DUNNING NOTES FROM the OFFICE
Sunday, February 14th, 2021
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All previous Notes From the Office are available by using this LINK.
Dear Dunning Community,
We are looking forward to welcoming back students on the following dates:
- February 25th - Phase III - Cohort S Students
- March 3rd - Phase IV - Cohort B Students: Students in Cohort B will attend in-person on “B-Week” and learn remotely during “A-Week".
- March 8th - Phase IV - Cohort A Students: Students in Cohort A will attend in person on “A-Week” and learn remotely during “B-Week".
If you opted for an in-person return, you should have received notification from the district with your child’s cohort. Some students will come to school every day while other students will be in a “hybrid” group and come to school some days and learn remotely some days. Many variables put forth by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Framingham Public Schools played a role in the groupings.
Dunning School will surely look and feel a little different; lots of signs and stickers on the walls and floors and new desk configurations in our classrooms. We will seek new ways to communicate and show love for our students. While we all want to return to a time of hugs and high fives, we will have to make some changes regarding how we interact at Dunning School. Our goal is for these changes to collectively keep all our children, families, and staff as safe as possible, which is our biggest priority.
There will be some asynchronous blocks of time for our remote learners on February 25th, March 3rd, and March 8th, as we acclimate the students that are in the building for the first time to the new structures and routines that are in place across Dunning. Your child's teacher will share any schedule changes.
What's New This Week:
- Return to School Update from Dr. Tremblay - 2/12 (While we have included some information from Dr. Tremblay's February 12th update below, please be sure to read it in its entirety.)
- Hybrid Cohort Schedule
- Universal Lunch/Recess Hour
- School Lunch Update
- Masks/Face Coverings
- COVID-19 Pooled Testing for Students
- MyMedBot Attestation App
- Report Cards
- Fifth Grade Virtual Pasta Dinner
- Commitment to Educational Program Model
- DESE 2019 Dunning School & FPS District Accountability Report
- February 12th Community Meeting Video
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
Universal Lunch/Recess Hour
School Lunch Update
- School breakfasts and lunches will be free for the remainder of the school year
- Milk only purchases will cost $0.60
Masks/Face Coverings
Masks/Face Coverings are among the most important single measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. Masks must cover both the nose and mouth. Masks must be worn by everyone at all times with rare exceptions. Families must ensure their child arrives at school wearing a face covering and ideally has an extra on hand. Time will be built throughout the day for mask breaks where students and staff don’t have to wear masks.
COVID-19 Pooled Testing for Students
We are pleased to report that the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has approved Framingham’s pooled testing application. We are currently working with our DESE assigned vendor on testing logistics and consent paperwork which we will be aligning with our scheduled return of students. Pooled tests combine respiratory samples from several students and then conduct one laboratory test on the combined pool of samples to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. If a pooled test result is negative, then all individuals within that pool are presumed negative and may remain in school. A positive pooled result indicates that one or more individuals in the pool may be positive for COVID-19. Each individual in the pool will receive a follow up individual PCR test. Students in a positive pool will remain out of school until they receive a negative individual PCR test result.
MyMedBot Attestation App
The Framingham Public Schools have adopted 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. Students, families and staff will answer a series of COVID-19 related questions each school day via the mobile app (accessible on both mobile phones and computers). While staff are already actively engaging in this attestation, families will soon be provided with instructions.
Report Cards
Your student’s Elementary Report Card will be available in Aspen X2 on Tuesday, February 16th.
Fifth Grade Virtual Pasta Dinner
Although this year the 5th graders are not able to be your in-person waitstaff, 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. You provide your own pasta meal in your kitchen and log in to see other Panda families enjoy their own pasta meals in their kitchens.
Google Classroom links will be sent out as we draw closer to the event.
If any families need food assistance please email Ms. Schecter: mschecter@framingham.k12.ma.us
Please review the available slots below and click on THIS LINK to sign up. Thank you!
Commitment to Educational Program Model
As we move to the hybrid educational model, families who wish to shift from hybrid learning to remote may request to do so at any time. Requests should be directed to the Michele Schecter (mschecter@framinghamn.k12.ma.us) so that proper notice may be given to the teacher(s), transportation office, etc.
- Requests to shift from remote to hybrid learning will be considered on March 19, 2021 for an April 5, 2021 return.
- Another Family Decision Checkpoint will be offered on May 10, 2021 for a May 24, 2021 return.
The District is required to maintain 6-foot physical distancing when students return to school. Requests to shift from remote to hybrid may not be possible if 6-feet of distancing cannot be maintained.
DESE 2019 Dunning School & FPS District Accountability Report
"Every year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) releases a report card for each school and district in the state. Just as a student's report card shows how they are doing in different classes, school and district report cards are designed to show parents and community members how a school or district is doing in different areas. Report cards highlight a school or district's strengths as well as any challenges that need to be addressed in order to make sure the needs of all students are being met.” DESE
To view our school’s report card overview and the complete report card, visit our school’s profile on the ESE’s School and District Profiles website at this Dunning Report Card Link.
Dates to Remember
FEBRUARY
Wednesday February 24th
- Phase III Students Return
Monday, 22nd
- School Council Meeting, 4:00 – 5:00pm
- Virtual Pasta Dinner
MARCH
Wednesday, 3rd
- Phase IV - Cohort B Returns
Monday, 8th
- Phase IV - Cohort A Returns
- Early Release - 1:05 - Building Based Professional Development, Lunch IS served
- No School - Professional Development Day
Thursday, 18th
Community Meeting, 9:30 – 10:30am
- School Council Meeting, 4:00 – 5:00pm
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.
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 healthcare and mental health providers
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
- 1:05pm dismissal
- 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.
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