Superintendent's Message
Thoreau
November 5, 2021
Dear Families of Children ages 5-12:
As mentioned, the local health officials have been planning for a COVID vaccine clinic for children ages 5-12. Due to the amount of interest, two vaccine clinics are now scheduled to be held sooner than originally anticipated. Below you will find the date, time and location of the clinics offered for the first shot and the link to register your child. The second round of clinics will be available in early December with information to be forthcoming. The required consent forms are attached. Please print, complete, and bring the two forms to the vaccination appointment. A parent must attend the clinic with the child.
I am again so appreciative of the ongoing collaboration with the local health leaders.
Best,
Laurie
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
Alcott Elementary School, 93 Laurel St, Concord, MA from 4pm – 9pm
Link to register: https://concord-1110.youcanbook.me/
Wednesday, November 17, 2021
Alcott Elementary School, 93 Laurel Street, Concord, MA from 1pm – 6pm
Link to register: https://concord-1117.youcanbook.me/
November 2, 2021
Dear Families:
Given the low case counts and high vaccination rates at the middle and high schools, we are suspending the use of the symptom screener to report a lack of symptoms. Please do still use it if your child is symptomatic.
I hope you enjoy one less thing to do and no more nagging reminders if you did not do it. We are very appreciative of your cooperation.
Best,
Laurie
October 31, 2021
Dear Families:
Happy Halloween to those who celebrate! The mild, dry night will hopefully make for a fun, safe time for all.
This Week’s Spotlight
Among the many ways that we partner with parents, the most formal is the well-established Parent Teacher Groups (PTG) and the CCHS Parents Association. These organizations provide ongoing opportunities for students throughout the many programs and activities that they provide either through their logistical leadership, fiscal subsidies or both. It is without a doubt that the PTG and PA groups help to make our schools thriving, vibrant environments for all students. Below are links to all of their webpages so you can peruse their activities and consider volunteering or donating. The PTG and PA touch every child. In addition to the groups below, the Concord Integrated Preschool also is supported by its own PTG. The pandemic has had a significant impact on these groups, their activities, and fundraiser. We applaud their flexibility and resilience!
Alcott PTG
Thoreau PTG
Willard PTG
Concord Middle School PTG
Concord Carlisle High School Parents Association
COVID Updates
Last week, we had 2 positive student cases both as a result of pool testing: 1 Willard, 1 Thoreau. This brings our total case count to 35 so far this year. The COVID Dashboard is live and kept current at all times.
Last week, the Department of Elementary and Secondary education extended the mask mandate through January 15. We expect to begin utilizing the symptom screener only for symptomatic students later this week. Please watch for an update.
As mentioned, if you believe your child(ren) would participate in a vaccine clinic on November 20 and December 11, please indicate your interest through this brief survey which closes on Friday. The link to the survey is found here.
Honor Your Hometown Video
Concord has several submissions in the Ken Burns Honor Your Hometown project. The schools are thrilled to see two of our own special Concord Minutemen marching and playing during the video: Carl Sweeney, Willard Head Custodian, and John Arena, Transportation Manager. The video where they are showcased is found here. They also made NBC news about the project in this clip.
Challenge Success Parent Article
Our schools have been members of Challenge Success for many years. We are actively engaged this year as we emerge from the pandemic. Challenge Success is an organization out of Stanford University focused on “transforming the student experience by promoting well-being and learning engagement”. This article, Tips for Raising Well-Balanced Kids, offers guidelines for parents to help with those same goals.
Enjoy the beautiful night together!
Best,
Laurie
October 24, 2021
Dear Families:
We find ourselves in the last week of October where academics and extracurriculars are in full swing! I’ll offer my congratulations to the CCHS cast and crew of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for a fabulous performance this weekend outside under the stars!
