Good Evening, Parents, Guardians and CHS Community,
I'd like parents to know that we are in serious need of several positions to be filled at CHS. We may be closing in on a special education teacher, but we are definitely in need of paraeducators and substitutes. If you know of anyone looking for a rewarding position working with high school students in a really positive environment, please have them check out the Litchfield School District HR page for opportuniites. Parents, be on the lookout that teachers will be getting information out to you this week regarding Parent Teacher Conferences on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. These will be remote Conferences via Google Meet. See the blurb on this below. I also want to remind everyone that we continue to limit visitor access to CHS. This includes events that would typically be those open to the CHS and Litchfield Community. We are trying very hard to be sensible to the challenges regarding COVID circumstances generally but also as we see rising numbers in the region in particular. We are coming up to athletics’ tournament games this week. Again, crowds are limited, so please contact the AD’s office for more information on this. As usual, the asterisked items below are new or have new information in them. Have a great week, everyone! Bill Lonergan, Principal
Appreciation:
Kudos to Britteny and Nate Lamy for their first time ever, virtual Fall Concert on Tuesday night. It was not the same as sitting with a live audience, but the students were their usual strong selves in this performance. Thanks to all.
CHS Paraeducator Kelly Fraser is unlike staff at other schools I have been to. His morning greeting to all of our students is impressive; he knows their names, he is positive to the nth degree, and he reaches out to any/all to start their days off right. Thanks Kelly for being the morning face and voice of CHS!
Thanks to AD Knight, his assistant Jenn Matthews and Librarian Julie Green for coordinating our team athletic photos for Friday. Even in these strange times, many of these processes continue forward to ensure we can create a memory for students and families as well as create our CHS Yearbooks for this year.
Speaking of CHS paras, Sharon Wagner and Linda Summit have been really great about working together and with subs to support our special education programming for the tail end of the week. We are really grateful for them going way above and beyond. Thanks Linda and Sharon!
***Parent Teacher Conferences-Very Important: Teachers will be contacting parents this week via email to schedule Virtual Conferences regarding student progress. Remember these are on the evening of Nov 2 and during election day Nov 3. You will be receiving an initial email with links to the four time blocks available. The blocks are as follow: Monday, Nov 2 from 3:00pm-5:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm (with a one hour break for dinner) and Tuesday, Nov 3 from 8:00am-11:30 am and 12:30pm-3:00 (again with a 1 hour break for lunch for teachers. Within these blocks are 10 minute time periods for each conference. When you get the email from the teachers, you will select one time slot in that teacher’s schedule. The teachers will then edit that invite after you have selected your slot so that you will get a Google Meet invite for that block. Then when your selected day/time arrives, you can log into the Meet to discuss your child’s progress with the teacher. Please be on the lookout for these email invitations from CHS teachers. If you cannot make an appointment, please contact your child’s teachers for additional information.
***Wednesday Early Releases: This is just a reminder that the School District has moved to change Wednesdays to a 2.75 hour early release schedule for students. For the foreseeable future, this will provide teachers with collaboration and planning time in the afternoon on Wednesdays. Teachers will not have office hours for students during their collaboration time. As a result, the Wednesday CHS schedule will look as follows until further notice:
Block A 7:35-8:32 (57 minutes)
Block B 8:36-9:34 (58 minutes)
Block C 9:38-10:36 (58 minutes)
Block D 10:40-11:38 (58 minutes)
Grab’n Go Lunch 11:38- 12:00
Buses at 12:00 noon
***Food Services Information: An update on School Lunches during our Wednesday Early Releases: Students in school will have an opportunity to go to the cafe and pick up a Grab’n Go Lunch before departing CHS. For those who pick up meals at CHS, from this Wednesday on our Wednesday Meals will be Breakfast for Lunch due to the earlier time of pickup and lunches at the schools. We recommend getting to the schools to pick up lunches on the earlier side, as we do not want our remote lunches to get mixed up and stuck in the parent pickup lines.
CHS students will continue to pick up lunches in the vestibule, but lunches will be out at 10:30 on Wednesdays to avoid the dismissal traffic.
With all this being said, we have a very small window from when the forms close and when the pick up is. Please get your order in early, as this will be a hard 9AM shutoff.
The following is an ongoing 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.
***UPDATE on CHS Testing: Sophomores and Juniors will be taking the PSAT?NMSQT test this coming 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 through their Google classrooms or PowerSchool. There will be no Google Meets, as again the teachers will all be proctoring students testing.
A grab and go lunch will be available after testing in the cafeteria. Buses will be departing at 1:00pm.
Our full-time Remote Learning students are required to take the testing, and they will be provided a separate testing site here at CHS. Specific instructions have been provided to those parents via separate email for accessing CHS on those days.
***Senior Project Information: Seniors need to have their project proposals completed and interviews done by October 28, 2020.* Please make sure your child reads the proposal page prior to completing the information. Note: Hand written proposals are NOT accepted. After the student completes the info, they should print it and make 2 copies. Students need to have their mentor, advisor and guardian sign these papers. They should keep one copy and will need it for an interview as well as their evaluation in May. If they cannot get signatures by their interview time, they may receive pending approval. Interviews can be scheduled and held in person or remotely the last block of school or on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Students should let Mrs. Gnaegy or Mrs. Freeman know if that does not work and to schedule an interview.
