Rather than wish folks a happy new year, Mr. Marshall, our assistant principal, has adopted the greeting, Hopeful New Year! My hope is that we will soon be able to again capture images of the great things happening at Miscoe such as these photos from years past. We can all agree that 2020 tested us in many ways. Unfortunately, 2021 seems to have kicked off in much the same way. A spike in positive COVID cases in the MURSD community has brought us back to the remote model, which is not where we hoped to be, as we value the face to face opportunities for human interaction the hybrid model offers. The events that unfolded in our nation's capital have brought us back to questioning who we are and who we want to be as a nation. However, these challenges do not diminish our hope for better things to come. Nor do they diminish the relationships we have or the skill employed in the important work we do in educating the children of the MURSD. In celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King this month, we will have time to reflect on all that we have overcome, and on our hopes and dreams for our future as a community and nation. 

Mrs. Gentili: One of our two wonderful art teachers, Mrs. Alice Gentili, has announced her retirement. She will wrap up an illustrious career here at Miscoe prior to the February break. I'm borrowing from Mrs. Genili's own words when I say that as an educator, she has remained deeply devoted to bringing visual and media art experiences to the students of the Mendon Upton schools. She has consistently worked to promote art as a vehicle for self expression, embodying the attributes of the MURSD's Portrait of a Learner in her practice. The number of lives she has impacted over her twenty-two and a half years as an educator is immeasurable. She will be missed. ​On behalf of our school community, Thank you, Mrs. Gentili!

Deck the halls: Prior to the holidays, Miscoe students literally decked the halls with messages of gratitude for our cafeteria, nursing and custodial staff members. They are still up and serving to remind us that our students are at the heart of all we do, and they will be filling these hallways again soon!

End of term grades: The second quarter ends 1/29/21. Please check Powerschool to monitor your child's progress and connect with any teachers as needed prior to grades closing. There is still ample time to make up any missed assignments.

Extended deadline for flu shots: Flu shots are required for all students in Massachusetts schools, from child care through colleges, the Department of Public Health announced earlier this year. In previous years, the flu shot was recommended but not required. Students older than 6 months will have to be vaccinated by Feb. 28, unless either a medical or religious exemption is provided to the school nurse. The original date was Dec. 31. New students entering school before March 31, 2021 must have received a dose of vaccine for the current flu season for entry. Students who are home-schooled are exempt from the policy, but health officials said students at elementary and secondary schools that are using a remote learning model are not exempt. College or university students who are entirely off campus will also be exempt from the mandate.

As we move to a new month and close in on the end of autumn, we have an opportunity to look in the rearview mirror and reflect on what it has taken to bring us us to this point in the school year. We've experienced many firsts over the past several months. We finished out the first term, and within it we experienced remote learning, hybrid learning, and for some, a fully stand alone remote model of schooling. We had our first experience with contact tracing while we were in school and had our first experience contact tracing over a long holiday weekend. We had our first year with two days of Halloween celebration to accommodate students in both cohorts. We piloted our first iReady assessment in ELA and math classes and are taking first dives into the data to see what we can learn from this new tool. And, we had our first fire drills during a pandemic, in which we learned how to evacuate the building safely in terms of both fire and COVID-19. Our first snow fell, and we elected the first female vice president in our country's history. Now, we are witnessing the first distribution of an approved vaccine in the UK. It's been quite a ride! Through it all, our students, staff and families have found innovative ways to stay connected and sustain the learning. This month, we will experience another first as teachers host our first parent-teacher conferences via Zoom. We know the home-school partnership is vital to students' growth and look forward to "seeing" as many of you as week can on the 8th and 9th. Should you not have been able to secure a conference appointment, please remember that you can reach out to your child's teacher to discuss progress for any reason at any time. If there's one thing we've learned since March, it's that although we prefer to connect face to face, there are myriad ways to connect in the digital age. Please don't hesitate to reach out and let us know what you need. 

Walk for Giving: This year's walk may have looked a little different, but it was a great success in terms of engaging students in community service, raising a substantial amount of money to support families in our community during the holidays, and getting kids moving outdoors! Thank you for your support of this event. 