This Week’s Spotlight
From Kristen Herbert, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
PreK-12 Professional Development Paths 2021-2022
Wednesdays 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM on October 6, December 8, January 12
On these three dates, our entire PreK – 12 faculty come together for professional development. Individual educators choose one of over 15 “Paths” to attend for all three sessions. These workshops and training are all led by experts in their respective fields. Educators are given articles, books, videos, and presentations to pursue outside of the workshop time. This ability to choose a topic, lengthy exposure, and depth of exploration has proven to lead to advanced learning for our faculty and, therefore, an enriched learning experience for our students. The titles and presenters for the “Paths” are listed below:
Developing Executive Function Dr. Sarah Ward
Understanding Dyslexia Dr. Nadene Gaab
Cultural Competence in Counselling Courtney Tucker, Ph.D., & Paul Hyry-Dermith, Ed.D
The Calculus Project Dr. Adrian Mims
Engaging All Students in Reading Literature Dr. Kim Parker
Including Students Who Identify As LGBTQ Jeff Perroti
Mindfulness in the Classroom Dr. Chris Willard
Teaching the Whole Teen (Social Emotional) Rachel Poliner
Becoming A More Culturally Competent Educator Dr. Paula Martin
Teacher Leadership in Action Gene Thompson Grove
News Literacy for Middle School & High School Robin Cicchetti & Elizabeth Stockwood
Project-Based Learning Dr. Chris Price
Enhancing Productivity With Technology Genoveva Matheus, Lisa Bailey, John Peachey
Enhancing Secondary Technology Terry Smolka & Liz Rose
A Study in Leadership Dr. Laurie Hunter and Angel Charles
How To Make Your Curriculum Bias-Free Phil Fogelman & Danika Manso-Brown
School Improvement Plans 2021-2022
On Tuesday night’s Joint School Committee meeting agenda are updates to the 2021-2022 School Improvement Plans from each building. Per Massachusetts law, each school must have its own improvement plan created through a School Advisory Council of administration, staff, parents, students, and community members. The district strategic plan serves as a guide to our systemic objectives. The plans are written each spring for the coming school year. Due to COVID, we revisited the spring plans and are updating them this Fall. Each plan is listed below as you may be interested to read about this year’s goals:
Concord Carlisle High School
Concord Middle School
Alcott Elementary School
Thoreau Elementary School
Willard Elementary School
Thoreau Fire Update
A modular wing is under construction in the field to accommodate the 8 displaced classrooms. On Friday, November 12, only Thoreau will have a half-day to allow time for set up such that the wing is ready for students on Monday, November 15. The modulars will be in place for the remainder of the school year. We offer great appreciation to the Thoreau faculty as they navigate this unexpected situation.
COVID
We had one student case at CCHS last week. Our total case count to date is 33. The COVID Dashboard is live and provides real time updates as to active cases.
We are in active discussions with the local health officials about a vaccine clinic for children under 12 in November pending approval of the vaccine.
Enjoy the remainder of this beautiful weekend!
Best,
Laurie
October 17, 2021
Dear Families:
What a beautiful Fall weekend!
This Week’s Spotlight
Student engagement and wellness are priorities throughout the schools. The performing arts is one significant means of accomplishing those goals while they are also among the areas most impacted by the pandemic. It has been their creativity, determination, and commitment that kept the arts alive and thriving. We are very excited to have music and theater returning in-person more and more as this year unfolds.
The elementary music program is back in-person after 18 months of remote instruction. We opened the year with a multitude of instruments and are now making our way to safely singing.
The middle and high schools began singing and playing wind instruments outside last year. We are excited to have live, indoor performances with reduced capacity audiences this Fall for all of the instrumental and vocal groups. In case you missed some of the amazing videos that were made last year, I hope you will check out these inspirational pieces!
CCHS Sings September
CMS Sings We Will
Finally, the CCHS theater program flexibly held an outdoor performance last Fall and then performed a radio play this past spring! This weekend, they will perform Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream on an outdoor stage under the stars! Tickets are available here.
Parent Conferences
Parent conferences will be held entirely virtually at all schools over the coming weeks and months. Please watch for details from the building principals. One of the pandemic positive outcomes will be ongoing virtual options in the years to come. The dates are as follows:
October 29: CCHS
November 4: Elementary
December 9: CMS
COVID
Last week, we had only 1 case, an adult at CCHS. This brings our total number of positive cases for the year to 32. The COVID Dashboard is continuously updated and reports live case counts on the districts’ homepage. The deadline for staff to submit documentation of full vaccination is today in alignment with the voluntary agreements with all eight of our unions and the School Committee Vaccination Policy. As required by law, a very small number of staff were granted religious or medical exemptions. 99% of all staff are fully vaccinated.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support!
Best,
Laurie
Twitter: @CPS_CCHS Super
Instagram: @ccsuperintendent
October 11, 2021
Dear Families:
I hope you enjoy the long weekend! It amazes us to already be in the middle of October! One of my goals is to make these updates more engaging and so I hope you will enjoy the addition of some photos this week!
This Week’s Spotlights
Ripley STEAM Lab and CMS Makerspace
It has been 18 months since the Ripley STEAM Lab heard the sounds of students imagining, creating, analyzing, and collaborating. Elementary students are now returning to the special space on in-district field trips from their individual schools. Through technology and many other hands-on activities, students work in small groups and as partners to create and design. This past week, fifth grade students programmed Spheros Robotics Balls as an example. The STEAM Lab is led by Assistant Superintendent Kristen Herbert and her staff with the partnership of classroom teachers when their classes visit.
