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LATEST UPDATES AND VIRTUAL LEARNING RESOURCES

On May 5, Governor Lamont and The State Department of Education announced that in-person classes will remain canceled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. However, online learning will continue daily until the last day of school on Friday, June 12, 2020. While we are physically apart, we have created this page to provide up-to-date information and resources to help you get answers to any questions you may have.

To view more information related to a specific category, simply click on the + sign to the left of that category. If you do not find an answer below, please email Matthew Cannata, Safety and Communications Manager, at cannatam@csdnb.org.


May 5th: Cancellation of in-school classes through the end of the 2019-2020 school year.
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 23: Chromebook distribution, NBHS Graduation, EOY celebrations, and Summer Learning
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 20: Grading procedure for the remainder of the school year
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 17: Tentative graduation timeline for the NBHS Class of 2020
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 13th: The State Department of Education has launched a "Professional Support Series" for families in response to COVID-19. This webinar series is designed to provide support as families are the first line of defense in reassuring and talking with their children during these uncertain times. English | Spanish | Arabic

April 9: Updates from the Governor and SDE, continuation of online learning, and scholarships for seniors
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 6: Data from our online engagement and the steps to take moving forward
English | Spanish | Arabic

April 1: Information from the State Department of Education regarding Hartford County's entry into the 'peak period.'
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 30: Phase two of our extended school closure: Continued Educational Opportunities (CEO)
Click to watch the Superintendent's message

March 27: Preparing for phase two of our extended closure, accessing Google Classroom, and more
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 26: Meal distribution centers and state testing updates from the SDE
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 24: Latest updates regarding extended school closure
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 23: Latest updates from around CSDNB
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 20: Text version of PowerSchool call
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 20: PowerSchool contact information, Interim Learning Plan, and more
English | Spanish | Arabic

March 19: What to expect in the days and weeks ahead
English | Spanish | Arabic


How can I obtain a school-issued Chromebook for my child?
District-issued Chromebooks are limited to households with no access to a device. In the first round of the rollout, we limited distribution to one Chromebook per family for K-8 students and one per high school student. Now, we are currently working on getting more devices out to families who have multiple school-age children.

If you still need a Chromebook, please reach out to your school secretary or Family School Liaison. To receive calls from us regarding Chromebook distribution, please ensure your contact information is updated in PowerSchool.

I am having trouble accessing Google Classroom and the DAB website. What should I do?
We have created how-to-videos and documents here that will help guide you through the process. If you need additional support, please fill out our form requesting technical assistance.

Expectations for Google Hangouts
CSDNB has prepared a list of expectations for students using Google Hangouts during Continued Educational Opportunities. The list of norms is for students when video conferencing with school staff and individual students or small groups of students.
English
| Spanish | Arabic

Are you looking for internet options?
The State of Connecticut offers a list of internet service providers with information on packages they are offering to increase access during the COVID-19 crisis. Click here for the list of internet service providers.

I have Wi-Fi but no computer at home. What should I do?
The DAB resources are available on any device! This includes Smart Televisions, XBoxes, and Playstations too! Click here for information regarding technology needed for online learning.



How can I get in contact with my child's school and/or family school liaison?
If you need to get in touch with your building principal, please call the school's main office. Building secretaries are working from home and will answer the school's phone line during building regular open hours. School Offices and Family School Liaisons have temporary phone numbers and can be reached during normal school hours. Please note that as part of Governor Lamont's "Stay Home and Stay Safe" initiative, all school buildings are closed to all families. Until further notice, only essential employees are allowed into buildings on a limited basis.

Click for Temporary Directory of Schools During School Closure
Click for Temporary Directory of Family School Liaisons During School Closure

How do I ensure that we are receiving all of the latest messages from CSDNB?
Your personal contact information must be updated in PowerSchool.  This is the first step in CSDNB being able to connect with you to provide important updates and for you to communicate your needs during Continued Educational Opportunities (CEO).  Each student also has a unique CSDNB email account where important communication from your child’s teacher, school administration, and district administration is often shared. 

To learn more about how to update your information in PowerSchool and/or access your child’s CSDNB email account, please reach out to your child’s school secretary or their teacher.  You can also visit the Daily Activities for Your Brain (DAB) “How-to” section for help videos and instructions.

Communication via student email
The school district will use student emails to send additional messages to all students. Log in here using your student Google account to check your messages.
If you're having trouble switching between Google accounts, click here for directions.


On March 30, we began phase two of learning during the extended school closure in the Consolidated School District of New Britain. We are calling this phase ‘Continued Educational Opportunities (CEO)’. During CEO, Google Classroom will be the primary vehicle for classroom instruction. Students will access assignments and tasks posted by their classroom teacher(s) through their Google Classroom(s).

Questions about posted assignments should be directed to classroom teachers. In addition, on or before Monday, April 6th, a weekly overview of plans will be available on each school’s page linked above under School Pages.

This DAB website will remain active and available during CEO and can be used to support and supplement student work with their teachers in Google Classroom. Families may continue to use resources on DAB as they wish.

Click here to enter the Academics DAB Website >>


Our Pupil Services Department would like to offer our wishes for your health and continued wellbeing during this unprecedented time. CSDNB is transitioning to new ways to provide your child with continued educational opportunities during the COVID-19 crisis. We are happy to answer questions and assist as needed. Please click below for a list of contacts for our department and the schools or services they oversee. Additionally, we have also linked to several resources that you may find helpful.

