Hello Parents, Guardians & CHS Community,
Please pardon the delay in my sending this out. I am finding my commitments are taking more time than I usually plan. Anyway, wIth the teachers and students having a few days off, I think those two long weekends were helpful for them to have a bit of a break. It is Teacher Appreciation Week, and I think it is so important to recognize their hard work. We can get easily frazzled when not doing work that we were specifically trained to do. But we are doing our best at this, and I think that is really important to recognize and celebrate the good work of our teaching staff. Please reach out with me to do that. I do not have a video update this week, but hope to do that next week again. So following a theme from last week, I did go and pick up my regular office chair and hopefully my back feels a little better working from this one.
Please take a look at my comments below in the Remote Learning section below. There are a few important concerns that I want parents/guardians to be aware of.
Finally, please take a look at the attachment here for end of the year school closing information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12kq0CcvB8HKa66u4q8JqZjVog0tXA6qSwQRWb0vXiws/edit?usp=sharing. As our Remote Learning moves to a conclusion with eventually setting a date for the closing of school, we will provide more specifics.
Have a great week everyone!
Bill Lonergan, Principal
Appreciation
I have nothing but positive comments from around CHS after 7 weeks of RL. I am hopeful you all are seeing this for your children, but please let us know if this process is becoming too challenging. We understand how difficult this is through our own experiences and we do want to get this right for their learning.
Congrats to Michelle Freeman who is the NH Higher Education Destination College 2020 Speech Contest Runner-Up. Michelle received a college scholarship from DC to help pay for her first year of school!
Finally, I want to express my appreciation to our PTO, Boosters, and Friends of the Performing Arts. Their continued support is really appreciated for our students and our staff.
Virtual College Fair this Week:
Sophomores and juniors have been notified that there is a virtual college fair. Two and four year colleges as well as trade schools are in attendance. This is a great opportunity for sophomores and juniors to have a better understanding of college/trade school opportunities. https://virtual.gotocollegefairs.com/
Military Service Academies, there is an event you can register for below...
NH Congressional Delegation's Service Academy Day- Tuesday, May 19th UNITED STATES SENATORS JEANNE SHAHEEN AND MAGGIE HASSAN invite you to the
2020 VIRTUAL NH MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY DAY For students who are interested in obtaining a nomination to a United States Service Academy from the NH congressional delegation and for those interested in attending any of the Service Academies. Staff from the offices of Senator Shaheen, Senator Hassan, Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Pappas will also be available to discuss the nomination process.
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
RSVP via email to [email protected] or contact Senator Shaheen’s Office at (603) 647-7500.
Remote Learning Concerns: While we think overall our RL process is going well, we have asked teachers to pay careful attention to using their class time and office hours as effectively as they can. They are reporting getting requests at times that are not consistent with their posted hours, on our WILD days, and on weekends. Please encourage your children to be aware of the need to wait for responses that will generally come during teachers’ posted hour/times.
Also, I am very concerned about reports of students joining class meets while driving. This is not an isolated report. I have asked teachers to address those students directly and to remove them from the meet immediately. If you could speak to your working/driving children, please do so regarding this important safety concern.
We are also having teachers report students dressed inappropriately and lying in bed while joining meets with classmates. This is school, and at the risk of sounding really “old school,” I have directed teachers to ask students to be dressed appropriately as well as to leave their beds in order to participate in classes. I would appreciate your support with reinforcing this with your children. It seems our Acceptable Use Policy does not address these, but it is a concern.
Also, in some class meets we have had family members in the background talking loudly and interrupting class meetings, or doing chores (washing dishes etc.) and making significant noise that activates computer microphones. This can be challenging for your own children, for other students in the class meetings, and for teachers trying to convey meaningful lessons. We all appreciate how hard this is for families and CHS staff, so we are joining you in being attentive to this in our own homes as well.
End of Year Competency Summatives: (Formerly known as Final Exams): This year we are looking at not having a traditional final exam period. A final decision has not been made yet, as we are awaiting the approval of the end of the year calendar from the School Board. We are considering having End of Year Competency Summatives as created by the teachers for each of their classes. More will follow on this next week.
From the Health Office: If you are looking for support, our school nurse, Donna Boucher, can assist with concerns about your children that can be addressed remotely at [email protected].
