BBRSD District-Wide Weekly Update
April 2, 2021
Superintendent's Office
This has been a tough week for the BBRSD family. Loss is always difficult, but when it is a student, it is even more so. Our thoughts are with the Phillips family as they navigate their grief, and with the students and staff of BBRSD as they handle their grief as well. Our Crisis Team has offered many resources for children and adolescents coping with a loss. We also welcome and encourage any student, faculty member, or parent having difficulty to reach out to the Crisis Team at your child's school. They are ready, willing, and able to help.
Return to School
Monday, April 5, 2021, marks the return to full-time, in-person learning for our elementary students at BES and BMS. We are excited to welcome our students back! Berlin Memorial bus routes can be found here, while Boylston Elementary bus routes are located here. Specific questions should be addressed to your child's school: BMS 978-838-2417 or BES 508-869-2200.
Friday, April 9 will be a regular in-person day for elementary students.
At Tahanto, Students in Cohort B will attend in-person classes until 11:00 a.m. and return home to do asynchronous work in the afternoon. Cohort A students should follow their regular remote schedule in the morning and do asynchronous studies in the afternoon.
We look forward to welcoming our students back full time!
Travel Policy
On March 22, Governor Baker replaced his COVID Travel Order with a Travel Advisory. On February 9 the BBRSD School Committee voted that BBRSD's travel policy will mirror the state advisory, which can be found here.
Business Office
Transportation Update
Some updates have been made to Elementary bus routes, and the revised routes, effective April 2, 20201 have been posted here:
Berlin Memorial: https://www.bbrsd.org/Page/1576
Boylston Elementary: https://www.bbrsd.org/Page/1575
At this point in time, last-minute requests cannot be accommodated in the near term and will be deferred for at least a couple of weeks (other than those already in process), as the bus company is inundated with requests from our district, and several other (larger) nearby districts to update elementary bus routes. They also will be working next week to prepare the Tahanto bus routes for the April 12 return to full in-person learning at Tahanto.
Tahanto consolidated bus routes will be published next week, as soon as they are available. A School Messenger email blast will be sent out to parents when they are posted to the district’s website.
Remote Meals!
Thank you to all of the households that participated in our remote lunch program during the hybrid model! Our food service team distributed 16,500 remote meals to the community since the beginning of the school year. As we switch back to the all-in learning model, eligibility for our remote meals will change. Free remote meals will continue to be available to students in the full remote learning model that are enrolled in the district. Each child continuing to learn remotely is eligible for 5 breakfast and 5 lunches per week. Students choosing to return to the full in-person learning model will be offered free breakfast and free lunch day each day they learn onsite, and will not be eligible for remote meals. This change will be effective April 5th for elementary students, and April 12th for middle/high school students.
Pickup times the week of April 5 - 9 will be offered Monday 11:00am-1:00pm, Tuesday 12:00pm-1:00pm, Wednesday 10:00am-1:00pm, Thursday 12:00pm-1:00pm
Pickup windows will be reduced the week of April 12th, details will follow in next week’s update.
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.
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.
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.
Bob Conry, Director of Finance and Operations
Pupil Personnel Services
The Berlin Integrated Preschool program is an exciting program of exploration, discovery, and relationship-building activities for 3 and 4-year-old children. The District anticipates having several additional openings for the 2021-22 school year on M-W-F afternoons.
Families with children who will be 3 or 4 years old by September 1, 2021, are encouraged to apply. Program descriptions and application forms may be found on the district’s website at PK information.
Tuition for these programs are currently set at $2,520 per year for the 3-Day program and broken out into monthly payments of $252 for 10 months. Completed application forms and a $15 non-refundable application fee may be sent to the Principal, John Campbell, at Berlin Elementary school. You may call the school with any questions at 978- 838-2417.
Boylston Elementary School
This has been a difficult week for our community. When a community (a family) like ours loses someone the feelings are impossible to put into words. However, where words fail, actions succeed. I saw so many at Tuesday evening’s vigil and so many have reached out to support. It has been a great reminder to live in the moment and find the wonderful in each day.
For those of you struggling to talk to your child about death, here are two stories that act as solid entry points for a conversation.
"I miss you": good for younger students
"Tear Soup": better for 8 plus
Ok, this is it, on Monday we're BACK! It has been a long year. It has been a very long year, and we are all so excited to all be back together. The new arrival and dismissal procedures seemed to run smoothly on Tuesday so I anticipate with one day through in each cohort we'll be in good shape. We will push up the drop-off time to 8:15 as we anticipate many more drop-offs in the morning. Our goals for Monday are the same that we have for the first day of school every year. Get them all in the building. Get them all lunch. Get them all home safely. And have as much fun as possible. If we do those four things the day is a success! It will be a day of celebration so expect a fun arrival. Let's also show our school pride and have a Bobcat day. Wear your favorite BES gear!
