Bronco Bulletin
Keefe Regional Technical School
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April 5, 2020
A message from Principal, Dr. Shannon Snow:
Good afternoon students and families,
I hope this email finds you and your family well and settling into the new normal.
I am writing with an update on grading.
- Final, year-end grades will be based on the average of Term 1 (50%) & Term 2 (50%).
- · Term 3 grade will be Pass or Fail.
- · Work done now, while we are away, can improve a final, year-end grade for a student. For example, a student who has a 48 average after Term 1 & 2, and who is engaging and completing work, their grade can improve.
- · Students who are passing based on the new Term 1&2 calculation can have their final, year-end grade reduced by up to 10 points if they are not engaging and turning in any work.
My advice is to check in on iPass or reach out to your teachers to determine your new grades, and to prioritize classes that you are not currently passing for the year.
As I said in my previous communication, it is an expectation that students are engaging with their teachers and working on assignments – this time away from school is not a vacation. If we are consistently not hearing from students, Mr. Collins and his team will be reaching out. This is especially true for students who borrowed a Chromebook; the purpose of the Chromebook is for completing school work.
We devised this plan with the goal of giving the greatest weight to the terms when we were in school with teachers and supports, while still rewarding students for their hard work during this time away from traditional school.
I encourage all students to complete their work and try to earn passing grades in their courses.
Teachers are here to support you, Learning Strategies teachers are available to assist you prioritize your assignments and classes, and Guidance Counselors are able to talk about credits and courses you need to move onto the next grade. Please reach out to anyone in the Keefe Tech community to help you develop a plan to earn a passing grade in your courses.
Please be in touch if you have any questions or concerns.
Stay safe and stay well. I look forward to seeing you all soon!
All the best,
Shannon Snow
Please click on the link below for all faculty office hours during our time away:
Special Education Update
Dear Families,
I hope this correspondence finds you and your family healthy and well. As our current situation continues to change, I thank you for your patience and understanding as we work together in navigating this situation. During this period of school closure, I am reaching out to our families of our students that receive special education services to let you know that Keefe Technical School is working to support students and families while school is closed.
Guidance has been provided by Commissioner of Special Education, Russell Johnson, regarding providing Special Education Services for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 Outbreak and we will continue to closely monitor DESE advisories. More information from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/sped.html.
Keefe Technical School will continue to provide remote learning experiences through May 4th, 2020. Through the use of technologies such as Google classroom, Google hangouts, Zoom, etc., Keefe Technical School is providing opportunities for students to engage in enrichment activities to maintain continuity of learning.
During these remote learning experiences, special education staff is working with general education and career technical teachers to support learning in a variety of ways. They are available to students for questions, clarification, problem solving, and discussions via email, phone or virtual platform. Special education staff are working to modify, scaffold, provide supplemental tools, and differentiate activities for students so they are able to access learning.
IEP meetings that were scheduled for the duration of the closure will be rescheduled or in some circumstances held remotely with parent consent. We will continue to closely monitor guidance from DESE regarding IEP meetings.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for any further information or assistance. I will be available for conversations by phone and via email at mdolan@jpkeefehs.org
Best Regards,
Michael Dolan
Director of Special Education
Supplemental Educational Resources shared from our Special Education Department:
Food Resources for Keefe Tech Families:
All available meal sites for families in Massachusetts during school closures:
School Counseling
School Counselors and our Adjustment Counselor will be available for student and family support via email
Counselors will have 4 scheduled "office hours" a week, in addition to checking emails on a daily basis
If you cannot get in touch with your child’s School Counselor or clinician, please email the Director of Guidance, Adrienne Bogusky at abogusky@jpkeefehs.org
If your child has an existing outpatient mental health team or provider, we encourage you to contact them directly for support as well.
If your child or family is experiencing a clinical emergency, dial 9-1-1 or go directly to the Emergency Department.
