Wednesday's Word
January 12, 2022
What's Inside
- Mask Mandate
- Proper Use of Face Coverings/Masks
- Kindergarten On-line Registration Open
- Reminder: Calling in your child's absence
- Vaccination Status
Dear Families,
The heart of our mission at the Norfolk Public Schools is to create a learning community where students, families and staff feel a sense of belonging, have a voice that is heard and can see themselves represented in the school community and the curriculum. Providing an equitable education requires districts to continually examine and evaluate their practices. In partnership with our Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, our District Equity Committee is conducting an audit this school year. Equity audits are data driven processes that guide schools in identifying and removing programmatic barriers that “impede full participation, access, and opportunity for all students to receive an equitable and excellent education”. (Skrla et al., 2009) Through the equity audit we will be reviewing our district policies, gathering data on student experiences and school climate and analyzing patterns in student achievement in order to identify areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.
Within the next couple of weeks, you will be receiving a survey that will solicit feedback from you about your children and family's experiences in the Norfolk Public Schools. We hope that you will take this opportunity to share your input, as your voice is integral to helping us establish meaningful district goals. We look forward to partnering with you on this important venture.
Sincerely,
Victoria Saldana
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Mask Mandate Update
Proper Use of Face Coverings/Masks
As you are aware, there has been a dramatic spike in Covid 19 cases across the nation and globally in recent weeks. The Omicron variant of Covid 19 is significantly more transmissible than previous strains, although appears to result in more mild symptoms particularly for individuals who have been fully vaccinated. Given the high rate of spread of Omicron, it is particularly important that students wear face coverings that are properly fitted. Students should be wearing face coverings designed for children that fit snugly over their nose and mouth and can be secured under their chin. It is important that masks fit closely against the sides of students' faces and that there are no gaps along the sides or at the top of the mask. Face masks worn properly reduce the risk of transmission of Covid 19 and help to keep our school community healthy and safe. Please take a minute to check the fit of your child’s mask. Cloth masks that have been worn and washed repeatedly can stretch and may no longer be effective in protecting your child. For more information about proper mask wearing, click on the link to view the full CDC Guidance.
NPS Kindergarten Online Registration is Now Open!
2022 - 2023 Kindergarten information and the online registration form
can be accessed by visiting the Norfolk Public Schools' website at www.norfolk.k12.ma.us
To help us plan effectively, please register
by February 18th, 2022.
For additional questions regarding kindergarten,
Please email kregistration@norfolk.k12.ma.us or phone the H. Olive Day School’s main office at
508-541-5475, extension 0.
Reminder: Student Absences
If your child is absent from school due to illness, bereavement or to observe a major religious holiday, it is extremely important to contact and notify the school. These absences are considered excused and we want to be sure they are recorded correctly. In order to protect students safety, building secretaries make calls to homes each day if we have not received notice of a child’s absence. It is important to notify the main office of student absences, even if you have notified the classroom teacher. Our office staff is responsible for verifying student attendance and when parents/guardians call the attendance line, it saves significant time and effort. In order to notify the school of your child’s absence, please call the school attendance line anytime before 9 a.m.
The numbers are as follows:
H. Olive Day School 508-541-5475 x2210
Freeman-Kennedy School 508-528-1266 x2511
Vaccination Status
If your child has been fully vaccinated (completion of either the Pfizer or Moderna series or two weeks following a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine) please send a photocopy of your child’s vaccination card in a sealed envelope to your child’s school nurse. Fully vaccinated students are exempt from test and quarantine requirements. Having a record of each child’s vaccination status will support our nurses with future contract tracing efforts.
H. Olive Day School Nurse- Ann Hurley
Freeman-Kennedy School Nurse- Barbara DiGiacomo
Norfolk Recreation upcoming events!
Norfolk Public Schools
Email: allardi@norfolk.k12.ma
Website: norfolk.k12.ma.us
Location: 70 Boardman Street, Norfolk, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 528-1225