As the days progress, we know that there will be many more questions. We will continue to provide updates as we get new information and questions that need to be answered. We thank you for your patience as we work our way through this unprecedented situation. This email will be sent out again tomorrow to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to read it. In addition it will be posted on the district website. If you need assistance with receiving communication via email or phone from the district please email Phyllis Maynard at pmaynard@oldsite.oldsite.oldsite.gdrsd.org. She is the administrator for the School Messenger system.

WHAT DO WE KNOW KNOW?

Groton-Dunstable Public Schools will be closed through March 27, 2020. 

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: Our last day of school will be the 185th day on our school calendar which is June 19, 2020.  The School Committee is currently evaluating whether or not we will be having school during April vacation as this under their authority. If parents have any input regarding this issue they are invited to email Marlena Gilbert at mgilbert@oldsite.oldsite.oldsite.gdrsd.org. Please know that their decision could possibly be superseded by the Governor or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

LUNCH FOR STUDENTS ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH: We will be offering FREE LUNCH FOODS for families who receive free and reduced price lunch at school for the duration of the two week closure. Lunches for this week will be available for pick-up between 10:00 and noon on Tuesday, March 17th at Groton Dunstable Regional Middle School South Building in the cafeteria. Families who are uncomfortable with coming into the building may email Katie Novak at knovak@oldsite.oldsite.oldsite.gdrsd.org and arrange for car-side delivery in front of the middle school south building or call the main number for the district 978-448-5505 and leave your name and number so we can support you in getting food to you.

REMOTE RESOURCES, NOT REMOTE LEARNING: We will be posting resources for families and students that can be accessed remotely to help students with continuity in the engagement of learning throughout the closure. These resources are in no way meant to be a replacement for our outstanding faculty and curriculum. These experiences are not mandatory.

WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS MEDICATION AT SCHOOL THAT HE/SHE WILL NEED DURING THE NEXT TWO WEEKS?: Parents and guardians may retrieve medication for their students on Monday, March 16, 2020 from 10:00 am to noon in the school nurse’s office of your students’s school. If you are unable to retrieve the medication during that time period and your student must have the medication for the time period of the closure you are requested to call the superintendent office on Monday from 9:00 to noon and we will arrange a pick-up time for you.

WHAT IF YOUR STUDENT HAS PERSONAL ITEMS OR ACADEMIC MATERIALS AT SCHOOL THAT HE/SHE WILL NEED DURING THE CLOSURE? Students and parents may come to retrieve these items from 10:00 am to noon on Monday, March 16,2020. Please note that only high school students may enter the building without a parent or guardian. Middle school and elementary students MUST be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Students and guardians are to be in the building only long enough to retrieve their items, then they must leave. If you are unable to retrieve your student’s items during this time period please contact your student’s principal.

WHAT IF YOUR STUDENT NEEDS TO BORROW A DEVICE IN ORDER TO ACCESS THE REMOTE RESOURCES FOR ACCESSING THE CONTINUITY OF LEARNING RESOURCES DURING THE CLOSURE?: If you need to borrow a Chromebook for your student in order to access these online resources please email Luke Callahan at lcallahan@oldsite.oldsite.oldsite.gdrsd.org to arrange to pick up a device.

 

WHAT DO WE NOT KNOW YET?

WILL WE HAVE MCAS TESTING?  A lot depends on when schools across the state come back to school. This will be ultimately decided at the state level by recommendation of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and with the approval of the State Legislature. Should you wish to have input on this decision please contact your state legislature.

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF SPRING EVENTS SUCH AS PROM? This is something that cannot be answered today, but we certainly would like to hold all of our annual spring events. We will wait as long as we can to make these decisions and building administrators will communicate at the school level to staff, parents, and students.

GDRSD MESSAGE LINE FOR FAMILIES; During the closure families who need to get in touch with someone from the district may call 978-448-5505 and leave a message. We will be checking the messages on this line regularly. If a student or family member living in the household with students receives a presumptive or positive diagnosis for COVID 19 you are asked to call this number and leave your name and contact information and someone from the district will contact you.

Thank you again for your patience and support!

Laura S. Chesson, Superintendent