TFHS/GFMS Community Newsletter
December 18, 2020 Created by Principal Joanne Menard
In This Newsletter
-Second Newspaper Article Announcing Innovation Pathway at TFHS
-December Recess
-TFHS Ugly Sweater Contest
-GFMS Fall Image Contest
-Reminder About Excused Absences
-Food Drive
-GMRSD Food Flyers
-Atlas PopUp Markets
-Our State Approved to Continue Pandemic EBT
-Brick House Opportunties
-News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
-MCAS Update
-TFHS Exams, PSATs, and Turn Around Day
-Positive Messages from GFMS Students
-January's Friends of GFMS and TFHS Meeting
-Updated GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021
-Annual Gala
-Interested in Serving on Student Council?
-Upcoming School Committee Meetings
-Greenfield Savings Bank's Generous Donation
-All-League Field Hockey TFHS Students
-Student Emails
-GMRSD Family Technology Resource Page
-Disclosure Statement Read Prior to Each Class
-Acceptable Use Policy
-CDC Winter Holidays Guidelines
-Letter from Nurses
-TFHS Yearbook Information
-TFHS/GFMS Student Handbooks
-Updated Academic Calendar 2020-2021
-TFHS Bell Schedule
-Whole School Meetings
-Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
-GMRSD Face Mask Policy
-Masks Need to Be Worn on All Buses
-Upcoming Dates
Second Newspaper Article Announcing Innovation Pathways
Internship programs added at Turners Falls High School, unique in Franklin County
By Max Marcus, Greenfield Recorder Staff Writer December 17, 2020
TURNERS FALLS — Two internship programs — in health care and social services, and advanced manufacturing — will be offered at Turners Falls High School starting in 2021, making the school one of only a few in the area with such professionally oriented programs, and the only one in the county offering the state education department’s internship program.
Both programs will be four-year tracks that students commit to in their freshman year, which will determine the classes students take throughout high school. The program culminates during their senior year with a 100-hour internship in a local organization chosen according to each student’s goals and interests.
“It’s based on their individual interest,” said Turners Falls High School Principal Joanne Menard. “It will give them a huge advantage over other students, either to get jobs right out of high school, or going to college. It’s going to be a leg up on other candidates.”
The program Turners Falls High School is following is called Innovation Pathways, which is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Turners Falls High School is the only school in Franklin County with an Innovation Pathways program, according to Menard and Christine Limoges, Gill-Montague Regional School District’s Director of Teaching and Learning.
Participating schools are required by DESE to make a long-term commitment to the Innovation Pathways program by offering classes required for each program and hiring or training staff if necessary, they added. Turners Falls High School is investing $30,000 to train current staff and develop curricula.
The subjects of the two programs — health care and social services, and advanced manufacturing — were chosen based on data on local employment opportunities: they are respectively the No. 1 and No. 2 largest employment sectors in the area, Limoges said.
“We targeted our pathways to build around the two big needs,” she said.
The four-year program includes classes on topics in each field, and classes on working professionally — how to write a resume, how to interview, how to dress. In their senior year, students have an internship with a local organization in their field. For example, students might intern at a doctor’s office or a social service agency, Limoges said.
The health care and social services program is planned to start in the spring. A handful of freshmen are now working through the application process, Menard said.
The advanced manufacturing program is expected to start the following fall.
Because the programs are four-year tracks, students can only sign up as freshmen. The school expects to add five freshmen each year, Menard and Limoges said.
Eligibility for the program is not based on academic performance, Menard said. Instead, the school tries to be sure that students are ready to commit to a four-year track, that they are interested in the field or that they can advocate for themselves in a business setting.
“It’s also about their passion,” Menard said. “Why are they interested in this? What do they see themselves doing?”
December Recess
Wishing you and your family a joyous, restful December Recess!
-December Recess: December 24th - January 1st
TFHS Ugly Sweater Contest
We would like to announce we will be continuing the tradition of our Annual Ugly Sweater Day and Competition. We encourage students and staff to wear and show off their ugly sweaters Tuesday, Dec. 22nd. We will be hosting the competition during morning meeting and will be picking this year's winner. Again, if you could share this information with your students we would greatly appreciate it! As always, if there are any questions, contact an EBoard member!
Thanks again!
