Superintendent’s Communication -10.4.2024
October 4, 2024
Dear Students, Staff, and Families:
In the first few weeks of the school year, everyone seems to be settling in well. I would say that the school openings have been smooth and successful. We thank everyone who made this possible.
Blue Ribbon
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate Garvin Memorial School for earning the National Blue Ribbon Award. Check out the press release on our website. On Monday we hosted a Blue Ribbon Celebration at Garvin with the hardworking staff and students. In November Mrs. Carter will head down to Washington, D.C. to participate in the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award Ceremony. We are so proud of Mrs. Carter and her Team at Garvin. They join the ranks of our other two Blue Ribbon Schools, Community (2017) and Ashton (2021).
Ribbon Cutting
Ashton School staff and students have adjusted well to being back in their own space at 130 Scott Road. We will be hosting the official Ribbon Cutting on Monday, October 21st at 5:30 PM for anyone who would like to come out and admire the work that has been done.
Verra Mobility
Cumberland School Bus Safety Camera Enforcement Program will be going live in about a month. School bus stop arm safety programs have effectively changed driver behavior nationwide. Data from Verra Mobility has shown that 98% of people who receive a notice of violation for illegally passing a stopped school bus do not repeat their behavior. Through community awareness of the law, and the implementation of the school
bus stop arm safety program, drivers are more alert, pay better attention to illegal behavior, and help improve the safety of our students. You can find more information here about how they work and assess penalties for violations. Please share with friends and neighbors.
Vaccine Clinics
There will be FREE flu vaccine clinics offered at Cumberland High School, 2600 Mendon Rd. on October 9th, October 30th, and November 19th from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Any community members over 3 years old are welcome. There will also be a clinic available to staff and students only on November 7th from 8:00 AM – 10:30 AM at the Cumberland High School. COVID-19 vaccine may also be available.
Here’s some important information about the FREE flu vaccine clinic:
- Register online at schoolflu.com to schedule an appointment.
- Online registration is required to ensure the availability of the vaccine, walk-ins will be limited.
- Insurance information will be collected, but the vaccine is FREE whether you have insurance or not.
For more information, visit health.ri.gov/flu/, or call the Department of Health’s information line at 401-222-5960.
Community Vaccination Clinics 10.9.24, 10.30.24 & 11.19.24.pdf
Vaccine Clinic 11.7.2024 – Staff & Students Only.pdf
Sincerely,
Philip D. Thornton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools… Read More...
Superintendent’s Communication – 8.30.2024
Back to School Events – 2024
… Read More...
Superintendent’s Communication – 7.29.24
July 29, 2024
Dear Students, Staff, and Families:
Summer vacation is in full swing. I hope everyone is enjoying some fun in the sun.
There has been a buzz of activity throughout the district getting prepared to welcome students back on September 3rd.
Backpack Event
We are excited to announce that Back to School Rhode Island has scheduled its annual Backpack Event for Saturday, August 24th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at B.F.Norton School on Broad Street. Back to School of Rhode Island (BTSRI) is a 501 C3 non-profit organization created to involve parents in the education of their children, thereby helping to create an atmosphere of trust and open communication between schools, students, and families. In 1999, BTSRI organized its first event in one single location and distributed 600 backpacks full of school supplies to school children in the Providence area. All are welcome.
2024-2025 School Start & End Times
The 2024-2025 Start and End Times have been approved by RIDE and the Cumberland School Committee as of July 11th. We appreciate your patience as there have been many moving parts to get this worked out.
We will return to Early Release Wednesdays to give our teachers the time for collaboration and planning. Early Release Wednesdays will start on September 11th. Wednesday, September 4th will be a full day of school.
I wanted to share again the 2024-2025 School Calendar which includes “Up to 3 Inclement Weather Days will be waived in the instructional calendar if necessary”. The Rhode Island Department of Education has approved our waiver of three instructional days based on our total number of instructional hours. This means that the first three unforeseen school closure days do not have to be made up. Let’s all hope for another mild winter. Any days beyond the three waived will be added to the calendar in the spring and the last day of school will be updated accordingly.
Tax Credit Awareness and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
The Back-to-School outreach campaign is back this year! The IRS is hosting the 2024-2025 Back-to-School Initiative webcast. Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communications (SPEC) will provide information to help parents of young children and college students understand the tax credits (Child Tax Credit, Additional Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, etc.) and benefits they may be eligible to claim when they file a tax return. We will also raise awareness of free tax preparation available at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. Please Click Here for more information.
Back To School Events
Building Administrators across the district have been busy planning Back to School Activities. The best source of information for activities at your child’s school is the building themselves, but we have compiled a tentative list. Please be sure to watch your email for more details from Building Administrators.
Sincerely,
Philip D. Thornton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools… Read More...
