News to Use - January 25, 2021

Upcoming Important Dates:

Mid-Winter School Vacation                                                                  February 15-19

No School, Professional Development Day                                         March 15

Brrr! Winter is here! But we are still trying to get outside for recess as much as possible, as it really is an important opportunity for students to move during the day. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately to be able to spend at least 25 minutes outside each day.

SCHOOL PICTURES ARE HERE!

School pictures were delivered to the school and were distributed to students to bring home.  

If you are interested in re-takes or your child was absent on the original picture day, please send me an email to s.williams@hwschools.net by next Monday, February 1, 2021 so I can proceed with scheduling a make-up date/time.

HW HEALTH OFFICE UPDATES:

January 2021

COVID-19 VS COLD VS FLU VS ALLERGIES

Source: Boston Children's Hospital

This image demonstrates that COVID-19 has a lot of common symptoms with other illnesses. A person may have one or more mild symptoms or be asymptomatic. For any symptoms the recommendation is to seek a COVID-19 test.

COVID-19 VACCINATION

We are currently in Phase One of Massachusett's COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Recently several of our HW school nurses volunteered as vaccinators for first responders and also received the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is a 2 part series with the second vaccine occurring in a few weeks. We are excited and hopeful to be part of the vaccination process, and look forward to moving through the phases. School staff will be vaccinated in Phase Two.

TRAVEL ORDER FAQ

Does the travel order allow me to travel to another state for a day trip for a leisure activity such as skiing or shopping? Do I only need to comply if I stay overnight?

No. The travel order requirements still applies for day trips and leisure activities.

Travel for short, same-day trips are only exempt "for purposes that the Commissioner has designated as Critical Life Activities." This is "limited to short, same-day trips across the border and back for the following purposes: grocery shopping, visits to pharmacies, attending appointments with licensed health care providers including medical, dental, or mental health, visiting persons receiving treatment in hospitals or residing in congregate care settings, attendance at day care or children’s camps, attending religious services and funerals or memorial services, or attending to the care needs of family members."

COVID-19 HAMILTON & WENHAM TESTING

The towns of Hamilton and Wenham are providing testing to town residents and school employees on Wednesdays and Saturdays in January at the MRMS. Refer to the Hamilton or Wenham town websites for the latest information. Both towns are providing tests only to those who have COVID-19 symptoms and/or those who have been in close contact with a COVID positive person. For residents that would like to be tested for travel purposes or for peace of mind, Beauport is offering $85 PCR testing on site as well. Participants are asked to preregister by 4 pm on the previous day.

INFLUENZA

Announced on January 15, 2021: "The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is removing the requirement for flu vaccination for attendance in childcare/preschool, primary, secondary and postsecondary education. Preliminary data show that this has been a mild flu season to date, presumably as people have received their seasonal flu vaccine and have been adhering to mask-wearing and social distancing due to COVID-19. Given the intensive Commonwealth-wide efforts regarding COVID-19 vaccination, DPH wants to alleviate the burden to obtain flu vaccination and focus on continuing our COVID -19 vaccination efforts. DPH continues to strongly recommend that everyone age six months and older receive their seasonal flu vaccine each year."

For more school health and COVID information please visit our HW nurses' website. 

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

In order to achieve greater social emotional well-being and maintain healthy relationships, we need the ability to express all emotions and to regulate both pleasant and unpleasant feelings.  But children may not have the vocabulary or the tools to appropriately relay how they are feeling.  In an effort to expand our emotional literacy while building community, we have implemented Mood Monday and Feelings Friday at Cutler.  Maybe your child has mentioned it? These are days where we each make a point to ask a friend, “How are you feeling?”  We are working hard to expand our emotion vocabulary!  This is so important because recognizing and accurately labeling our emotions is an essential step in effectively managing them.  If you would like to continue and even expand upon this at home, Diane Alber’s Little Spot of Emotion book series is a wonderful way to do that.  I highly recommend these!

