RBS Principal’s Notes
February 19, 2021
Parent Resources
K-8 Hybrid Calendar Daily Health Screening for Students
RBS Hybrid Parent Guide Quarantine Protocols/Flowchart
RBS Remote Parent Guide Bedford Reopening Plan
COVID-19 Schools Dashboard BSD Metrics Information
PROCEDURE TO REPORT COVID CASES OR CONTACT TRACES
For reporting purposes during out of school hours:
Please use THIS FORM to report if your child has tested positive for COVID.
Please use THIS FORM to report if your child has been contact traced.
Snow Day Count = 3 days (Tentative Last Day of School – June 11th)
*After the 5th snow day, we will need to make them up.
I want to wish everyone a relaxing and fun-filled February vacation!
IN THE NEWS:
RBS Random Acts of Kindness
As I mentioned in last week’s notes, this week was Random Acts of Kindness Week. I wanted to share some acts that happened in our school this week.
A remote kindergarten student made and delivered a card and cookies for his 90 year old neighbor.
Kindergarten students are making get well cards for their classmate who is in the hospital.
A kindergarten student slipped a surprise note onto a friend’s desk that said, “Do you wot to b mi frd?” (Do you want to be my friend?)
A first grade student offered his thanks and appreciation to the lunch room staff.
A first grade student recognized a classmate was frustrated and lent a helping hand.
A second grade student stayed off of the pirate ship, so that others could have more time on it.
A second grade student slipped a kind note under the door of a staff member who found it when she came to school in the morning.
Remote second grade students left encouraging notes for one another in Google Classroom.
Many RBS students are making and sending get well cards to a former RBS student who is in the hospital and needs cheering up.
There were MANY more! Thank you for raising and sending us such kind, thoughtful and giving children!
Enrichment Riddle of the Week
Ms. Babine will post a new riddle each Friday (below) and reveal the answer the following Thursday. Families are encouraged to think together and come up with as many creative solutions as possible, and can submit responses through the Google Form link included on my website.
PTG News and Information
KNOW THE FIVE SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS:
Back in 2017 Former Supreme Court Justice Broderick spoke to students, teachers and parents of Bedford about his own experience with mental illness in his family, the 5 signs of emotional distress and the need to change our perceptions and remove the stigma surrounding mental health. Although this video is 4 years old the message is still relevant today.
The Five Major Signs of Emotional Distress With Former NH Supreme Court Justice John Broderick
The Bedford PTG wishes you and your family a wonderful February Break!
REMINDERS:
Information to be Mindful Of
As we begin to bring the students into the building more, and essentially, “stress the system” of 3 vs. 6 ft. of distancing, I think the following information from Superintendent Fournier’s latest update (1/29/21) is important to be mindful of.
How can I help make sure this works and we keep moving forward?
Outside behavior impacts the school’s ability to stay open. We have significant evidence that sports without mitigation measures, sleepovers, birthday parties and large gatherings quarantine large numbers of students.
Quarantine vs. Elective Travel—FEBRUARY VACATION
I wanted to send a reminder about elective travel. If you do plan to travel outside of New England at any time, please make sure that you contact our nurse, Michele Ouellette (in addition to your child’s classroom teacher) as she is responsible for setting quarantine dates for our students and staff members.
Our schools have an obligation to provide an education to students who are required to quarantine and be excluded from school due to exposure. These students are a priority for our teachers (aside from the ones in front of them, of course). Families who elect to stay home or travel will not receive the same service as those students who are required to be excluded.
2021/2022 BSD School Calendar
Please click HERE for the 2021/22 School Calendar.
Protocol Information for Phase 2 of our Reopening Metrics
The district has now experienced 2 “green weeks.” As a result, the following will occur:
Kindergarten and first grade hybrid students will return for 100% (Monday-Friday) in-person learning beginning Monday, February 8th.
Grades 2-8 hybrid students will return to in-person learning on Fridays, beginning on Friday, February 12th.
