Tremblay: ‘Deeply Saddened Not To Finish the School Year Together Physically’

Editor’s Note: Framingham Public Schools Superintendent Bob Tremblay sent this note to families today, April 21, after Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced all school building swill remain closed through the end of the 2019-2020 school year.

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FRAMINGHAM – I know this decision extends the hardships that many students, staff, and families are experiencing, but it also gives us the opportunity to plan ahead for the next couple of months without the additional challenge of preparing for a safe re-entry this year.

Of course, when we were directed to close our school buildings in March, we did not anticipate it being the last time we would see our students in person this school year.

While we are deeply saddened not to finish the year together physically, we know that safety is our number one priority and that we will do everything we can to prepare best for whatever comes next. We hope you and your loved ones are doing as well as possible during these unprecedented times.

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The last day of school for students is June 18th. We will continue providing virtual learning opportunities until then and we encourage all families to keep their students engaged (as much as possible) in these activities to ensure learning and reinforcement of previously taught material continues to take place.

We will be updating you throughout the next couple weeks on specific action items related to this extended closure. Please see below for several year-end considerations that our Senior Leaders are currently planning to address.

The Continuation of Remote Learning
Framingham Public Schools will continue at-home remote learning, building on the momentum we’ve been gaining over the last two weeks. We are doing our best as a District to connect with and support learning for all students through a distance learning model, and we are further certain that we will all get better at it with time. Please continue to give yourself and each other the grace and flexibility to learn as we go. We are passionate about doing all we can to strengthen relationships with our students, who remain our #1 priority. 

We are so proud of how our students, families and staff have persevered in this challenging situation. We love seeing photos of our students and staff learning, leading, and playing – in their homes – and will be sharing photos and videos on our social media accounts. 

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Food Resources + Meal Pick-up
Free meals will continue to be distributed to all students Monday through Friday from 10:00am – 1:00pm at four sites. Bags will include lunch and the following day’s breakfast. No forms or registration is required. Parents/guardians can pick up the meals with their children present. We encourage families to practice social distancing and not congregate at the meal pickup locations:

• Cameron Middle School – 215 Elm Street, Framingham, MA 01701
• Barbieri Elementary School – 100 Dudley Road, Framingham, MA 01702
• Fuller Middle School – 31 Flagg Drive, Framingham, MA 01702
• Woodrow Wilson Elementary School – 169 Leland Street, Framingham, MA 01702

Please visit our Food Resources Page for more ways to access food in the City of Framingham.

Social Emotional Physical Wellbeing
We care about the social emotional well- being of our students and staff. There are many health and wellness resources available on the district’s Family Resource Guide.

Student support staff –  social workers, school counselors and school psychologists are available on a daily basis to support students through email, phone calls and virtually. They are checking in regularly with students and families to ensure that those in need are connected to community services, including food, shelter, medical, and behavioral and mental health.

School nurses are also available to consult about students’ medical needs via email and phone .

Staff members have access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (1 (844) 263-1982) and any questions about leave, benefits, or pay should be directed to the Office of Human Resources. 

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WiFi / Technology Assistance
Through school-based communication, Chromebooks continue to be mailed to families in need. The District has also purchased hotspots for families who did not have internet access. If your students are struggling with Wifi access or accessing their remote learning calendars, please contact your child’s teacher or Principal. 

Personal Belongings Left at School
When we closed our doors initially in March, we fully expected to return to school days or possibly weeks later. Given that circumstances have changed, we are working on a detailed plan that allows access to our schools for staff and students who need to collect personal belongings that were left behind.

That plan will consider City ordinances and best practices to ensure the safety of all.

Details will be forthcoming as we work together with building leaders and the Framingham Department of Public Health.

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Graduation, Seal of Biliteracy Celebrations, Spring Sports, Prom, and More
We know that these important milestone events are paramount, especially for our seniors and their families, as well as for those “graduating” from their elementary and middle schools.  Now that the Governor has made the decision to close for the remainder of the school year, our district and building-based can focus on plans that allow us to best support these milestone events. We will communicate those plans and decisions to families shortly.

Additional Year-End Considerations include:
Our District leadership team is already hard at work to address these important initiatives as well as many others:

• Grading and Report Cards
• Summer Reading
• Summer Programming
• Transportation Requests for 2020-2021
• Kindergarten Orientation, Lottery, and School Assignments for 2020-2021
• Principal Search (Barbieri), Retirement Recognitions

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Once again, thank you for your patience, understanding, and flexibility as we jointly navigate the challenges brought on by these unprecedented times.

Please continue to stay safe, practice social distancing, and remain at home as much as possible. We eagerly await the time when it is safe to be with each other again.