NIS Weekly News
Nantucket Intermediate School - Sept. 1, 2020
Keeping NIS Families in the Loop!
Dear NIS family partners,
Last week you received an email about what cohort your child would be a part of - A, B, C or D. Thank you for reaching out with any sibling discrepancies as we were able to fix those across schools. Later this week you will receive your teacher assignment letter as well as several attached documents important to starting the school year. Next week I will reattach all of those documents in our weekly newsletter for additional access. There will be no hard copy mailing of beginning-of-the-year information home. All information will be emailed so please be sure to update your contact information, including your most current email address, in ASPEN. If, for any reason, you need hard copies of this information please reach out to Emily Murphy and she will prepare these for pick-up.
Our student placement process was very extensive this year. In the spring grade 2, 3, and 4 teachers and counselors worked hard to develop balanced homerooms based on their knowledge of the children and parent input received via an email to Ms. Kubisch or me. This work was strongly considered as we had to redo classlists based on adding new teachers, making some teachers remote only, including cohort/survey information, and limiting class sizes with six foot distancing. Teachers reviewed the new lists once created and adjustments were made where necessary. It was a comprehensive process indeed! Due to all of this complex work, it is highly unlikely that any changes can be made to your child's placement. Thank you for understanding this.
In other news our teachers returned to work yesterday and it was a day full of new learning. Our priorities include learning more about a hybrid model of teaching and learning, learning how to use Schoology - a learning management system putting everything in one place for students and parents, and addressing the social and emotional needs of students, staff and families by building trauma informed and sensitive schools. Later this week we will go through all of the district and building safety protocols as well. These are shared below for you.
Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Wishing you a great week!
In partnership with you,
Evemarie McNeil, Principal
NIS Welcome Back Newsletter
District and NIS Return to School Safety Protocols
Mask Wearing on School Grounds
Per health and safety requirements, our students will be required to wear masks all through their school day. There have been recent reports about which masks are safest to wear: "Of the 14 masks and other coverings tested, the study found that some easily accessible cotton cloth masks are about as effective as standard surgical masks, while popular alternatives such as neck gaiters made of thin, stretchy material may be worse than not wearing a mask at all." Click HERE for a link to that Washington Post article.
It will be important that students have had some practice wearing a face mask for longer periods of time just to get used to it. Here is a video to help your child learn about how to appropriately put on and wear a mask: For Kids - Masks for Older Kids We thank you for all you have done to keep our island safe through social distancing and wearing your masks when expected!
Supporting our NIS Community - Parent Initiative!
Thank you Kate!
Chromebooks and Returning to School Q & A
1) Do I need to return the Chromebook before school starts? No, but you need to fill out the Verification in the Family Portal for the Chromebook to be enabled before school starts.
2) My child is going from NES to NIS or from NIS to CPS. What do I do with my chromebook/charger? Please keep your Chromebook and charger unless/until you are provided with a new one and bring it to your new school.
3) I don't have a school issued Chromebook. When do I need to get one? You will be provided with a Chromebook right before school starts (we will have a family pickup), but you must have complete the verification in the family portal to do so.
In order to receive the new device or continue to use any device beyond August 1, families must log onto the Aspen Family Portal (https://www.npsk.org/domain/1321) and verify the student information. You may begin doing this at any time.
Please reach out to the Technology Help Desk if you need assistance. Here is the LINK
Leaving Nantucket Public Schools?
First step is to complete the survey sent to you to indicate you will be leaving NPS.
Next, you will want to email Sarah Erichsen at erichsens@npsk.org and copy murphye@npsk.org. Sarah will provide you with a withdrawal form.
Library books should be returned to NIS as well.
We wish you all the best this school year and will miss you.
COVID-19 Travel Order
Effective August 1, 2020, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts must follow new travel orders. The Commonwealth has made great progress to slow the spread of COVID-19 and gradually re-open the economy, and all visitors have a responsibility to help us keep transmission levels as low as possible.
All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:
- Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are visiting from a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health.
- Quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result.
Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day.
Please find more information, including the list of lower-risk states, exemptions, business guidance and other details at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
For NPS District Information
Be sure to check the www.npsk.org website for specific District communications and updates.
Nantucket Intermediate School
Email: mcneile@npsk.org
Website: https://www.npsk.org/NIS
Location: 30 Surfside Road, Nantucket, MA, USA
Phone: 508-228-7290
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nantucketintermediateschool/
Twitter: @NISlearners