MS Parent Message February 5, 2021

Middle School Parent Message 

February 5, 2021

Important Dates:

February 5:  End of Marking Period 2/Semester 1 Classes

Calendar for 3rd Marking Period can be found at this link.

February 8:  Marking Period 3/Semester 2 Classes Begins

February 15:  President’s Day:  School Closed

February 17:  Student Picture Make-up Day

February 18:  Student Picture Make-up Day

March 19:  Early Dismissal of Students/Teacher PD

Good Afternoon:

 

Semester 2 Begins February 8:  The second semester will begin on February 8.  For most classes there will be no change.  However, for semester classes such as ELA Composition, Geometry and Probability, and many of the electives, there is a change in courses.  Students beginning a new semester course should have received via their school email accounts a message from their new teacher and directions for how to join the new Google Classroom.  In the event you did not receive this message for a new course, please contact the teacher directly.  His/her email address can be found in PowerSchool or contact your child’s counselor. Teachers will archive Semester I google classrooms after grades for Q2 are finalized.

 

Third Marking Period:  As we begin the third marking period, there will be students who have changed their model from hybrid to remote or vice versa.   Students in Option A (Hybrid) who do not consistently attend school for in-person instruction will be transferred to the remote cohort for the remainder of the marking period. In addition, please note that students enrolled in Option B (100% Remote) will remain in that model for the entire third marking period and will not be allowed to switch to Option A (Hybrid).  This is essential for the school district’s ability to plan.

 

A significant change for the third marking period will be in the structure of Wednesdays.  All students will remain remote, however, there will be an expectation that they attend all of their classes virtually, just as they would on other days of the week and attendance will be taken for all classes.  Again, just as classes the other four days of the week take different forms based on the teachers’ plans and assignments, that will be the case on Wednesday too.  There will be a special schedule for Wednesday where all eight classes will meet and the schedule is noted below:

Middle 

School

Wednesday

ALL STUDENTS REMOTE

7:30-8:05

(35)

Homeroom 

 Period 1/2

8:10-8:40 

(30)

Period 3/4

8:45-9:15 (30)

Period 5/6

9:20-9:50

(30)

Period 7/8 

 or 8/9

9:55-10:25

(30)

Period 9/10

or 10//11

10:30-11:00

(30)

Period 11/12

or 12/13

11:05-11:35

(30)

Period 14/15

11:40-12:10

(30)

Period 16/17

12:10 -12:40

(30)

Lunch

12:40-2:38

Independent Work/

Teacher Office Hours

 

Student Pictures: For those students who missed having their picture taken or need to have them retaken, the dates are February 17 and 18.  Students attending in person will receive a pass/email with the day and time to have their photo taken. (Those wishing retakes will need to bring their unwanted photo package with a letter from their parents requesting the retake to the main office on February 17 or 18 to receive a pass.)  

 

Cohort E parents who would like to have their child’s picture taken or retaken, will need to sign-up for an appointment. The appointments are in the afternoon of February 17 or 18 between 12:40 pm and 3 pm. For retakes students will need to bring the unwanted photo package with a note to give to the photographer at the time of the appointment.

 

 Here is the link for Cohort E parents to sign up:  https://tinyurl.com/Remote-Makeup-Picture-Day

 

Yearbook Photos:  The yearbook staff needs YOUR help in gathering photos from this year. Please consider helping us by uploading a photo or two each month to https://images.jostens.com/415623968.  Thank you! 

 

Winter Sports and Looking to Spring Sports: New medical guidelines have been issued at the local and nationwide levels recommending any person who has been Covid-19 Positive or presumed (suspected) Covid-19 Positive must be medically cleared after COVID-19 infection and before participation in sports, gym, or any school physical activity as there is a risk of post-Covid cardiac complications.  Please contact the school nurse with any questions.

We are now accepting Athletic Participation packets for the Sprinter/Spring Seasons.  A link to the packets can be found here

Wrestling – March 1st, 2021 All Other Spring Sports – April 12th, 2021

If your child’s physical exam is current and does not expire 60 days prior to start of the season, please complete pages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 of the packet and submit them electronically to middleschoolathletics@nburlington.com   If your child is in need of a new physical, please contact your physician’s office at your earliest convenience to secure an appointment.  Please take page 3, 5 and 6 of the packet with you so that your doctor can complete the physical forms.  Please submit the entire packet (pages 1-7) electronically to middleschoolathletics@nburlington.com

At this point, we anticipate that the spring season will be similar to the way the fall season with intramural competitions, but the situation remains fluid.

Gardening Camp: Northern Burlington is offering a Vegetable and Herb Garden Camp on March 6th, 13th, & 20th 2021 from 8am to 11:00am.  Have you ever wanted to grow vegetables in your backyard but not known where to start? Have you tried having a garden in the past but found yourself less than successful? Maybe you have had a garden for years but would like a chance to learn more or share what you’ve learned with others? If so, this is the camp for you!  Registration information can be found at this LINK.

