Update on Test to Stay: With four classrooms in three schools out on quarantine last week, we are eager to start Test to Stay. We have complied with all of the advance work and are awaiting approval from the Agency of Education and the actual receipt of the test kits. We are aware of how disruptive closing a classroom is for kids and families and hope to get this option started very soon.
Vaccine Clinic at Neshobe on Tuesday, December 14th: VDH has chosen Neshobe to hold a vaccination clinic. Clinic is open to the public and slots are limited! Please use the state registration website VDH COVID-19 portal to register or call the Dept of Health 855-722-7878, Mon - Fri 8 AM - 4:30 PM, Sat/Sun 10 AM - 3 PM to register and give consent or if you have problems with registration. We cannot register students ourselves as parents must give consent.
CONFIRMING: February Vacation | Week of February 21. The correct February vacation is the week of February 21st. Below 👇 is the link to the full district calendar as released last year.
➤ Magnetic calendars distributed at the start of the school year indicated Feb 14. That was an error. We apologize this was not caught earlier! https://tinyurl.com/vy56p2wk
Opportunity to Participate in Equity Audit Focus Group! You are invited to participate in a focus group on December 6th from 5-7 PM. The (approximately 90 minutes) focus group for Parents/Community are part of a study being conducted by the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium (MAEC) to understand how RNESU can support a learning environment focused on safety, belonging, and equitable access to high-quality instruction and supports across our district. Feedback and thoughts will be kept STRICTLY confidential and anonymous. If you are willing to participate, please email swhite@rnesu.org.
Feedback Requested! RNESU has posted the draft ARP ESSER plans for COVID recovery funds on our website, and are actively seeking family and community input. Please visit the page below👇 for more information on our COVID Recovery Planning and/or to provide feedback! https://www.rnesu.org/page/covid-planning-recovery
REMINDER! Tomorrow, November 19th Early Release Day for Grades K-12.
➤ PreK will NOT have an early release day and will be in session on November 19th.
School Board Meetings and Board Openings: In August, Board meetings returned to in-person meetings with a zoom option for those who wish to attend virtually. Meeting information can be found on the district calendar or: BUU Board meets tomorrow, Nov. 15, 6 PM, RNESU Board meets Nov. 17, 5 PM @ Neshobe School, OVUU Board meets Nov. 17, 6 PM @ Neshobe School. Interested in serving on a school board? Go to the school board page on rnesu.org to learn what seats are open and to get a petition.
School Board Meetings and Board Openings: In August, Board meetings returned to in-person meetings with a zoom option for those who wish to attend virtually. Meeting information can be found on the district calendar or: BUU Board meets tomorrow, Nov. 15, 6 PM, RNESU Board meets Nov. 17, 5 PM @ Neshobe School, OVUU Board meets Nov. 17, 6 PM @ Neshobe School. Please join us!
Winter Sports Protocol: As winter sports begins, please know we will be following the guidance from the Agency of Education’s Memo on Winter sports, masking, tracing and contact tracing. See the full breakdown of expectations in the superintendent update from November 5.
Snow Day Protocol: Yes, it is time to talk about snow days. The weather has gotten cold and we have had hints of snow over the past few days. Here is our protocol: On bad weather days, we are not able to send our buses out if conditions to drive are unsafe. That decision is usually made between 5 and 6 AM after consulting with town crews and NOAA and our transportation coordinator. When possible, we decide the day before but we have to feel pretty certain the forecast will be accurate. Once the decision is made, a robocall goes out and we post on the TV and radio stations and social media. This year, snow days will be snow days and not remote learning days.
~From Lothrop Principal
Bus #2 will run about 30 minutes late tomorrow, November 12th, as they are short staffed. Bus #26 will run its regular route and then do Bus#2’s route. Bus 26 route is expected to be on time. Both Bus 26 and 2 will combine for the afternoon, tomorrow, so drop off times will vary.
Social Emotional Learning Resource for Parents Access: As part of Vermont’s COVID-19 education recovery efforts, the Agency of Education (AOE) is providing educators and parents with SEL VT, a virtual platform of free materials for understanding key elements of healthy social emotional learning (SEL). Strengthening students’ SEL skills and well-being are an important focus of Vermont’s statewide recovery plan. SEL VT contains a series of professionally developed modules to help educators easily incorporate materials into their own lesson planning. In addition, classroom teachers can provide a link to their students so they can directly access materials for lessons. This platform also provides parents and caregivers with free access to the materials so they can help with continued learning at home. Please visit the SEL VT Platform to register and access the tools and content: https://sel.education.vermont.gov/
Update on Test to Stay: As we continue to need to quarantine classrooms for a positive case, we are also working on getting the system up for a Test To Stay program. Once we are approved and receive kits, students who are identified as an unvaccinated close contact may choose to come to school and take a rapid antigen test at school each day for 7 days and remain in school as long as the test is not positive. This would minimize the time out of school for quarantines. We anticipate being able to do this when quarantine numbers are 20 or less; much larger outbreaks may take more staffing than we have available. Stay tuned, we will let you know when this program may begin as we wait to hear from the state.
~From Lothrop Principal
Tonight is the first night of Family Conferences. If you are attending in person, please check out the Lost and Found in the Entrance.
It is not too late to sign up for conferences. Please see the links in Panther Press! https://www.smore.com/0hpxa-panther-press
Optional Testing Available for Students Ages 5 and Up at Schools: Students may participate in optional PCR testing available at schools, every other Wed with the next date being Nov. 10. The testing is optional and not required. To participate, an initial consent form must be on file from a parent. Testing will be done in school using a nasal swab and test results will be sent to parents by email from the lab. Please click to give consent: https://www.cic-health.com/vermont
WHAT TO EXPECT:
➤ You will get a verification email from Binx, the lab that processes the tests, after signing up.
➤ The Binx email will tell you how to set up an account to get your results. Results should be in your account early Friday morning.
➤ Here is a video that explains the process of testing. COVID-19 testing in Vermont: How take your own sample - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aVTu2rja5k
VACCINATION UPDATES & CLINICS: Children ages 5-11 are now eligible for a vaccine. The VT Department of Health web page is full of resources for parents about the vaccine. Local pediatricians are also ready to answer questions and help parents with their decisions and can even give the shots. VDH has chosen two of our schools to hold vaccination clinics, thus far:
➤ Leicester (OCA): Thursday, Nov. 18 (1st dose with the second dose scheduled for Dec 9)
➤ Neshobe: Tuesday, Dec. 14 (with the second dose scheduled for Jan. 4)
TO REGISTER: Although we were first told these clinics would be closed just for our families, the state has opened registration to the public and slots are limited. Please use the state registration website VDH COVID-19 portal (linked below👇) to register or call the Dept of Health 855-722-7878, Mon - Fri 8 AM - 4:30 PM, Sat and Sun 10 AM - 3 PM to register, give consent, or if you have problems with registration. We cannot register students ourselves as parents must give consent.
https://vermont.force.com/events/s/selfregistration
RNESU Parent Update Nov 5 just posted in News and sent by email. Learn about snow days and sign up to participate in an equity focus group!
~From Lothrop School
Bus #26 and #2 will be combined again this afternoon, drop off times will vary.
~From Lothrop Principal:
Buses #2 and #26 will combine for the PM run today, 11/3. Drop off times will vary.
Vaccination clinics coming to #RNESU schools of Leicester and Neshobe. See news feed for more information www.rnesu.org