Dear Parents/Guardians,
As I’m sure that you are all aware, by order of Governor Murphy, HPS will continue with distance learning through May 15, 2020. I assume that on or shortly before that date, the Governor will decide if he will allow NJ schools tom reopen for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
The HPS staff is working continually to create ways to keep our students engaged and feeling connected to our school community. We know that the longer we are apart, the more acutely many of our kids are feeling isolated, lonely, and anxious. Whatever help that you are able to do to help keep your kids focused and motivated will be greatly appreciated.
We have made the decision to adopt to Pass/Fail course assessments for the fourth marking period. While our students are working from home, they cannot access the same kind and variety of support services that they benefit from when they are with us. It makes no sense to continue to apply the same assessment measures to such a sudden and disruptive alteration of their ideal learning environments.
In addition, the counseling staff is shifting to a “Virtual Bench” model in order to offer individual students more focused and efficient counseling support. Currently, students have group sessions three times a week with their counselor and an individual phone call check-in on the non-group days. Starting Monday, April 27th, students will continue group sessions three times a week, but will no longer receive individual phone call check-ins. Instead, they will have access to our newest change: a virtual bench.
The virtual bench is a Google Sheets document that has been shared with each student. They can access this document by clicking on the email with the attachment for the bench. If a student needs individual support on non-group or even group days, they should open the Google document and fill it out a request to speak with their counselor. Counselors will be regularly checking the virtual bench throughout the day (during school hours) and will reach out via email to schedule a time for the individual phone call. Students have been made aware of this change and the process by which they can use the virtual bench.
Finally, I am asking for your support to help protect our staff and students’ rights to privacy by reminding your kids that they are forbidden from making video, photographic or sound recordings of any school classes, social events or activities.
Thank you again for all of the wonderful support that you are offering to our staff and students. I continue to wish you and your loved ones healthy bodies and peaceful minds.
Sincerely,
Toby Ray Loyd
