DUNNING NOTES FROM the OFFICE
Sunday, January 31st, 2021
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All previous Notes From the Office are available by using this LINK.
Dear Dunning Community,
We hope everyone has had a restful weekend. As we move into this busy week, we have many details to share with you so be sure to scroll down through the whole newsletter this week.
Please be sure to read the Return to School Update from Dr. Tremblay - 1/29 in it's entirety, as it contains important information for families regarding the return of Phase I and II students on February 3rd, as well as the anticipation of possibly starting Phases III & IV shortly after February vacation.
What's New This Week:
- Weather & Planning for the Week
- Return to School Update from Dr. Tremblay - 1/29
- Cohort Explanation & Next Steps
- February Family Supports
- February Book-Reading Slideshow
- Always Speak in Complete Sentences
- Reminder for Families with Incoming Kindergarteners
- Family Childcare Needs - Spring 2021
- February 1st and 2nd Will be Asynchronous Days For All Students
- City of Framingham COVID-19 Testing Information
Please let us know if you have any question or concerns! We are ALWAYS available! Please call us or email us.
Sincerely,
Michele & Kathie
mschecter@framingham.k12.ma.us
Weather & Planning for the Week
As you may have seen, the weather forecast over the next couple of days poses some challenges and requires that adjustments be made to the return-to-school plan for this week.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting a winter storm to impact Massachusetts later Monday into Tuesday. NWS reports that most of Eastern Massachusetts is expected to have 8-12 inches of snow accumulation, resulting in hazardous travel.
In anticipation of this weather event, I am sharing the revised schedule for the Week of February 1, 2021.
Food Distribution
Food distribution sites will be closed Tuesday. Families should pick up multiple meals on Monday.
Childcare Accommodations for FPS Staff
Plymouth Full Day Program will open at 7:30 on Monday, February 1 and will be open until 1pm. Plymouth Full Day will be closed on Tuesday, February 2 and will reopen on Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30am and close at 4:30pm. Please direct any questions to Kelley Ratcliffe, kratclffe@framingham.k12.ma.us.
FHS Daycare will open as scheduled Monday, February 1, 2021 at 7:45am and will close early at 1:00pm. The FHS Daycare will be closed on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 and will reopen Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 7:45am and close at 4:00pm.
Apart from the childcare information that is provided here, we intend to communicate the plan to all FPS families this afternoon (Sunday, January 31, 2021) at approximately 3:10pm.
Always Speak in Complete Sentences
At Dunning, it is our goal to always speak in complete sentences. Speaking in complete sentences increases the language and vocabulary we are using which is good for our learning and growing!
We invite you to encourage your children to speak in complete sentences at home -- in any language! For example, when you ask them what they would like for a snack, instead of saying, “chips,” have them say, “I would like chips, please.” You could even try some sentence starters like “I notice...” or “I wonder…”
You can also help your child to speak in complete sentences by modeling it for them when they ask you questions.
We would love to hear your home sentences. Please send videos of any complete sentences.
to bberkman@framingham.k12.ma.us, lwalton33@framingham.k12.ma.us, jdobson@framingham.k12.ma.us.
Reminder for Families with Incoming Kindergarteners
If you have or know a child that will be five years old by August 31, 2021, online pre-registration for incoming Kindergarteners for the 2021-2022 school year is open at https://www.framingham.k12.ma.us/kindergarten2021.
All new incoming Kindergarteners must be registered.
Please see below for video presentation playlists in English, Spanish, and Portuguese containing helpful information from the Parent Information Center and several of our departments including: Community Resource Development (CRD), Health and Wellness, the Office of Multilingual Education (OME), and Special Education.
Family Childcare Needs - Spring 2021
February 1st and 2nd Will be Asynchronous Days For All Students
Dates to Remember
FEBRUARY
Friday, 12th
- Community Meeting, 2:30 – 3:30pm
Monday, 15th
- No School - President's Day
- No School - February Recess
- School Council Meeting, 4:00 – 5:00pm
- Virtual Pasta Dinner
Virtual Pasta Dinner
Hey there, Dunning Pandas! Save the Date of 2/27/21 for a family- friendly virtual Pasta Dinner! Although this year the 5th graders are not able to be your in person wait staff, we can still gather together virtually as a school community. Similar to the in person event, there will be different time slots available for families to sign up and share a meal. Sign up links will be coming soon.
If any families need food assistance please contact Ms. Schecter.
Thank you to Andrea, Ted, and Hannah Geller for organizing this.
Bon Appetit!
Coping groups bring together people who are going or who have gone through similar life experiences. In MassSupport's new free and confidential COVID-19 coping groups, we'll be talking about how to handle feelings of isolation and stress in a supportive space to enhance coping skills and foster a sense of connection.
Groups will last about 90 minutes and participants do the vast majority of the talking. A brief educational component is included. While our trained, caring counselors and clinicians facilitate, these groups are not therapy.
Our coping groups are completely free, and you can sign up for multiple groups. Register below:
Coping group for those with children being schooled remotely
Coping group for COVID-19 survivors
Coping group for healthcare and mental health providers
Attestation App
The Framingham Public Schools are adopting MyMedBot App in order to allow all staff and families the ability to engage in a daily attestation of health with regard to COVID symptoms. We expect to have the app up and running for staff by January 20, 2021. Students, families and staff will answer a series of COVID-19 related questions via the mobile app and based on the answers, the app will flash red, meaning you are not permitted to enter the school or green, meaning you may enter the school.
Key Terms
Phase I: Students and staff who attended school, in-person, starting in October.
Phase II: Students and staff who attended school, in-person, starting in November.
Phase III: Students and staff who were scheduled to return to school in December, but who did not return due to the shift to remote in consideration of the community public health conditions.
Phase IV: All remaining FPS students and staff not included in Phases I, II, and III.
In Person (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction in person in a classroom setting from the school.
Remote (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction from a location outside the school setting via the computer (virtually).
Hybrid (Schedule): A schedule where students are receiving instruction on a rotating schedule that includes both in person and remote experiences.
Concurrent Classroom Model: A model in which students attend class in person and others attend virtually. The teacher in a concurrent classroom attempts to meet the needs of the students in class and online simultaneously.
Synchronous Instruction (live):
Synchronous Instruction
Occurs in real-time, with participants doing something together or “in sync” with others;
May include Zoom/Google Meets meetings or be streamed; live video is not required for synchronous learning;
May include scheduled learning experiences, assessments, or collaboration to be completed at the same time as others; and/or
May provide additional structure, accountability, and opportunities to engage with others in the learning community.
Asynchronous Instruction (not live):
Asynchronous Instruction
Occurs on one’s own time or pace, with no requirements to be in lock-step with others;
Allows students to work independently, or potentially with others, at a flexible pace that meets their individual needs;
May include experiences, assessments, or collaboration to be completed within a window of time, but not necessarily in real-time with others; and/or
Allows teachers to work synchronously with one or more students while others are engaged in asynchronous learning tasks.
Asynchronous instruction does NOT mean that a student is “offline”, as in not engaging virtually with content.
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
- 12:00pm dismissal for remote students
- 1:05pm dismissal in person students,
- Lunch IS served for in person students
- 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.
Rental Assistance Program
Here is an updated application link to apply for the rental assistance program
https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/FRAMINGHAMMA/Participant. Please note that due to the influx of applications, applying through this site would be the quickest way.
If you are submitting a paper application, use the same link to email it.
It’s Just Not the Same: Managing Logistics and Behaviors During Remote Learning
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:
Final Interim Assessment Testing Window:
March 29-April 30
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
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