Makerspaces are similar spaces where students engage in a wide range of hands-on activities and materials. Currently, both middle school buildings have small makerspaces available to students. With great thanks to Media Specialist Elizabeth Stockwood, the CMS library webpage outlines some of the many possibilities. The new Concord Middle School design includes space to ensure these opportunities continue.
CCHS Unified Basketball
Among our goals in the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan is to continue to foster the inclusion of all students. An objective in the plan has been to build a Unified Sports program at CCHS. Unified Sports is an aspect of the Special Olympics program where students with and without intellectual disabilities play together. The new basketball team had their first game against Acton-Boxborough this past week. This follows a successful initial season of Unified Track this past spring. We thank the vision of CCHS Athletic Director Aaron Joncas and a number of talented coaches for launching these programs.
COVID Updates
Last week, we had 2 positive COVID cases for a total of 31:
1 CCHS and 1 Alcott student
The COVID Dashboard will be updated throughout the week. We will notify those who need to be notified of any positive cases.
Pooled testing is up and running smoothly. We are using the rapid antigen tests if a positive pool is returned meaning that no one quarantines unless they are positive on the antigen test.
We encourage all students to participate even if they are vaccinated in order to help us ensure the safest possible environment at all schools. Thank you as always for your support and cooperation.
Communication
We will utilize text and phone calls only for emergencies or critical, timely information. Social media and email will include both important and informative information but will never be the only place where something timely is posted. Do you remember the days when our only options were paper notes and handmade phone chains? It is great to have so many tools. We know we need to use them purposefully.
Concord Free Public Library
We continue to very successfully partner with the Concord Free Public Library including through the summer reading program. Throughout the year they offer a wide range of programs for younger students and teens. We encourage you to continually peruse out.
CFPL Kids Programs
CFPL Teen Programs
Have a great start to the short week!
Best,
Laurie
Twitter: @cps_cchs
Instagram: @ccsuperintendent
October 3, 2021
Dear Families:
I hope this email finds you enjoying your weekend! We welcome October and its beautiful colors and cooler days!
This Week’s Spotlight
Every week, I will highlight efforts, initiatives, or events in the districts. For the first time, we will celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 11. The Town of Concord Select Board approved the change last spring. Initiative for the efforts was led through the Concord Middle School Eighth Grade who wrote letters to the School Committee and Select Board as their civics project last Fall.
Similarly, a Willard fifth grade class wrote to the Concord Select Board regarding the addition of George Dugan’s name to the Civil War Monument. Mr. Dugan was a Black farmer and Civil War veteran from Concord. Recently, the Select Board established a Civil War Monument Task Force as the next step to the request to add his name and that of others. The fifth grade efforts were covered in an article by the Boston Globe last spring.
We directly teach civics as part of the social studies curriculum and look to give students voice in our schools and community to feel that they can have an impact and make a difference.
New School Resource Officers
We are excited to introduce two new School Resource Officers to our schools. SRO Derek Rodriguez will be based at Concord Middle School. SRO Cara Paladino will focus on CCHS. We enjoy a very collaborative, positive relationship with the Concord Police and have already seen the new SRO’s contribute to that.
Bike to School Days/Thank You CEF
Each school will hold a Bike to School day during the coming weeks. We engage in the Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools Program. Last year, the Concord Education Fund contributed bike racks and repair stations for every school. The SRO’s will conduct additional bike safety lessons with students. Biking has been a goal among our sustainability efforts. The pandemic accelerated the interest and we are happy to support the effort. The principals will share additional details of the Bike to School events.
COVID Updates
Last week, we learned of four COVID cases including two adults (Thoreau and Alcott) and two students (Thoreau and CCHS). The COVID Data Dashboard is our live mode of communicating cases as they occur. We have begun to use the Test and Stay program with success to date.
School Closings and Delays
As we were reminded last week at the middle school, school closings and delays can be very unpredictable. I may call delays for one or two hours depending on the situation. The intent is to get in as much of the day as possible. I do use social media first (see below) since it is immediate so following me will get you information as soon as possible. Simultaneously, we send texts, phone calls, emails, and post on the district webpage in an effort to reach you in as many ways as possible. Hopefully, we will not need any of it very often!
Have a great night!
Best,
Laurie
Twitter: @cps_cchs
Instagram: @ccsuperintendent
September 26, 2021
Dear Families:
This week has us wrapping our first month of school and the weekend weather helped us to sense that October is in the air. As I mentioned last week, I’ll be providing both COVID and other updates weekly.
