THE NAVIGATOR
September, Back to School Edition: September 20, 2020
Newsletter
KEEP THE JOY!
Over the next week students will be entering our buildings, and the heartbeat of our schools will once again begin. We missed the students beyond words, and everyone is excited to see them. Our schools are joyous and warm places filled with learning, social and academic growth, growth mind-set development opportunities, empathy, and joy. This year is certainly a new adventure for all of us, but we pledge to provide safe environments for our students and staff, opportunities that promote innovative learning, thinking, and problem solving, and we will keep the joy in everything we do! Welcome to the 2020 - 2021 School Year.
Please click on this link to access the Cohasset Public Schools Fall School RE-Entry Road Map 2020 - 2021
DISTRICT CALENDAR
Please click on the link to access the 2020 – 2021 calendar. The vacation, holiday, and professional development days have been balanced to create equitable in-person time for each cohort throughout the year. In addition, here is a link to the basic schedule (times and cohorts / grades) for the week of September 22- 25. Detailed information regarding these schedules was communicated from building principals and can be found in this newsletter as part of the information posted for each individual school.
SCHOOL START AND ENDING TIMES FOR 2020-2021
MASK POLICY APPROVED BY SCHOOL COMMITTEE
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ACROSS THE DISTRICT
Cohasset Public Schools Safety Pledge & The Important Roles Families Play in Stopping the Spread
The Important Role Families Play in Stopping the Spread
Families will play an important role in helping to create a culture that prioritizes health and safety. Families should check their children daily for signs of COVID-19 and should keep them home from school if they are not feeling well or if they have been in close contact with a person who has been recently diagnosed with COVID-19. It is also important that families support students wearing masks in school and on the bus. We are strongest when we work together to stop the spread (Initial Fall School Re-entry Guidance, 2020).
CPS Pledge: Healthy and Responsible Behaviors Regarding COVID-19
By coming into Cohasset Public Schools, I pledge I am following:
State expectations for social and physical distancing
Regulations regarding the wearing of facial coverings over your nose and mouth when in public settings (for students from grades PK– 12 and for all staff)
Quarantine directives put forth by the Massachusetts Department of Health and the Cohasset Department of Health
Guidance that has students and staff stay home from school / work if they are experiencing symptoms of fever, fatigue, difficulty breathing, or dry cough or if they have exhibited any symptoms relating to COVID-19
PROTOCOLS REGARDING COVID-19
The following information was compiled by our district nurses and provides supplementary information to the protocols stated in the Cohasset Public Schools Fall School Re-Entry Road Map. A big thank you to Kelly Gildea (lead nurse) and our district nurses for compiling this information and for their leadership and guidance during this difficult time.
Cohasset Public Schools Medical Frequently Asked Questions
Cohasset Public Schools Decision Tree Regarding Health Situations Related to COVID-19
COVID-19 Symptom Checklist for Parents and Guardians to utilize with their children
Here are some useful videos regarding Mask Wearing, When to Stay Home, and Hand Washing / Hand Sanitizing prepared by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
Sample Safety Signage and Hand Sanitizer Placement
All of the hallways in our schools have safety directional signage to enhance social distancing practices
ALL Schools and Busses are Outfitted with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
All Schools now have Medical Waiting Rooms for students or staff who are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, which are separated from the nurses' offices
Tents are up at all schools to facilitate mask breaks and outdoor dining and learning when possible
Our Classrooms are Ready and Student Desks are Social-Distanced.
Our cafeterias are prepared and students will be safely socially distanced. All seats are marked with a number and we are tracking students seating at lunches in all schools for contact tracing purposes
Our amazing bus drivers have placed social distancing signage at each bus stop. Thank you, Bus Drivers!
INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL PLANS AND COMMUNICATIONS
OSGOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Thank you, Principal Farrell and Mr. Vinton for making the videos linked below for students and families to show that although there are some changes, the caring, empathy, learning, and joy remains the same at Osgood School.
Here are some of the communications sent to Osgood families regarding the start of school
The Osgood Teachers and Staff miss the students. We are excited to see you this week!
DEER HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Please see below for an excellent video made by senior Jake Gowell and some Deer Hill friends. One note on this video, we have adjusted our cafeteria routines so that lunches will be placed on cafeteria desks for those students who are buying lunch. The same protocol will be implemented at Osgood. Thank you, Jake, Principal Sullivan, and Deer Hill friends for this excellent video.
Here is some coverage of school re-openings that includes Deer Hill in the Patriot Ledger.
Deer Hill Band Keeping the Joy! We are so excited to see our students!
Principal Sullivan explains the Deer Hill Remote Team Schedule in this useful video on Loom (please click on the image below)
Here are some communications sent to Deer Hill families regarding the start of school
The Deer Hill Teachers and Staff miss their students and they are excited to see them this coming week. Please click on the image below to enjoy a FlipGrid video, which shows the Joy the Deer Hill staff has for their students.
COHASSET MIDDLE SCHOOL
The link below shows a concise presentation regarding Hybrid Learning at CMS.
The link below shows the CMS schedule rotation
The Link Below Contains Important Technology Information for CMS Students
Sixth Grade Information
Seventh Grade Information
Eighth Grade Information
Cohasset Middle School Faculty and Staff missed their students, and they are so happy to see you this week!
