A Holiday Poem

 I don't often feel inclined to channel my creative writing skills these days, and even more rare are the occasions when writing poetry seems the most apropos way to deliver a message. Last night, I got a little inspired, and, well, what is below is the result. I shared with our staff this morning.

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and healthy holiday and new year. May 2021 bring joy and hope to us all.

'Twas the night before break and all through the room

Everyone's thinking of shutting down Zoom.

With I on my laptop and kids' tablets charged too,

We were ready to bid 2020 adieu.

But before we could leave and call it a year,

Before chilling the egg nog or pouring some cheer

I paused to reflect on this joyous day,

And hoping 'gainst hope that we'd not lost our way.

See, this year had once started, in spirit and hope,

But after March came, it was easier to mope.

We were wrenched from our lives and forced into masks,

Reminded each day of our distancing tasks.

We spread out our desks and sanitized hands,

Ensured the full function of all venting fans,

For our students behind those masks held a smile 

Despite fear and the tension we felt all the while.

The world around us is filled with such clatter, 

On one hand because we know our work does matter.

So as I parted for break, I heard from the street 

A bang and a crash, so I jumped from my seat.

Outside I saw him, in his festive red,

Boots on his feet and a cap on his head.

He stood and he shouted with a festive cry,

The same has been uttered in the years gone by:

"On Dasher, on Dancer, now Prancer and Vixen

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen.

To the top of their roof, down their schoolway hall,

What they all deserve can't be found in a mall,

Not sold on Etsy or Amazon Prime,

Not streamed on Netflix, not a drink twist with lime.

No, what they have earned equates with some rest,

For the staff and their efforts have been but the best.”

He went on to tell with a stentorian voice,

(That word is a favorite thesaurus choice):

“With Christmas this year, all teachers should know

light at tunnel's end, it is starting to glow.”

From St. Nick's white beard, the words came with a smile, 

To give us the gift we’ve wanted a long while:

"From vaccine and science, now research and shots

From Fauci and Pfizer, now hope we have lots.

Quarantine, sure, keep your gatherings small,

Future success requires effort from all.

While tired you are and while some of you weary,

Your voices exhausted, from screens your eyes bleary,

It still remains true to this very day,

That this fearless staff has NOT lost its way.

On admin and union, you still work together,

For parents and students, through all kinds of weather.

There may be dark days from the virus to heed

So camaraderie's trust is what you have and need,

But first take that time, your battery charge must be strong,

For the weeks are not easy, the hours are long. 

You've adapted new learning, a task no doubt monstrous,

With a lesson at home and in class that's synchronous.

Now be stronger together and fail apart,

In the new year cooperate with hope and with heart."

I realized his gift was not something wrapped nice,

But rather some worldly, old fashioned advice.

He then gave me a smile, his eyes they both shined

Wondering if the fatigue had insaned my mind.

I heard his old mantra as he got back on his sleigh

And with a "ho-ho-ho" he set off on his way.

As he flew off that night and awayed to the sky,

To sum him up nicely, I wanted to try.

I popped open the laptop, to type a message anew,

Since that’s what I’m told most good principals do.

Wanting to pen one more word as St. Nick left my sight,

One more “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night,”

But I knew that those words were not nearly enough,

Since this year for all has been so very rough.

So I wrote one simple line as this year was done -

“Thank you, my friends - on to 2021!”

December Podcast

 Our December 18 podcast is available here:

UHS: Weekly News and Notes

Good morning,

We have a few updates from UHS this week. Please note: we will not be sending a weekly update next week.

School Building Closed

Classes will take place on Monday and Tuesday in a fully remote model. For students who may need materials in the school, they will be available, but please check with teachers first, as some teachers may also be working remotely. On Wednesday, our students will participate in advisory and office hours, with an opportunity to tidy up any loose ends prior to the start of January.

Food Service Update

The Food Service Department will be providing meals during school vacation. Our schedule for the rest of December is as follows:

• December 23rd, Wednesday, pick up at Taft between 7:00AM to 8:00AM
• December 30th, Wednesday, pick up at Taft between 9:00AM to 10:00AM  (Time Change)

We will resume our normal schedule on Wednesday, January 6, 2021 with pick up at Taft from 7:00AM to 8:00AM.

We will be distributing 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, and a gallon of milk per student.

For questions, please contact Kelly Haley, Food Service Director, at khaley@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.

Winter Athletics: Most Recent Update

Podcast

We will be sharing our next podcast episode over the weekend, which features a conversation with our school counselors, information about winter athletics, and a couple of additional updates on some programming options and developments at UHS.

Supports for Students

For students who have had difficulty accessing remote and virtual learning through our schedule and current model, our school counselors have reached out to students who have failed classes in the first quarter, particularly multiple classes, and have not been able to return to school despite offerings of an in-person model, even some of the time. We will have support staff available after hours to work with these students, and the hope is that this pilot group will meet greater success. While this program is, at present, by counselor and administrative recommendation, we hope that the pilot will also lead to additional opportunities for more students in the future.

In addition, we have had a number of students who have been remote who have requested returning to school in-person. While transportation is tight, we have been able to support all of those requests. If there are parents who are still curious about whether a return from remote to hybrid is possible, we ask that they reach out to their child's school counselor.

Senior Events

We know that there are already individuals inquiring about end-of-year events for seniors. While we are governed by state guidance and requirements, we have already started to plan in earnest for a number of different scenarios. Please know that we have not forgotten about events like prom, graduation, and awards night, and that we hope, in time, to release additional details about our plans. Please know that this will not likely happen until early spring, but we want to be able to give families ample time to make arrangements if we are able to have some of these events.

