Dear Families,

Please see below for this week’s announcements.

COVID Testing
Transportation Reminder
Back to School Night
Upcoming Family Town Halls
Community Events/Announcements

Stay safe and be well!

Sincerely,

Sharon Liszanckie
Executive Director

I. COVID Testing

At Boston Prep, health and safety is our number one priority. We ask for your help, as families, in a few ways.

Keep your child home if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19. If you believe your child is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please immediately contact our nurses, Ms. Golafaie and Ms. Fenoglietto, at nurses@bostonprep.org. Our nurses will partner with you to determine whether your child must remain home from school and for how long.

If you have not yet registered your child for our FREE COVID testing program, please do so now!

II. Transportation Reminder

Plan to pick your child up at school during dismissal instead of riding the yellow school bus? Please call the front office and inform Ms. Ross/Ms. Mendez at: 617-333-6688.

III. Back to School Night: Wednesday, October 6

Back to School Night will be held virtually - via Zoom. Join us online to meet your child’s teachers, learn about curriculum and grading, and more! The new date will be on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. More details and links will be shared soon.

IV. Upcoming Family Town Halls

Our next Town Hall, which was scheduled for Wednesday, October 6 at 6:00 PM, is cancelled in order to accommodate Back to School Night.

V. Community Events/Announcements

Neponset River Fall Cleanup, Saturday, September 25, 9AM - 12PM: Join hundreds of volunteers as they spread out across the Neponset River Watershed to clean up the river, streams, ponds, parks, and trails. Locations in Hyde Park, Dorchester, Mattapan, and more. If you are interested in volunteering, pre-registration by NepRWA is required (register here with NepRWA).
Help us celebrate Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month! Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. This event spans from September 15 to October 15 and commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large. The Latinx/Hispanic community is made up of diverse individuals often set apart by their country of origin or ancestral history. September 15 was chosen as the starting point for the commemoration because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Hispanic countries.
Here are some ways to learn more about and activities to honor our Latinx/Hispanic families:
- Read books about and by Hispanic Americans: Middle School Books, High School Books
- Study Spanish: Try Duolingo, an incredibly popular (and free!) website and app. It offers basic Spanish lessons in a fun, engaging manner. Looking for something quicker? YouTube has plenty of options for short lessons.
- Take a spin of the globe: Research a Spanish-speaking nation:
  - https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/geography/countries
  - Learn more about every nation’s unique customs and traditions.
- Discuss representation: Take a look at famous Americans who are Hispanic or Latinx. Learning contributions made by Hispanic Americans is a terrific way to see firsthand the difference these individuals have made in our world. From Hollywood to Washington, D.C., Hispanic Americans are shaping our nation every day. Discuss the lack of representation Hispanic and Latinx Americans face. Despite comprising over 18 percent of the U.S. population, they are drastically underrepresented in media and politics. Research this issue, write letters to the editor, or discuss possible solutions.
- Explore Hispanic music: A quick search of “Hispanic Heritage Month” on Spotify and Pandora reveals that both apps have numerous school-appropriate playlists to choose from.
- Sample some cuisine: Like music, a culture’s traditional foods offer a wonderful enhancement to understanding and appreciation of a culture.
- Immerse yourself in art: Here is some amazing art created by Hispanic and Latino artists.
- Learn through play: Dominoes, the tile-matching game, is popular in Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. Lotería is a game a lot like Bingo, except it uses images on a deck of cards in place of the letter-number combos of Bingo.

APPENDIX: FAMILY QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

Upcoming Dates

Wednesday, September 15 - Friday, October 15: Celebrate Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month
Friday, October 1 - Rocktober starts
Friday, October 1 - Enrollment opens for the 2022-2023 school year
Wednesday, October 6, 6:00 PM - Back to School Night
Monday, October 11 - No School (Indigenous Peoples’ Day)
Wednesday, October 13 - SAT (Seniors only)
Tuesday, October 26 - PSAT (Juniors only)
Wednesday, October 27, 6:00 PM - Family Town Hall

Have questions?

Please don’t ever hesitate to reach out with questions! You can contact your child’s advisor or utilize any of the email addresses below.

For questions about yellow school buses, MBTA passes, and transportation: transportation@bostonprep.org
To report an absence or tardiness: attendance@bostonprep.org
To submit a physical exam record or to discuss health-related topics: nurses@bostonprep.org
For other questions: info@bostonprep.org