December 2, 2022

December 2, 2022

I say some variation of this each month, but time really does seem to fly by – I truly can’t believe it is already December!  This month’s newsletter contains information about an upcoming forum with our SROs, a recap of the Turkey Trot, a review of the district’s illness protocol and much more!

Alcott Twitter and Give a Hoots: If you haven’t already, consider checking out Alcott’s Twitter page!  Your child’s classroom teacher undoubtedly does a wonderful job of updating you regularly on what is happening in their classroom.  Our Twitter feed is a great way to peek into other areas of the school.  Most recently, we highlighted our Give a Hoot program, which is one way we honor students who exemplify Alcott’s core values of being a safe, caring, cooperative, respectful community of learners.  Individual students “caught” demonstrating these values earn certificates presented each Friday morning.  When a whole class is recognized, their classroom gets a visit from Bronson the Owl!

ALICE Forum with SROs: As you may have seen in a separate email, our two School Resource Officers, Detectives Cara Paladino and Derek Rodriguez, will be hosting a zoom forum for parents of elementary aged students who might have questions about ALICE protocol.  This event will occur on Monday, December 12th from 11-12 and will be recorded.  A zoom link will be provided closer to the date.  If you are not able to attend, please feel free to submit a question ahead of time and we will make sure to have a moderator share your question at the meeting.  You are also welcome to reach out to Detective Paladino (cpaladino@concordma.gov) or Detective Rodriguez (drodriguez@concordma.gov) directly.

Turkey Trot Recap: Our annual Turkey Trot took place at the beginning of November and was a smashing success!  I went to extend a huge thank you to Mr. Gaudreau and all of our parent volunteers for making it the fun filled community building event that it always is.  Donations are still coming in but, so far, students have raised approximately $6000 for Open Table and Concord Recreation’s Scholarship Fund.  The last day to submit pledges is Monday, December 5th.

Coffee with the Principal Dates: This is just a reminder that I will be hosting several Coffee with the Principal events between now and the end of the school year.  These events are casual, informal meetings and are a great time to ask questions, listen and get to know more about Alcott.  The first one was on Friday, December 2nd!  It was wonderful to be able to engage with the parents who attended about a variety of topics on their minds! Future dates are as follows:

  • January 19th at 9:30 – remote (link to come closer to event)
  • March 16th at 9:30 – in person at Alcott
  • May 4th at 9:30 – remote (link to come closer to event)

A Note from Nurse Amante: The school nurses are seeing an uptick in student illness, including RSV, influenza, and gastrointestinal viruses.  If your student is showing signs of illness, please follow district guidelines.

When should a student stay at home:

  • If your child has vomiting or diarrhea; they should remain out of school for a minimum of 24 hours after vomiting or diarrhea has ceased and they have resumed their normal diet.
  • If your child has a fever of 100.0 degrees F or higher; they should remain out of school for 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever-reducing medication.
  • If your child has been treated with an antibiotic, they need to be on the antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

Additionally, it is recommended that a rapid COVID-19 test be performed before they return to school if they have any COVID-19 symptoms:

  • Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Muscle aches or body aches
  • Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
  • Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms
  • Headache when in combination with other symptoms
  • Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
  • Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms.

Thank you for your cooperation.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nurse Amante.

Attendance Reporting Form: This is just a reminder that all absences should be reported through Alcott’s attendance reporting form, which can be found on Alcott’s website under the Parent tab (and also right here).  You can report absences ahead of time so if you know that your child has an appointment or another reason for being absent, it is fine (and encouraged!) for you to report the absence in advance.

December Vacation: The last day of school before vacation is December 23rd.  Dismissal on the 23rd is at 12:25.  There is no after school with Concord Recreation that afternoon.  School resumes on Tuesday, January 3rd.