***CHS Yearbooks: Just a few weeks remain to purchase the yearbook at the lowest price of $65. After October the price will increase. Digital Photography students are busy capturing candid and sport photos. Graphic Design students are creating some amazing cover designs. Even in this unique time we are busy making sure we create an amazing yearbook to remember the 2020-2021 school year. Take advantage of the low price and order one today at Jostens.com
Ongoing News:
CHS Survey Data: Here is the last data we have for the entire Litchfield School District.. Please review this if you have some free time. We appreciate the support as we strive to provide a quality education to your children. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1SwnOh2iL5QLcrLFlDIJVVvVTakrLYzE0KdzCcMno9M8/edit?usp=sharing
Health Office Update: Our health office continues to be very busy this year. It is very important that if you dismiss your child because he or she is not feeling well, we are asking them to check in at the CHS Health Office first. Given the rising numbers of COVID cases, we want to keep close track on this. Also, if your child has any COVID symptoms, 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 COVID conditions 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 questions, please contact her at [email protected] or 546-0300 x 3115.
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 that intent with 24 hours notice before your child joins the classroom. Thanks for your attention to this.
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 children: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=03435c136c&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1681370476150294537&th=17556d8a2ec48809&view=att&disp=inline
Club & Organization Updates:
Environmental- Wendy Langelier Environmental meets in Room 128 every other Tuesday. The Google classroom code for more info is b6waqs2
Key Club - Wendy Langelier: Key Club meets in Rm 128 at 2:30 every other Tuesday). The Google Classroom code with more info is => toxfugi
Art Honor Society - Denise Freeman: NAHS meets 1st Wed. monthly @ Room 162 @ 2:30
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
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. Please keep in mind that we are limiting access to the building as much as possible. Thank you for your attention to this.
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.
From the Counseling Office: Counselors continue meeting with seniors to discuss post-CHS options and processes. They are also meeting with freshmen regarding the transition to HS. 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 continues to 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. Please comply with our District expectations when on campus including physical distancing (at least six feet apart), wearing masks, using appropriate hygiene, and supporting our athletes with your usual positivity.
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
CHS Parent Teacher Organization: The CHS PTO has announced their monthly meeting schedule. The President is Margaret Norton. They are occurring virtually on the second Tuesday of every month. Those dates are 10/13, 11/10, 12/8, 1/12, 2/9, 3/16, 4/13, 5/11 and 6/8 and the meetings start at 7:00pm. The link is as follows through Google Meets: https://meet.google.com/vtw-zkno-edu.
CHS Athletics Boosters Organization: The CHS Boosters are meeting virtually on the first Mondays of each month at 7:00 pm. The President is Colleen Gamache. This is the link to those meetings: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://netapp.zoom.us/j/99850143485?pwd%3DUHpIQ1k5RHU2VzUxUEovRkFWSkJhQT09&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1603202386680000&usg=AOvVaw3lhXl_QoBR1R5uPuxuywjc. Also the Booster Club has a homepage at the following location: https://campbell-high-school-athletic-booster-club.square.site/#erjyZf
CHS Friends of Performing Arts: FOPA is one of our parent organizations that supports our music and theater programs. The president is Gina Michaud. They will be meeting virtually this year on the third Tuesday of every month at 7;00 pm: 10/20, 11/17, 12/?, 1/19, 2/16, 3/16, 4/20, 5/18, 6/?.
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 26-30:
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
Looking Further Ahead:
Nov 2 & 3 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (remote)
Nov 6 - Last day of quarter 1
Nov 6 -NHS Virtual Induction of New Members
Nov 11 - No School/Veterans Day
Nov 19 - Picture Retake Day in Auditorium @ 8:00am
Athletics Updates: See blurb above for attending events
Oct. 25th - Golf Individual Championships @ Concord CC 11am
Oct. 26th - Boys Soccer @ Trinity 6pm First Round Playoff Game
Oct. 27th - Girls Soccer Home vs. Trinity 3pm First Round Playoff Game
Oct. 28th - Boys Soccer @ Mascenic 3pm Second Round Playoff Game
Oct. 28th - Volleyball @ Manchester West 6pm First Round Playoff Game
Oct. 29th - Girls Soccer @ Conant 3pm Second Round Playoff Game
Oct. 30th - Volleyball TBD 6pm Second Round Playoff Game
Oct. 31st - Cross Country State Championships @ Derryfield 2:30pm
Oct. 31st - Football Home vs. TBD First Round Playoff Game
Upcoming College Rep Visits (via Google Meet) - students register in Naviance
Unity College Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 at 8:30 am
Binghamton University Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 at 9:30 am
Plymouth State University Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Springfield College Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 at 9:30 am
Becker College Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 at 11:30 am
Pace University, Westchester Campus Wed, October 28th, 2020 at 12:30 pm
Stony Brook University Friday, October 30th, 2020 at 9:30 am
Univ Technical Inst of Pennsylvania Inc Fri, October 30th, 2020 at 11:30 am
Albany College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Fri, October 30th, 2020 at 12:30 p