Good Morning Community:
After months of planning and preparation, our students returned last week! While COVID-19 has brought many changes to the start of our school year, the typical first day jitters, excitement and enthusiasm was radiated from the students and teachers. We were all so excited to welcome everyone back!
We have worked hard to create a learning environment by establishing clear health and safety procedures for all faculty and students to follow. And, I am happy to report that our students are rocking these protocols! Students are keeping masks on, asking for masks breaks when they need it, and successfully practicing social distancing! Nice job to everyone for helping our students be ready for this new normal.
The weather was almost perfect last week! We had sunshine and warm weather for three out of the four days. We had one day of rain and some downpours mid-morning and after lunch. I want to reassure families that Nurse Sam, Lisa and I all have the weather app on our IPhones, and have programmed the app to alert us if there is inclement weather coming our way. The three of us have a system to inform teachers when we see inclement weather (thunder/lightning, tornado, and hurricane) on the radar, and also ask that teachers use common sense when outdoors and if the weather looks ominous to move indoors. As we move into fall like weather, please make sure to send your child to school in layers! The mornings are crisp and the afternoons warm. Additionally, please make sure to send your child to school with a raincoat and a change of clothes. This will help when we experience weather other than sun! Thank you in advance!
This week all students will be coming to school! We feel confident that we have worked out some of the kinks in our daily routines. One area we revised includes morning drop off and pick up. Please help us in making sure this routine remains seamless.
AM Drop Off and PM Pick UP Procedures (Revised 9/11/2020)
- Drop off is at 8:30.
- If you need to unload items from your vehicle, please park in the church parking lot.
- If you are in the car drop off line, please wait until the first four cars unload students and then a faculty member will move the car line up to ensure a steady flow.
- Any students who do not arrive at 8:30 will be escorted to the tents by a staff member.
- Student Pick-Up begins at 3:10 p.m.
- PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR, until your child has been dismissed to you. You may exit the car to assist your child in getting in and buckling up, however, please do this in an efficient manner which will allow the car line flow to move along.
- Please wait for the car in front of you to pull out; please do not swerve around other cars to leave if your child is ready before others. This is for the safety of everyone.
Please see the friendly message below from the Nurse Sam’s office.
The return to in-person learning is a privilege that many of my superintendent colleagues will not experience this fall. We must all do our part in following these procedures and policies that allow us to be together at Conwell. I am proud to see how seriously our community has taken our commitments! Thank you all very much for your dedication and support.
| I am so excited to be getting to know each and every one of your kids! They are all embracing the “new norm” of mask wearing and physical distancing so well and with such resilience. If you have not already done so, please make sure to return the Medical Information / Emergency Form to school with your child on Monday morning. In the event of a medical situation or emergency, I will need the updated contact information and medication permissions to safely and effectively care for your child, so please do not delay in returning this form to me. If you received a letter from me prior to school beginning regarding a missing physical or immunization, please submit that to me as soon as possible, prior to the deadlines listed below. If you misplaced the letter or Medical Information / Emergency Form, please email me at spease@hr-k12.org and I will provide you with a new one. Some important deadlines to note per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (deadlines were extended due to Covid-19):*Please note these requirements apply to all students enrolled in the school, remote students included* Any missing vaccinations required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for school entry must be obtained and received by the school within 60 days of the start of school – MUST be received by November 8, 2020 Kindergarten students, transfer students and new students must provide a physical examination form dated within the last year or within 90 days of the start of school – MUST be received by December 8, 2020 Flu vaccinations are a new requirement by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the 2020-2021 school year. Proof of the annual flu vaccination or religious/medical exemption letters must be submitted to the school by December 31, 2020 4th grade students must provide a physical examination form dated within the last year or within 120 days of the start of school – MUST be received by January 8, 2021 If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. Thank you, Samantha Pease, RN, BSN spease@hr-k12.org |
Cheers to a wonderful school year!
Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz
Superintendent/Principal