MHS CLOSED for In Person Learning due to Public Health Emergency

CLOSED for In Person Learning
Seen in this photo, Murdock High School of Winchendon, with a vote of the Board of Health due to a public health emergency and DESE recommendation as a result of a high viral outbreak, is closed temporarily for in-person classes and is currently only providing classes with online teaching, and scheduled to reopen for in-person learning on Monday, January 3 after the end of the holiday break in what is a fluid situation.
Photo by Keith Kent

by Keith Kent, Winchendon Courier Correspondent
Due to a dramatic increase in COVID-19 viral cases which have steadily been on the rise, Murdock High School has temporarily been closed for in-person learning, with online classes taking place on a temporary basis starting Thursday, December 16, through Thursday, December 23. At this time MHS is scheduled to reopen for normal in-person classes on its regularly scheduled return date at the end of the holiday break on Monday, January 3.

On Tuesday, December 14, then-Interim Superintendent Thad King contacted the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requesting guidance in addressing what had become significantly high viral infection rates among students of Murdock High School (Murdock Middle School and both Toy Town Elementary and Memorial Elementary Schools are still at manageable levels under current protocol guidelines). In that call, DESE "Strongly Recommended" that King take the appropriate steps for the protection of all who attend class and work at the high school, by temporarily shifting to online learning only until the end of the holiday break in January, to try to lower the amount of positive cases currently registered at the school.

In addition, DESE highly recommended that King request and obtain a lawful vote of the Town of Winchendon Board of Health supporting and enacting the measure. Early in the afternoon on Tuesday, December 14, King contacted the Board of Health requesting a meeting as soon as possible so all aspects per the DESE recommendation could be in place for any potential upcoming announcement. A request for the Emergency Meeting was then made to all BOH members requesting attendance if possible due to the municipal public health emergency at Murdock High School.

With 4 of 5 members able to make the meeting on less than three hours' notice and with the meeting legally posted under Emergency Meeting guidelines in accordance with Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws due to a public heath emergency, the Emergency Meeting began at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14. King informed the Board of "57 students and counting documented viral positive" which, when added to those in quarantine, is nearly 100 affected students, with an additional 100 students on a DESE approved "Test and Stay" program, out of a high school population of roughly 265 students. There are also several faculty and or staff members out at this time. The "Test and Stay" program is explained online at https://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/testing/

During the meeting all members present asked multiple questions, with King answering each member appropriately, describing how DESE had tried to assist the Winchendon Public Schools district through the CIC Health testing assistance program, to aid both the WPS and Central Office with getting a better handle on the true scope of the situation. (The CIC Health testing programs can be reviewed at https://www.cic-health.com/ and https://www.cic-health.com/schools/massachusetts

After discussion, the Board of Health, in Emergency Meeting, voted 4-0 in favor closing the High School only, supporting the DESE recommendation to temporarily close the school for in-person learning, and return to in-person learning beginning after the end of the upcoming holiday break on the scheduled date of Monday, January 3. With the lawful written permission of DESE under Regulation 603 CMR 27.06, King then cancelled in-person learning for Murdock High School only, with no classes held on Wednesday, December 15, to allow all staff and faculty members to prepare for a temporary return to Zoom instruction beginning Thursday, December 16. (The law with which DESE allowed the WPS District to make this temporary modification at Murdock High School only, "Student Learning Time: Waivers or Modifications" can be reviewed at https://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr27.html?section=06)

The WPS District immediately released a district-wide statement regarding the current situation at Murdock High School which also can be viewed on the district website at https://www.winchendonk12.org/article/610087https://www.winchendonk12.org/article/610087

Later that evening on Tuesday, December 14, the School Committee held its last candidate interviews for the permanent position of Superintendent of Winchendon Public Schools. On Wednesday, December 15, after careful School Committee consideration and the final candidate evaluations had been completed, the Committee contacted then-Interim Superintendent of Schools Thad King and offered him the permanent position of Superintendent of Winchendon Public Schools. King announced on Wednesday, December 15 that he formally accepted the offer and will become the next Superintendent of Schools for the WPS District.

The Board of Health acknowledges that the current situation at both Murdock High School and the WPS District is fluid and not static, as the Town of Winchendon is currently one of the lowest municipalities per population vaccinated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It should also be noted, at the Board of Health's previous regularly monthly meeting in Monday, December 6, the BOH with a vote of 5-0 in favor and all members in attendance, approved a "Recommendation of becoming vaccinated only if one is healthy enough to do so."

As of the Thursday, December 9 Massachusetts Department of Public Health report, Winchendon was listed as only 52 percent fully vaccinated, with only 59 percent receiving at least one dose of a vaccine. While just one of many, this is a contributing factor to the current public health emergency. The Commonwealth averages 72 percent fully vaccinated, with Worcester County, when including the bracket of ages 12 and up, registered in the same December 9 DPH report at 75 percent fully vaccinated. At this time, the Mass DPH lists just over 5 million of its 6.9 million residents now fully vaccinated.

Superintendent Thad King said, "We want students, parents, guardians, and staff to know that we did not make this decision lightly, and take both the their health and welfare, and quality of education of our students very seriously. The classrooms, cafeteria, gymnasium and building have been fogged and continued to be cleaned as always. We look forward to getting our students back in to the high school classrooms as soon as possible. We would also like to than DESE for their assistance with the extra nurses for testing to help us get what was clearly a better grasp of the situation."

