November 8, 2020
Dear Learners and Families:
COVID-19
We made it to the end of the first marking period of school! Each day we are face-to-face together is a GREAT day for learning. Huge kudos to the learners, faculty, and staff who make learning possible, despite all of the ongoing safety protocols. MERPS is requiring student(s) to remain home if there is anyone in their household exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms and/or awaiting COVID test results. As noted below, as long as learners are not sick themselves, it is expected learners attend the LIVE ZOOM sessions during school days. If you have symptoms of illness, PLEASE stay home! Attending courses virtual is a safe alternative available to all students. We MUST work together to ensure we can continue learning face to face!
LEARNERS MUST STAY HOME IF:
SOMEONE WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD IS EXPERIENCING COVID-19 SYMPTOMS
SOMEONE WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD IS AWAITING COVID-19 TEST RESULTS
EXPERIENCING COVID-19 SYMPTOMS THEMSELVES.
What are the symptoms? Visit www.merps.org/covid19 for more information.
According to the information received from the Health Department, Schools are NOT seen as spreader locations, but rather the activities and actions that occur outside of our walls that result in COVID contraction. We MUST stay focused on safety protocols to ensure that we are able to continue face-to-face learning. Mask wear, hand washing/sanitizing, physical distancing, and staying home when you are ill is CRITICAL.
CALENDAR:
As noted by Superintendent Carmoney, MERPS will be engaging in a remote learning day on Friday, November 13 to support additional faculty professional development and building cleaning. With faculty engaged in training for most of the day, we will hold ONE LIVE Zoom session at 10:30AM. ALL FACE-TO-FACE LEARNERS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND. This should take approximately 20 minutes. This will help us ensure that in the event of a temporary shift to remote learning, we are able to seamlessly transition learning.
Marking Period 1:
Report cards will be available on November 16, 2020. To view report cards, please access your Skyward account at tinyurl.com/mechsskyward. Paper copies of grades will NOT be sent home. Need to talk to a teacher? Email often is the faster way to communicate. Find faculty and staff email addresses here: tinyurl.com/mechsstaff
Just a reminder that FREE tutoring is available every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with certified faculty from after school until 4:30PM. There is NOT cost to participate, and learners are provided a FREE meal. Transportation is available, but MUST register in advance. Please email tara.mager@merps.org to secure transportation or with any questions.
LEARNING AT HOME
As a school community, MECHS learners have the necessary agency to complete expected ECHO activities as assigned. It is important that learners understand that If they are at home they MUST virtually attend LIVE Zoom sessions, as if they were at school. Assignment deadlines will also apply. If you are ill and can NOT participate, once you are feeling well enough, you are responsible for connecting with your instructors to make a work completion plan. In turn, instructors will respond to your inquiry in a prompt and clear manner.
If we shift to temporary building (or class) closure, all learners are REQUIRED to attend LIVE Zoom sessions as identified in this calendar HERE. Learners are responsible for completing the work as assigned by the deadlines given and for engaging in these LIVE sessions. Failure to attend will result in an absence. As in previous years, excessive absences may result in a truancy referral. No additional extensions for work completion will be provided unless a student is too ill to complete required activities.
Working together
The strength of the family-school partnership is the second leading indicator of learner success, just behind teacher effectiveness. Please review this communication with your child. Our return to “traditional” learning schedules and protocols doesn’t seem clear at this point. We must continue to adapt, work together, and focus on what we can do to ensure learning continues face-to-face.
Thank you for continuing to rely on MECHS for educating your child. We greatly appreciate your support. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at tara.mager@merps.org or 989.687.3300.
Warm Regards,
Tara Mager, MA, LPC, LBSW
Principal