This email serves as notice that the Massachusetts School Building Authority (the “MSBA”) has approved the Town of Medfield’s (the “District’s”) September 24, 2020 request for an extension to the schedule and Feasibility Study Agreement for the Dale Street Elementary School project. The MSBA accepts the updated project schedule and notes the new Feasibility Study Agreement expiration date is November 30, 2021.
If you have any questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
October 13, 2020 08:53 AM The Board of Health has announced the following case numbers of COVID-19 in Medfield: 54 confirmed, 7 active Read on Click here for more information
We were informed this afternoon by the Public Health Nurse that a student at Blake Middle School and a student at Medfield High School have tested positive for Covid-19. It’s important to note that these students did not participate with in-person classes during their infectious period, which is defined by the Massachusetts Department of Health as 48 hours before the beginning of symptoms. Because of this, there are no in-school close contacts. All community close contacts have already been identified and contacted.
Though we cannot provide specific information about the students who tested positive, if you have not been contacted, your child was not a close contact with either of the affected students. See the definition of a close contact below:
What is a close contact?: Per Massachusetts DPH, if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, their close contacts will be defined as only those who have been within 6 feet of the individual for at least 15 minutes, while the person was infectious. All close contacts should be tested but must self-quarantine for 14 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive, regardless of the test result.
Our students and staff will continue to adhere to the safety protocols during school and during after-school activities including mask-wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing. We are grateful for the continued vigilance of our families as your efforts, coupled with the school safety measures continue to help reduce the risk of transmission in Medfield. It is critical that families whose students/family members test positive for COVID-19 report the results to our school nurses and the Medfield Health Department. Please see the attachment with important COVID-19 resources.
Sincerely,
Jeff Marsden
Jeffrey J. Marsden, Ed.D
Superintendent
Medfield Public Schools
508-359-2302
Follow me on Twitter @JeffreyJMarsden and @DaleStProject
Medfield Public Schools COVID-19 Resources Kathy Thompson, RN, MSN Medfield Public Schools Nurse Leader
Daily Home Screening A. If your student has any of these symptoms or situations below, do not send them to school and please call the school nurse. We may recommend you call their health care provider for further follow-up and/or testing. ■ Fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) or chills ■ Cough (not due to other known cause, such as asthma) ■ Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath ■ New loss of taste or smell ■ Sore throat ■ Headache (in combination with other symptoms) ■ Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea ■ Fatigue (in combination with other symptoms) ■ Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other know causes such as allergies) and when in combination with other symptoms ■ Muscle aches and/or body aches B. If your student is a close contact of someone who has tested positive, they must quarantine for 14 days after last exposure to them. Close contact with a COVID + person is defined as within 6ft of them for 15 minutes during their infectious period. The i nfectious period is 2 days before symptoms start or the date of positive test for individuals without symptoms. C. If your student travels outside of Massachusetts to a high risk state, they must follow the MA Travel Order BEFORE they can return to school. Please contact the school nurse if they have travelled outside of MA (or have plans to). 2 . If your child needs to be dismissed through the nurse’s office, we ask that someone be available to pick them up within 30 minutes of the call. Be sure your emergency contacts in ASPEN are current. 3 . If you/your student needs to get tested, it must be the more reliable PCR test. 4 .Here is a list of all testing sites in MA: MA Testing Sites . It is advised that you check with your insurance before getting tested Stop the Spread Marlborough is a free site with relatively quick turn around (24-48 hours) for a PCR test. 5 . Due to changes in where students eat snack/lunch and lack of Allergen Free table please refrain from sending your student to school with ANY foods containing peanuts or tree nuts. 6 . Please have your student get a flu shot this year by 12/31 as it is a new immunization requirement for all Massachusetts school students. SCHOOL NURSE CONTACT INFO: Memorial , Kim Maguire, RN, BSN: (508) 242-8576 Wheelock , Aimie Kiegan, RN, BSN: (508) 242-8577 Dale , Kathy Thompson, RN, MSN: (508) 242-8573 Blake , Tricia Williams, RN, BSN & Arlene O’Driscoll-Dricoll RN, MSN: (508) 242-8554 MHS , Liz Bennett, RN, BSN & Brittany Hardiman, RN, BSN: (508)242-8568
Comments Off on 54 confirmed, 7 active + Superintendent’s email + guidance from Kathy Thompson, RN, MPS Nurse Leader
This public forum is being held by the School Building Committee, but the Select Board is holding a concurrent posted meeting as part of the public forum.
With the school year underway, Medfield Coalition for Public Education (MCPE) is hosting a series of activities to bring the community together as One Medfield–all in support of our K-12 public schools.
In the month of October, community members can show their town spirit by signing up to have a special logo painted on their driveways. Between October 5 and November 15, let’s continue to be active.
Join the Medfield Movement Challenge and walk, run, bike, rollerblade, swim or skip your way to 20.52 miles (a play on the best zip code in the world, 02052!). Sign up to receive a weekly motivational email, a log to track your progress, and a t-shirt upon completion.
Then, on November 19 at 8:00pm, MCPE launches its “Medfield Night In” series with a virtual flower arranging class in conjunction with Alice’s Table. All you need are scissors and water. Fall flowers and a decorative container will be delivered to your door, anywhere in the USA, the day before the class. Sign up now for one of the few remaining spots!
MCPE thanks their generous sponsors of these events, Will’s Hardware and Medfield Orthodontics.
Stay tuned for more ways to keep connected to your community while raising money for a good cause.
