HOLIDAYS & CLOSURES:

Monday, January 24, 2022: 2-HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL. Nathan Hale closes at 12:50pm

MESSAGE FROM MR. CROUCH, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Greetings Nathan Hale Parents and Guardians, 

Our testing window was originally supposed to take place earlier in January Due to the large number of students and staff out sick we moved it to later in the month.

We will begin our middle of the year NWEA assessments starting on Tuesday, January 25th. 

Please see the schedule below:

• January 25th, January 26th, and January 27th - Math
• January 28th- Make-up sessions
• January 31st, February 1st, February 2nd- Language Arts
• February 3rd, February 4th, February 7th, and February 8th- Make-up sessions.

Students will follow the same procedure as the EOY and will test during their core math and language arts classes. MLL and Specialized Learning students will have alternate settings and will test with their teachers.

Please make sure your child receives an ample amount of rest and eats a great breakfast during the testing window. I'm confident that our students will do exceptionally well because they have been working extremely hard. 

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The marking period closes on January 25, 2022. If you have any questions regarding your child's grades, please reach out to either you child's teacher or counselor by email.

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Reporting Your Child's Positive Covid-19 Test to the School:

Parents, please email your child's positive Home Test or document showing a positive PCR test, to our school Nurse, Mrs. Page Seyfried - SeyfriedP@NorwalkPS.org. She will reach out to you if any additional information is needed. Please also include our Attendance Coordinator, Mrs. Vernita Grasty, so she can update attendance: GrastyV@NorwalkPS.org

Those students who are in isolation or are quarantining should check Google Classroom daily for any assignments to complete at home - if they are well enough. Please realize that many teachers are also home sick, so assignments for some classes may be missing. Any missed classwork will be made up when your child, or the teacher, is back in school.

We have been asked by Central Office to suspend sending home emails regarding positivity numbers among students, as it is not a perfect science. Therefore, we will send an email advising that a new case of Covid-19 has been identified within the school community (staff and students) each day that new cases are reported.

Re-Cap: Student Discipline 

Together, we will maintain a safe and productive learning environment where all students are 

engaged in productive learning. Thank you for your contributions and cooperation. Let’s all do our part to tackle small problems before they become bigger. Students respond well to consistent adult structure. Staff has been instructed to do their part by doing the following: 

·       Issue hall passes (one student out at a time)

·       Cell phones are off and away all school day

·       Document student behavior issues

·       Communicate with parents/guardians regarding behavioral issue.

A FEW IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR PARENTS:

MASKS: Masks must be worn by students at all times. WIth Covid-19 positivity rates soaring again, we need to remind everyone that masks need to be up and over the nose!

PHONES: Students should not have cell phones out during the school day. Phones are being confiscated if they are out and being used. Air pods are not to be word during the day. Remember, the school is not responsible for lost phones or airpods.

WATER BOTTLES: Students should have their OWN water bottles in school for water fountain use. The school does not supply cups for students. Please make sure your child's name is written in permanent marker on the bottle.

CHROMEBOOKS: Broken or damaged chromebooks must be reported to our Tech Coordinator, Mr. Malcolm Welfare - WelfareM@NorwalkPS.org

PICKING UP FOR EARLY DISMISSAL: Finally, parents are arriving at school to pick up their child for early dismissal without prior notification. Notes are required in the morning so your child will be ready for pick up. No early dismissals between 2:30-2:50pm at the end of the day. Please read below for the full overview - we keep this in every week's email to families.

REMINDER: Early Dismissal Procedure

If you are picking up your child EARLY from school, send in a written note with your child in the morning - include your child's name and the time and reason they are leaving early.

Notes are to be brought to Mrs. Grasty in the Counseling Office before homeroom She will then update the Daily Attendance to indicate that your child is leaving early. Her direct line in 203-899-2910 x17208.

Your child should come on their own to meet you at the Security Desk at the appointed time. This will eliminate us looking for your child in the building and interrupting classes.

