BWRSD Community Update 9/14/20
Message from Jonathan Brice, Superintendent of Schools
Dear BWRSD community,
Happy first day of school. It was great to see so many smiling faces today in-person and virtually at our schools. I think our students were happy to return to school, to see familiar faces and to meet new friends, their new teachers, and principals and other other staff. There was a sense of getting back to normalcy in an otherwise difficult year.
During my visits to classrooms today, I saw students engaged, listening, learning with their teachers, taking walks outside for mask breaks, and enjoying their friends during back to school activities. These are the types of memories I think about when I reflect on today. However, like any first day, we experienced some traditional challenges; such as “how to locate my class”, and new experiences, such as elementary students remembering passwords for new devices and how to learn virtually through Google Classroom. There was also new learning for families/guardians, including how to complete the COVID-19 Student Attestation Form in Aspen, knowing where to drop off and pick up your student if you are transporting to school, and what to do if you need technology support. We have addressed these topics below, along with other beginning of the year questions. These beginning of the year challenges will fade and what will be left are the great memories of the first day of school for the 2020-2021 school year.
Thank you for all that you have done to support your students and our schools this summer. We are off to a great start of the 2020-2021 school year in BWRSD.
Sincerely Yours,
Jonathan Brice, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
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Contents of this Update:
Meals for Distance Learning Students
K-5 Distance Learning Classrooms
Superintendent’s Directive: Health And Safety Mask Requirement
IMPORTANT Daily COVID-19 Screening Tool in Aspen- Please complete each day!
New COVID-19 Testing Sites for K-12 Students and Staff Website (RIDE/RIDOH)
Technology and Aspen Parent Portal Support
Device Insurance
1. Meals for Distance Learning Students
Please be advised that BWRSD has been granted a waiver and we will be operating our meals program through the summer food service program. Students who need breakfast and/or lunch will be able to receive these meals free of charge, regardless of their designation as free and reduced lunch.
Meals for distance learning students (all levels) will be available at two locations: Mt. Hope High School (Bristol) and Kickemuit Middle School (Warren) between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. A parent can pick up meals for their student.
Colt Andrews’ families can access meals at Colt Andrews or at one of the other designated locations from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m this week.
2. K-5 Distance Learning Classrooms
Tom Driscoll, our Director of Digital Learning, will be taking the lead in supporting our new Digital Learning classrooms. He will be working with Beth Roman, Principal of Guiteras, and Dr. Andre Audette, Assistant Principal of Hugh Cole. If you have questions about your child’s distance learning classroom, please reach out to their teacher, the school principal, or Tom Driscoll at Thomas.Driscoll@bwrsd.org.
3. Superintendent’s Directive: Health And Safety Mask Requirement
The consistent use of face masks is one of the most effective strategies schools can employ to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To promote full compliance with guidance and direction of the R.I. Department of Health (RIDOH), the Centers for Disease Control and the R.I. Department of Education (RIDE), I am issuing a Superintendent’s Directive requiring that all BWRSD employees and students wear masks on school grounds, in school facilities, or on school buses. Masks must be properly worn, covering employees' and students’ mouth and nose at all times. This directive will be communicated to students, staff, and families.
4. IMPORTANT Daily COVID-19 Screening Tool in Aspen- Please complete each day!
Thank you to all families/guardians who successfully completed the COVID-19 screening form for their children today! We realize the process is new and appreciate your time in reviewing the list of symptoms. It is critical that you take your child’s temperature everyday. For those of you who had difficulty with the Aspen form, here is a video explaining how to access and complete the form. Please contact portal@bwrsd.org or your child’s school if you need assistance. Thank you for your support in keeping our schools safe!
5. New COVID-19 Testing Sites for K-12 Students and Staff Website (RIDE/RIDOH)
RIDOH COVID-19 Testing for K-12 Students and Staff website:
https://health.ri.gov/covid/testing/k-12/
As you have heard, RIDE has dedicated testing for our public and nonpublic PreK-12 schools starting on Monday (9/14). The above website gives an overview of when to get a test, what happens on the day of the test, and the locations of the K-12 testing sites.
To schedule a test, call: (844) 857-1814
7 Days a week: 7:30 AM - 9:30 PM
The above service line is only for K-12 staff and students who have symptoms, have been identified as a close contact of a positive case, or are a classmate of a positive case.
6. Technology and Aspen Parent Portal Support
Technology Support
Please contact bwrsdtech@bwrsd.org if you are experiencing issues regarding technology devices.
Parent Aspen Portal Support
Please contact portal@bwrsd.org if you are experiencing issues with your Aspen Parent portal account. If your "Task" widget does not appear on your home page, please go to your name at the top right corner and "Set Preferences". Click on the "Home" tab and click the checkbox in front of "Tasks".
7. Device Insurance
BWRSD has partnered with Worth Avenue to provide a low cost solution for Chromebook/iPad insurance. It is well worth the investment when contemplating the use of the devices and the cost of replacement parts, particularly screen breakage! The cost is $29.90 for one year.
Click here for MHHS flyer in English
Click here for KMS flyer in English
Click here for KMS flyer in Spanish
1. BWRSD Reopening Plan
2. BWRSD Distance Learning Plan
3. Parent Resources for Google & Seesaw Classrooms
4. COVID-19 Information
5. BWRSD Community Updates
Bristol Warren Regional School District
Website: www.bwrsd.org
Location: 151 State Street, Bristol, RI USA
Phone: 401-253-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BristolWarrenSchools