Dear Parents and Guardians,

As a reminder, the conference scheduler is OPEN! Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, January 25th from 12-3PM, and Thursday evening, January 26th from 6-8PM.

Please note, you have an option for an in-person or Zoom conference. Please note your preference in the notes section at the bottom of the scheduler.

Do not forget to schedule a conference with your child’s vocational teacher! Vocational teachers are available to discuss co-op, future goals and employment, progress in the program, among many other topics. All grade 9 students just began in their vocational program, so we strongly encourage grade 9 families to schedule a conference and meet the teacher your student will be working with!

To schedule meetings, we are offering the online PTCFast.com Conference Scheduler.

Go to our school web site www.keefetech.org and click on the Parent Teacher Conference Scheduler link, or you can enter this link in your internet browser: https://ptcfast.com/schools/Keefe_Regional_Technical_School

If you have any questions, or if you need assistance scheduling a conference, please call the Guidance Office at 508-416-2270.

Tuesday, January 24 - Mid-term - Term 2

Wednesday, January 25 - 10:35 AM dismissal for students - Parent/Teacher conferences 12-3PM

Thursday, January 26 - 6-8 PM Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1 - Grade level (9-12) Student Assemblies on Substance Use in partnership with Spectrum Health (see more info below in School Counseling Updates)

Thursday, February 2 beginning at 7:00 PM - Virtual College Planning Night hosted by our School Counseling Department - link to sign up is below!

Save the Date - Parent Virtual Workshop with Spectrum Health partnership - What every parent needs to know about substance use and hoe to support kids - Wednesday, February 15, 2023. More info to follow.

**The Parent Orientation meeting will take place on January 26, 2023, at 5 PM in room 215**

During the week of April 3, 2023, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s

Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of

South Middlesex Regional Vocational Technical school. The Office of Public School Monitoring

reviews each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations. Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP), Team process, and IEP development and implementation. Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint, and equal access to school programs for all students.

Parent outreach is an important part of the review process. Prior to the review, the chairperson

from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send an online survey to all parents of students

with disabilities receiving services. The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s special

education program. Survey results will contribute to the activities of the onsite review and the

development of the final report.

The chairperson will also conduct a Parent Orientation meeting to explain the review process and provide parents with an opportunity to ask questions. The Parent Orientation meeting will take place on January 26, 2023, in room 215.

During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the

chairperson(s) of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other

onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student

records, and onsite observations. After the conclusion of the review, the public will be able to

access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports.

Parents and other individuals may call Talia Buonopane, Public School Monitoring Chairperson,

at (781) 338- 3763 to request additional information, or contact Michael Dolan, the district

coordinator, at (508) 416-2273.

DESE YouTube link for Cohort B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4Yh34lmmDw

Information to create and/or login to ipass to view grades and student progress can be found below:

Please see the attached link regarding a sign-up for KT's MCAS ELA Prep Acceleration Academy for current grade 10 students.

This is a terrific (and free) voluntary opportunity for students prior to the MCAS ELA exam this coming March 2023. Register here: https://forms.gle/UhmGCjR1gmAYYUH59

In need of more home covid tests? Order 4 free kits through: https://www.covid.gov/tests

Before you throw out any "old" covid tests, check to see if their expiration dates have been extended here: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

Winter Time Illnesses

Please continue to remain vigilant with symptom-monitoring and stay home when sick.

• If you are having covid-related or flu-related symptoms, get tested.

• If you test positive for covid or the flu, please notify the nursing office as soon as possible.

• We encourage anyone who is having cold-related symptoms to wear a mask to prevent sharing their illness with anyone else and prevent any additional spread.
  
  

As a reminder:

• If you are having gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, you need to be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before you can return to school/work.

• You must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medications like tylenol or ibuprofen before you can return to school/work.