Due to the special dispensation the WPS District received for the temporary purposes of online learning, it has created an online class Zoom schedule page which is available on its public school website at https://www.winchendonk12.org/o/mhs/article/610062

TTE Youth Changemakers Have a Nature Adventure in GAR Park

Photo courtesy of Liz Latoria

The Youth Changemakers from Toy Town Elementary school were at Gar Park last week with Nature Adventure Backpacks from Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust and the Beals Memorial Library. Student volunteers from The Winchendon School helped the kiddos out as they had to use binoculars & bird guides to find different birds hidden throughout the trees (paper ones). It was cold but so much fun! THANK YOU to all involved! This is part of our SKILLSHARE program where local people and organizations share skills they have with others! We've already had some great Skillshares from Ophelia Jude, and GALA - Gardner Area League of Artists! Let us know if YOU want to lead a Skillshare!

Nature Adventure Backpacks can now be borrowed from the Beals Memorial Library in Winchendon! Thanks to grants from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts and the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, Mount Grace has created nature adventure backpacks that contain everything you might need to have an exciting experience in the outdoors! If you are 18 or older you can take it out at the Beals Memorial Library for a week at a time.

Congratulations Mrs. Patty Rudick

Winchendon Public Schools Educator of the Week
December 13, 2021

Photo courtesy of Liz Latoria

What do you love about being an educator?

What I love about being an educator are the rewards I see when children learn. It is very satisfying and exciting when a student progresses over time. In kindergarten, the children make tremendous gains academically and socially. To watch this unfold throughout the year, and to know I contribute an important role to their successes is one reason I love what I do!

What do you do that makes a difference in the lives of your students?

What I do to make a difference in the lives of my students is to give children the enriching foundation they need to succees in all their years ahead. Giving children the message that I believe in them with words of encouragement boosts their confidence to become successful. When student do have successful moments I show them how proud I am of their accomplishments.

Monty Tech Holiday Gift Sale Funds Student Scholarships

Vocational Students Offer Handcrafted Gifts and Services to Local Residents

FITCHBURG, Massachusetts - December 14, 2021 - Students at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School are making holiday shopping a little bit easier for local residents this year. Together with their shop teachers, students created a catalog of holiday gifts available for purchase. The holiday sale allows students to showcase their talents while raising money for the Monty Tech Foundation's Student Scholarship Fund.

This year's gift catalog featured 11 items available for purchase. The school shared the catalog with supporters via its Facebook page, and all items sold out within days. Among the offered items were car detailing gift certificates from the Auto Body program; Adirondack chairs handcrafted by students in the Cabinetmaking and Carpentry programs; fire pit rings made by Welding students; candle holders etched by Advanced Manufacturing students; and holiday cookie kits courtesy of the Culinary program. In total, students produced more than 300 items.

"I'm not surprised that all items sold out so quickly. Community members are familiar with the high level of craftsmanship our students demonstrate and our instructors expect. Moreover, throughout this pandemic, the community has stepped up to support their own in so many ways, whether providing yearbooks to the Class of 2020 or meals to struggling families. Seeing our local communities rally around student scholarships and grants isn't a surprise," said Monty Tech principal Thomas Browne.

Funds raised through the holiday sale are distributed to graduating students via the non-profit Monty Tech Foundation, which is held by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts. College-bound Monty Tech alumni are eligible for typical scholarships, while those entering the workforce are eligible for tool and equipment grants. The holiday sale has allowed the Foundation to continue awarding around $30,000 in scholarships and grants each year, despite pandemic-related limitations on in-person fundraising events.

"The overwhelming support for the holiday sale is a testament not just to the incredible talents of Monty Tech students and educators, but also a recognition that these young people are the future of our regional workforce," says Sheila Harrity, superintendent-director of Monty Tech. "Buying student-made gifts is a terrific way to celebrate the holidays while investing in our local community."

Students are proud to be involved in the holiday sale, sharing their talents while helping classmates. "I'm so glad to be a part of raising funds for our senior class scholarship fund by using the skills I've learned in my trade," says Alyshia Solomon, a Monty Tech senior from Fitchburg. Solomon is a student in the Culinary Arts program and is helping to create the sale's popular holiday cookie decorating kits.

"While all of this year's holiday gifts are sold out, there are countless ways to support Monty Tech students," says Julie Blazar, Monty Tech's community outreach specialist. "Enjoy a meal at our Mountain Room Restaurant, or have your hair styled in our salon. Keep an eye on our social media for events here on-campus and in the community. We love to connect with local residents and always appreciate their generous support."

Monty Tech serves 1,450 high school students from 18 cities and towns, providing a comprehensive academic program and cutting-edge vocational-technical programs. To support the Monty Tech Foundation Student Scholarship Fund, please visit montytech.net/scholarships.

(l-r) Cabinetmaking students Magdalena Phelps of Winchendon and Madisyn Mcdonald of Westminster are pictured with instructor Michael Dion, displaying lazy Susans they created in conjunction with welding students.
Photo courtesy of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School

(l-r) Welding students Cameron Martin of Ashby; Hunter Manca of Templeton; Logan Knower of Gardner; Jaci Langford of Winchendon; and Matthew Jepson of Sterling displaying one of the gifts they created for the sale
Photo courtesy of Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School