Reopening Update from Principal Kirby

Reopening Update from Principal Kirby
Posted on 08/31/2020

Pier School Families,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the final weeks of an extended summer break. The summer at Pier School was certainly busier than any other as we prepare for school reopening using the guidance from Rhode Island Departments of Health and Education.  Student and staff safety has been our priority as we prepare to welcome them back. 

The details to this year’s opening are in the District Reopening Plan.  

Additional building specific details are below that apply whether we are opening for full or partial in person learning.

School Calendar:

Beginning on September 14th through the 25th,  we will follow 50 percent partial for grade 6, 7 and 8 with grade 5 students in school every day:  NSS School Red/White Schedule.  We have made every effort to place siblings on similar teams district wide.  You can access your student’s team assignment on PowerSchool with these directions in the place of locker number as students will not be using lockers. Grade 5 and new student parents will be receiving letters for PowerSchool access.  If you have not activated your account and would like the letter resent please email Laura Hoxsie [email protected]

Coming to School:

We ask that you screen your child prior to coming to school for COVID-19  symptoms.  If they are experiencing symptoms, please keep them home and call our attendance line to report their absence. 

All students are required to wear face masks on the bus to and from school and while at school except when eating lunch or taking a supervised mask break with appropriate distancing and protocols.  Please note that gaiters and scarves are not allowed. 

Upon arrival to school, students will enter the front entrance if they are riding the bus.  Students being driven to school will enter around the back of the building with designated entrances for grades 5 and 6 and grades 7 and 8.  Students will be dismissed the same way. Each entrance will be supervised by staff as students enter and have temperature scanned.  Students with abnormal temperatures will be further accessed by the school nurse to determine if they return home or join their classroom. 

The School Day:

Our school hours have shifted to 8:25 - 2:45.  Students will report directly to their homeroom which is listed as Soar on their schedule in PowerSchool and will be their classroom for the day as teachers will move to students to maintain stable groups. 

Students will go to Physical Education classes and eat either in the cafeteria or a tent we have put outside.  We have designated restrooms and scheduled breaks to specific stable groups twice a day as well as a twice a day movement break.  In the event of an emergency, students can access another designated single stall restroom and the clinic. 

I have sent your student an invitation to a grade level Zoom meeting on Thursday morning, September 3 to give them an overview of the procedures and protocols but more so to welcome them back! Stefanie Mezzanote, our guidance counselor, will be joining me for those meetings.  

The schedule for those meetings are:

                Grade 6    8:30

                Grade 7    9:15

                Grade 8   10:00

Our grade 5 students will have an in person orientation on Thursday morning, September 10 from 8:15 - 10:30.

A few other miscellaneous items of note:

  • Students will not be accessing PE lockers so they should dress for PE on the days they have that class;

  • Water fountains will not be accessible but we do have a water station that can fill bottles.  Please have your student bring a water bottle;

  • Laptops should be charged each evening and students should carry their charger to and from school;

  • I have attached our Handbook for your review and signature pages to return to school ;

  • Finally, a school supply list.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please email or call me.

Thank you, Marianne  Kirby 

NPS 2020-2021 Student Handbook.pdf