As a result of the Governor’s press conference this evening, Groton-Dunstable Public Schools will be closed until April 6, 2020. 

In addition, due to the Governor’s ban on any gatherings of over 25 people, we will be making some changes to student and guardian access to schools tomorrow and the meetings we had asked our staff to attend tomorrow.  Immediately below please find the updates below. We can not emphasize enough that we want parents/guardians to get anything that they absolutely need for their students, but out of concern for the safety of our administrators and staff who will be present we ask parents and guardians to only come to the school buildings if it is an absolute necessity. There will be NO access to the buildings after the times below until the closure period is over.

UPDATES:

Staff Meetings

There will be NO all staff meeting tomorrow in ANY school. Teachers are welcome to meet in grade level or content area teams either in person in their schools or virtually. There will be a ZOOM meeting for all staff tomorrow. There will be a further email to staff later this evening. 

Online Resources and Devices 

Members of our staff have been working diligently to develop online continuity of education resources. It is our expectation that the first wave of these resources will be available on Tuesday, March 17th at noon. 

Devices will be available for checkout at Door 8, Middle School South marked “Central Office”. To get to this door, drive between Florence-Roche and Middle School South and pull toward the back of the building. This is the only door that should be used. Please do NOT enter the building to obtain a device. Parents/guardians and students will be greeted outside of Door 8 to obtain a borrowed device. This will allow us to continue to maintain social distancing. Devices may be picked up between 10:00 and noon. 

Student and Guardians picking up medication

Parents and guardians may retrieve medication for their students on Monday  from 10:00 am to noon in the school nurse’s office of your student’s school. You will be buzzed in to your student’s school building – please only use the main door. This will allow us to maintain social distancing. 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.

Library book checkouts:

If in order to participate in the continuity of education experiences your student absolutely needs to check out books from their school’s library (all of those experiences are able to be completed with online resources, so this would be for families that have very limited online access) the libraries will be open for minimal access based on the schedule below. You will need to enter the buildings through the front of your student’s school door. You will be buzzed in for a very minimal amount of time. Parents/guardians and students will need to go directly to the library and then leave directly. This will allow us to maintain social distancing. We ask parents/guardians NOT to come check out materials unless absolutely necessary.

Schedule:

• Grades K – 2 – both Swallow and Flo Ro Students     10:00 – 11:00 

• Grades 3 – 4  11:00 – 12:00 noon

• Grades 6 – 8  11:00 – noon

• Grades 9 – 10 10:00 – 11:00

• Grade 11 – 12 11:00 – noon

Personal Items and academic materials:

If your student has academic or personal items at school that the student absolutely needs during the closure period, parents/guardians will need to enter their student’s school building by the front door. You will be buzzed into the school building for a minimal amount of time. You should go directly to your student’s locker, obtain the items, and then leave the building immediately. This will allow us to maintain social distancing. The schedule to obtain these items is below:

Schedule:

• Grades K – 2 – both Swallow and Flo Ro Students     10:00 – 11:00 

• Grades 3 – 4  11:00 – 12:00 noon

• Grades 6 – 8  11:00 – noon

• Grades 9 – 10 10:00 – 11:00

• Grade 11 – 12 11:00 – noon

 

Lunches for Free and Reduced Lunch Students:

We will be offering FREE LUNCH FOODS for families who receive free and reduced price lunch at school for the duration of the three 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 should email the Superintendent  at lchesson@oldsite.oldsite.oldsite.gdrsd.org and arrange for car-side delivery in front of the middle school south building during those hours 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.