BBRSD District-Wide Weekly Update
March 5, 2021
Superintendent's Office
I would like to remind everyone that the BBRSD Leadership Team and I will be presenting our Re-Entry 2.0 Plant to the School Committee on Tuesday, March 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Please join us at that meeting by clicking here.
The plan, if approved, will be released to the public in its entirety on Wednesday, March 10.
Business Office
Remote Meals!
We will continue to offer remote meals for the days that students are in remote learning mode. BBRSD is excited to offer a complete breakfast and lunch meal for each remote learning day per week! (*3 breakfast and lunch meals for students attending in person 2 days a week*). Weekend meals may also be requested by emailing Lauren Staples, Director of Food Services (lstaples@bbrsd.org).
This week we are offering an assortment of ready to eat sandwich meals (Ham and Cheese Sub, Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, PBJ), in addition to newly made frozen meals (Beef Nachos, Popcorn Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, Cheese Calzone, American Chop Suey, French Toast Bites, Pancakes), with a bag of fresh produce per household!
Pickup is at Tahanto Regional Middle/High School. Take the entrance nearest the softball/field hockey field, and idle at the cone near the dumpsters. Stay in your car, and the order will be brought to your vehicle.
Pickup times this week will be offered Monday 11:00am-1:00pm, Tuesday 11:00am-1:00pm, Wednesday 10:00am-1:00pm, Thursday 12:00pm-1:00pm, and Friday 12:00pm-1:00pm. Note: All children ages 1-18 in the local area are eligible for our free remote meals, regardless of their enrollment status in the district. Alternative to weekly pickup, a single breakfast and lunch is available daily between 12:00pm-1:00pm M-F at Tahanto, no registration required. Please call 508-869-2333 ext. 2346 upon arrival.
Please fill out the form below (1 form per child) to specify your weekly order and pickup details. If you are unable to pick up during the available pickup windows please email: lstaples@bbrsd.org to arrange alternate plans. Pickup windows were created to reduce wait times, and improve traffic flow.
Participating in our remote meal program keeps our food service department working, so thank you in advance!
Weekly remote meal ordering form link:
https://www.bbrsd.org/Page/1583
Any questions or concerns can be directed to Lauren Staples, Food Service Director 508-869-2333 ext. 2346 or lstaples@bbrsd.org.
Boylston Elementary School
What a great week at BES! We celebrated Read Across America with a spirit week and our first ever Virtual Community Reader.
The kids had a blast dressing up each day (download the PDF below to see some amazing photos from the day!) and Mrs. Kelleher invited tons of Community members to send in a recording of themselves reading. Special thanks to all our readers: Mrs. Tucceri, Ms. Stukuls, Larissa Stretton, Miss Massachusetts, Jean Giguere, Sheriff Lew, Selectman Underwood, Keith Lewis, Carol Costello, Officer Annunziata, Selectman Mecum, Mr. Grondin, and Mrs. Dixon from Clinton Savings, Selectman Ridinger, Representative McGovern, and Jake and Sean Gaucher! We couldn't have had a community reader day without you! The added benefit this year was students in all the classes had the opportunity to listen to multiple readers.
We also had some recess celebrations this week. Our wonderful Boylston Education Foundation fulfilled orders of indoor socially distant recess activities for our classrooms. From cards that can be disinfected to games like Guess Who, indoor recess just got fun again! Thank you, BEF!
The Week Ahead:
Monday (3/8)
School Council
Tuesday (3/9)
Picture Retakes
School Committee
Friday (3/12)
Grade Close
BES Office: 508-869-2200
Berlin Memorial School
Morning Drop-off
At the start of this very unusual school year, we changed our drop-off procedure here at BMS, asking parents to keep students in their cars until staff came out to give the thumbs up to enter the building. The goal at the time was to eliminate those situations where students might get bunched up and increase the risk of COVID transmission. That transition went very smoothly, and I thank everyone for their cooperation! As we look to having all students back at school, the drop-off process is going to change.
First, in order to accommodate the increase in the number of cars each morning, we are planning to start the drop-off process earlier. That time will be announced in the next week or two.
Second, you will no longer need to wait for a staff member to give you the thumbs up. Once an adult comes out to greet kids, pull up as far as you can, and then you can let your student out.
Finally, and this is the big one, students need to exit the vehicle unassisted. This is always a challenge for our youngest students and is usually something we work on in the fall. I would strongly encourage you to begin practicing this skill with your child. If there is a reason your child can not independently exit the vehicle (including the jump down on some of the trucks I see) then we are going to ask that you park in the side lot, help your child out, then walk them to the side entrance.
We are excited about getting everyone safely back to school, but this is one of several changes we will need to make in order to continue adherence to the mitigation measures that will keep all of us safe and healthy.
Outdoor Recess
As you know, we go outdoors for recess anytime the air temperature is 20 degrees or above (including wind chill) While “Snow Mountain” is quickly melting, it is still important to make sure kids have a hat, gloves, and a warm jacket.