Term I grades: Grades will be published in Powerschool for parent and guardian viewing at the end of the school day Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020.

Click HERE for the district calendar.
​
Schedule changes for December:

For students: Newspaper club sign ups are out. Please have your child contact Ms. Holloway at lholloway@mursd.org if interested in this online opportunity.

Parent teacher conferences: Our faculty looks forward to connecting with you on your child's progress. Sign ups for parent teacher conferences on 12/8 and 12/9 went out in the Monday newsletter. Newsletters are available on our school website if you miss an edition in your inbox. Here's the link to the 11/23 newsletter for quick access: ​https://www.smore.com/z31vj

Raising Funds for the learning at Miscoe: Did you know you can get some holiday shopping done and donate to Miscoe at the same time? Our PTO has set us up as a charitable foundation under the name Miscoe Hill Parent Teacher Organization Incorporated on Amazonsmile. You can select us as your donation site by going to https://smile.amazon.com/ . 

All in this together: While the Thanksgiving holiday offered respite, we anticipate an increase in positive COVID cases over the next few weeks. Our goal is to stay in the hybrid model as long as possible. Therefore, we ask for your continued vigilance in attending to the following:

• Self-evaluate you and your family’s health and wellness each day. The Symptom Self-Assessment is a useful tool in this regard.
• COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Infected people have had a wide range of symptoms reported – from mild symptoms to severe illness. Notify the school nurses of ANY illness no matter how mild the symptoms may be. Symptoms of COVID may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with any of these symptoms may have COVID-19:

          -Fever or chills
          -Cough
          -Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
          -Fatigue
          -Muscle or body aches
          -Headache
          -New loss of taste or smell
          -Sore throat
          -Congestion or runny nose
          -Nausea or vomiting
          -Diarrhea

• Please keep your child home if they or any family member show any signs or symptoms or do not feel well. When in doubt, err on the side of caution. We are asking the same of staff members.
• Notify the school nurse immediately if a parent, sibling, or any member of our school community tests positive for COVID-19.
• Follow the state travel guidelines. T​hey can be accessed by clicking HERE.​ Hawaii is now the last state from which one can enter MA after traveling and not have to quarantine.  ​​
  

​Updated COVID close contact guidelines: If you or your child is within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more, the state guidelines now state the need to remain quarantined for the following:

• at least 14 days from the date of last exposure; or
• at least 10 days, provided all of the following are satisfied:
  • you have not had, and do not have, any symptoms;
  • you are tested on day 8 of your quarantine period or later using a molecular diagnostic test (e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) to detect the presence of the virus;
  • you receive a negative test result; and
  • you monitor yourself for symptoms for the full 14 days. If you develop symptoms you should contact your health care provider and be re-tested.

At Miscoe, we believe an education wherein academics and social-emotional learning are intertwined allows students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to thrive. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL, defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. https://casel.org/what-is-sel/
The pandemic has stressed the importance of this for all. Balancing work and play is always an important part of the middle school model. It is also an important component of self care. Joining in the fun of dressing up and experiencing the delight in walking the building and observing the many staff and students in costume last month felt medicinal. As the popular children's song states, "The more we play together, together, together, The more we play together, the happier we'll be." We will continue to identify ways to engage students in fun, celebration and play as we navigate our way through educating students during a pandemic.

Parent-Teacher conferences: The conferences schedule for this month have been postponed. The dates are to be determined and will be shared as soon as they are available. 

Subsequently, the November days originally scheduled for conferences, November 9 and 10, will now be FULL SCHOOL DAYS rather than half days.

Schedule changes:

• Due to election day on 11/3, students will not have school and teachers will have a professional development day. We will follow Tuesday's schedule on Wednesday, 11/4, which will be a FULL day in school for students in Cohort 1 and an asynchronous day for students in cohort 2.
• In honor of our veterans, there will be no school Wednesday, November 11. All school days will be full that week.
• Thanksgiving week, cohort 1 students will attend Monday and follow the Monday schedule. Cohort 2 students will attend Tuesday and will follow the Thursday schedule.

