Dear Families,
As you are aware, Northwood School, along with all schools in New Hampshire, has recently announced the closure of school due COVID-19. The closure will run at least through April 3. The Commissioner of Education has asked schools to switch to an “online learning” model in the interim. Our staff members have been working hard to develop relevant and engaging distance learning lessons for students. Students in grades Kindergarten through grade 2 will primarily have paper-based work until April 3. If the closure extends beyond that date, K-2 students will transition to digital distance learning. Students in grades 3 - 8 will have primarily digital distance learning lessons for the duration of the closure.
During the closure, the building will not be accessible to families. There may be no one available to answer the phones at the school. If you need to reach a staff member, I encourage you to use email. All staff members’ email addresses are listed in the “Staff Directory” section of the school’s website. Northwood staff members should be available to answer email questions from 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 A.M. and 12:30 P.M. to 1:30 P.M. Teachers will try to be flexible for parents who work during those hours and need to communicate at different times.
Student Academic Expectations
All students are expected to participate in the activities that have been/will be prepared by teachers and sent home in packets or via platforms Google Classroom. Please expect to hear from your child(ren)’s teachers soon and do not hesitate to reach out to them. Parents are encouraged to create a “school day schedule” of activities so that students can experience some consistency during this challenging time. There are additional letters attached from our school counselors and our curriculum director that provide some guidance on establishing schedules and routines.
Special Education/Section 504:
Over the last few days, we have received some guidance from the United States and New Hampshire Departments of Education regarding special education services. Our special education team has been meeting this week to work on how best to support the needs of students with disabilities. Case managers and 504 coordinators will communicate directly with families to define these accommodations and modifications as the plans are finalized.
Internet resources:
Internet access is a key component of effective digital distance learning. If you do not currently have internet service in your home, there are some resources you can access:
Spectrum Internet:Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update or call 1-844-488-8398
Xfinity Internet: Please visit https://xfinity.com/wifi to see a map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots. Open hotspots, both indoor and outdoor, will be displayed on the map in a light green color. Once at a hotspot, customers and non-customers should select xfinitywifi from the list of available WiFi networks, and then launch a browser. Non-Xfinity Internet customers can connect by clicking the Accept & Connect button. Non-Xfinity customers will be able to renew their complimentary sessions every two hours.
Our teachers will do their best to work with families who are not able or do not wish to get internet access, but please be aware that if the closure goes past April 3, it may not be possible for teachers to provide paper-based work.
A whole new way of doing things:
This way of teaching and learning is new to all of us. Teachers, students, and parents/guardians will all be developing new skills and applying new strategies. We expect that our process and procedures will evolve over the next few weeks. Please be patient with us and with yourselves as we all adjust to a completely different educational structure. Our teachers will be primarily using Google Classroom for digital distance learning. Here’s a resource to help familiarize yourself with Google Classroom. I’ve also included information from our school counselors and nurse about local resources and strategies for maintaining physical and emotional health. We will continue to share more resources and information in the coming weeks. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or challenges.
We are truly lucky to have such a strong and supportive community. Please tell your child(ren) how much we miss them already.
Take care,
Jocelyn