School Counselors will be reaching out to students regarding course selection for the 2020-2021 school year while we are away. Seniors are encouraged to continue to do what they can to apply for outside scholarships and reach out directory to Mrs. Chrisom at fchrisom@jpkeefehs.org with any specific questions. We also ask that seniors reach out to their counselor regarding final decisions with colleges next year, as well as any support needed for planning for life after Keefe Tech. Counselors will start reaching out to juniors surrounding college/career planning as well. Please make sure you are checking the google classroom for updates and taking good care of yourself!
Daily Dose of Inspiration Google Class
Put together by our support service team that includes resources and strategies for everyone in our community during our time away.
Pediatric Emergency Services
During this challenging time, we want to ensure you are aware that Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES)/Mobile Crisis Intervention (MCI) continues to be available to provide crisis assessment and intervention for people of all ages who are experiencing a mental health and/or substance use emergency. We are currently providing these services via telephone and video calls. This is an opportunity for us to collaborate in keeping people out of hospital emergency departments during COVID-19.
Psychiatric Emergency Services
During mental health or substance abuse crises, our crisis team is a caring alternative to your local ER or calling 911.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving the following communities
Call (800) 640-5432 for:
Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Natick, Northborough, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, Wayland, Westborough
Framingham Public Library Resource
The Framingham Public Library and Keefe Tech Partner Up!
Dear Keefe Tech Students -
I miss you all terribly! I hope you are staying healthy and connected to learning as much as possible. You know how all your teachers feel about the importance of reading. To that end, I am pleased to announce that ALL students, regardless of what town you live in, can apply for a temporary library card. It’s so quick and simple (and free!) and it opens the door to a plethora of fun as well as educational resources: ebooks, movies, manga, databases, magazines, etc... Please take advantage of all the resources available to you, and there are many!
Click on this link (https://framinghamlibrary.org/access-library-resources-from-home-or-office) to apply for a temporary card and to learn about the resources available to you.
VERY IMPORTANT:
If you live in Framingham, you can use your home address
If you are from a different town, use the Keefe address: 750 Winter St., Framingham, MA 01702 (this service is only available to Framingham residents, but the library is making an exception so that ALL of Keefe Tech can take advantage as long as your town of residence is Framingham!)
You must use your Keefe email
If you have any questions, please email me (mkane@jpkeefehs.org) or John Garrigan, Supervisor of Youth Services (jgarrigan@minlib.net), Framingham Public Library
Please be patient. Your card may take a couple of days to process, but it will be done!
It’s really quite simple to follow the link https://framinghamlibrary.org/access-library-resources-from-home-or-office. There’s so much for you to explore and take advantage of. I would love to hear from you, all of you! Email me and let me know what you’re reading/watching/researching.
Be well and keep in touch!
Mrs. Kane :)
Census Reminder from Commissioner Riley
I want to remind you about the 2020 United States Census. Census invitations have been sent to all residences, and families can respond online in 13 languages. Everyone who does not respond online will eventually receive a paper form in English and Spanish from the Census Bureau. An accurate count is vital in order to help our schools get needed resources. Please encourage everyone in your school community to complete the Census form if they haven’t done so already.
From our School Nurse - The Importance of Social Distancing and Hand Washing!
Resources for COVID-19, Social Distancing and Mental Health
Below is a comprehensive list of resources for children, adolescents, and adults on ways to talk about COVID-19 and its impact. Many of these resources contain information on how to cope with stress related to this pandemic, and strategies for maintaining a sense of balance and social-emotional health during this unpredictable time. The Keefe Tech School Counseling Department is available for support if you have any questions or concerns about your child or family.
Resources For Educators and Parents
ChildMind Institute -- Video “Talking to Kids about the Coronavirus”
5 ways to Support Children’s Emotional Wellbeing During the Coronavirus
Resource for Young Children
Additional Resources for Emotional Wellbeing
SAMHSA: Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks
TEMPO in Framingham is open by appointment only - no walk in service. You have to call and schedule an appointment and visits limited to a half hour. https://www.waysideyouth.org/services/young-adult/tempo-young-adult-resource-center/
Community Resources
Keefe Regional Technical School
Website: keefetech.org
Location: 750 Winter Street, Framingham, MA, United States
Phone: 508-416-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/keefetech