2 Parsons Street

Northampton, Massachusetts 01060

413-587-1460 (phone) 413-587-1474 (fax)

Dr. Beth N. Choquette, Principal bchoquette@northamtpon-k12.us

Elizabeth Peterson, Administrative Assistant epeterson@northampton-k12.us

Jordan Celino, Secretary jcelino@northampton-k12.us

Nora DeJasu, Head Teacher ndejasu@northampton-k12.us

Would you like this news letter translated? Here are the steps to have it translated:

At the top of the weekly email, there's a link that reads "View it in your browser," click that and it takes you to the post on a webpage.

Scroll to the bottom where there's a black menu bar and pick the option that says "Translate."

Select the language you would like it translated in and it will then translate it on the webpage.

Le gustaría traducir esta carta de noticias? Aquí están los pasos para traducirlo:

En la parte superior del correo electrónico semanal, hay un enlace que dice "Verlo en su navegador", haga clic en eso y lo llevará a la publicación en una página web.

Desplázate hacia la parte inferior donde hay una barra de menú negra y elige la opción que dice "Traducir".

Seleccione el idioma en el que desea traducirlo y luego lo traducirá en la página web.

It is the vision of Bridge Street School to promote educational excellence and equity for ALL students. Promoting educational excellence and equity will prepare and motivate students to be engaged learners and critical thinkers who strive for high academic achievement, listen to all perspectives, value the multicultural and diverse world we live in, and actively participate in eliminating racial and social injustices so that all people are able to reach their full potential.

Bridge Street School’s faculty and staff, caregivers, and community are committed to providing educational excellence and equity to its students by challenging the injustices that create barriers to high academic achievement, to access and opportunities to learn, to high-quality teaching and learning, and to a climate of belonging. This commitment to educational equity, where all children are successful regardless of their personal, social, or cultural contexts, is at the core of our practices, structures, and policies.

Good afternoon. I hope you all had a relaxing weekend after our first full week of school!

As you know, last week we had our first positive case of the school year. I know how hard it is to keep your kids home if they have symptoms and/or until they have a negative test, but I am asking you all to do this. Last week could have been avoided. I know it seems silly to keep kids home for typical things like a stuffy nose or a bellyache, but you need to. If a child is sick, and comes to school, and we find out they test positive, it causes a chain reaction. It takes almost the entire school day to figure out all of the close contacts, contact those caregivers, and to send those students home. One positive case can cause many students and adults to be sent home for days. It is inconvenient I know, and childcare is so hard to find and pay for, I also know how hard it is to miss work, and I'm sorry. However, we MUST stay home in order to keep everyone safe and healthy and to stop this virus from spreading to other people. None of us want to miss work and none of us want our kids out of school, so I'm asking that we all do our part and follow the safety guidelines set forth by the district.

In regards to the protocols and guidelines. Please understand that these are set by our district in collaboration with the Department of Health. They are not determined by me, the school nurse, or anyone in the building. So please, do not take out your frustration on Nurse Jessica or any school personnel. They are doing their jobs and following the guidance they have been asked to follow. I'd like to thank Nurse Jessica for everything she is doing to keep us all safe and healthy. It is not an easy job to do what she is being asked to do day in and day out, so please, don't take your frustrations out on her, she is doing her very best to keep your children safe and healthy. Below you will find the latest update on the health and afety protocols from Dr. Provost and his health advisory committee.

There is a menu change for Tuesday 9/28. We will be serving grilled cheese instead of french toast and sausage.

I would like to ask that if you are dismissing your child early, please send in a note and if you are calling the office to please do so prior to 1:45 pm. This will make it easier to track down students as when it gets too close to dismissal, the office is very busy. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Finally, I hope you all have a wonderful week. Thank you for your support, understanding, and working together with us. It is not easy being a caregiver during such challenging times, but if we work together, we will get through this. I appreciate all of you and everything that you are doing for your kids and our school.

Thank you.

As mentioned in last week's newsletter, this year's open house will be done via zoom. Please join your classroom teacher at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evening for your child's open house. There are also links for specialists as well if you would like to "pop in" and visit with them. Please see the attached document with all of the links to the open house meetings being offered.

Please consider nominating yourself or another caregiver to sit on this year's school council. The nominations form is below and it is a great way to get involved with your child's school.

September 29: Virtual Open House 6:00 PM

October 5: PTO Meeting 2:15-3:15

October 8: 1/2 Day 11:30 Dismissal for all students-Teacher Work Day

October 11: No School-Indigenous Peoples Day

Be on the lookout for. your BASE registration packets! Some classrooms received theirs on Friday and some will get theirs tomorrow. If you have any questions, please contact:

shevaunmkw@gmail.com our new coordinator.

