Oct 2, 2020
Good Evening, Parents, Guardians and CHS Community,
We are very much back in the swing of the school year, and things are going well. We are going to have a Virtual “Coffee with Admin” on this coming Tuesday from 7:00-7:30am. The following is the invite for those interested in hearing our administrative perspective on how things are going here at CHS so far or to let us know how things are going for your child. https://meet.google.com/cbf-hpnd-gay?hs=122&authuser=0. I want to take a moment to thank juniors Anthony Holder and Catherine Carignan for being the voices of CHS for our morning pledge and quote of the day. Also, I want to thank Regan Theberge for her work behind the scenes to support our performing arts/music programs for the CHS chorus and bands for this year. We held our first Evacuation Drill on Tuesday last week. I really appreciate how Mike Perez goes that extra step to ensure we are prepared for emergency situations. This past week, Rachel Phillips invited a guest speaker, a friend of hers active in fighting modern day slavery challenges in connection with reading Huckleberry Finn. Thanks to Rachel for making connections to real world events and classic American literature. As usual, there are a number of important updates below***, so please review carefully for that additional information. Have a great week, everyone! Bill Lonergan, Principal
Appreciation:
Kudos to Mike for coordinating the first Evacuation Drill of the year on Tuesday. There were a number of new challenges related to COVID expectations, and he had to do some important revisions.
To all of the staff, particularly Advisory teachers, thanks for collaborating with him on this drill and managing your students so well to keep them safe.
Also thanks to Michelle Vecchiarello, our Counseling Administrative Assistance, for uploading all of the 504’s into PS. We know that is a time-consuming process, and we appreciate her taking care of that.
Thanks to juniors Catherine Carignan and Anthony Holder for volunteering to do the morning pledge and “where everybody loves…” Our student voices are important contributions in much of what we do at CHS.
Teachers and staff did a fine job supporting parents through our virtual open house. These are challenging times, but we are adapting as quickly as we can to a different school environment.
Thanks to former CHS Social Studies teacher Dennis Perreault for donating over 150 books from his personal collection on Lincoln, Daniel Webster, Winston Churchill, and other American History texts.
Thanks to Shawn McDonough for coordinating our school elections and working with his student council and with Mike P343A on this.
We received a nice letter from a parent commending Carolyn Leite on her hard work to provide students musical opportunities at LMS and CHS. We are finding ways to address needs for student musician’s performances and recognition, and Carolyn is key to that.
Terrie Taylor and Sally Mastarlerz are doing an incredible job managing student and staff attendance and substitutes in the main office. In these trying times, they are a perfect example of what we are all doing to keep people safe.
We appreciate our teachers and staff supporting parents through our virtual open house. These are challenging times, but we are adapting quickly to adapt here at CHS.
Julie Green, our librarian, is awesome, connecting our staff with Aaron Cutler Library to provide staff with library cards there.
We have one more, a "Shout out to Shannon Szepan for her well thought out lessons on mental health, bullying & suicide awareness for health class. Shannon is a great advocate for mental illness/ wellness and it is so encouraging to see the effort she puts into her lessons to advocate AND educate."
***Parent Survey Link: A message from Superintendent Jette: We continue to learn from your feedback. Please complete the following survey from the SAU https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jtvb8Kc2m_oT9GK_3W-BvX7ERJaGHRlIdvEGc9RuYS4/edit?usp=sharing and tell us how we are doing. Thanks, Mike Jette,
Student Survey Data: We do not have currently updated data. When this comes available, we will make this information available through a separate e-blast out from PowerSchool Messenger.
***Student absences and going to remote learning: If your child is going to be absent and wishes to join a teacher’s classroom remotely on that day, please review the following letter from the school principals. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D27N_yPMGpGP_sv3ahuLsoB1VDE9WbH6TUP3p3GmCxU/edit?usp=sharing. It is important that you communicate that to us before your child joins the classroom. Thanks for your attention to this.
***UPDATE on CHS Testing: We want to give parents and students advanced notice of upcoming testing dates. On Wednesday, October 14th, Freshmen will be taking the PSAT 8/9 and Seniors will be taking the Statewide SAT assessment they missed during the spring. The day will be an early release for those students when testing is complete for testing students. This will be a Remote Learning Day for Sophomores and Juniors and teachers will have work prepared in advance for these students.
Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT test on Thursday, October 29. The day will be an early release day for those students when all complete their testing. This will be a Remote Learning Day for Freshmen and Seniors and teachers will have work prepared in advance for these students.
A grab and go lunch will be available after testing in the cafeteria. Buses will be departing at 1:00pm on both days.
Our full-time Remote Learning students are required to take the testing, and they will be provided a separate testing site here at CHS in the Gymnasium. Specific instructions will be provided to those parents via separate email for accessing CHS on those days.
