November 6, 2020
Dear Brunswick Parents/Guardians,
As the school weeks pass by, I am thankful to be a part of such a highly regarded school district. While I am proud of the manner in which our faculty, staff, and administration reopened school, I am most proud of their commitment and adherence to our safety protocols. Their “can-do” approach has enabled us to provide safe educational opportunities for all students whether that be in an outdoor classroom, at home on See-Saw or Google Meets, or through virtual and in-person participation in extracurricular activities. These are uncertain times but please know that when your students come to school we are working diligently to ensure they are learning in the safest way possible.
Below are two important updates.
SCHOOL CALENDAR UPDATE
Our 2020-21 calendar was originally designed late last winter when COVID-19 was something we had only heard about. A lot has changed in how we provide educational programming. On November 4, 2020, the School Board approved a Revised 2020-2021 School Calendar to reflect those changes.
Also, as a reminder, during the week of Thanksgiving, school will take place on Monday and Tuesday, November 23 and 24. Cohort A will attend in person and other cohorts will participate virtually on those days.
INCLEMENT WEATHER PLAN
Despite the warm weather we are currently experiencing, it’s that time of year when we need to start thinking about winter weather. Our current hybrid model will impact how we respond to inclement weather and school closures. In general, if the weather causes the district to close, we will decide whether we will have a School Closure Day or a School Cancellation Day. The plan below will be in effect as long as the district continues in the hybrid model.
Notification
If inclement weather is forecasted, we will strive to decide and notify families the day before a closure or cancellation.
We will also notify families the morning of a closure or cancellation via telephone, text message, and email (if you do not currently receive notifications please contact your student’s building secretary to update your contact preferences).
We will post notifications via radio (99.5 WCME) and television (WCSH 6, WMTW 8, and WGME 13) outlets.
Parents, Staff, and Students may also use the following social media sites for up to date information:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhilPotenziano
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Brunswick-School-Department-896342617067005/
Instagram: @brunswickmesup
Website: www.brunswicksd.org
School Closure Day
This option will be used for days where travel is not advisable but power and internet services are not significantly impacted.
All school buildings will be closed for the day and all on-site school-related events and activities are cancelled for the day/afternoon/evening of the closure.
Students who would normally be attending in-person will attend school remotely for the day. Students who are scheduled for remote learning already will continue in remote learning for the day. The goal is to continue learning in a schedule as close as possible to students’ experiences on a typical day.
Classroom teachers will provide more specific information on how to access lessons and what to do if one or more students or staff members do not have electricity and/or internet access.
School Closure Days do not have to be made up at the end of the school year.
School Cancellation Day
If there are widespread power outages in the community and surrounding areas, both in-person and remote learning will be cancelled for the day.
All school buildings will be closed for the day and all on-site school-related events and activities are cancelled for the day/afternoon/evening of the closure.
School Cancellation Days will be made up at the end of the school year.
Other Closures and Cancellations
If concerns develop during the school day about the ability to travel safely in the afternoon or evening, after school activities will be cancelled. This will include clubs, performances, practices, competitions, and meetings.
If an emergency condition arises during the school day (such as no heat, water, or electricity in a building), there may be an early dismissal and closure.
Meals
For those who are interested, we will also be providing shelf-stable meals for pick up beginning November 16. We recommend picking up two days worth of meals in case of a big storm.
If you cannot pick up the storm pack meals at any of the designated locations and would like meals for storm days, email Melissa Mullison at mmullison@brunswicksd.org and we will send meals home with your student. Any questions please feel free to email Scott Smith at ssmith@brunswicksd.org or call Melissa Mullison at 319-1982.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable winter season.
Sincerely,
Phillip J. Potenziano, Ed.D.