Remote Ways to complete Community Service Hours: This is important for students who might be looking for hours for consideration for the various CHS honor societies for next year. In particular, if your child is a sophomore, please be attentive to these opportunities. Remember, hours for sophomore projects are not normally able to be also applied to hours for these honor societies.
1. VLACS has provided this resource to help students fulfill their community service requirement: https://www.operationwarm.org/blog/25-volunteer-jobs-to-do-from-home/.
2. Participate in 7 Cups and https://vocalid.ai/voicebank/
3. Create art for local hospitals and nursing homes and send "Thinking of You" type cards to ill patients (this would seem especially appropriate now).
From Food Services: Any family that is experiencing financial insecurity during this time is welcome to apply for Free and Reduced Lunches. These are available during lunch pickups on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11am-1pm. Please call in advance (546-0300) if you are coming just to pick up a F & R Lunch Form. Please reach out to Lauren Crowley, Director of Food Service, with questions.
We are offering meal service to any and all Litchfield School District Students on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 AM - 1 PM at the Campbell High School Main Entrance. For more information, please contact Lauren Crowley, Director of Food Services at [email protected] or 603-546-0300 x3112
Stay safe and wash your hands!
Students Working Jobs During Remote Learning: We have received some guidance regarding students who work as their employers are considered “Essential Services.” We do understand if parents/guardians have been laid off or furloughed and need economic assistance. Here is the guidance we received from the Commissioner of Labor.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wuxIQyfZS8D8nOk3BTOOfl2xRFGK0jf-zy_HSCAZYPk/edit?usp=sharing
Athletics: Congratulations to four senior athletes that will be awarded the 12 sport season certificate from the NHIAA! Matt Dion, Vanessa Mangiafico, Trevor Scopelites and Tyler Scopelites all played a variety of sports during their four years at CHS. With the Governor’s recent announcement and under NHIAA guidance, all spring athletics are canceled. If you have questions regarding athletics, please contact AD Knight ([email protected]) or Jenn Mathews ([email protected]).
If You or Your Child Needs Other Assistance: If you have questions regarding any of the following, please contact the appropriate person through email. There is also a Safety & Crisis list attached from our CHS counseling department.
Attendance: AP Mike Perez, [email protected]
School Lunches: Lauren Crowley, Food Services, [email protected]
Special Education: Case Managers or Devin Bandursky, Special Education Director, [email protected] or AP Mike Perez, [email protected]
Assignments/grades: Classroom Teachers.
Health Concerns: CHS Nurse- Donna Boucher [email protected]
Crisis/Counseling:
Carrie Jurus (A - D),[email protected]
Jodi Callinan (E-K) [email protected] ,
Jeff Parsons (L -Z),[email protected]
Bill Hicks (alternative counselor) [email protected] , or
Jamie Faulhaber (mental health counselor) [email protected]
The following is the link to a list of teacher hours at CHS:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KZQ9ysWfs5ZhLnZEwFnCXBV7rmsErKUrgJymshrXosw/edit?usp=sharing
Technology/IT/Connectivity Issues: Please reach out first to the CHS main office first, [email protected] or [email protected]. If you cannot reach the main office staff, please touch base with the District IT personnel-Jason Pelletier, Brenden Collins, or Andrea Stern
If you are having difficulty getting assistance for these or other needs, please use the following link to identify who can assist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxVIQmI_3EhmNDVFTnUtNDBkTFhYQk4tSk0xWXZ6ZnY3blFF/view?usp=sharing
Looking Ahead:
May 11-22 AP Exams (Collegeboard has determined testing; 45 minute,
self-led exams. AP Teachers and the Counselors have
information on this. )
May 8-10: Canceled for 2020. Spring Musical Production of “High School
Musical”
May 9: Postponed until safe: PTO Spring Clothing Drive 9am-3pm
May 16: Postponed until safe: (or canceled): Prom @ CHS Gym/Cafe
May 19: Postponed until Fall: Spring Pops Concert
May 21 Postponed until safe (or virtual) Academic Excellence Banquet
@ The CHS Cafeteria Patio
May 25: Canceled: Memorial Day Performance @ 10am Litchfield
Historical Society Building, Performing Arts Dept.
May 26: “Virtual” Performing Arts Awards Night @ 7pm
May 28: Canceled: Senior Project Presentation Night in the CHS Gym
June 5: Virtual Underclass (Spring) Awards
June: Virtual Senior Awards Night, Date TBD
June: Graduation, Date TBD