GFMS Fall Image Contest
In descending order:
1st place: Myra Jade
2nd place: Zoey Kus
3rd place: Audrianna Bassett
Reminder about Excused Absences
Food Drive
Thanks to Lesley Cogswell, GFMS parent, for spearheading the Food Drive for the district. She provided the following district weekly totals for this year:
-week of November 30th: 348 cans
-week of December 7th: 789 cans
-week of December 14th: 386 cans
Thanks everyone for supporting our community!
GMRSD Food Flyers
Atlas PopUp Markets
Our State Approved to Continue Pandemic EBT
Massachusetts is First State in Nation to Gain Federal Approval to Continue Pandemic EBT through School Year 2020-2021
More than 500,000 students will resume receiving P-EBT benefits in December
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today received federal approval to issue Pandemic EBT benefits (P-EBT) for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year. P-EBT promotes increased food security for families who participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program (NSLP), covering the cost of missed school meals for more than 500,000 students in remote or hybrid learning environments.
Eligible households will receive the next round of P-EBT benefits by the end of December. The benefits cover school meals missed during the months of October and November, and households will receive benefits monthly through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. The Department of Transitional Assistance estimates P-EBT will bring $40 to $60 million per month in federal dollars into the Commonwealth’s economy.
“COVID-19 has exacerbated food insecurity, especially for children who receive nutrition support in school settings. This remains a significant challenge for many families throughout the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services and COVID-19 Command Center Director Marylou Sudders. “Massachusetts continues to maximize every opportunity to tackle food insecurity across the state. The rapid approval of our plan to issue P-EBT through the end of the school year provide relief to hundreds of thousands of families across the state for many months as we continue to navigate this public health crisis.”
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act established the option for states to establish program P-EBT. Massachusetts initially launched its P-EBT program in April 2020 to help students and their families buy healthy food while schools were closed from March through June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was one of a limited number of states to receive federal approval for September P-EBT benefits. To date, P-EBT has brought more than $253 million in federal dollars into the Commonwealth, supporting families across the state and local grocery retailers. The Continuing Appropriations Act of 2021 extended P-EBT through the entire 2020-2021 school year.
P-EBT is jointly administered by the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in collaboration with local school districts. Families with eligible students are expected to begin receiving P-EBT benefits to cover October and November school days, by the end of the year.
“P-EBT has proven to be an effective tool during the COVID-19 pandemic to help families with students learning at home directly purchase healthy, culturally appropriate food,” said DTA Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “P-EBT also brings critical resources into our local communities, supporting food retailers and their employees.”
“P-EBT benefits are an important piece of support for students and families during this challenging time,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley. “I’m grateful to everyone at the state and district levels who are helping to feed children, from the people facilitating P-EBT benefits to the school nutrition workers preparing free meals.”
Families with eligible students will receive their P-EBT benefits monthly for the remainder of the school year. Based on federal rules, families will receive varying P-EBT amounts. Families with children in a fully remote learning environment will receive $117 a month per child, and children in a hybrid learning environment will receive $58 a month per child. Families can check their P-EBT balance by calling the number on the back of the card. P-EBT benefits can be used anywhere Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are accepted, including online from Walmart and Amazon. Learn more about P-EBT at MAp-ebt.org.
P-EBT builds upon the work of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Command Center’s Food Security Task Force to strengthen our local food system and maximize federal food assistance programs to ensure that food insecurity needs are addressed during the COVID-19 public health emergency and into the long-term.
Families who already receive DTA benefits will get their P-EBT benefits on their existing EBT card. Families who do not receive DTA benefits, but were mailed a P-EBT card in the past, will get their P-EBT benefits on their existing P-EBT card. Newly eligible students will receive their P-EBT benefits on their EBT card if receiving DTA benefits or will be mailed a P-EBT card if they do not receive DTA benefits. Families who lost their P-EBT card can request a new one.
Many families eligible for P-EBT may also be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and are being encouraged to apply. Children and teens participating in the free and reduced-price lunch program can also get free meals at hundreds of school meal locations throughout the state, no registration or ID required.
DTA assists and empowers low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs, improve their quality of life, and achieve long term economic self-sufficiency. DTA serves one in eight residents of the Commonwealth with direct economic assistance and food assistance, as well as workforce training opportunities. DTA administers three core programs: SNAP; Transitional Aid for Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC); and Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled, and Children (EAEDC).
DESE is committed to preparing all students for success after high school. The Department's work includes licensing educators, distributing state and federal education money, helping districts implement learning standards, overseeing statewide standardized tests, monitoring schools and districts, and convening districts and individuals to share best practices. In addition, DESE collects data to inform state and local decisions.
