COVID Update July 10, 2020

July 13, 2020

Dear families,

We have had a positive first week back since returning from school vacation, and we have been especially delighted to welcome numerous new students and families into our school community for this new school year. This email includes informative and required information for families in order to be prepared for our summer onsite instruction to begin the week of July 20th, 2020. This supplements the prior policy and guideline-related communications about our reentry to onsite summer programming that have been shared previously by our administration team beginning in June and can be referenced at anytime on the COVID resources page of our school website: https://advancingmilestones.com/coronavirus-response/

1.) ***3 Mandatory Forms that must be completed and returned in order for your student to begin onsite instruction: As we shared previously, in order for students to participate in onsite instruction this summer, a parent/guardian must complete the following 3 forms on or before your student’s first day of onsite instruction. These forms were developed in conjunction with the Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools (maaps) and their affiliates. Case managers will offer reminders to families; however, it is very important to note that students will not be permitted to join us onsite for programming if we do not have all 3 forms returned at the time of your student’s first arrival for onsite instruction. For safety reasons, we will not be able to offer exceptions. These 3 forms are available as attachments to this email; copies will also be mailed to all families next week in hard copy form, and copies will be posted to our COVID Resources page on our Milestones website. The instructions are as follows:

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Milestones Consent to Return To School Onsite – One Time Policy: You may choose to complete and sign a paper-based version of this form and send it with your student on their first day of onsite programming or complete an online form in advance of your student’s first day. Our school nurse, Lyn Ross, will collect and record all paper-based forms from students at the bus line entrance on the first floor when they arrive on their first day of onsite programming. Alternatively, you will receive an email invitation to complete this form online through Docusign, and the online version may be completed anytime prior to your student’s first day of programming.

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Milestones Assumption of Risk – One Time Policy: The completion options are the same for the assumption of risk and the consent to return to school onsite forms. Your student may turn in a hard copy the morning of their first day of onsite programming or you may complete an online form through Docusign prior to your student’s first day of programming.

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Milestones Daily Attestation Form For Symptoms – Required On All Days of Onsite Instruction This Summer: As the wellness of our student and staff community is paramount, families will be required to conduct a daily health screening of your student and complete and return a daily health attestation form on each morning before school when your student is scheduled for onsite instruction this summer. In order to have a timely reflection of health information, this form must be completed on the same morning that a student is scheduled to attend school onsite (not earlier). Your student may turn in a paper-based attestation form at morning arrival on each onsite day, or you may complete and submit an online Google form by 7:30am that will be reviewed each morning by our administrative staff. During all 5 weeks of our onsite summer instruction, the online Google form option will be emailed to a parent/guardian representative the day prior to your student’s scheduled onsite day. If you wish to specify an email address for receiving this form, you are invited to email our Executive Assistant (Brittany Asselin) at: basselin@advancingmilestones.com otherwise we will utilize a primary parent/guardian email address that customarily receives our parent communications. For the safety of the community, if students do not satisfy all health criteria on the daily attestation form, students should stay home from school and are welcome to participate in school remotely. Please also notify our school nurse, Lyn Ross if your student is staying home ill.

2.) Additional Policy and Guideline Information: Please also review the following policy/guideline information regarding our summer reopening.

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Attestation Poster of Workplace Safety Policy: Milestones has developed and trained staff on a comprehensive COVID-19 Workplace Safety Standards Policy for employees that demonstrates the implementation of our workplace safety standards and expectations including protocols related to social distancing, hygiene, staffing and operations, and cleaning and disinfecting. Attached is a copy of our attestation poster, and the full employee policy is available on the COVID resources page of our website.

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Summer Protocols and Guidelines Related to Promote Social Distancing and Cleaning and Disinfection: Attached includes a summary of our staff and student practices during the school day to promote social distancing as well as our increased cleaning and disinfection protocols. Next week staff will preview expectations with students, and we will provide families examples of the social stories our faculty will be utilizing during our student training.

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Parents’ Guide to Monitoring COVID Symptomatic and Exposed Students: The Waltham Board of Health has issued approval of Milestones’ protocols for reentry. Please see the attached information sheet for parents in the event a student becomes symptomatic with COVID-19 symptoms while at school and/or becomes exposed to COVID-19. Maintaining a strong two-way communication between families and our school nurse (Lyn Ross) is a critical priority.

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COVID Decision Symptom Flowchart: As a supplement to the aforementioned parent guide, our school nurse has provided a COVID decision tool for parents that was provided by the Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools (maaps).

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Housekeeping Reminders from our Principal:

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On June 15, 2020, our Principal sent a detailed letter reviewing many of the adaptations that would be in place upon our return. Here is the link from our website for your quick reference: https://advancingmilestones.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Principal-Letter-on-Summer-Guidelines_6.15.20.pdf.

You may wish to familiarize yourself with the comprehensive information provided as the information remains. – The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has set forth guidelines that have afforded us the opportunity to return. We are aware that some families may not send their children to school on the assigned day. It is important to know that all students will have access remotely every day regardless of location. If you choose to keep your child home, please know the expectation would be that they should participate by Google. – As you know, our first week of on-site instruction begins on July 20th. We wish to remind you to have your children bring the following items to school. – Students will: – Bring a Mask (having back-up masks available in a student’s backpack may also be helpful). – Bring in a Lunch/Snack as the cafeteria is closed for school use. Please make sure that it does not require heating as we will not be able to heat or make anything. No exceptions. If your student needs utensils, please send them with forks and spoons (no knives).

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Bring the school-issued Chromebook in the carry case (if you have one at home, please bring on the first day back; if you don’t have one at home, one will be provided in school).

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Bring Water (plenty of water). – Bring Supplies: Teachers will supply requested items for students to bring in class next week if needed. No additional items will be able to be accessed in the school including fidgets, stuffed animals, toys. If it is raining, students may bring a jacket to stay in a backpack as needed, or their own umbrella. If you have any follow-up questions or concerns regarding summer programming you may contact:

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Kim Rockers- CEO regarding general schoolwide policies and guidelines: krockers@advancingmilestones.com

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Kirsten Esposito – Principal and your student’s assigned Case Manager for all questions related to your specific student’s programming, services and/or schedule: kesposito@advancingmilestones.com

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Lyn Ross- School Nurse and COVID Response Team Leader: lross@advancingmilestones.com anytime as the primary method for timely communication or beginning the week of July 20th Lyn will also be able to be reached at (781)-895-3200 ext.137 on Mondays-Thursdays between 7:30am-12:30pm for all health and medical topics as well as any reporting of illness.

3) Optional Town Hall Q&A Sessions for Parents/Guardians: In addition, after summer programming has begun, select members of our Task Force will be holding two optional virtual “Town Halls” on Tuesday, July 28th and Tuesday, August 11th from 2:00-3:00pm to address general questions and request feedback about our reentry protocols and students’ experience as they transition back to onsite learning. We will avail an opportunity for parents/guardians to submit questions in advance, and we will ask that parents/guardians please RSVP in advance to: RSVP@advancingmilestones.com if you plan to attend either or both optional Town Halls so that we can anticipate attendance.

We look forward to beginning our transition back to onsite instruction. Thank you for your collaboration to help ensure a safe and smooth process for our students and staff.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kim