Dear Lurgio Families,
This week’s beautiful fall weather has certainly reminded me that we are headed into the cooler seasons. With that and the unique circumstances created by the pandemic, I know that we will face increasing instances of students who present with symptoms that require COVID-19 testing. This will undoubtedly create stress for our families and for our school community. That said, I am heartened by the fact that we currently do not have any evidence of transmission within the school building. In short, our mitigation efforts appear to be working. I am proud of the entire Lurgio school community for their hard work in adapting to the school year with the current mitigation measures.
As we head towards the winter months, I want to encourage all students to continue to practice vigilant mask-wearing and persistent social distancing. It is because of those measures that we have been able to remain healthy.
Best,
Ed Joyce
Parent Resources
K-8 Hybrid Calendar Daily Health Screening for Students
RAL Hybrid Parent Guide Quarantine Protocols/Flowchart
RAL Remote Parent Guide RAL Welcome & Orientation Video
Bedford Reopening Plan COVID-19 Schools Dashboard
Important Dates
State Assessment for Lurgio Students
Lurgio will administer the state-mandated fall assessments remotely for all students during the week of October 26. This means that hybrid students with last names beginning with L-Z will take the assessments from home on Monday, October 26. Hybrid students with last names A-K will take the assessments from home on Tuesday, October 27. And all remote students will take the assessments from home on Wednesday, October 28. Details will follow in a separate, dedicated communication next week.
Staying Safe Outside of School Hours
We know it isn’t always easy, but we are encouraging students to continue using mitigation strategies outside of school hours. This means that students should be wearing masks and maintaining distance when arriving to school, departing school, and attending after school activities and athletics. Let’s work together to keep everyone healthy, safe, learning, and playing.
From the School Health Office
Please click HERE for specific information on how Bedford and DHHS are working in concert to keep our students and staff healthy. This information includes school exclusion thresholds, testing sites, and an updated dismissal note.
Travel Reminder
As you begin to plan for Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season, please keep in mind the NH DHHS Travel Guidance, which the Bedford School District is following:
If a staff member or student travels outside of New England, do they need to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return to New Hampshire?
Yes. The general recommendation from the NH DHHS General and Employee Travel Guidance is that those who have traveled outside of New England need to self-quarantine and self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days upon their return to New Hampshire. Exceptions to this recommendation can be made for “essential employees” or for staff who have to conduct “essential travel” as outlined in the public health guidance linked above, and the Universal Guidelines. Schools/districts should develop policies to address situations in which students may need to travel for child custody and/or education related purposes (e.g., visiting colleges). You can find a link to this document HERE (pg. 6).
Also, students cannot test out of quarantine with a negative COVID-19 test. They must complete the entire 14 days. Please take a look at our Quarantining Protocol/Flowchart for more information.
In order to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff, it is essential that we adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in our Hybrid plan.
Updated Band and Chorus Information
The Band and Chorus are continuing to hold their rehearsals virtually through Google Meet.
Band Schedule
Concert Band meets Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 4:30-5:00 p.m.
Jazz Band meets Friday from 5:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Chorus Schedule
Students can check the Chorus Google Classroom for their assigned Group):
On A-K in person (L-Z Remote) Days:
10:25 - 11:10 - Group 1
11:10 - 11:55 - Group 2
12:40 - 1:25 - Group 3
1:25 - 2:10 - Group 4
2:10 - 2:55 - Group 5
On L-Z in person (A-K Remote) Days:
1:25 - 2:10 - Group 6
3:00 - 3:45 - Group 7
The Band and Chorus have a combined (optional) Friday Fun Meet every Friday afternoon from 4:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Lurgio Technology Student Association (TSA) begins this week
Looking for something fun after school? Do you like to build things, take digital photos, or work with friends on projects? The Lurgio chapter of Technology Student Association, TSA, is ready to get underway for the 20/21 school year. All students in seventh and eighth grade are invited to join. Information meetings will be held in the Tech Ed room with Ms. Murray from 3:15 - 4:15, Tues., Oct. 20 (L-Z students) and Wed., Oct 21 (A-K students). Come join us and see what TSA is all about!
