NES Update
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Dear Families,
We have had a wonderful week of welcoming our students back into NES for the 2021-2022 school year. Yesterday, our youngest learners in PreK joined us!! The students are thrilled to be back. Some highlights that students shared include:
- Our first and second graders are eating lunch in the cafeteria, and it was such a thrill for them to get back in that space.
- Kids were thrilled to be outside with their whole grade level for recess.
- Our kindergartners were a bit tired last week, but they are so happy to have choice time.
- They have loved sharing their hopes and dreams for this school year.
The staff at NES are busy working with students to set up classroom communities, practice routines, and create these warm environments for learning. Know that we have been supporting students with navigating our continued COVID protocols including handwashing, distancing, and mask wearing. We want to keep the students safe, healthy and in school. This year our school will be participating in the BinaxNow testing program offered through the State. The BinaxNow is a rapid antigen test that is done by a nasal swab. We will be using the BinaxNow for symptomatic testing and the Test and Stay program. If your student has mild symptoms, the BinaxNow will be used as a tool to help determine if your student can stay in school or go for further testing. The Test and Stay program is used when your student is deemed a close contact from someone positive in school. The BinaxNow test will be administered in school for 5-7 days and as long as the test is negative and your student is asymptomatic, then he/she can stay in school instead of having to quarantine at home. The Test and Stay program will be used for school close contacts only. If your student was exposed outside of the school setting, then he/she would follow the DPH guidelines for quarantine. A consent form has gone home with your student. It is very important that you complete the form and return it as soon as possible. The consent allows our nurses to administer the BinaxNow test. If we have no consent, then your student cannot participate.
As always, if your student is sick please keep them home.
Below is a link about the testing, but feel free to contact our nurses at this number 508-228-7290 ext. 2107 or the emails below.
Jessica Douglas
(Substitute nurse through 11/20/21)
Meri Lepore
(Returning 12/1/21)
The bus situation continues to be challenging. Each day the bus situation is being tweaked. We are hopeful we will continue to refine this and allow for more students to take the bus. We are so thankful for your continued patience and understanding.
We are also grateful to those of you who have chosen alternative ways to get to school. Please be advised if you drive your children to school, you may only drive into the Backus Road lot for parking or to access the drive through loops for student drop off. Surfside Road lot and the First Way lot are staff only parking. Please do not drop students off in these lots. It is simply not safe.
Previous reminders:
We have all had a challenging year and a half with the COVID Pandemic. Our priority for all, first and foremost, is the safety of our students. Please see the links shared for protocols, a video link, and our home screening sheet. In addition, please be mindful of the following:
- At NES, our students and staff are required to wear masks at our school. They will have opportunities for mask breaks throughout the day. Please be sure your children have masks with them each day.
- Students are free to arrive at school by 7:35 am. We will have staff coverage to supervise students outside until doors open at 7:45. Unfortunately, we do not have any staff available to supervise students prior to 7:35 am.
- Students will be lining up outside for arrival. In the front of our building, we have the PreK and second grade students line up on their classroom spots. The kindergarten and first grade students line up in the back by our cafe, facing Backus Lane, and closer to the ice rink on their spots. These spots are lines for each class with the teacher's last name.
- Dismissal will look very similar. Any students who will be a parent pick up, will be going in parent vehicles, will be walking home, or meeting adults outside, will find their students on the classroom spots at 2:15 - 2:20 pm.
- Adults may be invited into our school for very specific events throughout the year. But these events will be scheduled and preplanned. Otherwise, we will not be inviting any adults/parents into the building again this year to minimize everyone's exposure.
- There will be no charge for lunches again this year.
It is very important that each of you has completed the necessary updates in Aspen for your child/children. We must have correct email addresses, correct phone numbers, and correct mailing addresses. We try to do as much email sharing of information as possible. There are permissions that need to be regranted yearly. There is a bus permission form that must be completed in order for your child to take the bus. Please note that the bus is only available for students who live 1.5 miles from the school. Jane Melville, NES Administrative Assistant, will be sharing an email with bus routes/stops/times for those students who are eligible to ride the bus.
We are looking forward to seeing all of our amazing learners next week. Thank you in advance for all of your efforts to help prepare your students for school. We want you to be partners with us in this most important journey of supporting your child for success. To that end, please be sure to be on the lookout for information overload initially!! Your child's teacher will be asking you to join their messaging system - REMIND. This is a great tool we use for you to send and receive messages from your child's teacher.
Know that Mrs. Kimberly Albertson, Assistant Principal, and myself are always available to support you. Feel free to call the school to set up appointments, call to speak with us, email us, or catch us outside in the morning and/or afternoon. We love feedback and want you to feel comfortable reaching out to us as needed! The staff is so ready for your children! The classrooms are all set up! Our floors and spaces are all shined up and welcoming. This is the most wonderful time of year!! See you next week!!
Warmly,
Kim Kubisch and Kim Albertson
Upcoming Events
SAVE THE DATES!!
- Joint School Council Meeting CPS Cafe 3:00 pm 9/16/21
- Half Day Dismissal 11:50 pm 9/22/21
- NES Open House 9/27/21
- NES School Pictures 9/29/21
Please review this information below.
Nantucket Public Schools has it's most updated Safety Protocols shared with this link -
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wZp0MkpY7QEnj8diRVLt9Ek1aPlvuI2sgszsoBVIobI/edit?usp=sharing
Please be sure to review the Home Screening survey with children at home before they come to school each morning. It is very important to not send children to school with any illness or with medications ingested to reduce symptoms.
Great link for supporting healthy habits!
https://www.nasn.org/nasn/nasn-resources/practice-topics/covid19/nasn-return-to-school-video-series