Dear Caregivers,

This year NHS will be hosting a virtual open house. Teachers will be emailing links to their Open House sessions by the end of the day on Monday. If you do not get an email from your student's teacher, please email the teacher and let them know. If you do not get a response, email a member of the administrative team.

The subject line of the email will include the class period, the course name, and the teacher name (Ex: "Period 2, English 9, Ms. Darcy"). In the body of the email will be a Zoom link to the open house classroom session.

You can use this template to keep track of the links as they come in. In this template you will also find open drop-in sessions available between 6:20-8:00. Drop-in sessions are available with:

• Tech Q & A

• Intern Coordinator

• Clerical Support- Zoom links, Schedules, ASPEN Support

Open House Class Schedule:

Welcome 6:20- 6:40 p.m.

PERIOD 1 6:45- 7:00 p.m.

PERIOD 2 7:05- 7:20 p.m

PERIOD 3 7:25- 7:40 p.m

PERIOD 4 7:45- 8:00 p.m

What is the difference between an Adjustment Counselor an a School Counselor?

• All Northampton High school students have school counselors (formerly known as guidance counselors) that are assigned alphabetically by the first letter of their last name. The one exception to this is that Ms. Castro is the counselor for all ELL students, regardless of last name. These counselors remain with students for their 4 years here. Counselors are available to provide a wide range of support to students and if students have a need or concern, they should reach out to their counselor. If students have questions about how to reach their counselor, the link to the NHS guidance department is: http://www.northamptonschools.org/project/nhs-guidance/

• As another student support, we have a General Education School Adjustment Counselor, Ms. Goodwin-Boyd, who is available to students who need assistance beyond their assigned counselor. Ms. Goodwin-Boyd usually meets with students on a short term basis and her office is in the guidance suite. Students often refer themselves to Ms. Goodwin-Boyd. Additionally, other counselors, teachers, and Administration will also refer students who they feel may need occasional extra support. There are 3 Special Education School Adjustment Counselors who are assigned to see special education students who have counseling on their IEPs. They are Ms. Leydon, Mr. Stone and Ms. Teed.

10th Grade Meetings during Flex

• 10th graders will be meeting with their school counselors during flex block September 21, 22 and 23. Students will be able to see their assigned date and location in enriching students on Mentor Monday during flex block. Students must attend on their assigned day with their own counselor. We will discuss Aspen, Naviance, Four Year Planning and more!

Estimados cuidadores:

Gracias por su continuo apoyo a medida que avanzamos hacia el año escolar 2021-2022. Al tener a nuestros estudiantes completamente en persona nuevamente ha valdido la pena el esfuerzo que se ha tomado para lograrlo. La Ley del Plan de Rescate Estadounidense, que el presidente Biden promulgó la primavera pasada, proporcionará a las Escuelas Públicas de Northampton $3.4 millones para los gastos en la recuperación de COVID. Tengo que solicitar esos fondos a principios de octubre. Estoy pasando tiempo este mes con varios miembros de nuestra comunidad escolar, incluyendo estudiantes, administradores, padres de niños en edad preescolar, los consejos asesores de padres de Educación Especial y Aprendizaje de Inglés, los consejos escolares, Equidad Racial y Aprendizaje en las Escuelas de Northampton (REAL) y la Asociación de Empleados Escolares de Northampton (NASE) para obtener sus ideas sobre cómo debemos usar estos fondos. Como parte de ese proceso, me gustaría conocer sus ideas

• He programado una reunión pública virtual para los cuidadores el miércoles 22 de septiembre de 2021 de 6:30-7:30 p.m, a través de ZOOM.
• Habrá un intérprete de español disponible.
• Hora: 22 de septiembre de 2021 a las 06:30 p.m., hora del este (EE.UU. y Canadá)
• Unirse a la reunión de Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/i/82953034873
• ID de reunión: 829 5303 4873 Código de acceso:
• 123 Móvil con un toque
• +16468769923,,82953034873#....*123# US (Nueva York)
• Marcar por su ubicación+1 646 876 9923 Estados Unidos (Nueva York)

Espero que puedan asistir. Me encantaría escuchar sus ideas.

Sinceramente,

John A. Provost, Ed.D. Superintendente de Escuelas

• Breakfast is served in the cafeteria daily from 8:35-8:55. Students may enter the cafe for breakfast. Students may not enter other parts of the building until 8:45.

• Student Parking is in the lower lot or in the stadium. Students are not to park in the upper lot as these spaces are reserved for teachers.

• Here is a video walking students through how to use Enriching Students to sign themselves up for Flex Block.

• Students are required to participate in a physical education experience each school year. This experience can be a gym class, a wellness class, a sport, or a variety of aerobic enrichment opportunities (walking, yoga class, dance, marching band, hiking, etc). If students are completing this requirement by doing an activity other than taking a PE or wellness class they are required to complete this PE FORM. Questions can be directed to Ms. Harrison mharrison@northampton-k12.us

During the Fall, the counseling community area is reserved as a space for students who have registered for College Rep Visits to log on and attend the virtual visit. All students must bring their Chromebook and a pair of headphones!

College Rep visits will start on Monday, September 13th and are open to Juniors and Seniors only. Students must register through their Naviance account and must sign in when they arrive in Guidance.

You can find which colleges are visiting and the registration links under the What's New section at the bottom of your Home page in Naviance, or by clicking on Colleges at the top, and then College Visits under the Research Colleges header.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Sullivan

The library is open as a quiet study for those needing a place to work independently.