Posted onSeptember 30, 2020|Comments Off on Dale Street School Project Public Forum
Board of Selectmen
Posted on: September 30, 2020
Dale Street School Project Public Forum
Please join the Board of Selectmen and the Dale Street School Building Committee for a virtual public forum about the Dale Street School Project on Wednesday, October 14 at 6 pm. The information to join the Zoom meeting is included below.
Posted onSeptember 30, 2020|Comments Off on Dale Street School Project corrections
Today I received two emailed corrections, which I have inserted below, about the material that I posted on the status of the Dale Street School project. Thanks to both Mike Quinlan and Chris McCue for making the information posted here more accurate for residents.
Just a quick note – our School Committee never had a public discussion about the Dale Street site options, despite what Leo Brehm stated at the Select Board meeting. I’ve attended all the meetings, and anyone can take a look at meeting tapes to see that was the case. Leo had no business answering “yes” to the question “Is School Committee in agreement on the site?” because they never talked about it. This was a big misstep in the process.
Medfield School Committee should have devoted time on its own meeting agenda to discuss the pros/cons of each site from an educational standpoint, and to take public input on just that aspect of the project alone, but never did. Of course, one can assume that SC members will all be in agreement on Wheelock since that is what the superintendent wants, but it’s not a valid reason to short-change the community engagement process on one of the most important site selection criteria.
It has come to my attention that you posted about this on your blog. I just want to be clear, as I noted below, the MSBA has not formally responded to our schedule extension request. They have informally indicated support but have not formally responded and there are some senior people who will need to chime in.
Your post indicates more certainty than we have right now. Would you please clarify your blog as I know people do read it.
Thanks
Mike
[this from the 9/24/20 email from Mike]
We don’t have official word but early indications based off informal conversation seem to be that the MSBA will support the schedule extension.
Comments Off on Dale Street School Project corrections
The follow up public forum by the School Building Committee, requested by the Select Board at its meeting last Tuesday, has been scheduled for 6 PM on October 14, 2020. The purpose of this additional public forum is to provide the additional “process” the Select Board requested happen before the Select Board votes on the siting decision for the new Dale Street School. Some residents stated that they felt that the process had been rushed.
To date, the Wheelock location is the unanimous choice of all member of all involved town committees – the SBC, the School Committee, and the Select Board.
Mike Quinlan, chair of the SBC, reported this past week that the MSBA indicated that it will not financially punish the town for not having voted to proceed last Tuesday. That fear was a stated concern of the SBC for asking the Select Board to vote last Tuesday.
Below is the SBC’s last email about the project, on 9/21/2020, with links to the data it developed.
DALE STREET SCHOOL PROJECT UPDATE September 2020 Edition Grades 4-5 Alternative G1 New Construction Wheelock Site PRIORITY DECISIONS MADE On August 27, 2020, the School Committee voted unanimously to select the 4-5 grade configuration. It was ultimately decided that the 4-5 grade configuration was the most viable option for the current economic climate.
On September 16, 2020, the School Building Committee voted to recommend the selection of the Wheelock site for the location of the new school. Of the alternatives presented on the Wheelock site, the committee selected G1 Alternative as the Preferred Schematic Option.
The School Building Committee will now recommend the Preferred Schematic Option to the Board of Selectmen on September 22, 2020 at 7PM. View from Elm Street Entrance View from Wheelock School Parking Lot TOP REASONS FOR WHEELOCK CAMPUS
Continuity of educational programming of a grades 2-5 campus
Share resources and staff between Wheelock and a new Dale Street school
Allows for future flexibility with enrollment or consolidation
Avoids temporary displacement and disruption of students during construction
WHEELOCK CAMPUS CHALLENGES
Potential Traffic impacts on surrounding neighborhood
Overall Property Tax impacts
ADDITIONAL OUTREACH
Grade Configuration Information
Site Selection Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Project Schedule
Sustainability Upcoming Project Milestones SEPTEMBER 22 – BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING (Vote on Preferred Solution)
OCTOBER 14 – DRAFT PSR Submission to Building Committee Members for Review
OCTOBER 21 – SCHOOL BUILDING COMMITTEE MEETING (Vote on PSR Submission)
OCTOBER 27 – SUBMIT PSR TO MSBA
DECEMBER 16 – MSBA BOARD MEETING (Approval of PSR) Project Resources
I attended an on-line Massachusetts Municipal Association program on reopening schools and police reforms. The Massachusetts Municipal Association has now made the program available to hear, so I am sharing the link to do so, as I found it instructive.
I started this blog to share the interesting and useful information that I saw while doing my job as a Medfield select board member. I thought that my fellow Medfield residents would also find that information interesting and useful as well. This blog is my effort to assist in creating a system to push the information out from the Town House to residents. Let me know if you have any thoughts on how it can be done better.
For information on my other job as an attorney (personal injury, civil litigation, estate planning and administration, and real estate), please feel free to contact me at 617-969-1500 or Osler.Peterson@OslerPeterson.com.
DALE STREET SCHOOL PROJECT UPDATE September 2020 Edition 
Grades 4-5 Alternative G1 New Construction Wheelock Site PRIORITY DECISIONS MADE 
View from Elm Street Entrance 
View from Wheelock School Parking Lot TOP REASONS FOR WHEELOCK CAMPUS
Upcoming Project Milestones SEPTEMBER 22 – BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING (Vote on Preferred Solution)
Medfield02052's Blog 