Brick House Opportunities
Here at The Brick House we have a weekly wellness curriculum zoom workshop every Thursday from 3:30PM to 4:15PM. Our workshops are interactive and very informative through use of PowerPoints, Tedtalks and short quizzes. All youth ages 13-21 are welcome to attend! Each topic we focus on is a mini-series including three workshops then we start a new series on the following Thursday! At the beginning of each series, a new flyer is made and posted on our social media weekly as a reminder!
Every week the ZOOM LINK can be found on our Instagram page: brickhouseteencenter
OR on our Facebook page: The Brick House Community Resource Center
If you have questions or concerns about anything email Ilani Ortiz: iortiz@brickhousecrc.org
Our Youth Programs Team still offers one on one online homework support for youth ages 11-19 after school! To sign up please click on the Microsoft link below and register for days and times that work best!
News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
As attendance in classes are still in issue, we ask families to please do their best in making sure your student is in class on time. This is especially important for the 1st class of the day so we can get an accurate attendance count. This has been an issue since the 1st day of school and I hope we can do better.
MCAS Update
December 7, 2020
Updates to MCAS and ACCESS Testing Schedules and Participation Requirements
In September, DESE announced the initial testing schedule for MCAS and ACCESS tests for the 2020- 2021 school year, including a special administration of the high school ELA and mathematics tests in January-February 2021 for students in grades 11 and 12, as well as for adults who need to earn their competency determination (CD) in one or both subjects. At that time, we acknowledged that we would update our plans as needed. I am writing to you today to inform you that, in recognition of the scheduling and logistical challenges that schools and districts are experiencing, I have decided to adjust the schedules and expectations for MCAS high school testing and ACCESS testing as follows:
1. January-February High School MCAS ELA and Mathematics Tests
• Students in grade 11 (class of 2022) will no longer participate in testing during the January/February window. Testing for this class in ELA and mathematics is being postponed until later in the year.
• Students in grade 12 (class of 2021), as well as adult test-takers, will remain eligible to participate in one or both tests beginning in January to earn their CD. Please note that currently enrolled 12th grade students who were previously on track to graduate during the 2019-2020 school year do not need to take the tests, as they remain eligible for the modified CD.
• The testing window for eligible students is extended through February 12, giving schools an additional week to complete testing. The full testing window will be January 14 through February 12, 2021. 2. ACCESS for ELLs
• The testing window for the ACCESS tests is being extended for several additional months. Schools will be able to administer the ACCESS tests at any time between January 7 and May 20, 2021.
• Results will be returned in late summer.
• Schools may assess students at any time during the window, at their discretion, but results for all students will be returned at the same time, regardless of when tests are administered during the window. I appreciate the effort that schools and districts have made to prepare their facilities and students for testing. The statewide testing schedule will be updated shortly to reflect the changes indicated above, and I will provide more information in the coming weeks about testing schedules for the remainder of the school year.
TFHS Exams, PSATs, and Turn Around Day
TFHS Exam dates: (NOTE GFMS HAS NORMAL SCHOOL DAYS ALL THREE DAYS)
January 26th (exams for TFHS' 2.5 credit classes - full day)
January 27th (exams for TFHS' A & C blocks - half day)
January 28th (exams for TFHS' D & E blocks - half day)
Revised Turn Around Date : January 29th (NO SCHOOL FOR ENTIRE DISTRICT) - TFHS staff can use this time for make-up exams
Note February 1st begins semester 2.
PSATs are scheduled to take place AT SCHOOL, in the gym, on January 26th. Those students taking the PSAT will need to make arrangements to make-up exams as needed.
Positive Messages from GMRSD Students
January Friends of GFMS & TFHS Meeting
We chose a meeting date for our next meeting, it will be January 6th at 6pm. We chose to skip a December meeting, with so much going on, limited, availability, and not much needing to be discussed, we felt it would be a good idea to just set a January date.
Updated GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021 - Date of Turn Around Date Changed
Annual Gala
GMEF Annual Gala Cancelled Due to Death of Philip Bauer
The Gill-Montague Education Fund Annual Gala - “The Legend of Johnny Cash” has been cancelled. Joyce Phillips, Executive Producer, said “It is with extreme sadness that we learned that Philip Bauer passed away on November 24, 2020 of stage 4 colon cancer. Philip Bauer had been scheduled to perform on April 20 for the 2020 GMEF Annual Gala. It was postponed to 2021 due to the Pandemic. Philip Bauer was known world-wide as the number one tribute artist of Johnny Cash. He brought the sound and charisma of ‘The Man in Black” to life in his 90 minute stage show. W.S. Holland (Johnny Cash’s' only drummer) recognized Philip as “the best I have ever seen."