Please sign them out in the notebook and have your ID ready. Only those friends and family members listed on your child's emergency form are allowed to pick up your child.

No Early Dismissals between 2:30-2:50pm as busses are entering the parking lot for the close of the school day.

Thank you for your understanding and following this procedure. We are currently getting between 15-20 "emergency" or last-minute requests to find students for Early Dismissal. This is disruptive to classrooms and takes both security and office staff away from their locations to find your child.

Be sure to scroll down to the end of this email for a Calendar list of important dates!

In-School Covid-19 Testing at Nathan Hale Every Wednesday

In collaboration with Progressive Diagnostics, NPS is offering free Covid PCR testing for all unvaccinated NPS elementary and middle school students beginning with the week of September 27.

Research shows that school-based screening testing helps to identify cases sooner, rather than waiting for symptoms to develop. 

Progressive Diagnostics will offer free testing once a week at each school to unvaccinated students, not exhibiting any Covid-related symptoms, with parental consent.

Consent forms can be accessed by clicking on this link: https://progressive-diagnostics.com/school-testing/consent-form/

Schools will not be responsible for selecting students to participate in this program. Parents interested in having their child participate may submit the form electronically.

The test is a non-invasive swabbing of the lower nostrils (no “brain tickling”) and takes only a few seconds to collect.

Results will be available to parents within 24 hours via a HIPAA compliant online portal.

As we work together to keep our students and staff safe, please continue to keep your child home if they aren’t feeling well, or exhibiting any Covid symptoms. For additional information regarding Progressive school testing click here. FAQ’s in English or Spanish are available for viewing as well.

B.A.R.K. CONTACT INFORMATION:

For parents whose children are enrolled in the Carver Foundations' B.A.R.K. After-School Program: The program Director is Dr Thomas Stanford. If you need to pick up your child early, or have to inform Dr. Stanford of a change in plans, please contact him directly on the BARK Phone Number: 203-804-7550. That is the most efficient way of reaching the program.

CALENDAR:

Monday, January 24: All Schools 2-Hour Early Dismissal, due to Professional Development for Staff. Nathan Hale closes at 12:50pm

Tuesday, January 25: Travel Basketball. Home Game vs. West Rocks 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, January 27: Travel Basketball. Away Game at Ponus Ridge 3:30-5:00pm

Tuesday, February 1: Travel Basketball. Home Game vs. Roton 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, February 3: Travel Basketball. Away Game at West Rocks 3:30-5:00pm

Tuesday, February 8: Travel Basketball. Home Game vs. Ponus 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, February 10: Travel Basketball. Away Game at Roton 3:30-5:00pm

Tuesday, February 15: Travel Basketball. Home Game vs. West Rocks 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, February 17, Friday, February 18 and Monday, February 21 - All Schools Closed for President's Day Recess



Tuesday, February 22: Travel Basketball. Away Game at Ponus 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, February 24: Travel Basketball. Home Game vs Roton 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, March 17: All Schools 90-min Early Dismissal, due to conferences at the elementary school affecting buses. Nathan Hale closes at 1:20pm

Thursday, March 24: All Schools 90-min Early Dismissal, due to Professional Development for Staff. Nathan Hale closes at 1:20pm

Monday, March 28: All Schools 2-Hour Early Dismissal, due to Professional Development for Staff. Nathan Hale closes at 12:50pm

Friday, April 15: All Schools Closed for Good Friday

Monday, April 18 - Friday, April 22: All Schools Closed for Spring Recess

Monday, April 25: All Schools 2-Hour Early Dismissal, due to Professional Development for Staff. Nathan Hale closes at 12:50pm

Monday, May 16: All Schools 2-Hour Early Dismissal, due to Professional Development for Staff. Nathan Hale closes at 12:50pm

Monday, May 30: All Schools Closed in observance of Memorial Day

Tentative last day of school: June 16, 2022, subject to change due to snow closures.