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SUPERINTENDENT MEMO
Parent remote learning site image.
Time on Learning/Cohort Calendar for Live and Hybrid Students Button (Click for More Info)
NATICK SCHOOL COMMITTEE
NEXT MEETING:
February 8
You can email the School Committee with any questions, concerns, or comments: 
January 29, 2021
Dear Families,

It's been a terrific week in terms of our infection data. We are fully consumed with arrangements for both teacher vaccination and implementation of pooled testing. We have been matched with a Dept. of Education (DESE) vendor for the free 6-week trial. They have advised us, in direct opposition to what I said last Monday, that they didn't want us to distribute consent forms yet until we had initial meetings with our vendor. Those meetings are forthcoming. I am pleased to say we were able to organize to become involved with this. It's a key step toward a gradual return to normal and will help us in the coming weeks and months. We will update the community as soon as we can with substantive updates.  

Updates on planning for new rounds of activities, after school activities, senior events and next round athletics are also in the works. We will provide regular updates as we make progress in arranging implementation. It is important for families to understand that no changes to the state pandemic mandates around chorus/singing/theater, special subjects like PE, sports indoor and outdoor gathering expectations or busing have been allowed by the state at this time.

Have a terrific weekend and stay warm; next week looks like there may be some weather events--be sure to have students dressed warmly every day--layers are needed for indoor and outdoor warmth. Check our expectations for remote snow days. If we have a snow day event, Cohort A is live in the building and a first weather day would be a full traditional snow day for both live and remote students. If we have a subsequent snow day due to a weather event, then remote learning will be executed. For an in-depth reminder about what a "snow day" means, read here: Updates to Learning Models.
Quick Overview of Remote Snow Days
Half of each teaching block should be synchronous in some way. This means that every student on remote days or remote snow days participates in live, synchronous, time with their teachers for at least half the learning block with which they have the associated instructor in live time.
General Agreements (for snow days)
One traditional no-school snow day only for each cohort. The first was held for cohort B on December 17, and it will be made up in June. Should the next storm occur on a Cohort A live day, then Cohort A will have a traditional "no-school" snow day for that cohort which will be made up in June. Otherwise, remote learning days will occur for storm days for those students for the remainder of the year. For cohort A, if we have reason for a closure we would have one additional “snow day” followed by remote learning days for the remainder of the year similarly. 
How will snow days be managed/communicated?
The Superintendent will attempt to call snow days/remote learning storm days (a.k.a. “Alternative Learning Days”) on the day prior by 6pm to teachers and by 8pm to families. This is, however, entirely weather dependent and cannot be guaranteed, but we will make every attempt to send updates as soon as possible.

If widespread power outages occur, Dr. Nolin would be allowed to call a traditional snow day if the risk of power outages means students and teachers could not access remote learning during the outage time period. Every attempt will be made to communicate early and teachers will email parents and students expectations for alternative learning days due to storms. Teachers have trained students while in live school for what to expect and where to go for learning resources. For those in programs where use of computers is not the norm, or youth or needs of students demands otherwise, other materials have been prepared and sent home (blizzard bags, etc.)
 
Below are the updates for each learning program based on new DESE regulations executed in late December and explained to superintendents on 12/22/20. Look at the individual link for specific updates, if a program is not mentioned (i.e. MS and HS RLA) there are no changes to anything.
REMINDER: Natick Learning Recovery Program Plan
As discussed in previous emails, we are sharing our Natick Recovery Learning Program Plan with you.

To participate in the program, students will be referred by a teacher to school administration and program coordinators. Parents will be notified of the referral by the referring teacher and the Office of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation.

This document is also linked on our Parent Academy page on the website at natickps.org/parents.

Important note: The winter/spring learning recovery program is separate from the learning and enrichment programming that we will offer to students for the summer. Summer programming will have open enrollment.
TWO DAYS LEFT!!
RedHawk Winter Walk
If you haven't had a chance yet, there are still two days left to visit the family-friendly RedHawk Winter Walk.