Because of the Pandemic, the GMEF was unable to raise money with the Gala which results in the support of student enrichment. Phillips said, the GMEF will continue to award 3 scholarships in June and their annual ‘roses for the seniors’ at graduation.
Anyone who purchased advanced tickets for the 2020 Gala, may wish to donate their ticket money towards student enrichment. Please contact us via our website: www.thegmef.org or email: info@thegmef.org. We will send you a letter recognizing your 2020 tax deductible contribution.
Patrons may must return their tickets to The GMEF – TICKETS, PO Box 383, Turners Falls, MA 01376 for a full refund.
Our Annual Galas will return when it is safe for everyone to gather. Thank you for your support.
Interested in Serving on School Council?
Upcoming School Committee Meetings
-December 22nd at 6:30 p.m.
-January 12th at 6:30 p.m.
-January 19th at 6:30 p.m.
-January 26th at 6:30 p.m.
Greenfield Savings Bank's Generous Donation
All-League Field Hockey TFHS Students
Taken from Tuesday, December 8th Greenfield Recorder (page B2): "Turners Falls High School was one of the true success stories of the fall season, as the Thunder finished second in the Franklin County League behind Greenfield and beat Frontier for just the second time in program history. The Powertown had three seniors recognized for their achievements on the All-League squad, as Haleigh Greene, Brynn Tela and Taryn Thayer earned spots on the list."
We are so proud!!!!!
Student Email
The district has turned on GMail as a Google app for our MS and HS students. This means that through their @gmrsd.us Google accounts, students are able to get into GMail and receive email messages. Email messages received and sent out will be limited to only within the domain; and only with their teachers. Presently, we will not be allowing them to email each other until we determine that it is appropriate to do so.
Your child(ren) will not have to do anything different from logging into their Google accounts. They will receive emails, and can access their email messages, by going into the "waffle" and selecting GMail.
Seniors will be in a more open domain to allow them to work with their college applications. We will work with Guidance to set this up. The students' @gmrsd.org accounts will be able reach them directly from any college. Anything sent to from a college to a @gmrsd.us account is directly forwarded to the student's @gmrsd.org account.
Please note that the GMRSD Acceptable Use Policy does apply to student emails. The policy is below.
GMRSD Family Technology Resource Page
Disclosure Statement Read Prior to Each Class
It is important that we follow our school rules when we meet through the computer. We will be respectful of each other's words and ideas. Students and their families may not save, record, share or post this session or any photos from this session. If students or families do not agree with these requirements, please disconnect from this meeting. Families may contact me for a different learning plan.
Acceptable Use Policy
CHROMEBOOK ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY:
School issued Chromebooks should be used for educational purposes and students are to adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy at all times. Chromebook devices are enrolled under the gmrsd.us domain making it inapplicable for any other use.
GMRSD’s administrative staff and faculty retain the right to collect and/or inspect Chromebooks at any time, including via electronic remote access, and to alter, add or delete installed software or hardware.
Inappropriate media may not be used for Chromebook backgrounds or themes. No images or graphics containing people can ever be used as a background or theme. The presence of guns, weapons, pornographic materials, inappropriate language, alcohol, drug, gang-related symbols or pictures will result in disciplinary consequences.
Manufacturer and school barcode tags and name labels shall not be removed, covered or marked upon.
Teachers, school administrators, and the Technology Services staff use monitoring software that allows them to view the screens and activity on student assigned Chromebooks.
The school district uses an Internet content filter that is in compliance with the federally mandated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All Chromebooks, regardless of physical location (in and out of school), will have Internet activity protected and monitored by teachers, school administrators, and the technology staff. If an educationally valuable site is blocked, students should contact their teachers to request the site be unblocked. Such requests will be given consideration following administrative review.
