The Big Cat Courier

Everyone at Henry Barnard School is excited to welcome you back! By the time our students return, we will have been out of the building for just shy of six months. While nobody could have predicted way back in March what this year's school opening would look like, what I can tell you now is that the staff at HBS is preparing to provide students with the best possible social, emotional, and academically rich program of study possible. There is no doubt that this school opening will look and feel different than any we have experienced in the past but what will be the same is our staff's commitment to our students and their families.

Welcome back Big Cats!

J. Graham - Principal

In the spring, Enfield Public Schools began to prepare for the possibility that we may have to follow a distance learning model, in some form, during the 2020-2021 school year. I am proud to share that EPS is now a 1:1 District where every student will be issued an iPad for instructional purposes.

What if I already have a loaner iPad from last spring?

In order to receive your new student iPad, all loaner devices will need to be returned to the school where they originated. For instance, if you are an incoming kindergarten family that is in possession of an iPad from one of our programs at SELC, you will need to return the iPad there in order to be cleared to pick up your new iPad at HBS.

When?

Student iPads will be distributed to families this Thursday, September 3, 2020.

What time?

Student Last Name A-K = 8:30-11:15 AM

Student Last Name L-Z = 12:15-3:00 PM

Where?

The front circle at Henry Barnard School.

How?

-Please drive into the front circle and pass by the front doors to the end of the overhang.

-Remain in your car and a masked staff member will approach the vehicle's window. For your safety and ours, please remain masked through the entire process.

-Present the staff member with 1) your completed tech form from the Technology handbook and if insuring your device, a check for the appropriate amount made out to Enfield Public Schools 2) Your driver's licence or other State issued ID.

-A staff member will then deliver an iPad, keyboard iPad cover, iPad charger, and a student sized cloth face mask to your vehicle.

Friday morning, each classroom will hold a short virtual orientation/meet and greet for students and families. This will give you and your child the opportunity to see your classroom teacher (masked and unmasked), see the classroom, and to speak with your classroom teacher before the first day of school.

These individual classroom events will be held via Microsoft Teams, the virtual meeting platform used by Enfield Public Schools. Classroom teachers will send out an invitation to join their virtual Teams classroom so it is important that you set up your child's iPad before the events begin on Friday morning. Technical support for families can be found in the form of instructional video clips here: http://www.enfieldschools.org/tech_support Specific student information can be found on the student assignment letter you received in the mail last week.

Friday morning's events will be scheduled by grade level to ensure that families with children at multiple grade levels have the ability to attend each meeting.

9:00-9:30 Kindergarten

9:30-10:00 1st Grade

10:00-10:30 2nd Grade

There are also two Welcome videos posted on the Henry Barnard School website for students and families. The first is for all students and the second is focused on our new Kindergarten students. Click on the link and take a look: https://henry.sharpschool.com/

You will be receiving additional information in the coming days about what students and families can expect next week when we open our doors. Please stay tuned!

Email: jgraham@enfieldschools.org
Website: https://henry.sharpschool.com
Location: 27 Shaker Road, Enfield, CT, USA
Phone: 860-253-6540
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnfieldPublicSschools/
Twitter: @EnfieldPS