2 Parsons Street

Northampton, Massachusetts 01060

413-587-1460 (phone) 413-587-1474 (fax)

Dr. Beth N. Choquette, Principal bchoquette@northamtpon-k12.us

Elizabeth Peterson, Administrative Assistant epeterson@northampton-k12.us

Jordan Celino, Secretary jcelino@northampton-k12.us

Nora DeJasu, Head Teacher ndejasu@northampton-k12.us

Would you like this news letter translated? Here are the steps to have it translated:

At the top of the weekly email, there's a link that reads "View it in your browser," click that and it takes you to the post on a webpage.

Scroll to the bottom where there's a black menu bar and pick the option that says "Translate."

Select the language you would like it translated in and it will then translate it on the webpage.

Le gustaría traducir esta carta de noticias? Aquí están los pasos para traducirlo:

En la parte superior del correo electrónico semanal, hay un enlace que dice "Verlo en su navegador", haga clic en eso y lo llevará a la publicación en una página web.

Desplázate hacia la parte inferior donde hay una barra de menú negra y elige la opción que dice "Traducir".

Seleccione el idioma en el que desea traducirlo y luego lo traducirá en la página web.

Good evening. I hope you are all doing well and had a nice weekend. This will be my last weekly until January 3rd. The district has put a pause on in-person learning through January 8th. Therefore, ALL students will be remote December 21st, 22nd, 23rd and January 4th-8th. All students who chose the in-person hybrid model will return to in-person learning on Monday, January 11th. Please remember to send in-person students to school with their Chromebooks and chargers each day that they are in school along with a water bottle as students will not be able to use the water bubblers only the water filling stations. Finally, all students and caregivers should do the family and student daily health checklist before coming to school each day.

There will be no in-person learning or synchronous learning for 4th and 5th grade students on December 22nd and 23rd. All 4th and 5th grade instruction will be asynchronous on those two days in order for teachers to prepare their classrooms for the return of in-person 4th and 5th grade students on January 11th. This includes students who are currently receiving instruction/services in-person. All 4th and 5th grade students who will be returning in person January 11th should read the Updated Hybrid Return: Logistics, and watch the video.

As stated in my town halls, families will have the option to switch from remote to in-person starting in January. All requests should be made via email to me. We will do a staggered entry as we did in the fall. After you have made your request, I will email you the date your child can begin. The staggered return dates deadline for students who want to change from remote to in-person are below. These dates are the latest that your child would be returning for each grade level. Students who are not currently signed-up for hybrid learning should not return in-person until they receive a date from me as to when they can return.

PreK-1 January 19

2-3 February 8

4-6 March 1

I would like to thank all of you for your continuous support and trust. It has been so wonderful to have your children back in the building. I look forward to seeing them all the week of January 11th. In the meantime, take a break. If you can, please try to keep your children off of the "screen." They have had so much time looking into a screen, they need a break just like all of us. Take care of yourselves, be safe, stay healthy, and most of all have a peaceful and wonderful break. Wishing you peace and joy. See you in 2021!

Hello 4th and 5th Grade Caregivers,

I wanted to let you know that we have figured out which hybrid classes will be here on Mondays and Tuesdays, and which classes will be here on Thursdays and Fridays. I realize that these days may not be what you had originally hoped for, and I so hope you can work things out in your families. I did my best to have siblings on the same day as well as students who are in caregiver pods on the same day. A priority was also to keep your child with their current teacher.

Thank you for your ongoing patience and support during these challenging times.

In-person learning resumes on January 11th. All students will continue with remote learning January 4th-8th.

4th Grade Zyskowski will be hybrid (in-person) on Monday and Tuesday.

4th Grade Byl (Ms. Liz) will be hybrid (in-person) on Thursday and Friday.

5th Grade Daniels will be hybrid (in-person) on Monday and Tuesday.

5th Grade Dion will be hybrid (in-person) on Thursday and Friday.

If you have not had a chance to watch our video for the return to school, you can see it here at this link: https://youtu.be/KA-9Kr4PtH8 To translate the video into a different language, please follow these steps.

How to Translate Video

Step One: Click on the video link below.

Step Two: Turn Closed Caption icon on at the bottom right side of video (it looks like a small box with the letters CC in it.)

Step Three: Click on Settings icon at the bottom right side of video (it looks like a little wheel).

Step Four: Select Subtitle language and play video.

Please see the following attachments.

Please see the attached for information.

Due to no participating in the Walking School Bus last week, it will not run this week. The WSB will resume on January 11th. Please see the information below if you are interested in signing up.

We are pleased to announce that the Bridge Street WSB will be available to assist families with transportation needs during the hybrid model of education. Our hope is to bring back both the Lumberyard and Sheldon Field routes. However, due to the limited number of available WSB drivers, we are asking caregivers to preregister their students for the WSB in order to determine driver and route availability. Please fill out the WSB Student Registration Form by December 30th if you would like your student(s) to ride the WSB. Detailed information regarding route availability and times will be shared once registration is complete. **Please note that for the health and safety of all students and drivers, WSB participants will be required to wear a mask while on the WSB unless a medical exception has been approved by the BSS school administration.**Please contact WSB Coordinator Stephanie Pouliot if you have any questions about the WSB. The WSB is also in need of drivers, so please contact Stephanie if you or someone you know would like to volunteer your time to the WSB. We will take as little or as much time as you can give!

Just a reminder that if you can help out former NPS teacher, Julie Spencer-Robinson with her dissertation research, it would be appreciated.

Survey link: https://umassamherst.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5pTgPjYXD9qybNH

All meals (both in school and at sites) are free for the entire school year!

The USDA has extended Free Meals for Kids until 6/30/2021. The NPS Food Service Department is committed to providing all students with free nutritious and nourishing food that will support them both in school and at home.

All in-person learners will be offered a healthy breakfast and lunch every school day at no cost in a safe environment.

Beginning Wednesday 12/2, seven days’ worth of grab and go meals can be picked up at the following locations and times:

· Hampshire Heights 11-12pm

· Florence Heights 11-12pm

· Meadowbrook Apartments 11-12pm

· 236 Pleasant Street 11-12pm

· Northampton High School round-about from 4-5pm

All meal pick-up services and in-school meal services are provided in a contact-less and safe manner. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the food service office at (413) 587-1487

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j0wNen-JBwZJdCeDs2ui5zQjbLQoo8OzOanLU7VEE30/edit?ts=5f748266

If you are planning on traveling out of state for the upcoming holiday, please be aware of the state travel order put in place by Governor Baker. If you travel to ANY state that is restricted, you must have a Covid-19 test (PCR preferably) done either before leaving the state you traveled to (within 72 hours before leaving) or upon return to Massachusetts. Until you produce a negative test result, you must quarantine for 14 days. There is no exception to this mandate.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-order

Please take a moment to watch this wonderful video as a resource to help you in caring for the mental health and emotional well-being of your children.

https://handholdma.org/