Remote students will continue with their remote instruction.
Below is updated protocol information for K/1 (everyday) and all students on Fridays:
Distancing: We will now maintain 3 feet rather than 6 feet of distancing. Staff members will continue to maintain 6 feet of distancing. *NH DHHS still requires 6 feet for contact tracing purposes.
Lunch: Students who are getting a school lunch will enter the cafeteria and get in the lunch line, standing 3-6 ft apart and masked. They will sit 3 to a table, spaced 3 feet apart. 1-2 classes will eat in rooms 216/218, so that we can appropriately space out the students. Lunch tables will continue to be disinfected and rinsed after each lunch period. Please be sure to continue to pre-order meals. This is extremely helpful in the planning and production of meals. Pre-ordering meals can be done through www.sendmoneytoschool.com. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Emily Murphy (603-472-3755 x 21242) email murphye@bedfordnhk12.net. FYI all school meals remain free until the end of the school year.
Recess: Students will play with their classmates in their designated recess areas. Classes will not be mixed.
Drop off/Pick Up: These procedures will remain the same, but will definitely take longer, especially on Fridays. Once we have a baseline for how the procedures are working, we will make adjustments, if necessary.
Pick Up: Starting on Monday, we will be loading 12 cars at a time (we currently load 8), so please pull up to the crosswalk and leave as little space as possible between cars, so that we are able to load more children at once. Hopefully, this will help with the back up.
Buses: Buses, most likely, will be fuller. Students will sit 1 to a seat until they fill up, and then they will sit 2 to a seat. Students will continue to sit by grade level, wear masks and windows will be open/cracked.
Attendance: Kindergarten and K+ are full time programs. Students will not be able to attend kindergarten on a part time basis. The curriculum moves at a full time pace and teachers would not be able to “catch up” students who only attend part time. The same rule and logic applies for grades 1-4. There is no part time option for students to stay home on days that they are scheduled to be in school.
All other mitigation procedures will continue. We will do our best not to mix cohorts outside of the classroom, but there may be some circumstances when that is not possible (i.e. support services, etc.).
**Please take a look at Superintendent Fournier’s note about the implications of bringing the students into school more. You can find it HERE.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Registration (2021 – 2022)
Starting Monday, February 1st, you may download and print out registration packets from the RBS website (under the School Information tab—New Student Registration) or stop by our school to pick one up.
*Forms are being updated, and will not be available until February 1st.
The packets need to be returned to the school by Thursday, March 4th. A $525 deposit is required with the K+ registration (checks made out to Bedford School District).
A child must attain his/her 5th birthday on or before September 30, 2021 to be eligible for kindergarten.
A child must attain his/her 6th birthday on or before September 30, 2021 to be eligible for first grade.
Kindergarten students who are currently enrolled at RBS (or anywhere in the district) do not need to register for 1st grade.
Bedford Child Find
The Bedford School District will be conducting a free screening for Bedford Children ages 2 ½ to 6 years old who are suspected to have delays in one or more areas of development. For more information, please click HERE.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
February 22-26 – Winter Vacation
March 9 – District Workshop Day – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
March 27-April 3 – Passover
April 2 – End of Quarter 3
April 2 – Good Friday
April 4 – Happy Easter!
April 9 – Report Cards Released Online
April 12-25 – Online Scholastic Book Fair (more details to come)
April 26-30 – Spring Vacation
May 4 – Kindergarten Orientation (Format of event—TBD)
May 5 – Grade 1 Orientation (Format of event—TBD)
May 31 – Memorial Day Observed – NO SCHOOL
June 11 – Tentative Last Day of School
Events that will be scheduled once the last day of school is set:
Kindergarten Recognition Day (Format of event—TBD)
4th Grade Clap Out or Honk Out (Format of event—TBD)
BHS Senior Clap Out or Honk Out (Format of event—TBD)