BMS Cultural Show
On Wednesday, March 10th, Parent-Teacher LINK will be sponsoring the second cultural show of the year, entitled “Virtual World of Wonders - Shadow Puppets.” The website says World of Wonder stimulates students’ imaginations through shadow-theater, illusion, and characters from around the world. The program begins at noon, and will be on Zoom - you can follow the link here.
Spring Cook-out
Another tradition returns - our annual “First Day of Spring” cook-out. We break out our industrial-sized grill (a generous gift from the MacNamara family several years ago) and grill burgers for all who are interested. We’re going to do that on Monday, March 22nd for Cohort A, and Thursday, March 25th for Cohort B. The children tell me I’m a Master chef - must be those years behind the grill at McDonald’s!
Dates to Remember
Tuesday, March 9th - School Committee Meeting - 6:30 PM
Wednesday, March 10th - BMS Cultural Show - 12:00 PM
Wednesday, March 17th - Professional Development Day
Monday, March 22nd - Spring Cook-out - Cohort A
Thursday, March 25th - Spring Cook-out - Cohort B
Friday, March 26th - Report Cards home - Cohort B
Monday, March 29th - Report Cards home - Cohort A
BMS Office: 978-838-2417
Tahanto Regional Middle/High School
Tahanto Today March 5, 2021
The high school student council will be holding a clothing drive starting this coming Monday, March 8th, through Tuesday March 30th. Please bring in any items you may have and put them in the boxes near the front office. We will also be in competition with West Boylston for this event! The school which brings in the most items will be awarded the FIRST EVER “Tahanto V.S. West Boylston Clothing Drive Championship” trophy (and bragging rights of course)! May the best school win!”
Congratulations Tahanto
Tahanto was recognized by The College Board for expanding young women’s access to AP computer science and to help close the gender gap in computer science. Tahanto is one of only 859 schools being recognized for achieving this result!
The Prudential Spirit of Community Award
The President’s Volunteer Service Award from Prudential in recognition of significant volunteerism in one's community and country was awarded to Tahanto’s Jack Stille! We are so proud and thankful to Jack for volunteering his time to so many organizations.
Drama Club News
The Tahanto Drama Club presented:
Home of the Brave by Lee Cataluna, on Friday, February 26th. The following students did an amazing job with each of their monologues and should be commended! Josiah Errington, Eva Knorr, Lilah Martinez, Leah Spencer, Lilian Sydow, Owen Crowley and Leonardo Navarro! Congratulations and a huge thank you goes out to Liz Gustavson for her dedication and commitment to this project.
Free Teen Depression Webinar
Our teens need caring and educated adults like you! Join us on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 6:30 pm for the virtual workshop Understanding Teen Depression. During this 90-minute event, a licensed mental health clinician will discuss how to recognize depression in teens, when and where to get help, communication techniques, and available community resources. Participants* will have the opportunity to ask questions throughout the presentation. Please register by PLEASE FILL IN.
This event is intended for parents, guardians, school professionals, and any caring adult interested in learning more about teen mental health.
This event is facilitated by Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA), a national nonprofit based in Waltham, Massachusetts. FFDA’s mission is to help families recognize and cope with depression and bipolar disorder to get people well and prevent suicides. To learn more about our work, visit www.familyaware.org.
Zoom Registration
When: Mar 17, 2021 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAuceyopzwiGdYEWVlbcVGTMnSPTx5RONwk
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Counseling Office News and Resources
Middle School
High School News
Resources
Ms Ford’s virtual office - A great place to find coping strategies
Senior Class Information
Class dues for Seniors are due NOW! Your dues are needed to cover expenses for yearbooks, prom, class gift, etc. Please contact Mrs. Hutchinson if you do not know if you owe money.
Science in Action
Engaging students in STEM. Biology students discover the mechanism for determining blood type (using artificial blood, of course!!...safety first!)
Help the Senior Class of Tahanto Class of 2021 celebrate this Spring in style! We are hoping to bring some joy to the 84 graduating seniors by sponsoring a gift bag for each student.
You can help us reach this goal by contributing something through the links below OR by sending a check to Tahanto PTO 1001 Main Street, Boylston, MA 01505 OR by using Paypal OR Venmo:
PayPal https://tinyurl.com/y2ru98k4
Venmo TahantoPTO
Yarnstorm
In collaboration with Tower Hill Botanical Garden, Tahanto Art presents Community, Connectedness, and The Legend of the Red String, an installation on view during the Yarnstorm Exhibition! Come view our school tree, which is adorned with student-created Origami, in this yarn-bombing exhibition which runs from January 16th - March 31st, 2021. Please read our statement about this important work below:
Drawing on the Japanese Legend of the Red String and themes of community, connectedness, and collaboration, the students at Tahanto Regional Middle/High School have created a site-specific art installation for Tower Hill Botanic Garden's exhibition, Yarnstorm. The Legend of the red string states that every person's pinky finger is tied to an invisible red string that will lead him or her to another person with whom they will make history. Although the string may get tangled, contracted, or stretched, as surely often happens, it will never break. While community activities, and even art exhibitions, have been looking differently since the start of 2020, it is important to remind ourselves that we are all still connected to one another. Students created works of origami that symbolized their experiences throughout quarantine, and although our strings might all be slightly stretched right now, our community is intact and continuing to create light.
