GMRSD Newsletter
News for students, families, and staff of the Gill-Montague Regional School District.
May 20, 2022
Superintendent’s Report & COVID Recommendations
Recognitions:
Girls on the Run - Please see the note below from advisors Carly Skorupa and Corinne Ginsburg:
We held our Girls on the Run practice 5K at Sheffield today, and our small but mighty team of girls ran the full 5K distance for the first time in preparation for the final celebration 5K which is being held on Sunday, June 5, at Western New England University, in Springfield. Our team has been meeting twice a week, for 90 minutes a session, since the end of March, and we've been exploring essential skills including having empathy, helping others, managing comfortable and uncomfortable emotions, and finding balance in our lives. We've also been running. In the GOTR program, running is sort of a metaphor for achieving what you once thought impossible, and it helps the girls to understand what it's like to be part of a team and to set and accomplish goals. The girls did an amazing job and we're very proud of them.
We'd also like to acknowledge the teachers and staff, not only from Sheffield but from other schools in the district, who came out to participate as running buddies, helpers at the finish line, and cheerleaders supporting our girls as they completed the route:
Roben Lapan
Shelley Thurston
Sarah Tully
Nikki Henderson
Amy Eichorn
Mary Rue Walther
Bob Clancy
Faith Klumb
Norah Zarzecki
Leslie Charles
William Johnson
Also, of special note, TFHS student Jelani Jean Charles from Faith Klumb's "Rise Up" class participated today acting as our "guest DJ" playing fun music to help pep up our girls as they ran.
We appreciate the time these dedicated people gave today and for their support. It means so very much to us, and to the girls, and we wanted to be sure they were acknowledged.
Sheffield Principal Search Update: I am excited to share that we have concluded the search for a new Principal for Sheffield Elementary School. We are very fortunate to be appointing Kerry Heathwaite to the position, to begin on July 1st. Kerry is an experienced educator who has served as an Assistant Principal, as well as a classroom teacher and Team Leader, in the Greenfield Public Schools and for the last four years as an Assistant Principal in the Penns Grove Carneys Point Regional School District, in New Jersey.
As we get closer to her July 1st start date, Kerry will coordinate some transition meetings with Interim Principal Bob Clancy and will share her own introductory letter to families and staff. Thank you to all the members of the Search Committee for their time and effort in finding the new Sheffield Elementary School Principal!
Gill Principal Search: We have assembled a team of parents, Gill staff members and administrators as a Search Committee to find the next Principal at Gill Elementary School. Committee orientation and semi-finalist candidate interviews will take place Monday, May 23rd, through Thursday, May 26th.
COVID-19 Information:
Our district school identified 33 COVID cases in the week May 9th-13th. Even though we have only identified 7 cases this week (May 16th -19th), we are still strongly recommending wearing a face mask when indoors. With the end of the school year fast approaching, we have several school-sponsored events and gatherings coming up. As we have done throughout this pandemic, we have consulted with regional and local health professionals for up-to-date recommendations to reduce the possible transmission of COVID-19.
These are not mandates or requirements, but we strongly recommend the following mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of COVID transmission during school-sponsored events and gatherings:
We strongly recommend wearing a face mask when indoors.
If you are feeling sick, have tested positive for COVID or you are unvaccinated and have been a close contact to someone with COVID in the last 10 days, please do not attend the event.
If you are carpooling to the event, consider wearing a face mask while in the vehicle and keep windows partially open.
Keep building windows and doors open to increase ventilation.
Hold events outdoors whenever possible.
Consider taking an at-home rapid COVID test prior to the event. Free at-home test kits are available in the school health offices.
Maintain social distancing to the best extent possible.
By following these mitigating strategies, we can reduce the risk of transmitting illness to others and reduce the potential for individuals being excluded in future events. Thank you all for your support and continued efforts to reduce the risk of COVID transmission.
The CDC ranks the risk of transmission for counties across the country in one of 3 categories: Low, Medium or High. Franklin County has been rated as HIGH risk of transmission by the CDC, as of Monday, May 16th.
Weekly COVID Public Health Report COVID Data - May 12, 2022
Town/City- Risk Status Cases Last 14 days % Positive Tests
Bernardston 5 3.76
Erving <5 3.74
Gill 7 8.05
Greenfield 109 6.64
Leverett 7 2.63
Montague 42 7.41
Northfield 8 4.68
Orange 34 6.54
Sunderland 33 6.58
Warwick <5 1.59
Wendell <5 1.33
State 40,621 6.35
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
Monday, May 30th - No School - Memorial Day
Wednesday, June 8th - Hillcrest Elementary Summer Reading Kickoff
Thursday, June 9th - Sheffield Elementary Summer Reading Kickoff
Friday, June 10th - Gill Elementary Summer Reading Kickoff
Friday, June 10th through Wednesday, June 15th - Early Release Days
Wednesday, June 15th - Last Day of School for Students
Senior Class Events
Friday, May 20th - Senior Class Trip
Wednesday, May 25th through Friday, May 27th - Senior Final Exams
Friday, May 27th - Senior Drive Around
Thursday, June 2nd - Senior Walk-Through - 10:45 AM
Thursday, June 2nd - Senior Awards Night - 6:30 PM - TFHS Theater
Friday, June 3rd - 6:30PM - Class of 2022 Graduation - TFHS Gymnasium
Family Resources and Useful Links
GMRSD COVID Information: Find all the district COVID information on this webpage, which includes weekly case counts and details on upcoming vaccine clinics, COVID resources, testing, safety protocols, and COVID reporting.
GMRSD Family Engagement Webpage: Information and resources for families, updated frequently by our Family Engagement Coordinator, Stacey Langknecht.
Please feel free to reach out to us with any feedback at information@gmrsd.org.