Due to the mix of winter weather in the forecast, Rowe School is canceled tomorrow, Friday, February 4. Please be safe, and post pictures on the Rowe School Facebook page. See you all next week.
Hello, Rowe families. The forecast for tomorrow morning is for temperatures of 0 degrees at 8:00, with 9 mph winds, for a wind chill of -16 degrees.
We thought about a delay, but two hours won't gain us much. The temperature at 10:00 will be 2 degrees, with 9 mph winds, for a wind chill of -14 degrees.
Our three options are delay, cancel, or have a full day of school. I am opting for a full day of school, since we will not benefit from a delay. The reason why we are not choosing to cancel, while some other schools have taken that route, is that due to our relatively new building and heating system, our classrooms will be warm, even if we leave the windows open slightly to improve ventilation. Again, that may not be the case in some other schools.
That leaves the issue of the bus, and there are two factors here. One is that some students wait outside for the bus. The second is that some of the windows on the bus are required to be open for improved ventilation. I would ask that you not let your student stand outside for any length of time waiting for the bus in the morning, and dress them warmly in layers so they stay as warm as possible on the bus ride. The heaters on the bus will be working, I assure you.
If you are dropping your student off at school in the morning, they will go right to the gym to wait until school starts. We have to prop the gym doors open to maintain proper ventilation, since we will have students from all the grades, separated by classroom, waiting in the gym. If you are bringing your child to school, consider dropping them off as close to the 8:30 start time as possible. That said, they are welcome after 7:45 as always, but make sure they bundle up.
We will not be going outside for recess tomorrow, as the temperature is not expected to get above 5 degrees, and the winds in Rowe are a constant companion.
Please keep everyone as warm and as safe as possible tonight, and we'll do the same tomorrow.
DESE Commissioner Riley is extending the mask requirement in all school buildings through February 28, 2022. To see more, click here https://5il.co/1425g
There will be a two-hour delay today. School will start at 10:30, students may be dropped off after 9:45, breakfast will not be served. Please be safe.
Good evening, Rowe folks. Due to the predicted storm, Rowe School will be canceled tomorrow, Friday, 1/7/22. Be safe, and we’ll see you Monday.
The vacation, as well as the warmer temperatures, will be a thing of the past tomorrow. This is a reminder to send your students with enough clothing and footwear to be comfortable outside, and a water bottle to be hydrated inside.
As always, if your student is symptomatic, please let Lydia know, keep them home, and get them tested. We are continuing the test-and-stay program for students, but that is for students who have possible COVID symptoms at school, it is not intended for symptomatic students to be brought to the school for testing. We are looking forward to welcoming your students back to school tomorrow!
Due to the icy conditions that don't seem to be improving, Rowe School will now be canceled today. There will be school tomorrow, Thursday, 12/23, and it will be a 12:30 release, lunch will be served. Be safe today, and we'll see everyone tomorrow.
Due to the icy conditions, there will be a two-hour delay - school will start at 10:30 this morning. No breakfast will be served, lunch will be served. Please be safe.
A morning update: the Rowe Police will be at the school this morning as a matter of added caution. There is no threat directed at the school, but you might see the police car in the parking lot at drop-off. Call or email if you have questions.
Bill
National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration! REGISTRATION is OPEN! All must register! FREE for girls in grades 3-8 Nominal fee for pickleball for women - this session will fill up fast!
Dear Rowe School families,
A second person in our school community tested positive for COVID-19 this morning. This information is also going home today in a letter. As far as we can tell, this case is NOT related to the positive case from last week, it is a second, also isolated, incident. There were no other positive tests today.
Though we cannot provide specific information about our school community member who tested positive, your child was not a close contact of the affected school member (a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the COVID-19 positive individual while indoors for at least 15 minutes during a 24-hour period). Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms and keep your child home if he/she/they shows any symptoms or is not feeling well.
Parents of students who were in close contact with the community member will be notified privately.
If you have not signed up for our school routine COVID safety check program, sign up here: https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma
We are committed to continuous communication with, and support of, our families. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Nurse Lydia Brisson at 413-512-5103 or lbrisson@roweschool.org. Thank you for your continued support.
Thank you,
Bill and Lydia
Staring tomorrow, Tuesday, 11/23: Due to the amount of construction equipment that is taking up space at the Park and Ride, the bus company will be picking up and dropping off the students at the old rest area that is just to the right (west) of the Park and Ride, if you're looking at it from Route 2.
The good news: another day with no positive cases at the school.
The bad news: cases in Franklin County are increasing, as are cases nationally. As you consider getting your 5-11 year-old vaccinated, consider getting booster shots for the adults in your household. From today's New York Times: "For younger and healthier adults, getting a booster can lessen the chances of getting sick and of spreading the virus to someone more vulnerable."
With the recent excitement at the school, this reminder seemed even more important...
The good news is we have had no positive cases at the school today. We've taken extra precautions, and we appreciate you trusting us with the safety of your child, which is something we always put first.
Dear Rowe School families,
I am writing to inform you that a person in our school community has tested positive for COVID-19. This information is also going home today in a letter. We have been planning for this scenario and have a comprehensive plan in place to utilize COVID-19 testing, inform families whose students were at risk of exposure or in close contact, and support the affected family as they navigate this experience.
Though we cannot provide specific information about our school community member who tested positive, your child was not a close contact of the affected school member (a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of the COVID-19 positive individual while indoors for at least 15 minutes during a 24-hour period) unless you hear otherwise. Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms and keep your child home if he/she/they shows any symptoms or is not feeling well.
Parents of students who were in close contact with the community member will be notified privately.
If you have not signed up for our school routine COVID safety check program, sign up here: https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma
We are committed to continuous communication with, and support of, our families. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Nurse Lydia Brisson at 413-512-5103 or lbrisson@roweschool.org. Thank you for your continued support.
Thank you,
Bill and Lydia
The roads are a little icy in spots this morning, be careful on the way in. And remember, it’s Crazy Hat or Hair Day!
Rowe Elementary and the North Berkshire School Union are launching a new mobile app that will help students, parents, and community members know what is happening at school, right from their phones. We know that many of our families are using smartphones as a primary means to communicate. That’s why we’ve created an app that is custom-built for mobile. On the app, you can find documents, contact information for staff, breakfast and lunch menus, and event information.
You can download the app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Our website has been redesigned as well. It will still be www.roweschool.org, but it will be a new format, and will be connected to the app.
Here's a link to a video that explains some of the functions of the app: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sP3n6o3-nW7en-YHTNxF1jTd0dMdyMKM/view?usp=sharing
The three main benefits of the app for Rowe School community members:
1) Know what’s going on at school - Find real-time updates from the app or website’s live feed about things happening at the school.
2) Connect with teachers and administrators - Learn about conferences, access staff contact information, and quickly find out about school and Union news.
3) Stay up-to-date with school information - Receive updates about events occuring at the school, documents, required forms, and even emergency notifications.
If you don't have a smartphone, or don't choose to download the app, nothing will change. You'll still get emails and calls from the school, with information or emergency notifications as you have in the past.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and I'm interested in your feedback. I hope this new means of communication will be a benefit to your family.
Bill
Our new app launches Monday. Come back then for exciting information!
The Rowe PTP is still looking for squash donations to donate to Good Neighbors Food Pantry. Contact the school with questions.
