GHS Student Resources

Dear Parents and Guardians of GHS Students,

I hope you are all doing well. GHS teachers and staff members have been thinking a lot about the health and well-being of GHS students and families as we’ve worked together over the past several days to create and gather school closure resources to share with you.

Please know that throughout the period of school closure, I will be available by email if you have any questions. If you prefer to call 978-281-9870 ext 14003, I will respond to your call as soon as possible. Although we are living through a period of social distancing, I hope that through the resources provided below GHS students will be able continue learning and stay both physically and mentally well. Sláinte! (Health!)

GHS Learning & Support Activities & Resources During the School Closure

Here is a link to a “front page” of student learning activities for the Spring 2020 school closure. When you click on the link, you will see that the resources are grouped by academic department. When you click on a particular department, you will find descriptions and links to learning activities organized by courses and teachers within the department. Please work with your child to find the learning activities and resources for your child’s classes. The “front page” link can also be found at ghs.gloucesterschools.com. 

Created and selected by GHS staff, the activities and resources are designed to provide opportunities to practice, extend, and supplement learning during the school closure. We’re mindful that not all of our students will have access to remote learning technology and support at home. Because it is extremely important to us to provide all students with equal access to required learning, the learning opportunities provided during school closure will not replace required curriculum and instruction, and completion of the activities is not required. However, the activities and resources complement required curriculum and instruction and will provide a way for students to continue learning during the school closure. 

The “front page” document also contains support and health-based links (which I’ve copied here), and the Gloucester Public School nurses have provided this link to families with information about Covid-19.

We will continue to work on providing more resources for students and families as the closure progresses.

Thank you for partnering with us to help your child maintain a daily routine that includes learning and well-being. Please consider using these resources to help structure unstructured time, doing so will have educational and mental health benefits.

AMERICAN PIPIT PAIR ARE STILL HERE!

Throughout the winter of 2019-2020 we have been graced with a sweet pair of Pipits. As you can see from the map, we are fairly far north of their winter range. Sunday, March 15th, the two were seen again in their usual location at Brace Cove.  They have found plenty to eat, between the wildflower seed heads and the tiny mollusks and insects available in the seaweed.

More help: MCC Update for any and all arts industry | COVID-19 Impact Form Ready and Webinar Thursday

photo caption: View past Central Burying Ground-  Gilbert Stuart, portrait artist, gravestone right at sidewalk– in the forground to building where MCC headquarters is located (behind FedEx truck), 2019 ©c ryan

From Anita Walker, Director Mass Cultural Council

An Update to Our Response to COVID-19

We are living and working in uncertain times. I am reaching out to commit to you that as new information becomes available on COVID-19/Coronavirus and relevant guidance and/or directives are issued by federal and state officials, Mass Cultural Council will remain in close touch to provide you, the Commonwealth’s cultural sector, with updates.

On Sunday, March 15, 2020, Governor Baker issued a number of Emergency Actions intended to protect the public. Mass Cultural Council is following the Administration’s announcements closely. Consistent with the Executive Branch, our team will not be reporting to the office today or tomorrow (March 16 and 17), and we’ll continue to follow guidance as it becomes available moving forward. Please know that our team is able to continue its important work on your behalf remotely, and that if you have any questions you should not hesitate to reach out to your program manager by phone or email.

Mass Cultural Council is prioritizing 5 action items to help the cultural sector manage financial disruption associated Coronavirus:

1. We are collecting data from the field on how Coronavirus is impacting you/or your organization. Please respond to our survey for artists/arts and cultural educators or our survey for cultural organizations as information and data becomes clear to you. We have begun conversations with state legislators on future state mitigation efforts and we want to make sure they are able to craft this legislation with real data and impacts in mind. 
2. We are working internally to accelerate the processing and disbursement of any remaining fiscal year payments to our organizations. Updates on this will come from program staff as they are available.
3. We are exploring options on how to extend deadlines on final reports – please connect with program staff with any questions.
4. With our governing Council, we are revisiting our FY20 spending plan with a critical eye to assess how we might redeploy unspent dollars as emergency mitigation funds to support our artists and cultural nonprofits.
5. And, on Thursday, March 19 at 3pm we will host a webinar to share the best advice available on how to manage our organizations during this crisis led by staff from the Boston Public Health Commission. During the conversation, we’ll share best practices, resources, and discuss what you are experiencing in your organizations now to start to understand what resources you need. (This webinar is limited to 500 participants and will be available online soon after.)

Again, we will continue to be in touch as information and updates become available.  Stay safe and make healthy choices.- Anita Walker | MCC

COVID-19 MESSAGE FROM CAFFE SICILIA

Serenitee Restaurant Group: As of now, Hale Street, 15 Walnut, The Spot and Maggie’s Farm will remain open for takeout only, starting Wednesday March 18th

capeanneats

Our restaurant group was founded with the purpose of creating a fun, welcoming environment that brings people together and furthers a sense of community. Keeping with this commitment we must prioritize the safety and health of staff and guests, and close our restaurants until we believe it is safe to reopen our doors.

