Dear South School Community,
It was so great to welcome back some of our students and some of you this past week! We have so missed seeing everyone! We are looking forward to meeting more students this coming week as we continue our Meet and Greets! We are also very proud of our students and staff for how hard they are working on Remote Learning during the school days. This will continue for all until next Friday, September 25. The following Monday, September 28, we will begin our HYBRID Plan which feature a combination of remote and in-person/on-site learning. So many of you have asked what you can do to help our endeavors.
We greatly appreciate all that you are doing on the home front to set up our students for success. I want to also thank you for continuing to do your part to stop the spread of COVID 19! Truly practicing Social Distancing, wearing masks and adhering to the CDC Guidelines is the best way you all can help us at this moment in time. Also, please do not send your children to school if they are not feeling well and keep a thermometer handy as we are depending on you to monitor those temperatures. This week's quote of the week, Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will (Mahatma Ghandi), describes the will that we all have to keep those numbers down and therefore, benefit our children and entire community!!!
Again thank you so much for your patience as we Aviate, Navigate, Communicate to keep the South Village Strong one day at time!
These BUZZ communications will continue to come weekly. They will, as usual, contain new news items in bold print and old/still relevant items not in bold.
Now here is some more important new information for you. Please read past letters as well if you have not already done so... You will also receive Fast Facts 20-21 as soon as they are complete. The Fast Facts would be a wonderful thing to keep on your refrigerator or someplace handy in your home as it answers many of the often asked questions about school life/year.
Quote of the Week: Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will (Mahatma Ghandi)
Staff Notes:
Other important new news (some look similar to last week, but have been updated):
- Thank you so much for all of the positive feedback we have received about our Remote Start, our Meet and Greets and last but not least, our amazingly talented and dedicated hard-working staff!!!
- Student Orientation Days: Elementary Meet and Greets - 8:20-9:20 (Please be aware that remote instruction may start later on these days as teachers will be tied up with visits). Arrival/dismissal of on-site students will be per usual on a school day: walk/bus or drop-off. Buses will travel on routes and pick up students who are waiting and return them home after the Meet and Greets. Teachers will send/have sent more information about these days. If you are dropping off for the Meet and Greets, please do not do so before 8:10 and pull all the way into the driveway past the Fire Station. Staff will come out for children at 8:10 and greet them on the playground. Other staff will bring students up from the bus loop.
- Students will be brought out to rainbow at 9:20; all cars should pull into front driveway in a single line* and wait for children. PLEASE put a sign in your window with your last name.
*Please do not pull into the driveway if it is full; go beyond the school and turn around and come back when you can pull in; we will stay with your children until you arrive; so no worries!
- Here is the link to bus transportation and the schedule for the Meet and Greet days:
Sept 21 - Cohort A (A-L) in person ; 8:20-9:20
Sept 22 - Cohort A (M-Z) in person ; 8:20-9:20
Sept 23 - remote learning for all; 8:20-9:20
Sept 24 - Cohort B (A-L) in person ; 8:20-9:20
Sept 25 - Cohort B (M-Z) in person; 8:20-9:20
- Electronic Devices- We have had a lot of questions about devices going back and forth to school; the only reason we are asking for that is normally we have chromebook and IPAD Carts for teachers to use as part of their instruction. They are never used all day and it certainly varies by grade level, and that is not the intention now either. They are used for things like: creative writing, Reflex Math, research etc...Since we are loaning out a lot of what is in our carts, it would be helpful if students have them to use. We COMPLETELY understand that families are concerned about expensive and bulky equipment going back and forth. All K-1 students will receiving school issued IPADS. Please let us know if you have a student in grades 2-5 who will need a chromebook.
- Zoom Picture Privacy- Thank you for respecting all of the Zoom Privacy Rules laid out by the teachers. I just wanted to mention one more thing, If you are taking a picture of your children, please do not include the Zoom screen with the other children's/staff faces. Thank you!!!
- Student Expectations for Virtual Learning:
- Please Find a space that is quiet and away from distractions
- Please Mute yourself upon entry and stay muted unless speaking
- Classroom and school rules apply
- Please Respect each other
- One person talks at a time
- Please Raise your hand(physically or using the raise hand button) if you have a question or need to respond
- Please Do not record, save, share or post the session
- Please Refrain from eating
- Please Log in on time
- Please Dress in school appropriate attire
- Your screen name should be your school name
- If chat feature is enabled, please only be used for questions or comments related to the topic being discussed
Zoom Expectations: We are going to engage in a remote connection opportunity through the use of live video communication. It is important that we continue to respect the privacy and intellectual property rights of our school community - our teachers and our students. By participating in this remote connection, you agree that you may not save, record, share, or post this session or any photos from this session. I also agree that I will not save, record, share or post this session or any photos from this session. The rules in school apply to this remote experience. Students must treat each other with respect during our time together and must obey school rules. By joining this session, you are agreeing to abide by these rules. If you or your parents do not agree to these rules, please disconnect from this session and contact me to receive an alternative connection opportunity.
- Google Classroom Tutorial for Families:
- Masks: Thank you for sending your child with a mask; it might be a good idea to put a spare mask in their backpacks.
- Daily Schedules: Teachers will continue to send out daily schedules This schedule will also delineate specials (Art, Gym, Music etc...) which will all be remote.
- Attendance will be taken daily in classes and specials.
- Snacks: Thank you for sending in nut free snacks at all times.
- Lunch: From Kim Smyth, Food Services Director (ksmyth@hinghamschools.org): Things will look a little different for lunch then it did pre-COVID. We have created a whole new way of service over the summer. Families and students can now order online. We have instructions on how to set that up here. For the online order accounts the ID to set up the account is your child's school lunch pin, the 4 digit number that they use at the register. You can find the school lunch pin on the student portal under student information or refer to the email sent on 9/4/2020. Please place your school lunch orders the night before but no later than 6AM the morning of request. Online ordering is a completely new concept for school lunch, and like anything we have found some limitations with the program. The online ordering menu will not have all the nutritional information you may need. We ask that you please refer to the calendar menu for all nutritional information
- PreK-1: All students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 will be issued a district issued iPad. We regret to tell you that the IPADS have been delayed by Apple until later this month. Updated communications regarding iPad distribution will be forthcoming. In the meantime, should your K-1 student need a device to get through the waiting period, please request a district-issued device by clicking on the attached link.
- Please be sure to check out the dates section as it delineates what is exactly going to happen each day.
- Please also read the communication that will come from Dr. Austin on Friday, September 18.
- Curriculum Nights: Grade levels will present these nights over Zoom the week of October 12. (Links and more information to follow.)
- District Reopening 2020-2021 - Hingham Public Schools (Website)
- Paid Help Wanted: The Hingham Public Schools need some cleaners for the HS and MS. People who are able to work on a regular schedule cleaning (contact Katie Hartman @ khartman@hinghamschools.org) and or bus monitoring. Pay = $16.12 per hour. Position for monitors may be up to 6 hours a day in a split shift M,T, Th, F. Contact Patrick Cunningham 781-741-1510
- SES Fast Facts for 20-21: A good idea to print and keep on your fridge:
https://hinghamschools.org/south-elementary-school/files/2020/09/COVID-FAST-FACTS-2020-2021.pdf