And as parents or guardians, we are co-creators of our children’s emotional systems so when we strengthen our own emotional skills, we strengthen those of our children. This is not an easy task anytime, much less during a pandemic! Here is a terrific yet brief article explaining how we might take steps to foster our children’s emotional competence from the Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Marc Brackett, Ph.D. To explore this topic further, check out his book, Permission to Feel.  I highly recommend that too!

Have questions or just need to chat? I am offering office hours for parents or students on Thursdays from 10-10:30 through Zoom.  To ensure privacy, I will have the waiting room feature enabled and will be sure to message anyone waiting.  I am looking forward to seeing you!  Ms. Creilson’s Zoom Link

And as always, feel free to call or email with any concerns or questions you might have.

Warmly,

Ann Creilson

Cutler School Adjustment Counselor

a.creilson@hwschools.net

978-468-8475

THE COMMUNITY HOUSE: AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

THE KIDS COMMUNITY @ 284

The Kids Community @ 284, sponsored by The Community House, offers safe and fun childcare options for students from kindergarten through 5th grade. Students will be engaged in a fun, hands-on learning environment where activities in the arts, science, technology, and recreation are offered. Programs offered throughout the year include baking, martial arts, lego club, crafts, sewing, knitting, music and theater arts.

For more information and registration, please visit the following link; The Community House.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS CFCE “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” PARENT WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM Please join Early Childhood Partners CFCE for a series of FREE drop-in parent workshops to connect local families during these unprecedented times. Each week we will focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities and discuss ways to better support our children. These workshops will be facilitated by Maryellen Collamore, MSW, LICSW, a local child & family clinician who specializes in parenting and childhood mental health. JAN 27 @ 7:30PM: PARENT/PARTNER COMMUNICATION  FEBRUARY 3 @ 7:30PM: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT  FEB 10 @ 7:30PM: SELF-CARE FOR BUSY PARENTS Please register at www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com to receive the ZOOM link. Feel free to join us for one or all of the workshops

Early Childhood Partners CFCE offers FREE storytimes, playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, connections, and support for families and children aged 0-8. To learn more and to register, please go to our website www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com or call 978-468-5489.

Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law.

News to Use - January 19, 2021

 Upcoming Important Dates:

Mid-Winter School Vacation                                                                  February 15-19

What a great day we had with all of the first-graders and kindergarteners in the building today! There are certainly obstacles to overcome, but overall, today was a great success.

Nurse's Corner

Thank you to families for sharing your COVID-19 Test Results promptly with Mrs. Nardella each time you travel and are required to. This ensures that the bulk of her time is spent focusing on students and safety. For weekend travel plans that include out-of-state travel, you will need to seek COVID-19 PCR testing and upload the negative results to the SNAP portal prior to your child returning to school. For instructions on how to upload to the health portal, see our how-to video. If you have any difficulty, you can email a copy to Mrs. Nardella. You can also contact Mrs. Nardella if you need assistance finding a testing site.

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

Last week, I shared some evidence-based coping strategies you might consider as the pandemic drags on.  During COVID, it is especially important that we nurture our own, as well as our children’s emotional well-being.  And while most children continue to thrive, some of you might be noticing your child struggling in new ways or that old issues are becoming worse.  In an effort to guide parents in caring for children’s mental health and emotional well-being during the pandemic, Handhold was created by a team of Massachusetts mental health and child development professionals in partnership with parents.  There are an enormous number of tips, tools and resources on the website that you might find helpful.

Have questions or just need to chat? I am now offering office hours for parents or students on Thursdays from 10-10:30 through Zoom.  To ensure privacy, I will have the waiting room feature enabled and will be sure to message anyone waiting.  I am looking forward to seeing you! 

Ms. Creilson’s Zoom Link

And as always, feel free to call or email with any concerns or questions you might have.