For families that have chosen remote learning (live-streaming) be on the lookout for a Google classroom invitation from Ms. Draper. She is overseeing asynchronous PE for both elementary schools.
The Week Ahead:
Monday (4/5)
We're BACK! Bobcat day!
School Council canceled
BES Office: 508-869-2200
Berlin Memorial School
Welcome Back!
Monday is the big day - we are so looking forward to having all of our students back in the building.
I am sure that there will be a “breaking in” period, where we all need to re-learn our in-school behavior. In their excitement to see all their friends again, we will probably need to remind kids about the rules that will keep us all healthy, like wearing masks correctly and maintaining social distance.
It would be normal if your child expresses a bit of anxiety mixed in with excitement - it’s like that at the start of every new thing. If you reassure them that they will be alright and that adults will be there to help, it should go a long way towards calming the back-to-school jitters.
Please remember that it continues to be important to monitor your child’s health, and to keep them home if they are not feeling well.
Finally, remember that we have altered our pick-up and drop-off plans. If you are dropping off you no longer need to watch for a “thumbs up” before your child can exit the car - just watch for the door to open and your child can come in. We will open the doors at 8:15, and students who arrive early will wait in the gym until 8:25. At the end of the day, be sure to have your identifying information - family name and SDM # - clearly visible in your car so that staff can call your child for dismissal.
Questions? Call the school and we’ll help you out.
Friday, April 2nd - Remote half-day - all lessons asynchronous (online)
Monday, April 5 – Everybody back to school!
Monday, April 12 - 16 - School Spirit Week!
Monday, April 19- 23 - Spring Break!
BMS Office: 978-838-2417
Tahanto Regional Middle/High School
Sign up NOW for Spring Sports
Sign-ups for Spring sports are happening now! Click on the link below to sign your child up for Spring sports. The deadline for sign-ups is April 15th
Tahanto Full Re-Entry Information
Tahanto administration will be meeting with all students in grades 6-12 on April 6th at 1:00 p.m. to review our full re-entry model and to answer any questions students may have.
Please click HERE to view a copy of the Tahanto Reentry Town Hall presentation that was held on 3/18/21. For Tahanto specific re-entry information please click HERE.
Important Clarification for Attendance Beginning April 12th.
Beginning April 12th students who have chosen to learn in person are expected to attend school 5 days per week. In-person learners will not have access to live streaming if they are absent from school (unless COVID-related). Students who are live-streaming must follow the schedule and attend the entire class with their cameras on.
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 a live streaming student misses a class due to illness a parent must email an excusal note to Mrs. Boudreau at sboudreau@bbrsd.org.
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.
Parent Volunteers Needed
Don’t Be Shy!
Have you ever dreamed of overseeing 120 teenagers while they are eating lunch? Well, have we got an opportunity of a lifetime for you!
We are looking for parent volunteers for the remainder of the school year to help with lunch monitoring throughout the week. In order to keep a 6’ distance between students while eating, we need to create 4 lunch periods each day. Because of this addition, we are in need of lunch monitors to help with monitoring student safety and sanitizing spaces in between lunch periods. Lunches are 30 minutes in length and begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Sue Boudreau at (508) 869-2333 or via email at sboudreau@bbrsd.org.
Counseling Office News and Resources
Middle School
High School News
Resources
Ms Ford’s virtual office - A great place to find coping strategies
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
Mandatory Daily Parent Screening Health Checklist
Questions? Contact Janet Sequeira, School Nurse at (508)869-2333 ext. 2303
Athletics
Tahanto/West Boylston Football News
West Boylston Varsity Football -
Previous Games
Saturday, March 27, 2021 - The West Boylston Lions beat KIPP Academy, 21-20, at KIPP Academy.
The game against Groton-Dunstable was postponed.
Upcoming Games
12:00 pm on Saturday, April 3, 2021 - The West Boylston Lions will play Tyngsboro, at Tyngsboro.
West Boylston JV Football -
Previous Games
Thursday, April 1, 2021 - The West Boylston JV Lions played Westboro, at Westboro.
Upcoming Games
3:30 pm on Monday, April 5, 2021 - The West Boylston JV Lions will play St. Bernards, at St. Bernards.
SPRING ATHLETIC SEASON STARTS MONDAY, APRIL 26.
https://tahantoregional.rschoolteams.com/
Please make sure that student-athletes have Covid related supplies (masks, sanitizer, plenty of water) in their gym bags.
Matt Porcaro
Athletic Director
Tahanto Regional
FREE LUNCH
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
Contact Us!
Email: parentquestions@bbrsd.org
Website: bbrsd.org
Location: 215 Main Street, Boylston, MA, USA
Phone: 508-869-2837