If you have any questions, please contact your child’s counselor for clarification.
***NH Manufacturing Extension Partnership: Julie Green, our ELO Coordinator at CHS has provided information on NH manufacturers and career opportunities. Here is the Manufacturing Month calendar so interested students can start signing up for webinars on possible careers. It is updated regularly by the Association. Please cut and paste the following into your browser for more information for your students: file:///C:/Users/wlonergan/Downloads/NH%20Manufacturing%20Month%20October%202020.pdf
***CHS School Photos: We will be taking student photos on October 9. A separate email has been sent to Remote Learner parents. The RL photos will be taken outside the building, weather permitting with a rigid schedule to facilitate them by student alphabetical last names during the 8-9:00 timeframe. We are working with Barkesdale (formerly Hockmeyer) to make this process as smooth as possible for all students. Remote Parents, if you have not received that communication, please contact [email protected] or 546-0300 for specific information.
Health Office Update: Our health office continues to be very busy this year. Please understand if your child has any symptoms of COVID, Donna Boucher, our school nurse will be in contact. Also, please make sure to daily check your child’s well-being, and if they meet any of the conditions of COVID on the following document https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fqoeqCaw-L-WE5xIFAIc2Y2cGcCk31mbxZhXsZ0P1sg/edit, then keep your child home and reach out to Donna to keep us informed. If you have any questions, please contact her at [email protected] or at 546-0300 x 3115.
Visitors to CHS: We need assistance from parents and guardians who come to CHS. If you need to come into the building during the morning rush hour (while students arrive), please go to the doors on the left to be buzzed in. It is important that visitors coming into the main part of the building wait until you are buzzed in and speak to the office staff and formally check in. Thank you for your attention to this.
CHS Yearbooks: Don't delay ordering the 2020-2021 yearbook. These are the last weeks to purchase one before the price goes up in November. Order online at Jostens.com or fill out a paper form and return it to the CHS office before the October 31st deadline. Any questions please reach out to the advisor Julie Green at [email protected]
Food Services Information: This is an announcement to repeat the message that all meals for students in the Litchfield School District are FREE until 12/31/2020!!!!! The USDA Granted a waiver extension, allowing schools to serve meals for free regardless of student status. What the free meals cover: Any Hot Lunch, Breakfast Meal, Yogurt Meal, Salad Meal or Sandwich Meal. This includes all 5 components to the meals Protein, Veggie, Fruit, Whole Grains, and Milk.
What this does not cover: second helpings, meals that are "incomplete" (a second slice of pizza, or a meal that doesn't contain fruit/veggie selection), or any item purchased a la carte - including fruits, veggies, milks, etc. All of these items students must have a positive account balance to purchase.
Here is a link to that notification: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=om#inbox?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1
Litchfield Food Services also has moved to a new online payment portal. Please sign up at www.k12paymentcenter.com. You will need your child's Student Number to create an account. The student number is not the same as their lunch PIN code. You can contact Lauren Crowley, or any school office to get the Student Number for your child. [email protected], 603-546-0300 x3112. Free and Reduced applications are available at www.lunchapplication.com. Families can apply at any time, and information is 100% confidential. Please contact Lauren Crowley for any questions you may have. [email protected] at 546-0300 x3112.
A Message on Grading: The following is a message from the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Director, Mary Widman, regarding District Grading practices. Please review so you have an understanding of how grades are calculated in PowerSchool as we move toward a more accurate Competency-Based Grading process. IGrading messaging to parents
Homework Club: Please encourage your students to check out Homework Club if they would like a bit of help with their homework, or maybe just a quiet place to work from 2:30 - 3:30. This includes ALL students, even Remote Learners. They can even drop in virtually to ask a question or three! There is both a M/W Google Classroom (code - u3p3jye) and a T/Th Google Classroom (code - v6okksn). There are also Google Meets for each day as well. T/Th is https://meet.google.com/sgj-jast-tgm. M/W is https://meet.google.com/iou-ezmn-oop
CHS Parent Organizations: I would like to again remind families that we have tremendous support from parents, guardians and the community here in Litchfield. It is much appreciated, so if you want to assist us at CHS, please reach out to the Athletic Boosters (through AD Josh Knight in athletics), the Friends of the Performing Arts (through Carolyn Leite and Brittney Milligan in music), or the CHS Parent Teachers Organization through Elana in the main office. Any and all support is appreciated, particularly as we are faced with unique challenges presented in this strange COVID world.
From the Counseling Office: Counselors are currently meeting with seniors to discuss post-CHS options and processes. They have strategic times when they meet with each grade level of students, both individually and in groups. If your child has any counseling needs, please have her/him reach out to the counselor accordingly. For parents with concerns, the number at CHS to contact the counseling office is 546-0300 x 3257.