As you can see from these photos, Miscoe staff members have been hard at work since school opened, making sure the learning continues despite the challenges and isolation the pandemic may cause. Staff members are working hard to form the connections and relationships we value and to provide engaging and rigorous curriculum to our students. That being said, we are incredibly excited by the decision to return in a hybrid model on October 13. We miss the energy that students bring to the building and know that despite the reduced numbers and need for strict safety protocols, it will feel good to work and learn in a way that is a bit closer to normal. Similar to the remote start, a tremendous amount of effort and planning has gone into preparing for the transition to the hybrid and stand-alone remote models. Please see below for more information around what a day in the life of a Miscoe student will look like in each.

Safety Protocols During Hybrid Learning: Please click HERE to review what the district protocols look like for students at the building level. We have organized it chronologically so students can visualize the day. If your child will not be taking the bus to and from school, please pay special attention to the sections on arrival and dismissal. 

Stand Alone Remote Model: If you family has chosen to opt for the stand alone remote model, please click HERE for additional information specific to this model.

Visitors: Visitors will not be allowed in the buildings except for pre-approved exceptions or appointments such as contracted service providers for the purpose of special education or required support services.  Any visit to the school must be preceded by a phone call to the school. All visitors will enter schools through the main office, wearing a mask and using hand sanitizer upon entry.  Visitors will be required to sign in electronically using a driver’s license and our Raptor system.  Masks must be worn at all times.  Visitors will not be allowed to access any parts of the school campus except for the main office and nurse’s office as needed.  If an item must be delivered to school for students, the item(s) should be clearly labeled with the student name and left on the table outside the main entrance of the school.  Administrative assistants will check the table regularly to deliver items to students.

A tip for managing assignments: Some parents have shared that students are having difficulty keeping track of assignments across classes in Google Classroom and asked if there is a way to obtain a summary. Our teachers are happy to share the following:

• Google classroom provides a summary with links!
• The summary provides assigned, missing, and done columns colored coded by class with dates.  Have your student click on the assignment and they will be taken directly to it. Once the student completes an assignment, it is automatically removed from the missing list.
• Click HERE for a simple and brief tutorial. 

Halloween is Saturday, 10/31/20 this year: We are excited for an opportunity to have some fun as a school community. We would like to once again invite students and staff to wear a Halloween costume to school or to Zoom classes. Masks will still be required in school. We value creativity and innovation, and would encourage families NOT to purchase costumes. Instead, repurpose or upcycle materials from home to create something fun or scary. Just keep it school appropriate! If we are in the hybrid model at that time, we will invite Cohort 1 students to wear costumes on Tuesday, 10/27, and Cohort 2 students to wear their costumes Friday, 10/30.

On Wednesday, we will welcome students back to school virtually.  Teachers have worked hard the last two weeks on what that will look like and how best to meet students' needs those first three days next week. Please continue reading for important information regarding back-to-school at Miscoe.

Homeroom:

• Homeroom is 8:10-8:25.
• From 9/16 through 9/18, homeroom will be MANDATORY for all students. This will be a chance for students to form connections, review the daily schedule, ask questions, and be directed to their first period class, which will be C block on Wednesdays due to the rotation of periods.
• Beginning 9/21, homeroom will be by invitation from a teacher to offer extra help or a check-in. Students can request a meeting during this time as well. 
• Homeroom teachers will share their Zoom links in this week's Communication Chart, which will be accessible via the Monday newsletter sent electronically by one of our awesome administrative assistants, Mrs. Peroba.
• We will ask for feedback on homeroom after the first four weeks of school.

Wednesdays: Wednesdays are a FULL day of school with the first half engaging students in synchronous learning during shortened periods in which teachers will take attendance. The afternoon learning is asynchronous and is expected to be addressed during school hours. Teachers will not be available to students during this time as it will be used for professional collaboration and development. 

