TFHS/GFMS Community Newsletter
September 14, 2020 Created by Principal Joanne Menard
In This Newsletter
-Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year
-Alumni Signs
-If TFHS Schedule Changes Are Needed
-First Day of School View in Montague
-News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
-GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021
-Half Day for September
-Student Emails
-Acceptable Use Policy
-ChromeBook/Textbook Distribution
-Academic Calendar 2020-2021
-Mack - GMRSD Comfort Dog
-Sports Update
-MIAA Sportsmanship Honor Roll
-Graves Announced as MIAA District 1 Executive Board Member
-Technology Professional Development for Teachers
-TFHS Bell Schedule
-Whole School Meetings
-Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
-District's Family Engagement Coordinator Letter
-Virtual Advisory Student Leader Training
-Graduation 2019
-Cap and Gown Pick-Up/Senior Parade 2019
-Staff Delivered Senior Signs
-Upcoming Dates 9/14-9/25
Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year
We are so excited to welcome everyone to the new school year at Turners Falls High School/Great Falls Middle School! The 2020-2021 school year is starting off much differently than what we had hoped for, but we are excited nonetheless.
Here are a couple of reminders of how this year will look different from the spring: each student will be following their normal school schedule (7:45-2:25) each day, every class will meet each day and attendance will be taken, percentage grades will once again be given, teachers will "meet" with each class for at least 1/3 of the allotted class time, and all state standards will be taught.
We also wanted to mentioned that whole school meetings will begin taking place once again this week. Friday will be the next GFMS meeting. Middle school team leaders will provide the link to all students. The high school whole school meeting will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15th beginning at 9:10 a.m. Links to the grade 9/10 meeting and the 11/12 meeting will be sent to all student tomorrow morning around 8:45 a.m..
Looking forward to a great school year together!
Alumni Signs
If TFHS Schedule Changes Are Needed
Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10MAZnraZXVUtDdt4OnvuNcJBUW5CtNsnTygkXU7w9LQ/edit?usp=sharing
First Day of School View in Montague
News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
Attendance: Should be taken everyday and submitted to the office as if students were actually here. If there are attendance issues in classes you should contact the grade level Deans; Mike Duprey mike.duprey@gmrsd.org (grades 7,9 and 11,) and Rebel McKinley rebel.mckinley@gmrsd.org (grades 6,8,10, and 12) Please cc myself thomas.gaffigan@gmrsd.org on all attendance issues as both Mike and Rebel are also teaching an RA. We want to engage any student that is missing classes as soon as possible. I believe each teacher would benefit from reaching out first to the family but to eliminate numerous calls after a couple tries please email us and we will take it from there. Mr. Gaffigan and the Deans will be doing community outreach for any students who may need help during remote learning, this can be for attendance issues, behavior issues, emotional issues and technology aid. To eliminate students leaving class after signing in we would like teachers to take attendance at the end of class as well as the beginning to make sure students are still in attendance. Instead of saying students names we suggest that they have an exit question or a check in so students do not realize we are actually taking attendance as well. Eliminating students from just showing back up at the end of class.
Discipline
All school rules apply during remote learning as if we are physically here. We are adding additional rules for remote learning as well.
- Students have the option to not show themselves but should if possible show their face or work at all times.
- If a student is constantly disrupting class, making gestures, showing inappropriate things, not using mute when asked, constantly talking out of turn, you may take away their visual and audio if needed and they can use the comment section to speak in class. If this happens regularly please let the appropriate Dean know and we will have a conversation with home.
- Suspensions can still happen if the offense is warranted. Suspension hearings would be scheduled through the office and held either personally in the conference room or remotely.
- If a parent or outside resource needs to schedule a meeting with any school personnelle, that too will be in the conference room or held remotely.
CRA’s
I am continually working with the courts on monitoring our high risk students and that includes students who had a CRA filed on them last school year. When we meet it is now over the phone or in Zoom. This has worked well thus far over the last few weeks.
Hybrid Safety Plan/Full Return Safety Plan
Mr. Gaffigan has started to work on a safety plan for the school such as access to building, dismissal from buildings, one way hallways, mask protocols, hallway monitors etc. There will be no after school responsibilities while in Hybrid since there will be no late bus. Remote after school help can continue however.
Students who could not pick up Chromebooks
ChromeBooks can still be picked up at the front office for those students that did not receive on yet. On Wednesday, from 12:30-2:30, myself and Mrs. Menard will be distributing both Chromebooks and textbooks in the front of school. For those students who are unable to come to school, Dean of Students Mike Duprey and Mr. Gaffigan will distribute Chromebooks. This will happen in the first 3 days of school. We will contact the families the day before arriving.
GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021
Half Day for September
Student Email
We will be turning on GMail as a Google app for our MS and HS students. This means that through their @gmrsd.us Google accounts, students will be able to get into GMail and receive email messages. Email messages received and sent out will be limited to only within the domain; and only with their teachers. Presently, we will not be allowing them to email each other until we determine that it is appropriate to do so.
Your child(ren) will not have to do anything different from logging into their Google accounts. They will receive emails, and can access their email messages, by going into the "waffle" and selecting GMail. This app will be made available to them hopefully sometime this week.
Seniors will be in a more open domain to allow them to work with their college applications. We will work with Guidance to set this up. The students' @gmrsd.org accounts will be able reach them directly from any college. Anything sent to from a college to a @gmrsd.us account is directly forwarded to the student's @gmrsd.org account.
Please note that the GMRSD Acceptable Use Policy does apply to student emails. The policy is below.
Acceptable Use Policy
CHROMEBOOK ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY:
School issued Chromebooks should be used for educational purposes and students are to adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy at all times. Chromebook devices are enrolled under the gmrsd.us domain making it inapplicable for any other use.
GMRSD’s administrative staff and faculty retain the right to collect and/or inspect Chromebooks at any time, including via electronic remote access, and to alter, add or delete installed software or hardware.
Inappropriate media may not be used for Chromebook backgrounds or themes. No images or graphics containing people can ever be used as a background or theme. The presence of guns, weapons, pornographic materials, inappropriate language, alcohol, drug, gang-related symbols or pictures will result in disciplinary consequences.
Manufacturer and school barcode tags and name labels shall not be removed, covered or marked upon.
Teachers, school administrators, and the Technology Services staff use monitoring software that allows them to view the screens and activity on student assigned Chromebooks.
The school district uses an Internet content filter that is in compliance with the federally mandated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All Chromebooks, regardless of physical location (in and out of school), will have Internet activity protected and monitored by teachers, school administrators, and the technology staff. If an educationally valuable site is blocked, students should contact their teachers to request the site be unblocked. Such requests will be given consideration following administrative review.
ChromeBook/Textbook Distribution
I wanted to thank our amazing office staff (Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Dobias, and Mrs. Kucenski), custodial staff (Mr. Curtis, Mr. Eckert, and Mr. Grace), and Assistant Principal Gaffigan for the smooth process that they created/planned over the course of many days! We had many staff then volunteer to help with the actual distribution itself (Mr. Carew, Mrs. Helgerson, Mr. Lang, Mrs. Richardson, and Mrs. Turner). Kudos goes also to some of the middle school teachers that were there to introduce themselves to students and families.
If you missed the distributions, or if your child's teacher informs them that they have a textbook to pick up, please come on Wednesday, September 16th from 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Note this is the first half-day for students.) Mr. Gaffigan and myself will be there to help you!
Academic Calendar 2020-2021
Mack - GMRSD Comfort Dog
Sports Update
Submitted by Adam Graves, TFHS/GFMS Athletic Director
MIAA Sportsmanship Honor Roll
Congratulations Turners Falls High School!!!
Graves Announced as MIAA District 1 Executive Board Member
Technology Professional Development for Teachers
TFHS Bell Schedule
Whole School Meetings
High School Whole School Meetings will be held on Tuesdays beginning at 9:10 a.m. Principal Menard or Mr. Gaffigan will be sending out the link the morning of the meeting (note this has changed due to our internet issues today).
Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
District's Family Engagement Coordinator Letter
Virtual Advisory Student Leader Training
-Submitted by Jess Vachula-Curtis, Secondary Advisory Coordinator
Graduation 2019
Cap and Gown Pick-Up/Senior Parade 2019
Staff Delivered Senior Signs
Thanks to all the hard work of Mike Duprey, Tom Gaffigan, Adam Graves, Jen Luciano, and Dan Miner to make this happen!
Upcoming Dates This Week
Tuesday, September 15th - TFHS Morning Meeting, 9:10 a.m.
Wednesday, September 16th - 11:00 dismissal for students (half-day); 12:30-2:30 p.m. for textbook distribution
Friday, September 18th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Monday, September 21st - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, September 22nd - TFHS Morning Meeting, 9:10 a.m.
Friday, September 25th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.; TFHS/GFMS Community Newsletter published
Great Falls Middle School
222 Turnpike Road
Montague, Massachusetts 01351
413-863-7200