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Woof - 22 May 2020


Good afternoon,

I looked at a calendar today and counted: today is the 71st day since the schools closed.  10 weeks since we have been able to gather in community.  This is remarkable to me, really; our school year runs about 40 weeks, so we have been in some form of remote learning for 25% of the school year.  Of course, we still have 4 weeks to go in the RLP before this school year comes to an official end.  As we drive to the finish, it will be important to keep focused on schoolwork, and see what the summer brings.  In this email are some resources that I hope will help with that!

8TH GRADE:
This Monday, 30 staff members volunteered to drive around town, recognizing our 8th grade graduates. South PTO purchased lawn signs for every graduate, and hopefully they put a smile on everyone’s faces!  As you drive around town, toot the horn for any #BulldogForever sign you see: the kids worked hard for the past 3 years, and deserve a little acclaim!  From the staff perspective, it was great to see some of our kids—from a social distance, of course!—and to bring them a token of how much we miss everyone!
PERSONAL ITEMS IN THE SCHOOL:
A number of people have asked about when students can access the building to retrieve items left in their lockers, classrooms, etc.  As a district, we are working to develop a schedule that will allow this to happen safely.  All items have been left exactly where they were, so please don’t worry about anything getting thrown away (except maybe a few bag lunches… to be honest, they may have gotten up and walked off on their own by now!).  In mid- to late-June, we anticipate being able to provide opportunities for students to come claim their personal belongings.  All of this is dependent on the data resulting from Governor Baker’s “phased reopening” and what Mayor Kokoros decides is safe in public buildings, so the best thing you can do in the meantime is to be safe, and stay healthy!

YEARBOOKS:
We will also hand out Yearbooks in June to students who purchased them.  There are still a limited number of yearbooks available for purchase, if you’re interested!  Go to the Josten's website: https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1066249/South-Middle-School/2020-Yearbook/2019080804365103073/CATALOG_SHOP/  You only have until June 1st to order, and when the supply runs out, that’s it, so don’t delay!

ORGANIZING STUDENTS' RLP WORK:
As you work on Remote Learning Assignments, some families have struggled with organizing a week’s worth of assignments, and breaking the work down into manageable chunks, spaced out over the days.  Each grade has been working on developing a framework that can help with that, and I’m attaching them below.  These are resources for families to use if you choose.  Not everything will fit for every student, but maybe it provides a helpful framework you can adapt for your own kids.  Maybe you’ve already got your own system, and that’s fine.  If you haven’t even had this conversation with your child, I urge you to print this out and go over it with them.  Breaking down tasks is a skill that needs to be learned—it doesn’t come naturally to most—so they may not even be aware of how much they’re struggling to stay on top of everything.  At least start the conversation; it can’t hurt!

GOOGLE READ & WRITE:
Another resource that has been helpful to some students is Google Read & Write.  All BPS student accounts have the Chrome extension "Read&Write for Google Chrome" already added, and it offers personalized support in docs and websites.  Here's the link for a very good video to help you understand how to use it and what it can do!

GUIDANCE COUNSELORS:
If you need support from your Guidance Counselor, email them during their online office hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, between 9:30-11:00 am.  If you would prefer to speak on the phone, email them anytime to request an appointment.  Counselors will do their best to get back to you in a timely manner, but it may take a little while due to the amount of calls/emails they’re answering on a daily basis. 


TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF & YOUR FAMILY:
In light of how long it's been since we've all been apart and isolated, this is an extremely stressful time for our students, staff, and families.  Please look at the Guidance Counselors’ resource page if you would like some wellness & mindfulness activities, or resources to help with acute challenges in your life.  If you or any member of your family would like to pursue a connection with a mental health professional, please don’t forget that the Braintree Partnership has coordinated services for Braintree residents through the Interface Referral System from William & James College in Boston.  Call the Helpline at 888-244-6843 (M-F, 9-5) for a referral to mental health, or go to the Interface website for more information about a variety of mental health concerns: https://interface.williamjames.edu/community/braintree. 

MEMORIAL DAY:
On this day each year, South holds its annual Memorial Day Assembly, in which we invite Braintree’s veterans to honor us with a visit to the school, and our 8th graders share the research projects they have been doing.  The “Veterans Project” is a massive undertaking for students: they select a community member who has served their country and then interview them and do additional research about their experiences and the historical context surrounding their service.  During times of national crisis like the one we’re going through right now, we realize that there are many ways a person can be called to serve their community.  This Memorial Day, we honor all those who face uncertain risk to keep the community healthy and functioning.  However, please don’t forget those generations that came before us, all those young Americans who lost their lives serving their country in the armed forces.  Like those dealing with loss due to COVID19, these servicemen and -women left behind parents who had raised them, siblings who loved them, children and spouses who adored them, and fellow service members who will never forget the pain of losing their compatriots.  Please take some time in the next 3 days to think about those who lost everything for our liberty. 
We regret deeply not being able to join with our local veterans this Memorial Day weekend, but we hope they’re all staying home and safe so that we can meet again next May!

I hope everyone is doing well.  If we can do anything to help you during this time, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

With all best wishes,
Damon Rainie

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