: Please see the attached documents for Covid protocols and procedures that have been in place since early January (DESE Covid Protocols & Home Test Guidelines). Please save these documents and refer back to them regularly. Please reach out to me if you have any questions regarding these protocols.
- New State Testing Program: This week, DESE announced a new Covid-19 testing program. This program will provide families who choose to participate with free at home rapid antigen tests for each student and staff member every 2 weeks. Reporting of these test results to the school, if negative, is not required, but recommended for data tracking purposes. The purpose of this testing program is to add an additional mitigation measure to allow students and staff to test on a weekly basis at home and will be a supplement to our current Routine Covid Safety Checks program. With this new testing program, contact tracing and test-and-stay protocols will be eliminated. Tests will be distributed to families beginning next week.
- LAST CALL – ANY FAMILY WHO WOULD STILL LIKE TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THESE FREE, NO OBLIGATION TESTS CAN DO SO BY EMAILING ME OR FILLING OUT THE SURVEY LINK BY 11:59 TONIGHT. At-Home Covid Test Opt-In/Opt-Out Survey
- Additional at-home tests: We have a supply of at-home rapid antigen testing kits that were graciously provided to the school by the Hilltown Community Health Center. These tests are available for use by all students and staff and will be distributed to families as needed. Please reach out to the school for more information regarding these tests.
- Routine Covid Safety Checks: We have successfully completed our third week of routine surveillance testing. We currently have approximately 50% of the building participating weekly. I am happy to report that all tests resulted NEGATIVE!! If your child is not currently participating in this testing program and you wish to enroll them, please reach out to me via email. *It is important to note that the routine testing conducted at the school is completed via PCR tests (more sensitive than antigen testing).
- Covid Case Updates:
| Covid-19 Data Dashboard | |
|---|---|
| 1/28/22 | |
| Positive Cases at R.H. Conwell | 0 |
| Internal Close Contacts | – |
| External Close Contacts in Quarantine | 1 |
| BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Tests Conducted | – |
| Positive Cases in Worthington (last 7 days) | 8 |
| Positive Cases in Hampshire County (last 7 days) | 4,000 |
| Positive Cases in Massachusetts (last 7 days) | 181,290 |
Upcoming Events:
January 31, 2022 – Noon Dismissal – FACULTY PD
February 3, 2022: School Committee budget meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.
February 10, 2022: School Committee meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m.
February 16, 2022: Virtual Parent Zoom Meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.
February 17, 2022: Virtual PTO Meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m.
February 21- 25: Winter Recess
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. As always, we appreciate your continued thoughtful feedback and support.
Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the snow!
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
Superintendent/Principal
Worthington School District
147 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856
gmorsedobosz@hr-k12