For more information about common winter time illness check out this article: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/common-winter-conditions-are-you-contagious/

In Need of Housing Assistance? Learn more about the MATCH Program

Mitigating the Costs of Housing (MATCH) Program

There's a new MassHealth initiative to help MassHealth members with housing costs! This is ground-breaking. With this assistance, MassHealth is directly addressing the lack of housing as a Social Determinant of Health – a condition that directly affects people’s health outcomes. This assistance is funded through ARPA (the federal American Rescue Plan) and will continue until March 2025 or until the funds are spent.

Purpose: This assistance is to help with housing costs for certain MassHealth members who are moving from a situation in which they are not currently responsible for housing costs and related expenses into community-based housing in which they will be responsible for these costs.

*This includes people moving from a doubled-up situation where they are unable to stay permanently. Doubled-up is defined to include sharing the housing of another person because you can’t afford your own housing and where there is overcrowding or where you can’t remain due to the household’s lease or rental agreement.

*It also includes people moving from an unhoused or homeless situation into housing, moving from congregate, institutional and correctional settings, and young adults who are aging out of and leaving DCF or DYS services, as well as others.

*Not all MassHealth members are eligible for this assistance. People who have MassHealth Limited - those whose immigration status makes them ineligible for a more comprehensive category of MassHealth - are not eligible.

Learn more about the MassHealth MATCH Program here.

The Senior Scholarship Workshop is just around the corner. Please sign up through the Senior Class Google Classroom to attend. The workshop will be held in the Auditorium on Friday, January 27th at 1pm. Reminder this is required if you intend on applying for Keefe Tech based scholarship opportunities. Please see your Guidance Counselor with questions.

Grade 10 and 11 students/families are encouraged to attend our Virtual College Planning Workshop on Thursday, February 2 beginning at 7PM!

MassBay On-the-Spot Is Coming!!!
Is MassBay part of your plan after Keefe? Or are you unsure of a plan for after Keefe? MassBay Community College is a FANTASTIC option to start your future off on the right foot!! See you Guidance Counselor or check the Senior Class Google Classroom to sign up for this opportunity!

Seniors who are planning to apply to 4-year colleges and universities should be working on their college applications, completing necessary essays and making sure they have connected with teachers about recommendations. Students should make an appointment with their School Counselor if they have not done so already. Deadlines come up quick and we want to make sure they everyone is on track.

Financial Aid Information:

Presentations in English and Spanish from our MEFA Financial Aid Night on October 19th are below!

Would you like even more help with your FAFSA form? Use this link to schedule one-on-one Zoom sessions with a MEFA Advisor: https://masfaa.org/fafsaday/

Ongoing workshops: Need to learn about financial aid? The trusted experts at MEFA are hosting FREE webinars to help. Register at https://bit.ly/3eaiKwD, or watch the on-demand recording anytime at https://bit.ly/3AAaQEd.

The counseling department, in its continued efforts to support and educate students about how to make healthy choices, will hold some special programs about substance use. On January 31 and February 1 substance use specialists from Spectrum Health Systems will lead four student assemblies by grade to discuss, among other topics:

→ Ways substances impact the body and behavior.

→ Why adolescents are at higher risk for addiction.

→ How substance use impacts mental health.

→ How to identify ways to say “no” and practice self care.

A person in recovery from substances will also tell his story about addiction and how he found help.

Spectrum Health Services, located at 68 Franklin Street in Framingham (among other locations) is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals impacted by substance use and/or mental health disorders. Read more about Spectrum Health in the attached information sheet.

If you have any questions or concerns about this program please do not hesitate to reach out to our School Adjustment Counselor, Julia Fairclough at jfairclough@jpkeefehs.org or 508-416-2369.

School Counselor Caseloads and additional contact information are below:

Counselor Caseload Information 2022-2023 School Year

Counselor Contact Information 2022-2023 School Year

• Fill out this counselor request form online
• Stop by the counseling office to fill out an appointment request
• Email your School Counselor
• Call your School Counselor
• Text their google voice number during school hours to connect

I continually hear in staff meetings the issue of students falling asleep in class or having trouble concentrating due to poor sleep habits. And more often than not the poor sleep habits relate to prolonged phone use into the wee hours. It's so hard for teenagers to exert self control over most things, and in particular, that phone is so addictive. While we recognize it is a lifeline to students' social life--Tik Tok updates, snap chats, etc.--it is important to try out some nighttime phone habits that are more conducive to getting up in the morning and spending a day at a desk learning.