Electives:

• Most students have two electives (certain scheduling needs may mean a student has fewer). One meets on Mondays and Thursdays, and one meets on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• On Wednesdays, we will alternate weekly, using an A Week, B Week schedule. 
• On A weeks, which we will start on 9/16, students will attend their Monday/Thursday elective. On B weeks, the first of which will be the week of 9/21, students will attend their Tuesday/Friday elective.

Student Schedules: A big thank you to Mr. Marshall, Mr. Labarre, Mrs. Black, and our office administrators for their efforts in creating student schedules. The window for changes closes September 25. Mr. Marshall is managing all scheduling needs. Please use this form to communicate your needs to him: ​https://forms.gle/XCZ8ddoVQFoL3zZT7

Weekly Remote Learning Communication Chart:
Due to positive feedback regarding the weekly chart shared with parents Monday mornings during remote learning last spring, we will continue this practice during remote and hybrid schooling. Because we are following a more typical schedule than we did in the spring with student attendance being mandatory every period, the information in the chart will be modified. It will allow for adults supporting students to understand the learning following:

• Learning objectives for the week
• Specific materials needed
• What special resources will be used instructionally.
• Information regarding how to access teachers.

As stated above, a link to the Weekly Remote Learning Communication Chart will be accessible via the Monday newsletters sent electronically by one of our awesome administrative assistants, Mrs. Peroba. We will ask for feedback on the chart after four weeks of implementation.

Staff changes at Miscoe: We are always excited to share new faces and new opportunities for our staff members. Here are the changes to date:

• Technology: Mr. Schwab accepted a position as assistant principal in a neighboring district. Mrs. Kahler, formerly a grade 7 science teacher, has taken on a new role as technology teacher for students in grades 5 and 6. Mrs. Gervais will now teach grades 7 and 8.
• We are in the process of hiring for grade 7 science and will announce the finalist as soon as we are able. Mr. Adcock, who was a long term sub for Mrs. Parent last year, will be assuming Mrs. Kahler's vacancy until final decision are made.
• We welcome Mrs. Parent back to grade 7 science!
• Mrs. Raposa is back and will be a grade 7 special education teacher.
• Mrs. Wellington has moved from long term sub to grades 5 and 6 special education teacher.
• Ms. Drew has left her para educator role at Miscoe to become a grade 3 teacher in a neighboring district.
• Mrs. Hardcastle has left her para educator role at Miscoe to become a Health/PE teacher in a neighboring district.

Coffee with the admin: Please consider Zooming with Mr. Marshall and me Tuesday morning between 7:45-8:45 to ask questions, share concerns, offer feedback or just check in to hear what others have to say. This is a drop in session; please do not feel you have to stay for the duration. We will continue to publish the questions and answers from these sessions.

It's finally here! Back to school! Teachers return August 31, and they are certainly experiencing the back to school excitement and nervous energy that new beginnings bring. It can be a sleepless time in a typical school year, and this certainly is no typical school year. We are all in the seat of learner as well as educator and will spend the first nine days learning and practicing safety protocols, collaborating on remote instruction, and planning ways to form the relationships with students and families that we know are so important in enabling all learners to thrive.  

We excitedly await the reentry of students on September 16. Though it will be remotely, we will be grateful to be together again. Below you will find the schedule for remote learning at Miscoe. This schedule will be in effect at least until October 13, at which point the determination will be made to move to hybrid or stay in the remote model. Our hybrid schedule mirrors our remote schedule for ease of transition. 

Set up a learning space: This spring, we leaped into an emergency response to a crisis situation. We weren't sure how things would go, and this created a bit of an anything goes approach, at least at my house! As the author of this NY Times article states, her daughter "would sometimes work on her iPad on the couch, at my desk in my home office, or even in bed." We return this fall with a more structured approach to remote learning. A structured approach at home will support students' success in attending to and participating in classes. Click the link for the full article with ideas on how to do so: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/remote-learning-space-set-up/
If you are looking for the supply lists shared in the spring, please click here: supply lists by grade

Communicate: In addition to utilizing Powerschool, email, and Google Classroom, the district will employ the Remind app to promote consistent home/school communication. We encourage you to stay informed and engage in consistent communication with the adults working with your child. There are going to be glitches, mistakes, failures, and frustrations. Together, we can use them as opportunities for learning and growth!

