Dear Newton South Parents/Guardians,
Please message below from Interim Vice Principal Chris Hardiman, the updated High School Schedule for January 2021 and NSHS January 2021 Detailed Lunch Block Schedule.
And click to view Superintendent Fleishman HyFlex Cohort Update email on December 22, 2020
Updated HyFlex documents can be found at the PTSO website newtonsouthPTSO.org
Dear Newton South Students and Families,
As we head off into a much needed break for all of us, I wanted to first thank you, the students of Newton South, for your resilience and dedication during such a challenging time. You are the reason that any of us who choose to work in education do what we do and I am impressed and inspired by the way you have handled yourselves as a student body over the past nine months. Better times are ahead so please stay the course and keep up the great work in your learning and in your support of your peers and educators.
Thank you also to the parents and guardians as I know it has been a rocky road with lots of unknowns and for many of you, a slower transition to getting students into the building than was hoped for. We greatly appreciate your support and patience as we continue to deal with many logistical challenges as we look forward to welcoming students safely back into the building at the end of January. I especially want to thank the PTSO who has been so supportive of the South student and staff community–we greatly appreciate your partnership.
As you heard from Superintendent Fleishman, the district has decided that our hybrid model scheduled to begin 1/27 will include two cohorts. We are now in the process of assigning students to the cohorts (while taking into account our current “in person” students, who will now be considered cohort “C”). Cohort “A” will attend school Monday and Tuesdays and Cohort “B” on Thursdays and Fridays. Cohort “C” will continue to attend school on the days that they have been attending school since September.
During the first few weeks of January, the South staff will be preparing for the transition to hybrid, including some professional development on using more advanced technology. To that end, for a smooth transition, we have decided to implement the attached new block schedule when we return from break on January 4th. Please note the changes in the schedule, including 80 minute blocks, a moving around of flex and community blocks, and a mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes on Wednesdays. In terms of lunches (see attached), for the month of January through 1/26, ALL classes will be taking third lunch (since we are mostly still remote until then). Your teachers can help answer any questions you may have when we return in January and there will be much more information shared by me and by your teachers and deans throughout the month to prepare for the transition to hybrid as well.
Finally, a reminder that the school will be closed during the vacation break and you should expect that our staff will be unplugged and will not be checking email so that we can all have a restful break as we prepare for the work ahead of us in 2021.
Happy Holidays to all and we look forward to reconnecting in 2021!
Chris Hardiman
NSHS Interim Vice Principal