Depending on student sign up, meetings may switch to every other week for two hours for A-K, L-Z groups. Interested remote students should email Ms. Murray, murraye@sau25.net. We will be working on a variety of projects for the annual NH-TSA conference in March. (At this time, we don’t know if it will be virtual or in-person.)
There are traditional hands-on projects, such as CO2 race cars, Flight Challenge, and Balsa Wood Structures Competition. This year, there will be thirty-seven virtual competitions offered as well. Please check the national website, tsaweb.org, to read more about this great student organization.
Lurgio’s Phase 1b
As of today, the earliest that Lurgio will begin to reopen our school to Phase 1b of the District’s Phases of Reopening would be Friday, October 30, 2020. For details of differences between our current model, Phase 1a, and the next step, Phase 2b, please click here.
FERPA and Remote Instruction
Please remember that when students are in Google Meets receiving instruction with other students on the Meet, they are in a virtual classroom. This means that all student information is protected by the Family Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA). Please know that parent or sibling observations of these virtual classrooms are inappropriate and violate FERPA. We ask that you try to provide your students receiving remote instruction with privacy measures to protect their peers. This could mean a separate space in the house or headphones so that other members of your family do not overhear protected information.
Anti-Bullying
Each year we ask that parents talk with their children about conflict and bullying. As a school district, we are committed to fostering safe learning environments and resolving student conflict, and your help in these matters is essential. This three-pronged approach—the schools partnering with parents to support students—is one of the hallmarks of our great district.
Please click here to review the information and discuss it with your child.
New Hampshire SAS
The New Hampshire State Department of Education has mandated that all schools administer the New Hampshire State Interim Assessments to our students this month. In order to eliminate disruption to our students’ face-to-face instruction, we will be administering these assessments remotely to all students, both fully remote and hybrid. More information about dates, times, and processes will be forthcoming in a dedicated communication next week.
RAL School Picture Day
School pictures have been scheduled for Tuesday October 27th and Wednesday October 28th, 2020.
Hybrid Students
Students who attend school on L-Z days will have their picture taken on Tuesday, October 27.
Students who attend school on A-K days will have their picture taken on Wednesday, October 28.
Remote Students
Students who attend school REMOTELY who have last names that begin with A-K will have their picture taken on Tuesday, October 27 at any time from 12:00PM-2:00PM.
Students who attend school REMOTELY who have last names that begin with L-Z will have their picture taken on Wednesday, October 28 at any time from 12:00PM-2:00PM.
You may pre-order photos online at http://www.geskusprint.com with the school code BGKTLF52 or download and print the order form HERE and bring it in on picture day. Pictures ordered via the form will be shipped directly to the school (and save on a shipping charge).
We are planning to take pictures outside, but in the case of inclement weather we will work with the photographers to take pictures inside while observing social distancing recommendations. If this schedule changes for any reason, we will be sure to let you know. Please contact the Lurgio Middle School main office (603) 310-9100 with any questions.
Flu Shots - and Bedford's Response to Symptoms
If a student receives a flu shot and develops mild symptoms (muscle aches, low fever, etc.,) is it ok to accept a doctor’s note to explain the new symptoms?
This must be a case-by-case decision. We cannot be certain if symptoms are due to COVID-19 without testing. It is reasonable to associate symptoms with recent vaccine administration if your child usually has symptoms after vaccination; however, this is not certain. In circumstances where it is not clear whether a person’s symptoms are new and unexplained, and in the absence of documentation to explain chronic or recurring symptoms, DPHS recommends exclusion through testing for COVID-19.
Morning Drop-Off Procedures
Thank you for your help in adapting to our new drop-off procedures. Dropping your student off at school at the side/back entrances prior to 8:45am has really helped streamline foot traffic in the building and allow for better social distancing during arrival.
If your student arrives after 8:45am, they must enter through the front of the building and check in at the main office. The side and back doors will be locked and will not be accessible after 8:45am each day. We appreciate your help with this!