As of now, Hale Street, 15 Walnut, The Spot and Maggie’s Farm will remain open for takeout only, starting Wednesday March 18^th.

If you wish to help people whose livelihoods are directly impacted by the current federal, state and city mandates, please consider a donation to the United States Bartenders Guild [USBG] Charity Foundation or to a community organization like the Open Door or Citizens Inn, who are working hard to feed those whom lost jobs and school closure have created an urgent need.

We look forward to a time when…

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Bananas Vintage Clothing

Main Street corona closings –

Bananas temporarily closed for 3 weeks starting March 16. Classic mannequin even more big mood today.

Beauport Hospitality Group: A Note To Guests Regarding Our Restaurants And Venues

capeanneats

To Our Valued Guests,

With the evolving COVID-19 public health crisis across Massachusetts, our nation and the globe, we are doing our best to make decisions for the well-being of our guests, teams and local communities.

Under the directive and guidance from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and CDC, we have temporarily closed 1606 Restaurant and Bar, Seaport Grille and Rail Stop Restaurant and Bar, effective through Monday, April 6th. There will be no takeout service available at this time, as we work to support the highest level of safety for our guests and team.

Beauport Hotel Gloucester will remain open and welcome to overnight guests, but with reduced levels of capacity to ensure safe and adequate physical space among guests. Limitations include gift shop hours by appointment only. In addition, due to the current Massachusetts dining regulations, there will be no in-room dining service or restaurant table service available. Our full response and action plan…

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Getting ready

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2020. I’m starting to set the table, making sure to add some pieces from my brother and my grandparents and folks, listening to favorite tunes, old and new, and ready for the Dropkick Murphys stream tonight (thanks to Joey’s post)

Also recalling fondly one night when we saw the Clancy brothers at a packed bar in New York and I realized for the first time just how Irish my father looked. Arriving late and scanning a sea of round faced men convincingly attired in customary monochrome sweaters, I think I may have waved to the wrong dad!

Pretty kite at Good Harbor Beach on Sunday

Beautiful day at Good Harbor Beach with a pretty kite flying.

Who’s Watching Dropkick Murphy’s Live Streaming Show Tonight For St Patrick’s Day?

TOMORROW !! THE SHOW MUST GO ON !! We’re STREAMING UP FROM BOSTON for ST. PATRICK’S DAY.

FULL CONCERT LIVE !! 7pm Boston time, 4pm San Francisco, 11pm London, 12am Berlin, 10am Sydney…

Full streaming info on https://t.co/dUswGP1f4B #DropkickMurphys pic.twitter.com/OOsmwNlniP

— Dropkick Murphys (@DropkickMurphys) March 16, 2020

NOT COVID News…..In Case You Needed It

Spring is set to arrive Thursday March 19, for an early equinox! The earliest spring in 100 years is what I am seeing. Isn’t that good news??? Here’s a link for more information: https://www.almanac.com/content/first-day-spring-vernal-equinox

Here are a couple of small signs of spring around town. Pussy willows and early tulips blooming. A feast for the eyes and heart.

COVID-19 UNEMPLOYMENT MESSAGE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ANN MARGARET FERRANTE

If you have found yourself out of work due to restrictions in place because of COVID-19, you should apply for unemployment insurance even if you are unsure if your situation fits normal unemployment insurance guidelines.

The House and Senate are working on emergency legislation that will allow new claims to be paid more quickly by waiving the one week waiting period for unemployment benefits and Governor Baker’s administration is developing emergency regulations that will allow people impacted by COVID-19 to collect unemployment insurance in the certain circumstances.

To learn how to apply for unemployment, visit https://www.mass.gov/guides/what-to-do-if-youve-become-unemployed-in-massachusetts

COVID-19 LOAN FUND MESSAGE FROM REPRESENTATIVE ANN MARGARET FERRANTE

Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced economic support for small businesses with a $10 million loan fund to provide financial relief to those that have been affected by COVID-19.

The $10 million Small Business Recovery Loan Fund will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts-based businesses impacted by COVID-19 with under 50 full- and part-time employees, including nonprofits. Loans are immediately available to eligible businesses with no payments due for the first 6 months.

To apply, please complete the application found at https://www.empoweringsmallbusiness.org/. Completed applications can be sent via email to mgcc@massgcc.com with the subject line “2020 Small Business Recovery Loan Fund.”

FRIENDS- THE OPEN DOOR NEEDS OUR HELP!

We don’t need to remind our readers what a truly amazing organization is the Open Door, and how they have fed, supported, and uplifted countless members of our community. The Open Door really needs our financial help. Nicole Duckworth shares that the food pantry is already serving more people. The Open Door has lost 40 percent of its revenue due to the Second Glance temporarily closing. And they cannot at this time take food donations because of corvid-19.