Warmly,
Ann Creilson
Cutler School Adjustment Counselor
a.creilson@hwschools.net

978-468-8475

EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS CFCE “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” PARENT WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM Please join Early Childhood Partners CFCE for a series of FREE drop-in parent workshops to connect local families during these unprecedented times. Each week we will focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities and discuss ways to better support our children. These workshops will be facilitated by Maryellen Collamore, MSW, LICSW, a local child & family clinician who specializes in parenting and childhood mental health. JAN 20 @ 7:30PM: ENGAGING TWO AGE LEVELS AT ONCE  JAN 27 @ 7:30PM: PARENT/PARTNER COMMUNICATION  FEBRUARY 3 @ 7:30PM: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT  FEB 10 @ 7:30PM: SELF-CARE FOR BUSY PARENTS Please register at www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com to receive the ZOOM link. Feel free to join us for one or all of the workshops

Early Childhood Partners CFCE offers FREE storytimes, playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, connections, and support for families and children aged 0-8. To learn more and to register, please go to our website www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com or call 978-468-5489.

Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS WINTER 2021 All Early Childhood Partners programs are FREE and available on our Website, Facebook Page, & ZOOM! www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com @EarlyChildhoodPartnersCFCE MONDAYS “FIRST FRIENDS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Themed circle time, songs, stories, group activities, and so much more! This program is best for parents/caregivers & children ages 2-8! TUESDAYS “STORYTIME YOGA” is a pre-recorded mindfulness & movement storytime for children ages 2-6yo & a parent/caregiver. Participate in basic yoga stretches & breathing exercises inspired by a book. “THE PROCESS ART WORKSHOP” is designed for children ages 3-8yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will enjoy links to online read-aloud stories & activities that practice process art methods. Available for those who pre-register: FREE PROCESS ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS! WEDNESDAYS “PRE-K HOORAY” is a virtual storytime focused on literacy, arts, music, movement, & science! Designed for children ages 2-6yo & their parents/caregivers. Includes SPECIAL EVENTS & GIVEAWAYS! “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” Parenting Workshops @ 7:30pm on ZOOM. Focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities, and discuss ways to better support our children. THURSDAYS “LITTLE LEARNERS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Families with children ages 0-5 will enjoy stories, songs, & fingerplays. An opportunity to virtually meet and connect with other parents! “WENDY’S STORY ART“ is designed for children ages 0-5yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will develop literacy & fine motor skills through links to online read-aloud stories and play-based art experiences. Available for those who pre-register: FREE STORY ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS!

News to Use - January 11, 2021

Upcoming Important Dates:

All Kindergarten and 1st-grade students learn remotely                 Friday,  January 15
No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day                                              Monday,  January 18
All Kindergarten and 1st-grade students learn in-person 
        on Mondays/Tuesdays/Thursdays/Fridays                                starts January 19
Mid-Winter School Vacation                                                                  February 15-19

Winter gear
While the winter weather has us mostly eating lunch inside now, we still will go out for recess daily and will eat outside as the weather allows. It's the one time of day that kids really can move and play without as many restrictions as they face inside. Thank you for making sure your child has appropriate boots, coats, mittens, and hats to be comfortable while we are outside multiple times each day.

HW HEALTH OFFICE UPDATES

COVID-19 CLOSE CONTACT

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A COVID positive individual is considered infectious or contagious starting 2 days prior to their symptom onset, or 2 days prior to their positive COVID test in the case of asymptomatic individuals. During the contact tracing process, positive individuals are interviewed to see who they have been in close contact with during their infectious period, and close contacts are then notified of the need to quarantine. Masks reduce risk but do not eliminate exposure completely.

