BLOCKS News & Notes
February 2022
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Message To Our Families
Dear Families,
WINTER OUTDOOR PLAY
Winter is here and the children LOVE playing outdoors! We do take children outside for fresh air and sunshine....even when it is snowing! Many classes also like to take a 5 minute walk around the school in addition to their outdoor time as physical exercise helps children prepare for learning and maintain children's attention when they return to class. Please make sure their hats, mittens please (not gloves) jackets, boots, etc are labeled with your child's name. Please dress your child in layers so that they are comfortable in different temperatures.
Thank you for your help and cooperation in keeping our children healthy and active.
Sincerely,
Rosario Alvarez
Safety Reminders for Juniper Hill Car Arrival and Dismissal
As many of you know, we have two drop off doors at Juniper Hill (#2 and #6) for students coming and leaving from school in a car. This allows students to enter school closer to their classroom and minimizes the time for drop off and pick up.
As you have seen, we have multiple groups of vehicles exiting Juniper Hill:
- Buses who load and unload in front circle
- Vans who load and unload by door #2
- Cars at Door #2
- Cars at Door #6
Important Reminders:
- Door #2 cars - please remember to leave a space for door # 6 cars to leave by the back field area.
- Please stay in your lane unless otherwise directed. We are directing multiple lanes of traffic at once and communicating through walkie talkies to insure everyone's safety. Each door has specific lanes for dropping off and exiting and everyone's cooperation is greatly appreciated to avoid any accidents.
- Please maintain a slow speed entering and exiting the school and going up and down the hill on Upper Joclyn Drive.
- PLEASE MAKE SURE TO HAVE YOUR CHILD READY to minimize wait time for all. If you need additional time, please park in a space.
- If you wave goodbye to your child when leaving......PLEASE look forward when you are driving and not at your child. We recommend that you explain to your child that when you are driving, your attention should be on driving and therefore must look forward to be safe for all. THANK YOU!
- BLOCKS staff are out there in frigid weather, rain, snow, heat, ice, etc.....and need/appreciate your help in loading and unloading your child quickly. THANK YOU!
COVID PROTOCOL AND QUARANTINE UPDATE
Dear Families,
Now that we are almost at the end of year two dealing with a COVID pandemic, rules and protocols continue to change. I want to provide you an update of the protocols that we are following at this time.
WHO HAS TO QUARANTINE?
Any individual who is deemed a close contact should quarantine for 10 days UNLESS:
they are fully vaccinated or
they were not exposed (maybe they were absent on exposure days) or
they tested positive for covid in the last 90 days
If a child is unvaccinated, they presently have to quarantine for 5 calendar days indoors and outdoors followed by wearing a face mask for 5 additional days when around others. At this time, the district provides a medical mask to children who only bring cloth masks - the medical mask is to be used at all times in school (inside and outside) except during meals and rest. Quarantines may take place in school if children have no symptoms and wear masks consistently and correctly. Household close contacts will have to quarantine at home and may not come to school unless cleared to return by the school nurse.
Children who are unable to consistently wear a mask, may require a different quarantine protocol. The CDC recommends that a person get tested on day 5 or sooner if they develop any symptoms. If your child develops symptoms, or is not feeling well, or any COVID-19 test comes back positive, please keep your child at home and contact your healthcare provider and email the school nurse.
If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, has recovered, and has no symptoms they do not have to quarantine. During this time they are not eligible to participate in the school pooled testing program for 90 days.
At this time, the governor has eliminated contact tracing and the Test and Stay program. Therefore, in-school quarantines will take place without any Test and Stay program. We are relying on families to monitor their children for ANY symptoms. If your child has any symptoms, PLEASE do not send them to school!! Children who show any symptoms in school will need to be picked up by a parent/guardian or designated adult within 30 minutes of being called by the school.
WEEKLY POOLED TESTING WILL CONTINUE
Children whose parent/guardian provided consent will continue to get tested weekly as part of the district's pooled testing program. Usually, pooled testing for preschool students takes place on Mondays at the FHS location and Tuesdays at the Juniper Hill location. Please remember that families will only get contacted if a pool test is positive! No news is good news!
HOME RAPID TESTING TO COME
The Governor and the State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will now provide districts with home rapid tests for staff and students. A parent/guardian will have to provide consent and "opt in" to participate and commit to the home testing program. This will be a collaborative effort between home and school to test children regularly and monitor the child for the Covid-19 virus. Families who opted in to this program, were sent rapid test home kits today with their child along with instructions.
No School Reminder
Note From the Nurses
We hope that everyone is staying healthy and warm!
***IF your child has received any doses of the COVID vaccine please send the documentation of this to us as soon as possible. As always, please continue to send us any documentation of COVID test results, updated physical exams, other immunizations, new medications, ER reports or any other medical updates. This information is very helpful to have in order to keep everyone safe.
This information can be faxed to the Nurse's Office: (508) 872-1040.
Information and/or questions can also be emailed to us. Lisa Larsen: elarsen@framingham.k12.ma.us or Jennifer Raymond: jraymond@framingham.k12.ma.us
Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us and we hope that everyone has a good February break!
-Nurse Lisa and Nurse Jenn
Friendship Day
February PTO Meeting Online
https://berklee.zoom.us/j/97199042660
Meeting ID: 971 9904 2660
Call In: +16468769923,,97199042660# US
(New York)
February is Children’s Dental Health Month
Even though many of our students have completed the "teething" stage, it is very important to check their teeth and develop good dental habits early. Please remember that healthy teeth need:
- Regular visits to the dentist - every six months for evaluation, cleaning, fluoride treatment, and sealants as needed. START NOW!
- A nutritious diet - with adequate calcium found in dairy products to build strong bones and teeth. Fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C promote healthy gums.
- Regularly brushing with fluoridated toothpaste at least twice a day.
- Flossing once a day.
2022-2023 Preschool Applications
Income Tax Information
B.L.O.C.K.S. Preschool
Email: kromine@framingham.k12.ma.us
Website: framingham.k12.ma.us/blocks
Location: 29 Upper Joclyn Avenue, Framingham, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 788-2380
Twitter: @blocksschool