Weekly Update from UHS
We have a few updates from UHS this week:
Updates from Health Office
Annual Health Information Form: Please fill out annual health information for each student you have at UHS, fully remote and in-person.
New State Mandated Vaccine Requirements: Influenza (flu) vaccine for all UHS grade levels by December 31st. MenACWY (Meningococcal) vaccine for Grade 11 students, this is typically done at the 16 year physical. This applies to fully remote and in-person students. Documentation by your provider may be emailed to tschiller@uxbridge.k12.ma.us or faxed to 508-278-8647 or brought to the UHS main office. If you have a medical or religious exemption to either of these vaccines please submit documentation.
Immunization info is linked here.
Athletics
Fall sports will start on Monday. We have very specific guidelines for each of our sports that we need to follow. Most importantly, for all spectators, participants, coaches, and support staff: mask wearing is required at all times when on campus. We have already had some issues with student-athletes after school, and, despite our protestations, this week had not only student-athletes without masks, but also some adults not willing to follow rules.
We follow Board of Health, MIAA, and Department of Public Health guidance. At best, those who are not able to follow these rules could forfeit the privilege of participating or spectating. At worst, those who are not following the rules compromise the safety and health of us all.
We are already disappointed in how our precious seasons have been cut short, and there are those in the community who have harbored feelings of disappointment, frustration, and even anger about late starts and shorter seasons. We are doing everything in our power to make this season a possibility. Anything short of everyone's complete cooperation compromises so much more than one individual's comfort or opinion.
Also, some questions have been raised about whether or not athletics would continue should Uxbridge's community metrics trend toward red in terms of the number of cases. We would be dealing with those cases should they come up, as well as looking at patterns. Obviously, our biggest concern is a cluster at the high school, which would be extremely problematic, particularly if we were to have to be fully remote due to an outbreak, in particular one in our athletic program.
Feedback from Students and Parents
Each week, as part of advisory, our teachers survey our students to get feedback on things that are going well, and aspects of life at UHS that could be improved. We use that feedback to drive some of our teachers' collaborative time and to develop lessons that will thus meet more students' needs. In the coming weeks, we will be providing families with the opportunity to provide us feedback as well.
Please know that we are still very much in the early stages of this hybrid model - this was just our second full week of school. While we are still working out some kinks, the early reviews seem to be positive from the students' perspective, and we will be working to fine tune some of the challenges being reported in some classes. When we share that information, please be sure to offer us feedback based on what you are seeing, since it will help us grow and improve, as well as to validate what is being done well.
Student Voice and Current Climate
It goes without saying that there are many disparate points of view in the nation right now, and we have many different thoughts, opinions, and perspectives within our staff, our families, and our students. As school administration, we have a responsibility to ensure that our community is safe, and that students and staff are protected from speech and symbols that could cause a deleterious impact to the experience at school.
We follow guidance established by the most significant rulings possible, those of the United States Supreme Court, and we invoke those responsibilities based on the case law. For example, in Tinker v. Des Moines, the Court held that school officials may discipline a student for expressive conduct that is otherwise protected by the First Amendment if the conduct “materially and substantially interfere[s] with the requirements of appropriate discipline in the operation of the school,” or if school officials can reasonably forecast that the speech will cause a material and substantial disruption.
We respect the various viewpoints of our students, but please know that when those viewpoints disrupt the rights of others, are blatantly disrespectful or hateful, or intend to create a hostile environment at school, we work collaboratively with our public safety partners, counselors, and families to respond accordingly. We likewise have built conversations and lessons about implicit bias, structural racism, and prejudicial behaviors into our various curricula, particularly in grades 8 and 9, to help students understand the impact of their statements, comments, etc. Simply put, hate speech is not tolerated in any form, regardless of the platform by which individuals may seek to espouse or impose their views.
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