January 8, 2021
Dear Students, Staff, and Families,
I hope everyone is doing well after the holiday season. Like you, I am hopeful that 2021 will be a significant improvement over the past year.
Listed below are a number of items for your review.
- We return to in person school with the hybrid model on Tuesday, January 12th for grades kindergarten through 12. We are hopeful that we will be able to bring students back for more in person learning in the coming weeks. We will be sure to keep you updated on any schedule changes we make to allow you to plan accordingly.
- Town officials are meeting regularly to plan the most efficient process for vaccinating the people of Cumberland. As you may have heard, there was an expectation that many more vaccinations would have been administered across the country by now. Rhode Island and other states have received fewer vaccines than were expected. As a result, this has pushed back the schedule for getting everyone vaccinated. We will be sure to keep you updated on this important issue as we learn more.
- The spreadsheet on the number of positive cases impacting the school department is updated weekly and is available here for your review.
- As I have mentioned on several occasions, our biggest challenge is staffing. There have been a number of times when school buildings do not have enough staff to cover all the classrooms. Unfortunately, we need to go to distance learning in these situations. Please know that our goal is always to get students in school.
- High school athletics (basketball, indoor track, ice hockey and swimming) are scheduled to begin practices only on Monday, January 11th and middle school athletics will begin practices on Monday, January 18th. Eric Blanchard, our athletic director, has sent out an email with important information to all winter sport athletes. He will keep you updated on all issues related to athletics.
- It is the time of year when we are developing our budget for the 2021-2022 school year. All administrators in the district are working to develop a budget during these uncertain times.
As always, thank you for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Mitchell
Superintendent of Schools
Positive Cases in Schools Data
8 de enero de 2021
Estimados estudiantes, personal y familias:
Espero que todos estén bien después de la temporada navideña. Al igual que usted, tengo la esperanza de que 2021 sea una mejora significativa con respecto al año pasado.
A continuación se enumeran varios elementos para su revisión.
- Regresaremos a la escuela en persona con el modelo híbrido el martes 12 de enero para los grados de kindergarten a 12. Tenemos la esperanza de poder traer a los estudiantes de regreso para aprender más en persona en las próximas semanas. Nos aseguraremos de mantenerlo informado sobre cualquier cambio de horario que hagamos para permitirle planificar en consecuencia.
- Los funcionarios de la ciudad se reúnen regularmente para planificar el proceso más eficiente para vacunar a la gente de Cumberland. Como habrás escuchado, se esperaba que ya se hubieran administrado muchas más vacunas en todo el país. Rhode Island y otros estados han recibido menos vacunas de las esperadas. Como resultado, esto ha retrasado el cronograma para vacunar a todos. Nos aseguraremos de mantenerlo informado sobre este importante tema a medida que sepamos más.
- La hoja de cálculo sobre el número de casos positivos que impactan al departamento escolar se actualiza semanalmente y está disponible aquí para su revisión.
- Como he mencionado en varias ocasiones, nuestro mayor desafío es la dotación de personal. Ha habido varias ocasiones en las que los edificios escolares no tienen suficiente personal para cubrir todas las aulas. Desafortunadamente, necesitamos ir al aprendizaje a distancia en estas situaciones. Por favor, sepa que nuestro objetivo es siempre que los estudiantes asistan a la escuela.
- El atletismo de la escuela secundaria (baloncesto, pista cubierta, hockey sobre hielo y natación) está programado para comenzar las prácticas solo el lunes 11 de enero y los deportes de la escuela secundaria comenzarán las prácticas el lunes 18 de enero. Eric Blanchard, nuestro director deportivo, ha enviado un correo electrónico con información importante a todos los atletas de deportes de invierno. Él lo mantendrá actualizado sobre todos los temas relacionados con el atletismo.
- Es la época del año en la que estamos desarrollando nuestro presupuesto para el año escolar 2021-2022. Todos los administradores del distrito están trabajando para desarrollar un presupuesto durante estos tiempos inciertos.
