Dear Rowe School families,
I am writing to inform you that a person in our school community has tested positive for COVID-19. This information is also going home today in a letter. We have been planning for this scenario and have a comprehensive plan in place to utilize COVID-19 testing, inform families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and support the affected family as they navigate this experience.
Though we cannot provide specific information about our school community member who tested positive, your child was not a close contact of the affected school member (a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the COVID-19 positive individual while indoors for at least 15 minutes during a 24-hour period) unless you hear otherwise. Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms and keep your child home if he/she/they shows any symptoms or is not feeling well.
Parents of students who were in close contact with the community member will be notified privately.
If you have not signed up for our school routine COVID safety check program, sign up here: https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma
We are committed to continuous communication with, and support of, our families. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Nurse Lydia Brisson at 413-512-5103 or lbrisson@roweschool.org. Thank you for your continued support.
Thank you,
Bill and Lydia
The roads are a little icy in spots this morning, be careful on the way in. And remember, it’s Crazy Hat or Hair Day!
Rowe Elementary and the North Berkshire School Union are launching a new mobile app that will help students, parents, and community members know what is happening at school, right from their phones. We know that many of our families are using smartphones as a primary means to communicate. That’s why we’ve created an app that is custom-built for mobile. On the app, you can find documents, contact information for staff, breakfast and lunch menus, and event information.
You can download the app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Our website has been redesigned as well. It will still be www.roweschool.org, but it will be a new format, and will be connected to the app.
Here's a link to a video that explains some of the functions of the app: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sP3n6o3-nW7en-YHTNxF1jTd0dMdyMKM/view?usp=sharing
The three main benefits of the app for Rowe School community members:
1) Know what’s going on at school - Find real-time updates from the app or website’s live feed about things happening at the school.
2) Connect with teachers and administrators - Learn about conferences, access staff contact information, and quickly find out about school and Union news.
3) Stay up-to-date with school information - Receive updates about events occuring at the school, documents, required forms, and even emergency notifications.
If you don't have a smartphone, or don't choose to download the app, nothing will change. You'll still get emails and calls from the school, with information or emergency notifications as you have in the past.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I'm interested in your feedback. I hope this new means of communication will be a benefit to your family.
Bill
Our new app launches Monday. Come back then for exciting information!
The Rowe PTP is still looking for squash donations to donate to Good Neighbors Food Pantry. Contact the school with questions.
This week's Professional Development day was very helpful for the teaching staff. They were able to work on plans for supporting the students social, emotional, and academic learning this year. Whatever the year holds, I know the Rowe teaching staff will be prepared to support our students in an engaging and productive way., Conferences finish up tomorrow, thank you for working with us in the varied ways of connecting with families. I hope you were able to get what you needed from the process., Next week, there will be no school on Thursday, as we celebrate Veterans Day. Other than that, it will be a regular week, with a 3:15 dismissal Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and a 12:30 dismissal on Friday. The weather looks like it will be getting colder, so please make sure to have your students bring everything they need to be comfortable outside no matter the weather.
Mrs. Brisson and I are sharing a letter today with all families, through email and backpacks, that talks about the likely upcoming availability of a COVID vaccine for students aged 5-11. Please look it over, and be in touch if you have any questions. Have a good week and stay safe!
October Newsletter
https://5il.co/10ugt