Wednesday's Words
August 17, 2022
What's Inside
- Family Letter
- 1st Day of School/2022-2023 NPS Calendar
- Bus Routes
- Interest In COVID Vaccination Clinic
- 2022-2023 Free Lunch program
- NPS Employment Opportunities
Dear Norfolk School Families,
I hope you are having a wonderful summer and enjoying the cooler temperatures this week! We are very excited to be welcoming our students back to school at the end of the month and are looking forward to a rewarding new year of learning! Teachers have worked hard this summer developing curriculum, setting up classrooms and planning fun and challenging learning experiences for your children. In addition, secretarial, nursing, food service and custodial staff have put in many hours to make sure the buildings are organized, clean and ready to open. Administrators have been busy interviewing and hiring staff, working on schedules and getting ready for the start of the school year.
The first day of school for students in grades 1-6 is Tuesday, August 30th. Kindergarten students will visit their classrooms on August 30th with their parents/guardians. Information was sent out earlier this month to all incoming K families. If you did not receive the information, please contact the H. Olive Day School office. During the first few days of school, we will have additional staff members available to help make sure everyone finds their new classrooms and gets settled in smoothly.
Included in this newsletter you will find information about the school lunch program, student insurance, bus routes and updates on Covid 19 protocols. For additional information about our district, please visit our website at www.norfolk.k12.ma.us.
Enjoy the final days of summer. We can’t wait to hear the happy voices of students back in our buildings in the next couple of weeks!
Sincerely,
Ingrid Allardi
Buses: Please check routes closely to be sure you know what bus and stop your child has been assigned to as some bus routes and bus numbers have changed this year. A Connect Ed message will also be sent out to families the week before school starts confirming your child’s bus number and route.
COVID 19
As you may be aware, the CDC has recently updated guidelines for quarantine and isolation for Covid 19. The Massachusetts Department of Education and the Department of Public Health also released updated guidance for schools on Monday, August 15th. Click here to review the updated guidance.
Masks
At this time, masking will remain a personal choice for students and staff members. We recognize that all members of our community have different circumstances to consider and individual decisions on masking will be respected. As a district, we will continue to reinforce our core values of appreciating differences and treating others with kindness and respect. Federal regulations require that masks continue to be worn in school health offices.
Isolation and Quarantine
Individuals who are exposed to Covid 19 and remain asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine and may continue to attend school. It is recommended that these individuals mask for 10 days and test for Covid 19 on day 6.
Individuals who test positive for Covid 19 must isolate for five days and may return to school on day 6 if they have been fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving. These individuals should mask for an additional five days while at school.
Testing
The State of Massachusetts has ended the Covid 19 school testing program. As a result, our district will no longer be providing symptomatic testing at school or offering optional weekly home testing.
Students who present with Covid 19 symptoms will be dismissed from school and parents will be advised to contact their pediatrician or test their child at home using a rapid antigen test.
The district will provide test kits upon request to send home with students who become sick at school.
If a child tests positive, parents/guardians should contact the school nurse who will provide support with quarantine and isolation guidance and will help determine when the child is able to return to school.
If a child is negative, they may return to school once they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and if symptoms are mild or have improved.
1st Day of School - August 30th!!
• Grades 1- 6 : The first day of school is Tuesday, August 30th.
• Kindergarten students: will visit their classrooms on August 30th with their parents/guardians.
Please review our 2022-2023 calendar
We look forward to a wonderful year!
Bus Routes for the school year!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the H. Olive Day or Freeman Kennedy School offices.
Interest in Local COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
Hello families and staff of the King Philip, Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham Schools,
Hope you are having a healthy, enjoyable summer. With both COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters being available for individuals ages 5 and up, and vaccinations being available for ages 6 months-4 years, we are considering offering a regional vaccination clinic in September. Decision to vaccinate is a personal family decision and there is substantial information available at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html, and at https://www.mass.gov/covid-19-vaccine.
If there is significant interest and need in our communities, we will request a mobile vaccination clinic through the state as a convenience for families. Your time to complete this brief survey by August 22, 2022 is appreciated. Interest in Local COVID-19 Vaccination/Booster Clinic
Take care,
Dot Pearl
Director of Wellness for Norfolk, Plainville, Wrentham & King Philip Schools
MA Extends Free School Lunches for 2022-2023!
Massachusetts has extended free school meals for all students through the 2022-2023 school year! Even though meals will be free for all, it is very important for families to still complete the household application for next school year, which allows our district to establish eligibility for P-EBT benefits and other school programs.
NPS Employment Opportunities
Norfolk Public Schools
Email: allardi@norfolk.k12.ma.us
Website: norfolk.k12.ma.us
Location: 70 Boardman Street, Norfolk, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 528-1255