April 5, 2020 

Dear Quashnet School Community, 


It is hard to believe that this is the start of the fourth week of our school closure period. What an unprecedented time we are living through.  I hope you are all staying well, continue to practice physical distancing, and washing hands regularly.  Each day the news is more unsettling.  It is a great reason to limit your child's exposure to it. These messages and images can cause increased anxiety. The weather forecast is improving for this week - it will be great to get outside. It is amazing what the sunshine can do for our physical and mental wellbeing! 

Week four is looking different in terms of school expectations.  As discussed last week, this closure period is NOT summer vacation and students are expected to engage in at-home learning.  This week, a new Google Classroom site was created for each grade-level at Quashnet School.  Students should have received a code to join this class from their teacher. Each week your children will find: 

• 10 hours per week of work on the site to include ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies lessons
• 5 additional hours of guided work through the MPS At-Home Learning site
• Special subject teachers have also posted activities for PE, Art, STEM, Music, Library, Enrichment (Gr. 3&4), and Wellness (Gr. 5&6).  Your child can engage in one special activity per day - just like when we are at school.  The only exception - PE should be each day! It is important to get out and move on a daily basis.   

Students should be spending approximately 3 hours per day on school work.  This is flexible based on your family schedule. The GOAL is to complete the week's work by Friday, as new work will be posted for the following week.  Teachers will be creating lessons that include new grade-level learning material, not just review topics. The learning must continue.  

Attached to the Sunday email is a self-monitoring tool called, QS At-Home Learning Weekly Progress, that can be printed to help students with organization and to keep track of the work they have completed it. Using this tool or a similar tracking sheet will also help you monitor the work that has been done and still needs to be completed.  We recognize it is hard to be both parent and teacher.  Hang in there! 

As the curriculum is being taught virtually, your child(ren) or you might have questions. Superintendent DeBoer shared a spreadsheet on Friday, April 3, that listed office hours for the staff at each school.  This spreadsheet is posted on the MPS At-Home Learning site, https://sites.google.com/mpspk12.org/mps-at-home-learning/home.  Do not hesitate to reach out to the staff for assistance.  I am also there to support in any way I can. 

A feature in Google that students might not be as familiar with is our school email system. Not all grade levels have utilized this feature in school with students before the closure period. Each student has been assigned an email address, firstname.lastname@mpspk12.org.  It is important that your child and you check that email daily. A reminder for students is on the QS At-Home Weekly Progress chart.  Teachers will be reaching out to students in multiple ways and this email is one of those methods.  

Zoom. Have you heard about Zoom on the news or has your child participated in a Zoom meeting yet?  Zoom is an online app that allows you to have virtual meetings with a group of people.  It's popularity, as you can imagine, has certainly grown along with physical distancing and at-home work.  The program has been in the news because there are reports of meetings being disrupted by hackers - and at times very inappropriate.  I do want you to know that Mashpee Schools have upgraded to Zoom for Education and we are not using the free version were the hacks took place. With this upgrade, the host automatically places all participants in a "waiting room" until they are invited in.  The meeting host control who is speaking at what time. Invitation codes for meetings should never be put on social media. We do hope these steps will provide the needed safeguards for students. As you know, student safety is always a top priority at MPS.

Two Important Reminders 

1. Quashnet School's At-Home Learning is computer-based.  If your child does not have access to technology a Chromebook can be reserved.  You must complete this form to reserve a device. Distribution is on Mondays only at QS between 11 am and 1 pm. https://forms.gle/Efi6wdtizmyCZiE89. Pick up is located at the back of the school, exit #8 at the cafeteria. 

2. MEALS To-GO. Just register here, https://forms.gle/KCvSsttqMTAgyWtw6  to participate in the FREE  MPS Meals To-Go program. Every Monday, you will be given a bag per registered child which includes 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches for the week.  Registration is required for pre-planning and ordering of supplies. You only have to register once - not each week. 

I do not always answer my cell phone when I see an unfamiliar number. How about you? Please note, if you receive a call from a 401 area code or another exchange it could be Mashpee Public Schools.  As we are mostly working from home, staff members are using Google Voice, which converts a home number to a work number.  The work numbers assigned to MPS have a 401 area code.  At Quashnet School, Mrs. Emery and Mrs. Pagano are making calls to every family to confirm email addresses, phone numbers, and home addresses to update our database. If something is incorrect in our system you may miss important notices or mailings.  Just an FYI - don't be surprised to see a 401 call coming your way. 

Even though this will be a year that we probably won't forget, a yearbook is a great way to look back. Mrs. Johnson is documenting the year in print with great candids, school pictures, and even photos from the virtual spirit weeks and school closure period.To purchase a Quashnet School Yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and use the QS ID code # 9872820. You will be able to place your online order through April 12, 2020. Thank you, Mrs. Johnson, for your continued work in creating this wonderful keepsake! 

And now for some FUN... 

Mashpee Virtual Spirit Week 3 - April 6th-10th

Let’s #StayConnectedMashpee #WeAreMashpee #Mashpee

Share photos on Twitter, Instagram, or directly with me to mobrien@mpspk12.org

Monday-Mashpee Monday Super Hero Day-put a Super Hero Twist on Mashpee Gear

Tuesday-Favorite Holiday Day 

Wednesday-Pajama Day

Thursday-Disney Day 

Friday-Graphic T-Shirt Day

Happy Easter 

Unless there is some breaking news during the week, look for my weekly email on Sunday evenings @ 5:00 PM. Stay well and stay connected.

Respectfully,

Principal O'Brien