Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – 6.18.21

June 18, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

I hope this email finds you well.  The weather is beautiful and it’s great to see everyone taking advantage of being outside with no masks.  It’s been a long and challenging 15 months and it feels good to be getting back to normal.  

Listed below are a few items for your review:

• Congratulations to the class of 2021.  As you know, last Friday was graduation.  It was a beautiful evening and an elegant ceremony.  A special thanks goes out to Mr. Costa and everyone who played a role in organizing the event.  As you can imagine there is a great deal of planning that goes into preparing for an event that has over 300 graduates and their families. Kudos to everyone involved.

• Each year we ask our administrators from each of our schools to nominate a staff member that they feel is deserving of being recognized as Cumberland’s Teacher of the Year.  Principals nominate staff members who they feel are deserving of this recognition.   As you can imagine, there are several teachers deserving of being Cumberland’s Teacher of the Year.  I am pleased to share with you that Cumberland’s 2020-2021 Teacher of the Year is Eric Georgio.  Those of you who know Eric will agree that he is an exceptional teacher who has positively impacted the lives of his students.  Congratulations Eric!

• Just a reminder that the CumberlandFest organizers are looking for volunteers.  The Volunteer Registration Form is attached as well as the Youth Organization 2021 Grant Application for youth organizations interested in applying for grant money raised during this event.

• Plans for Cumberland Hill School to move to the swing space in the Transitional Building are well underway.  Work on the Transitional Building will begin next week in preparation for welcoming the elementary school students and staff at the end of August.  Both the Trans Building and Cumberland Hill School will be busy places this summer.

As always, thank you for the support you’ve shown during these last several months.  Our focus will now be on preparing for the return of our students and staff at the end of the summer.

Happy Father’s Day!

Sincerely,

Robert A. Mitchell

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Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – 6.11.21

June 11, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

It’s a beautiful day for the senior graduation this evening! There are numerous end of year events planned at all the schools in the next couple of weeks. We are very fortunate to now have the opportunity to have outdoor social gatherings.

• Congratulations to the Class of 2021!  You have persevered through one of the most challenging times that students have had to experience.  We are happy for you and your families.  Enjoy this well deserved accomplishment.

• Congratulations to Jillian Pullano, a 4th grade teacher at Ashton School. Jillian was the recipient of the first Alan Shawn Feinstein Educator Award (ASF) for leading acts of kindness and good deed initiatives in the Ashton School community.  Jillian will receive $25,000 for Ashton School and herself.  Jillian was nominated by her principal, Nidia Karbonik.  

• CumberlandFest is back this year.  This is the 30th anniversary of this beloved event.  In addition to providing a number of fun-filled activities for the community, money raised from this event is directed back into the community by providing grants to organizations that support the youth in the Town of Cumberland.  Jerry Schimmel, the Executive Director of CumberlandFest met with me recently.  He is looking for volunteers.  There are two documents for your consideration:  one is a Volunteer Registration Form and the other is a Youth Organization 2021 Grant Application.  Please consider helping with this year’s event.

  • Here is a description of the CumberlandFest:  CumberlandFest is the creation of the Cumberland Youth Activities Council (CYAC), a nonprofit 501c-3 that was formed in 1991 to raise money for youth athletic activities in Cumberland. For nearly three decades, CumberlandFest has been the area’s most anticipated summer event. Held annually at Diamond Hill Park during Victory Day Weekend in August, CumberlandFest includes a carnival midway of rides to thrill all ages, a wide array of musical acts, food vendors, an arts & crafts fair and other special events. Through the patronage of thousands of attendees, the assistance of hundreds of event volunteers and the community-wide support of business sponsors, CumberlandFest has contributed more than $1,000,000 to youth programs over its 29-year history.

Enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Mitchell

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Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – 6.4.21

June 4, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

I hope this email finds you well and like me, you are feeling some relief that things are increasingly getting back to normal.  I have just a few things to share with you in this communication.

• As of Monday, June 7th, all students in grades PreK through twelve will be in for five days of in-person learning.  This will be the first time since March of 2020 that everyone, with the exception of distance learners, will be physically back in school every day.  It has been a long haul and it feels good that things are getting back to normal.

• There are lots of activities planned for the end of the year that will allow students, staff, and families to get together.  Promotional activities are being planned at the elementary and middle schools.  Your principals will be sharing those plans with you.

• We have received guidance from the Governor and Rhode Island Department of Health on what is allowed for gatherings as we approach the end of the school year.  We are pleased to hear that for all outdoor activities, no one is required to wear a mask and three feet of social distancing is not required.

• Masks and three feet of social distancing are still required for any activities held indoors.