Here are some tips for both you and your child, according to whistleout.com

1. Use an internet blocker: Spare the time arguing with your teenager or getting into a power struggle. With apps like Freedom, people can select which apps or websites they wish to block and a timeframe for doing so -- such as, after 8 or 9 p.m.

2. Use an auditing app: Another way to decrease phone use is to track personal usage and perhaps show proof of how many hours are devoted to being on a phone. There are several iOS and Android auditing apps to help with this

- Moment for iphones, which gives an overall breakdown of usage and allows people to set limits that once reached, block device use for the rest of the day.

- Quality time for Androids is similar to Moment and allows people to break down usage by app.

3. Put the phone out of reach: If negotiation is possible with your child, agreeing to clear the bedroom of all devices can remove any temptation and distractions. Suggest leaving the phone in a designated spot outside the bedroom.

I have also attached a PDF of some other tips in this issue.

Thanks,

Julia Fairclough LICSW, SAC

Adjustment Counselor

SAME DAY ACCESS FOR FRAMINGHAM and MARLBORO CLINICS - EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

No matter what age, insurance, language spoken, etc- we will set you up with an intake and review service options.

Framingham Clinic:

Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 6:00pm;

Fridays 9:00am-5:00pm;

1st and 3rd Sundays 9:00am-1:00pm

354 Waverly Street, Framingham MA

508-661-2020

Marlboro Clinic:

Monday through Thursday 8:00am to 6:00pm;

Fridays 9:00am-5:00pm;

2nd and 4th Sundays 9:00am-1:00pm

340 Maple Street, Marlboro MA

508-485-9300

For questions, please contact the Advocates Community Counseling Intake Department at 508-661-2038 or counseling2@advocates.org

Informational Flyer in English

Informational Flyer in Portuguese

Informational Flyer in Spanish

Pearl Street Cupboard and Cafe - The Pearl Street Cupboard & Café provides monthly groceries to Framingham residents. Individuals and families in need are provided with a monthly supply of nutritious foods like chicken and fish, produce, dairy, bread and grocery items to prepare meals at home. A community meal is served 7 days each week for residents of Framingham and surrounding towns.

Daniel's Table - Daniel's Table distributes food to Framingham residents with children 18 and under and persons over 60 years of age.

Project Bread - Project Bread connects people and communities in Massachusetts to reliable sources of food while advocating for policies that make food more accessible—so that no one goes hungry. If you are in need of food security, call 1-800-645-8333.

Metrowest YMCA Food Distribution - The MetroWest YMCA believes that fighting food insecurity makes their community stronger. As part of their commitment to healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility, they provide year-round grocery distribution at the Framingham Branch and meal distribution at various community sites throughout the summer.

• Grocery distribution takes place on Monday's and Friday's from 3:00pm - 5:00pm (while supplies last) at the Metrowest YMCA. No membership is required to access these resources.
  
  

A Place to Turn - A Place To Turn is committed to providing emergency food and clothing to our neighbors in the MetroWest community. We will serve those in need in an atmosphere of caring and mutual respect.

Salvation Army Framingham - On Tuesdays and Thursdays, clients arrive at 12 to stock up on fresh produce, bread, sweets and miscellaneous items donated from Trader Joe's, BJ's, Stop & Shop, Wegmans and the Greater Boston Food Bank.

SNAP Benefits Application - SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It was formerly known as food stamps and is run by the Department of Transitional Assistance. 1 out of 9 people in Massachusetts receive SNAP benefits. Apply for SNAP in 20 minutes or less.

WIC - The Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) Nutrition Program keeps pregnant and breastfeeding women and kids under 5 healthy. WIC is a nutrition program that provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services, free of charge, to Massachusetts families who qualify.