DUNNING NOTES FROM the OFFICE
11/22/20
ENGLISH:
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All previous Notes From the Office are available by using this LINK.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving, whatever your plans may be: a sit down dinner, a Zoom or Facetime dinner with family and friends, or a quiet day at home, we are very grateful that you are part of the Dunning Community and wish you all the best!
Half day Wednesday 11/25. 12:00pm Dismissal. Students who are learning in person will NOT have lunch served on Wednesday.
Dear Dunning Community,
As you heard on Friday, the return of the balance of our high needs students, which was scheduled for December 7th, 2020, has been postponed until mid-January 2021. This decision was made jointly by the FPS school committee and Dr. Samuel Wong, the Director of the Framingham Department of Public Health.
When it is decided that we will be welcoming back the next cohort of students, the district and Dunning staff will be reaching out to parents to determine if you want your child to return to in person learning or to continue remote learning.
We want to thank you for your continuing patience and flexibility. Please know that every staff memeber at Dunning is steadfast in their commitment to our students and their families. We will continue to work together to ensure equitable access to high-quality instruction for all of our students in a safe, respectful and secure learning environment.
What's New This Week:
- Community Connections Input
- Travel Advisory
Please let us know if you have any question or concerns! We are ALWAYS available! Please call us or email us.
Sincerely,
Michele & Kathie
Community Connections Input
We cannot be in physical space all together right now, but we can still build community and cultivate helpful conversations for our Dunning families. The Dunning School Council is considering organizing a series of all-school or grade-level virtual gatherings that will allow families to get to know one another and hear from experts on topics that are meaningful to you.
We’d like your feedback on the following:
Travel Advisory
As we approach Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season, we want to remind staff and families about the Governor’s Travel Order. The current Travel Order requires a 14-day quarantine period following return to MA or evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test that was done 72 hours prior to return to MA. If you have traveled back to MA without getting the PCR test 72 hours prior to return, you can obtain a PCR test upon arrival to MA, but must quarantine at home until you receive a negative PCR test result. For accurate results, we recommend getting your COVID-19 PCR test 96 hours after your return to MA.
If a staff member or student of Framingham Public Schools is planning to be teaching or learning in-person upon return from out-of-state/country travel and did not obtain a COVID-19 PCR test prior to return to MA, you will need to begin the 14 day quarantine and take a COVID-19 PCR test 4-5 days after return to MA. Students and staff can return to school in person with documentation of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result or completion of the 14 day quarantine.
If you must travel, please do the following:
Check travel restrictions for the location you are traveling to before you go. Each state will have its specific requirements for testing and quarantining.
Get your flu shot before you travel.
Always wear a mask in public settings and on public transportation.
Stay at least 6 feet apart from anyone who is not in your household.
Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.
Bring extra supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer.
Once you return from holiday travel:
Email your student’s negative COVID-19 PCR test results to your school nurse and wait for a reply email from her with clearance instructions before returning to school. Clearance may take up to 24 hours.
Staff should email negative COVID-19 PCR test results to covidresults@framingham.k12.ma.us and wait for clearance from Human Resources to return to school. Clearance may take up to 24 hours.
For more information on the Travel Order, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order#international-travel-
Dates to Remember
NOVEMBER
Wednesday, 25th
- Half Day: Students are dismissed at 12:00pm. Lunch IS NOT served.
Thursday, 26th & Friday, 27th
- No School: Thanksgiving Recess
DECEMBER
Thursday, 3rd
- Early Release: Professional Development, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm, Lunch IS served.
Thursday, 10th
- Early Release: Parent Conferences, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm, Lunch IS served.
Monday, 14th
- Fifth Grade Virtual Field Trip- Art Quest, 12:05 – 3:30pm
School Council Meeting, 4:00 – 5:00pm
Thursday, 17th
- Virtual Community Meeting, 9:30 – 10:30am
- Early Release: Parent Conferences, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm, Lunch IS served.
