DAILY TAPA COVID-19 EMAIL

TAPA Daily COVID-19 Email - Wednesday 4/29

Distance Learning and “ReOpen RI”

There has been a lot of focus on Gov. Raimondo’s plan to ReOpen RI, which starts with lifting the Stay At Home order on May 8th. The whole plan is at www.reopeningri.com [reopeningri.com] , but the gist is that starting on the 8th some businesses and parks will reopen, and soon we’ll be allowed to be in public with groups of 10 people. We’re being asked to envision a “new normal" where we can go to restaurants as long as we wear masks and sit 6 feet apart.

This is an incredibly ambitious plan (even Massachusetts isn’t pushing this hard to reopen), and it is being done for economic reasons, rather than for health ones. When the plan to reopen rolls out, only about 8,000 people will have had the virus in RI: that means 92% of us are still susceptible . With a student body that is primarily Latinx, a demographic that has been hit hard by the Coronavirus, we can’t risk our students or families getting sick, either now or then. That fact makes me very reluctant to approve or implement any changes to TAPA’s only-virtual distance learning practices.

There’s still a week and a half until this plan is scheduled to roll out, and things can change overnight. Additionally, there’s no guarantee that May 8th is the launch day, and Gov. Raimondo has said "if Phase One doesn't work, we could go back to Stay At Home", so the outcome of this policy change isn’t guaranteed.

What is guaranteed is how TAPA is going to respond to it. As long as school buildings are closed, in-person school events or gatherings of any size cannot occur. TAPA will continue with fully-digital senior arts projects. All rehearsals will take place online, and we’ll continue exploring apps and other tools that will allow us to creatively digitize our art-making. We will have an online community celebration of the seniors, and plan for an in-person graduation as it’s safe for large groups to gather.

I so wish I could say that May 8th will be “the end of the Coronavirus,” but it’s simply not the case. While May 8th may bring back small snippets of our reality (please see 1A, below, for more info), it won’t bring back TAPA as we wish it could be. And so, for the safety of all, we will continue physically distancing but socially connecting through the end of the school year.

Thank you,

Ms. R-H

Here’s the Ish You Need To Know

1. The Latest News on Schools and COVID-19 in RI

A. ReOpen RI Plan - Phase One, Testing The Waters.

B. All RI Summer Events For More Than 50 People Cancelled

C. Tomorrow (Thursday 4/30) is the Last Day for Healthcare Open Enrollment

D. RI Receives a Data Quality Grade of A+ for our COVID-19 Data

2. Supports and Information for the TAPA Community

A. TAPA May/June Calendar Coming Soon

B. TAPA’s Pandemic Makeup Work Policy

C. FREE(!!) Arts Supplies for TAPA Students from our friends at New Urban Arts

D. College Decision Process Support for Seniors

E. COVID-19 PVD Area Mutual Aid and Community Assistance Group Resources

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1. The Latest News on Schools and COVID-19 in RI

A. ReOpen RI Plan - Phase One, Testing The Waters.

As mentioned above, the first phase of reopening RI is going to begin a week from Friday, on May 8. The plan is:
The stay at home order will be lifted, but social gatherings will be limited to 10 people.
Older adults (people 65 and older) and those with underlying health conditions will be able to go to work and to get food or medicine, but otherwise stay home.
Masks, vigilant hand-washing, and increased cleaning must remain in place.
Everyone who can work from home should still work from home.
All activities must account for strong social distancing guidelines of remaining 6-feet apart.

B. All RI Summer Events For More Than 50 People Cancelled

All summer events, including the Bristol 4th of July parade, the Newport Festivals, and similar, are cancelled for this summer. This includes weddings or other gatherings of over 50 people.

C. Tomorrow (Thursday 4/30) is the Last Day for Healthcare Open Enrollment

If you want to opt into a different health plan, the special open window that was prompted by the pandemic is only open for one more day. Please go to Health Source RI to enroll.

D. RI Receives a Data Quality Grade of A+ for our COVID-19 Data

The data that is presented daily by the RI Department of Health has been graded an A+ on a national level. Few other states are providing the level of data, as quickly and as accurately, as Rhode Island is.

2. Supports and Information for the TAPA Community

A. TAPA May/June Calendar Coming Soon

The last day of school at TAPA for the 2019-2020 school year will be on Thursday June 18th, several days earlier than had been previously planned. TAPA students will have online open-book final exams in the week(s) before.

B. TAPA’s Pandemic Makeup Work Policy

This policy is for makeup work for students affected by COVID, those on Minuto’s “Students Requiring Compassion” email, as well as for any students who request makeup work for Q3:

During the period of distance learning, when students require makeup work, the teacher should choose one substantial assignment which they feel the student is capable of doing and which is the most meaningful learning experience, and give that one assignment as the makeup work for the class. The grade for that assignment should then replace all grades for the period that the student was excused (For students requesting make up work for Q3, the grade for that assignment should replace three of the students lowest grades for the quarter).

C. FREE(!!) Arts Supplies for TAPA Students from our friends at New Urban Arts

New Urban Arts is working with Jerry's Artarama and DASH Bicycle Delivery service to deliver art supplies to students for free! Students can sign up on an online order form for one of three art kits: a drawing kit, a watercolor kit, or a mixed media kit. They can access the art kit order form here.

New Urban Arts has also created a website with project prompts specific to these three art kits and the supplies that are in them. You can find that information here: newurbanarts.org/aka. New Urban Arts are also posting music making prompts every Monday on their Instagram and Facebook pages.

