NIS Weekly News
Nantucket Intermediate School - Oct. 16, 2020
Full Hybrid Model Begins on Monday, 10/19/20
We are ready to begin! Starting next week we will be entering into our full hybrid model of teaching and learning for NPS grades Pre-K to grade 5. Please know that all safety measures outlined in our protocols will be followed.
Here is the schedule:
Monay, Oct. 19, 2020 Cohort B students start at NIS. Their face-to-face days are Mondays and Tuesdays each week.
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020 Cohort C students start at NIS. Their face-to-face days are Thursdays and Fridays each week.
Wednesdays - All students REMOTE Learners
Cohort A students will continue to come Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
How to Prepare:
Watch our return-to-school video below created by Ms. Johnson and several of our students!
Charge student Chromebook and gather materials into student's plastic bin. The bin and Chromebook will travel between home and school.
Review student health screening questions daily on in-school days
Review the NIS Return to School Protocols below
Review the draft NIS Family Handbook 2020-2021 (see below)
Pre-order breakfast for in-school days (see information below)
Review arrival and dismissal procedures - do not drop off students before 7:40 am.
Check out this document in English and Spanish: Welcome Back to NIS!
We are so grateful to have all of our students back in the building each week!
Evemarie McNeil, Principal & Donna Johnson, Assistant Principal
Changes to Teaching and Learning
Now that the majority of students will be in classrooms on Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday you may notice some shifts in the balance of live time with the teacher and independent work time. As most of our students were learning remotely since school started, our teachers worked hard to keep them online and engaged throughout much of their school day. This was also a critical period for teaching students how to access their playlists and all of the activities and links within these. Today when I visited classrooms I noticed just how quickly our students are learning the technology tools and navigating the online portion of their learning. They are truly amazing!
Beginning Monday, our teachers will need to devote more time to your children when they are in school and available for in school learning experiences and support. You may notice on remote learning days that your child will have specific times to log on and engage with their classroom, their teacher or another adult and increased opportunities to work independently at home on prepared lessons and assignments. Please know that we take our responsibility of educating your child, whether at home or in school very seriously and will provide a comprehensive learning plan for each day, but the all day long and in the moment availability of the classroom teacher will likely lessen. Teacher provided comprehensive plans will continue to be shared as playlists with a full school day's worth of schoolwork to ensure time on learning. Students are still expected to participate fully in all of the lessons and activities provided for the school day.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work hard to provide all students with comprehensive and meaningful learning experiences. Once underway, we will be reaching out via a survey to gather your feedback. In the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Best Regards,
Evemarie
Please Charge Chromebooks Each Night - Thank You!
Arrival and Dismissal
- Students may not arrive to the building before 7:40 AM. 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders each have a designated meeting spot outside where teachers will meet them at 7:45 AM, rain or shine. Staff will be available to direct students to their designated areas. *Please remind your student to wear their mask and be physically distanced from others.
Dismissal:
- Walkers and bikers will be dismissed at 2:10 PM to allow students to safely be on their way before the busses and cars start to move. Others will dismiss after that.
Breakfast & Lunch Information
Breakfast and lunch will be available at no cost to any child who needs a breakfast or a lunch regardless of free/reduced status for the entire school year. Breakfast must be pre-ordered. The food truck is available Monday - Friday for meal pickup from 9:30am - 11:30am at NHS for remote learners.
From NIS Nurse Nancy
Welcome back to school!!! Although we started the year off in remote only learning, I know that we are Nantucket Strong and will continue to fight the good fight. We must be diligent in wearing face masks, washing hands, and social distancing. We know these work in helping to stop the spread of Covid 19. Hopefully we will be in the hybrid model in no time.
In August the state mandated that all students must be vaccinated with the flu vaccine by December 31, 2020. Nantucket Cottage Hospital is running a drive thru Flu Clinic Monday - Friday 7am to 6pm, Saturday 8-12 noon. How convenient is that!! I urge the whole family to get the vaccine as well. Make it a family affair. It is more important now than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of Covid-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and preserve healthcare resources.
This year when calling in your student’s absence, please leave the reason why. Even when we are in remote learning, we need to know why the student is absent. This will help me to track illnesses and do the necessary follow up, if needed.
Have a safe and healthy fun school year!!!!
Nancy Small BSN, RN
Mask Wearing on School Grounds
Per health and safety requirements, our students will be required to wear masks all through their school day. There have been recent reports about which masks are safest to wear: "Of the 14 masks and other coverings tested, the study found that some easily accessible cotton cloth masks are about as effective as standard surgical masks, while popular alternatives such as neck gaiters made of thin, stretchy material may be worse than not wearing a mask at all." Click HERE for a link to that Washington Post article.
It will be important that students have had some practice wearing a face mask for longer periods of time just to get used to it. Here is a video to help your child learn about how to appropriately put on and wear a mask: For Kids - Masks for Older Kids We thank you for all you have done to keep our island safe through social distancing and wearing your masks when expected!
District and NIS Return to School Safety Protocols
NPS Return to School Protocols - Fall 2020
Draft NIS Family Handbook 2020-2021
- English: draft NIS Family Handbook 2020 - 2021
- Espanol: NIS Familia Manual 2020-2021
Tech Help Desk Access en Espanol
Video # 1
Steps for TECH HELP DESK REQUEST/Pasos para SOLICITAR AYUDA TÉCNICA
Loom | Free Screen & Video Recording Software — Watch Video
From the Town Culture and Tourism Department
COVID-19 Travel Order
Effective August 1, 2020, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts must follow new travel orders. The Commonwealth has made great progress to slow the spread of COVID-19 and gradually re-open the economy, and all visitors have a responsibility to help us keep transmission levels as low as possible.
All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:
- Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival, unless you are visiting from a lower-risk state designated by the Department of Public Health.
- Quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.
If your COVID-19 test result has not been received prior to arrival, visitors, and residents must quarantine until they receive a negative test result.
Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day.
Please find more information, including the list of lower-risk states, exemptions, business guidance and other details at https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order
For NPS District Information
Be sure to check the www.npsk.org website for specific District communications and updates.
Nantucket Intermediate School
Email: mcneile@npsk.org
Website: https://www.npsk.org/NIS
Location: 30 Surfside Road, Nantucket, MA, USA
Phone: 508-228-7290
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nantucketintermediateschool/
Twitter: @NISlearners