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Elm Street School

Update

Elm StreetSchoolUpdate

August 11, 2020

Dear Elm Families,


I hope this email finds you well and you are enjoying these warm summer days. As you are aware, the Walpole Schools Administration has been working tirelessly to create three specific plans for the reopening of school. Dr. Gough, Superintendent, shared the plans yesterday in an email to all families. The plan and additional information may be found here: WPS Reopening Plan


Currently, I am working with the Elm Street School Reopening Advisory Group to create protocols and procedures specific to each plan in order to safely educate all students. As you are aware, the plan is to open following the Hybrid Model.


The Hybrid Model requires each grade 1-5 class to be broken into two cohorts. Cohort A will attend school on Monday and Tuesday. Cohort B will attend school on Thursday and Friday. Kindergarten students will attend school on the four days. The days not in-person and Wednesday morning will be remote learning days. Principals will follow guidelines and prioritize placing siblings within the building, in middle school, or in high school in the same cohorts while at the same time making sure to build balanced, heterogeneous cohorts where student’s academic and SEL needs are considered. Additional factors that impact cohort development are gender equity, English language learner services, and special education services. Ideally, we would prefer to keep students with the last name A-J and K-Z together in the same cohorts, but this will not be the case for all students. Due to the complexity of building these cohorts we will not be able to accommodate any requests for cohort assignments. Your child’s homeroom teacher and cohort will be shared no later than August 26th via the Aspen Family Portal once all families have indicated whether they are choosing the full remote or hybrid model. You will receive a district email survey asking your choice.


For those families who choose the full remote learning model, more information regarding the structure of the program and who will be teaching it will be provided by the Superintendent soon.


All students in grades 1-5 will have access to a personal Chromebook that will be utilized in school and remotely. Students will be responsible to bring the Chromebook to school fully charged. Kindergarten will phase in Chromebook use when appropriate.


The first day of school is now September 14th.


Dr. Gough, Superintendent, will be holding several virtual forums to answer your questions. The schedule is below:


  • Kindergarten Parent/Guardian Virtual Forum with Dr. Gough: Thursday, August 13th @ 7:00 p.m.


  • Grade 1-5 Parent/Guardian Virtual Forum with Dr. Gough : Tuesday, August 18th @ 6:00 p.m.


I will be holding virtual forums specifically to answer questions regarding the Elm reopening according to the schedule below:


  • Elm Parent/Guardian Virtual Forum with Principal Ruggiero on Tuesday, August 25th:

Kindergarten, Grade 1 and 2 Parents/Guardians @ 6:00 p.m. Grade 3, 4, 5 Parents/Guardians @7:00 p.m.


I will continue to keep you updated as we prepare to welcome our students back to school.


Sincerely,


Carrie Ruggiero

Principal

HYBRID SCHEDULE