Celebrate: Notice and acknowledge the positives, no matter how small! Teaching and learning in a pandemic is challenging for all stakeholders, and we need to have an attitude of gratitude if we are going to do our best to do what's best for kids. 

Please check out this article by clicking the title for six ways families and schools can foster adolescent development:  Supporting Teenagers in a Pandemic

Sept. 3 - Virtual New Student Orientation for Students in Grades 6-8
Sept. 10 - Virtual Grade 5 Meet and Greet/Orientation
Sept. 16 - Students reenter school remotely

Five months ago, we walked out of school thinking we'd be back in two weeks. If you are anything like me, the photo above is illustrative of how you've often felt in the months following. With the start of the 2020-21 school year drawing year, this feeling may be magnified. MURSD staff is working as industriously, intelligently, quickly, and, most importantly, safely as we can to create plans for reengaging students in meaningful learning come September and beyond. For those who enjoy challenges, the work is exciting; never before have we been faced with redesigning school while simultaneously implementing the designs. Never before have we had to determine how best to provide an equitable education during a pandemic. We have learned a tremendous amount about teaching and learning, and education will never look the same as it did prior to March. As exciting as this work is, it is also exhausting - physically, mentally and emotionally. Each solution leads to the next tier of challenges. We know families are experiencing this as well. And, we know the strength of our Miscoe community. We will not only endure but will also persevere. And, our ultimate goal will be to find ways to enable students to thrive. We will not all agree all the time, but we will all come from the same place: the desire to do our best to do what's best for kids. I continue to remind myself that, fingers crossed, next August we will be talking about something else. And, because of the events of this year, our students may be the next "Greatest Generation"! Together, we've got this.

End of the year: While the close to the 2019-20 school year will not look or feel like a typical school year, staff is working to make sure some fun is had by all during the last week of school. Staff members at each grade span are designing engaging activities, the details of which will be shared by the week of June 15.

Our eighth grade staff has been working since April to ensure our eighth grade students' are celebrated as they transition from being middle schoolers to high school students. Based on feedback from the student survey done in April, decisions were made to do the following:

• Wednesday, June 17th Miscoe offer a virtual awards ceremony.  
• Thursday, June 18th, staff will host a drive-through parade/send off to celebrate our 8th graders at Miscoe Hill.  We will follow all mandatory social distancing guidelines.
• Friday, June 19th we will host a virtual commencement ceremony.

The timing of each event will be shared in subsequent communication. We will look forward to celebrating our wonderful eighth grade students with you!

A few parents have asked about holding a live commencement ceremony this summer. Because the recently released state guidelines on graduations are intended for high school ceremonies only, we will hold off on planning any live events and will continue to follow the state guidelines regarding large gatherings until we are confident we can ensure everyone's safety. 

We are also determining how best to distribute yearbooks and class t-shirts to eighth grade students. 

Report cards: Report cards will be published for parent and guardian viewing in Powerschool on June 19, our last day of school. Because we shifted to Pass/Fail grades for terms three and four, final grades for the year will not appear on report cards this year.

Retrieving belongings: Mr. Marshall has prepared a system and schedule for families to retrieve belongings from school. Once we are allowed to access the building, this information will be share with you. Until then, the building remains closed. Please do not attempt to access it. Should you need medications or supplies from the nurse's office, please email Mrs. Farquharson at  gfarquharson@mursd.org .

A reminder about academics: Work will be assigned the week of June 8, so you should expect to receive the weekly chart that Monday morning per usual. 

iPads: We will not be collecting iPads as we typically do in June. This will allow for a smoother transition when we return to school, whether remotely or in the building, in September. 

While not all moments need to be teaching or parenting moments, there are some that are
too significant to allow to pass.