CDC Winter Holidays Guidelines
Please check out the link for guidelines:
Letter from Nurses
TURNERS FALLS HIGH SCHOOL
YEARBOOK INFORMATION
TurnersFallsYearbook@gmrsd.us || Leslie.charles@gmrsd.org
ORDER A YEARBOOK
$30 until JAN. 8, 2021 ($40 JAN. 9, 2021 until sold out)
ONLINE:
https://unipaygold.unibank.com/CustomerInfo.aspx?Customerid=1931
When you get to that page, select “Turners Falls High”, “High School Yearbook Sales”. If you have more than one order, please include both names.($30 until January 8; $40 until sold out.)
BY CHECK:
Please send your check, payable to Turners Falls High School. Make note in memo: student’s name and grade and the word “yearbook”. Send to TFHS, Leslie Charles, yearbook advisor, 222 Turnpike Road, Montague, MA 01351 ($30 until January 8; $40 until sold out.)
CASH:
At this point, we cannot accept a cash payment due to COVID-19.
DOWN PAYMENT:
Down payments accepted. Deposit amount at your discretion. Full payment will need to be made before receiving the yearbook. If you make a down payment on or before January 8, the total cost will be $30. If you make a down payment on Jan. 9 or later, the total cost will be $40.
SCHOOL PHOTOS - ALL GRADES
New this year! Please send in your own school photo for the class pages.
(Due to COVID-19, there are no school photos scheduled at this point)Please email with you name/grade to: TurnersFallsYearbook@gmrsd.us
PETS PAGE - DEC 11
Pictures of students & teachers with their pets by December 11.
SENIOR SPORTS APPRECIATION - DEC. 23
For the senior sport appreciation spread, I need the people who are playing sports as a senior this to let me know by my social media (if they have me, Haliegh Greene) or by email Goaliegreene99@gmail.com of what sport(s) they are playing or have played throughout high school and if they have a picture of them playing a sport that they took themselves.
SPORTS PHOTOS & CANDIDS
A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
If you or anyone you know has taken photos throughout this year, please submit them to: TurnersFallsYearbook@gmrsd.us
We are looking for any sports actions (field hockey and golf this Fall)
CANDIDs: take a photo of your
SENIORS PAGE - DEC 4
SENIOR PORTRAITS:
Should be high resolution (4x6” @ 300 dpi or about 1-3 megabytes)
SENIOR BLOCKS:
EMAIL to: EMAIL: TurnersFallsYearbook@gmrsd.us
Please include:
Name as you want it to appear in the yearbook;
Date of Birth; Quote; Likes; Dislikes; Goal(s);
Activities; Thanks To
SENIOR ADS:
Great for caregivers/parents/grandparents/friends to celebrate your senior! Please contact me for more information/form: TurnersFallsYearbook@gmrsd.us
SENIOR CLASS PHOTO:
Please send in a photo (can be from phone) for the class photo page.
TFHS/GFMS Student Handbook
To view the TFHS Student Handbook, please go to the gmrsd.org page, then the high school, and then under parents.
To view the GFMS Student Handbook, please go to the gmrsd,org page, then the middle school, and then under parents.
Updated Academic Calendar 2020-2021
TFHS Bell Schedule
Change in Passing Time for High School Students
Due to the need of a longer passing time between classes we will now be ending each class 6 minutes earlier than normal. Below is the new passing time in the schedule. As lunch is a little longer, we did not shave off time from block E.
Block A
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
Block B (GAP)
9:10 - 9:32 a.m.
Block C
9:42 – 10:57 a.m.
Block D
11:07 a.m. - 12:22 p.m.
Lunch
12:22 - 1:00 p.m.
Block E
1:04 - 2:25 p.m.
There is no change to the Middle School schedule at this time.
Whole School Meetings
High School Whole School Meetings will be held on Tuesdays beginning at 9:15 a.m. Principal Menard or Mr. Gaffigan will be sending out the link for all high school teachers to share with students on the Monday prior to each meeting.
Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
GMRSD Face Mask Policy
Masks Need to Be Worn on All Buses
Upcoming Dates
Friday, December 18th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m., Staff and Community Newsletters published
Monday, December 21st - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, December 22nd - TFHS Morning Meeting (Ugly Sweater Contest), 9:15-9:38 a.m.; GMRSD School Committee Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 23rd - TFHS Culture & Climate Club, 9:15-9:38 a.m.
December 24th - January 1st - December Recess NO SCHOOL
Monday, January 4th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, January 5th - TFHS Morning Meeting, 9:15-9:38 a.m.
Friday, January 8th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.; Community Newsletter published
Great Falls Middle School
222 Turnpike Road
Montague, Massachusetts 01351
413-863-7200
