First day of school: The new school year begins on Thursday, Sept. 2. You can find a printable school year calendar by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/MSDCalendar21.
Return plan: The surge in COVID-19 cases related to the delta variant has impacted our planning for our return to school next month. At this time, however, it is our intention to have all students attend classes in person. That in-person instruction is crucial to helping students recover from both the learning and social-emotional impact of this pandemic.
Because the situation is continuing to shift, we must all remain flexible and patient. We will continue to do all we can to keep everyone safe while making sure we are meeting the needs of our students. We have updated our school return plan to include feedback from the public, and input from the Health Department, however we expect the plan will need to be updated again after the Board of School Committee meets on Monday. You can find the most recent version of our return plan at https://bit.ly/MSDreturn21.
You can find information for Monday’s Board of School Committee meeting on the meeting agenda by clicking this link: https://bit.ly/BOSC080921.
COVID-19 safety precautions: With the surge in cases here and around the globe, it is important that everyone remember the basic COVID-19 safety measures that we have practiced since March 2020. This includes mask wearing, keeping distance from others when possible, doing as much outdoors as possible, staying home when you’re sick, and cleaning your hands frequently.
In addition, vaccinations play an important role in protecting against COVID-19. If you or your student (age 12 or older) have not yet been vaccinated and would like to be, the Health Department holds walk-in vaccination clinics Mondays from 9-11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 2-4 p.m. No appointment is needed. You must be age 12 or older; anyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
All three vaccine types available, while supplies last – Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. The Manchester Health Department is located at 1528 Elm Street, on the backside of the building, and is accessible by MTA bus transportation.
Feedback wanted: At Monday’s Board of School Committee meeting, we will present our recommendations for use of federal COVID-19 relief funds (you can find meeting information here: https://bit.ly/BOSC080921).
We are seeking your feedback on our recommendations. You can find the feedback form, which includes a link to our recommendations, by clicking here: https://forms.gle/
Free family wellness events: Families can take part in free Wellness on Wheels events. The next two events will be:
- Friday, Aug. 6 at Kelley Falls from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Aug. 18 at Beech Street School from 4-7 p.m.
At these events, you’ll be able to:
- Get a book from the bookmobile
- Get a COVID-19 vaccination
- Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables
- Do crafts and other activities
At the Aug. 18 event, you can also get help with registering students for school.
Join us for CelebratEd MHT: Mark your calendars: the first-ever CelebratEd MHT will be held Saturday, Sept. 18. Organized by Manchester School District, Manchester Proud and our amazing community partners, this event will be a celebration of all that makes our public schools great.
This day-long celebration at Veteran’s Memorial Park starts at 10 a.m. and runs to 6 p.m. and it’s free and open to everyone. We’ll bring your more information in the coming weeks, but be sure to make a note to attend and bring the whole family.
