Weekly Announcements

11.20.20

Friday Update

I want to wish everyone a happy, restful, and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Please remember that there is no school next week and students will return back to classes on November 30th. Please be cognizant of the state related travel protocols and do not take any chances. We remind you to adhere to the travel restrictions and protocols and reach out to the HHS nurses if you have any questions at all.

As always, thanks for everything you do and enjoy the holiday

Holiday Travel:

We understand that the upcoming holiday season is a time when many of us would like to visit

with family and friends from across the area and out of state. Unfortunately, this cannot safely be done during the current pandemic. Governor Scott announced a ban on inter-family gatherings. Multi-household gatherings - indoor or outdoor, in public or private spaces are now prohibited. People are urged to continue to follow the state’s travel guidance. At this time, 

Vermont

Vermonters are being asked to: Avoid travel. If Vermonters do travel, they must complete a full 14 day quarantine upon their return to Vermont or they may get a COVID-19 PCR test after 7 days of quarantine and resume normal activity once they receive a negative result.

No inter-family or multi-household gatherings are allowed at this time.

If you are a Vermonter picking up a student from an out-of-state college, you and the student will need to quarantine when you come back to Vermont for 14 days. If you have not had symptoms of COVID-19, you have the option to get tested for COVID after 7 days and end your quarantine with a negative COVID PCR test result." Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine urged people to avoid holiday travel: “We know that social gatherings — often among trusted family and friends — are a driving force behind much of the virus’s spread right now nationwide,” Levine said Tuesday. “Adding the element of travel to the mix only makes it more risky.”

Please know that if you live in Vermont and work in NH or Vermont, or if you live in New Hampshire and work in Vermont, you will need to follow the Vermont travel guidelines. This means if you travel outside of Vermont, you must quarantine when you return. If you have not had any symptoms of COVID-19, you may seek a PCR test on or after Day 7 to end quarantine early with a negative result. Otherwise, you will need to quarantine for 14 days.

New Hampshire

Governor Sununu suggests: “I think it’s a small sacrifice to say we’re not going to travel. We’re not going to get involved in large groups. All the kids go to different schools. All the parents work, for the most part, in different locations. So that just adds that domino effect of risk that you’re bringing into play.”

We are well aware of the sacrifices we have already made in order to open and maintain our school and community safety, and sincerely hope that we can support each other as we continue to safeguard the health of our area. That being said, we know that some essential travel may be necessary during our holiday breaks. Guidelines from the state of NH classify teachers as “essential workers,” meaning that isolation and quarantine will not be necessary if teachers travel outside of New England. However, SAU 70 will continue to be more stringent and require staff who have travelled outside of New England to follow general state guidelines.

Please know that if you live in New Hampshire and work in New Hampshire, you will need to follow the New Hampshire guidelines. This means if you travel outside of New England, you must quarantine for 14 days when you return. If you have not had any symptoms of COVID-19, you may seek a PCR test on or after Day 7 to end quarantine early with a negative result.

Thanks to the Student Activity Committee

Thanks to the Student Activity Committee for leading us in some school spirit activities this month. We decorated paper turkeys and performed acts of gratitude. Some of the students wrote thank you letters, some collected canned goods for local food pantries and others created posters to give to members of the staff. What a thoughtful way to end the month in a hectic year. Thanks to the peer leaders for encouraging us to have a little fun!

Athletics - Winter Registration - Now Open

Registration is now open on FamilyID for HHS winter sports. At this time, Hanover High School will plan on offering the usual winter sports programs as allowed per state and NHIAA guidelines. Given the ever-changing nature of our world at this time, we will adapt and adjust as necessary.  Athletics is an integral part of the high school experience for many students and we are committed to keeping our students active and connected in the safest way possible.

We ask that everyone please register now for winter sports. There will be no payment due at this time. Registration should be completed by November 30, but I encourage it to be done as soon as possible. Here is the link to register - Register for winter sports on Family ID.