• I attended a nice ceremony at the high school this morning.  I was invited by Jessica Delaney, one of our highly regarded teachers, to a white coat ceremony.  Ms. Delaney is a teacher in the BioMedical Pathways program.  Seniors who have successfully completed this rigorous pathway, were rewarded with a white coat that was presented by Ms. Delaney.  These impressive students will be continuing their education in a medical field.  As the superintendent, I am very pleased that we have this and other pathways available to our students.  They have an opportunity to explore a potential career choice while in high school.  

• Congratulations to the forty seniors who were recognized on Tuesday for earning the title of Distinguished Scholar.  These students have distinguished themselves in many ways including academics, athletics, music, fundraising, community service and more.  The ceremony was held in the high school auditorium and attended by many local and state dignitaries.

Thanks to our students, staff, and families for persevering through what has been perhaps the biggest challenge of our lives.  Enjoy the weekend.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Mitchell

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Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – Clarifying Message to Students, Staff, and Families – 5.29.21

Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – Updated Travel Quarantine Guidance 5.28.21

May 28, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

I hope this email finds you well as we head into the Memorial Day weekend.  Since we are starting to get back to normal and many of us will be traveling this long weekend, I thought it was important to share this information regarding travel and quarantine guidance.  

In light of recent CDC and RIDOH updates concerning quarantine requirements upon return from travel, the Cumberland School Reopening Task Force has updated its quarantine requirements for faculty, staff and students upon return from domestic and international travel.  Please be advised that effective immediately, any person arriving back in Rhode Island from domestic or international travel must immediately self-quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Rhode Island unless one of the following exemptions applies: 

1. the person obtains a negative COVID-19 test result from a specimen taken after return to Rhode Island; or 
2. the person (i) has received all recommended dose(s) of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) at least 14 days prior to the date of the person’s return to Rhode Island, and (ii) is asymptomatic upon their return to Rhode Island; or 
3. the person (i) previously diagnosed with COVID-19, (ii) had COVID19 symptoms, the onset of which occurred no more than 90 days prior to the date of the person’s return to Rhode Island, (iii) completed his/her isolation requirement, and (iv) is asymptomatic upon their return to Rhode Island; or 
4. the person (i) tested positive for COVID-19 from a specimen taken no more than 90 days prior to the date of the person’s return to Rhode Island, (ii) had no COVID-19 symptoms previously, (iii) completed his/her isolation requirement and (iv) is asymptomatic upon arrival in Rhode Island. 

If you have any questions concerning these new protocols, please do not hesitate to contact your building principal or school nurse.  

Enjoy the long weekend.

Sincerely,

Bob Mitchell 

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Superintendent’s Weekly Communication – 5.21.21

May 21, 2021

Dear Students, Staff, and Families,

Happy Friday everyone.  It does feel good to be a little closer to normal.  I was able to exercise at my YMCA for the first time in over 14 months without a mask.  What a difference it made.  We can appreciate now more than ever the simple things that we may have taken for granted in the past.

Listed below are a number of items for your review:

• As a reminder, the Cumberland Emergency Medical Services (CEMS) will be conducting two vaccination clinics targeting 12-15 year olds.  The first clinic will be held today, May 21st from 4:00-8:00 p.m. and tomorrow, May 22nd from 9:00-3:00 p.m.  Both clinics will be held at the Ann & Hope building located at 1 Ann & Hope Way.   Access to the clinic will be the old main retail entrance on the “railroad track” side of the building.  The registration link has expired, however, there may be extra vaccines available for those students who missed the registration deadline.  If you have not registered and would like to get vaccinated, please go to the vaccination site during the scheduled hours.  

• There has been a change to the dates for the second vaccination for 12-15 year olds.  Instead of June 11th and 12th, the second vaccination for both clinics has been changed to Thursday, June 10th from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the same location.

• This is a reminder to all students ages 16 and up who received a COVID-19 vaccine on May 6th.  You are due for your second dose on May 27th.  Cumberland EMS will be conducting a clinic on May 27th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Trans Caf.  Please use this link to register and select an appointment time. https://www.vaccinateri.org/appointment/en/reg/0869540921

• The transition to 5 days of in-person learning has gone well.  After RICAS testing, we are looking forward to students in grades K through 12 returning to 5 days of in-person learning.

• As you know, the mask wearing guidance remains in place for schools.  However, students are able to remove their masks while outside as long as they maintain three feet of social distance from their peers.

• The updated COVID-19 spreadsheet is provided for your review.

• As we look forward to the future, school leaders are developing plans to focus on two areas of concern as a result of the pandemic.  One main area of concern is learning loss and the other is the impact that the pandemic has had on mental health.  The administrative team has been focusing on these areas and will continue to solidify plans to address these issues.

Enjoy this beautiful weather.

Sincerely,

Robert A Mitchell

Superintendent of Schools… Read More...