Ordering School Lunch for ALL Students 18 Years and under:  Please NOTE:  Our pickup window is 10 am through 11:15 am on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Ordering School Lunch for ALL Students 18 Years and under:  Please note that Lunches are FREE FOR ALL YOUR STUDENTS through the month of June 2021. PLEASE CONSIDER ORDERING LUNCHES.  Use the link below to place an order:

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSCfgxym6WPcJofHaCxJa5lS1jTZzsRyr2-UUxGsXWCpnxbg/viewform

 

The pick-up location is near the Middle School’s rear entrance (Middle School Door C-3 that leads into the teachers’ lounge) via the Island Road entrance and taking the 1st left to go toward the back of the school. Masks must be worn at all times and for social distancing purposes, NB will limit the number of people entering the middle school facility at one time.

 

Message from the School Nurse: The New Jersey Department acknowledges the state is in a "second wave" of coronavirus infections with transmission among school children often being without any symptoms.

Therefore, the NJDOH recommends no student should attend school with any COVID-19 like symptoms until they have either received a negative viral test (molecular or antigen) for SARS-CoV-2 or they have completed an isolation period of at least 10 days since symptom onset and at least 24 hours after resolution of fever without fever-reducing medications with symptom improvement. 

A Doctor's medical note without testing is no longer acceptable.

Please continue to share any COVID-19 cases or exposures with our school nurses. We ask that you directly contact your student’s nurse as this information is critical for monitoring community incidence & planning for safely keeping our school open.

 

New medical guidelines have been issued at local and nationwide levels recommending any person who has been Covid-19 Positive or presumed (suspected) Covid-19 Positive must be medically cleared after COVID-19 infection and before participation in sports, gym, or any school physical activity to rule out the risk of potentially dangerous post-Covid cardiac complications.

 

Middle School:  Mrs. Theresa Pugliese :  tpugliese@nburlington.com 

 

Travel Advisories: Just a reminder that if your family traveled outside the immediate region (New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Delaware), please plan to have your student quarantine for 10 days.

Students are able to attend all of their classes virtually during that time, even if they are in the hybrid model.  In the event your child will be quarantining and attending school virtually during that time, please notify your child’s counselor. Please do not hesitate to contact our school nurse with any questions regarding the quarantine process.  A link to travel advisories is included below:

NJ Travel Quarantine Information.

 Health & Safety Reminders:

COVID-When to get tested 

COVID Cannot test out of Quarantine   

COVID-How-Long-Isolate-Quarantine

Health & Safety Reminders: 

It is important to emphasize a few points with regard to health safety.  Most importantly, students should not come to school if they are sick.  The remote option is available on a day to day basis if a student has any symptoms on the day he or she is supposed to attend school in person but can still attend school at home.  If you have any medical questions, please contact our school nurse at extension 4030 or tpugliese@nburlington.com . Covid Informational Flyers.

 

 

District Technology Presentation: For those of you who could not attend the virtual parent event on January 13th here is a link to the recording of the presentation. It will also be available on our website.

District Technology at a Glance

NB Greenhouse Fundraiser:  Fresh Honeybell tangelos have sold out, but there are other varieties to order until 2/5. Just click the pic and thank you for supporting our NB Greenhouse Club.  If you should have any questions, please contact Keith Dannucci at Kdannucci@nburlington.com

                    

High School Program of Studies and Course Selection for 2021-2022: The 2021-2022 High School Program of Studies is now available on the High School Counseling Department web page. Additionally, we are excited to announce that course selection will occur electronically via PowerSchool. The High School Counselors will be meeting with students in Grade 8 during early March. 

Here is the recording of the High School Program of Studies Information Session hosted by the Offices of Academics and Counseling on Thursday, January 14th which will also be posted on the HS Counseling page of the website. 

National Honor Society Tutoring:  Is your child in need of some extra help?  NHS tutoring is here to assist!  Virtual tutoring will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:30-2pm.  All you need to do is have the student who is in need of help email the NHS adviser at jnewman@nburlington.com and then the student will receive a link to the virtual tutoring session.

Parent Teacher Student Connection (PTSC):  Please remember to become a member of our organization this year. If you are already a member, thank you! You can access our link through the Northern Burlington site. Payments of $10 per family are accepted via check or through Paypal. It is important that we receive your contribution as this money is channeled back to our students in the form of mini grants, awarded to teachers for use in their classrooms,  as well as Scholarships granted to seniors. If you have a senior graduating in 2021 please make sure that your membership is received by us no later than February 26th, 2021 in order to be eligible. We can always be reached via email at nburlingtonptsc@gmail.com. Please stay safe!

***NOTE: We are hopeful that we may be able to have a clothing drive in the Spring of 2021***

Enjoy your weekend.                         

Andrew Kearns, Ed.D.

Principal