October 5, 2020

Dear Old Colony Households,

The Department of Education has released new information concerning MCAS testing. Students in grades 9,10 and 11 will be tested this academic year.  These testing cycles will provide opportunities for our students to receive Competency Determinations in the required subjects.

The following are the testing windows for our students:

Grade 11- January 19 – February 4   Math, ELA

Grade 10-  May 18-27    Math , ELA

Dates TBD 

Option to retest for grade 11

Grade 9-    May 18-27       Biology

The tests will be a computer based with the option for grade 11 students to do paper based ELA in May if they are not successful during the January testing window.  Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 are not required to test or retest in Science, as DESE is accepting a passing grade in an approved Science course as Competency Determination.

Old Colony’s administration and staff are committed to the continued academic success of all our students and we are dedicated partners in the process of their individual preparation and achievement. In addition to targeted assistance through Title I programming, our English and Math Departments will be incorporating continuous content review and practice test exercises. Teacher office hours and Open Library are also venues to receive extra support and review time. We  encourage students to utilize MCAS practice materials at Pearson Access Next and the resources at DESE. 

http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/student/

http://mcas.pearsonsupport.com/released-items/

http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/testitems.html

If you have questions or concerns please contact us.

Thank you,

Michael Parker, Principal     jmparker@oldcolony.us

Catherine Tuiccinardi, Academic Coordinator       ctuccinardi@oldcolony.us

Johanna Kaufman, Data, MCAS, Title I Director: Grants Coordinator/Writer  jkaufman@oldcolony.us

Your academic teachers are excited to welcome you back to class!  During our orientation days we reviewed the following information with you but wanted to send a quick reminder since it’s been a few weeks.

You should have been invited and joined all of your Google Classrooms for each of your academic subjects.  On Monday morning, follow your “Remote Learning Schedule” that you received in school, with your first class beginning at 8:15am.  The links to the live sessions are under the “Coursework” tab in the “Materials” folder.  If you or your student is questioning where to find the link for the live sessions, please watch “Live Class Links & Google Basics” tutorial in the Remote Learning folder on our website under our “Academics” tab. In this folder you will also find other important material related to remote learning that your student returned home with after their morning here in the building.

Please read through and review the options beginning at 1:20 (though grade 11 students are required to attend Academic Related classes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays), and also review our Remote Learning Norms.  Students are required to come to class with their cameras on and their microphones accessible.  Teachers will be working hard to get to know students, build relationships, and assess the remediation that may be necessary due to last spring’s abrupt closure.  Please log into class ready to engage, participate and learn!  If you have questions, your instructors and guidance counselors are there to help.  Have a wonderful first academic cycle!

Parents please keep in mind that there is only a bus stop if you responded yes to needing transportation on the survey.  Due to assigned seating students will also be refused at a bus stop, if you answered no. 

 If you have specific questions or concerns regarding transportation or you would like to request transportation, please contact Maria Szymanski the Main Office receptionist at 508-763-8011 ext. 111.

OC AM Grade 9 & 11

OC PM Grade 9 & 11

OC AM Grade 10 & 12

OC PM Grade 10 & 12

To whom it may concern:

You are receiving this email because you have been identified as an entity that requires notification prior to an aerial spray or wide area emergency operation under M.G.L. c. 252, Section 2A. Following the issuance by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health of both a “Determination of Elevated Risk of Arbovirus” and a “Certificate of Public Health Hazard That Requires Pesticide Application to Protect Public Health,” the State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board (SRMCB) has voted to conduct an aerial adulticide application to control mosquitoes carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

The date, time, and location of the spray area, as well as a fact sheet about the product to be applied and other relevant information, is posted at www.mass.gov/service-details/notification-of-aerial-spraying-or-other-wide-area-emergency-operations

Please note that you may be receiving this notification because your contact address is located in a city or town identified to be sprayed, but your farm, apiary, land, school, or general location may not be within the actual area to be sprayed. Also, some towns or cities may only be partially included in the spray area. To see a detailed map of the spray area once it is posted, visit https://massnrc.org/spray-map.

Also, please note that if you previously requested to be excluded from applications under 333 CMR 13.03 by filing an exclusion request with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, your exclusion request will not be honored because of the application is being made under a Certification of a Public Health Hazard by the Department of Public Health.

If you have previously requested to opt out of aerial spraying or other wide area emergency operations under M.G.L. c. 252, Section 2A, the SRMCB has voted to exercise its authority to waive any opt out under its authority set forth in M.G.L. c. 252, Section 2A and as further authorized by 333 CMR 13.03(3) when the Commissioner of Public Health certifies that an application needs to be made to protect public health.

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