Fifth Grade Virtual Field Trip- Art Quest, 12:05 – 3:30pm
- No School Winter Recess
JANUARY
Friday, 1st
- No School: New Year's Day
Thursday, 7th
- Early Release: Parent Conferences, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm, Lunch IS served.
Thursday, 14th
- Early Release: Parent Conferences, Students are dismissed at 1:05pm, Lunch IS served.
- No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- No School: Professional Development
Food Services Information
District Calendars
Dunning Directory
Click on the link below to input information and sign up for the Dunning Directory,
School Hours
Early Release Days
- Students are dismissed at 1:05pm.
- Lunch IS served.
- Early Release Thursdays: 9/18/20, 12/3/20, 12/10/20, 12/17/20, 1/7/21, 1/14/21, 3/11/21, 4/29/21, 5/6/21, 5/13/21, 5/20/21, 5/27/21
Half Days
- Students are dismissed at 12:00pm.
- Lunch IS NOT served.
- Half Days: 11/25 and the last day of school.
Universal Lunch & Recess Hour for Remote Learning Kindergarten through Grade 5
The district-wide lunch/recess hour from 12:00PM-1:00PM each day at all nine elementary schools is starting tomorrow, Monday, November 16, 2020. This shift will allow us to provide a coordinated and consistent lunch/recess time for all remote students
Our hope is that this universal lunch/recess hour affords all students with a greater amount of uninterrupted instruction in the classroom and supports all students and families during this challenging time.
Thank you for being outstanding educational partners in this work as we navigate these uncharted waters together.
ESL Writing Assessment Information
ESL Teachers will be administering the biannual ESL Writing Assessment to students (remote and in-person) to students identified as English Learners in grades 3-12, during the following testing windows:
First Interim Assessment Testing Window
November 9-December 4
Final Interim Assessment Testing Window:
March 29-April 30
Framingham Public Schools Opens Online Pre-Registration for the Class of 2034
Parents / Guardians can begin the registration process for the incoming Kindergarteners for the 2021-2022 school year.
Families who have a child or children that will be five years old by August 31, 2021 are invited to pre-register their incoming Kindergarteners online. The Parent Information Center, located at 31 Flagg Drive – Door # 4A, has just opened the process that all families must go through before a child can begin their academic career in Framingham Public Schools.
Please visit https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/kindergarten2021 to begin registration and for additional information including detailed steps and timing. Here is a snapshot of the Kindergarten registration process.
Online pre-registration (Now - April 2, 2021)
Schedule a phone appointment with the Parent Information Center (December 7, 2020 - April 2, 2021)
Attend Virtual Kindergarten Information Event(s) (Details are still TBD)
School Tours (March 2021)
Receive school assignment form by May 14, 2021
Confirm your school placement with the Parent Information Center by May 21, 2021
Kindergarten Orientation on June 1, 2021
Housing Help
The state Department of Housing and Community Development has centralized information about resources for families struggling to make rent or mortgage payments due to COVID-19. For information, go this this WEBSITE.
Resources if You Are Struggling to Make Rent or Mortgage Payments
Framingham Public Schools Expands Food Distribution to All School Sites
Framingham Public Schools (FPS) is proud to announce an expansion to the current food distribution operation from four school sites to all school buildings. Framingham Public Schools has been offering free grab-and-go lunch and breakfast at Cameron Middle School, Fuller Middle School, Barbieri Elementary School and Wilson Elementary School since Wednesday, March 18th.
Beginning Monday, November 2nd, families can drive-by or walk-up to any Framingham Public School between 10am and 1pm Monday through Friday to receive meals.
Food is offered by the School Department to ALL families. If a family is having difficulty getting to a distribution site, they can contact the Food Service Department at 508-626-9109. Anyone who approaches the food pick-up area should wear a mask / face covering and follow physical distancing protocols established by Food Services staff. The specific pick-up locations and traffic routes have been posted to the Food Services Website.
Food is provided at no cost to families. Anyone can pick up meals at any of the locations and children do not need to be present to receive food. Families who are eligible for free or reduced meals or those who attend the following Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools including Brophy Elementary School, Fuller Middle School, FHS Thayer Campus, and Woodrow Wilson Elementary School have received or will be receiving a Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Card.
