Nixon Elementary School
Notables from our Schoolhouse
Dear Families,
I hope each of you are well. Please find information about important updates and community connections in the body of this document.
There has been some interest district-wide for additional time for viewing the Virtual Open House. This is the final call for viewing! Please find the Nixon School Virtual Open House available until 10/23/20.
Please find a very important message from Mrs. Chabot, our School Nurse, regarding sleepovers and participation in events of gathering. We are working hard at Nixon to remain vigilant of all health and safety precautions. Please help us keep our schoolhouse available for in-person learning.
Thank you for all that you are doing for the home and in-school learning experiences. While we are moving through this pandemic together, it certainly takes an effort from both home and school to be mindful of how each day develops for our children. Children are sharing in an audible and behavioral way that they want to be in school and/or participating in more of a connected fashion with their peers. There is a measure of social fatigue at school this week that is occurring for our children with little to no current remedy as we stay close to keeping the health and safety of social distancing in balance.
While topics of academics may be at the forefront of many, the social and emotional care for our children is the top priority. This moment in our lives is very important and its lasting effects are unknown. We move forward delicately while offering an even more nurturing environment to our children.
When speaking to your child about school, you may hear or notice a level of frustration that was not present before. Some children are faring well and moving through this experience successfully. If your child is struggling, try to cultivate a momentum of a "can-do" approach and foster a commentary of resilience in what they are doing well while navigating through this new experience. Also, taking a break from the intensity of a screen is important. Discussing the goal of not only participation and presence in a learning activity but engagement. Learning is not just about getting an action of the lesson complete, but rather the learning process and overall experience. A score on a worksheet is an artifact of the learning and comparably to the instructional experience can fall short of what is really important.
Children are missing the way they have known school to be. The one to one relationship with the teacher can propel a learner to try something new or embark on a new thought when working through a skill. We, as educators, are trying every which way to achieve this in the remote setting and also while having our children in-person during a short period of time. There is a measure of acceptance of our new landscape that has to come for both adult and child during this time. We remain together throughout this new landscape. Please keep communicating with your classroom teacher and also administration so that we can stay in step with you and your family.
Thank you again for your dedication to a successful learning experience.
Sincerely,
Susan M. Woods
Nixon School Principal
Important Message From Our School Nurse
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued efforts to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Thank you all for keeping your children home with any signs of illness, however minor.
Thank you for signing and adhering to the Attestation Form you signed at the beginning of the school year.
Thank you for following the precautions and protocols set in place to combat the spread of COVID-19. These actions are hard and difficult for parents, guardians, students and staff alike.
Thank you for the support you have given to the teachers and staff during this challenging time in our collective history.
Thank you for the guidance you gave your children when it comes to mask adherance, they are handling wearing masks in school brilliantly.
Thank you for NOT hosting indoor gatherings or sleepovers.
With the cooler weather, these precautions will be especially vital as our living moves indoors. Please do not let your guard down amid the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to informal gatherings like house parties, playdates and neighborhood get-togethers. There is a general tendency to not be concerned when we are around people we know. It is impossible for a host parent to ensure that a child/adult guest has not been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Is now the time to have sleepovers? No.
Is now the time to host indoor Halloween parties? No.
Celebrate but in a safe way and minimize activities that would put you and others at risk.
Link to CDC Halloween Recommendations
The decisions you, your family and ALL of us in the SPS community make can and will impact the ability for SPS to maintain in-house learning. Please continue to be mindful of what is going on outside the school so infection spread in school is minimized. Each and everyone of us needs to follow the 3 ‘W’s which adds layers of risk reduction and will help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to Wash your hands, Watch your distance (6 feet) from those not in your family and Wear a mask when around others not living in your household.
Again, thank you for the difficult choices that are being made by all of you on a daily basis. These choices can evoke disappointment for children, as well as adults, but have a real and profound impact on the community as a whole.
Anne Chabot, MSN, BSN, RN
Nixon Health Office
Sudbury Public Schools partners with Sudbury Food Pantry
Proposal: On the last Thursday and Friday of October, November and December, students would have an opportunity to donate to the Sudbury Food Pantry.