Cleaning Supplies & Clothing
As part of our plan for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, high-touch surfaces (desks, door knobs, handrails, bathrooms) are cleaned frequently. The cleaning solution we use is an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with the lowest toxicity category. It is gentle enough for daily disinfecting and sanitizing, but on occasion may stain clothing. We try very hard to make sure all liquid has been absorbed by paper towels as part of our cleaning process, but we want students and families to be aware of this risk and plan their clothing choices accordingly.
Destination Imagination - Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for Destination Imagination. New and returning students must complete this google form. Registration closes on Friday October 16th, 2020. Destination Imagination is an extracurricular program that requires parent volunteers. There is no guarantee that your child will be placed on a team, but we work very hard to place every child who registers. Teams may use school facilities for meetings, but must adhere to the same safety precautions. The same applies if you decided to hold your meetings outside of the school buildings. For more info on this wonderful extracurricular program offered by our district, please check out www.nh-di.org or contact our coordinator, Marie Russell at bedfordrocksdi@gmail.com.
BSD Food Service Announcement:
Food Service has received a formal waiver from the USDA to provide FREE breakfast and lunch to all children ages 2-18 in the community through December 31, 2020. Meals will be offered at each school when students are on site and at the drive through pick-up located at the high school gym entrance for distance & remote learning students. Please continue to pre-order lunch through: https://www.sendmoneytoschool.
Breakfast is being offered every morning in the RAL cafeteria from 7:30-9. Students don't miss out! Come down to the cafe and grab a healthy, nutritious breakfast to start your school day!
Masks & Social Distancing
This year, we have been so impressed by the students' adherence to our mask wearing protocol. They were absolutely fantastic. Thank you for your support of mask wearing at all times when in the building. This is especially important when social distancing is more difficult to achieve. Students are permitted to take mask breaks while eating lunch and at other times designated by their pod teachers.
An area of transmission mitigation that still needs some more work is social distancing. When inside and wearing a mask we are asking students to continue to do their best to maintain social distancing protocols. While this is not always possible, and our students have been doing well, we think that we can improve. Further, we need to remind students that even when we are outside, it is important to wear a mask when less than six feet from another person.
COVID-19 Positive Test Protocols
Please see the following information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and New Hampshire Department of Education regarding procedures that take place if a member of our school community tests positive for COVID-19.
Athletics Corner
Fall Sports
The weekly schedule can be found [HERE] and it will be updated as times or locations change.
BHS Athletic Competitions
There are new procedures for fans attending athletic competitions. All Division I schools have adopted the same procedures. There are three big ideas: no visiting team fans can attend our home games (and vice versa), no student fans can attend, and athletes will be provided a limited number of tickets for household family members. Most of our home competitions will be televised on BCTV. This is better than the NFL, but it will still be something that takes getting used to.
Enrichment Corner
Are you looking for a challenge? Do you have an interest or hobby you would like to explore in more depth? Let Ms. Rockwell, our enrichment coordinator, help! Check out her website below for more information about the enrichment opportunities offered at Lurgio. Just click on the “enrichment opportunities” tab and fill out the application to get started.
Note: If you are interested in exploring some things on your own, check out the “resources” tab on the website.
National Contests
Interested in doing historical research on a topic of your choosing and getting involved in National History Day? Learn more about National History Day on the website and sign up to learn more.
Is chemistry more your thing? Check out the You Be The Chemist Challenge!
All information can be found at the Lurgio Enrichment Corner.
Hybrid Instruction Corner
Hybrid Schedule Calendar
We know that the new hybrid schedule can be confusing at times. In general, students with last names A-K come to school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and alternating Fridays. Students with last names L-Z come to school on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and alternating Fridays. Here is a handy color-coded district calendar for kindergarten through grade 8 to help your family plan in advance.
Distance Learning Days
On Distance Learning Days, hybrid students should be engaged in different types of work assigned by their teachers on their in-person days. Students are not expected to sit in front of a computer screen for 6.5 hours, but they will be expected to complete tasks to create a bridge between their in-person days. Google Classroom is a resource for students to check assignments and tasks when they are working independently. Teachers are not immediately available to answer questions or work synchronously with students because they are instructing students in person every day. Teachers will answer questions via email if and when they are available.
