March 23 Update from NCS
Dear Naples Family:
As we begin another week, I wanted to take a minute to pass along a few brief updates from NCS. However, because information continues to develop by the day, we will be holding a virtual Town Hall meeting this Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. using Facebook Live. If you are interested in connecting virtually, we would encourage you to tune into the Naples CSD Facebook page to talk about the latest developments related to COVID-19.
Breakfast and Lunch Delivery:
At this point, we are providing breakfast and lunch packages for approximately 140 students. However, beginning on Wednesday (March 25), we will be transitioning to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday meal delivery schedule to reduce contact between our Food Service Department and homes in our district. We will still be providing the same number of meals each week, but we will not be making stops on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
Additionally, if you would like to request breakfast and lunch packages for any children in your household ages 0-18, please click this link to provide basic delivery information.
Closure:
Just over a week ago, I let you know that all Ontario County school districts would be closed until after Spring Break. However, you may have read about a recent Executive Order from New York State indicating that schools would re-open after April 1. As we have from the start, we will work closely with the State Education Department, the State of New York, and the Ontario County Department of Health to determine when NCS will officially re-open for students.
Testing:
As you may know, on Friday, schools learned that grades 3-8 Math and ELA testing had been cancelled for this year. Although we have still not received word on Regents exams, the College Board did release a statement regarding Advanced Placement (AP) exams a few days ago. We will be working through the details with our staff, and reaching out directly to students currently enrolled in AP courses in the near future.
Learning:
I wanted to thank you for making learning a priority during this extended closure. Over the past week, I have spoken with a number of parents who have shared their thanks for the instructional materials put together by our faculty, and detailed the study schedules they have set up for their sons and daughters. However, in the days ahead, I am sure that questions will arise as we figure online and home-based learning out together. When this happens, I would encourage you to email your child’s teacher(s) with any questions, and know that our focus continues to be on thinking, connecting, and feedback as opposed to grades and due dates during this challenging time.
Additionally, if your son or daughter is having an issue with their digital device from NCS, please reach out to our IT Help Desk by emailing: ithelpdesk@naplescsd.org
Social Distancing:
Because COVID-19 is a public health issue that has the potential to impact us all, we are encouraging people to honor social distancing as much as possible. By staying home, avoiding crowds, and cancelling social gatherings, we can all do our part to help “flatten the curve” and keep our community safe.
Support:
To share helpful resources, we have put together a webpage filled with information regarding NCS communications, learning links, and local organizations that can provide food, clothing, mental health support, etc. We will continue adding to the webpage, and we would also encourage you to check back from time to time.
For anyone who lives or works in Naples, you know firsthand how the community comes together when times are tough. Although we will have to express care and concern from a distance in the foreseeable future, we will all need to lean on one another for support in the days ahead. We hope that you and your family are staying healthy, and want you to know that we are a phone call or an email away if there is anything we can do to help.
Warmly,
Matt Frahm, Superintendent
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