Maria Hastings Principals' Corner
Maria Hastings Principal Updates
Dear Hastings Community,
What a wonderful first year. We learned so much about the new Hastings. I hope you all enjoy your summer and get sometime to unwind and relax. I'd like to thank the PTO for the wonderful Hastings Heroes cape and mask. The students enjoyed the official Hastings Heroes mascot showing up on the last day of school. We couldn't have done it without any of you. I look forward to working with all of you to build a new Hastings community. This is will be the last Principals' corner as I will be switching to different weekly format for communications. Please take the summer to rest and reset. I look forward to seeing everyone back at the end of August!
Thank you
Warm Regards,
Mr. Wai - cwai@lexingtonma.org
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Aspen
Let's stay in Touch! To be sure we can reach you and keep you informed, families should periodically review and update their contact information, found in the ASPEN Family Portal. Here families can view and update email addresses, phone numbers and emergency contacts, as well as other functions.
Please note, this workflow does not make the changes automatically. All changes are reviewed and updated by district personnel. During times of high volume, updates are made in the order they are received.
Should you need assistance with account information, changing contact information, information about the status of your contact change request, or should you have any other ASPEN questions, you can email familyportal@lexingtonma.org. You can also visit our website here.
Healthy Digital Habits for Elementary Students
Thank you to everyone who attended our virtual presentation for Healthy Digital Habits for Elementary Students, presented by Lisah Rhodes (Digital Learning Coach). Below is a link to some of the resources from the presentation. Please take the time to look over them.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_Gjr1luEFj1fD9CIIHKYGHBXajtehceKgazqgch8_pQ/edit?usp=sharing
Important Information from Dr. Hackett
If you did not see Dr. Hackett's most recent update, you can find it here.
It is important to review in Dr. Hackett's update - Contact Tracing - The local Offices of Public Health are the entities in charge of contact tracing, and they are no longer maintaining this effort. School nurses got involved at the outset of the pandemic in an effort to help overwhelmed local public health officials stop the spread of the virus. Two years into this pandemic, a more moderate view of contact tracing has emerged. It is now a public health expectation that those who test positive share this news with anyone with whom they have been in contact.
Resources for Covid Testing
We understand it can be difficult to find covid tests or kits at this time. Here are some resources you may find helpful.
Please see these sites for information on finding testing locations, getting tests and submitting COVID-19 results:
A friendly reminder from the Hastings Cafeteria:
We are strongly encouraging families to continue to utilize the Choosi ordering system throughout the remainder of this school year.
Currently we are experiencing large numbers of children receiving lunch without the pre-ordered lunch selection. Although it is not mandatory to use the Choosi App it does allow our kitchen staff to adequately prep and cook enough food for the day. Using the app also helps to not disappoint any students, who did not get their preferred lunch choice or a second helping of a lunchtime favorite, that was preordered using the Choosi App.
Students often arrive to school not knowing what their parents ordered them for lunch. If you could please take the time to remind your child(ren) what they should be getting (what was ordered via the Choosi App) for lunch each day would be greatly appreciated and will help to keep the hungry bellies happy!
Thank you for your support!
The Hastings Cafeteria Staff
NEED Help With Log In Issues On CHOOSI
Please Email Support@Getchoosi.Com
Winter Big Back Yard
Coming Soon, Winter BBY - Parent Volunteers will be needed, so please make sure you have your volunteer requirements all set. More information can be found here: http://hastings-pto.org/getinvolved/
Winter Outdoor recess guidelines
Per Lexington School Committee policy, students stay inside for recess if the temperature is 18 degrees or below (including the wind chill) or if the grounds are deemed unsafe by school administration. When recess is outside, individual students will not be kept in at parent request (unless advised by school nurse or administration).
As with inclement weather, the office will announce any changes to recess location over PA announcement.
WINTER RECESS GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS:
Dress for the weather. Wear boots, snowpants, coat, hat and gloves.
To play in the snow, wear boots, coat, hat and gloves. Otherwise, stay on cleared hardtop.
You may pick up snow to touch or build with. Remember that whatever you build during one recess may not be there for the next.
There is no throwing snow or ice at any time.
Avoid ice. Walk around it.
Keep your feet on the ground, you may not climb on high snow mounds.