This year we have decided to collect the $150 per sport fee after the tryout process as it will be necessary in some programs to limit the number of athletes per team. You will be able to login to your FamilyID winter registration and pay starting in December. Each family will be notified when payment for their winter sport is due. Additionally, in case of financial hardship, Waiver Request Forms are still available for completion by clicking on the link.

Important Winter Sport Information

Due to COVID-19 and facility restrictions, some teams may run in a modified manner or need to make cuts. There is a possibility that some programs may be cancelled, however we plan to offer as many options as possible given the current limitations. The NHIAA has approved official tryouts/practices to begin on December 14, 2020 for all winter sports. Pre-season conditioning and skills/drills can begin November 30. Competitions can begin January 11, 2021 for all sports except Ice Hockey and Alpine Skiing which can compete beginning January 15, 2021. All programs will have COVID protocols in place including masks at all times for indoor sports.  Other protocols are still being finalized at this time.

Below is the list of sports with information on potential restrictions -

Boys Basketball - Varsity, JV, JV2 (roster sizes will be limited) 

Girls Basketball - Varsity, JV (roster sizes will be limited)

Unified Basketball - Varsity

Girls Ice Hockey - Varsity (roster size will be limited)

Boys Ice Hockey - Varsity, JV (roster sizes will be limited)

Boys Indoor Track - Due to facility issues, track practice will be predominantly outside and it is unlikely competitions will be offered.

Girls Indoor Track - Due to facility issues, track practice will be predominantly outside and it is unlikely competitions will be offered.

Alpine Skiing - Due to facility issues and transportation, participation will be limited to higher level skiers with racing experience.  A survey will be sent to all interested skiers to gauge experience level and cuts will likely be made. 

Nordic Skiing - We plan to offer a new development program open to beginners or those that don't want to race as well as our regular racing program. 

Ski Jumping

Swimming - Facility availability is still being determined. This may limit participation numbers and cuts may need to be made. 

Diving - Our regular facility at Dartmouth College is not available. CCBA will be used for diving. 

If you have questions, please contact Megan Sobel, Athletic Director, by emailing Megan Sobel or calling the Athletics Department at 643-0655.  

Yearbook Orders

Online yearbook orders are open. Go to Picaboo to place your order and pay online. Or you can place your order by sending in a check for $65 payable to Hanover High School to Jessica Eakin (in the library).

Senior Parents! 

The yearbook has several features specifically for seniors:

• Parent Ads: Go to Picaboo to purchase and design your parent ad. Parent ads go at the end of the yearbook and are a message you send to your child or to the class of 2020. Learn about purchasing and designing your ad. 
• Senior Photos: The yearbook uses student ID photos, but seniors can submit an alternative photo. The photo does not have to be a professional photo. Send alternative senior photos to Jessica Eakin
• Senior Sections: Every senior gets a third of a page to design. Seniors will learn more about creating their senior section in December in their advisories. Students are responsible for creating their senior sections. 

Staff Appreciation 2020

Thank you to the families who helped make today's Staff Appreciation possible and for all your wonderful messages. This is what the wrapped cookies looked like. A huge thank you to the staff of the HHS Cafe. They made over 170 cookies, packed them and we delivered them to every person who works at HHS and SAU. The remote workers will either have their cookie hand delivered, or will receive an IOU at the cafe, when they next come to school.

Insight Podcast

The Insight podcast with Chris Seibel is back.  This week, Chris Zoomed with two Upper Valley clinicians, Dr. Erin Barnet from DHMC and West Central Behavioral Health and Melissa Baker, LICSW from West Central Behavioral Health about the emotional impact Covid-19 has had on members of our community.  Erin and Melissa offer practical steps to cope during a time of elevated stress.  I hope you enjoy this video of the show.

If anyone is in crisis, whether they are a client or not, please reach out to West Central Behavioral Health Emergency Services team at 1 (800) 564 -2578.  If you are interested in connecting your child or family with therapeutic services, our intake number is (603) 542 - 5128.