Athletics Update: Due to Covid-19 there will be a limit on fans at CHS home events as well as away. Campbell, along with our cluster which includes Pelham, Sanborn, Hollis-Brookline, Souhegan and Milford, have a two immediate family member limit for home and away games. Only family members who have children playing in the game are able to attend that game. “Season passes” have been given out to each athlete which will allow two immediate family members to attend. Do not pass these season passes to other people or students outside of your immediate family. The Athletic Department is working with Litchfield TV to stream as many home games as they can. Once received, a streaming schedule will be sent to your child’s coach. We are extremely grateful that Litchfield TV has agreed to work with us to provide these streaming events. Please know that if you are attending a game that isn’t within our cluster there may be different rules. Some schools do not have a restriction on fans while others aren’t allowing fans. We will do our best to inform you of these rules/protocols prior to each game.
The IT Remote Learners Help Page: The District IT department has created a specific page for Remote Learners: Please have your child reach out to them with challenges or concerns. https://sites.google.com/litchfieldsd.org/student-parent-it-help-page/home
Dress Code for Litchfield Schools: The Litchfield School District has created a new dress code for students. Please review this with your child to ensure they are dress code compliant at CHS. See the following link for specifics. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MqiCP8e0idMuRGQBYZgORLllb6YFPHRNC9kv-FB4mkM/edit
Employment Possibilities within the Litchfield School District: The Litchfield School District continues to look for substitute teachers, paraeducators, custodians and food service workers. Check out the district HR site for info: https://www.litchfieldsd.org/EmploymentOpportunities.aspx
Schedule for Oct 5-9:
Oct 5 - Booster Club Meeting @ 7:00pm (virtual)
Oct 6 - Virtual Coffee with Administration 7:00am - 7:30am
Oct 7 - CHS School Board Presentation on Senior Projects: Lynn Gnaegy and Denise Freeman presenting
Oct 7 - CHS Assessment & Data Meeting Room 107: 2:30-3:30
Oct 7 - Student Elections
Oct 8 - Leadership Team Meeting Room 107 2:45-4:00
Oct 9 - Picture Day in Auditorium @ 8:00am
Looking Further Ahead:
Oct. 12th - NO SCHOOL - Columbus Day Holiday
Oct 14 - FLU SHOT CLINIC for staff (CHS 1-2pm
Oct 14 - SAT/PSAT Day for 9th & 12th grades - Early Release after student testing
Oct 14 - 10th & 11th grade Remote Learning Day
Oct 20 - Grading & Reporting Committee 3:30-4:30 at CHS in Room 145
Oct 21 - Professional Learning Committee 3:30-4:30 @ CHS in Room 145
Oct 27 - Advisory Meeting
Oct 28 - PERC Meeting 3:30-4:30 @ CHS in Room 145
Oct 29 - PSAT/NMSQT Day for 10th & 11th grades - Early release after student testing @ 12:30pm
Oct 29 - 9th & 12th grade Remote Learning Day)
Nov 19 - Picture Retake Day in Auditorium @ 8:00am
Athletics Updates: See blurb above for attending events
Oct. 6th - Golf Home @ Hidden Creek 3:30pm
Oct. 6th - Boys Soccer Game Home vs. Bishop Brady 4pm
Oct. 7th - Volleyball Home vs. Mascenic JV 4:30pm, V 5:45pm
Oct. 9th - Girls Soccer Home vs. Sanborn 4:00pm
Oct. 10th - Boys Soccer Home vs. Sanborn 10am JV/V
Oct. 10th - Cross Country @ Sanborn 10am
Oct. 10th - Volleyball Home vs. Milford 11am
Oct. 10th - Football Home vs. Laconia 1:30pm
Upcoming College Rep Visits (via Google Meet) - students register in Naviance
University of New England Tues, October 6th, 2020 at 9:30 am
University of Hartford Tues, October 6th, 2020 at 11:30 am
Utica College Tues, October 6th, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Wed, October 7th, 2020 at 8:30 am
Saint Joseph's College of Maine Wed, October 7th, 2020 at 9:30 am
University of Rhode Island Wed, October 7th, 2020 at 11:30 am
University of Vermont Thurs, October 8th, 2020 at 8:30 am
Bryant University Thurs, October 8th, 2020 at 9:30 am
Lesley University Thurs, October 8th, 2020 at 11:30 am
High Point University Friday, October 9th, 2020 at 8:30 am
Virginia Polytechnic Institute Fri, October 9th, 2020 at 9:30 am & State Univ
Paul Smiths College of Arts &Science Fri, October 9th, 2020 at 11:30 am