Please Read Important Information: Memorial School-Return to School, Monday, October 26, 2020

Greetings Memorial School Community,

This communication contains important information regarding your child's return to school next week that includes:

• Technology (borrowed chromebooks and chargers)
• A Welcome Video for Parents
• Mask Expectations
• Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
• SRSD Music Safety Protocols
• Transportation Information (this was already sent on Wednesday)

Please review this information carefully and we very much look forward to seeing many of our students as we return to school next week.

Also, for families of remote learners, Mr. Ambrose provided a statement for the start of synchronous learning at Wednesday night's School Board meeting. I have included a piece of it here:

"Synchronous instruction is completely new to our students as well as to our teachers. We need everyone to understand that school staff members are working through this new model - it will not be perfect and we expect there will be bumps in the road.  

Our staff and students need time to adjust to this new model of instruction, especially all of the physical changes to the school day and routines in the building. To help with this adjustment, the first week of synchronous instruction for our remote learners will be handled primarily via independent assignments at the K-6 levels and an “as the teacher is ready” model at the 7-12 level. This will provide staff and students the time and space to adapt to new buildings, having kids in the school buildings and work out the drop off and pick-up routines. Teachers will be checking in with remote learners periodically."

For remote families, your child's teacher(s) will communicate what school will look like to your child next week. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated.

Technology

Students who have borrowed a chromebook and charger from the district should bring it with them for school next week. Your students will be able to bring the borrowed chromebook and charger home with them at the end of next week.

The district will be providing enough chromebooks to Memorial School so that students can keep their borrowed technology at home. This will allow students to have the technology they need should the district need to return to remote learning on short notice. Unfortunately, we won't have everything in place for October 26th, which is why students will need their chromebooks and chargers at school for their first week back.

Welcome Back Video for Parents

Please watch this five minute amateur production from Mrs. Lizier, Mrs. Collins, and myself as we help parents and students understand several aspects of what the return to school will look like next week.

Return to Memorial School Video

Mask Expectations

As was shared in an earlier Constant Contact, please see the image below as a guide for mask wearing when students return to school.

Frequently Asked Questions for Parents

Please click on the link below for additional information on the many questions that students and parents have asked about over the past few weeks. I have kept track of these questions and added in a few other pieces of information so that there are no surprises for students and parents as we work together to make this transition as smooth as possible for our students and your children.

Frequently Asked Questions for the Return to Memorial School

SRSD Music Safety Protocols

Return to In-Person Learning: The music team has been working diligently with administration on procedures to keep our musicians safe during this challenging time. We will be utilizing the New Hampshire Music Education Coalition guidelines when preparing for in-person instruction. Safety precautions will include:

• Utilizing the auditorium (HS/MS) and additional classroom spaces (Memorial) to properly distance students.
• Wearing instrumentalist masks when playing all instruments.
• Using bell covers on wind instruments. These will be provided by the music department.
• Using moisture pads and additional trash bins for brass players to discard excess condensation.
• Assigning timpani and keyboard mallets to percussionists.
• Managing storage areas to limit the number of students at a time in the room.
• Students will use hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting rehearsal space.
• Students will be responsible for wiping down their music stands and seats before and after rehearsals.
• Playing outside when weather permits.

All students will need to provide:

• Two or three instrumentalist masks for wind players. These should be washed daily after use. 
• We will need your help creating them! Please see the brass video here
• Regular masks to wear over instrumentalist masks when not playing.
• Black 3-ringed binder with sheet protectors.
• Wind instruments: Cleaning swabs, reeds for instruments.
• Percussion: Drumsticks and plastic or hard rubber bell mallets.
• Weather appropriate clothing for outdoor rehearsals (less than 50 degrees F).

The District has ordered specific instrumentalist masks and MERV-13 filtered bell covers for all students. They will be distributed to students upon arrival, estimated delivery in early December. 

Transportation

I have also included the transportation information that was shared via Constant Contact on Wednesday afternoon. Again, we ask for everyone's patience on the first days of school as we work make the drop off and pick up process as efficient as possible.

Transportation Information for Memorial School

Thank you for taking the time to review this information. This is a big transition for everyone, not just our students, and our collective support is so important as we guide many of our students back to school.

Monday will not be perfect, but we have a tremendous staff at Memorial School who care deeply about all of your children and will always strive to meet their needs and do what's best for kids.

Appreciatively,

Ryan McCluskey