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) means that all students at the designated schools receive free meals.
P-EBT is a federal program created in Spring 2020 to provide additional funds for families to buy food while schools were closed due to COVID-19. For more information on P-EBT, please visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/pandemic-ebt-p-ebt.
FPS Food Distribution: Starting November 2nd
- Food pick-up time: 10:00am - 1:00pm
- Locations: All Schools (BLOCKS at Juniper Hill, Barbieri, Brophy, Cameron, Dunning, FHS, FHS Thayer Campus, Fuller, Hemenway, King, McCarthy, Potter Road, Stapleton, Walsh, Woodrow Wilson)
- Is there a cost for families? No
- Which families can pick up meals? All families. Meals are not limited to Free & Reduced families. Any family can get food! (Meals are for school age children between the ages of 5 years old to 18 years old)
- Do students have to be in the vehicle when families pick up meals? No
- Can families pick up multiple meals? Yes
- Do families have to pick up meals from the school their child attends? No
Covid-19 Testing
FREE DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING AT THE TJX COMPANIES, INC.
MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
- Location: 770 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA 01701 (entrance to the testing site is on Speen Street near the Mass Pike exit ramp overpass)
- Dates: Starting Monday, November 2, 2020
- Days/Time: Monday to Saturday– 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Eligibility: Open to everyone; symptomatic and asymptomatic
- Appointment: No appointment required
- Format: Drive-through only
- Cost: FREE; no health insurance required
- Test Results: People will receive results in approximately 72 hours from Fallon Ambulance, who is conducting the tests.
FREE, WALK-UP COVID-19 TESTING AT THE
SOUTH MIDDLESEX OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL (SMOC)
- Location: South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), 7 Bishop Street, Framingham
- Dates: Starting, Monday, August 31
- Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 3-6 p.m.
- Eligibility: Open to everyone; symptomatic and asymptomatic
- Appointment: No appointment required
- Format: Walk-up (limited parking available on-site)
- Cost: FREE; no health insurance required
- Test Results: People will receive results in approximately 72 hours from Fallon Ambulance, who is conducting the tests.
FREE, WALK-UP COVID-19 TESTING AT AMAZING THINGS ART CENTER
(WALK-UP TESTING ONLY, NO PARKING AVAILABLE)
- Location: Amazing Things Arts Center - 160 Hollis St., Framingham, MA 01702
- Dates: Starting Tuesday, August 18,
- Hours: Tuesday and Thursday – 3-6 p.m.
- Eligibility: Open to everyone; symptomatic and asymptomatic
- Appointment: No appointment required
- Format: Walk-up testing only
- Cost: FREE; no health insurance required
- Test Results: People will receive results in approximately 72 hours from Fallon Ambulance, who is conducting the tests
If you do not receive your test results, after 72 hours, please call the Fallon Hotline at 617-765-0176
For additional information CLICK HERE.
School Health Services Updates - October 2, 2020
- FPS Interventions and Strategies for a Safe Return to School
- Massachusetts (MA) Immunization Requirements
- MA Physical Examination Requirements During COVID-19
- Flu Vaccine Requirements for All Students
- Emergency Contact Information
- Children with Special Health Care Need
Technology and Learning Platforms for Remote Learning
Google Classroom: Students and educators will be using Google Classroom in all grade levels as their "remote classroom". Educators are busy creating these virtual classrooms now and will share classroom codes with families shortly.
Google Meets: Students and educators will be using Google Meets for video conferences throughout the school day.
In addition, there are consistent instructional programs being used by our students and educators this year. Here is a complete list for your reference.
Click HERE for FPS Family Tech Support
Community Resources
Visit the Dunning Website
Join the Dunning PTO FB Page
If you are not already a member, please join the PTO FB page. It is a great way to stay connected with the Dunning Community! www.facebook.com/groups/228212977304928/?ref=bookmarks