COVID-19 QUARANTINE

The CDC and MA DPH have provided new quarantine guidelines based on data on the typical timing of developing COVID after close contact exposure. For individuals who do not have, and have never had, symptoms during their quarantine period there is now a 7-day option with testing or a 10-day option without testing. Local public health nurses work with individuals to release them from quarantine, or from isolation in the case of positive individuals. Here are the quarantine options from the MA DPH:

1. COUNSELOR'S CORNER Happy New Year!  I hope this year brings peace and wellness to you and your families.  While a new year is inevitably thought of as a new beginning, many of us continue to face ongoing challenges while the pandemic drags on for all of us. Coping with it all is not easy!  Dr. Laurie Santos is the Yale professor behind the very popular free Coursera class, The Science of Well-Being, where she teaches evidence-based practices to help people feel better.  We all use a variety of coping strategies; some serve us better than others. In this short video, she goes through her top five ways to cope, based on science.  She first shared the video on World Mental Health Day, though it is still certainly relevant now. 😊 A big THANK YOU to our group of fifth graders who spearheaded the food drive for Acord and to all of you who donated!  We collected 130 pounds of food which is the equivalent of 108 meals for families in need.  We also had many generous donations of toiletry items that are greatly appreciated. Thank you!   As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns or just to touch base. Warmly, Ann Creilson School Adjustment Counselor a.creilson@hwschools.net 978-468-8475 EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS CFCE “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” PARENT WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM Please join Early Childhood Partners CFCE for a series of FREE drop-in parent workshops to connect local families during these unprecedented times. Each week we will focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities and discuss ways to better support our children. These workshops will be facilitated by Maryellen Collamore, MSW, LICSW, a local child & family clinician who specializes in parenting and childhood mental health. JAN 13 @ 7:30PM: ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS  JAN 20 @ 7:30PM: ENGAGING TWO AGE LEVELS AT ONCE  JAN 27 @ 7:30PM: PARENT/PARTNER COMMUNICATION  FEBRUARY 3 @ 7:30PM: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT  FEB 10 @ 7:30PM: SELF-CARE FOR BUSY PARENTS Please register at www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com to receive the ZOOM link. Feel free to join us for one or all of the workshops!

   Early Childhood Partners CFCE offers FREE storytimes, playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, connections, and support for families and children aged 0-8. To learn more and to register, please go to our website www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com or call 978-468-5489.

   Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law. EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS WINTER 2021 All Early Childhood Partners programs are FREE and available on our Website, Facebook Page, & ZOOM! www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com @EarlyChildhoodPartnersCFCE MONDAYS “FIRST FRIENDS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Themed circle time, songs, stories, group activities, and so much more! This program is best for parents/caregivers & children ages 2-8! TUESDAYS “STORYTIME YOGA” is a pre-recorded mindfulness & movement storytime for children ages 2-6yo & a parent/caregiver. Participate in basic yoga stretches & breathing exercises inspired by a book. “THE PROCESS ART WORKSHOP” is designed for children ages 3-8yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will enjoy links to online read-aloud stories & activities that practice process art methods. Available for those who pre-register: FREE PROCESS ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS! WEDNESDAYS “PRE-K HOORAY” is a virtual storytime focused on literacy, arts, music, movement, & science! Designed for children ages 2-6yo & their parents/caregivers. Includes SPECIAL EVENTS & GIVEAWAYS! “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” Parenting Workshops @ 7:30pm on ZOOM. Focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities, and discuss ways to better support our children. THURSDAYS “LITTLE LEARNERS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Families with children ages 0-5 will enjoy stories, songs, & fingerplays. An opportunity to virtually meet and connect with other parents! “WENDY’S STORY ART“ is designed for children ages 0-5yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will develop literacy & fine motor skills through links to online read-aloud stories and play-based art experiences. Available for those who pre-register: FREE STORY ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS!

News to Use - January 4, 2021

 Upcoming Important Dates:

No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day                                        January 18
Mid-Winter School Vacation                                                           February 15-19

Happy New Year!
Thank you for observing the current safety protocols as your family returns from vacation. Mrs. Nardella has been pleased with families sharing their post-travel test results and communicating clearly with us in order to keep everyone safe. It is this spirit of working together that will help us keep students in school and bring them back more in-person as appropriate. The School Committee will be discussing the next steps in this planning this Wednesday night at 6pm during their meeting, and Superintendent Banios will be reviewing the initial School Budget Recommendation for FY22 later during this same meeting.