- Click here for Pupil Services Directory: English
| Spanish | Arabic
- Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) List of Resources for Families
- Notice Regarding Video Conferences in Special Education Setting (English) | (Spanish) | (Arabic)
- Talk It Out Hotline information for families experiencing stress during the pandemic (English)
| (Spanish) | (Arabic)



Meal Distribution
CSDNB is committed to providing meals to families throughout the remainder of the school year. The sites are listed below, and families can stop by a site Monday-Friday from 8:30 - 10:00 AM and then again from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM. You may pick up both breakfast and lunch with one stop. Please note that you must wear a facial covering (mask, scarf, bandana, etc.) when picking up the food.

- Jefferson Elementary on 140 Horse Plain Road
- Smalley Elementary on 175 West Street
- New Britain High School at 110 Mill Street
- Smith Elementary School at 142 Rutherford Road
- Pulaski Middle School at 757 Farmington Avenue
- Lincoln Elementary School at 145 Steele Street
- DiLoreto Elementary & Middle School at 732 Slater Road
- Boys and Girls Club at 150 Washington Steet

How can I support my child's social and emotional needs during this crisis?

The State Department of Education has launched a “Professional Support Series” for families in response to COVID-19. This webinar series is designed to provide support as families are the first line of defense in reassuring and talking with their children during these uncertain times. The series is available here. Topics include social emotional support for you and your family, supporting students with special needs, English Learners, and continuation of education and early Childhood (preschool).

Talk It Out Hotline sponsored by the DCF
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families has created a new "Talk It Out" hotline to help relieve the stress of caring for children during this pandemic. This resource is available to parents and caretakers to speak live with a trained professional, who will listen and speak with those in need about their concerns and, if necessary, refer them to responsive services. Parents and caretakers can call 1-833-258-5011 or visit www.talkitoutct.com Monday through Friday from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm or on weekends from 1:00 pm - 8:00 pm.
English
| Spanish | Arabic

Virtual Play-and-Learn Family Support Groups
Registration is open to receive access to virtual Play-and-Learns and Family Support Groups. Both programs are led by certified parent educators and are designed for families with children ages 0 through 5. Participants will be connected with resources in the school and community that support child development.
Click here to read more and to register

Daily Schedule Template
CSDNB staff has created a daily schedule for families to use as a guideline throughout the remainder of the school year. For the printable version, you can click here.


Will there be a Class of 2020 graduation ceremony for NBHS and SCA seniors?

New Britain High School’s administrators have been working closely with the Superintendent’s Office to monitor health guidelines to plan for graduation while ensuring the health and safety of all students, staff and families. A focus group of senior students was created to gather potential scenarios and a “wish-list” for the senior class. Administration has worked with the committee to implement the following timeline to inform the decision-making process for the NBHS Class of 2020 Graduation. A final decision regarding what graduation may look like will be coming in the weeks ahead.

Will promotion and other recognition ceremonies be held for elementary and middle school students?
CSDNB staff are looking for creative ways to recognize our students with the understanding that traditional end of year celebrations will probably look different this year. More information will be made available when plans are finalized.



Are you still collecting fees during the COVID-19 shutdown?

At this time, we will not be collecting parent fees from our preschool families. When we return to our normal operating schedule we will send you an updated statement.



Advanced Placement Exams

Traditional face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home. Further details can be found here > https://bit.ly/39jMdfl

Standard testing
The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) submitted a waiver to the United States Department of Education (USED) on March 20, 2020, in regard to federal assessment and accountability requirements. The CSDE has received approval from the USED that Connecticut can begin to implement the provisions in this waiver which includes no summative testing (Smarter Balance, Next Generation Science Standards, CT SAT, CTAA and CTAS)

SAT Assessment
Since many students in grade 11 use the Connecticut SAT School Day for college acceptance/placement, the CSDE will work closely with the College Board to determine how best to afford all students the opportunity to take an SAT assessment either this spring or sometime in the future

Translations: Spanish | Arabic



Will there be summer learning programs this year?
Our traditional Summer SEE for grades K-3, CREATE for grades 4-5 and XTREME for grades 6-8 may look different this summer. We are planning in the event we will not be able to bring all of us together. More information to come.

How can I register for NBHS Summer School?
Due to the social distancing guidelines that are in place, New Britain High School will hold its summer courses virtually this year. And with courses set to begin in just a few weeks, we are now accepting enrollment for current NBHS students. For students who are in need of credits, this is a chance to earn them over a period of several weeks in the summer months free of charge.

Virtual Summer School will run from June 22 - July 14 from 7:30 - 11:45 AM. All students who register can take one, two, or three half-credit courses. Credit Recovery will run June 22 - July 17 from 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM.

All students must complete the online application to enroll. To enroll, please click here to access the application.




Below are links to Government Agencies with up-to-date information and advice regarding COVID-19 or Coronavirus. The United Way of Connecticut also has a 2-1-1 hotline dedicated to answering general questions free of charge for individuals. Call 2-1-1 or text "CTCOVID" to 898211.

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Connecticut State Department of Education
United States Department of Education
City of New Britain Health Department
Directory of Local Health Departments

CDC Guidance to limit the spread of the flu and coronavirus

- Wash hands frequently with soap and hot water for 20 seconds
- Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick If you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
- Stay home and avoid contact with other people while you are sick so you do not spread the virus to others.