Today was a magical day at McGovern! It was wonderful to give our students, virtual and in person, a little bit of normalcy today. Students were buzzing with excitement about Valentine's Day and they really enjoyed passing out and receiving cards.
Our faculty and staff also thoroughly enjoyed the sweet messages as we walked through the bitter cold to enter school today. Thank you MEPTO for showing us some love and appreciation today. We are so grateful!
We hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing vacation. Stay healthy and stay safe!
Best,
Amy McDonald, Principal
Students recorded themselves reading their stories. They had to put all of their skills and strategies to use to bring their characters and book to life.
Travel Reminder
From Dr. Pires' recent communication:
As a friendly reminder, as you prepare for February break, please keep in mind the State’s travel policy and general guidelines. The Governor’s order requires you to quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. If not obtained before entry to Massachusetts, a test may be obtained after arrival. However, all such arriving travelers must immediately begin the 10-day quarantine until a negative test result has been received.
For additional information, please refer to the gathering guidance and the Massachusetts Travel Form, click on the links below:
CDC Guidelines on Safe Celebrations
In addition there have been changes to the travel restrictions regarding children. Testing for children, 10 years and younger, who are traveling with an adult from their household is not required. Children 10 years and younger should mimic the quarantine requirement and testing options completed by the household adult they accompanied for travel. If the accompanying adult chooses to quarantine, the child must also quarantine. If the accompanying adult chooses to obtain a test, the child and adult must quarantine until the adult’s negative test result is received. The complete Travel Order can be found here.
Meal Distribution During February Break
Elementary Principals' Office Hours
Please click here to register for the event.
McGovern Report Card
Dear Families:
Every year, each public school and school district in Massachusetts receives a report card. Just as your child’s report card shows how they are doing in different subjects, the school’s report card is designed to show families how our school is doing in different areas. A link to a fact sheet about the report card can be found here: here. A link to our district’s report card is available at McGovern Elementary School 2020 DESE Report Card.
The report card includes multiple measures of a school’s performance – more than just MCAS scores. It represents a new way of looking at school performance, by providing information on student achievement, teacher qualifications, student learning opportunities, and more.
Report cards are designed to be useful tools for everyone connected to our school. Families can use the information to have meaningful conversations with us about what the school is doing well and where there is room for improvement. Community and education leaders can use the information to better understand how to support students and our school.
We encourage you to become involved in helping us improve our school. We see parents as critical partners in the success of our students and school, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Finally, as your child attends a school that receives federal Title I funds, you also have the right to request the following information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teachers:
Whether your child’s teacher is licensed in the grade levels and subject areas they teach,
Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under an emergency license or waiver,
The college degree and major of your child’s teacher, and
Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
If you have questions about our district report card, would like to become involved in school improvement activities, or would like to request information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher, please contact Mrs. Amy McDonald, principal.
Sincerely,
Gabrielle Abrams
Assistant Superintendent
Medway Public Schools
Preschool Lottery and Registration
Our preschool supports and educates three and four year old students who have been identified with a disability, along with a limited number of “community peers.” You can find out more information about our Integrated Preschool program, proposed costs, and additional lottery information in our Preschool Lottery and Registration Information document.
The preschool lottery, for community peers, will take place on Monday, March 8, 2021
from 10:00 AM-11:00 AM. In order to be considered for the lottery you need to complete
either the online or paper Lottery Registration Form. Please click here for an online
Lottery Registration Form. If completing the paper version (Page 6 of the "Preschool Lottery and Registration Information" Document), the lottery application should be returned to the McGovern School no later than March 5, 2021. We will notify families of lottery results by March 10, 2021. Finally, registration for students attending the Integrated Preschool must be completed by April 14, 2021.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school at 508-533-3243 or via email amcdonald@medwayschools.org. Finally, here is a quick overview of the registration process for community peers.
Kindergarten Registration
The district will open registration for incoming kindergarten students for the 2021-2022 school year on March 1, 2021.
Please share with your neighbors and friends that live in Medway and who have children that will be 5 years old by August 31st as they are eligible for kindergarten.
More information and timelines about the "Road to Kindergarten" will be shared in the next newsletter. Registration will take place electronically, and to help with your planning, the following documents are required for online registration:
Proof of Residency
Utility bill
Signed purchase and sale (occupancy must take place within sixty days)
Current tax bill
Birth Certificate (Children must be 5 by August 31, 2021)
Copy of most recent physical exam- should be within the last year
An immunization record from the physician
A copy of current 504/Individual Education Plan (IEP), if applicable
Legal court documentation of guardianship, if applicable. If divorced or separated, you will need to show legal or official court documentation indicating that you are the custodial parent and have physical custody of your child.
Free and reduced price school meals application, if applicable
Please note, all of the above must be submitted to complete the registration process: No child will be able to register without the documentation.
Student Testing
Dear Medway staff and families,
We wanted to share some COVID-19 related updates including details of our student testing program and an updated COVID-19 Data Table.
We are excited to begin implementing a regular COVID-19 testing program for our students. We are pleased to share that we are planning to begin testing next week for students in grades 5-12. Students in cohorts A and C, as well as all 5th grade students, will be tested every Tuesday starting February 9. Students in cohort B will be tested every Thursday starting February 11. As mentioned in a previous communication, this program is voluntary.
If you would like your student to participate, you must complete a consent form on their behalf. Please note that students who are 18 must sign their own consent form. As noted above, student testing in grades 5-12 will commence on February 9. Additionally, we plan to start offering testing for students in grades 2-4 the week of March 1 and potentially in grades K-1 during the week of March 8. Families of children in any grade who would like their child to participate in pool testing, may indicate their interest now by completing the consent form which is linked below.