COVID Updates
In the past week, we had 3 positive cases: 1 Thoreau adult, 1 CMS adult (pool), and 1 CMS student. The COVID Data Dashboard will be updated as cases occur during the week. It is posted here and is on the main district homepage.
Due to current challenges on the vendor’s end, we will NOT be pool testing this week. Despite the delay, we do believe it is an important, valuable tool. This year, all consents need to be provided through the CIC portal (not Aspen). The link is found here if you have not yet enrolled your child:
Electronic Consent Form
Federal Grant Fund Survey- Please Complete
The federal government is currently distributing the funds provided to districts throughout the country through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Within that Act, is the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund. Accessing the most recent round of funding requires input from all stakeholders. As a result, we ask you to complete a short survey to identify priorities during the pandemic. The survey is found here.
West Nile Virus
Late last week, the West Nile Risk Level was increased to MODERATE. Several adjacent towns are now at HIGH risk levels. A detailed document from Concord Health Director Susan Rask is found here. At the times of highest risk (dawn and dusk), we strongly encourage all students to be sure to apply bug repellent.
Superintendent Goals 2021-2022
Every year, I set goals for the upcoming school year which are regularly discussed with the School Committees. These goals identify our priorities and are aligned with the District Strategic Plan. The goals this year include diversity and equity, special education, literacy, and student mental health. COVID management is certainly also present but not the sole goal. The complete set of goals is posted here.
Last week, we held a forum to update the community on the design of a new Concord Middle School. The recording of the forum is posted here.
MCAS 2021
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released MCAS scores from the spring. You can find the results on their webpage. We are reviewing the results. Individual student information will be sent home in October. It is very important to remember the many variables during the time prior to and during testing.
Follow Us on Social Media
Especially during the pandemic, we have found social media to be a way to share photos and notes of what goes on in the schools on a daily basis when families do not have as much access. If you don’t already, please consider following our many accounts. To get started, you might follow my Twitter and Instagram accounts which will link you to many others.
Twitter @cps_cchs Instagram @ccsuperintendent
Thank you for your ongoing support and collaboration! Have a great week!
Best,
Laurie
September 17, 2021
Dear Families:
First, we learned of 4 positive CCHS students in the last two days. We conducted any necessary contact tracing and made any appropriate notifications.
Now that we are into year two of the pandemic and reporting positive COVID cases, we’ve decided to streamline the process. A live, current data dashboard is now posted on the district’s home page.
COVID DATA DASHBOARD
This spreadsheet will be kept up to date so everyone has access to how many cases are active each week and overall this year. I will only send emails to the entire community on a weekly basis to share the summary information unless we experience a spike or signs of school transmission.
This will not change the process of contact tracing and ensuring that everyone who needs to know about an exposure is aware and the needed steps are taken. This new process will allow me to share updates on much of the other great work going on throughout the districts.
It is important to us that you feel well informed. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Best,
Laurie
September 15, 2021
Dear Families:
As mentioned last week, we continually review our COVID protocols and will now be implementing the Test and Stay program as outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This program is available to students who are identified as close contacts as a result of a COVID exposure in school only. It is important to note that the program is not available to those identified as close contacts outside of school.
Key components of the Test and Stay program as outlined by DESE:
- Available to those not exempt from quarantine (i.e. fully vaccinated)
- Duration of Test and Stay: 7 days from the date of exposure
- Return to School: Close contacts can remain in school and do not have to quarantine, as long as they
- Are asymptomatic
- Wear masks in school at all times, other than when eating or drinking. When these individuals cannot be masked (i.e. when eating or drinking) they should maintain 3 feet of distance from other individuals to the extent feasible.
- Take a rapid antigen test (e.g. BinaxNow) on each school day and receive a negative result. When the 7 days from the date of exposure includes weekends or holidays, individuals should quarantine on weekends, and if they remain asymptomatic, upon return to school be tested immediately. If the individual remains negative, they can stay in school.
- Conduct active monitoring for symptoms through day 14, and self-isolate at home if symptoms develop.
A flowchart is also available to assist in clarifying the process. The flowchart is posted here. Please note that in the elementary schools, we will be considering each case as it occurs as to the number of close contacts. As we have been, we are likely to err on the side of caution especially with the youngest students.
DESE does require consent for the administration of antigen tests in school. Consent is provided through the CIC Health portal linked used to consent to asymptomatic pool testing. The webpage to provide consent is found here. Since the consent form is the same for both programs, we will include your child in both the antigen Test and Stay program AND pooled testing unless you notify the school nurse that you are only enrolling in one of the programs.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the school nurses. Thank you again for your support and patience as protocols and COVID evolve.
Best,
Laurie
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