Welcome to the Greenfield Public Schools!

April 22, 2021

To our GPS Community:

I hope that everyone has been enjoying the April break. We have certainly had a wide range of weather!

As we prepare to return to school next week and to welcome our GMS and GHS students on Wednesday, April 28^th, I want to remind everyone of The Daily Four, the keys to our success. These steps are important both in school and in the community.

1. Wear a mask – With vaccinations becoming more widespread, it’s easy to think that we no longer need masks. We are still operating under a mask mandate per the School Committee’s policy and state regulations. Click here to read the policy. Even though hope is on the horizon, wearing a mask is our best protection – both in school and in the community.
2. Wash your hands (and use hand sanitizer) – This is another easy, yet effective way to protect yourself and others against the COVID-19 virus. The CDC recommends 20 seconds of washing – the equivalent of singing “Happy Birthday” two times. Teaching our youngest learners the “happy birthday” method will help them know the 20-second rule and can be a fun activity at home. We also provide hand sanitizer in our schools for extra protection for students and staff.
3. Stay apart – The recommended distance, person-to-person, is 6 feet. Our distancing protocols in school provide for this amount of space between our students. Furniture has been arranged to allow for that and stickers are on our hallway floors to ensure everyone keeps that distance. Many places in our community use similar floor markers, one-way aisles in stores, and other cues to help remind us of keeping a proper distance. Research has shown that physical distancing is an effective preventative measure.
4. Stay home if your child or someone in your household does not feel well – We are doing everything in our power to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, but we need the help of our families to keep our schools safe. We can’t stress enough the importance of everyone’s efforts in this regard. The CDC has a list of symptoms that you can check. Be sure to check for these in your household daily before children leave for school. Click here to read the list. If anyone in your household has these symptoms, get tested immediately and quarantine until you get the results.

Together, we can make these final weeks of school a valuable learning experience for all our students. Thank you for doing your part to help keep our schools safe!

A special note to our GMS and GHS families: Our bus contractor, F.M. Kuzmeskis, has published preliminary bus routes for the return to in-person learning on April 28^th. There are still some adjustments that may need to be made prior to then, so be sure to check back up until next Tuesday for any last-minute changes. Please make sure your child arrives at the stop, with a mask on, 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick-up time. Masks are required on all our buses. Click here to see the routes.

Sincerely,

Dr. Judith Houle, Interim Superintendent of Schools

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