I know we were hoping that things could be back to normal at the start of this school year, but unfortunately, there are protocols we still need to have in place in order to keep everyone safe. In addition to the letters attached below, there is also the student consent form that must be filled out in order to get tested. You will notice in the DESE letter that they discuss Test and Stay, but currently the district has put Test and Stay on hold which is stated in the letter from the district.

Things to Know:

• No inside meetings for external groups including PTO. School Councils can meet in the building, but we will start the year via zoom.

• No visitors, with the exception of student teachers and practicum students unless their colleges are locked down

• No volunteers in the building

• Team Meetings- Zooms preferred, in person if needed

• K / PreK orientation - Outdoors

• Caregivers have a right to request to observe classrooms. Need to follow the observation policy. Principal determines what is reasonable.

• Contractors are allowed in the building

• Garden

• Hitchcock Center

• Grow Food Northampton

• No rugs in the classrooms

• Maintain 3-feet of distance whenever possible

• All students MUST have assigned seats in the cafeteria

• All adults and students MUST wear a mask inside the building unless there are documented medical/behavioral needs that prevent the student from wearing a mask

• The main office is open

• HEPA filters MUST be on at all times

• No Gaga Pit

• 3 students allowed at a time in the club house

• Once seated in the cafeteria, students should remain in seats except when needing to use the restroom. Adults will pick-up trash at the tables

• Grades 3-5 will eat lunch outside under the tents when weather permits

• Students need to wear masks outside. Students need to step away from play if they need a mask break.

Dear Caregivers,

We know that keeping your children safe and engaged in their education remains at the forefront of your thoughts right now. Like last year, we ask that we all work together in order for all to be safe.

As we prepare to start the school year, please know the following requirements we ask of you:

• Send your child with a fresh mask every day. If your child’s mask gets soiled we can offer a fresh one. Please launder cloth masks regularly. Neck gaiters, scarves or masks with vents are not allowed.

• Keep your child home when sick. Children with COVID-like symptoms will be sent home. Some of these symptoms are

• Fever above 100 or chills

• Cough

• Muscle or body aches

• Headache

• Congestion or runny nose

• Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Fatigue

• Nasal congestion not related to allergies

• Any new onset and persisting symptom

Students will continue to practice hand hygiene (hand washing or using hand sanitizer) throughout the school day.

We are confident that by implementing the health and safety requirements from the CDC and DESE that we will continue to minimize outbreaks of COVID-19 in our schools. Feel free to contact your student’s school nurse or Lisa Safron, Director of Health and Safety, with questions or concerns. We are here for you and your student.

Health Information

Your child may develop health issues during the school year. Many of you keep your child’s teacher apprised of this information but I urge you to also contact me so that I can record any new allergies, keep an eye out for possible infectious diseases, and offer support when I can. Feel free to send me an email if you’re not able to drop in. (jlacroix@northampton-k12.us)

As part of DPH guidelines, I do vision and hearing screenings for all students as well as scoliosis checks on our 5th graders. However, if I have on file your child’s recent health form filled out by the pediatrician, he/she/they will not need to be screened. Always send in your child’s health form and vaccines so that I always have the latest health information. You may opt your child out of screenings with a written note to me.

Shoes

Your children are active at recess! Students wearing sandals or flip-flips may not climb the structure at recess.

Food

Bridge Street School does not permit food treats brought into the classroom for celebrations/birthdays because we have so many different types of life-threatening allergies.

Lice

While lice is nothing more than a big headache, it strikes fear into the hearts of most of us parents. I can't urge you enough to check your child’s head weekly. I do not check the heads of entire classrooms but I will check your child upon request. Please encourage your children to keep their hair pulled back and to avoid sharing brushes and/or hats.

Please come by and introduce yourself if you are a new member of our BSS family.

Warmly,

Nurse Jessica LaCroix

K-5 BSS Virtual Art Show 2020-21

Hello Bridge Street School Families,

Throughout this school year students at BSS have been working hard on their art

projects. The fifth, fourth and third graders began the year by creating a google slide

and added some of their original art work to it. If your child does not have their own slide

I have photographed some of their art work and added it to the grades sections.

Next year I plan to photograph all of the students’ artwork throughout the school year

and create another Virtual Art Show, as having an art show in person can be difficult

during these trying and uncertain times.

There are a lot of slides so be patient and let them download before opening it. If a slide

looks blank click on it to view the artwork.

Thanks! Enjoy!

Ms. Lilly

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1UFLsF9VyERsBQFKuh6u_tj2pD9siR9HWUOqvYGd6h

kM/edit?usp=sharing