Como siempre, gracias por su paciencia y comprensión durante este momento difícil.
Sinceramente,
Robert A. Mitchell
Superintendente de escuelas
Datos de casos positivos en escuelas… Read More...
December 18, 2020
Dear Students, Families, and Staff,
I hope everyone is doing well as we continue to respond to the ramifications of the pandemic. This week was particularly challenging as a result of the significant storm that impacted our area.
There is a great deal of thought that goes into making the decision whether to have students and staff come to school for in person instruction or to go to distance learning on any given day. Our top priority is to get students and staff to school every day. The obstacle or obstacles to achieving that goal is anything that would jeopardize the health and safety of our students and staff. This week it was a combination of the increasing number of positive cases impacting staffing and the storm that dropped a lot of snow in our area. Every decision we make is done collaboratively by both building and central office administrators and very often involves the Mayor’s office and the Police Department. We understand the impact of our decisions and we will always decide on what is in the best interest of our students and staff.
We are hopeful that with the holiday recess and the extended break approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), that we will be able to maintain a more consistent opportunity for in person learning in the new year. Also, we are working with the Town to plan for the Covid-19 vaccination of Cumberland residents. You will be hearing more about that in the coming weeks.
There are some additional items for your review:
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The updated Covid-19 spreadsheet is attached for your review. As you can see, the number of positive cases and the number of students and staff needing to quarantine continues to rise.
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As a reminder, there are scammers contacting Rhode Island families stating that they are with the Rhode Island Department of Health. Please be on alert. The notice shared last week is attached for your review.
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The Department of Health continues to struggle with completing contact tracing in a timely manner.
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A significant amount of outside work on the high school safety project was completed before the storm. The next phase of the project will move in doors and begin after the first of the year. The final phase which includes landscaping and more paving will take place in the spring.
As always, thank you for your patience and understanding as we work our way through these ongoing challenges.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Mitchell
Superintendent of Schools
COVID-19 Data 2020-21-12.18.20.pdf
09 December EdOC Bulletin Update.pdf
18 de diciembre de 2020
Estimados estudiantes, familias y personal:
Espero que a todos les vaya bien mientras seguimos respondiendo a las ramificaciones de la pandemia. Esta semana fue particularmente desafiante como resultado de la tormenta significativa que afectó nuestra área.
Hay que pensar mucho al tomar la decisión de hacer que los estudiantes y el personal vengan a la escuela para recibir instrucción en persona o que vayan al aprendizaje a distancia en un día determinado. Nuestra principal prioridad es llevar a los estudiantes y al personal a la escuela todos los días. El obstáculo u obstáculos para lograr esa meta es cualquier cosa que ponga en peligro la salud y seguridad de nuestros estudiantes y personal. Esta semana fue una combinación del creciente número de casos positivos que afectaron al personal y la tormenta que dejó caer mucha nieve en nuestra área. Cada decisión que tomamos se hace en colaboración tanto por los administradores del edificio como por los de la oficina central y muy a menudo involucra a la oficina del Alcalde y al Departamento de Policía. Entendemos el impacto de nuestras decisiones y siempre decidiremos qué es lo mejor para nuestros estudiantes y personal.
Esperamos que con el receso de los días festivos y el receso extendido aprobado por el Departamento de Educación de Rhode Island (RIDE), podamos mantener una oportunidad más constante para el aprendizaje en persona en el nuevo año. Además, estamos trabajando con la ciudad para planificar la vacunación contra Covid-19 de los residentes de Cumberland. Escuchará más sobre eso en las próximas semanas.
Hay algunos elementos adicionales para su revisión:
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La hoja de cálculo Covid-19 actualizada se adjunta para su revisión. Como puede ver, la cantidad de casos positivos y la cantidad de estudiantes y personal que necesitan ser puestos en cuarentena continúa aumentando.
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Como recordatorio, hay estafadores que se comunican con familias de Rhode Island y afirman que están en el Departamento de Salud de Rhode Island. Esté alerta. El aviso compartido la semana pasada se adjunta para su revisión.