Recess teachers may decide that some parts of the play areas are unsafe, and you may be told to avoid those areas on some days. (i.e. if there is snow on the structure, the structure will be closed, because it is not safe for climbing)
All our normal recess expectations remain the same, even in the snow.
Student Dismissal Info - Aspen Portal
Please click on the link for more information on the student dismissal portal on Aspen. Thank you all who have followed these procedures.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ROQ6UsPbk81Ilp9IOZ7ofCF52pl-p5hyBvBlditwgSk/edit?usp=sharing
LPS Covid-19 Updates and Information
https://sites.google.com/lexingtonma.org/lps-covid19-return-to-school/home
COVID-19: Clearing LPS Volunteers for 2021-22
Updates from Nurse Falco
What to do if your child will be absent from school
If your child will be absent from school because of illness or a Covid-19 related reason, please:
Review the Family/Student Daily Symptom Checker; AND
Call the school’s absent hotline at 781-860-5800;
Complete this form if your child will be absent due to illness or has been ordered to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. This form is confidential and used by the nursing office to track illnesses.
If your child will be absent from school for reasons not related to Covid-19 or illness, please:
Call the school’s absent hotline at 781-860-5800;
Notify your child’s teacher via email
Other:
Send in an extra pair of clothes for your child to keep in their backpack or locker. The Health Clinic does not keep extra clothing and you will need to come to school with a change of clothes. Your child will miss valuable instruction time waiting in the clinic for clean clothes. There are all types of accidents, from incontinence to puddles and spilled milk so this applies to ALL students. Your child will not have their best day in soiled clothes!
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact jfalco@lexingtonma.org
AND
Complete this form if your child will be absent due to illness or has been ordered to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. This form is confidential and used by the nursing office to track illnesses.
Important reminders:
Send in an extra pair of clothes for your child to keep in their backpack or locker. The Health Clinic does not keep extra clothing and you will need to come to school with a change of clothes. Your child will miss valuable instruction time waiting in the clinic for clean clothes. There are all types of accidents, from incontinence to puddles and spilled milk so this applies to ALL students. Your child will not have their best day in soiled clothes!
The Your Health, Safety, and Well Being page on the LPS website provides resources, protocols, and other information on how to keep you, your family, and our school community safe.
If your student needs to take medication at school or requires an inhaler or epinephrine injector to be kept at school, please secure those medication orders now. The forms are linked below. The school is closed to visitors, but you can drop off medication and medication orders at the front office. If you need to speak with me, please just ask and I’ll meet you in the vestibule.
Helpful Links:
Medication Permission Form & Policy
Asthma Health Care Plan 2021-2022
Anaphylaxis Emergency Action Plan 2021-2022
Life-Threatening Allergies At LPS - "What Families Need To Know"
In response to several recent questions and concerns regarding COVID-19 testing, please review COVID-19 information that was sent out by Karen Rufo MS, RN, PPCNP-BC, LPS Director of LPS School Health Services on 9/10/21.
Several students did not receive a test kit even though they were registered. If you have not already notified Mrs. Falco, please do so via email. The list used to distribute the test kits was generated by the CIC Health website and provided to the nurses. We thank you for your patience as we try to navigate this new proggram.
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Testing in LPS
Is participation in this program mandatory?
No- participation is voluntary.
How many types of testing are being offered?
There are 3 types of LPS testing being offered:
Testing of individuals who develop symptoms during the school day (involves BinaxNOW rapid antigen test);
“Test and Stay Protocol” for individuals who are identified as a close contact due to an exposure that happened at school, and are not exempt from testing/quarantine per the DESE Guidelines (involves BinaxNOW rapid antigen test). It does NOT include close contacts outside school.
Weekly Routine COVID-19 Pool Testing for asymptomatic individuals- Saliva Test Kit is sent home on Tuesdays and must be returned by the student (in their backpack) on Wednesday mornings with the saliva sample that has been collected at home.
Can I consent to just one type of testing?
No. When you complete the consent form, you consent for all three types of testing listed below. There is no opt-out option for any one type of testing.
If you prefer your child to only participate in 1 or 2 of the test options, you are free to do so. For example, you may choose to have your child participate in the pooled Saliva testing (done at home) but not the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test for symptomatic students or students who are identified as a close contact due to a school exposure. This would be possible since families will be contacted by the school nurse prior to BinaxNOW nasal swab testing.
Is it too late to sign my child up to participate in this program?
No- As of this writing, you may consent here.