COHASSET HIGH SCHOOL
The Safety Video below (created by senior Jake Gowell and friends) shows some of the safety considerations that will be in place at Cohasset High School. Nice job, Jake, Assistant Principal Noyes, and everyone who worked on this video.
Principal Scott's Newsletter Explaining Protocols and More...
COHASSET ATHLETICS
We are excited for the year to come in sports! Thank you to Athletic Director Steve Rotondi and all of our amazing coaches for the work they have done to prepare for the upcoming season.
COVID-19 Safety Standards
Fall 2020 Sports Registration Communication
STUDENT SERVICES
The following communications have been sent by Barbara Cerwonka, Director of Student Services
FOOD SERVICE
Message from the Director of Food Service, Marilyn Haraden
2020-21 School Year Meals Information:
The Office of Food and Nutrition has been working hard to prepare for the year and to safely welcome back students into our school buildings. During this unprecedented pandemic closure, we have been busy providing meals for families and elderly residents in town to ensure that every person who needs a meal receives one.
We are excited to announce that the USDA has extended free meals for all through December 31, 2020, or until we are notified of a change in federal policy. This allows every Cohasset Public Schools student access to breakfast and lunch at no charge. We encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity that will provide nutritious meals to both in-person and remote learners.
Menus will be posted on our website, www.cohassetk12.org, under the “Nutrition” tab. Students can choose either a hot meal or cold meal for lunch each day. All meals will be pre packaged and placed in bags for easy grab-and-go service. Each meal bag will contain the entrée, fruit, vegetable, and drink.
In-person learning. When students are in the buildings, they will come to the cafeteria to get their meals. Because meals are now free for all students, they will move through the lunch line without having to enter their ID numbers into the computer. Grab-and-go breakfast will be available in every building daily.
Remote learning. When students are on the remote schedule, families have the option to pick up free to-go meals (breakfast and lunch) Monday-Friday. Pick-up for all students will be at the Middle/High School, 143 Pond Street, at the loading dock behind the Middle School, each day from 12:00-1:00.
Although meals will be free at the beginning of the year, families should still fill out the free or reduced price eligibility forms so that information is on file if the USDA switches back to the traditional system of charging families for meals. Forms were sent out to parents by each school, and they are available on our website under the “Nutrition” tab.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Marilyn Haraden, Director of Food Services, at mharaden@cohassetk12.org or 781-383-6107.
BUSES, BUS ROUTES, AND BUS STOPS
BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING
Information Regarding Before and After School Programming
We are excited to announce our collaboration with the Cohasset Recreation Department to provide Before and After School Care through their RISE program for students K-5. The RISE program is available for Osgood and Deer Hill students on their in-person days only. This program will take place at the Osgood School 7:00am – 9:00am and 3:30pm - 6:00pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Recreation Department is also providing a Before School program at the middle and high school from 7:00am-8:00am in the middle and high school gymnasium. This program will be available for middle and high school students on their in-person days on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Please see the Cohasset Recreation Department website for more detailed information and registration process.
BE THE CHANGE
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: Assistant Superintendent Leslie Scollins, Ed.D.
Google Classroom
Math Center Bridges Elementary Math Program
Parent Workshop on Remote Learning
Elementary Families at 6:00pm
Middle and High School Families at 7:00pm
Access information will be sent this week.
Professional Development Update
The CPS Professional Development Committee worked over the summer to access the needs of the staff and then create a First 12 Days of Professional Development Calendar. The three areas that stood out in the staff survey were Remote Learning, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) related to trauma from COVID-19 and the civil unrest in the country, and Cultural Competency.
Dr. Steven Golden, the District physician, along with Mary Goodwin, the Town Nurse and Pam Fahey, from the Board of Health shared some current information about COVID-19 and its relation to the the schools as well as answered questions for families and staff. Here is the parent presentation.
CPS partnered with EdTechTeacher.org to learn about remote learning and teaching in a digital world. All staff participated in 3 two hour workshops which included an introduction to remote learning, Google Classroom set-up and design as well as creating engaging lesson for students within a digital platform.
Dr. Bonuato and Dr. Plummer presented to both staff and families about strategies to help children return to school and Lauren Dargan, LICSW, worked with schools to address the stress of returning to school for both staff and students and gave strategies to aid all as they come back to school.
In addition, Monica Belton from R.E.C.E.T.org also worked with staff to discuss the trauma of racism and foundational information about trauma and racism. Our last presenter, Dr. Kalise Wornum of KW Diversity Inc. engaged staff in meaningful dialogue about racism and how do we address it by making sure we know our students through building relationships and reflecting on our own implicit bias that impact our daily interactions with people. We will continue our work with Dr. Wornum on October 30th when we have a full day of workshops on learning to become more culturally competent.
Take Care of Yourself and Take Care of Each Other
CPS STUDENTS, WE ARE EXCITED TO BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR!
Please click on the following link to access even more information on the Cohasset Public Schools Web Site.
Please follow me on Twitter for daily updates from the Cohasset Public Schools
Email: psullivan@cohassetk12.org
Website: https://www.cohassetk12.org/
Phone: 781 383 6111
Twitter: @SuperCohasset