Greetings Community,
Next Thursday, February 4, 2021, students will be back in school for in-person learning! During this remote period, we really value the partnership between home/school. We appreciate how challenging it is for our families to have kids at home learning. As a parent of teenagers who have been remote learning all year, I am seeing the impacts of being on the computer all day and the fatigue it causes. And at times, this has created some battles for us around task completion and attending. I remind them that it’s important to keep showing up and to do their best. Stay strong!!
Below are the remote learning expectation that were included in the Back-to-School reopening documents:
Remote Learning Expectations
- All students will be expected to adhere to daily attendance guidelines, log in and attend class during the designated times
- Each morning, students are expected to be present and engage in virtual instruction each day within the designated schedule (a sample schedule is provided below)
- All students will be expected to complete and submit assignments as determined by the classroom teacher.
- Student work will be graded and feedback will be offered as if they were in school.
- Teachers will provide support during remote learning via, digital mediums, phone, email and/or video.
- Code of Student Conduct and all technology expectations remain in effect
- Video needs to be on during live sessions
Please remember that the same classroom expectations apply to remote learning. As do our KORR values: Kindness, Optimism, Respect and Responsibility.
Message from Nurse Meg
Since Covid 19 will be with us for a while, and we have begun to see the way its mutations can alter its communicable and infectious qualities, I wanted to make sure we were doing everything we can to protect your children and ourselves at the school. I know you have all studied mask use to protect your children and yourselves from Covid 19. I continue to do research and can conclude that masks are effective in preventing transmission of Covid 19. Masks must fit well and there are several ways we can improve the protection they give us:
First, you can re-evaluate the fit and COMFORT of your child’s mask. Masks have to be comfortable or we won’t wear them properly or will keep adjusting them.
Second, I am giving you a link to UNebraska Medical Center’s guide to mask wearing. It covers almost everything except wearing winter weather gear: Wear your hats, scarves, goggles, balaclavas OVER your mask, if you need to mask outdoors
https://www.nebraskamed.com/COVID/13-mask-hacks-to-make-your-mask-fit-better.
Third, if you or your child is having a mask fit problem, call the school or email ([email protected]) me and I will see if I can help with the fit.
And lastly, if your child goes through the spare masks they carry in their backpack frequently, I have many to spare in the nurse’s office. We have had generous donations of child sized cloth and paper masks. Next week, I will give you the latest on double masking.
I can reassure you that the studies throughout this country and the world demonstrate that transmission in schools is very low, and when it does occur it is most often associated with unmasking e.g. sports teams.
The teachers and I continue to review protective measures with your children. The classes I have spoken with recently are so well versed they can teach the class on Covid 19 protection!
You can be proud of them.
Warmly,
Nurse Meg
SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ORIENTATION
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council, in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be hosting a parent orientation to learn about the upcoming Special Education and Civil Rights review in our district. The parent orientation will be held as a Zoom meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81646678311?pwd=dmI5VlpLQUdxaVRJNGdQeS9yZFJxdz09
at 2:00 PM on February 23, 2021. Please join us!
You may contact Laurie Farkas at 413-238-5856 with questions about the parent orientation or the review. You may also find this information on our district website.
Thank you.
Parking: The church parking lot during drop-off and pick-up seems to be congested with many parents coming and going. As of Thursday, February 4, 2021, we would like to ask all families that park in the church parking lot to enter through the second entrance to the church. If you are coming from Huntington(up RT 112) please enter through the first entrance.. You may exit the school driveway after yielding to cars in the line for drop off and pick-up. This will allow the flow of traffic to run smoothly. Thank you in advance for your attention and cooperation.
A Weekly Covid Update from the Nurse’s Office (1/29/2021)
Number of positive cases within the school community: 1
Overall health of the school community: Healthy
We are continuing to have great success with our health and safety protocols within our school community, and we continue to thank you all for your support in keeping our students safe and in person learning.
UPCOMING DATES:
- School Committee Meeting: February 11, 2021: School Committee Meeting beginning at 6:30. Gretchen Morse-Dobosz is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
School Committee
Time: Feb 11, 2021 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
https://zoom.us/j/92159901144?pwd=S3l5d0UxVjM4dEdBQ3R1ZEphYXlBUT09
Meeting ID: 921 5990 1144
Passcode: 917327 One tap mobile
+16468769923,,92159901144#,,,,*917327# US (New York)
- Winter Break: February 15 – 19, 2021.
- Special Education Parent Orientation Zoom: February 23, 2021 @ 2:00 p.m.:
- Parent Zoom: February 24, 2021 beginning at 6:30
Have a lovely weekend, and we cannot wait to see the kids back on Thursday, February 4, 2021!
Warmly,
Gretchen Morse-Dobosz, Superintendent/Principal
Worthington School District 147 Huntington Road
Worthington, MA 01098
413-238-5856
[email protected]