Keeping Danvers Students Engaged
during the Summer of 2020
Welcome to our webpage dedicated to Keeping Danvers Students Engaged. Here you will find the latest updates regarding our fall reopening plan and resources for summer learning, for supporting the antiracism work in the district, and for supporting families.
Danvers Public Schools is committed to providing our students with quality educational materials that will enrich their learning throughout the summer. The materials you will find here are a culmination of the collaboration between our teachers, administrators, and curriculum directors.
If you are experiencing difficulty or have specific questions that are not answered in our FAQ section please reach out to your school principal. Please contact dpscurriculum@danvers.org for curriculum-related questions.
Archive of All Updates to Families
Drop down menu:
Summer and School Reopening Updates
Updates from February, 28 2020 - June 1, 2020
DPS Update 6/1: End of 19-20 School Year, Survey, Parent Resources
DPS Update 5/18: Remote Learning, Survey, and Family Resources
DPS Update 5/4: Remote Learning Update, Resources, and Expectations
DPS Update 4/24: Use of Google Meet
DPS Update 4/24: MIAA Announces Spring 2020 Sports & Tournaments Cancelled
DPS Update 4/21: Schools to Remain Closed Through End of Year
DPS Update 4/14: April Vacation, MCAS, legal notice, etc.
DPS Update 4/9: DESE Remote Learning and Special Education Information
DPS Update 4/2: Special Education Letter
DPS Update 4/1: Town of Danvers and State 0f Massachusetts Information
DPS Update 3/30: DESE Remote Learning and Special Education Information
DPS Update 3/27: Remote Learning and FAQs
DPS Update 3/23: Accessible Learning Opportunities
DPS Update 3/19: Social Distancing and Learning Resources
DPS Update 3/17: Family Resources
DPS Update 3/13: List of North Shore Schools Closing
Summer Learning Resources
Danvers Public Schools is engaging students with resources through the Summer of 2020. The district will continue to update enrichment resources on the elementary, middle school, and high school pages, below. Our focus remains on the core academic areas and social emotional learning, and emphasizes independent reading every day.
If you have any questions about any of these resources, please feel free to reach out to dpscurriculum@danvers.org
Choose Your Grade Level
Resources for Families
Your family’s well-being is important to us, so we are providing resources that we believe will benefit you in these difficult times. Please choose the resources that best fit your family.
Free Lunch Option: Delivery or Pickup for Families in Need
The school lunch program was able to provide thousands of meals to those in need from March – June.
For the Summer of 2020 we have transitioned our lunch delivery program to the Danvers Senior Center. They will provide our Danvers families and seniors with a “Grab & Go” lunch program.
They are also looking for volunteers to assist us in getting meals to these homebound seniors. If you would be willing to donate a few hours of your time to help it would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the Danvers Senior Center at 978-762-0208 to sign on to help!
Tips for Parents
Learning at Home
Create a schedule and routine for learning at home, but remain flexible.
- Have consistent bedtimes and get up at the same time, Monday through Friday.
- Structure the day for learning, free time, healthy meals and snacks, and physical activity.
- Allow flexibility in the schedule—it’s okay to adapt based on your day.
Look for ways to make learning fun.
- Have hands-on activities, like puzzles, painting, drawing, and making things.
- Independent play can also be used in place of structured learning. Encourage children to build a fort from sheets or practice counting by stacking blocks.
- Practice handwriting and grammar by writing letters to family members. This is a great way to connect and limit face-to-face contact.
- Start a journal with your child to document this time and discuss the shared experience.
- Listen to audiobooks together
Take active breaks
- Encourage your child to play outdoors—it’s great for physical and mental health. Take a walk with your child or go on a bike ride.
- Use indoor activity breaks (e.g., stretch breaks, dance breaks) throughout the day to help your child stay healthy and focused.
Staying Connected
- Consider ways your child can stay connected with their friends without spending time in person.