This fun winter walk is led by our Technical Theater students at NHS, in collaboration with local businesses and club leadership from across Natick High clubs and activities.
COVID-19 WEEKLY UPDATES
Weekly School Metrics
Weekly school COVID updates.
In conjunction with the Natick Board Of Health, the following overview of Virus Thresholds and COVID Closure and Communications Procedures. This is a guiding framework for use in the coming months as we work to keep schools healthy.

For your ease, we will update the NPS COVID dashboard every week with the Board of Health. The Board of Health will work with Dr. Nolin, the superintendent, to make decisions about virus impact to classroom, school and district closures or openings.

The Board of Health has some latitude within aspects of the framework relative to virus clusters (i.e. high rates of nursing home infections should not dictate the closing of schools but would create higher overall community reflection rates). Each Friday, we will also indicate any schools who have quarantined cohorts and overall confirmed cases. However, a three-week window of data for the community as detailed in the above memo will be the indicators used by the Board of Health to decide our open/closure rates. Classes and individuals who must be quarantined will be notified by both our nurses and the Board of Health. Rigorous contact tracing and COVID notice procedures will then ensue.

All individuals directly affected are contacted personally and in writing. Here are our communication procedures. Cases are tracked by the BOH, NPS nursing staff and the Department of Education Mobile Virus Response Unit.
MA COVID Travel Order advisory.
WEEKLY SCHOOL UPDATES!
The links below are updated every week and also available on your school website!
NATICK HIGH WEEKLY UPDATE
KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AT NHS
Natick Remote Learning Academy
REMOTE LEARNING ACADEMY WEEKLY UPDATE
REMINDERS
Winter/Spring Virtual BOKS Natick
January 20th - May 28th, 2021
BOKS is back and it is FREE! We've gone virtual and are excited to have FUN and get you moving!

BOKS will run M-W-F from 7:30-8:00 for live classes OR you can go into our Google Classroom
and pick which workout is right for you!
Please use the link below to log on:

GOOGLE CLASSROOM CODE
classroom.google.com
Code: cusysvu

GOOGLE MEET CODE
meet.google.com
Code: natickboks

Hope to see you at BOKS,
The BOKS Team
FREE Activity Packs
The BOKS team has compiled our favorite activities that can be used at-home or in school, with just one or a few kids, and minimal equipment. These resources are completely FREE!
ORDER NOW!
School meals are free for all students through June 30, 2021!
*The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the extension of free school meals for all students now through June 30, 2021. This extension allows Natick to serve free meals to all students.*

This means that every student in the Natick Public Schools is entitled to a free meal! The free meal extension from the USDA for this school year is temporary and separate from our regular Free and Reduced Meal program.
FREE AND REDUCED MEAL PROGRAM
If your family might require free or reduced meals after the USDA free meal extension, we encourage you to complete an application today. See our Free & Reduced Meal application.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Natick Families
SNAP benefits allow you to purchase healthy food while stretching your grocery
budget. Benefits of SNAP include:

  • Monthly funds to purchase foods that meet your dietary needs, and that you enjoy.
  • Automatic enrollment in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), which gives you back $1 for each dollar you spend on eligible fruits and vegetables purchased from a HIP vendor, up to a monthly maximum.
  • Ability to stretch your grocery budget even further by shopping at HIP authorized vendors at the Natick Winter Farmers Market.

Eligibility for SNAP is based on income, household size, and certain expenses.

Please call to complete an application or for more information on how our town Human Services Department can offer your family assistance.

Debbie Budd, LSW
Natick Human Services
508-647-6540, ext.1906

“This institution is an equal opportunity provider”
Translating our Newsletter & Website
Como ler notícias do NPS em português
Clique para aprender a ler o boletim e o site do distrito em outros idiomas
Cómo leer las noticias de NPS en español
Haga clic para aprender a leer el boletín y el sitio web del distrito en idiomas adicionales
انقر لمعرفة كيفية قراءة النشرة الإخبارية للمقاطعة وموقع الويب بلغات إضافية
Как читать новости NPS на русском языке
Нажмите, чтобы узнать, как читать районный информационный бюллетень и веб-сайт на других языках
Visit our Translating Natick Public Schools Documents page for assistance.