Winter gear
While the winter weather has us mostly eating lunch inside now, we still will go out for recess daily and will eat outside as the weather allows. It's the one time of day that kids really can move and play without as many restrictions as they face inside. Thank you for making sure your child has appropriate boots, coats, mittens, and hats to be comfortable while we are outside multiple times each day.

HW HEALTH OFFICE UPDATES

COVID-19 CLOSE CONTACT

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A COVID positive individual is considered infectious or contagious starting 2 days prior to their symptom onset, or 2 days prior to their positive COVID test in the case of asymptomatic individuals. During the contact tracing process, positive individuals are interviewed to see who they have been in close contact with during their infectious period, and close contacts are then notified of the need to quarantine. Masks reduce risk but do not eliminate exposure completely.

COVID-19 QUARANTINE

The CDC and MA DPH have provided new quarantine guidelines based on data on the typical timing of developing COVID after close contact exposure. For individuals who do not have, and have never had, symptoms during their quarantine period there is now a 7 day option with testing or a 10-day option without testing. Local public health nurses work with individuals to release them from quarantine, or from isolation in the case of positive individuals. Here are the quarantine options from the MA DPH:

#HWgivesback - Coats for Kids Drive

Two years ago, students at the high school launched a a charitable giving campaign, #HWgivesback, to promote awareness of challenges impacting members of our Hamilton and Wenham and surrounding communities and raise money to support these causes. Our goal is to collaborate with community leaders, public safety officials, business owners and families to work together to make a difference. Our goal for this year is to provide opportunities for all students to hear about the idea of  #HWgivesback and connect it to the many charitable causes they are currently supporting.

 

Over the next month we are joining forces with Anton’s Cleaners to help make their annual Coats for Kids drive the most successful year yet! We would love to have the elementary school students join us in this effort. We will begin collecting new and lightly used coats in all sizes (children to adult) on Monday, December 7th, and conclude January 8th. Coats will be collected in the box located in the Gallery.

1. EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS CFCE “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” PARENT WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM Please join Early Childhood Partners CFCE for a series of FREE drop-in parent workshops to connect local families during these unprecedented times. Each week we will focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities and discuss ways to better support our children. These workshops will be facilitated by Maryellen Collamore, MSW, LICSW, a local child & family clinician who specializes in parenting and childhood mental health. JANUARY 6 @ 7:30PM: PARENTING DURING COVID JAN 13 @ 7:30PM: ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS  JAN 20 @ 7:30PM: ENGAGING TWO AGE LEVELS AT ONCE  JAN 27 @ 7:30PM: PARENT/PARTNER COMMUNICATION  FEBRUARY 3 @ 7:30PM: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT  FEB 10 @ 7:30PM: SELF-CARE FOR BUSY PARENTS Please register at www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com to receive the ZOOM link. Feel free to join us for one or all of the workshops!

   Early Childhood Partners CFCE offers FREE storytimes, playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, connections, and support for families and children aged 0-8. To learn more and to register, please go to our website www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com or call 978-468-5489.

   Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law. EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS WINTER 2021 All Early Childhood Partners programs are FREE and available on our Website, Facebook Page, & ZOOM! www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com @EarlyChildhoodPartnersCFCE MONDAYS “FIRST FRIENDS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Themed circle time, songs, stories, group activities, and so much more! This program is best for parents/caregivers & children ages 2-8! TUESDAYS “STORYTIME YOGA” is a pre-recorded mindfulness & movement storytime for children ages 2-6yo & a parent/caregiver. Participate in basic yoga stretches & breathing exercises inspired by a book. “THE PROCESS ART WORKSHOP” is designed for children ages 3-8yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will enjoy links to online read-aloud stories & activities that practice process art methods. Available for those who pre-register: FREE PROCESS ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS! WEDNESDAYS “PRE-K HOORAY” is a virtual storytime focused on literacy, arts, music, movement, & science! Designed for children ages 2-6yo & their parents/caregivers. Includes SPECIAL EVENTS & GIVEAWAYS! “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” Parenting Workshops @ 7:30pm on ZOOM. Focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities, and discuss ways to better support our children. THURSDAYS “LITTLE LEARNERS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Families with children ages 0-5 will enjoy stories, songs, & fingerplays. An opportunity to virtually meet and connect with other parents! “WENDY’S STORY ART“ is designed for children ages 0-5yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will develop literacy & fine motor skills through links to online read-aloud stories and play-based art experiences. Available for those who pre-register: FREE STORY ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS!

News to Use- December 21, 2020

Upcoming Important Dates:
Early Release Dismissal @ 11:15AM                                             December 23                

No School: Winter Recess                                                                Dec. 24-Jan. 1

School Resumes                                                                                     January 4

No School, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day                                      January 18

We wish you and your family a safe and healthy winter vacation, and look forward to seeing students in 2021! Happy New Year!

Winter gear
While the winter weather has us mostly eating lunch inside now, we still will go out for recess daily and will eat outside as the weather allows. It's the one time of day that kids really can move and play without as many restrictions as they face inside. Thank you for making sure your child has appropriate boots, coats, mittens, and hats to be comfortable while we are outside multiple times each day.

HW HEALTH OFFICE UPDATES

December 2020

We wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season. Please see the CDC's winter holiday health and safety tips.

COVID-19 CLOSE CONTACT

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infectious person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. A COVID positive individual is considered infectious or contagious starting 2 days prior to their symptom onset, or 2 days prior to their positive COVID test in the case of asymptomatic individuals. During the contact tracing process, positive individuals are interviewed to see who they have been in close contact with during their infectious period, and close contacts are then notified of the need to quarantine. Masks reduce risk but do not eliminate exposure completely.

COVID-19 QUARANTINE

The CDC and MA DPH have provided new quarantine guidelines based on data on the typical timing of developing COVID after close contact exposure. For individuals who do not have, and have never had, symptoms during their quarantine period there is now a 7 day option with testing or a 10-day option without testing. Local public health nurses work with individuals to release them from quarantine, or from isolation in the case of positive individuals. Here are the quarantine options from the MA DPH:

TRAVEL

All Massachusetts residents are required to comply with the COVID-19 travel order. If you are traveling to a non-lower risk state, you need to follow the travel order which requires that you quarantine for 14 days upon return to MA or seek COVID-19 PCR testing no earlier than 72 hrs prior to your return to MA. A negative COVID-19 PCR test needs to be submitted to your school nurse prior to your child(ren)'s return to in-person learning. If your children are 10 years old or younger, they are not required to receive a COVID-19 test, but you will need to share documentation of your adult household member's negative tests to your school nurse prior to their return to in-person learning. Please notify your school nurse of any travel plans during our December vacation.

COVID-19 TESTING

If your child is experiencing potential COVID-19 symptoms please keep your child home from school and/or contact their health care provider and seek testing if advised. Testing also needs to be done to comply with the travel order. We ask you to seek a COVID-19 PCR test which is considered the gold standard for testing. MA has many free stop the spread testing locations, including locations in Salem which do not require an appointment and are open 6 days a week. The towns of Hamilton and Wenham are also offering COVID-19 testing to their residents, HW school employees and their families, and all HW students on certain dates in December at the Miles River Middle School parking lot.  See the website for eligibility requirements and testing dates. 