As with anything else, there is always the possibility that these events are not able to be scheduled, either because of state guidelines or logistics. Please know we will do our best to make sure these happen, even if they look different.

School Council

We are still looking for a grade 8 or 9 parent to serve on our School Council. The Council typically meets monthly and informs School Improvement goals, including the development of our School Improvement Plan and ongoing plans and initiatives. If interested, send an email to mrubin@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.

Finally, it has been a challenging 2020, to say the least. As we bid farewell to this year, on behalf of everyone at UHS, I wish you a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season, and good tidings as we look ahead to 2021. Please enjoy time with your immediate families and close contacts over the next few weeks, and do your part to limit any risk or spread of the virus, so that our January and February are consumed more with the business of school and less with the existential health crisis of a generation. Mask up, be safe, be in good health, and we look forward to continuing to move our school and community forward as we return to the new year!

Winter Athletics Update: Statement

 

Weekly News and Notes, December 11

 Good afternoon,

We have a few updates from UHS this week.

Rising COVID-19 Cases

As the daily numbers have increased across the state, we have likewise seen some additional cases here in our community. Fortunately, we have yet to see any real transmission in the building, and our safety protocols continue to work. Families may see some teachers working remotely or teaching from places other than a classroom; please avoid speculation on the reasons for such scenarios, as there are a variety of reasons why someone may be remote.

Additionally, we have been working closely with families throughout the pandemic to ensure that we have the best information possible should we have to engage in contact tracing. To those ends, if we ask about particular travel patterns in the building, social connections, etc., please know that it is simply done to support the tracing practices of the Board of Health so we can curb any continued outbreaks. To date, the honesty and forthrightness of our community has been appreciated.

The Uxbridge Public Schools COVID-19 dashboard has weekly updates on the number of cases in our schools, including staff and students.

Winter Athletics

We will be compiling a series of winter athletic guidelines to be shared with our Board of Health in the next week or so. We have developed a number of specific protocols that will support safety in the winter, but there is the possibility that the current surge precludes our participation in athletics this season. We know that other communities and leagues have already made the decision to cancel winter sports, and we anticipate having a decision from the Southern Worcester County League being made in the first week of January.

MCAS

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has cancelled the January administration of MCAS, which was due to administered to the Class of 2022 (current juniors). We have not yet been provided any guidance on MCAS for the coming spring for grades 8, 9, and 10.

Remote Learning Grant

For students who are struggling with remote and hybrid learning, we have earned a grant from the Commonwealth to provide additional supports for students, in the form of counselors, teachers, and support staff after school hours and potentially on weekends. Ms. Emily Cotter, one of our school counselors, will be coordinating this program. Outreach will begin in the next two weeks, with the intention of starting the program after the first of year. If anyone has specific questions or interest, feel free to reach out to her.

Weekly News and Notes, December 4

 

We have a few updates from Uxbridge High School this week:

Grade 8 Guidance Seminars

Counselors met with our Grade 8 students this week for their Fall Seminar presentation. We provided the code for the School Counseling Google Classroom, which houses a number of resources for the kids. In our presentation we covered:

-Effective Effort - what it looks like and how students can implement it into their day to day.

-Email Etiquette - how to create and send an appropriate email as well as email organization.

-Organization - tips and tricks, utilizing Google Calendar

The students had an opportunity to sign up for check-ins with counselors via Doodle, and we walked them through how to set up any additional meetings with their counselor. 

Early College Opportunities

As part of our partnership with Quinsigamond Community College, we continue to expand course offerings that offer classes for post-secondary credit at a significantly reduced cost. Below are the opportunities available to students in grades 11 and 12 for the coming spring. If students or parents are interested, we ask that they contact their student's school counselor. There is a cost associated with these classes, but the credits earned count both for college and high school purposes, and all are transferable within the Massachusetts state college and university system. (Most also transfer to private and out-of-state schools, but that is determined with the individual schools).

Welcome!

We welcome Mellisa Peloquin to our office staff next week, as she will be filling in as one of our office secretaries. She brings a wealth of experience to our team, having worked for many years for EAW in Northbridge. We look forward to having her on board.

Moving Forward!

Despite the pandemic, we continue to move forward with a number of partnerships and initiatives. As many individuals already know, we have three existing Innovation Pathways, in Information Science/Media, Biomedical Science, and Manufacturing Engineering. We are moving forward with developing a fourth pathway in Global Finance and Logistics. The deadline for this next application is February, and we, ideally, will have approval of the fourth pathway sometime this spring. In the meantime, we will be working to identify partners for business and finance, so if there are any parents or community members who read this who feel as though they may have a connection that fits, that information would be appreciated. Simply reach out to the administration!

Winter Athletics

A separate communication regarding the possibility of winter sports is being shared. Please know that we appreciate the many feelings and opinions people have on the matter, but the decisions that are being made will be done with our collective safety in mind. We have surveyed other leagues, other states, other communities, and our own towns, and there is little to add beyond what is explained in that community letter. Please be patient as we determine what is best. In the meantime, please resist the urge to spread rumors, besiege teachers and school staff, and ask questions for which we may not have answers. At the end of the day, we will do our best to communicate with you, families, and the community at large as best we can, while doing our best to advocate and stay grounded.



Have a great weekend.