Details: Collection tables would be placed near the bus and car drop off sites. Students would place donations on the tables. After the students have cleared, volunteers, organized by the Food Pantry, would collect the food, sort it off-site, and transport to the Food Pantry where, after being quarantined, the food would be available for Tuesday/Thursday distribution. Fully remote students may drop off donations in the collection bins stationed near the Wednesday materials exchange sites.
No volunteers will enter the school buildings. No food will enter the school buildings. Drop off will be contact-free. The schools’ will not run spirit days but instead will advertise drop-off opportunities through their regular communication channels. The messaging will focus on helping others in need.
Up and Coming Dates:
SPS District Calendar 2020-2021
October
(Each Wednesday is a Fully Remote Day, an Early Release Day at 11:45 a.m., and 12:00-2:00 p.m. Remote Student Material Pick Up)
10/27/20 2:35-3:35 School Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting
10/28/20 Parent-Teacher Conferences
November
(Each Wednesday is a Fully Remote Day, an Early Release Day at 11:45 a.m., and 12:00-2:00 p.m. Remote Student Material Pick Up - except for 11/25/20 - see below)
11/3/20 No School - Professional Day
11/4/20 Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/11/20 No School - Veteran’s Day
11/14/20 Diwali
11/18/20 Parent-Teacher Conferences
11/24/20 2:35-3:35 School Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting
11/25/20 Early Release Day 11:45 a.m. - No Remote Student Material Pick Up
11/26/20 - 11/27/20 No School - Thanksgiving Recess
Picture Day - ReTakes!
November 16 and 17 by appointment.
There will be more information about location and time for families coming soon.
We partner with the Nixon PTO to coordinate this day.
Nixon Coffee Talk
Use this link to join our meeting on Tuesday, October 20th from 11:00-12:00.
Travel Advisory - Updated 10/7/20
COVID-19 Travel Order
Sudbury Public Schools is strictly adhering to the COVID-19 Travel Order. We would like to remind parents that the travel order pertains to anyone entering Massachusetts from out-of-State and includes MA residents returning from second homes or weekend trips to any state not considered to be lower-risk.
Massachusetts residents are urged to limit any out-of-State travel only to States designated as COVID-19 lower-risk States.
The current list of COVID-19 lower-risk States includes:
Connecticut District of Columbia Maine New Hampshire New York Vermont
*Rhode Island is currently considered a higher-risk State
If you travel for any reason you must follow the mandated guidelines below unless you meet the exemptions for travel listed below.
Exemptions to travel order:
Transitory travel through a State
Travel for work, school, or medical treatment
Military travel requirement
*Any overnight stay in a State considered higher-risk requires a COVID test and quarantine until test results are known.
Children age 10 and younger are not required to be tested but must follow the quarantine requirement of their parent(s)/guardian(s) until test results are known, or if no testing is done, the end of the 14 day quarantine period.
A negative result from an antigen test must be confirmed by a negative result from an FDA EUA-approved molecular (PCR) SARS-CoV2 test, on a sample obtained 72 hours or less prior to arrival in Massachusetts. Serology tests will not be accepted.
Please inform your school nurse of travel plans to a higher-risk State and provide a copy of the COVID-19 test result before your child(ren) returns to school.
Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form before returning to MA from a higher-risk State. For more info: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
*Thank you for your help in continuing to keep our community safe*
Car Arrival Reminders For Families
* If your child needs adult assistance exiting the car, please park in the parking lot and walk your student across the crosswalk
* Only proceed to live drop off line if your child/children are able to independently exit the car themselves. Please have children exit the car on the passenger side.
* Please pull all the way up to the stop sign as traffic is moving through before letting your child/children exit the car.
* Have your child/children exit the car only when traffic comes to a stop. Staff on duty will let you know when your child is able to exit the car
* Please proceed out of the parking lot in the pick up line. Do not come out of the pick up line to pass cars that are still unloading.
How to be Successful During Remote Learning
You support and connection with your child during the remote learning opportunities is so valuable.
SPS Health and Safety Protocols
The Sudbury Public Schools has gathered its COVID-19 health and safety protocols into one document for reference. Please view on the the Reopening Resources website at: https://www.sudbury.k12.ma.us/Domain/518
General John Nixon Elementary School
Website: https://www.sudbury.k12.ma.us/Domain/12
Location: 472 Concord Rd, Sudbury, MA 01776, USA
Phone: 978-443-1080