Dear Lurgio Families,
It has been quite the week at Lurgio. With so many things being different this year, it is nice to maintain a tradition like Spirit Week where students and staff dress in different themes to have fun and celebrate our school. Right now, we are currently in the heart of our Fall Spirit weeks at Lurgio. In addition to being Spirit Week round two next week, it is also Red Ribbon Week. This is a weeklong nationwide campaign aimed at keeping our students drug free. Our SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) Club is selling disposable red masks that staff and students can wear next Wednesday (A-K) and Friday (L-Z) to display their commitment to being drug free. We are confident that the red masks will work with just about any “spirited” outfit for next week. More details are included below in an article in the Guidance Corner.
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
RAL Winter Sports Update
Please view this letter regarding the upcoming Lurgio winter sports season.
State Assessment for Lurgio Students
Lurgio will administer the state-mandated fall assessments remotely for all students during the week of October 26.
For more information, please click this link for a brief instructional video about how to complete the SAS.
You can also click this link if you want to view the static slides from the video.
A link to the assessment will be emailed to Hybrid L-Z students on Monday, Hybrid A-K students on Tuesday, and Fully Remote Students on Wednesday.These emails will be individualized for each student and will also contain the student’s personal login information.
RAL Extracurriculars Update
Are you looking to get involved in something here at Lurgio? Then be sure to listen to the daily announcements (print version), check out the RAL Latest News section of the Lurgio Website and your school email for more information about what is starting up. Here are three extracurriculars that are just starting: Lion’s Den School Newspaper, Lurgio FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics, and Technology Student Association (TSA)
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.
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.
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 caan will have their picture taken on Tuesday, October 27 or 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.
BSD Food Service
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!
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.
DEA National Prescription Drug TAKE BACK Day
The Bedford Police Department is our local collection site. They will be accepting your unused and expired Rx Meds from 10am to 2pm. Click here for the DEA website highlighting other site locators, historical results, and treatment information.
Red Ribbon Week- MASK CHALLENGE
Please encourage students to wear Red Masks on Wednesday and Friday this week. The Coalition for Bedford Youth will be selling masks for $1. See Mrs. Herrick room 205.
From October 23- October 31 each year, our Leaders By Example in the CBY and S.A.D.D. Clubs 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.
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
It’s almost Halloween and our literacy staff has some great reads for you to check out!
PTG Corner
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.
