Admin

District Listserve for 03-25-20-Remote Learning Update
Published on Mar 25, 2020 14:38

March 25, 2020

Dear Millis Parents and Caregivers:

Thank you so much for your patience with adjusting to remote learning this week!  We know you are juggling many new worries and responsibilities these days, and we know it hasn’t been easy for you. Our hearts go out to you, your children, your families, and everyone affected by COVID-19.  We are grateful for all our dedicated staff in the Millis Public Schools!  Special thanks to the Operations Department and our custodians who keep our buildings clean and sanitized, our food service staff who are providing meals to any families in need, to the technology staff who have worked hard to make sure every family has what they need to continue learning remotely, and to all those in our community working around the clock to keep us safe.

We are providing you with a link to the Millis Public Schools (MPS) Remote Learning Plan: https://sites.google.com/millisschools.org/millis-updates/home . You can also access it in the center of our homepage atmillisps.org.  You can link to each schools’ curriculum resources there as well as information from our nurses, digital learning department, food services, and a Frequently Asked Questions Document that we will endeavor to update frequently. Also, in order to receive the most up to date information you must subscribe to the list serves on our webpage under Quick Links.

We are cognizant of and trying to balance the needs of many people who belong to our school community, including students, staff, and families.  Like you, our MPS staff members have home lives, with real worries and demands for their own families.  

During the planning for our remote learning plan we conferred with other districts and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as well as our employee associations. We learned from colleagues who are, themselves, parents of children in other school systems on the receiving end of a frenetic, fast-paced deluge of online learning that seems hard to sustain and has been overwhelming for students. We tried to develop a remote learning system that is age appropriate, manageable, meaningful, sustainable, and designed with students, staff, and families in mind.  

Reports from epidemiologists, virologists, and other experts seem to suggest that it is unlikely we will return to school before the end of April or beyond.  We will adjust our plans according to the feedback we receive from you and students. The Commissioner of Education is also scheduled to update Superintendents this week and legislation has been filed to adjust some aspects of education in Massachusetts, including re-scheduling, shortening or cancelling MCAS and addressing concerns specific to graduating seniors.

I sincerely appreciate you, our incredible Millis students and families. Our “Small School, Big Family” approach is never more apparent than in times of need. It’s not easy to be a young person these days, and I am in awe of our students’ and families’ generosity, compassion, and selflessness. We miss our daily interactions with students terribly, and we will do all that we can to maintain close connections with them during the school closure and beyond. We are here for you if you need anything. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Email is best but there will be someone in Central Office from 9-3:00 M-F at 508-376-7000.  All administrators are working over time in hopes of assisting you in this transition to learning from home for our students. I hope you all are well and able to find ways to relax and connect with your loved ones!

Yours very truly,

Nancy L. Gustafson

The Millis Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

 

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.