D. College Decision Process Support for Seniors

Most seniors make their college decision around the first week in May, and at TAPA our goal is to know where a student plans to attend by May 8th.
Ms. Bryant meets regularly with 12th graders and their families on Google Hangouts to discuss college options, in Spanish and/or English according to preference. If you are a senior parent and would like to speak to Ms. Bryant, feel free to email at ms.bryant@tapaprovidence.org or text 563-9929. We know this decision can be overwhelming even in normal times, and we WILL make sure your child gets the support they need for college. Here is a guide created by Ms. Bryant and TAPA Alumni to compare financial aid and other factors between URI, CCRI and RIC: TAPA College Decision Process Guide - English

E. COVID-19 PVD Area Mutual Aid and Community Assistance Group Resources

Please click on the link above for resources about:
Community Testing
Community Fundraising
Community Organizations
Request & Offer Assistance
Food Assistance & Resources
Statewide Community Action Programs
Unemployment, Government Programs & Assistance
Health & Safety
Addiction & Recovery Resources
Resources for Children/Education
Businesses Offering Assistance
Other Resources
General Information

Other Useful Resources include:
Rhode Island Department of Health
COVID-19 hotline: 401-222-8022 or call 211 after hours
Rhode Island Commerce Small Business Hotline: 401-521-HELP
Volunteer: Rhode Island Responds, Medical Supply Donations, Manufacturer and Supplier Offer
Food delivery for people in quarantine: RI Delivers, or call 211 or 401-462-4444
KidsLink for Youth Mental Health 1-855-543-5465
Resource for Inexpensive Hotel Rooms - rihavens.com
Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence who need to relocate: HERE

Online Arts Opportunities from TAPA Artists:
Bring Your Own Improv online Family Friendly improv comedy every Friday at 7:00pm: www.bringyourownimprov.com
Glitter Goddess Collective Free Virtual Community Yoga every morning at 10am EST: https://www.facebook.com/matthewgarza

Boletín Informativo de TAPA Sobre COVID-19 - Miércoles 29 de Abril

Aprendizaje a Distancia y "ReApertura de RI"

Se ha prestado mucha atención al plan de la Gobernadora Raimondo para ReAbrir a RI, que comienza con el levantamiento de la Orden de Queda el 8 de Mayo. Todo el plan está en www.reopeningri.com , pero lo esencial es que a partir del día 8 se reabrirán algunos negocios y parques, y pronto se nos permitirá estar en público con grupos de 10 personas. Se nos pide visualicemos una "nueva normalidad" en donde podemos ir a restaurantes siempre y cuando usemos máscaras y nos sentemos a 6 pies de distancia.

Este es un plan increíblemente ambicioso (ni Massachusetts está presionando tanto para reabrir), y se está haciendo por razones económicas, más que por razones de salud. Cuando se implemente el plan para reabrir, solo alrededor de 8,000 personas habrán tenido el virus en RI: eso significa que el 92% de nosotros todavía somos susceptibles . Con un cuerpo estudiantil que es principalmente Latino, un grupo demográfico que ha sido muy afectado por el Coronavirus, no podemos tomar el riesgo de que nuestros estudiantes o familias se enfermen, ni ahora ni después. Ese hecho me inquieta y tengo muchas reservas en aprobar o implementar cualquier cambio en las prácticas de aprendizaje a distancia de TAPA.

Todavía hay una semana y media hasta que este plan se implemente, y las cosas pueden cambiar de la noche a la mañana. Además, no hay garantía de que el 8 de Mayo sea el día del lanzamiento, y la Gobernadora Raimondo ha dicho "si Fase 1 no funciona, podríamos regresar a la Orden de Queda", por lo que el resultado de este cambio de política no está garantizado.

Lo que si está garantizado es cómo TAPA va a responder. Mientras los edificios escolares estén cerrados, los eventos escolares en persona o reuniones de cualquier tamaño no pueden ocurrir. TAPA continuará con proyectos de arte de 4to año totalmente digitales. Todos los ensayos se realizarán en línea y continuaremos explorando aplicaciones y otras herramientas que nos permitirán digitalizar creativamente nuestra creación artística. Tendremos una celebración comunitaria planeada para los estudiantes de 4to año y planificaremos tener una graduación en persona cuando el reunirnos en grupos grandes sea seguro.

Desearía poder decir que el 8 de Mayo será "el fin del Coronavirus", pero simplemente no es el caso. Mientras el 8 de Mayo puede traer consigo pequeños fragmentos de nuestra realidad (consulte 1A a continuación para obtener más información), no regresaremos a TAPA de la manera que deseamos. De tal manera, por la seguridad de todos, continuaremos distanciandonos físicamente pero conectándonos socialmente hasta el final del año escolar.

Gracias

Ms. R-H

He Aquí lo Que Necesita Saber

1. Lo Más Reciente Sobre las Escuelas y COVID-19 en RI

A. Plan de ReApertura de RI - Fase 1 Tanteando el Terreno

B. Todo Evento de Verano en RI para Más de 50 Personas Cancelado

C. Mañana (Jueves 4/30) es el Último Día para la Inscripción Abierta de Plan Médico

D. RI Recibe un A+ como Grado por Calidad de Datos por sus Estadísticas de COVID-19

2. Apoyos e Información para la Comunidad de TAPA

A. Calendarios de Mayo/Junio de TAPA Disponibles Pronto

B. Política de Trabajo de Recuperación de TAPA Durante la Pandemia

C. Suministros de Arte GRATIS(!!) para Estudiantes de TAPA de Nuestros Amigos en New Urban Arts

D. Apoyo con Decisión Universitaria para Estudiantes de 4to Año

E. Recursos de COVID-19 de PVD Area Mutual Aid y Grupo de Asistencia Comunitaria