Principal's Update - September 3rd 2020
Dear Shawsheen Students and Parents/Guardians,
As I write to you this afternoon, our staff just wrapped up their 6th day of Professional Development as we work together to prepare for the first day of school on Monday, September 14. As a reminder, that will be a week 2 which means that:
- it is a shop week for students in grades 9 & 11 and those students will report to the building for in-person instruction;
- and it is an academic week for students in grades 10 & 12 and those students will connect remotely for virtual instruction through Microsoft Teams.
Over the course of the past 6 professional days, Shawsheen staff have participated in various technology-based professional development sessions to prepare for remote learning, received professional development on inclusive practices to support all learners, and collaborated extensively in their departments to prepare both units of instruction as well as physical instructional spaces to best suit the needs of students under the current restrictions in place due to Covid-19. Next week, staff will continue to participate in technology-based sessions and collaborate as they fine-tune their lesson plans, but they will also participate in professional development sessions from experts on topics including Cultural Competency, Trauma Informed Schooling, and Reducing Anxiety in Students.
Back-to-School Presentation - Thursday, September 10 at 3:00pm
There has been a LOT of information for students and families to digest about the return to school on September 14 and I recognize that some people are feeling anxious about what to expect. To help with this, I will be hosting a live presentation (which will also be recorded) at 3:00pm next Thursday to go step-by-step through everything students and parents need to know about the start of school on Monday, September 14. This will include but is not limited to: drop-off and dismissal procedures; entrance and exit procedures; safety procedures; and how to connect to remote classes. I strongly encourage everyone to either attend this live presentation or to watch the recording afterwards to ensure you are prepared and informed. You can connect to the live event at the following link: SVTHS Back-to-School Presentation with Ms. Cook. Similar to the previous forums, you do not have to download any applications to attend this event, it can be accessed through a web browser. The following 58 second video shows you how to connect to the Microsoft Live event with Microsoft Teams: How to Attend a Live Event with Microsoft Teams.
Students Recommended for 100% In-School Instruction
In my update on Friday, August 28, I wrote to inform you about our process for recommending students for 100% in-person instruction. On Monday, August 31, emails were sent to the parents/guardians of students recommended for 100% in-person instruction. If you received an email please respond to that email by tomorrow, Friday, September 4, to let us know whether or not you agree and will be opting to send your child to school 100% of the time. If you did not receive an email notification, it means your child has not been recommended for in-person instruction 100% of the time. If you disagree with this decision, you may appeal it in writing to Mr. Albert at jalbert@shawtech.org if your child has an IEP, or to Mr. Baione at mbaione@shawtech.org if your child does not have an IEP.
Athletics Update
An announcement about fall sports will be released in the next few days. Thank you for your patience as we have used this time to make thoughtful, safe, and informed decisions about the fall sports season.
Student Forum Link
Thank you to everyone who attended the Student Forum Dr. Jackson and I co-hosted on Monday - it was great to hear from our students and get a sense of what is on your minds. If you missed the forum, you can view a recording at the following link: SVTHS Student Forum - August 31, 2020
9th Grade Orientation Link:
The Guidance & Health Services Department hosted a Virtual Orientation last night for 9th grade students and parents/guardians. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend. You can view a recording of that session at the following link: 9th Grade Orientation. During that session, the list of items students will need to explore each shop was referenced. You can view that list at the following link: What to Wear and Bring to Shop Exploratory.
Make-up Days for Photographs, Book-Return & Laptop Sign-out
If you were unable to attend one of the days scheduled this week, you can report to the entrance next to the Cosmetology shop on Thursday, September 10, from 9am to 1pm to return books/materials and sign-out a school laptop (if you reserved one). The make-up photo days for students in grades 9-11 will be on Wednesday, September 16. The make-up photo day for students in grades 10 & 12 is still being finalized and will be shared soon.
Reminders/Important Dates
- Parking Passes: Please email Ms. Tobin at ctobin@shawtech.org to request a parking pass if you need one and have not done so already.
- Laptop Needs: Please contact Ms. Schrimp at aschrimpf@shawtech.org ASAP if your child/children will need to borrow a laptop from the school if you have not done so already.
- 100% Remote Learning: If you are opting for your child/children to participate remotely 100% of the time and have not already notified the school (via the survey previously shared), please contact Mr. Baione ASAP at mbaione@shawtech.org.
- Cafeteria Updates: Please contact Mr. Roach at rroach@shawtech.org with any questions about our Cashless System to pay for school lunches and our Grab and Go system to pick up food from school during remote learning.
- Thursday, September 10, 2020 from 9am - 1pm: Make-up day for book return and laptop sign-out - report to the entrance next to the Cosmetology shop.
- Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 3pm: SVTHS Back-to-School Presentation with Ms. Cook.
- Monday, September 14, 2020: First day of school for students - SVTHS 2020-2021 School Calendar.
- Monday, September 21, 2020: All seniors out on co-op must report to school this day.