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El Departamento de Salud continúa luchando para completar el rastreo de contactos de manera oportuna.
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Una cantidad significativa de trabajo externo en el proyecto de seguridad de la escuela secundaria se completó antes de
… Read More...
Superintendent Robert Mitchell is pleased to announce Cumberland’s 2020 District Education Support Professional of the Year – Alysa Coleman
We congratulate Alysa on this outstanding achievement. As an Administrative Assistant at North Cumberland Middle School, she wears many hats throughout the school day. Alysa is a dedicated, hard-working professional. She is always available to provide assistance to the school’s faculty, staff, students and their families.
Alysa was recognized during the December 10, 2020 Cumberland School Committee meeting.
Mrs. Bethany Coughlin, Principal at North Cumberland Middle School submitted the following nomination:
It is my pleasure to nominate Alysa Coleman as the 2020 Support Professional of the Year. Although only in her third year with us, the impact she has had on school operations has been outstanding. She is organized, thoughtful, hard working, and focused. Qualities that make her great at her job. What takes her to the next level is her ability to intelligently, independently, and effectively problem solve situations and execute solutions that benefit the entire school.
From the beginning, Alysa has approached her position with a “business” mindset, not necessarily doing things the way they have always been done. She has improved upon current systems, as well as developing her own systems so that the school runs efficiently on a daily basis. She chooses to extend her job responsibilities beyond that of typical clerical duties. Over the course of the summer, she assists with scheduling of students, she communicates regularly with families, and she addresses the needs of staff and students at all levels. Her kind, yet business-minded approach, has earned her a great deal of respect from the entire school community. In fact, it was the staff who overwhelmingly named Alysa as their choice for this acknowledgement.
Alysa does not shed her responsibilities when out of the office. She regularly communicates outside of work if she feels the need is urgent. As an example, while handling our first positive student COVID case, she monitored her email over the weekend (without direction or expectation from me) and informed me of a RIDOH voicemail that was left at the school. She contacted me on a Sunday and we were able to address the situation immediately. This is one of many examples I could provide of Alysa taking the initiative to address a situation rather than waiting to be told what to do. A quality that is essential in these trying times.
I would appreciate your consideration in choosing Alysa Coleman as our 2020 District Support Professional of the Year. The fact that she has made such a huge impact on our entire school community in the short time she has been with us demonstrates her talent, work ethic, and dedication to the district as a whole. … Read More...
Dear Ashton, BF Norton, Community, and Cumberland Hill School Families and Staff,
After meeting with the elementary school principals, we are in agreement that due to ongoing staffing issues related to positive COVID-19 cases, in combination with the ongoing recovery from the storm, that all students in grades PreK through five will go to distance learning tomorrow, Friday, December 18, 2020.
Sincerely,
Robert Mitchell
Estimado Ashton, BF Norton, Community, y las familias y el personal de la escuela Cumberland Hill,
Después de reunirnos con los directores de las escuelas primarias, estamos de acuerdo en que debido a los problemas continuos de personal relacionados con los casos positivos de COVID-19, en combinación con la recuperación en curso de la tormenta, todos los estudiantes en los grados de PreK a quinto asistirán mañana al aprendizaje a distancia , Viernes 18 de diciembre de 2020.
Sinceramente,
Robert Mitchell
Superintendente de escuelas… Read More...
December 16, 2020
Due to the impending storm, all Cumberland School Department buildings will be closed tomorrow, December 17, 2020. The snow day will be a distance learning day for all students and staff. All administrative staff will work remotely.
We will provide updates as needed. Please stay safe and warm.
16 de diciembre de 2020
Buenas tardes,
Debido a la tormenta inminente, todos los edificios del Departamento Escolar de Cumberland estarán cerrados mañana, 17 de diciembre de 2020. El día de nieve será un día de aprendizaje a distancia para todos los estudiantes y el personal. Todo el personal administrativo trabajará de forma remota.
Proporcionaremos actualizaciones según sea necesario. Por favor, mantente a salvo y abrigado.… Read More...