- Schedule a virtual “hangout” with friends or loved ones using an online video system such as FaceTime or Google Hangout.
- Write a letter to a friend or family member. Writing has been shown to help people feel less sad or upset. Don’t forget to wash your hands after you get back from dropping the letter in the mailbox!
- Call a neighbor or friend to check-in on how they are doing. If you are healthy, offer to run an errand for an elderly or infirm neighbor. Helping others can help us feel connected and gives us a sense of purpose during this difficult time. Be mindful to wash your hands before and after the errand and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between you and the person you are helping. Even seemingly healthy people can transmit illnesses.
- Go for a walk and simply wave or greet others from a safe distance.
- Social media can help us maintain connections to others, especially family and friends who live far away. Too much exposure, however, can make anxiety or depression worse. Be mindful of how much time on social media helps you feel connected and less alone versus overwhelmed.
Talking to your child about Coronavirus
Managing Coronavirus Anxiety
Mental Health Crisis Support
Mass.gov Resources:
- Contact your behavioral health provider to see if they can schedule a telehealth visit. Telehealth is a virtual therapy session. Many providers are now offering this option.
- Contact Samaritans 24/7. Call or text our 24/7 helpline any time at 1-877-870-4673.
- Contact Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741
- Visit the new Massachusetts Network of Care website to locate behavioral health resources in your area.
- Contact SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline. The Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
- Contact the Massachusetts Emergency Services Program/Mobile Crisis Intervention (ESP/MCI) – 1-877-382-1609 (read more about this program)
Massachusetts Resources For Those Experiencing Homelessness
Food
- As of today, only public schools where at least 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals or Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) area eligible open sites that were operational in the Summer of 2019 are currently eligible for USDA reimbursement for meals served during school closures.
- DESE has also been in discussions with the Department of Transitional Assistance, Project Bread, and the regional Food Bank system about ancillary services during this effort.
- As meal distribution sites are approved DESE will work with its outreach partner Project Bread to ensure the public is notified of student meal site locations and service times. In the meantime, promote meal sites locally.
- Counselors at Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333 are available to connect your community to food resources in their community as well as provide them with information about elder meals programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. The Hotline will continue to operate Monday-Friday, 8am-7pm and Saturdays 10am-2pm, and can provide information in 160 languages through our Language Line. Promote this as needed.
Shelter
- The shelter system is still up and running . Local Office are closed are closed Monday and Tuesday this week (3/16 and 3/17). Do not send families into local offices.
- Shelter applications can and should be done by phone at 1-866-584-0653
- If you are working/talking with families in shelter stress the need to follow all the prevention strategies posted by DPH – hand washing, social distancing, cleaning surfaces and so forth. This is very important in shelters just like anywhere else.
- Families must follow shelter quarantine/isolation rules should those go into effect.
- Families should not be worrying about housing search at this time. They may still apply for housing online and work with their case managers by phone.
- DHCD will be encouraging housing authorities temporarily not to take any action against tenants who have a family doubling up and Housing courts are suspending eviction proceedings temporarily.
Mass.gov Resources:
- Citizen’s Planning and Housing Association (CHAPA) – Are you Impacted by COVID-19 and Need Housing Assistance?
- Mass. Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) – Resources for Renters and Homeowners
Campus housing
- As of March16, state universities and UMass campuses have committed to housing homeless students in residential housing even as classes shift on line. This is a fluid situation, however, and circumstances may change as public health guidance shifts. Students who are concerned about their ability to remain on campus should reach out to their Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and/or staff in their campus student affairs office.
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
- If they are not already, students who are unaccompanied and homeless should be connected with youth providers listed on the Unaccompanied Homeless Youth and Young Adult Commission website.
Unemployment
Mass.gov Resources:
- MA Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development – Massachusetts COVID-19 unemployment information
Stay connected – We share the latest news on our social media!
COLLABORATION CARING QUALITY COMMITMENT
