Thanks to Mary Post for displaying our theme for this year so beautifully!
December 4, 2020
Dear Families,
The HMS staff continues to work tirelessly on behalf of our students despite the continuing challenges of this complex school year. Tom and I are inspired by their dedication, flexibility, and the collective strength they demonstrate daily as they continue their essential work with our students! This week is no exception. Our educators in all roles moved smoothly and efficiently through the necessary changes, always keeping our students’ needs at the forefront. We know you join us in thanking them for their incredible efforts.
Please take some time to review the recent updates posted below.
With thanks for your ongoing support!
Joan Adler and Tom McDowell
HMS Administrative Team
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A message from the YHS Global Action Club:
As we've done in past years, we are holding a clothing drive to donate to the children at the Ocean Avenue School in Portland as well as Catholic Charities of Maine. The drive will end on December 16. Students can drop off donations in the bin located in the lobby of HMS. We will be taking the necessary precautions to safely collect and donate the clothes!
Clipper Honors - A Message from YEF:
If you are looking for a safe and thoughtful gift for educators this holiday season, the Yarmouth Education Foundation Clipper Honors program is back! This December, YEF is partnering with Clayton’s Cafe. Donate $25 or more to YEF in honor of a Yarmouth School Department employee, and your honoree will
receive a certificate of appreciation, a note from your family, and a gift card to Clayton’s! It’s simple. Place your order online (yarmoutheducationfoundation.org) by December 14, and YEF volunteers will take care
of the rest. Educators will receive their gift from your family before winter break. It is a thoughtful way to honor our amazing teachers, administrators, support staff, bus drivers, and more. Thank you!
Planned Family Absence Forms
Thank you for having your child(ren) fill out the attached Planned Family Absence form before traveling. This is an essential piece of our health protocols and will support us to keep our learning community as safe as possible.
Our teachers and students at work!
Educator and student strength and resilience on display as Ms. Myers’ class celebrates their outstanding attendance no matter what the circumstances!
Upcoming Drill - A reminder:
In keeping with practices that promote the safety and well being of our students and staff, we will hold a lockdown drill on Thursday and Friday morning, December 10 and 11, at 8:35 am.
Special News from
Casco Bay CAN Earns Nationwide Recognition: This Cumberland County-sponsored program works to reduce underage drinking and drug use. Congratulations to Casco Bay CAN on this important work! Please see the attachment for more specific information.
Please also see the attached flyer for all the information you need about the virtual screening of Angst, a national documentary featuring an interview with world-renowned athlete and mental health advocate MIchael Phelps. Join us on Tuesday, December 15th at 6:30 pm for a FREE virtual live event film showing and panel discussion.
Health and Safety Reminder
Our students' health and safety and the safety of our community continue to be a priority for all. With that in mind, I want to share a reminder of the expectations from our state regarding travel, hosting family and friends from other states, and the need to quarantine and/or test depending on your plans. The following is an excerpt from Governor Mills’ Executive Order, which Dr. Dolloff sent to us several weeks ago: "Effective Wednesday, November 4, 2020, people traveling from New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut are no longer exempt from Maine’s quarantine or negative test requirement. People coming here from these states must either quarantine for 14 days or receive a negative COVID-19 test with a sample taken less than 72 hours from arrival in Maine, quarantining while awaiting test results.” The quarantine/testing protocol includes Maine residents returning from any of the non-exempt states, and travelers visiting Maine from non-exempt states. Please reach out to us if you have questions about your travel plans and/or your plans to host folks from other states.
Dates to Remember
