(603) 964-5501

201 Atlantic Avenue 

Translate

North Hampton School

Weekly Note from Ms. Snyder 12/11

Dear NHS Community,

 

I’d like to thank you for your support and understanding with the recent Covid-19 increase in cases locally and within our school. Often, we get word that a person has tested positive or been exposed directly to someone who has tested positive or is experiencing symptoms that are very likely Covid-related at odd hours. This has meant emails and phone calls at times that are inconvenient and some changes on short notice. Knowing that at North Hampton, we are a community that works together to support one another makes this just a little easier---although I know there is nothing easy about it.

 

I also appreciate your understanding that we must follow privacy guidelines and cannot give details about a case that would specifically identify a person who may have tested positive. This has led to some parents looking for more information and we try to provide it in ways that honor privacy and privacy laws. At this point I can tell you that 3 staff members have tested positive. One worked directly with both 5th grade classes and the other 2 hold positions that make it extremely difficult to say with certainty who may have been exposed. This means that students in grades other than 5th grade have not necessarily had  direct contact with someone who has tested positive, but it is possible that they have a secondary exposure. We have had a few frequently asked questions and you will find responses below:

 

How do I know if my child has been exposed to Covid-19 at school?  Does my child need a Covid-19 test?

 

At this point the only known exposures are in 5th grade.The 2 other staff members with confirmed positive Covid results have minimal contact with students and present a lower risk of exposure. If your child or any member of your family is exhibiting ANY symptom that overlaps Covid-19 (including runny nose or GI issues,) PLEASE  get a test and report results to Nurse Mara. Fever does NOT need to be present-and often is not.

 

Is it OK for my child to participate in activities like sports or community events? 

 

If a student is quarantined- NO, please stay home to reduce the spread in the community. At this time only the 5th grade is considered to be in quarantine.

 

Does our entire family need to quarantine? 

 

No, unless there is a direct exposure to a confirmed positive case.

 

When will classes resume in person for grades PK-5?

 

We are planning on classes resuming in person on Jan. 4, 2021, provided conditions allow at that time.

 

What if I have an issue with my child’s technology device?

 

If your child’s school issued laptop or iPad is not working properly, please contact Demetri Mattis at dmattis@sau21.org. School issued laptops and iPads are for school use only and should not be used for other purposes. A remote web filter has been installed on all devices.

 

Are there hotspots available to use if our internet connection is not sufficient?

 

If you are in need of a hotspot as your internet connection please contact Ms.Vas at dvascocellos@sau21.org

Once you contact Ms. Vas hotspots will be available for pickup at the North Hampton School office on Monday, December 14th between 7:30 AM and 11:00 AM.  If you are unable to pick up at that time Ms.Vas will arrange a mutually agreed upon time to obtain one.

When contacting Ms. Vas please include the following..

1 Student's first and last name

2. Student's school email

3. Parent's first and last name

4. Parent's home email address

5. Best phone number for us to call

 

How are special education services being provided?

 

Special Education services will be provided remotely.  Special Education Teachers/Case Managers and Related Service providers will contact each family individually to schedule times for services.  During this communication, Special Education staff and Related Service providers will work with each family to determine when services will be provided and what will be covered during the sessions.  Given the nature of this situation, the Special Education department understands how overwhelming this is and is willing to work with each family to ensure that the fidelity of the services is intact.  Please contact Aisha Weaver aweaver@sau21.org with any questions or concerns.

 

Are school meals available? How do I get them? Is there a cost?

 

Meals will be available for pick up through December 23rd.  Please contact pfield@sau21.org and let me know how many students you will be picking up for.  We want to insure we have enough meals available and avoid waste.  Pick up is on the parent drop off side of the building.  You just pull up by loading dock area, call the school phone number and enter extension 219.  Tell us how many students you are picking up for and we will run the bags out to your car.  Please be sure to wear a mask for the protection of all involved.

Meals are picked up Monday (Monday & Tuesday meals), Wednesday (Wednesday & Thursday meals) and Friday – (Friday, Saturday & Sunday meals).  Pick up is between 9:00- 11:00 on those days.  We hope to see you curbside but if not have a wonderful Winter break.  

Meal service will continue as always after break.  Please consider this option if you have students at home that could benefit from these meals. School meals are offered free of charge for this entire school year.

Breakfast Bags – will contain a fruit, juice, milk and breakfast grain.  Some may also contain a protein.

 

How will we know when the class meetings take place?

 

Classroom teachers will email parents and post meeting links on Google Classroom or SeeSaw depending on the grade level.

 

How will remote instruction this time differ from last spring?

 

Classroom teachers will have daily schedules that resemble their in person days to the extent that it is developmentally appropriate.  Students will have a balance of synchronous and asynchronous lessons, the manipulatives used in the classroom, and both digital and paper resources.  UA lessons will follow the usual weekly schedule.

 

Will we need to return materials in January?

 

Yes. Please send all items back to school when we re-open in January.

 

Are there resources for parents on the website?

 

Yes. Here is the direct link: https://sites.google.com/sau21.org/nhsstudentguardian/home


 

Stay well.

This site provides information using PDF, visit this link to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC software.