Nominations are now being accepted for caregiver representatives to serve on the NHS School Council. If you would like to serve on the council, or nominate someone, please email the NHS PTO a brief note of nomination, or explaining your interest in serving, no later than Thursday, September 23.

The School Council meets monthly, with a schedule to be determined by Principal Vaillancourt and council members. School Council meetings are open to all.

The NHS PTO will be conducting the School Council election the final week of September. The election will be online this year to encourage and allow maximum caregiver participation.

The School Council is a representative, building-based committee composed of the principal, parents/guardians, teachers, community members and students, required to be established by each school pursuant to M.G.L., Chapter 71, Section 59c. The function of the School Council is to assist the principal in adopting educational goals for the school, identifying the educational needs of students attending the school, reviewing the annual school budget and formulating a School Improvement Plan. In addition, the principal, in consultation with the school council, reviews the student handbook each year to consider changes in disciplinary policy.

MCAS Testing Requirements by Year of Graduation

Students will start school on September 3rd. Below is the message sent via Robocall from Dr. Provost.

"Hello. This is a message from John Provost, Superintendent of Schools. Earlier today, you received a communication about mold that was discovered in some classrooms on the ground floor and first floor of the high school. Our maintenance staff and a union representative inspected the building after it was closed finding that the issue was limited to these two floors. Later in the day, Green Environmental Consulting inspected the school and confirmed the presence of mold. This was not caused by any leaks. Rather it was caused by condensation from humid air brought into the building as part of our efforts to increase air exchanges. The district has arranged for Quality Cleaning and Restoration to conduct cleaning and remediation operations tomorrow. For this reason Northampton High School will be closed to all staff and visitors tomorrow. Once this work is completed, Green Environmental Consulting will retest the air quality to confirm the effectiveness of the cleaning. The affected rooms will be closed until a satisfactory quality result is returned.

In order to provide high school staff with an opportunity to set up their classrooms, the first day of school for the high school only will be moved to September 3rd, unless we run into unforeseen problems with the cleanup. An additional day will be added to the end of the school year to meet state structured learning time requirements."

The DASHBOARD LINK IS HERE and linked below

• Contact @adumais@northampton-k12.us

SBG Resources:

• Link to Student and Caregiver SBG Newsletter

School Meals FREE for all students for the entire school year!

This menu can be found on our website: http://www.northamptonschools.org/project/food-services/

• Outdoor dining is available behind the cafeteria through October.
• Seniors students may sign out at the main office for lunch block. Seniors may NOT dismiss themselves out the cafeteria doors. It is expected that seniors are prompt to their 3rd period class. A violation of this policy may result in revoking off campus lunch privileges.
• When eating in the cafe, students are expected to wear masks as soon as they have finished eating.
• To support contact tracing protocols, students are expected to sign in to a lunch table. A QR code has been placed on each dinning table. Directions are below:

The Northampton Public School District is committed to providing a safe environment as schools reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to public health experts, one of the best ways to stop the spread of coronavirus and to keep members of our school community safe is the use of face masks or face coverings. Therefore, in accordance with guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), the following requirements are in place until further notice.

A face covering that covers the nose and mouth must be worn by all individuals in school buildings, on school grounds and on school transportation, even when social distancing is observed.Individuals may be excused from the requirement for the following list of reasons, per CDC guidance:

The individual:

● has trouble breathing;

● is unconscious;

● in incapacitated;

● cannot remove the mask or face covering without assistance.

In addition, masks or face coverings will not be required for anyone who has a medical, behavioral or other challenge making it unsafe to wear a face mask or face covering. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the building principal in consultation with the school nurse or local Board of Health. Faceshields that wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend below the chin, hooded face shields or physical barriers may provide an alternative in some instances. Additionally, face masks or face coverings will not be required when appropriate social distancing is enforced:

● during mask breaks;

● while eating or drinking;

● while outside.

All students in grades pre-k through 12th will be required to wear a mask which is to be provided by the student’s family. Staff members are responsible for providing their own face coverings. However, the district will supply disposable face covering for individuals who arrive at a building, or board school transportation, without one. The following types of masks/face coverings are acceptable to wear at school:

• Disposable surgical masks (must be replaced daily; cannot be reused or washed).
• Fabric masks (preferably at least two layers).
• Face shields along with a surgical or fabric mask

The following types of masks/face coverings are not acceptable to wear at school as data is currently inconclusive as to their efficacy:

• -Masks with vents
• -Neck gaiters
• - Bandanas
• -Plastic face shields alone without a fabric or surgical mask (unless granted an exception by the building principal in consultation with the school nurse or local Board of Health

If students are in violation of this policy, the building principal will consult with the parent/guardians to determine whether an exception is appropriate, or the student may be removed from the school building for in-person learning until such time as they can comply with the requirement or the requirement is lifted. Violations of this policy by staff will be handled in the same manner as other violations of School Committee policy. Visitors in violation of this policy will be denied entry to the school/district facility. This policy will remain in place until rescinded by the School Committee.

LEGAL REF.: Commonwealth of Massachusetts, COVID-19 Order No. 31 -

https://www.mass.gov/doc/may-1-2020-masks-and-face-coverings/download

REFS.: Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Considerations for Wearing Masks - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-fa ce-cover-guidance.html Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education – Reopening Guidelines - http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/ Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Mask Up MA! – https://www.mass.gov/news/mask-up-ma

SOURCE: MASC – August 2020

APPROVED: September 1, 2020