Remote Instruction Corner
Google Meet Expectations:
We strive to provide the best possible education and support for our students, while maintaining the privacy within each home. We are respectfully requesting that, if possible, when your child meets in small groups or one-to-one with an educator, that those meetings take place in a public part of your home. We thank you for your consideration as we continue to support students in productive and engaging experiences.
Please find the Google Meet Expectations in the link.
Guidance Corner
The Food Pantry at Bedford Presbyterian Church provides our school with free weekend lunch bags for students who are facing hunger or food insecurity. Please contact our Guidance Secretary, Lisa Mullen, for this confidential aid.
From October 23- October 31 each year, our Leaders By Example in the S.A.D.D. Club sponsor and Promote Red Ribbon Week. We hope you will consider bringing Red Ribbon Week’s Drug Prevention message to your neighborhood. Click on REDRIBBON.ORG for more information regarding this year’s theme:
“Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Drug Free.”
Simply decorate your door, mailbox or fence with the double looped red ribbon theme and download your photo to www.redribbon.org.
Kitchen News
Please see the Food Service Plan for more information about breakfast and lunch service for the coming school year. Contact Emily Murphy, Director of School Nutrition, with any questions you may have.
Media Center News
Book Raffle! Happy beginning of the school year! This is a reminder for students to continue to place books on hold on the Lurgio Library Website. Hybrid students will receive their books in their homeroom and remote students will be sent an email when their book is ready. Then, remote families can pick the books up from the main office. Those that have checked out a book for fun will be entered into the book raffle! We will have 10 winners select a new book at the end of September and October.
Missing Library Books
7th and 8th graders have been checking out class textbooks and class novels. At this time, they were notified if they had an overdue book from last year. Please check in with your student to see if they have any overdue library books. Students can check their library accounts from home. Books can be returned to the main office or the Library. Thank you in advance for your help in keeping our library current. Any questions? Please email Mrs. Detwiler detwilera@sau25.net.
Tech Corner
Please be sure that your child brings their charged chromebook to school every day they are here at Lurgio. If students are having technical issues, they should complete a BSD Help Desk Ticket.
TECH TIP OF THE WEEK: How to use PowerSchool to check grades
Are you wondering how your child is doing in their classes? Well PowerSchool is the place to go. Here is a helpful video on how to check PowerSchool using a web browser and a second video that shows you how to use the PowerSchool app to check grades.
Book Buzz
PTG Corner
Meadow Farms Gifts, Wrap, and More
Bringing you quality gift wrap, unique gifts, home & kitchen items, gourmet food, Kringle Candles and more. Our popular GIFTS, WRAP, AND MORE fundraiser is happening now. Brochures with ordering details were sent home with elementary students. Elementary remote families should have received ordering information from their teachers. Families, students, and staff at McKelvie, RAL and BHS can order HERE. Online ordering only this year. 40% of sales will go back to our schools and orders ship directly to home! Students in elementary schools who sell at least 5 items earn a coupon for a free ice cream at Inside Scoop. Online orders must be placed by October 23rd.
Community Conversation with Superintendent Fournier
You are invited for an evening Community Conversation with Superintendent Mike Fournier. This is the place to get up to date information directly from our Superintendent on issues impacting our district. Ask your questions, share your opinions or just come to listen!
Thursday, October 22nd; 6.30PM at the SAU Office (Boardroom)
RSVP required. Please click HERE if you’d like to attend. Due to limited seating we are unable to accommodate children at this meeting. Apologies for this inconvenience. Social distancing and masks are required.
Looking to Volunteer?
The schools and the PTG appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to focus on the safety of staff and students while minimizing volunteers in the buildings at this time. In order to hear about volunteer opportunities either IN SCHOOL or available REMOTELY you will need to fill out a Volunteer Google Form for each school that you have a child in. We will communicate volunteer needs as the PTG is made aware of them. To access the form click HERE or you can find them on the PTG website www.bedfordptg.org under PTG Forms.
