Superintendent’s Communication – 12.18.20

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:

• 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.

• 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.

• The Department of Health continues to struggle with completing contact tracing in a timely manner.

• 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:

• 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.

• 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.

• El Departamento de Salud continúa luchando para completar el rastreo de contactos de manera oportuna.

• Una cantidad significativa de trabajo externo en el proyecto de seguridad de la escuela secundaria se completó antes de

Cumberland’s 2020 District Education Support Professional of the Year – Alysa Coleman

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...

Superintendent’s Message – Distance Learning 12.18.20

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...

Distance Learning Day For All Students – 12/17/20

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...

Garvin Elementary School Distance Learning – Week of December 14th

Dear Garvin School Families and Staff,