For information on Bristol-Plymouth RTS's Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) Project, please visit www.bptech.org/msba
Letter from the Principal (April 3)
Good afternoon B-P families,
This is a follow up to the earlier email this week about our B-P student remote learning plan that was sent to you and posted on our website that starts on Monday, April 6th, which is also the start of Term 4. On Monday, “B” cycle will begin with grades 9/11 in shop and 10/12 in academics. All teachers have a Google or online classroom to communicate with your child for learning activities and assignments to complete. These will be graded as credit or no credit according to the grading scale sent in the remote learning plan.
Term 3 will close today, April 3rd, and teachers are updating grades in Aspen for report cards. I will send out more information about report card distribution next week. Students who were failing a course or who still owe make-up work, for Term 3, will be marked as an incomplete grade in the comment section of their report cards for that class. As I stated earlier this week, we are offering flexibility and leniency during this time for students to complete prior work that was prior to March 13th. All students who still need to make up work for a course will have until Friday, May 15th, as the deadline, to complete their make-up work for Term 3.
As of this message, the school is still closed until Monday, May 4. We have been distributing Chromebooks for students who need them over the last three weeks. If you do not have internet access or know of anyone that needs assistance, please call the school at 508-823-5151 and leave a message at x-127 so we can assist your child or someone you know.
Additionally, you can reach all of the teachers and counselors through email, but if you know someone who doesn't have email access, they can leave a message at B-P for someone to call them. Please pass along these extensions: x-115 for counselors, x-427 for special ed, x-106 for the nurses (especially if you or a household member has contracted or been exposed to the COVID-19 virus), x-153 for academics or x-148 for vocational shops. All of these phone extensions are being checked for messages.
We hope this implementation will be a continued beneficial educational experience for all students as we navigate this unprecedented time. Please keep checking our website at www.bptech.org for regular updates and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
All of the staff and administration wish our families continued good health, and we want you to stay in touch with us!
Thank you,
Karen Guenette, B-P Principal, kguenette@bptech.org; Twitter @BPPrincipalKG
Letter from the Principal (March 31)
Good evening B-P families,
I hope that this week finds you and your families safe and healthy! Since my last correspondence on March 27th, we have developed a Remote Learning Plan. This plan is to be used as a guideline to assist us in compliance with the Commissioner’s Remote Learning Recommendations During COVID-19 School Closures that was shared with you last week.
In following the Commissioner’s guidelines, starting the week of April 6th, and returning to a “B” week cycle, teachers will continue to offer feedback for students’ work but will be assessing their work into a credit/non-credit grading model. The goal for the B-P Remote Learning Plan is to offer a uniform message to expectations for our staff, students, and families.
The following information from the Remote Learning Plan is being shared with you and your child who is enrolled at Bristol-Plymouth:
Schedule:
1. Classes will continue to follow A-Week and B-Week rotations
2. Term 3 grades will be calculated based on work assigned up until March 13th.
3. Term 4 grades will include work started after April 6th and will use the grading guidelines addressed below (per DESE recommendations).
Assignments:
1. DESE recommends engaging students for approximately half the length of a regular school day (3 - 3.5 hrs / day). For each block class, this equates to approximately 45 minutes per day.
a) Engagement time should not be misinterpreted as teacher instructional time.
b) Project-based assignments may be assigned to be accomplished over the span of a number of days of the week.
2. Assignment due dates will be set, but remain flexible and lenient to account for inequitable home situations including access to technology
3. Instructors are encouraged to provide opportunities to connect with students outside of content related assignments.
Student Communication:
1. Instructors will monitor student engagement and allow for opportunities to engage in 2-way communication and feedback with students.
2. In addition to academic and vocational classes, Guidance counselors have invited students to the google classroom designated for their graduating class to obtain information regarding scheduling, future planning and workshops. Students are able to reach out to their guidance counselor/school adjustment for assistance and support via email
a)Student email communication
b) Google Classroom
c) Google Meet or Zoom Meeting - If students turn the video off, they can still engage with the class, if they choose.
Grading:
Based on Commissioner recommendations, students’ work will be graded as credit or non-credit earning:
Credit earning work:
Examples of potential credit-earning feedback:
Advanced, 90-100, A, Submission meets all requirements and has no errors
Proficient, 80-89, B, Submission meets most requirements and has minimal errors
Progressing, 70-79, C, Submission meets some requirements but has several errors
Developing, 65-69, D, Submission meets few requirements and has numerous errors
Credit Earned
Comments on performance
Use of rubrics
Point system
No credit-earning work:
Attempted/No credit: Submission does not meet the requirements or no submission
Students whose work has not met requirements will be notified by their instructors that the work does not earn credit. These and the students who have not submitted assignments will have the opportunity to make up the work for credit.