• Please click HERE to download a pdf file of Beyond the Golden Rule: A parent's Guide to Preventing

​and Responding to Prejudice from Teaching Tolerance (TeachingTolerance.org)

• How Can Parents Teach Tolerance? https://gctpnews.org/how-can-parents-teach-tolerance/ Feb 22, 2018, 

​offers ideas for teaching tolerance, which is a step on the continuum to respect, appreciation, and
celebration of diversity. The article states that,​"Like all attitudes, tolerance is often taught in subtle
ways. Even before they can speak, children closely watch — and imitate — their parents.
Kids of all ages develop their own values, in great part, by mirroring the values and
​attitudes of those they care about." Please click the ​Read More button below to
access the entire article.

​​
​Teacher appreciation week is well timed this year. Please, take a moment to let teachers know
the esteem we as a community have for them and the respect we share for the important work
they do. This is a good time to encourage kids to get creative and find a fun way to connect
with their teachers!
​
Robert Heinlein said, "When one teaches, two learn." As a parent I share with you the challenges
learning remotely presents. It's helpful to remember, our Remote Learning Plan and schedule are 
emergency responses to a crisis situation. We are adaptable, but this situation is not permanent.
We will return to "normal" at some point. However, we will bring what we've learned from this
experience to the work, and I'm convinced we will be better for it.

Remote Learning Instruction Sessions Via Zoom: While not mandatory, attendance in these sessions is expected and encouraged. One trend we've started to notice at Miscoe is students logging in without video. The concern is some students appear to be logged in but are not actually attending to the instruction. Please encourage your child to Zoom with video so teachers can better monitor engagement. 

Grading of individual assignments: As previously shared, all assignments are mandatory. Teachers' goal is to provide actionable feedback on all work submitted. Assignments are being assessed using the following criteria, and parents can view their child's score on each assignment in Powerschool, just as you would during the typical school year. 

​Report Cards: Report cards will be published on Powerschool for parent/guardian viewing on May 5. Please email your child's teacher directly with any questions, concerns or gratitude!

Survey Feedback Data: The responses we received from students, staff and parents/guardians showed innovative thinking and a positivity we appreciate! People have definitely been inspired by our experiences with this crisis to create interesting solutions and options as we seek to do what is best for students. We will use this data to assess our practices and make any necessary changes as we continue to develop our skills in remote learning over the next seven weeks. Any changes will be clearly communicated to you prior to implementation.

End of year events: Staff is thoughtfully considering how to engage students in end of the school activities in a way that provides connection, fun and closure. Our 8th grade teachers are currently working on our awards and commencement ceremonies. We are exploring a collaboration with Jostens, as they are donating Zoom sessions that can accommodate up to 1000 invitees. We will also reach out to students and parents for their ideas. As seen in this photo, there are certainly some innovative ideas on the web! In addition, 8th grade teachers are working on yearbook distribution to all 8th graders, and a Drive By Sendoff through Miscoe.
Please keep an eye on the weekly newsletters sent by Mrs. Peroba for more information.

​Consider taking the TED-Ed Challenge: On Instagram, TEDEd has created a fun way for students
and their families to use their brains and common household items to creatively respond to
educational challenges issued by TED speakers throughout the world. Each weekday at 2pm,
head over to @tededucation for a brief educational talk and challenge from a new TED speaker.
Speakers of all ages will use Instagram Stories and Instagram Live to deliver brief educational talks
and issue creative, interactive, family-oriented challenges to Instagram users around the world.
Viewers can respond using their own Instagram accounts, and TED-Ed will feature the most creative
​responses on our channel.

