Back to school Letter
Dear Gill Families and Caregivers,
Summer is quickly passing and time is drawing near to the start of a new school year. I hope that your child’s summer has been restful, re-energizing and most of all fun! We are looking forward to seeing all of our new and returning students in the next few weeks.
The state Commissioner of Education has mandated that ALL students are back in person, five days a week for this school year. The Superintendent and local health officials are reviewing new guidance on protocols for this coming year daily as it becomes available. Currently our protocols are basically the same as how we ended in June. Students and staff will be expected to mask, however they are not required to mask outside. We will continue with the 6 feet spacing during the lunch periods and for snack time. More information on updated protocols and guidance will be shared as relevant. We are very glad to see our students returning in person as it was not an optimal experience for many last year in the remote status.
I am thrilled to announce that all of the asbestos flooring has been abated, and students and staff will be welcomed by a brighter and cheerier flooring in the hallways, all purpose room, and in several of the classrooms. As many of you are aware, many spaces in the school had the original asbestos flooring in place and it had begun to crumble, necessitating the urgent repairs. The town of Gill and the school facilities were incredibly responsive and supportive in ensuring that this part of the project was scheduled to be completed this summer. The remaining flooring will be replaced next summer in the remainder of the classrooms.
I wanted to express my apologies for any families that have left messages or come to the school during the past month. The building has been inaccessible during this time and it has been challenging keeping in touch with families that have back to school questions. We should be able to get back into the building by this Wednesday, so we will be scrambling to put the classrooms back into shape before students arrive next Thursday.
I will be sending out grade-level specific letters from teachers electronically in a separate email within the next few days. All students in grades 1-6 will return on Thursday, August 26th, with Kindergarten beginning on Tuesday, August 31st. Kindergarten orientations will take place on Thursday 8/26, and Friday 8/27. Christina Thurston, school administrative assistant, will be contacting kindergarten families this week to set up times.
I would like to share some staffing updates. Kathryn Provost, school counselor, will now be at Gill full-time, which affords additional student support and we are thrilled to have her with us every day. We have a number of new paraprofessionals that we are in the process of hiring, and I will share that information out once we have the hiring process completed.
We are tentatively planning a back-to-school outside event for the evening of Tuesday, August 24th. More details to come out soon!
In closing, I would like to share that my staff and I are so excited to re-engage and welcome everyone back. We’re committed to addressing the impact of the past year upon the academic and social skills growth and development of our students. I’d like to thank you in advance for your partnership and support in your child’s learning. Positive and effective partnerships with families is so crucial in ensuring a successful and meaningful learning experience for your child. We truly value your input and support, and welcome your questions and concerns. Please feel free to contact me at (413)863-7456, or send me an email at Lisa.Desjarlais@gmrsd.org. I am very much looking forward to seeing you all soon!
Sincerely,
Lisa Desjarlais
Principal