For students with disabilities, please confer with the special education staff regarding grading.
Teacher/Administrative Support:
The Bristol-Plymouth staff recognizes that these unprecedented circumstances have challenged us all professionally and personally. We are all working with new technology, delivering content through new instructional methods, maintaining methods of communication, as well as caring for our own families, as you are. Please continue to contact us with individual concerns and circumstances so that we are able to support you and your child as we continue to make educational strides and have a successful school year.
I am also emailing you Commissioner Riley’s parent letter that is being sent home today to our B-P families. Additionally, DESE must annually conduct an assessment of families’ and educators’ needs related to family engagement. Therefore, the Commissioner is also asking for families’ input through this survey link: https://www.research.net/r/MASFEC_Family2020
If your child does not have a Chromebook device at home, please email techsupport@bptech.org directly, and they will add your child’s name to their list for distribution.
Our librarian, Mrs. Knapp, would like to remind all of our students that April is National Library Month, and she has posted a contest and other great information about resources for free e-books on the B-P library’s webpage https://www.bptech.org/domain/73.
Lastly, and the most important thing is that we stay in touch with each other and stay safe and healthy. If you or anyone in your household has been exposed to COVID-19, please inform our school nurses at bpnurses@bptech.org. We have also updated the homepage of our website at http://www.bptech.org and scroll down to Food Services. You’ll see new site locations and contact information posted.
In support of Somerset-Berkley’s recent tragic losses of a current and two former students, high schools within our communities are reaching out to support them in their time of sorrow. Since they cannot gather as a community, families in Somerset and Berkley are lighting candles to demonstrate support for these grieving families. If you would like to show your support for these families, you can create messages, maybe even including the candle (real, drawn, whatever) to share with them via social media. If you post to social media, we encourage you to use #Candles4SBRHS to help unify the effort.
I know how hard you are all working at home in your various environments, and you are all doing an amazing job in these challenging and stressful times. Our teachers are also working under these same conditions and, yet, are working hard to continue to provide a solid, caring, and supportive learning system for you and your child.
Stay safe and healthy,
Karen Guenette, B-P Principal, kguenette@bptech.org; Twitter @BPPrincipalKG
DESE Letter to Familes regarding COVID19 (March 30)
Census Data
Census invitations have been sent to all residences, and families can respond online in 13 languages. Everyone who does not respond online will eventually receive a paper form in English and Spanish from the Census Bureau. (More information for parents is here) In addition, online Statistics in Schools educational resources are available to use with students at home. An accurate count is vital in order to help our schools get needed resources. Please encourage everyone in the school community to complete the Census form if they haven’t done so already.
AP Testing
Students that are scheduled to take an Advanced Placement Exam (AP), please keep up with Collegeboard (AP Updates for Schools Impacted by Coronavirus) regarding updates to this year's testing procedure.
Technical Support
Any student in need of computer technical support is to email techsupport@bptech.org. This includes requesting the use of a Chromebook during school closure.
School Closure
Given the evolving data regarding cases of COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of children and school staff, the Governor has ordered a suspension of school operations for educational purposes at all public and private elementary and secondary (K-12) schools in the Commonwealth continuing until May 4, 2020.
Internet Access and Chromebooks
If you know a family or student who does not have access to the internet, or who needs a Chromebook device, please email kguenette@bptech.org or call the school at (508) 823-5151 ext 127.
Class of 2024 Placement Testing
Placement testing for the class of 2024 that was scheduled for March 25th has been postponed. A new date has yet to be determined.
Food Services
DTAconnect.org - Help get the food you need by signing up for benefits
Meals4kids.org - Meal-finder with locations of neighboring districts/community organizations providing meals during school closure
Projectbread.org - Approved SNAP outreach partner with information for MA households
Taunton Food Services
Beginning on Tuesday, March 17th, Taunton will be making "grab and go" lunch boxes available for Taunton students. There will be 4 drive-thru locations; one at Parker Middle School, one at Mulcahey Elementary School, one at Hopewell Elementary School , and one at Martin Middle School. Similarly to last summer, food deliveries will be made to community locations. Additionally beginning on Wednesday, March 18th, there will be breakfast boxes. Visit Taunton Public School's Website for more information.
Community Resources Closures
Our restaurant, salon, and automotive services are closed until further notice.
Social Media Updates
Updated information will also be distributed via Facebook (@bristolplymouthtech) and Twitter (@bristolplymtech)
p: 508-823-5151
f: 508-822-2687
