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03/13/2020 12:00 AMI am writing to inform you that the Madison Public Schools will be closed until further notice beginning Monday, March 16. On the advice of our local health departments, the school superintendents in southeastern Connecticut have come together to make a decision to put the health of our community (both our school community and the community at large) at the center of our decision to close schools.
We have been advised by our local public health experts that the implementation of “social distancing,” a proven evidence-based intervention, has been shown to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with communicable disease outbreaks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Temporarily dismissing child care programs and K-12 schools is a strategy to stop or slow the further spread of COVID-19 in communities.” The Connecticut State Department of Public Health epidemiologist, Dr. Matthew Cartter, noted yesterday to all Connecticut superintendents that, historically, communities that enacted school closures were able to positively impact and reduce the spread of disease. The regional decision to unite and implement the public health tool of social distancing was made to prevent the spread of illness among our students, staff, and our communities.
The message from the Connecticut State Department of Public Health emphasized that this virus may not run its course in two weeks. As a result, the decision was made to make the closure indefinite. However, this situation will be reassessed, at minimum, every two weeks, in conjunction with public health officials.
There has been much discussion about the concept of distance learning during prolonged absences. At this time, the Connecticut State Department of Education has strongly discouraged districts from utilizing distance learning in lieu of onsite schooling due to concerns over instructional consistency, particularly in the early grades, as well as equity of access, disruption of special education services, and multiple employee contractual issues. We will continue, during this school closing, to seek ways to provide optional supplemental education to our students in the interim.
Supplemental Learning
In preparation for a closing, we have designed dedicated pages for each school that provides grade appropriate learning activities, games, and projects in core content areas. These resources are provided thanks to the teachers in Madison as well as contributions from several towns in our region). We also shared our resources with neighbors for their local use.
For our high school students, there is a resource for SAT practice as well as extended learning activities in math, humanities, and STEM. Please note: All students can access articles (Newsela through their google school accounts) and books online with their Madison student ID number. We will be adding to this bank as we create more age appropriate resources. We hope families find the options helpful and encourage their children to engage in a learning activity each day.
Additional information related to supplemental learning will be forthcoming.
Kindergarten Registration
Under the circumstances, with the buildings closed, Kindergarten registration scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, March 16 and 17, will not occur in the buildings.
Registration may be done by mail or email. If you would like paper forms mailed to you please call Central Office at 203-245-6300. Instructions on how to complete the registration via email are on our Kindergarten Registration webpage.
Additional information will be forthcoming. We will continue to communicate as we receive updated guidance from our public health officials, the CDC, and state officials. At a minimum, this closure will continue for the next two school weeks, beginning on March 16. Please continue to monitor your email to ensure receipt of the most current information.