INFLUENZA

All MA students are now required to be vaccinated against influenza by December 31st, 2020. This is critical during the pandemic as it will reduce the impact of COVID 19. Vaccination for influenza will also aid in the protection of vulnerable populations and decrease the burden on the healthcare system. Both the flumist and the flu shot are available this year. You will be/have been notified if we are missing documentation of your child(ren)'s flu vaccine. If you have not already done so, please provide documentation of your child(ren)'s flu vaccine to your school nurse as soon as possible.

For more health and COVID-19 information please visit our HW nurses' website. 

COUNSELOR'S CORNER

Community Supports 💙

During these times of uncertainty, we understand that many families may be experiencing hardship. We have been fortunate this year to be able to offer some of our families gift cards for holiday needs.  Please reach out if you are in need of assistance.  In addition, here are some local resources that you may find helpful.

Acord Food Pantry

Acord serves clients in Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester, Topsfield, and Wenham. They offer weekly food distributions, holiday meal programs, school vacation lunch bags, nutrition education and outreach, and emergency meal assistance. They also partner with local farms to provide fresh produce to their clients every week. They can be reached at 978-468-7424 or acord.director@gmail.com.

The Hamilton Foundation 

The Hamilton Foundation was created to help meet unexpected, urgent, and short-term needs of Hamilton residents due to job loss, death, divorce, or catastrophic illness. It also maintains a directory of over 60 regional social service agencies and refers people to those programs when appropriate. 

Please call 978-233-1816 and leave a message and someone will return your call.

 

WISSH  

WISSH assists Wenham residents in need of temporary financial or social service assistance. Their mission is to identify the social service needs of Wenham residents and to coordinate and implement appropriate immediate unmet financial assistance to those in need.  You may call WISSH at a confidentially maintained phone number, 978-468-5520 Ext. 9.  

 

Beverly Bootstraps 

Beverly Bootstraps provides critical resources to families and individuals so that they may achieve self-sufficiency. They offer emergency and long-term assistance including access to food, housing stability, adult and youth education, counseling and advocacy.  The best way to contact them is to fill out this form and a case manager will reach out to you.  You may also call them at 978-927-1561 and a message will be relayed to a case manager for you.  

Community Service Projects 💙

A group of our fifth graders is still hard at work with their first community service project.  They are hoping you can help by donating some of Acord's most needed items.  Students may bring items in or if you would like to drop something off, there is a donation bin in the gallery.  They are collecting through Thursday, December 18th.  Thank you so much for your donations!

Here is a list of Acord's most needed items:

• Breakfast items: Jam/jelly, cereal (hot & cold), pancake mix, syrup
• Canned goods:  Chili, hearty soups, canned meats (white tuna, chicken, salmon, ham), baked beans, beef stew, Chef Boyardee
• Dry goods:  Coffee, tea, cocoa, baking mixes, macaroni & cheese, couscous, quinoa, and other grains
• Snack items:  granola bars, raisins, pudding, peanut butter crackers, other crackers
• Condiments:  Mayonnaise, salad dressing, mustard, ketchup, and other condiments
• Personal care items:  Soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, feminine products
• Baby items:  Diapers, formula, baby food

I maintain connections with all of the above organizations.  If you need any help accessing them or if there are other supports that I might assist you with, please do not hesitate to reach out.  I am happy to help out in any way that I can.

Warmly,

Ann Creilson

Cutler School Adjustment Counselor

a.creilson@hwschools.net

978-468-8475

#HWgivesback - Coats for Kids Drive

Two years ago, students at the high school launched a a charitable giving campaign, #HWgivesback, to promote awareness of challenges impacting members of our Hamilton and Wenham and surrounding communities and raise money to support these causes. Our goal is to collaborate with community leaders, public safety officials, business owners and families to work together to make a difference. Our goal for this year is to provide opportunities for all students to hear about the idea of  #HWgivesback and connect it to the many charitable causes they are currently supporting.

 

Over the next month we are joining forces with Anton’s Cleaners to help make their annual Coats for Kids drive the most successful year yet! We would love to have the elementary school students join us in this effort. We will begin collecting new and lightly used coats in all sizes (children to adult) on Monday, December 7th, and conclude January 8th. Coats will be collected in the box located in the Gallery.

1. EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS CFCE “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” PARENT WORKSHOPS ON ZOOM Please join Early Childhood Partners CFCE for a series of FREE drop-in parent workshops to connect local families during these unprecedented times. Each week we will focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities and discuss ways to better support our children. These workshops will be facilitated by Maryellen Collamore, MSW, LICSW, a local child & family clinician who specializes in parenting and childhood mental health. JANUARY 6 @ 7:30PM: PARENTING DURING COVID JAN 13 @ 7:30PM: ADDRESSING CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS  JAN 20 @ 7:30PM: ENGAGING TWO AGE LEVELS AT ONCE  JAN 27 @ 7:30PM: PARENT/PARTNER COMMUNICATION  FEBRUARY 3 @ 7:30PM: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT  FEB 10 @ 7:30PM: SELF-CARE FOR BUSY PARENTS Please register at www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com to receive the ZOOM link. Feel free to join us for one or all of the workshops!

   Early Childhood Partners CFCE offers FREE storytimes, playgroups, workshops, community events, advocacy, connections, and support for families and children aged 0-8. To learn more and to register, please go to our website www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com or call 978-468-5489.

   Funded by a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care awarded to Hamilton-Wenham RSD. All educational and non-academic programs, activities and employment opportunities at Hamilton-Wenham RSD are offered without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, age and/or disability, and any other class or characteristic protected by law. EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERS WINTER 2021 All Early Childhood Partners programs are FREE and available on our Website, Facebook Page, & ZOOM! www.EarlyChildhoodPartners.com @EarlyChildhoodPartnersCFCE MONDAYS “FIRST FRIENDS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Themed circle time, songs, stories, group activities, and so much more! This program is best for parents/caregivers & children ages 2-8! TUESDAYS “STORYTIME YOGA” is a pre-recorded mindfulness & movement storytime for children ages 2-6yo & a parent/caregiver. Participate in basic yoga stretches & breathing exercises inspired by a book. “THE PROCESS ART WORKSHOP” is designed for children ages 3-8yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will enjoy links to online read-aloud stories & activities that practice process art methods. Available for those who pre-register: FREE PROCESS ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS! WEDNESDAYS “PRE-K HOORAY” is a virtual storytime focused on literacy, arts, music, movement, & science! Designed for children ages 2-6yo & their parents/caregivers. Includes SPECIAL EVENTS & GIVEAWAYS! “WIND-DOWN WEDNESDAYS” Parenting Workshops @ 7:30pm on ZOOM. Focus on self-care strategies, share parenting challenges & opportunities, and discuss ways to better support our children. THURSDAYS “LITTLE LEARNERS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Families with children ages 0-5 will enjoy stories, songs, & fingerplays. An opportunity to virtually meet and connect with other parents! “WENDY’S STORY ART“ is designed for children ages 0-5yo & their parents/caregivers. Participants will develop literacy & fine motor skills through links to online read-aloud stories and play-based art experiences. Available for those who pre-register: FREE STORY ART TAKE & MAKE BAGS! FRIDAYS “STORIES AND SONGS” Interactive Story Time @ 10am on ZOOM. Join us for a fun early literacy music & movement story time for the whole family. Play, move, sing, read, and have fun together! “SCIENCE FRIDAYS” is STEAM fun! Parents/caregivers and children ages 2-6yo will listen to online read-aloud stories and explore links to science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities! Includes SPECIAL ACTIVITIES AND GIVEAWAYS! "M IS FOR MUSEUM" & ”POPPETS PLAYDATES” is a pre-recorded story time with the Wenham Museum. Join us for a virtual version of our popular monthly preschool and toddler programs. Available for those who pre-register: FREE TAKE & MAKE ACTIVITY BAGS! SATURDAYS "SEASIDE SATURDAYS" weekly virt