Do I need to provide a copy of my consent form to the school nurse for my child to participate in testing?
No- the consent process is managed via the CIC Health website. The school nurse has access to signed consent forms that have been submitted for students on the CIC Health website.
If my child becomes ill while at school and I have submitted a consent for testing, will I be notified?
Yes- If the school nurse determines that a BinaxNOW test is indicated, they will contact the family and discuss the symptoms and plan. Only students with a signed consent form on file may be tested. LPS nurses will ALWAYS contact families before a BinaxNOW nasal swab test is performed. Testing will be performed in the health office. The school nurse will notify the family of the test results and next steps.
If my child isn’t feeling well before school, is it OK to send them to school and have the school nurse do a Covid test?
No- Students who develop symptoms at home must remain at home. Individuals who arrive at school with symptoms will not be tested as that is in opposition to a key mitigation strategy of staying home when ill.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact jfalco@lexingtonma.org
LPS Covid-19 Dashboard
For all the updates for the Covid-19 policies and information at Lexington Public Schools, please click the Link Below
Covid 19 Pooling and Testing Information
On August 20, 2021, Lexington School Community received this letter regarding updated COVID-19 Back-to-School Protocols, which included FAQs related to LPS COVID-19 testing. For the 2021-22 school year, our testing program will be multifaceted and include:
Individual testing on symptomatic individuals: is a nasal swab performed by the school nurse when individuals present symptoms while at school
Individual testing on close contacts (Test and Stay): for asymptomatic close contacts and is a daily nasal swab performed by the school nurse or other qualified healthcare professional for 5-7 days following exposure.
Routine COVID-19 safety check (previously referred to as “pooled testing“): collecting and performing a test on a group of samples for routine testing. For efficiency and similar to our program last year, any necessary follow-up individual testing would happen on the same individual samples already sent to the lab. LPS will provide more details in the coming weeks about how staff and students will participate in routine safety checks.
Please note for students and staff to participate in any aspects of our testing program, we must have a signed consent on file before any testing can occur. If we do NOT have a consent form on file, students will need to be quarantined for a minimum of 7 days in the event they are identified as a close contact or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Action Needed: To view and complete the state provided COVID-19 testing consent form for yourself or on behalf of your child, please click here (and then click “consent now” to sign). Staff working in the central office should choose the “Harrington school” under “select your school.” Families with more than one child enrolled in LPS must complete a consent form for each child.
We will continue to update and maintain information about LPS COVID-19 testing on the district website, where community members can always look for updates and information about LPS health and safety measures."
Ordering Lunch
Please click on the link below for directions on how to order lunch at Hastings. You must order lunch everyday for your student.
NEED Help With Log In Issues On CHOOSI Please Email Support@Getchoosi.Com
Hand Sanitizer Opt Out Form
If you do NOT want your child to use hand sanitizer, please click and fill out the form below and send it to Nurse Falco.
Aspen Dismissal Portal
All families must enter their child’s Permanent Dismissal plan information (bus, pick up, walker, etc.) into the ASPEN Family Portal. Here's how to enter student dismissal into Aspen and make changes throughout the year. Once the Dismissal Plan is entered, it will become your child’s permanent Dismissal plan unless you enter a “one-time” change. You can enter one-time (temporary) Dismissal changes into Aspen for a specific date of the week. Changes for a specific day must be entered by 2:45 p.m. Monday - Thursday and by 11:45 a.m. Fridays. If you require assistance with Aspen or entering Dismissal information, please contact familyportal@lexingtonma.org or call the Hastings main office at 781-860-5800.
At the beginning of each year, we also ask you to review and/or update your media and privacy preferences and "sign" the annual elementary handbook agreement through the ASPEN Family Portal. Here's how to review your current preferences & how to "sign" your annual handbook agreement and change your media/privacy preferences. If you have multiple children enrolled in LPS, please note preferences and handbook agreements must be completed for each child. Not sure what your Aspen username and password is? Email our staff at familyportal@lexingtonma.org.
Joy in Learning, Curiosity in Life. Compassion in All We Do.
Katie O'Hare Gibson | She/Her
Interim Co-Principal, Grades K-2
Christopher Wai M.S. Ed., CAGS | He/Him
Interim Co-Principal Grades 3-5
Hastings Elementary School
7 Crosby Rd, Lexington, MA 02421
(781) 860 5800