Please consider donating money to the Open Door. You can either write a check or click through to Network for Good:

Financial Contributions by Check:

If you would like to help us feed hungry families here on Cape Ann, please send a check, made payable to The Open Door:

The Open Door, 28 Emerson Avenue
Gloucester, MA 01930

Donate here through Network for Good 

NEW WAY TO PICK UP FOOD AT THE OPEN DOOR

Beginning Wednesday, March 18: We will move to curbside pick-up; clients are asked not to enter the building. Pull up to the front of our building on Emerson Ave., and a volunteer or staff member will bring you food prepacked for your household size.

If you work during this time, or are quarantined and unable to pick up groceries, please call 978-283-6776 or email gethelp@foodpantry.org.

This change will help to keep our staff and volunteers healthy and able to serve our clients. These measures are, of course, temporary during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, and we look forward to returning to our full-service, full-choice model as soon as it is safe to do so.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

Bookstore of Gloucester

Happy to ship or deliver books for the Bookstore! This is a hard time for small businesses and any support is appreciated!

GHS Announcement Of Change Of Lunch Sites

DO YOU NEED HELP PUTTING FOOD ON YOUR TABLE DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK? MESSAGE FROM BACKYARD GROWERS

COVID-19 is having a direct impact on many families and seniors in our community. We’ve put together a list of resources available to those experiencing food insecurity and hunger at this challenging time. We’re all in this together. For assistance, please see below:

🥕 Project Bread – Food Source Hotline: The toll-free Hotline responds to more than 28,000 calls a year from people across Massachusetts struggling to feed their families. FoodSource Hotline counselors refer callers to food resources in their community as well as provides them with information about school meals, summer meal sites for kids, elder meals programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

🥕 The Open Door – The Food Pantry at The Open Door provides emergency groceries to those in need. Community Meals offer free, nutritious meals to those in need of food.

🥕 Gloucester School Food Service Department – The City has established a lunch “Pick-Up Station” at O’Maley Middle School at 312 Cherry St., Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. – noon. All children ages 18 and under, regardless of their Free/Reduced/Full Pay status will receive a FREE complete nutritious bagged lunch daily. The meals are prepared under the same strict nutrition and food safety guidelines that are followed every day in our school kitchens. Meals may not be consumed at the “Pick-Up Station” limiting participants’ interaction and proximity to other participants.

🥕 The Office of the Mayor of the City of Gloucester – If you are self-quarantining or under mandatory quarantine (none as of 3/16) and need food assistance, please contact the Mayor of the City of Gloucester at mayor@gloucester-ma.gov. The City has runners and will drop off a food package to you.

🥕 Backyard Growers will soon be launching a program to make container gardening materials and resources available to our community – putting the power to grow your own food on more doorsteps, patios, back stairs, and backyards throughout the region, in a variety of shapes and sizes. Watch this space.

SHORT AND MAIN COVID-19 UPDATE

Dear Short & Main customers,

Obviously things are moving pretty fast.  Before Governor Baker’s announcement we had decided to close our dining room and switch to takeout service only.  We are ready to continue serving you in a safe and responsible way.

Place your order over the phone with a credit card and we will deliver to your car on Short Street.  No cash, no signatures, no door handles.
We are of the belief that we can’t be too cautious or too clean.  It’s for that reason that we will not be doing delivery at this time as it adds an extra link in the chain that we’re unable to control.  We hope that you trust us to be diligent and mindful during this time. That trust feels personal to us and we’d like to keep it at all costs.

We will be opening an hour early; 4pm to 9pm for now.

Our public events are obviously canceled but we will still be serving burgers and fried chicken on the first and last Wednesdays of the month.  You can pre-order via phone or email if you’re worried about our popular specials running out.

Let’s FLATTEN THE CURVE together!

-sincerely Short & Main

Wednesday March 25th Burger Night

Friday March 27th Steve Lacey Record Release

Saturday March 28th GIRL lbgtq dance party

Wednesday April 1st Fried Chicken from Green Circle Farm

CORVID-19 UPDATE FROM CAKE ANN

This has been an unprecedented week and its only Tuesday! After a lot of thought and consulting our team we decided to open and serve our community as long as we are able.

At Cake Ann we have:

– Stepped up hand washing and continue to use all good health practices for safe food handling

– Removed our small seating and waiting area

– Clean the Point of sale after every customer interaction.

– Sanitize all surfaces and equipment on a continuous basis

– Serve coffee to limit cross contamination of equipment

We ask you to:

– You not travel if you and or your family is not well

– Please do not help yourself – we will help you.

– Be patient and realize that we are working in extraordinary times.

– Support your local businesses as you can

– Reschedule – not cancel your existing event.

I am working on online ordering and starting today we will accept prepaid orders that we will be delivered within a window of 4-6 PM in Rockport and Gloucester. We will continue to update you as more information becomes available.

Thank you very much –

Our team at Cake Ann

Please help our small businesses, shop local

I know we are stuck in the house but please try to shop local when going out.  We need our local businesses to survive.  If you do not want to go out, call and order gift cards.