Supporting your middle schooler as they process not returning to school this year: It's always important to remember, behavior Is communication. Many middle schoolers are struggling with the lack of peer contact. The teen brain is wired to be attuned to peer influence, more so than to adult influence during this time, and it is as much a need as a want. This can heighten what we sometimes hear called teen angst. Jessica Minahan (click HERE for the link to the full article and HERE to access her website): wrote Maintaining Connections, Reducing Anxiety While School Is Closed. An expert on behavior, she reminds us that many students will communicate their feelings through changes in behavior. Not all children and teens react to stress the same way, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists common behavior changes to look out for during this crisis, when interacting with students:

• Excessive crying or irritation.
• Returning to behaviors they have outgrown.
• Excessive worry or sadness.
• Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits.
• Irritability and "acting out" behaviors in teens.
• Difficulty with attention and concentration.
• Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past.
• Unexplained headaches or body pain.
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

Ms. Minahan suggest responding with compassion. "Their behavior is their way of telling you "I'm scared, nervous, or uneasy." It's helpful to share this information with caretakers, who may misunderstand the student's behavior as just being lazy or having an attitude. For a detailed list of common anxiety-related behaviors by age, with suggestions of how families can respond, refer to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's factsheet.
​
You may find youself experiencing some of these behaviors during this crisis. Don't forget to also respond to yourself with compassion! ​

Hello again to the Miscoe community! It seems too soon for the next monthly update as March flew by in a stream of changes. I hope you and those you love are well, and if not, that you are finding the support and strength you need.

Our students, staff and families have done a great job staying connected and practicing previous learning. In this update you will find specifics about the upcoming shift from providing practice opportunities to students to providing instruction of new content and skills.

This shift will begin on Monday, April 6. The specifics are found in the district’s Remote Learning Plan, shared with you by Dr. Maruszczak. For an overview, click HERE for Dr. M.'s screencast.

Some elements of the learning plan will look familiar in the coming weeks:

• By 9 am on Monday, students will receive all work for the week organized into a chart by team.
• Students can check into Virtual Office Hours for any questions, support, or extra help from their teachers and may be invited by an educator for extra help as well.
• All assignments should be turned into Google Classroom by 11:00 am on Friday​
• Students and parents/guardians can contact teachers digitally and expect a response within the school day or by the end of the following school day.
• We will continue to adhere to the school calendar, so students will not have remote learning on Good Friday or over April vacation week.

Some elements of the plan will be new beginning Monday:

• Students are encouraged and expected to attend each Remote Learning Session during the scheduled times. Should a student miss a session, they will be able to access materials and supports through each teacher's Google Classroom.
• There will be a schedule provided with the assignment chart indicating when students should plan to attend live instructional times, or Remote Learning Sessions, by content area for large group instruction and when students can access staff members for support through Virtual Office Hours.
• Remote Learning Schedules have changed a bit. Miscoe's was generated collaboratively with faculty. We are going to try it for two weeks and revise if needed based on staff, parent and student feedback.
• Accountability will be based on satisfactory completion of work submitted. Further information about grading is outlined in the MURSD Remote Learning Plan and additional guidance will be shared in next week's newsletter. ​You will be able to monitor your child's work completion in Powerschool.
• Term 3 will be extended until April 17, and both terms 3 and 4 will be graded on a pass fail basis.

​Here is a link to a document with frequently asked questions to support your understanding: FAQs  Thank you to Nipmuc administrators for sharing their work with this.

As Winston Churchill stated, "Perfection is the enemy of progress." Please remember that we are creating this system as we are working within it. Therefore, we appreciate your patience, support and feedback as we continue to refine it to reflect the unique needs of this time and our middle school students. 

Review of the plan and the answering of questions will occur in the upcoming communication sessions:

1. Dr. Maruszczak will host a "Town Hall" style zoom session on Saturday, April 4, at 10:00 am to review the plan and answer questions.
2. Mr. Marshall and I will be available for virtual office hours from 4-5:00 on Monday, 4/6, via THIS UPDATED ZOOM LINK for any parents or guardians with questions specific to Miscoe regarding the plan for learning or anything else that is on your mind. You should receive and email/text with the log in and password Monday afternoon. We may not have all the answers, but we look forward to hearing your thinking.
3. Mr. Marshall and I will be available to your children from 1-2:00 on Monday, 4/6. An email has been sent to them with the Zoom link. Please encourage them to check their inbox.

All information related to Remote Learning at MURSD can also be found at MURSDRemote.com (formerly MURSDExtended.com), including tutorials on how to use Zoom. For an overview, click HERE for Dr. M.'s screencast.