RO Newsflash
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
Parent Conferences Next Week
At this time, If any changes are needed to your student’s conference, this must now be done through the classroom teacher. The sign up window on PTCFast is closed. By the end of this week, your child’s teacher will share with you their plan for holding conferences virtually. This may include one shared conference Google Meet link with use of the “knock” feature for privacy or a separate Google Meet link for each conference. With either plan, please be sure that you are only joining the Google Meet at the exact date and time you have selected. In addition, please try and access the meet with a GMail account and share that account with your student’s teacher. If you don't have a GMail account and do not want to set one up, a parent/guardian can use their student's EPS Laptop and EPS email address to sign in to the virtual conference. Report cards will be distributed to families on December 18th. Teachers will be providing a preview of the report card at conferences, but they will not be completed in full at the time of the conference. Thank you.
Student Dismissal Clarification
If a student logs off from home and does not log back in when expected, that student will be marked ‘dismissed’. Likewise, if a student logs off and does not attend math (for example) but then logs back in two hours later for science, that student is also marked ‘dismissed’. In other words, if a student is expected to be logged on and connected with their teacher and is not, that student is marked dismissed.
Students from Ms. Kerner's Class (along with Mr. Getchell) taking part in NRT's Program
about Seasonal Survival and Adaptation (pictured above/below). We are trying to balance our on screen learning with off screen learning. There is so much to learn from our outdoor classroom!
Reminder: Flu Vaccine Now Required for all Massachusetts School Students
Per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, influenza immunization will be required for all children 6 months of age or older who are attending Massachusetts child care, pre-school, kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities. The new vaccine requirement is an important step to reduce flu-related illness and the overall impact of respiratory illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students will be expected to have received a flu vaccine by December 31, 2020 for the 2020-2021 influenza season, unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided. Also exempted are K-12 students who are homeschooled and higher education students who are completely off-campus and engaged in remote learning only. This new flu immunization requirement to enter school in January is in addition to existing vaccine requirements for all those attending child care, preschool, K-12, and colleges and universities in Massachusetts. Elementary and secondary students in districts and schools that are using a remote education model are not exempt.
“Every year, thousands of people of all ages are affected by influenza, leading to many hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, Medical Director, DPH’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences. “It is more important now than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and preserve healthcare resources.”
All students in K-12 must receive the seasonal influenza vaccine annually by December 31. New students entering between January 1 and March 31 must have received a dose of vaccine for the current flu season before entry.
Please send proof of immunization to our school nurse, Sue Male. smale@easton.k12.ma.us
Thank you.
Mark Your Calendar!
Thursday, December 10 & Friday, December 11 - Early Dismissal @ 11:35am & Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, December 16th - Virtual PTA Meeting @ 7:00pm