RBS Principal’s Notes
August 28, 2020
It was so great having students back in the building, and everyone handled the transition and added mitigation measures very well. The sense of normalcy was so refreshing! Thank you for working with your children and preparing them for our new and different school year! We also appreciate your partnership and patience as we navigate this year. It’s important to remember, this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint.
Parent Resources
K-8 Hybrid Calendar Daily Health Screening for Students
RBS Hybrid Parent Guide Quarantine Protocols/Flowchart
RBS Remote Parent Guide RBS Welcome & Orientation Video
Bedford Reopening Plan NH Department of Education: 5 steps to expect if a student of staff member tests positive for COVID-19
Monthly Friday Schedule
September 4: Group B (L-Z)
September 11: Group A (A-K)
September 18: Group B (L-Z)
September 25: Group A (A-K)
IN THE NEWS:
Sickness/Quarantine Protocol
Please adhere to this FLOWCHART for protocols for sickness/symptoms of COVID-19. As I mentioned in a previous email: Please be prepared for children to be sent home if they are ill or display any symptoms of COVID-19. We ask that you display patience with our school nurse during these instances. In order for schools to stay open, it is imperative that we follow these protocols.
If your child typically suffers from season allergies and is seen by an allergist/doctor, please provide a doctor’s note to our nurse, Mrs. Ouellette. Please contact her with any questions.
Morning Announcements for Distance Learning & Remote Students
I would like for Distance Learning and Remote students to have access to in-school Morning Announcements. I feel like it better connects them to the school as well as provides some routine to their "home" days. I will be live streaming it using a Google Meet invitation that teachers will embed into their Google Classroom doc. It will take place each day at approximately 8:15 AM. It is not required and there’s nothing for parents to do. This is just an FYI.
RBS Picture Day – September 9th & 10th
- Group A Students (A-K) on Wednesday, Sept. 9th.
- Remote A-K Students: 11-1PM
- Group B Students (L-Z) on Thursday, Sept. 10th.
- Remote L-Z Students: 11-1PM
- Flyers will go home today (A-K) and Tuesday (L-Z).
- Flyers for Remote students are available in our vestibule for parents/guardians to pick up. You will receive more details from your child’s teacher
- Updated protocols from Geskus
- Informational Flyer
*Even if you will not be purchasing pictures, we will take your child’s picture (free of charge) because we use them each year in their cumulative folder as well as for their class picture (composite).
Parent Pick-Up
Please be sure to have a CLEARLY labeled sign with both the first name AND last name of the child(ren) you will be picking up at dismissal. Doing so saves a lot of time and helps our dismissal process run much smoother.
Infosnap
If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to complete the Infosnap process. If you do not have the email with the link/snapcode that was sent to you this summer, please contact the school office.
Automated Attendance Call
Again this year, families in the Bedford School District will receive a phone call confirming their child's absence via our "School Messenger" system. Once we have taken attendance, a message will be generated confirming your child's absence. This year, it will also include Distance Learning and Remote students. The elementary calls will go out at approximately 9:30 AM, McKelvie and Lurgio will go out at 10:30 AM and the BHS at 11:00 AM. If this call comes to you in error, please contact the Main Office, so that we can correct the attendance report.
NH Tackles Hunger Virtual Food Drive
Over the next month, residents of NH, businesses, schools and more will make monetary donations via LINK, and any funds that are collected for your assigned school will be credited to your Food Bank (Bedford Food Pantry) account at the conclusion of the drive. We will notify you then as to how much money was donated to your program via the high school.
Strings Program
Our Strings Program will be held remotely this year (or until further notice). If you are interested in having your child participate, please contact Aubrie Dionne at aubrie@mcmusicschool.org or by calling (603)644-4548 at the Manchester Community Music School.
Girl Scouts
This group is typically at our Meet and Greet, so in lieu of that, we are allowing this information to be sent home via Principal’s Notes.
REMINDERS:
Attendance
Attendance will be recorded daily. During Remote, In-school and Distance Learning days parents will need to call the Attendance Line if their child is unable to attend or participate.
Mask Requirement
Masks are required when social distancing is not possible (i.e. bus, hallways, bathrooms) and are recommended at all times. Please send in a cloth mask (preferable) with your child each day. Gaiters and bandanas are discouraged.
Pre-Ordering Student Lunches
Families are required to pre-order meals using the online system. Online ordering will be through www.sendmoneytoschool.com. Please click HERE for other important lunch information.
Principal/Parent Communication
As my primary form of communication, I will be sending you an email update every week—typically on Friday afternoon/evening. The email will include action items (highlighted in yellow), reminders, and other important information. I will also archive all of my notes on the RBS web page (Principal’s News). Parents, it is important that you review these notes each week and act on the action items, when necessary. I appreciate your partnership in this.
Drop-Off and Dismissal Procedures
Drop Off Time
Drop-off begins at 7:45 AM rather than 7:30 AM as we cannot have all of the students on the playground in the morning as we typically do. Students will go directly to their classrooms.
Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures
Drop Off (7:45 AM - 8:00 AM):
Starting at 7:45 AM, parents/guardians will drop off their children at the back circle (as you’ve typically done). Children will need to exit their vehicles on the passenger side. Staff members will be present to help direct traffic and guide children into the building.
Pick-Up (2:20 PM)
By 2:20 PM, students will be in the gym and ready to be dismissed to their parents/guardians' vehicles outside of the two gym doors. Parents/guardians will proceed to the back circle and loop around to the side of the gym. Staff members will be present to help direct traffic and dismiss children. Children will need to enter their vehicles on the passenger side.
Each vehicle should have a clearly labelled and visible sign with the first and last name(s) of the child(ren) being picked up, and parents/guardians must be prepared to show identification until duty people are familiar with you.
*The primary responsibilities for staff members during drop-off and pick-up are to direct traffic and guide students entering and exiting the building, not to unload or load children into vehicles. Please have your children practice exiting and entering your vehicle independently.
Dismissal Information & Identification
When providing dismissal information (i.e. who will be picking up your child(ren) from school), please use proper names instead of grandmother, nanny, neighbor, friend, etc. Staff members doing parent pick-up duty may need to ask for ID for those people they don't know, and therefore, need a name to go with the ID. Please be patient with staff members at the start of the year as they get to know parents/care takers.
PM Buses (Start of School Year)
Typically, for the first week and a half or so of school, we call Kindergarten and 1st grade students to line up for their afternoon buses prior to the older students. Consequently, it delays the departure of buses about 10-15 minutes. However, it's worth it in the end as it provides the little ones with a better sense of security and understanding during this hectic time of the day. We appreciate your understanding and patience with this!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
September 7 – Labor Day Observance – NO SCHOOL
September 8 – State Primary Election – NO SCHOOL
September 9 – RBS School Pictures Group A (A-K) *including Remote students
September 10 – RBS School Pictures Group B (L-Z) *including Remote students
September 18-20 – Rosh Hashana
September 25 – PTG Coffee with the Principals (9:30 AM)
September 27-28 – Yom Kippur
October 12 – Columbus Day Observance – NO SCHOOL
October 30 – End of Quarter 1
October 31 – Happy Halloween!
November 3 – Presidential Election – NO SCHOOL
November 6 – Report Cards Released (Grades 2-4)
November 11 – Veterans’ Day Observance – NO SCHOOL
November 25-27 – Thanksgiving Break
*Virtual Open House – TBD, more information to come