For more information regarding this exhibition, please visit: https://www.towerhillbg.org/yarnstorm/
To reserve tickets online (in accordance with social distancing guidelines), please visit:
https://www.towerhillbg.org/admissions-confirmation/
Mindmatters Club Is Back!
The Mindmatters Team is finally here! Our team goal is to provide ways to educate students and staff on issues and information relating to mental health. The core focus is promoting mental wellness and shattering the stigma often attached to mental health issues.
If any students in grades 9-12 would like to join this team, please email Ms. Gardner at dgardner@bbrsd.org. You will then be sent an email for a future google meet which will be held Wednesdays OR after school when you are home. I look forward to hearing from you!
Revised: School Committee Policy on Travel during COVIDDear Parents/Caregivers,
In case you are not aware, the Berlin Boylston Regional School District is now following Governor Baker’s Travel Order for all Massachusetts residents/visitors. If you are traveling across state lines be sure to know the guidelines before you go as they often change. You can find them on the state government website by clicking on the Travel Order.
At this time, if you plan to travel during April break, in order to return to school/work, you must do one of the following:
Quarantine for a full 10 days, or
Produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. If not obtained before entry to Massachusetts, a test may be obtained after arrival. However, all such arriving travelers must immediately begin the 10-day quarantine until a negative test result has been received.
Testing for children, 10 years and younger, who are traveling with an adult from their household is not required as long as the adult provides their negative PCR test results within 72 hours upon arrival or return to MA
If you are traveling or if your student becomes ill over school break and/or your student or someone else within the household tests positive for COVID19, please be sure to notify me at jsequeira@bbrsd..org prior to returning to in-person learning. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me
Mandatory Daily Parent Screening Health Checklist
Immunization Requirements
The Massachusetts Dept.of Public Health along with the MA Immunization Information Systems, will once again be surveying the complete immunization status of all grade 7 students. Please ask your child's doctor to fax (508-869-6202) your child's immunization record as soon as possible.
This year, the State will also be surveying the immunization status of grade 11 students. Please ask your child's doctor to fax that to me at 508-869-6202 which is a confidential/dedicated fax line.
Please click Here for important information
Questions? Contact Janet Sequeira, School Nurse at (508)869-2333 ext. 2303
Athletics
SPRING ATHLETIC SEASON STARTS MONDAY, APRIL 26.
Spring sports are set to start the day after April vacation.
More information will be shared in the coming weeks as it is made available.
Spring sign-ups should start the last week in March.
Please make sure that student-athletes have Covid related supplies (masks, sanitizer, plenty of water) in their gym bags.
https://tahantoregional.rschoolteams.com/
Matt Porcaro
Athletic Director
Tahanto Regional
Important Clarification for Attendance
School districts must take attendance for every student, every period regardless of the mode of learning. If your child is absent from school whether your child is remote or in person, please follow the same procedures:
Call (508)869-2333 x 2303 to report your child absent. If your child is absent due to a medical appt. (doctor or dentist) please bring a note to the main office from the doctor’s office the next day your child is at Tahanto.
If your child is going to be late to school for either remote learning or in-person please still call the above number and make us aware of this. Remote attendance will be taken within the first 10 minutes of class.
Each student has 3 parental excusals that can be used during each semester for absences that are not subject to a doctor’s visit. To use parental excusal please write a note and have your child bring the note to the main office on the next day your child is in person at Tahanto.
If we do not receive a call notifying us of the absence, the secretaries in the main office will be contacting parents/guardians.
If you need further clarification or need to ask a question specific to your child’s attendance, please do not hesitate to contact Sue Boudreau at (508)869-2333 or send an email to sboudreau@bbrsd.org.
This is a clarification for all parents/students. If you are scheduled to be in person for learning, you may not choose to learn remotely unless you are not feeling well in which case a parent would call the school nurse.
If a student stays home due to not feeling well, a parent may write a parental excusal which should be brought into the Main Office upon the student's return to school. If the nurse excuses the student's absence for the day and allows the student to study remotely, students in a different cohort should contact their teachers to let them know they are planning on studying remotely as they may not have access to the Google Meet links/materials needed to work remotely.
School lunch in the cafeteria is free to all students until 6/30/2021. Snack and extra meals are not included. Click here for more information.
Sally Stukuls, Assistant Principal
Tahanto Office: 508-869-2333
School Committee News
Moses Reed Tyler Scholarship Application
The 2021 Moses Reed Tyler Scholarship Application for eligible Berlin residents is now available. Please note the early deadline of March 31, 2021.
Contact Us!
Email: parentquestions@bbrsd.org
Website: bbrsd.org
Location: 215 Main Street, Boylston, MA, USA
Phone: 508-869-2837