Please download, complete, scan, and return the form below, via email to: testingconsent@medwayschools.org.
Student COVID-19 Testing Consent Form
If you would like a paper copy of the consent form, you can pick one up at your child’s school. Also, we received helpful information about how to easily scan and email a document from your smartphone. A brief explanatory video can be found here.
The consent form must be completed by Monday, February 8 in order for your student to participate in the first week of testing. Questions or concerns about the consent form or the testing program can be directed to Kylie O’Neill at koneill@medwayschools.org.
For more information regarding Medway’s response to COVID-19, click here.
For more information about pool testing, click here.
We also wanted to share some opportunities to learn more about our testing partner. Concentric by Ginkgo is offering parents the opportunity to participate in a webinar and ask questions. Please find the registration link here. There is also some additional helpful information from Concentric by Ginkgo that can be found here.
Chromebook Home Page
Hello families, the Chromebooks are here! Hip hip hooray!
I would like to make a request that you please do not change your child's landing/home page from Clever. This is incredibly important when we are working on technology in the classroom, as it ensures a smooth classroom flow and helps build a child's independence when navigating their Chromebook.
Thank you so much!
Mrs. Fogaren
Nurse's Notes
As you may be aware, The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is removing the requirement for flu vaccination for attendance in childcare/preschool, primary, secondary and postsecondary education.
As a reminder, if your child is not feeling well, please keep them home!
Thank you and stay healthy!
Penny McKay, Nurse
Close Contact Guidelines Definition
Please see the below message from Dr. Pires regarding an update on the close contact definition.
DESE recently updated their guidelines to reflect an updated definition of a close contact. The new definition is An individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
An important caveat to this definition is that multiple brief or transitory interactions (less than a minute) throughout the day are unlikely to result in 15 minutes of cumulative contact and do not meet the definition of close contact.
This change will certainly make the definition of close contacts more challenging and will likely lead to more close contacts being identified. It is important that all staff are aware of this definition and take active steps to ensure that we are not unnecessarily creating close contacts, particularly with other staff.
Yearly Student Information Update - Online Registration- ACTION REQUIRED!
We request that all families complete the beginning of year packet [Online Registration] in the parent portal to ensure we have the most up to date information for you and your child. To access OLR in the portal, login and choose MORE > Online Registration. Please follow the prompts to complete this information. If you are new to Medway or in need an access code to create an account, please email support@medwayschools.org.
We are only at an 18% completion rate and it is critical that all families update their information so that we have the most up-to-date contact information.
Medway Public Schools COVID-19 Information Hub
To provide families with the latest information and resources related to COVID-19, we have created a COVID-19 information hub, which can be accessed here, and by visiting our district’s homepage. Please visit this site for information about school/community COVID-19 health data, positive test reporting, student protocols, and local testing sites.
Covid Response Hotline
In order to ensure confidentiality and begin Contact Tracing as soon as possible, the District has established lines of communication if ever you need to report a positive COVID Test.
Report a student positive COVID test results by either emailing or calling the hotline below:
- covid@medwayschools.org
- 508-321-4779
Nutritional Support / Remote School Lunches
In order to ensure that children’s nutritional needs are satisfied during this period of remote learning, we are offering any Medway resident under the age of 21 the opportunity to access free school meals every day of the week and/or food to prepare meals at home. For more details about these offerings and to sign-up for remote meals please click here.
Dressing for Recess and Outdoor Time
Please be sure to dress your child in layers. Students go out for recess daily for 25 minutes. In addition, students may have music or wellness classes, which are also taught outside for 40 minutes.
Here is a helpful graphic to ensure that students are arriving to school with the best layers and apparel as we transition from warmer temperatures to the crisp cooler air. What is also hard is weather like this week and have a 23 degree morning on Thursday as compared to a 46 degree morning on Friday. Please remember that we keep windows open on the bus and in the classroom to increase air flow. When it is really cold outside, teachers will have one window that is cracked. Even this can increase the air flow throughout the classroom.
Finally, on snowy days, students will need boots, snow pants, a hat, mittens, and winter coat. Flexibility... the key word to this year! Students can always take a layer off if they are hot, but the same can't be said if they are cold.
Communication
Shamrock Shuffle!
Calling all Artists! Participate in the 2021 Shamrock Shuffle Logo Design Contest! The Medway Elementary PTO is looking for logo design submissions for the 10th Annual Shamrock Shuffle. The winning logo will be featured on the official 2021 Shamrock Shuffle t-shirts and the winner will receive a $25 giftcard to the Muffin House! Entries should be relevant to both St. Patrick’s Day and the race; please include your name and age upon submission. All entries must be sent to MEPTOshuffle@gmail.com through January 31, 2021. Good luck!
The 10th Annual MEPTO Shamrock Shuffle is going virtual!
The pandemic can’t stop us – please join us for the 10th Annual MEPTO *VIRTUAL* Shamrock Shuffle in March! Details can be found here.
Do you need the Smore Newsletter Translated?
Here is the link for the master directions in English.
Here is the link for Spanish.
Here is the link for French.
Here is the link for Russian.
Here is the link for Arabic
Haga clic en los siguientes enlaces para obtener instrucciones sobre cómo traducir el boletín.
Aquí está el enlace para español.
Here is the link for Spanish.
Veuillez cliquer sur les liens suivants pour savoir comment traduire le bulletin d'information.
Here is the link for French.
Пожалуйста, нажмите следующие ссылки для получения инструкций о том, как перевести информационный бюллетень.
Вот ссылка на русский.
Here is the link for Russian.